Grounded in Truth
Psalm 25:4-10 

If we’ll let the truths of Scripture fill our minds, guard our emotions, and influence our conduct, God will richly reward us. I’m talking about spiritual blessings here (though He at times chooses to bless materially as well). By reading and meditating on His Word, you’ll learn to understand His ways. This isn’t something we can figure out on our own, because His ways are unlike ours—they are higher, bigger, and eternal.

Also, your relationship with the Lord will grow increasingly more intimate because He chooses to reveal Himself to those who seek Him and obey His instructions. When you see that God always keeps His promises, your confidence in His faithfulness will soar. No matter what the situation, you’ll know you can trust Him. Then He’ll transform your worries into joyful anticipation about what He’s going to do next in your life. Even if hard times await, you’ll be convinced that the Lord will work them out for good.

A life grounded in truth is powerful. Those who live by the Word develop spiritual discernment, which guides their choices and guards against deception. Because they demonstrate wisdom and godliness, the Lord enables them to impact others greatly. Since He knows they can be trusted, He also gives them greater responsibilities and opportunities for service in His kingdom.

With all this available to us, wouldn’t it be wise to invest our time and energy in building the truth of God’s Word into our lives? The other activities which clamor for our attention seem so important or pleasurable, but none of them can offer us the spiritual riches of a life grounded in truth

Cheerfully Pray for Another   –   Pray for one another.

James 5:16

Be encouraged to cheerfully offer intercessory prayer, by remembering that such prayer is the sweetest God ever hears. The prayer of Christ is of this character. In all the incense that our Great High Priest now puts into the golden censer, there is not a single grain for Himself. His intercession must be the most acceptable of all supplications–and the more our prayer like Christ’s, the sweeter it will be.

Thus while petitions for ourselves will be accepted, our pleadings for others, having in them more of the fruits of the Spirit–more love, more faith, more brotherly kindness–will be, through the precious merits of Jesus, the sweetest sacrifice that we can offer to God. Remember, again, that intercessory prayer is exceedingly prevalent [powerful]. What wonders it has accomplished! The Word of God teems with its marvelous deeds.

Believer, you have a mighty engine in your hand; use it well, use it constantly, use it with faith, and you will surely be a blessing to others.

When you have the King’s ear, speak to Him for the suffering members of His body. When you are favored to draw very near to His throne, and the King says to you, “Ask, and it will be given to you,” let your petitions be, not for yourself alone, but for the many who need His aid. If you have any grace at all and are not an intercessor, that grace must be as small as a grain of mustard seed. You have just enough grace to float your soul clear from the quicksand, but you have no depth of grace or else you would carry in your vessel a heavy cargo of the wants of others, and you would bring back from your Lord rich blessings for them that apart from you they might not have obtained.

Oh, let my hands forget their skill,

My tongue be silent, cold, and still,

This bounding heart forget to beat,

If I forget the mercy-seat!

The family reading plan for February 6, 2012

Job 5 | Romans 9

How to Build Truth into Your Life
John 8:31-32 

Because there’s so much deception in our world, it is essential that we become grounded in the Scriptures. Some believers have accepted erroneous ideas simply because they haven’t incorporated truth into their minds and hearts. But how do we go about building a firm foundation of righteousness?

The first step is to recognize that going to church and listening to sermons is not enough. You need a desire and commitment to begin letting God’s Word shape your mind, emotions, and will. Think of an area of need, interest, or struggle in your life. Now find a passage in the Bible that addresses that situation. For example, if someone has hurt you, find verses about forgiveness. If you don’t know where to look, check a concordance or the back of your Bible for a subject list.

As you read the passage, look for God’s instructions, and begin doing what He says. Then observe the results. What has the Lord done in your life? What did you learn about Him and His ways? Once you’ve experienced the blessing of obedience in that area, you’ll be ready to apply what the Lord reveals about other aspects of your life. One of the best ways to plant these truths firmly in your heart is to write them down and review them regularly.

One benefit of building truth into your life is freedom. Areas of sin or feelings of insecurity and inadequacy hamper us in so many ways. But when we believe Scripture and act on its truth rather than our emotions or desires, we’ll discover that the Lord can overpower whatever holds us captive

The City of Refuge   –   . . . A refuge from the avenger of blood.

Joshua 20:3

It is said that in the land of Canaan, cities of refuge were so arranged that any man might reach one of them within half a day at the most. In the same way the word of our salvation is near to us; Jesus is a present Savior, and the way to Him is short. It is but a simple renunciation of our own merit and a laying hold of Jesus to be our all in all. With regard to the roads to the city of refuge, we are told that they were strictly preserved, every river was bridged, and every obstruction removed, so that the man who fled might find an easy passage to the city.

Once a year the elders went along the roads to check on their condition, so that nothing might impede the flight of anyone and cause them, through delay, to be overtaken and slain. How graciously do the promises of the Gospel remove stumbling blocks from the way! Wherever there were junctions and turnings, there were signposts clearly stating, “To the city of refuge!”

This is a picture of the road to Christ Jesus. It is no roundabout road of the law; it is no obeying this, that, and the other; it is a straight road: “Believe, and live.” It is a road so hard that no self-righteous man can ever tread it, but so easy that every sinner who knows himself to be a sinner may by it find his way to heaven. As soon as the man seeking refuge reached the outskirts of the city, he was safe; it was not necessary for him to be beyond the walls–the suburbs themselves were sufficient protection.

Learn from this that if you merely touch the hem of Christ’s garment, you shall be made whole; if you can only lay hold upon him with “faith as a grain of mustard seed,” you are safe.

A little genuine grace ensures

The death of all our sins

So waste no time; do not dillydally, for the avenger of blood moves quickly; and it could be that he is at your heels even this evening.

The family reading plan for February 4, 2012

Job 3 | Romans 7

Wait for God’s Peace
Colossians 3:15-17 

Many believers use a sense of peace as a sign for determining the will of God in their lives. However, this may not be enough evidence to verify that our decisions line up with the Lord’s plans. Whose peace are we experiencing? Sometimes our sense of tranquility can be attributed to our own satisfaction with the choice we have made.

Today’s passage talks about letting “the peace of Christ rule in your hearts” (v. 15). This kind of settledness originates from Christ and is the umpire that judges whether your decisions fit with God’s will. The word peace means to be bound or woven together in harmony and oneness. So to have God’s peace about a matter means your decision must be aligned with His will. The only way to determine this is by comparing your thoughts and choices with His Word. Are you thinking the same way He does? Did you make your decision using scriptural principles or your own human understanding?

One of the reasons we often make choices without the guidance of Scripture is because we want a quicker method for finding an answer. The Lord doesn’t just pour His thoughts into our brain without our cooperation. He molds us gradually, day by day, as we read the Word and let its truths sink into our mind.

Building steadily over time is the only way to internalize a foundation of God’s truth. With His instructions as your basis, you can make decisions with confidence, knowing you are following His will. Then you’ll have a sense of oneness with the Lord, and His peace will guard your way

Our Desire for Christ’s Fellowship   –   Tell me . . . Where you pasture your flock, where you make it lie down at noon.

Song of Songs 1:7

These words may be taken as expressions of the believer’s desire for Christ’s fellowship and his longing for present communion with Him. Where do You feed Your flock? In Your house? I will go, if I may find You there. In private prayer? Then I will pray without ceasing. In the Word? Then I will read it diligently. In Your ordinances? Then I will pursue them with all my heart.

Tell me where this happens, for wherever You stand as the Shepherd, there will I lie down as a sheep; for no one but Yourself can supply my need. I cannot be satisfied to be apart from You. My soul hungers and thirsts for the refreshment of Your presence. “Where you make it lie down at noon.” Whether at dawn or at noon, my only rest must be where You are and Your beloved flock. My soul’s rest must be a grace-given rest and can only be found in You.

Where is the shadow of that rock? Why should I not rest beneath it? “Why should I be as one that turns aside by the flocks of your companions?” (see v. 76). You have companions–why should I not be one? Satan tells me I am unworthy; but I always was unworthy, and yet You have long loved me; and therefore my unworthiness cannot be a barrier to having fellowship with You now.

It is true I am weak in faith and prone to fall, but my very feebleness is the reason why I should always be where You feed Your flock, that I may be strengthened and preserved in safety beside the still waters. Why should I turn aside? There is no reason why I should, but there are a thousand reasons why I should not, for Jesus beckons me to come. If He withdrew Himself a little, it is but to make me value His presence more. Now that I am grieved and distressed at being away from Him, He will lead me again to that sheltered nook where the lambs of His fold are sheltered from the burning sun.

The family reading plan for February 3, 2012

Job 2 | Romans 6