Devotionals

THE BIBLE REVEALS THE WAY TO CHRIST

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you. 1 Peter 1:22-25

MOMENTS OF PRAYER

☐ Pray for the items listed in your Prayer Journal

☐ Pray for the five individuals/families you chose

☐ Pray for Burman University

☐ Pray for you to receive the fruit of the Spirit: Kindness

The blessed Bible gives us a knowledge of the great plan of salvation, and shows us how every individual may have eternal life. Who is the author of the Book? Jesus Christ. He is the True Witness, and He says to His own, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” The Bible is to show us the way to Christ, and in Christ eternal life is revealed. Jesus said to the Jews and to those who pressed about Him in great multitudes, “Search the scriptures.” The Jews had the Word in the Old Testament, but they had so mingled it with human opinions, that its truths were mystified, and the will of God to human beings was covered up. The religious teachers of the people are following their example in this age.

Though the Jews had the Scriptures which testified of Christ, they were not able to discern Christ in the Scriptures; and although we have the Old and the New Testament, people today wrest the Scriptures to evade their truths; and in their interpretations of the Scriptures, they teach, as did the Pharisees, the maxims and traditions of humanity for the commandments of God. In Christ’s day the religious leaders had so long presented human ideas before the people, that the teaching of Christ was in every way opposed to their theories and practice.

His sermon on the mount virtually contradicted the doctrines of the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees. They had so misrepresented God that He was looked upon as a stern judge, incapable of compassion, mercy, and love. They presented to the people endless maxims and traditions as proceeding from God, when they had no “Thus saith the Lord” for their authority. Though they professed to know and to worship the true and living God, they wholly misrepresented Him; and the character of God, as represented by His Son, was as an original subject, a new gift to the world. Christ made every effort so to sweep away the misrepresentations of Satan, that the confidence of people in the love of God might be restored.

Ellen Gold White, To Be Like Jesus, pg. 128 – April 28

GOING DEEPER

God has revealed such an infinity of mercy in his Word that it would be impossible to conceive of more. See how the psalmist dwells upon his favor and mercy (Psalm 119:58); he feels his own unworthiness. He remains a suppliant, though he knows that he has all things in his God. The confidence of faith makes us bold in prayer, but it never teaches us to live without prayer, or justifies us in being other than humble beggars at mercy’s gate.

PACKER, J. I. (1993). Introduction. In Psalms (p. 206). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

QUESTION…

What did Christ say is the seed of the kingdom of God? Luke 8:11

IN LETTERS OF GOLD

“ If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.” 1 Corinthians 3:12, 13

THIS WEEK’S HOMEWORK

1. Memorize: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James 1:22
2. Pray for the five individuals/families that you have delivered the health resource that they may be touched by the health message.