Morning

“Wait, my daughter.”

“Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint.”—“Be still, and know that I am God.”—“Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”—The haughtiness of man shall be humbled, and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.

Mary . . . sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. . . . “Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”—“In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”—Ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD. His heart is steady.—“Whoever believes will not be in haste.”

Ruth 3:18; Isa. 7:4; Ps. 46:10; John 11:40; Isa. 2:17; Luke 10:39, 42; Isa. 30:15; Ps. 4:4; Ps. 37:7; Ps. 112:7, 8; Isa. 28:16 (Read full verses…)

Evening

“What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”

“You shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.”

“When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love; . . . I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord GOD, and you became mine.”—“The Lord disciplines the one he loves.”

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.—This slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.

John 13:7; Deut. 8:2; Ezek. 16:8; Heb. 12:6; 1 Pet. 4:12, 13; 2 Cor. 4:17, 18 (Read full verses…)

<< Sep 3 | Sep 4 | Sep 5 >>

Excerpted from Daily
Light on the Daily Path ©2002 Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good
News Publishers.

Morning

“No leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory.”

The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil.—Abhor what is evil.—Abstain from every form of evil.—See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.

If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.—Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.—Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.—“Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”—It was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners.—In him there is no sin.

Ex. 13:7; Prov. 8:13; Rom. 12:9; 1 Thess. 5:22; Heb. 12:15; Ps. 66:18; 1 Cor. 5:6-8; 1 Cor. 11:28; 2 Tim. 2:19; Heb. 7:26; 1 John 3:5 (Read full verses…)

Evening

The serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. . . . Your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. . . . Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.—So that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

Gen. 3:4, 5; 2 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 6:10, 11, 13-17; 2 Cor. 2:11 (Read full verses…)

<< Sep 2 | Sep 3 | Sep 4 >>

Excerpted from Daily
Light on the Daily Path ©2002 Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good
News Publishers.

Morning

Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage.

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary. . . . He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.—Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.—You have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat; for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall.

The testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.—Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

Ps. 27:14; Isa. 40:28, 29; Isa. 41:10; Isa. 25:4; Jas. 1:3, 4; Heb. 10:35, 36 (Read full verses…)

Evening

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

“But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet. . . . There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”—“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”—Be still before the LORD.—Whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works.

Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace.—So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.

With great delight I sat in his shadow, and his fruit was sweet to my taste, he brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.

Ps. 23:2; Isa. 57:20, 21; Matt. 11:28; Ps. 37:7; Heb. 4:10; Heb. 13:9; Eph. 4:14, 15; Song 2:3, 4 (Read full verses…)

<< Sep 1 | Sep 2 | Sep 3 >>

Excerpted from Daily
Light on the Daily Path ©2002 Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good
News Publishers.

Morning

The fruit of the Spirit is . . . gentleness.

The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the LORD, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.—“Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”—The imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit . . . in God’s sight is very precious.—Love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant.

Pursue . . . gentleness.—“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart.”—He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.—Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return . . . but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

Gal. 5:22, 23; Isa. 29:19; Matt. 18:3, 4; 1 Pet. 3:4; 1 Cor. 13:4; 1 Tim. 6:11; Matt. 11:29; Isa. 53:7; 1 Pet. 2:21-23 (Read full verses…)

Evening

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise.—Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.—The offense of the cross.

If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed. . . . But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake.—One has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.—If we endure, we will also reign with him.

Luke 9:23; 2 Cor. 6:8; 2 Tim. 3:12; Gal. 5:11; Gal. 1:10; 1 Pet. 4:14-16; Phil. 1:29; 2 Cor. 5:14, 15; 2 Tim. 2:12 (Read full verses…)

<< Aug 31 | Sep 1 | Sep 2 >>

Excerpted from Daily
Light on the Daily Path ©2002 Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good
News Publishers.

Morning

The free gift following many trespasses brought justification.

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”—“I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right.”—I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”—But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.—And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Rom. 5:16; Isa. 1:18; Isa. 43:25, 26; Isa. 44:22; John 3:16; Rom. 5:15; 1 Cor. 6:11 (Read full verses…)

Evening

“Engage in business until I come.”

“It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake.”—“To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.”

“We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.”—“Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”—Leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.—Each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it.—Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Luke 19:13; Mark 13:34; Matt. 25:15; John 9:4; Luke 2:49; 1 Pet. 2:21; 2 Tim. 4:2; 1 Cor. 3:13; 1 Cor. 15:58 (Read full verses…)

<< Aug 30 | Aug 31 | Sep 1 >>

Excerpted from Daily
Light on the Daily Path ©2002 Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good
News Publishers.