Truth for Life - November 20, 2015

November 20

A Voice of Confidence

Observe how positively the prophet speaks. He does not say, "I hope, I trust, I sometimes think that God has taken up my cause"; rather he speaks of it as a matter of fact not to be disputed. "You have taken up my cause." Let us, by the aid of the gracious Comforter, shake off those doubts and fears that so easily mar our peace and comfort.

Let this be our prayer-that we may be done with the harsh, croaking voice of conjecture and suspicion and may be able to speak with the clear, melodious voice of full assurance.

Notice how gratefully the prophet speaks, ascribing all the glory to God alone! You will notice that there is not a word concerning himself or his own pleadings. He does not ascribe his deliverance in any measure to any man, much less to his own merit; but it is "you"-"You have taken up my cause, O LORD; you have redeemed my life."

A grateful spirit should always be cultivated by the Christian; and especially after deliverances we should prepare a song for our God. Earth should be a temple filled with the songs of grateful saints, and every day should be filled with the sweet incense of thanksgiving.

How joyful Jeremiah seems to be while he records the Lord's mercy. How triumphantly he sounds out melody!

He has been in the low dungeon, and even now he is none other than the weeping prophet; and yet in the very book that is called "Lamentations," in as clear a song as Miriam's when she played her tambourine, in as piercing a note as Deborah's when she met Barak with shouts of victory, we hear the voice of Jeremiah going up to heaven-"You have taken up my cause, O LORD; you have redeemed my life."

O children of God, seek after a vital experience of the Lord's loving-kindness, and when you have it, speak positively of it; sing gratefully; shout triumphantly!

Family Bible reading plan

verse 1 1 Chronicles 15

verse 2 James 2

Honest Evangelism: How to Talk About Jesus Even When It’s Tough

The changes taking place in Western cultures are both discouraging to Christians and, ironically, encouraging. More precisely, most of the changes themselves are discouraging, but they are calling forth a different set of changes that are encouraging. The discouraging changes are easy to list. Rising biblical illiteracy means that there is less and less cultural consensus around things like the Ten Commandments. Honor is an old-fashioned word, easily mocked; truth is increasingly flexible; the lust for power, success, and money has become more and more transparent and unchecked; dignity is old-fashioned; cruelty and vengeance are sometimes depicted as virtues.

Short, clear, realistic and humorous, this book will challenge you to be honest in your conversations about Jesus, help you to know how to talk about him, and thrill you that God can and will use ordinary people to change eternal destinies.

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From Morning & Evening revised and edited by Alistair Begg copyright © 2003. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org.