August 28: Meaningless Maxims
#Devotional
Isaiah 58:1–59:21; Luke 22:24–62; Job 13:1–12
“Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay” (Job 13:12).
There were bits of truth in the words spoken by Jobs’ friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Between their blundering interpretations were words that expressed God’s majesty, justice, and sovereignty. Unfortunately, they pieced together their bits of truth and applied them incorrectly to Job’s life.
Job quickly saw through their packaged solution. However, not all those struggling with loss can handle an onslaught of helpful Christians with easy answers. When people go through difficult times and ask for advice—or even if they don’t—it’s tempting to deliver our responses based on our own experiences. Eliphaz argued this way: “Just as I have seen, plowers of mischief and sowers of trouble will reap it” (Job 4:8).
The way we interpret and respond to events in our lives is often Scripture-based and Spirit-led. Though we should readily provide encouragement to those who struggle, we shouldn’t always encourage others toward the same application. Our responses to those in need should be carefully weighed, and they should always guide others to Scripture, the good news, and the work of the Spirit. Ultimately, these are the means through which truth speaks into our experiences. We should never intend for our guidance to be the final authority in others’ lives.
How are you helping others understand their pain and sorrow?
#Devotional
Isaiah 58:1–59:21; Luke 22:24–62; Job 13:1–12
“Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay” (Job 13:12).
There were bits of truth in the words spoken by Jobs’ friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Between their blundering interpretations were words that expressed God’s majesty, justice, and sovereignty. Unfortunately, they pieced together their bits of truth and applied them incorrectly to Job’s life.
Job quickly saw through their packaged solution. However, not all those struggling with loss can handle an onslaught of helpful Christians with easy answers. When people go through difficult times and ask for advice—or even if they don’t—it’s tempting to deliver our responses based on our own experiences. Eliphaz argued this way: “Just as I have seen, plowers of mischief and sowers of trouble will reap it” (Job 4:8).
The way we interpret and respond to events in our lives is often Scripture-based and Spirit-led. Though we should readily provide encouragement to those who struggle, we shouldn’t always encourage others toward the same application. Our responses to those in need should be carefully weighed, and they should always guide others to Scripture, the good news, and the work of the Spirit. Ultimately, these are the means through which truth speaks into our experiences. We should never intend for our guidance to be the final authority in others’ lives.
How are you helping others understand their pain and sorrow?
❤2
August 28 - Jesus Meets Blind Men’s Needs
#LifeOfChrist
“The blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, ‘Do you believe that I am able to do this?’ They said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord.’ Then He touched their eyes, saying, ‘It shall be done to you according to your faith.’ And their eyes were opened” (Matthew 9:28–30a).
Sometimes at conversion, the Lord wants sinners to give a more public profession of their trust in Him, in keeping with Paul’s teaching, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9). This was the kind of confession Jesus drew out of the blind men, and it testified to the eyewitnesses of what He requires for salvation. “Yes” indicated they believed He could do what they requested of Him, and “Lord” set forth their faith that He was the promised Messiah and coming Savior, who was now in their midst.
The men’s testimony proved that their understanding of Jesus was biblical, unlike many misguided and insincere followers. It distinguished them from those who thought Jesus was only a military and political deliverer, those who believed Jesus was merely a competent and charismatic human leader. Their confession emphasized that Christ was primarily a spiritual leader, whose first concern was saving people from their sins. Though His compassion for physical suffering was genuine, it was far greater for lost souls.
Jesus prompted the blind men to openly confess their faith in Him, not so much for curing their physical blindness but for the sake of their spiritual sight. They acknowledged Him as Son of David and came asking Him for spiritual mercy and salvation, and thus they received a gift far greater than simple restoration of their eyes.
Ask Yourself
Test the strength of your concern for others’ spiritual state. Is it as strong as it should be? Does your grief over their lost condition extend to your active pursuit of their repentance and trust in Jesus? What would it take to fan the flames of your evangelistic passion?
#LifeOfChrist
“The blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, ‘Do you believe that I am able to do this?’ They said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord.’ Then He touched their eyes, saying, ‘It shall be done to you according to your faith.’ And their eyes were opened” (Matthew 9:28–30a).
Sometimes at conversion, the Lord wants sinners to give a more public profession of their trust in Him, in keeping with Paul’s teaching, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9). This was the kind of confession Jesus drew out of the blind men, and it testified to the eyewitnesses of what He requires for salvation. “Yes” indicated they believed He could do what they requested of Him, and “Lord” set forth their faith that He was the promised Messiah and coming Savior, who was now in their midst.
The men’s testimony proved that their understanding of Jesus was biblical, unlike many misguided and insincere followers. It distinguished them from those who thought Jesus was only a military and political deliverer, those who believed Jesus was merely a competent and charismatic human leader. Their confession emphasized that Christ was primarily a spiritual leader, whose first concern was saving people from their sins. Though His compassion for physical suffering was genuine, it was far greater for lost souls.
Jesus prompted the blind men to openly confess their faith in Him, not so much for curing their physical blindness but for the sake of their spiritual sight. They acknowledged Him as Son of David and came asking Him for spiritual mercy and salvation, and thus they received a gift far greater than simple restoration of their eyes.
Ask Yourself
Test the strength of your concern for others’ spiritual state. Is it as strong as it should be? Does your grief over their lost condition extend to your active pursuit of their repentance and trust in Jesus? What would it take to fan the flames of your evangelistic passion?
❤5
We sincerely apologize for the late posting of the August 28th #LifeOfChrist and #Devotional. We warmly welcome you to join @StudyBibleFam.
God and sinners can only be reconciled through Jesus Christ.
❤3
WEEK 4 — Legacy
Dear Daughter,
Two stones laid well outlast one monument built alone.
Celebrate every year, every argument survived, every apology given — they are the stones of something future generations will stand on.
Your marriage is already someone's inheritance.
'One generation shall praise your works to another' (Ps 145:4).
What stone did you and your husband lay together this month?
#DearDaughter #StonesForTheNext #StrongMarriage
Dear Daughter,
Two stones laid well outlast one monument built alone.
Celebrate every year, every argument survived, every apology given — they are the stones of something future generations will stand on.
Your marriage is already someone's inheritance.
'One generation shall praise your works to another' (Ps 145:4).
What stone did you and your husband lay together this month?
#DearDaughter #StonesForTheNext #StrongMarriage
❤3
The Scriptures disclose more about the second coming of Christ than His first coming, the return of Christ is a cardinal truth, and an absolute certainty.
❤5
The Gospel is offensive to human pride because it leaves us with nothing to boast about. We are not rescued because we were wise enough, moral enough, or religious enough.
We are rescued by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
We are rescued by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
🙏2❤1
Aug 29 (Sat) — RIDDLE-ORACLE
"The Watchman on the Wall of Two"
A city with no watchman falls silently in the night — not from a lack of walls, but a lack of WATCHING. Ps 127:1 hides this truth in plain sight: unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor for nothing. Your marriage has walls — but who is keeping watch? 🏰🌙
The riddle: the watchman does not fight every battle himself. He simply stays AWAKE, and sounds the alarm before the enemy is at the gate. Prayer is your watchtower. Are you still climbing it? 🔥
❓ What has crept toward your marriage's walls while you were asleep at your post?
❓ Who keeps watch in your home — you alone, or the Lord beside you?
👉 t.me/StudyBibleFam
#StrongMarriage #StudyBibleFam
"The Watchman on the Wall of Two"
A city with no watchman falls silently in the night — not from a lack of walls, but a lack of WATCHING. Ps 127:1 hides this truth in plain sight: unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor for nothing. Your marriage has walls — but who is keeping watch? 🏰🌙
The riddle: the watchman does not fight every battle himself. He simply stays AWAKE, and sounds the alarm before the enemy is at the gate. Prayer is your watchtower. Are you still climbing it? 🔥
❓ What has crept toward your marriage's walls while you were asleep at your post?
❓ Who keeps watch in your home — you alone, or the Lord beside you?
👉 t.me/StudyBibleFam
#StrongMarriage #StudyBibleFam
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CHRISTIAN STUDY BIBLE
✞︎✞︎ Every 𝑷𝑶𝑺𝑻 is 𝑷𝑹𝑬𝑪𝑰𝑺𝑰𝑶𝑵 𝑺𝑪𝑹𝑰𝑷𝑻𝑼𝑹𝑬— built for 𝕄𝕀ℕ𝔻𝕊 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 ℝ𝔼𝔽𝕌𝕊𝔼 to stay shallow! You belong here!
WELCOME🤗!! 🙏
WELCOME🤗!! 🙏
❤4
If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31
God is not just with us, He is for us.
Romans 8:31
God is not just with us, He is for us.
❤3
Your life on earth is just a vapor that appears for a short time. Eternal life in Heaven or Hell will last forever.
Make sure your hope is built on Jesus Christ alone before it is too late.
Make sure your hope is built on Jesus Christ alone before it is too late.
❤3🔥2🙏1
Only Christ can bring clarity to chaos,
give hope to the hopeless,
provide rest for the weary.
give hope to the hopeless,
provide rest for the weary.
🕊2❤1
Salvation is not a reward for good people. There are no good people because everyone has sinned (Rom. 3:10-12). We are saved by grace alone through faith in Christ.
“I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you.” 2 Timothy 1:6
Amazing.
God appoints us to kindle his supernatural empowering.
Amazing.
God appoints us to kindle his supernatural empowering.
❤1
⏳ 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄 — 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝑺𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 1!
𝑫𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒌 1 — 𝒋𝒐𝒊𝒏 @StudyBibleFam today and invite a friend along.
🔗 https://t.me/StudyBibleFam
🌿 September's theme: 𝐺𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝐶𝒉𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝐶𝒉𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑟. Four weeks of Bible quizzes on the fruit of the Spirit, humility, compassion, and daily godly living.
𝑫𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒌 1 — 𝒋𝒐𝒊𝒏 @StudyBibleFam today and invite a friend along.
🔗 https://t.me/StudyBibleFam
❤2
We honor Jesus as employees by:
• Being a person of our word
• Arriving early and ready
• Working hard without grumbling
• Treating coworkers and customers with patience
• Being a person of our word
• Arriving early and ready
• Working hard without grumbling
• Treating coworkers and customers with patience
❤3
August 30: Dawning of a New Era
#Devotional
Isaiah 63:1–64:12; Luke 23:26–24:12; Job 14:1–10
Jesus’ resurrection brings a new era. Although Jesus told His disciples and loved ones that He would suffer, die, and be raised on the third day (Luke 9:22), they didn’t fully comprehend His promise. The women preparing fragrant spices and perfumes for a burial ritual fully expected to find Jesus’ body in the tomb.
Instead, at the dawn of the first day of the week, they found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. The women were perplexed by their discovery, but the angels challenged them, reminding them of Jesus’ promise: “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has been raised! Remember how he spoke to you while he was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of men who are sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise?” (Luke 24:5–7).
Jesus’ resurrection presents new hope for the disciples and those who believe in Him. It also shows that He prophesied correctly about God’s saving plan—presenting new hope for us. Jesus has the victory; death has no power over Him. By believing in Him, we share in His death and resurrection, giving us incredible hope as we face life, and death. Not only this, but we live knowing that our Savior is alive and acting on our behalf. We live in a new era.
How are you living in the hope of Jesus’ resurrection?
#Devotional
Isaiah 63:1–64:12; Luke 23:26–24:12; Job 14:1–10
Jesus’ resurrection brings a new era. Although Jesus told His disciples and loved ones that He would suffer, die, and be raised on the third day (Luke 9:22), they didn’t fully comprehend His promise. The women preparing fragrant spices and perfumes for a burial ritual fully expected to find Jesus’ body in the tomb.
Instead, at the dawn of the first day of the week, they found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. The women were perplexed by their discovery, but the angels challenged them, reminding them of Jesus’ promise: “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has been raised! Remember how he spoke to you while he was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of men who are sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise?” (Luke 24:5–7).
Jesus’ resurrection presents new hope for the disciples and those who believe in Him. It also shows that He prophesied correctly about God’s saving plan—presenting new hope for us. Jesus has the victory; death has no power over Him. By believing in Him, we share in His death and resurrection, giving us incredible hope as we face life, and death. Not only this, but we live knowing that our Savior is alive and acting on our behalf. We live in a new era.
How are you living in the hope of Jesus’ resurrection?
❤1
August 30 - Christ’s Saving Compassion
#LifeOfChrist
“Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36).
Jesus felt compassion for the crowds as only the Son of God could feel. It is among God’s attributes to love and care because “God is love” (1 John 4:8). The term for “felt compassion” literally refers to the intestines, and most often occurs in Scripture with the figurative reference to the emotions, the way we use “heart” today. But Jesus’ concern was not just symbolic. He no doubt physically felt the symptoms of genuine caring—ones such as aching and nausea when encountering the agony of people’s struggles with sin and hardship. In order to fulfill prophecy, “He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases” (Matt. 8:17).
Of course Jesus did not physically contract people’s diseases and infirmities. But in deep, heartfelt compassion and sympathy, He physically and emotionally suffered with all who approached Him for relief. He was not unlike the concerned father who becomes ill from worry about a desperately sick child, or for one in danger or difficulty.
After Jesus had been in a boat following the death of John the Baptist, crowds sought Him and He “felt compassion for them and healed their sick” (Matt. 14:14). Shortly after that, Jesus told the Twelve of His real concern for the masses who had no food on hand (15:30–32). But our Lord’s omniscience saw an infinitely greater need in people’s lives—the profound, pervasive nature of their sin and their desperate plight of spiritual blindness and lostness. Of this horrific condition He was most compassionate of all.
Ask Yourself
Without already knowing Him, this is not what most of us would expect from the One who created the universe and continues to sustain it by His mere word. A God who cares? Worship Him today for this gracious quality of His.
#LifeOfChrist
“Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36).
Jesus felt compassion for the crowds as only the Son of God could feel. It is among God’s attributes to love and care because “God is love” (1 John 4:8). The term for “felt compassion” literally refers to the intestines, and most often occurs in Scripture with the figurative reference to the emotions, the way we use “heart” today. But Jesus’ concern was not just symbolic. He no doubt physically felt the symptoms of genuine caring—ones such as aching and nausea when encountering the agony of people’s struggles with sin and hardship. In order to fulfill prophecy, “He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases” (Matt. 8:17).
Of course Jesus did not physically contract people’s diseases and infirmities. But in deep, heartfelt compassion and sympathy, He physically and emotionally suffered with all who approached Him for relief. He was not unlike the concerned father who becomes ill from worry about a desperately sick child, or for one in danger or difficulty.
After Jesus had been in a boat following the death of John the Baptist, crowds sought Him and He “felt compassion for them and healed their sick” (Matt. 14:14). Shortly after that, Jesus told the Twelve of His real concern for the masses who had no food on hand (15:30–32). But our Lord’s omniscience saw an infinitely greater need in people’s lives—the profound, pervasive nature of their sin and their desperate plight of spiritual blindness and lostness. Of this horrific condition He was most compassionate of all.
Ask Yourself
Without already knowing Him, this is not what most of us would expect from the One who created the universe and continues to sustain it by His mere word. A God who cares? Worship Him today for this gracious quality of His.