Truth For Life Program
Alistair Begg Devotional
C. H. Spurgeon Devotional
One-Year Bible Reading Plan
The message of the cross is uncomfortable, confronting us with our sin. Many prefer to think that God will reward our kindness and best efforts. Listen to Truth For Life as Alistair Begg urges us to proclaim what’s true rather than what’s popular.
From the Sermon
The Power and Message of the Cross
1 Corinthians 1:18–31 Sermon • Includes Transcript • 42:43 • ID: 3446
The Patient Savior
When the storm raged and the disciples feared, Jesus displayed not only peace but also patience in His response to them.
They had accused Him of not caring that they were perishing. Yet His rebuke wasn’t for them but for the wind and the waves. That is remarkable! No teacher ever had such slow learners as Jesus had in these characters—yet no other students have ever had such a patient and forgiving teacher, either.
While Jesus’ patience was showcased by this episode, it was by no means exclusive to it; throughout His ministry, He consistently displayed patience in response to His disciples’ feelings and failings. In Mark 6, after Jesus had fed 5,000 people from five loaves of bread and two fish, the disciples doubted Him when they saw Him walking on water, yet He lovingly replied, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid” (6:50). Later on, Jesus repeatedly instructed them as to the necessity and purpose of His death, despite their lack of humility and understanding (8:31-33; 9:30-32; 10:32-34). Once He had risen, He did not even rebuke the disciples for being surprised by the resurrection He had foretold. Instead, He joyfully and calmly asked them thought-provoking questions and revealed His true identity to them.
We see our own frail faith reflected in the disciples. If we had been with them, we too probably would have been scrambling around in fear and voicing our doubts and accusations to Jesus. Yet still today, Christ shows us patience through our fears and doubts. He does not reject us for a moment of unbelief. He does not dismiss us for cowardice. There is no teacher like Him. Therefore, as recipients of Christ’s long-suffering patience, let us return such patience to others. If you are a parent, coach, manager, ministry leader, teacher, or simply a friend, remember Jesus’ example. If we want God to tolerate our faltering faith, then we should also aim to demonstrate His patience to others, and to ourselves.
Most of all, though, we are not called to follow Jesus’ example but to enjoy His perfections. His patience will not fail. He never neglects or deserts those in His care. Your sins and your struggles cannot push Him beyond the limits of His forbearance. He will be patient with you today. He is your Savior, your Redeemer, your ever-patient Teacher—your Jesus.
How is God calling me to think differently?
How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?
What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?
Exodus 33:18–23
18Moses said, “Please pshow me your glory.” 19And he said, q“I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And rI will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for sman shall not see me and live.” 21And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, 22and while my glory passes by I will put you in a tcleft of the rock, and I will ucover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall vnot be seen.”
Exodus 34:1–8
Moses Makes New Tablets
1The Lord said to Moses, w“Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, xand I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, ywhich you broke. 2Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me zon the top of the mountain. 3No aone shall come up with you, and let no one be seen throughout all the mountain. Let no flocks or herds graze opposite that mountain.” 4So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone. 5The Lord bdescended in the cloud and stood with him there, and cproclaimed the name of the Lord. 6The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, d“The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and egracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast flove and faithfulness, 7gkeeping steadfast love for thousands,1 hforgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but iwho will by no means clear the guilty, jvisiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.” 8And Moses quickly kbowed his head toward the earth and worshiped.
Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg, published by The Good Book Company, thegoodbook.com. Used by Truth For Life with permission. Copyright © 2021, 2022, The Good Book Company.
Greater Than Moses
The crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him.
How great the difference between Moses and Jesus! When Moses had been forty days upon the mountain, he underwent a kind of transfiguration, so that his face shone with exceeding brightness, and he put a veil over it because the people were not able to look upon his glory. Not so our Savior. He had been transfigured with a greater glory than that of Moses, and yet we do not read that the people were blinded by the blaze of His countenance, but rather they were amazed and ran to Him and greeted Him.
The glory of the law repels, but the greater glory of Jesus attracts. Though Jesus is holy and just, yet blended with His purity there is so much truth and grace that sinners run to Him amazed at His goodness, fascinated by His love; they greet Him, become His disciples, and take Him to be their Lord and Master. Reader, it may be that just now you are blinded by the dazzling brightness of the law of God. You feel its claims on your conscience, but you cannot keep it in your life. Not that you find fault with the law; on the contrary, it commands your profoundest esteem.
Still you are not drawn by it to God; you are rather hardened in heart and tending toward desperation. So turn your eye from Moses with all his repelling splendor, and look to Jesus, resplendent with milder glories. Look upon His flowing wounds and thorn-crowned head! He is the Son of God and greater than Moses, but He is the Lord of love and more tender than the lawgiver. He bore the wrath of God and in His death revealed more of God's justice than Sinai displayed, but that justice is now vindicated, and it is the guardian of believers in Jesus. Look, sinner, to the bleeding Savior, and as you feel the attraction of His love, run to His arms, and you will be saved.
Devotional material is taken from Morning and Evening, written by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright © 2003, Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org. Used by Truth For Life with written permission.
Daily Bible Reading for August 26
David and Jonathan's Friendship
1As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan dloved him as his own soul. 2And Saul took him that day eand would not let him return to his father's house. 3Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because dhe loved him as his own soul. 4And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. 5And David went out fand was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
Saul's Jealousy of David
6As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, gthe women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments.1 7And the women hsang to one another as they celebrated,
i“Saul has struck down his thousands,
and David his ten thousands.”
8And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but jthe kingdom?” 9And Saul eyed David from that day on.
10The next day ka harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and lhe raved within his house while David was mplaying the lyre, as he did day by day. nSaul had his spear in his hand. 11And Saul ohurled the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David evaded him twice.
12pSaul was afraid of David because qthe Lord was with him rbut had departed from Saul. 13So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. sAnd he went out and came in before the people. 14And David thad success in all his undertakings, qfor the Lord was with him. 15And when Saul saw that the had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. 16uBut all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.
David Marries Michal
17Then Saul said to David, “Here is vmy elder daughter Merab. wI will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me xand fight the Lord's battles.” For Saul thought, “Let not my hand be against him, ybut let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” 18And David said to Saul, z“Who am I, and who are my relatives, my father's clan in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” 19But at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to aAdriel the bMeholathite for a wife.
20Now vSaul's daughter Michal cloved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may dbe a snare for him eand that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time,2 f“You shall now be my son-in-law.” 22And Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in private and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now then become the king's son-in-law.’” 23And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, g“Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?” 24And the servants of Saul told him, “Thus and so did David speak.” 25Then Saul said, “Thus shall you say to David, ‘The king desires no hbride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, ithat he may be avenged of the king's enemies.’” jNow Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. kBefore the time had expired, 27David arose and went, lalong with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. mAnd David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. 28But when Saul saw and knew that nthe Lord was with David, oand that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him, 29Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David's enemy continually.
30pThen the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out qDavid had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.
Personal Greetings
1I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant1 of the church at pCenchreae, 2that you qmay welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.
3Greet rPrisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. 5Greet also sthe church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was tthe first convert2 to Christ in Asia. 6Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7Greet Andronicus and Junia,3 my kinsmen and my ufellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles,4 and they were in Christ before me. 8Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those vwho belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. 12Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. 14Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers5 who are with them. 15Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16wGreet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
Final Instructions and Greetings
17I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles xcontrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; yavoid them. 18For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but ztheir own appetites,6 and aby smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19For byour obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you cto be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20dThe God of peace ewill soon crush Satan under your feet. fThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
21gTimothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.
22I Tertius, hwho wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.
23iGaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.7
Doxology
25jNow to him who is able to strengthen you kaccording to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, laccording to the revelation of the mystery mthat was kept secret for nlong ages 26but ohas now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, pto bring about the obedience of faith— 27to qthe only wise God rbe glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Great Is Your Faithfulness
1kI am the man who has seen affliction
under the lrod of his wrath;
2he has driven and brought me
minto darkness without any light;
3surely against me he turns his hand
again and again the whole day long.
4He has made my flesh and my skin waste away;
nhe has broken my bones;
5ohe has besieged and enveloped me
with pbitterness and tribulation;
6qhe has made me dwell in darkness
like the dead of long ago.
7rHe has walled me about so that sI cannot escape;
he has made my chains heavy;
8though tI call and cry for help,
he shuts out my prayer;
9rhe has blocked my ways with blocks of stones;
he has made my paths crooked.
10uHe is a bear lying in wait for me,
a lion in hiding;
11vhe turned aside my steps and utore me to pieces;
whe has made me desolate;
12xhe bent his bow yand set me
as a target for his arrow.
13He drove into my kidneys
zthe arrows of his quiver;
14aI have become the laughingstock of all peoples,
bthe object of their taunts all day long.
15cHe has filled me with bitterness;
he has sated me with dwormwood.
16eHe has made my teeth grind on gravel,
and fmade me cower in ashes;
17my soul is bereft of peace;
I have forgotten what happiness1 is;
18gso I say, “My endurance has perished;
so has my hope from the Lord.”
19hRemember my affliction and my wanderings,
20My soul continually remembers it
jand is bowed down within me.
21But this I call to mind,
and ktherefore I have hope:
22lThe steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;2
lhis mercies never come to an end;
23they are new mevery morning;
ngreat is your faithfulness.
24o“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
k“therefore I will hope in him.”
25The Lord is good to those who pwait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.
26qIt is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
27rIt is good for a man that he bear
the yoke sin his youth.
28Let him tsit alone in silence
when it is laid on him;
29ulet him put his mouth in the dust—
there may yet be hope;
30vlet him give his cheek to the one who strikes,
and let him be filled with insults.
31wFor the Lord will not
cast off forever,
32but, though he xcause grief, yhe will have compassion
zaccording to the abundance of his steadfast love;
33afor he does not afflict from his heart
or bgrieve the children of men.
34To crush underfoot
all cthe prisoners of the earth,
35dto deny a man justice
in the presence of the Most High,
36to subvert a man in his lawsuit,
dthe Lord does not approve.
37eWho has spoken and it came to pass,
unless the Lord has commanded it?
38fIs it not from the mouth of the Most High
that good and bad come?
39gWhy should a living man complain,
a man, about the punishment of his sins?
40Let us test and examine our ways,
hand return to the Lord!
41iLet us lift up our hearts and hands
to God in heaven:
42j“We have transgressed and krebelled,
and you have not forgiven.
43“You have wrapped yourself with anger and pursued us,
lkilling without pity;
44myou have wrapped yourself with a cloud
so that no prayer can pass through.
45nYou have made us scum and garbage
among the peoples.
46o“All our enemies
open their mouths against us;
47ppanic and pitfall have come upon us,
devastation and qdestruction;
48rmy eyes flow with rivers of tears
because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49r“My eyes will flow without ceasing,
without respite,
50suntil the Lord from heaven
looks down and sees;
51my eyes cause me grief
at the fate of all the daughters of my city.
52t“I have been hunted ulike a bird
by those who were my enemies vwithout cause;
53wthey flung me alive into the pit
xand cast stones on me;
54ywater closed over my head;
I said, z‘I am lost.’
55a“I called on your name, O Lord,
from the depths of the pit;
56byou heard my plea, ‘Do not close
your ear to my cry for help!’
57cYou came near when I called on you;
you said, d‘Do not fear!’
58“You have etaken up my cause, fO Lord;
you have eredeemed my life.
59You have seen the wrong done to me, gO Lord;
judge my cause.
60You have seen all their vengeance,
all htheir plots against me.
61i“You have heard their taunts, O Lord,
all htheir plots against me.
62The lips and thoughts jof my assailants
are against me all the day long.
63kBehold their sitting and their rising;
lI am the object of their taunts.
64m“You will repay them,3 O Lord,
naccording to the work of their hands.
65You will give them4 dullness of heart;
your curse will be5 on them.
Taste and See That the Lord Is Good
1 Of David, when he nchanged his behavior before oAbimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.
1I will bless the Lord pat all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2My soul qmakes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and rbe glad.
3Oh, smagnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
4I tsought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
5Those who look to him are uradiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6vThis poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and wsaved him out of all his troubles.
7xThe angel of the Lord yencamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8Oh, ztaste and see that athe Lord is good!
bBlessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10cThe young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who dseek the Lord lack no good thing.
11eCome, O children, listen to me;
fI will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12gWhat man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may hsee good?
13iKeep your tongue from evil
and your lips from jspeaking deceit.
14kTurn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and lpursue it.
15mThe eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
nand his ears toward their cry.
16oThe face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to pcut off the memory of them from the earth.
17nWhen the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18The Lord is near to qthe brokenhearted
and saves rthe crushed in spirit.
19sMany are the afflictions of the righteous,
tbut the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20He keeps all his bones;
unot one of them is broken.
21vAffliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22The Lord wredeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be xcondemned.
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