Truth For Life Program
Alistair Begg Devotional
C. H. Spurgeon Devotional
One-Year Bible Reading Plan
People like to joke about laziness—but find out why it’s ultimately tragic and needs to be diligently resisted in all aspects of our lives, including relationships. Study along with Truth For Life as Alistair Begg draws wisdom from the book of Proverbs.
From the Sermon
On Kingdom Business
The most famous work of the Scottish economist Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations, was first published in 1776, the same year that the Thirteen American Colonies declared their independence from Great Britain. In the years that followed, the new nation (along with most of what became the Western world) embraced this book and its argument, becoming one of the finest examples of economic prosperity that the world has ever witnessed—and, along the way, reinforcing for its population the unfortunate idea that human existence is largely about financial success.
James does not say that there is anything wrong with wealth. Through him, though, the Holy Spirit does remind the affluent that life in God’s world is not about the accumulation of riches. Rather, we are to remember that we are as frail as a summer flower and that riches are fleeting. James calls us to use godly wisdom, which enables us to view our possessions and circumstances from a perspective that is both right and radical—right because it is a view based on the reality of eternity; and radical because it will lead us to hold loosely to what we have, being far quicker to give it away than to grasp it tightly.
There is nothing wrong with wealth, but there is danger in having it. Jesus gave his own warning: “Be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). He spoke of a rich fool who didn’t apply this wisdom, instead building bigger barns in which to store all his crops and relying on his wealth to enjoy his life—yet that very night God demanded that life from him (v 16-20). This man relied on foolish wisdom rather than God’s, and Jesus said we, too, are foolish if we lay up treasure for ourselves and yet are not rich toward God (v 21).
True riches can never be found or placed in earthly banks, vaults, or portfolios. We might be tempted to use these as a basis for significance or security, but the wisdom of God shows their hollowness. So, instead of pursuing that which will fade, do as James instructs: focus on using your possessions wisely, generously, and for kingdom business—no matter how great or small they might be.
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?
Lay Up Treasures in Heaven
19x“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where ymoth and rust5 destroy and where thieves zbreak in and steal, 20xbut lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22a“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23abut if byour eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24c“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and dmoney.6
Do Not Be Anxious
25e“Therefore I tell you, fdo not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26gLook at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. hAre you not of more value than they? 27And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his ispan of life?7 28And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29yet I tell you, jeven Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, kO you of little faith? 31Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For lthe Gentiles seek after all these things, and myour heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33But nseek first othe kingdom of God and his righteousness, pand all these things will be added to you.
34q“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
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.
Are You a Grumbler?
And all the people of Israel grumbled.
There are grumblers among Christians now, just as there were in the camp of Israel of old. There are those who, when punished, cry out against the affliction. They ask, “Why am I afflicted? What have I done to be chastened in this manner?”
A word with you, grumbler! Why should you grumble against the dealings of your heavenly Father? Can He treat you more severely than you deserve? Consider what a rebel you once were, but He has pardoned you! Surely, if He in His wisdom considers it necessary to chasten you, you should not complain. After all, are you punished as severely as your sins deserve? Consider the corruption that is in your heart, and then will you wonder that so much of the rod is necessary to root it out? Weigh yourself, and discern how much dross is mingled with your gold; and do you think the fire is too hot to purge away the amount of dross you have? Doesn’t your proud rebellious spirit prove that your heart is not thoroughly sanctified? Aren’t those grumbling words contrary to the holy, submissive nature of God’s children? Isn’t the correction necessary?
But if you will grumble against the chastening, pay attention, for it will go hard with grumblers. God always chastises His children twice if they do not respond properly the first time. But know this—“He does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men.”1 All His corrections are sent in love, to purify you and to draw you nearer to Himself. Surely it must help you to bear the chastening with submission if you are able to recognize your Father’s hand. “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”2 “. . . nor grumble the way some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer.”3
1) Lamentations 3:33
2) Hebrews 12:6
3) 1 Corinthians 10:10
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 April 30
Offerings at the Tabernacle's Consecration
1On the day when Moses had finished fsetting up the tabernacle and had anointed and gconsecrated it with all its furnishings and had anointed and consecrated the altar with all its utensils, 2hthe chiefs of Israel, heads of their fathers' houses, who were the chiefs of the tribes, who were over those who were listed, approached 3and brought their offerings before the Lord, six wagons and twelve oxen, a wagon for every two of the chiefs, and for each one an ox. They brought them before the tabernacle. 4Then the Lord said to Moses, 5“Accept these from them, that they may be used in the service of the tent of meeting, and give them to the Levites, to each man according to his service.” 6So Moses took the wagons and the oxen and gave them to the Levites. 7Two wagons and four oxen ihe gave to the sons of Gershon, according to their service. 8And four wagons and eight oxen jhe gave to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. 9But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because they were charged with kthe service of the holy things that lhad to be carried on the shoulder. 10And the chiefs offered offerings for the mdedication of the altar on the day it was anointed; and the chiefs offered their offering before the altar. 11And the Lord said to Moses, “They shall offer their offerings, one chief each day, for the dedication of the altar.”
12He who offered his offering the first day was nNahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah. 13And his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels,1 one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to othe shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a pgrain offering; 14one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of qincense; 15rone bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 16one male goat for a ssin offering; 17and for tthe sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
18On the second day uNethanel the son of Zuar, the chief of Issachar, made an offering. 19He offered for his offering one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 20one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense; 21one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 22one male goat for a sin offering; 23and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nethanel the son of Zuar.
24On the third day vEliab the son of Helon, the chief of the people of Zebulun: 25his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 26one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense; 27one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 28one male goat for a sin offering; 29and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.
30On the fourth day wElizur the son of Shedeur, the chief of the people of Reuben: 31his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 32one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense; 33one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 34one male goat for a sin offering; 35and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.
36On the fifth day xShelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, the chief of the people of Simeon: 37his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 38one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense; 39one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 40one male goat for a sin offering; 41and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
42On the sixth day yEliasaph the son of Deuel, the chief of the people of Gad: 43his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 44one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense; 45one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 46one male goat for a sin offering; 47and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
48On the seventh day zElishama the son of Ammihud, the chief of the people of Ephraim: 49his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 50one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense; 51one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 52one male goat for a sin offering; 53and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.
54On the eighth day aGamaliel the son of Pedahzur, the chief of the people of Manasseh: 55his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 56one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense; 57one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 58one male goat for a sin offering; 59and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
60On the ninth day bAbidan the son of Gideoni, the chief of the people of Benjamin: 61his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 62one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense; 63one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 64one male goat for a sin offering; 65and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.
66On the tenth day cAhiezer the son of Ammishaddai, the chief of the people of Dan: 67his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 68one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense; 69one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 70one male goat for a sin offering; 71and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
72On the eleventh day dPagiel the son of Ochran, the chief of the people of Asher: 73his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 74one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense; 75one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 76one male goat for a sin offering; 77and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ochran.
78On the twelfth day eAhira the son of Enan, the chief of the people of Naphtali: 79his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 80one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense; 81one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 82one male goat for a sin offering; 83and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan.
84This was the dedication offering for the altar on the day when it was anointed, from the chiefs of Israel: twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, twelve golden dishes, 85each silver plate weighing 130 shekels and each basin 70, all the silver of the vessels 2,400 shekels according to the shekel of the sanctuary, 86the twelve golden dishes, full of incense, weighing 10 shekels apiece according to the shekel of the sanctuary, all the gold of the dishes being 120 shekels; 87all the cattle for the burnt offering twelve bulls, twelve rams, twelve male lambs a year old, with their grain offering; and twelve male goats for a sin offering; 88and all the cattle for the sacrifice of peace offerings twenty-four bulls, the rams sixty, the male goats sixty, the male lambs a year old sixty. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it fwas anointed.
89And when Moses went into the tent of meeting gto speak with the Lord, he heard hthe voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke to him.
Psalm 42
Book Two
Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul?
To the choirmaster. A Maskil1 of sthe Sons of Korah.
1tAs a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul for you, O God.
2uMy soul thirsts for God,
for vthe living God.
When shall I come and wappear before God?2
3xMy tears have been my food
day and night,
ywhile they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”
4These things I remember,
as I zpour out my soul:
ahow I would go bwith the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
ca multitude keeping festival.
5dWhy are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you ein turmoil within me?
fHope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation3 6and my God.
My soul is cast down within me;
therefore I gremember you
hfrom the land of Jordan and of iHermon,
from Mount Mizar.
7Deep calls to deep
at the roar of your waterfalls;
jall your breakers and your kwaves
have gone over me.
8By day the Lord lcommands his steadfast love,
and at mnight his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
9I say to God, nmy rock:
“Why have you forgotten me?
oWhy do I go mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10As with a deadly wound in my bones,
my adversaries taunt me,
pwhile they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”
11qWhy are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.
Psalm 43
Send Out Your Light and Your Truth
1rVindicate me, O God, and sdefend my cause
against an ungodly people,
from tthe deceitful and unjust man
deliver me!
2For you are uthe God in whom I take refuge;
why have you vrejected me?
Why do I wgo about mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?
3xSend out your light and your truth;
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your yholy hill
and to your zdwelling!
4Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God my exceeding joy,
and I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God.
5aWhy are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
bHope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.
He
1I gcame to my garden, my hsister, my bride,
I gathered my imyrrh with my spice,
I ate my jhoneycomb with my honey,
I kdrank my wine with my milk.
Others
Eat, lfriends, drink,
and be drunk with love!
The Bride Searches for Her Beloved
She
2I slept, but my heart was awake.
A sound! My beloved is mknocking.
“Open to me, my nsister, my olove,
for my head is wet with dew,
my rlocks with the drops of the night.”
3sI had put off my garment;
how could I put it on?
I had tbathed my feet;
how could I soil them?
4My beloved put his hand to the latch,
and my heart was thrilled within me.
5I arose to open to my beloved,
and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with uliquid myrrh,
on the handles of the bolt.
6I opened to my beloved,
but my beloved had turned and gone.
My soul failed me when he vspoke.
wI sought him, but found him not;
xI called him, but he gave no answer.
7yThe watchmen found me
as they went about in the city;
they beat me, they bruised me,
they took away my veil,
those watchmen of the walls.
8I zadjure you, O adaughters of Jerusalem,
if you find my beloved,
that you tell him
bI am sick with love.
Others
9What is your beloved more than another beloved,
O cmost beautiful among women?
What is your beloved more than another beloved,
that you thus zadjure us?
The Bride Praises Her Beloved
She
10My beloved is radiant and druddy,
edistinguished among ten thousand.
11His head is the finest gold;
fhis locks are wavy,
black as a raven.
12His geyes are like doves
beside streams of water,
bathed in milk,
sitting beside a full pool.1
13His icheeks are like jbeds of spices,
mounds of sweet-smelling herbs.
His lips are klilies,
dripping uliquid myrrh.
14His arms are rods of gold,
set with ljewels.
His body is polished ivory,2
15His legs are alabaster columns,
set on bases of gold.
His appearance is like oLebanon,
choice as the cedars.
and he is altogether desirable.
This is my beloved and this is my friend,
O adaughters of Jerusalem.
1For every high priest chosen from among men jis appointed to act on behalf of men kin relation to God, lto offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2mHe can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself nis beset with weakness. 3Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins ojust as he does for those of the people. 4And pno one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, qjust as Aaron was.
5So also Christ rdid not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him,
s“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”;
6as he says also in another place,
t“You are a priest forever,
after the order of Melchizedek.”
7In the days of his flesh, uJesus1 offered up prayers and supplications, vwith loud cries and tears, to him wwho was able to save him from death, and xhe was heard because of his reverence. 8Although yhe was a son, zhe learned obedience through what he suffered. 9And abeing made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10being designated by God a high priest bafter the order of Melchizedek.
Warning Against Apostasy
11About this we have much to say, and it is chard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again dthe basic principles of the oracles of God. You need emilk, not solid food, 13for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is fa child. 14But solid food is for gthe mature, for those who have their powers hof discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
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