Life Application Study Bible: NIV

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

11My days have passed,v my plans are shattered. Yet the desires of my heartw 12turn night into day;x

they sang praises with gladness and bowed down and worshiped.

When God gives us a mission, it must not be polluted by a desire for approval from society. We must keep our eyes on Christ, who is our Judge and Deliverer.

Oaths 33[†]“Again h you have heard that it was said to those of old, q ‘You shall not swear falsely, but r shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34But I say to you, s Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for t it is the throne of God, 35or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is u the city of the great King. 36And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; v anything more than this comes from evil.

3The Son is the radiance of God’s gloryi and the exact representation of his being,j sustaining all thingsk by his powerful word.

8:14–17 We are no longer cringing and fearful slaves; instead, we are the Master’s children. What a privilege! Because we are God’s children, we share in great treasures as coheirs. God has already given us his best gifts: his Son, his Holy Spirit, forgiveness, and eternal life; and he encourages us to ask him for whatever we need.

9There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,a j just as God did from his.k 11Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest,

12Assemble the people—men, women and children, and the foreigners residing in your towns—so they can listen and learnh to feari the LORD your God and follow carefully all the words of this law. 13Their children,j who do not know this law, must hear it and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land

Perhaps that is the most important architectural principle of all when it comes to houses of worship: It is not the size, beauty, or expense of the structure, but the sincere devotion and obedience of those who worship in the structure.

23The LORD makes firm the stepsq of the one who delightsr in him; 24though he may stumble, he will not fall,s for the LORD upholdst him with his hand.

6For the LORD watches overu the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.v

We can learn to trust him as our Lord only by following. We can learn to obey by taking small steps of obedience.

you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotionw and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heartx and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him,y he will be found by you; but if you forsakez him, he will rejecta you forever. 10Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.

Christians must never compromise with sinful ideas and practices. We should not blend in with people around us. You must live up to God’s standard of morality and not condone immoral behavior, even if society accepts it.

the beginning was the Word,a and the Word was with God,b and the Word was God.c 2He was with God in the beginning.d 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.e 4In him was life,f and that life was the lightg of all mankind. 5The light shines in the darkness,h and the darkness has not overcomea it.

For when I am weak, then I am strong.n

34Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritismf 35but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.g

25Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread.

Ask God to give you childlike faith, removing any barriers to having a closer walk with him.

fruitful and multiply and fill the earth

29But if from there you seekp the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heartq and with all your soul.r 30When you are in distresss and all these things have happened to you, then in later dayst you will returnu to the LORD your God and obey him. 31For the LORD your God is a mercifulv God; he will not abandonw or destroyx you or forgety the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.

14Waith for the LORD; be strongi and take heart and wait for the LORD.

8He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justlyw and to love mercy and to walk humblya x with your God.y

it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,a whenever you face trials of many kinds,f 3because you know that the testing of your faithg produces perseverance.h 4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be maturei and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,j who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.k 6But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt,l because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8Such a person is double-mindedm and unstablen in all they do.

listen,z you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”a 14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.b 15Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will,c we will live and do this or that.

Sorrow for sin brings hope. God alone is the true source of healing and protection for those who confess their sins to him.

God createdu mankindv in his own image,w in the image of Godx he created them; male and femaley he created them.z

Matt 6:25 Because of the ill effects of worry, Jesus tells us not to worry about those needs that God promises to supply. Worry may (1) damage your health, (2) disrupt your productivity, (3) negatively affect the way you treat others, and (4) reduce your ability to trust in God. How many ill effects of worry are you experiencing? Here is the difference between worry and genuine concern—worry immobilizes, but concern moves you to action.

REASONS TO READ PSALMS Psalm 5 When you want . . . Read . . . to find comfort Psalm 23 to meet God intimately Psalm 103 to learn a new prayer Psalm 136 to learn a new song Psalm 92 to learn more about God Psalm 24 to understand yourself more clearly Psalm 8 to know how to come to God each day Psalm 5 to be forgiven for your sins Psalm 51 to feel worthwhile Psalm 139 to understand why you should read the Bible Psalm 119 to give praise to God Psalm 145 to know that God is in control Psalm 146 to give thanks to God Psalm 136 to please God Psalm 15 to know why you should worship God Psalm 104 God’s Word was written to be studied, understood, and applied, and the book of Psalms lends itself most directly to application. We understand the psalms best when we “stand under” them and allow them to flow over us like a rain shower. We may turn to Psalms looking for something, but sooner or later we will meet Someone. As we read and memorize the psalms, we will gradually discover how much they are already part of us. They put into words our deepest hurts, longings, thoughts, and prayers. They gently push us toward being what God designed us to be—people loving and living for him.

Psalm 34 * Theme: God pays attention to those who call on him. Whether God offers escape from trouble or help in times of trouble, we can be certain that he always hears and acts on behalf of those who love him. Author: David, after pretending to be insane in order to escape from King Achish (1 Samuel 21:10-15) A psalm of David, regarding the time he pretended to be insane in front of Abimelech, who sent him away.     1I will praise the LORD at all times.         I will constantly speak his praises. +     2I will boast only in the LORD;         let all who are helpless take heart. +     3Come, let us tell of the LORD’s greatness;         let us exalt his name together.     4I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me.         He freed me from all my fears.     5Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;         no shadow of shame will darken their faces. +     6In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened;         he saved me from all my troubles.     7For the angel of the LORD is a guard;         he surrounds and defends all who fear him. +     8Taste and see that the LORD is good.         Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! +     9Fear the LORD, you his godly people,         for those who fear him will have all they need. +    10Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,         but those who trust in the LORD will lack no good thing. +    11Come, my children, and listen to me,         and I will teach you to fear the LORD. +    12Does anyone want to live a life         that is long and prosperous? +    13Then keep your tongue from speaking evil         and your lips from telling lies! +    14Turn away from evil and do good.         Search for peace, and work to maintain it. +    15The eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right;         his ears are open to their cries for help. +    16But the LORD turns his face against those who do evil;         he will erase their memory from the earth. +    17The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help.         He rescues them from all their troubles.    18The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;         he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. +    19The righteous person faces many troubles,         but the LORD comes to the rescue each time. +    20For the LORD protects the bones of the righteous;         not one of them is broken!    21Calamity will surely destroy the wicked,         and those who hate the righteous will be punished. +    22But the LORD will redeem those who serve him.         No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given

gladness among the Jews, with feasting and

imitating Christ and serving others. By focusing our minds on Christ, we will learn unity, humility, joy, and peace.

16You will surely forget your trouble,e           recalling it only as waters gone by.f      17Life will be brighter than noonday,g           and darkness will become like morning.h      18You will be secure, because there is hope;           you will look about you and take your resti in safety.j      19You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,k           and many will court your favor.l      20But the eyes of the wicked will fail,m           and escape will elude them;n           their hope will become a dying gasp.”o

if we are faithless,           he remains faithful,w           for he cannot disown himself.

And as he was praying,y heaven was opened 22and the Holy Spirit descended on himz in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son,a whom I love; with you I am well pleased.

19Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God.g Begin to build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the LORD.

Blessed are those who believe without seeing me” (John 20:29). We have miracles recorded in the Old and New Testaments, 2,000 years of church history, and the witness of thousands. With all this evidence, those who won’t believe are either too proud or too stubborn. If you simply step forward in faith and believe, then you will begin to see the miracles that God can do in your life!

No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.y 34Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy,a your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy,b your body also is full of darkness.

Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”;

21:1 David’s census brought disaster because, unlike a previous census that God had ordered (Numbers 1–2), this census was ordered by David with the wrong motive: taking pride in the strength of his army. In determining his military strength, he was beginning to trust more in military power than in God. There is a thin line between feeling confident because you are relying on God’s power and becoming proud because you have been used by God for great purposes.

This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10but it has now been revealedw through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus,x who has destroyed deathy and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

The Israelites reaffirmed their commitment to God by obediently setting out across the Jordan River to possess the land. As we live the Christian life, we need to cross over from the old life to the new, put off our selfish desires, and press on to possess all God has planned for us.

leaders who defy him. God will overcome evil; no one is exempt.

Today, both believers and nonbelievers may drive away those who do not fit the norms dictated by our society, neighborhoods, or churches.

And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it.

1I look up to the mountains—        does my help come from there?     2My help comes from the LORD,        who made heaven and earth! +     3He will not let you stumble;        the one who watches over you will not slumber. +     4Indeed, he who watches over Israel        never slumbers or sleeps.     5The LORD himself watches over you!        The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade. +     6The sun will not harm you by day,        nor the moon at night. +     7The LORD keeps you from all harm        and watches over your life. +     8The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go,        both now and forever.

We can depend upon God for help. Pilgrims must travel through lonely country to their destination; they are protected, not by anything created, but by the Creator of everything.

5 The Holy Spirit changes people when they believe the gospel. When we tell others about Christ, we must depend on the Holy Spirit to open their eyes and convince them that they need salvation. God’s power—not our cleverness or persuasion—changes people. Without the work of the Holy Spirit, our words are meaningless. The Holy Spirit not only convicts people of sin but also assures them of the truth of the gospel. (For more

Now this is eternal life: that they know you,g the only true God,

God blessed them and said to them,a “Be fruitful and increase in number;b fill the earthc and subdue it. Rule overd the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.e

Num 4:27-28 The Gershonites could receive directions from any of Aaron’s sons, but they were directly responsible to Ithamar only. The lines of authority and accountability were clearly communicated to all. As you function with others in service to God, make sure the lines of authority between you and those you work with are clearly understood. Good communication builds good relationships.

Lev 23:44 Worship involves both celebration and confession. But in Israel’s national holidays, the balance seems heavily tipped in favor of celebration—five joyous occasions to two solemn ones. The God of the Bible encourages joy! God does not intend for religion to be only meditation and introspection. He also wants us to celebrate. Serious reflection and immediate confession of sin are essential. But this should be balanced by celebrating who God is and what he has done for his people. What special occasions on your calendar would you describe as times for joy? Which would be times for confession? How are you doing with the five-to-two balance?

David asked God to search for sin and point it out, even to the level of testing his thoughts. This is exploratory surgery for sin. How are we to recognize sin unless God points it out? Then, when God shows us, we can repent and be forgiven. Make this verse your prayer. If you ask the Lord to search your heart and your thoughts and to reveal your sin, you will be continuing on God’s “way everlasting.