<p><span class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold">For Reading and Meditation:</span><br><span class="italic">     <span class="scriptRef" ref="1pe+3:1-12">1 Peter 3:1-12</span></span></p><p>We are seeing that meekness is not a natural quality, but a spiritual one, and by reason of this all Christians should possess it. Over the past couple of days we have examined the importance of meekness and seen something of its nature; today, we examine what meekness is not. First, meekness (or humility) is not indolence. There are people who appear to be spiritually meek, but really they are not so at all - they are indolent. Again, meekness is not an easy-going type of attitude - the attitude seen in those who just take life as it comes. That is not meekness; that is flabbiness. There are some Christians who have such a casual air about them that one can easily mistake this for the quality which Jesus is referring to in the Beatitudes. Another thing that meekness ought not to be confused with is niceness. There are people who are nice by nature. Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones said of such people: "Natural niceness is something biological, the kind of thing you get in animals. One dog is nicer than another, one cat nicer than another." Finally, meekness is not passivity, or a desire to obtain peace at any price. How often is the person regarded as meek who adopts the attitude that anything is better than a disagreement. This is the kind of passivity which does not make for good mental or spiritual health. The most greatly used men and women of God down the ages have been people who were meek without being weak - strong men and women, yet meek men and women. They were meek enough to absorb the resources of God. </p><p class="center-it italic bold mlr40 mtb20">O Father, I see that so much depends on my understanding of what meekness really is. I pray yet again for Your continuing light to be shed around me as I pursue these thoughts day by day. I ask this in Jesus' Name. Amen.</p><div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around"><div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="2ti+4:1-16">2 Timothy 4:1-16</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="ps+37:11">Psalm 37:11</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="ps+149:4">Psalm 149:4</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="isa+29:19">Isaiah 29:19</span></li></ul></div>

<div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>How did Paul display meekness?</li><li>What does meekness increase?</li></ul></div></div>

Let a little light into your soul every day with this wonderful devotional from English pastor Selwyn Hughes.

Every Day Light with Selwyn Hughes

"' the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." (v. 4)

<p><span class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold">For Reading and Meditation:</span><br><span class="italic">     <span class="scriptRef" ref="ps+149:1-9">Psalm 149:1-9</span></span></p><p>We come now to Christ's third prescription for happiness: "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth"  (<span class="scriptRef" ref="mt+5:5">Matthew 5:5</span>). How we have shied away from that word "meek". We have thought of meekness as weakness and thus have a totally wrong concept of what Jesus meant. The Amplified Bible translates it thus: "Blessed are the meek (the mild, patient, long-suffering), for they shall inherit the earth." The dictionary defines "meek" as "humble, compliant and submissive". Does this mean that Jesus expects the children of the kingdom to be like subdued puppies who crawl into their master's presence and cower at his feet? Or to become the type of people who lack inner fortitude and gumption, who can be easily pushed around and manipulated? The truly meek person - in the Biblical sense of the word - is not timid, shy, hesitant and unassuming, but trusting, confident and secure. The root meaning of the word "meekness" is that of yieldedness or surrender - a characteristic without which no real progress can be made in the Christian life. What happens, for example, to the scientist who approaches the mysteries of the universe in a manner that is aggressive and belligerent? He discovers nothing. But what happens to the scientist who approaches the mysteries of the universe in a spirit of meekness? He finds its richest secrets unfolding themselves to him and he is able to harness the mighty forces around him to advantage. The Christian who approaches life in the same spirit - the spirit of meekness and submission - discovers the true meaning of his existence and the purpose of God in all his affairs. </p><p class="center-it italic bold mlr40 mtb20">Gracious Father, help me to understand clearly the difference between meekness and weakness. And show me how to apply this principle in all I say and in all I do. This I ask in Christ's powerful and precious Name. Amen.</p><div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around"><div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="jas+1:12-21">James 1:12-21</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="zep+2:3">Zephaniah 2:3</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="ga+5:22-23">Galatians 5:22-23</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="1pe+3:4">1 Peter 3:4</span></li></ul></div>

<div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>What are we to receive with meekness?</li><li>Does the Biblical definition of meekness fit you?</li></ul></div></div>

"For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation." (v. 4, AV)

<p> How comprehensive is the love of Jesus! There is no part of his people's interests which he does not consider, and there is nothing which concerns their welfare which is not important to him. Not merely does he think of you, believer, as an immortal being, but as a mortal being too. Do not deny it or doubt it: "The very hairs of your head are all numbered." "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way." It were a sad thing for us if this mantle of love did not cover all our concerns, for what mischief might be wrought to us in that part of our business which did not come under our gracious Lord's inspection! Believer, rest assured that the heart of Jesus cares about your meaner affairs. The breadth of his tender love is such that you may resort to him in all matters; for in all your afflictions he is afflicted, and like as a father pitieth his children, so doth he pity you. The meanest interests of all his saints are all borne upon the broad bosom of the Son of God. Oh, what a heart is his, that doth not merely comprehend the persons of his people, but comprehends also the diverse and innumerable concerns of all those persons! Dost thou think, O Christian, that thou canst measure the love of Christ? Think of what his love has brought thee-justification, adoption, sanctification, eternal life! The riches of his goodness are unsearchable; thou shalt never be able to tell them out or even conceive them. Oh, the breadth of the love of Christ! Shall such a love as this have half our hearts? Shall it have a cold love in return? Shall Jesus' marvellous lovingkindness and tender care meet with but faint response and tardy acknowledgment? O my soul, tune thy harp to a glad song of thanksgiving! Go to thy rest rejoicing, for thou art no desolate wanderer, but a beloved child, watched over, cared for, supplied, and defended by thy Lord. </p>

This timeless classic from Charles Spurgeon will help to both start and end your day with wonderful insight into God's Word.

Charles Spurgeon's Morning & Evening

"The Lord taketh pleasure in his people." - Psalm 149:4

Evening Devotional

<p>If this world should resolve to send an embassy to the most high God, whom would it choose? Well, the princes of this world would be represented; the brother of some Czar, or the nephew of some Emperor would go for them. The bishops and high clergy would be represented by some legate of ample wealth. The literary world would send some Goethe, or Confucius, or Plato. The merchants would send a Rothschild. The artists would find a Raphael. There would be an ermined judge and a decorated physician. The military would send a Hannibal, the transcendentalists a Kant. All orders would be represented. But if, as the servant of some one of this company, a meek and lowly Christian might obtain permission to go, this one alone of all the company would be permitted to enter the audience-chamber of God. He taketh pleasure in such, not in the wise, the noble, the wealthy, the mitred. Like him may we learn to take pleasure in such. </p>

A daily devotional written by a Baptist Missionary to India, Reverend George Bowen (1816-1888) over 150 years ago.

Bowen's Daily Meditations

"The Lord taketh pleasure in his people." - Psalms 149:4. 

<p>I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. § I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. § Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost.<br><br>The Lord takes pleasure in His people. § My delight was with the sons of men. § His great love with which He loved us. § Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.<br><br>You were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. § If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.</p>

Daily Light on the Daily Path or Daily Light is a Christian daily devotional scripture reading published by Bagster & Sons about 1875. It has been reprinted continually since then. It consists of brief groupings of scripture passages which speak to prominent Biblical themes—two themes (morning and evening) for each day of the year. It appends no commentary, but simply allows scripture to speak for itself.

Morning Daily Light

 I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me. 

<p>Without faith it is impossible to please Him. § Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. § The Lord takes pleasure in His people. This is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully … But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. § The … beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit … is very precious in the sight of God.<br><br>Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God. § I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bull, which has horns and hooves.<br><br>I beseech you … brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.</p>

Evening Daily Light

 Things that are pleasing in His sight. 

<p><span class="bible-text "> <sup class="verse-num poetry-line">4 </sup><poetry>For the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap> takes delight   in his people;<br/><indent>he crowns the humble with victory.  </indent><br/></poetry> </span></p>

For the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap> takes delight<cr>1</cr>  in his people;<br/><indent>he crowns the humble with victory.<cr>2</cr> </indent><br/>

Psalm 149:4

 4 For the Lord takes delight   in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.   

From Wikipedia: 

The New International Version (NIV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1978 by Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society). The NIV was published to meet the need for a modern translation done by Bible scholars using the earliest, highest quality manuscripts available. Of equal importance was that the Bible be expressed in broadly understood modern English.

The NIV is published by Zondervan in the United States and Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. The NIV was updated in 1984 and 2011 and has become one of the most popular and best-selling modern translations.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; additional sources;
NT: UBS Greek New Testament; Novum Testamentum Graece; additional sources;

New International Version

<p><span class="bible-text "><poetry>For the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap> takes delight   in his people;<br/><indent>he crowns the humble with victory.  </indent><br/></poetry> </span></p>

 For the Lord takes delight   in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.   

Bible Verse of the Day

February 18, 2023

Psalm 149:4 NIV

Verse by Verse Bible Study

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