OUR DAILY BREAD: SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS

[cimi]

June 15
Friday


READ:
Psalm 119:65-72
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It is good for me that
I have been afflicted,
that I may learn Your
statutes.
___Psalm 119:71
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During the Depression era in the 1930's, Little Orphan Annie was a popular comic strip and radio program. Years later, it was the basis for the musical comedy Annie. The opening scene shows Annie in an orphanage where the girls are forced to clean and scrub in the middle of the night Expressing their feelings of helplessness, they sing: "It's the hard-knock life for us. No one cares for you a smidge when you're in an orphanage. It's the hard-knock life."

When we talk about "the school of hard knocks," we're referring to the difficult experiences in life that have instructed us. Although it's part of human nature to avoid pain, the believer can learn from painful circumstances.

The psalmist wisely said, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes" (119:71). His particular heartache was the slander of his good name (vv.69-70). Yet even in this, the psalmist realized that his circumstances could teach him to value the Word of God.

What problem are you facing today? Hand it over to the Lord in prayer. Then meditate on scripture and thank God for the life lessons you are about to learn. The Lord of heaven and earth is sovereign---even over "the school of hard knocks."__Dennis Fisher
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~God is still on the throne,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~He never forsaketh His Own;~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~His promise is true, He will not forget you,~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~God is still on the throne. __Sufffield~~~~~~~~~~
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Our afflictions are not designed to break us
but to bring us to God.

*************Today's Bible Reading __Psalm 119:65-72*************

65 You have dealt well
with Your servant, O
LORD, according to Your
word. 66 Teach me good
judgment and knowledge,
for I believe Your
commandments. 67 Before
I was afflicted I went
astray, but now I keep Your
word. 68 You are good, and
do good; teach me Your
statutes. 69 The proud have
forged a lie against me, but
I will keep Your precepts
with my whole heart.
70 Their heart is as fat as
grease, but I delight in Your
law. 71 It is good for me that
I have been afflicted, that I
may learn Your statutes.
72 The law of Your mouth is
better to me than thousands
of coins of gold and silver.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Commentaries written by the 17th-century English clergyman
Matthew Henry are still widely used today. Of Psalm 119:67, he observed how suffering draws us back to God who is our help in times of trouble. Affliction can be instructive, leading us to apply the Word of God. In contrast, affluence can have the opposite effect. Of this, Matthew Henry wrote: "Prosperity..makes people conceited of themselves, indulgent of the flesh, forgetful of God, in love with the world, and deaf to the reproofs of the Word." The believer should depend on and obey God, both in need and in times of plenty (Phil. 4:12). __HDF