Page 7 - The MacArthur Daily Bible

TN_00_MacArthurFront.qxd 8/8/03 14:16 Page vi

Fifty-two Key Passages of the Bible

ver the next year, you may wish to supplement wisdom. While some people glory in their physical
Oyour daily reading of Scripture with the follow- strengths, others glory in the business they’ve built.
ing 52 weeks’ worth of key passages of the Bible that We meet a lot of people who glory in their riches.
have been selected and developed for you by Dr. John “Glory” means “to boast.” They proclaim it in the
MacArthur. These passages provide a solid founda- clothes they wear, the cars they drive, and the homes
tion upon which to build the Christian life, and gaining they own. That’s just the way human, fallen, simple
an understanding of these core biblical truths is the creatures are. But the Lord God says this: “If you’re
key to spiritual growth and development. going to boast, boast in this, that you know and under-
stand Me.” Which is wonderful news! I know the God
The intent is to provide you with the opportunity to
focus on, and perhaps memorize, one important pas- of the universe. Why would I glory in human wisdom
sage a week for a year. It is all a part of saturating and and might and riches when I know the God of the uni-
renewing your mind and thoughts with the Word of verse? And, even more wonderfully, He knows me.
God. The page numbers where the passages are locat- Week 3
ed among the daily readings are given so that you can
study the context for the passages to ensure that you And we know that all things work together for good to
get the full meaning. those who love God, to those who are the called accord-
ing to His purpose.—ROMANS 8:28, page 797
Week 1
The best manuscript evidence of the original
Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, Greek records this verse this way: “We know that God
bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and for- causes all things to work together for good.” Now, we
get not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities, understand that there is evil, not only in the world, but
who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from in us. It isn’t saying that all things are good. It says
destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and that God causes all things to work together for good.
tender mercies…—PSALM 103:1–4, page 865 This leads us to the profound element of God’s
King David learned the powerful habit of telling supreme authority and power over all the issues of life
himself the truth. “Bless the LORD, O my soul.” That’s to produce out of them His own good purposes. God
a good thing to tell yourself, isn’t it? “And all that is takes all the contingencies of life, all the choices, all
within me, bless His holy name.” That’s a habit worth the good, bad, and indifferent things, and weaves
practicing. Train your soul to bless God. And how do them together for ultimately a good purpose. That is
you do that? By not forgetting His benefits. Whatever the promise that God is giving to those who have
might be going wrong in your life, whatever might be been called to salvation. Every suffering, temptation,
a disappointment, even a serious illness or death, does trial, even every sin, God works together into a tapes-
not affect God’s eternal blessing on you as His child. try that ultimately is for your good. You might not see
He has redeemed your life from destruction, and He it at the time. It’s like looking at the back of a Persian
crowns you with lovingkindness, which means grace rug. It’s just a bunch of threads going into chaotic
and mercy. He pours out His tenderness. He heals all directions. But when you turn it over some day in
your diseases, not necessarily in time, but in eternity. eternity, you’ll see how it all worked together for
And He forgives all your iniquities. Don’t ever forget good.
His benefits: forgiveness, absolute perfection in heav-
en, freedom from all sickness and death, abundant Week 4
mercy, and everything you ever need. May every- For the word of God is living and powerful, and
thing that is in you bless His holy name!
sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the
Week 2 division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow,
and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the
Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man glory in heart.—HEBREWS 4:12, page 1131
his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, Many people think of the Bible as a comforting
nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who book, but the Scripture claims to be a sword—alive,
glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, powerful, sharp. It cuts and penetrates way down into
that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judg- the depth of soul and spirit. It becomes a discerner of
ment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I the thoughts and intents of the heart. Nothing cuts
delight,” says the LORD.—JEREMIAH 9:23,24, page 1028
and penetrates like the truth of God. You could take
What a wonderful promise, that God delights in all the psychology and philosophy in the world, and it
those who understand and know Him. We live in a cannot dismantle a man at the level of his soul as the
world full of people who glory in the big string of Word of God can. And the reason is because nobody
degrees after their names. They want people to be knows a man like God knows a man. The heart of
impressed by their achievements, insights, and every one of us is exposed to God, and the Bible

vi