Verse of the Day 4/30

Through the Bible - 1 Kings 1-3, Luke 23:1-26
Good morning,
As I've mentioned before, we've been going through a series on prayer in our church, from the pulpit as well as in small groups and Bible studies.
One of the things that I've come to realize about prayer is that we,or I, come to God with prayers with our own expectations of how He is to answer them. We can be so blinded by this that we don't even realize that He is answering the prayers but in a different way or with a different answer than we expected or perhaps hoped.
Today's verse comes from Isaiah 55 which is a chapter that puts forth an "invitation to abundant life". It's a wonderful chapter, one that I suggest that you read, meditate on and pray through at some point today. These verses are central to the chapter, our prayers, and our Christian life.
Isa 55:8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord.
9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts. NKJV

We may not always see the results of our work or our prayers immediately, in the home, the workplace, or in ministry. Today's verses explain to us that it is not ours to understand, but as servants to be willing to do God's will, to accept His answers when they come, even in unexpected ways.
Let the Lord lead you through prayer and His Word :

6 Seek the Lord while He may be found,Call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way,And the unrighteous man his thoughts;Let him return to the Lord,And He will have mercy on him;And to our God,For He will abundantly pardon.

Read the passage below. How is God speaking to you today?

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net

Isa 55:1-56:1

55 "Ho! Everyone who thirsts,Come to the waters;And you who have no money,Come, buy and eat.Yes, come, buy wine and milkWithout money and without price. 2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread,And your wages for what does not satisfy?Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,And let your soul delight itself in abundance. 3 Incline your ear, and come to Me.Hear, and your soul shall live;And I will make an everlasting covenant with you — The sure mercies of David. 4 Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people,A leader and commander for the people. 5 Surely you shall call a nation you do not know,And nations who do not know you shall run to you,Because of the Lord your God,And the Holy One of Israel;For He has glorified you."
6 Seek the Lord while He may be found,Call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way,And the unrighteous man his thoughts;Let him return to the Lord,And He will have mercy on him;And to our God,For He will abundantly pardon.
8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts,Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. 9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth,So are My ways higher than your ways,And My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,And do not return there,But water the earth,And make it bring forth and bud,That it may give seed to the sowerAnd bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;It shall not return to Me void,But it shall accomplish what I please,And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
12 "For you shall go out with joy,And be led out with peace;The mountains and the hillsShall break forth into singing before you,And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;And it shall be to the Lord for a name,For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."

NKJV