"Verse of the Day": February 2011

Monday, February 28, 2011

Verse of the Day 2/28

Through the Bible - Exodus 27-28, Philemon

Good morning,

For today's verses we'll go to the book of Colossians, to chapter 3 which give us good advice for living the Christian life in the household.

We talked about this passage in our high school Bible study group yesterday. We encouraged the students that these were good words to remember and live by should they one day find a spouse and decide to raise a family.

Col 3:18 You wives must submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord.

19 And you husbands must love your wives and never treat them harshly.

20 You children must always obey your parents, for this is what pleases the Lord. NLT

In the last few decades, verse 18 in particular has come under criticism as being sexist. But it must be thought of in the context of Christian marriage, with the two becoming one flesh. The institution goes back to the second chapter of the Bible. Gen 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. NKJV

It starts with a husband and wife living as one with their family living under the authority and in submission to God as Lord and Master. It is through living according to God's Word, His principles that the family can live in harmony.

As I was driving yesterday I listened to the song "Our Master" by Matthew Ward. It is a simple song which starts with Matthew Ward singing the first stanza with a female singing the same stanza. They then sing the refrain together as one in harmony. It was a good picture of husband and wife in harmony with each other with God as their ultimate "Master". It is not so much about rights as it is right living.

Our master our savior
You are Lord our king
Our master our Savior
We give our praise
To our King, To our King
(Repeat)

You are the everlasting Father
The beginning and the end
There is no one that can take your place
There is no other name

If we want harmony in our lives, in our marriages and family, it will come by submitting to one another under God, honoring one another, and loving each other as He would have us love, "not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord."(3:22 ESV).

Read the passage below as a good way to start off the week, thinking about your place in this world, remembering that it is the Lord who you are serving.

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Col 3:18-25

18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.

23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,

24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism. NIV

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Verse of the Day - weekend 2/26

Through the Bible - Exodus 23-26, 2 Thessalonians 2-3

Good morning,

As people go to worship this weekend they may hear expository sermons, dealing with a passage or a few verses, they may hear topical sermons, sermons aimed at salvation, hope, comfort or any number of things. The hope of the pastor is his Master's spirit will be alive in him and that the Holy Spirit will work in the hearts of the hearers for its intended purpose.

In most congregations there will be a combination of doctors, lawyers, professionals, laborers, employed and unemployed, from fancy homes and possibly homeless. What will they be coming to hear?

For today's verse we'll go to Luke 5 where Jesus heals a man.

Luke 5:17 On one of those days, as he was teaching, there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was with him to heal. RSV

Notice what the verse says, the power of the Lord was with him to heal. The same will still be true this weekend, but who will be healed? As in this case in Luke, the message, the Word, will have an impact according to what the people are looking for. The Pharisees were looking for something for which they could accuse Jesus of blasphemy. There were those looking to find faul or find "holes" in the sermon. Some would say there was nothing in it for me. Some would take in the word eagerly and will be changed. Some would come looking for hope, comfort, peace, encouragement, and transformation and find it.

Charles Spurgeon wrote, "those poor tremblers who were praying for healing were not disappointed, the Good Physician passed by not a single case, and at the same time his disciples who were looking for opportunities of praising him anew, were also fully gratified, for with glad eyes they saw the paralitic restored, and heard sins forgiven."

The question as you go to worship is, what will I go "looking for"? Pray, prepare your heart to look for opportunities to praise Him anew, to see the broken healed, and sins forgiven. The power will be there.

As we draw upon His power, there is joy that never shall depart.

Read the account from Luke 5 below. From the Pharisees to the paralitic and his friends, to Jesus, they found what they were looking for.

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Luke 5:17-26

17 Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic (Matt 9:2-8; Mark 2:1-12) Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

18 Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him.

19 And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.

20 When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."

21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?

23 Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?

24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" — He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."

25 Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today!"
NKJV

Friday, February 25, 2011

Verse of the Day 2/25

Through the Bible - Exodus 21-22, 2 Thessalonians 1

Good morning,

Last night my wife Jean and I attended a local Young Life fund raising dinner. Young Life is a Christian organization that works in local high schools ministering to the students showing them the love of Christ. The theme of the night was "The Real Thing". The next generation needs Jesus, what better way to show them but to display in our lives that Jesus is the real thing for living in the real world, with real hurts and real pain.

I remember hearing a message that spoke of a child who was afraid of the dark. The father offered to pray with the child who then said "I want someone with skin on".

All too often we try to comfort and encourage others with words and verses shared in e-mails and phone calls. These are good things, but nothing compares to the message delivered in person with skin on, showing that they have some "skin in the game".

For today's verse we'll go to 1 Thessalonians 2 where we read:

1 Thess 2:8 We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. NIV

When you look around today at all the crazy stuff happening in this world it's not too hard to see that people need the gospel of Jesus. The best way to bring it, whether to a middle school or high school student or anyone who just needs a friend, is to bring it "with skin on". Its the best way to bring Jesus, to show His love to the real world.

The words of the 4 Him song "Real Thing" came to mind, here are a few of the lines.

There are days when I look around
And I feel like hope is gone
There are times my heart is torn between
Who is right and what is wrong
There are causes I believe in
There are things I'll never change
But I'm finding all that matters
Is there's just one truth
One truth that remains

'Cause we're living in a real world
With real hurt and real pain
And all we really need is the real thing
When we look beyond our circumstance
And face reality
We'll realize that all we really need
Is just to see
Jesus in a real world

I am thankful for those who have shared in our lives and in Jeff's life in this way. I am thankful for the people that show Jesus to my parents.

Are we willing to get in the game, or if we're in the game, to bring it up a notch, even if we face opposition?

2 You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. 2 We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. 3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4 On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed — God is our witness. 6 We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else.

As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, 7 but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. 8 We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. 9 Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. NIV

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Verse of the Day 2/24

Through the Bible - Exodus 19-20, 1 Thessalonians 5

Good morning,

What was the process that you went through to become who you are? Perhaps, for most of it, it involved going to college, declaring a major, getting your degree, your diploma then obtaining a job in that field.

You may have started college before declaring a major, but you must have a major in order to graduate in that field. The degree may have qualified you to be a doctor, lawyer, manager, nurse or any number of professions. But when did you become one? It was when you went out, found a job and put your training into practice. When you lived it.

As Christians, we don't carry a diploma around with us or have one posted on our walls. We don't carry a letter or recommendation to show others. Our lives are to show our training, to reveal who we are and whose we are.

We can't just declare ourselves to be Christians. We are to live what we profess, what we declare. We are not the same person who we were before. We have been transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:1-2) and are continually being formed into who we were made to be.

Rom 12:5-6 So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't. The Message

As it is in the secular world, once we received our diploma or our letters of recommendation, our training doesn't stop there. We learn and grow as we practice and immerse ourselves in our profession.

John Piper writes, "Is it not plain therefore that there is one great task of the Christian life: Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. We need new hearts and new minds. Make the tree good and the fruit will be good (Matthew 12:33). That's the great challenge. That is what God calls you to. You can't do it on your own. You need Christ, who died for your sins. And you need the Holy Spirit to lead you into Christ-exalting truth and work in you truth-embracing humility. Give yourself to this. Immerse yourself in the written Word of God; saturate your mind with it. And pray that the Spirit of Christ would make you so new that the spillover would be good, acceptable, and perfect—the will of God." http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/what-is-the-will-of-god-and-how-do-we-know-it

Study God's Word, pray and follow His leading that the "spillover" would be the will of God.

2 Cor 3:2-4 Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. Christ himself wrote it — not with ink, but with God's living Spirit; not chiseled into stone, but carved into human lives — and we publish it.

The Message

A Living Sacrifice to God

12 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

9 Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Verse of the Day 2/23

Through the Bible -Exodus 16-18, 1 Thessalonians 4

Good morning,

There is a lot of talk a lot of interest in the upcoming Academy Awards, the "Oscars" this week. Much of it centers around "The Kings Speech". I appreciate that the academy honors the best supporting actor and actresses. If you've seen the movie you'll understand how vital the supporting role was.

Many times going through the Bible, whether in sermons or in studies we focus on the main characters but miss out on so much by overlooking the supporting "characters", they are not actors, they were real people like you and me.

For today's verse we'll go back to Genesis 16 where we have an encounter between Hagar and the Angel of the Lord. It is the first time that he is mentioned in the Bible and he appears to one who is both a slave and a fugitive. It should remind us that God still has interest in such people today.

Genesis 16:13-14 (New Living Translation) Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, "You are the God who sees me." She also said, "Have I truly seen the One who sees me?" ¹⁴ So that well was named Beer-lahai-roi (which means "well of the Living One who sees me"). It can still be found between Kadesh and Bered.

Hagar had fled from Abram and Sarai. God sees her, stops her in her tracks and asks her "where have you come from and where are you going?". He knew where she was and where she was heading, he asked her so that she would realize.

He then sent her back, to have her child, whose name "Ishmael" means "God hears."

Perhaps you are in a spot where you've felt mistreated and possibly at the end of the rope. Like Hagar, may you realize that God sees and God hears your cry right where you are. He knows where you've come from and where you are going.

He knows what you need and what you should avoid. He knows and will reveal the path you should take, and encourages, calls you to walk in it.

She returned to Sarai and Abram and Abram believed her testimony and named the son Ishmael.

J. M. Boice writes, "the one who has seen God will have little trouble convincing other believers of this reality. There is no escaping the one who has been sought out, seen and changed forever by the God of Calvary."

Maybe you don't feel like a main character, but you may just be one of the best "supporting actors". Live like you are one who knows the ever Living One.

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Genesis 16:6- 16 (NLT) Abram replied, "Look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit." Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away.

⁷ The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur. ⁸ The angel said to her, "Hagar, Sarai's servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?"

"I'm running away from my mistress, Sarai," she replied.

⁹ The angel of the Lord said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority." ¹⁰ Then he added, "I will give you more descendants than you can count."

¹¹ And the angel also said, "You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means 'God hears'), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress. ¹² This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives."

¹³ Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, "You are the God who sees me." She also said, "Have I truly seen the One who sees me?" ¹⁴ So that well was named Beer-lahai-roi (which means "well of the Living One who sees me"). It can still be found between Kadesh and Bered.

¹⁵ So Hagar gave Abram a son, and Abram named him Ishmael. ¹⁶ Abram was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Verse of the Day 2/22

Through the Bible - Exodus 14-15, 1 Thessalonians 3

Good morning,

For today's verses we'll continue in Luke chapter 7. Yesterday Jesus healed someone that had lost hope and was "ready to die" through the faith of the centurion who submitted to Christ's authority and sought His favor.

In today's passage we find Jesus approaching a funeral procession. The widow of Nain had just lost her only son. No hope for her son and a bleak future for herself.

The Lord approaches and has compassion for her and tells her "do not weep". He did this before changing the situation. How would she and the friends and family take such words? What kind of comfort is that? Then Jesus does some startling and miraculous things.

Luke 7:14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, arise." 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. ESV

It is a scene that I'd like to see in a Hollywood production. The funeral procession with the weeping and wailing. The crowd following Jesus who heads straight for them, not avoiding the procession. Jesus speaks to the widow and mother and apparently the procession continues until Jesus reaches out and touches the coffin. What were the thoughts of the crowd and the mourners. Some would accuse Him of defiling Himself, others were expecting something great. Everything stops, silence comes over the crowd. Did those carrying the coffin sense something?

Jesus says "arise" and the young man sits up and speaks. Life has been restored, speech has been restored, hope had been restored. She could face tomorrow, because Jesus he Son of God lives, her son now lived again and spoke again. The dawning of a new life in Christ.

I could feel something of what she felt. After our son Jeff's accident and brain injury he didn't speak. The doctors said that he'd never walk or talk again. Oh how that hurt. How we longed to hear his voice. How would I react to someone who told me in a compassionate voice "do not weep"? After almost two years when hope was just about gone, through the prayers of many and the healing power of Jesus, Jeff spoke his first words. It was as if Jesus had given our son back. Jeff now lives to sing His praise.

I'm reminded of the old hymn "Because He Lives"

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal, and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

Read the passage again, slowly. Visualize the magnitude of what took place to all concerned. It went far beyond the woman and her son. The people realized that "God had visited His people". He still does.

Jesus Raises a Widow's Son

11 Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep." 14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, arise." 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and "God has visited his people!" 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country. ESV

Monday, February 21, 2011

Verse of the Day 2/21

Through the Bible - Exodus 12-13, 1 Thessalonians 2

Good morning,

The men's small group that I am in has been going through the book of Luke. This week we're in chapter seven and are looking at the healing of the centurion's servant and the healing of the son of the widow of Nain.

Today we'll look at the healing of the centurion's servant which is the first contact between Jesus and a non Jew in Luke's gospel.

For today's verses we'll go to the beginning of the chapter where doctor Luke outlines the dire situation.

Luke 7:2 And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. 3 So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant.
NKJV

The NKJV says that the servant was ready to die. You get the picture that there was no hope, everything that could be done had been tried. It was just a matter of time now. The passage goes on to describe some things about the servant that he was a good man, loved the nation and had built the synagogue.

The centurion doesn't bring any of this up. He approaches Jesus as one in authority in the situation coming from someone that knew something about authority. He knew and displayed his faith in Jesus in the words that he said. "Say the word and my servant will be healed."

How many times in your life have you been ready to give up in a situation, thinking all was lost or that all hope was gone?

In this situation, Jesus commended the centurion for his faith saying "not even in Israel have I found faith like this."

Sometimes it will take someone from the outside of our community of faith to teach us real faith. Sometimes we're too anxious to throw in the towel and give up, even ready to die. Maybe you know someone in that position.

May we have the faith to press on and come to Jesus saying "say the word" and have confidence that His will be done..

When you don't know what else to pray,
when you don't know what else to say,
when you can't make it through another day, say the name

Say the name and let Him say the word.

"Lord, no matter how desperate the trouble I am in, you always have the solution. Let me turn to you in confidence and wait in hope for your solution". - Henry Wansbrough

7 Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum. 2 And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. 3 So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving, 5 "for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue."

6 Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, "Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

9 When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, "I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!" 10 And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick. NKJV

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Verse of the Day - weekend 2/20

Through the Bible - Exodus 7-11, Mark 16, 1 Thessalonians 1

Good morning,

A few years ago singer and songwriter Shawn Groves performed at our church. He also spent some time with our small group leaders. His topic was worship. The Bible passage that he referenced was John and the woman at the well. He mentioned that the word worship in John 4:24 actually could be translated "toward dog", actually the picture of God reaching to the dog that is happy to come to his master, to please him.

We'll go there for this weekend's verse.

John 4:23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." ESV

I recently heard a sermon from John Piper which brought this to mind. He shared a story how he and his young son (at the time), went to visit a friend. They pulled into the driveway got out of the car and approached the house. As they came closer a big dog burst through the screen door and started coming towards them. The dog was as tall standing on all fours as the boy who turned to run towards his dad. The owner called out, don't run away from him, he doesn't like it when people run from him. He was instructed to stand still and let the dog approach and that if the boy would reach out, even wrap his arms around the dog's neck that he would be his friend.

Was there a time in your life when God was coming towards, calling you? Were you tempted to run from him to go the other way? God doesn't like it when people run away, can you think of Jonah?

The word for worshipper literally means "adorer". Stop and think about that and the attitude in your heart as you go to worship.

The Interlinear Bible gives this definition to the Greek word for "worship": NT:4352 proskuneo (pros-koo-neh'-o); from NT:4314 and a probable derivative of NT:2965 (meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master's hand); to fawn or crouch to, i.e. (literally or figuratively) prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore):

As you go to worship this weekend or any time, will this be your attitude in coming to Jesus Christ to revere and adore?

The beautiful thing is that it is a two way street. We will find joy and happiness when we seek Him in spirit and in truth. This brings to mind another favorite quote from John Piper, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him".

Praise the Savior, ye who know Him!
Who can tell how much we owe Him?
Gladly let us render to Him
All we are and have.

Trust in Him, ye saints, forever,
He is faithful, changing never;
Neither force nor guile can sever
Those He loves from Him.

Keep us, Lord, O keep us cleaving
To Thyself, and still believing,
Till the hour of our receiving
Promised joys with Thee.

7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?" ( For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." 11 The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock." 13 Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." 15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water."

16 Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." 17 The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband'; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true." 19 The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship." 21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." 25 The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things." 26 Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he."
ESV

Friday, February 18, 2011

Verse of the Day 2/18

Through the Bible - Exodus 4-6, Mark 15:26-47

Good morning,

I read Psalm 46 recently and saw that it fit well with the tumult, the uproar, the protests in the middle east and even in our own country. Read verses 6-7.

Ps 46:6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. ESV

The people turn to the government to solve their problems and in some instances look for an overthrow, a new government thinking that it will bring about the needed change without thinking of turning to God, the God who is with us for guidance, individually and as a nation.

For today's verses we'll go to the end of the chapter.

Ps 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!"
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. ESV

Verse ten is another verse that is often lifted out of context. It is used to calm the heart to give the person a "peaceful, easy feeling". I've been comforted by it in this way through the verse and in song. But the setting is in the tumult of the crowd., like trying to get the attention of a mob, whether it be protestors or a group of middle school kids who just found out that school had been cancelled. It is more of a yell, "settle down", "be quiet" or even, as I've heard R.C. Sproul say "shut up".

Think of the tumult in our lives or possibly the things that keep us from being able to sleep. God is with us. The God of Jacob, the man who wrestled with God and would not let him go, who got up the next morning a changed man with a new name, He is with us, and He is in control.

The hymn "A Mighty Fortress", written by Martin Luther, was based on this psalm. He knew something of the tumult of society in his time and the flood of "mortal ills".

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God's own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

In David's time, in Martin Luther's time and in our time, God is with us, and He must win the battle. Don't get caught up in the fray, don't be give in to the "ancient foe" armed with hate, rather, be still, be quiet and know that He is God.

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace NIV
Ps 46

46 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the chariots with fire.
10 "Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!"
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. ESV

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Verse of the Day 2/17

Through the Bible - Exodus 1-3, Mark 15:1-25

Good morning,

Yesterday's verse from Hebrews 10 told us that the "just", those in right standing with God, would live by faith.

For today's verse we'll go back to Genesis 15 where God speaks to Abram. It is the first verse in the Bible that brings faith, righteousness, and justification together.

Gen 15:6 And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. NKJV
or from the NLT:

Gen 15:6 And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD declared him righteous because of his faith. NLT

This faith not only informs us of our condition, it informs us of our position and motivates our actions. Billy Graham and his testimony yesterday were a great example of this as have others through the ages who lived by faith.

Michael Horton in "The Christian Faith" writes "This story that runs from Genesis to Revelation, centering on Christ, not only richly informs our mind; it captivates the heart and the imagination, animating and motivating our action in the world. When history seems to come to a standstill in sin, guilt, and death, the prophets direct God's people to God's fulfillment of his promise in the new covenant."

Does that describe your position in Christ, captivated, animated, and motivated through faith in Him? My prayer is that we would live by faith and at the end of our life be able to say like Paul or Abraham with no regrets:

2 Tim 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.

8 And now the prize awaits me — the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return. NLT

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Gen 15:1-6

15:1 God's Covenant with Abram (Heb 11:8-10) After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying,"Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."

2 But Abram said, "Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?"

3 Then Abram said, "Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!"

4 And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir."

5 Then He brought him outside and said, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him,"So shall your descendants be."

6 And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
NKJV

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Verse of the Day 2/16

Through the Bible - Isaiah 65-66, Mark 14:54-72

Good morning,

On a recent flight home to North Carolina I was reading a commentary on Genesis. The young man next to me asked what I was reading and saw what it was, he asked me - did you know that the Bible is full of contradictions?

As it turned out, he is the son of a pastor but didn't have the answers to all of the "contradictions" and has not been able to get past them.

We didn't get into all of those contradictions but I have an idea of what some of them may have been. I am not the Bible answer man and no one short of God Himself knows the answers to all of them. That is where faith comes in. Sure, I may not understand everything in the Bible, but I do know what I believe and it is the power of God to change hearts and minds, to heal, to comfort, and to do the impossible as we apply His Word to our lives.

For today's verses we'll go to Hebrews 10 where we find another instance where we see that we must live by faith. It is a common theme throughout scripture. To be in right standing before God requires faith.

Heb 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him."

39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. NKJV

When facing some of the questions it is natural to have some doubts. The important thing is what you do with them. Do you draw back or dig deeper into God's Word to know Him more and let Him reveal more of Himself to you.

If you've been there I'll share this post from Ray Ortlund's blog regarding someone who had some doubts but did not fall away. Quite the opposite, he believed and it lead to the saving of many souls. May it encourage you in your faith, to settle it in your mind to believe in your mind and put your trust in God no matter what.

"In 1949 I had been having a great many doubts concerning the Bible. I thought I saw apparent contradictions in Scripture. Some things I could not reconcile with my restricted concept of God. When I stood up to preach, the authoritative note so characteristic of all great preachers of the past was lacking. . . .

In August of that year I had been invited to Forest Home, a Presbyterian conference center high in the mountains outside Los Angeles. I remember walking down a trail, tramping into the woods, and almost wrestling with God. I dueled with my doubts, and my soul seemed to be caught in the crossfire. Finally, in desperation, I surrendered my will to the living God revealed in Scripture. I knelt before the open Bible and said, 'Lord, many things in this Book I do not understand. But thou hast said, The just shall live by faith. All I have received from thee, I have taken by faith. Here and now, by faith, I accept the Bible as thy word. I take it all. I take it without reservations. Where there are things I cannot understand, I will reserve judgment until I receive more light. If this pleases thee, give me authority as I proclaim thy word, and through that authority convict men of sin and turn sinners to the Savior.'

Within six weeks we started our Los Angeles crusade, which is now history. During that crusade I discovered the secret that changed my ministry. I stopped trying to prove that the Bible was true. I had settled in my own mind that it was, and this faith was conveyed to the audience. Over and over again I found myself saying, 'The Bible says.' I felt as though I were merely a voice through which the Holy Spirit was speaking."

Billy Graham, "Biblical Authority and Evangelism," Christianity Today, 15 October 1956, pages 5-

Will you live by faith, accept the Bible as God's Word, take it all without reservations?

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Heb 10:35-11:1

35 Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you!

36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.

37 "For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay.

38 And a righteous person will live by faith. But I will have no pleasure in anyone who turns away."

39 But we are not like those who turn their backs on God and seal their fate. We have faith that assures our salvation. NLT

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Verse of the Day 2/15

Through the Bible - Isaiah 62-64, Mark 14:27-53

Good morning,
Yesterday we considered Christian love, a love "bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 1 Cor. 13.

The passage in Colossians speaks of putting on love. This is something that comes after taking off the old self and our natural desires, the natural selfish ways of our hearts.

Reading the passage again in the New Living Translation brought these sobering words to mind (Col 3:5) "So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you." NLT

Do you experience times (as I do) when that "old self" rears it's ugly head? We all have our weaknesses, pick one that you see in the passage or insert your own. You may seem to be sailing along and all of a sudden something triggers that old nature of anger, rage, or unkind words. You stop (hopefully) and ask where did that come from? It was lurking within you.

How are we to have the right mindset? For today's verse we'll go to the beginning of the passage.

Col 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. NIV

The verses point to a transformation, renewing our minds (Rom. 12:1-2) setting them on things above, above the fray. The image of baptism comes to mind, out with the old and in with the new. Your life is now hidden in Christ, He is in you and is with you. We have assurance and a hope that is secure as an anchor (Heb. 6:19) and He can deliver us. Nonbelievers cannot understand the impact of this.

When that old nature wants to rear its ugly head, don't "put it on", keep it off and put on the new self in the power of Christ, hidden in you.

Col 3:15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

16 Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. NLT

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Col 3:1-10
3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.

6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.

7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.

8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices

10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
NIV

Monday, February 14, 2011

Verse of the Day 2/14

Through the Bible - Isaiah 59-61, Mark 14:1-26

Happy Valentines Day,

Today is a day where love will be spoken and thought of perhaps more than any other day.

For today's verse we'll go to Colossians 3 which speaks of love as something to be put on, to clothe yourselves, wrap yourselves with.

Col 3:12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. NIV

The passage tells us to put off, to take off such things as anger, wrath, malice, slander and filthy language and replace them with these other qualities topped off by love.

My wife likes to watch the program "What Not to Wear". They take a person that is in need of a makeover and try to educate the person in making the right choices. They start by having the person choose what they would like to wear. She then wears them for the hosts review at which point they are told why they shouldn't wear those or that type of clothing. They then make suggestions. The candidate for a makeover then goes in private and puts on the new clothes, the new self and the transformation is put on display.

The change takes place in private. The old has to be taken off and the new has to be put on. You don't put the new on top of the old, it won't fit right.

The Christian is to put on love as the most important part of his or her life. The type of love is not what is often spoken about in the greeting cards that will be given today. We will find it in 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter. We'll end with a few verses that we should put on, model and live in every day.

1 Cor 13:4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. NLT

Your greeting cards will have more meaning if this is the kind of love that you display.

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace NIV
Col 3:8-16
8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
ESV

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Verse of the Day -weekend 2/12

Through the Bible - Isaiah 53-58, Mark 13

Good morning,

We've been considering how the eyes of the Lord go to and fro, searching for hearts, for a few good men that will follow Him and do His will. We've also considered the deceitfulness of the human heart.

David, one of those "few good men" was aware of his heart condition, the frailty of it, and how it could be turned. He also knew that he could not fool God, his thoughts, plots and actions were known to Him. Having once fallen mightily he did not want to go there again, and continually sought help from God.

Ps 139:1-O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. ESV

For this weekend's verse, we'll go to the end of Psalm 139 where David reveals his heart. He knows that at any time God knows his hearts condition whether he, David, realizes it or not. David seeks to know his heart condition.

Ps 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting! ESV

The request for God to search his heart was not a one and done thing. David invites God to continually search his heart, root out any evil or bitterness before it takes hold.

In preparation for worship this weekend. Talk to God, have Him search your heart. Perhaps the words to the hymn "Search Me O God" may help. You may also consider reading Psalms 32, 37, 51 or 139 this weekend.

Search Me O God - James E. Orr 1936

Search me, O God, and know my heart today,
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray;
See if there be some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin, and set me free.
I praise Thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin;
Fulfill Thy word and make me pure within;
Fill me with fire, where once I burned with shame;
Grant my desire to magnify Thy name.
Lord, take my life, and make it wholly Thine;
Fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine;
Take all my will, my passion, self and pride;
I now surrender, Lord, in me abide.
O Holy Ghost, revival comes from Thee;
Send a revival, start the work in me;
Thy Word declares Thou wilt supply our need;
For blessings now, O Lord, I humbly plead.

13 For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there were none of them.

17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
I awake, and I am still with you.

19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!
O men of blood, depart from me!
20 They speak against you with malicious intent;
your enemies take your name in vain!
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
22 I hate them with complete hatred;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting! ESV

Friday, February 11, 2011

Verse of the Day 2/11 - 1 Samuel 17:47

Through the Bible - Isaiah 50-52, Mark 12:28-44

Good morning,

Yesterday we considered how the eyes of the Lord go to and fro, constantly searching for a few good men, whose hearts will be devoted, committed to do His will. Today, we'll reinforce the thought that "He doesn't need an army to guarantee a win".

The Bible is full of examples of this, in fact it is His way. With David He used one good "young man" to defeat Goliath and send the armies of the Philistines running. God whittled down Gideon's force to 300 men from an army of 10,000 to defeat the Midianites. Abram rounded up a force of 318 men to defeat the four kings of the east in order to rescue his nephew Lot.

For today's verse we'll go to 1 Samuel 17 where young David has a few choice words for Goliath and other Philistines within ear shot who had been mocking the Israelites and more importantly the God of the Israelites.

1 Sam 17:47 Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands." NKJV

Gideon and Abram assembled a force and made a surprise attack by night. You might say that David made a surprise attack of his own in broad daylight. In each of these cases "God's force" of a few good men were something to be reckoned with, the God behind them and before them needed to be taken into account.

J.M. Boice writes, "As in Abram's day, it was not the size, training, armament, or deployment of the force. It was the Lord who gave victory. That is the spirit in which Christians must fight - whether his is a military, moral, or spiritual battle. He must be bold. He must be prepared. But above all, He must go in the strength of God."

What battles are you facing today at home, school, the workplace or anywhere? Be one of His few good men. Be bold, be prepared, and go in the strength of God. We'll finish with the rest of the story, the rest of the song from yesterday, "A Few Good Men".

He calls the broken derelict whose life has been renewed

He calls the one who has the strength to stand up for the truth

Enlistment lines are open and He wants you to come in -

He just needs a few good men.

38 Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, 39 and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them." So David put them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.

41 And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42 And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. 43 And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field." 45 Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand."

48 When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.

50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David. 51 Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.
ESV

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Verse of the Day 2/10 - 2 Chron. 16:9

Through the Bible - Isaiah 47-49, Mark 12:1-27

Good morning,

I recently read 2 Chronicles 15 and 16 about King Asa. He instituted many religious reforms in Judah and brought back many of the sacrifices and removed many of the idols and high places of pagan rituals from the land. He was also granted many victories with his army. However, in his later years he sought security in military alliances and not in God. His was not a heart that held on which resulted in constant battles to his dying day.

For today's verse we'll go to 2 Chronicles 16 that show us that God sees and knows our hearts, which should encourage us to hold on.

2 Chron 16:9 The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war." NLT

God is still looking, constantly looking for a few good men. Men who have a heart that is steadfast, men that will stand in the gap, men who will be honorable husbands and fathers, and men that will see the light that is coming for the heart that holds on when facing various trials.

The words of the song "A Few Good Men" sung by the Gaither Vocal Band came to mind. Here are a few of the lines.

What this dying world could use is a willing Man of God
Who dares to go against the grain and works without applause;
A man who'll raise the shield of Faith, protecting what is pure;
Whose love is tough and gentle; a man whose word is sure.

God doesn't need an Orator who knows what just to say;
He doesn't need authorities to reason Him away;
He doesn't need an army to guarantee a win;
He just needs a Few Good Men.

Men full of Compassion, who Laugh and Love and Cry-
Men who'll face Eternity and aren't afraid to die-
Men who'll fight for Freedom and Honor once again-
He just needs a Few Good Men.

Are you or will you be one of those men? Will you work to strengthen and encourage your men to be one of them?

Don't be a fool, don't seek security in and from the world around you. If you do, the rat race will continue, you'll find yourself constantly in battle with the wheel spinning faster and faster.

16 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign, King Baasha of Israel invaded Judah and fortified Ramah in order to prevent anyone from entering or leaving King Asa's territory in Judah.

2 Asa responded by removing the silver and gold from the treasuries of the Temple of the Lord and the royal palace. He sent it to King Ben-hadad of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus, along with this message:

3 "Let there be a treaty between you and me like the one between your father and my father. See, I am sending you silver and gold. Break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel so that he will leave me alone."

4 Ben-hadad agreed to King Asa's request and sent the commanders of his army to attack the towns of Israel. They conquered the towns of Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and all the store cities in Naphtali. 5 As soon as Baasha of Israel heard what was happening, he abandoned his project of fortifying Ramah and stopped all work on it. 6 Then King Asa called out all the men of Judah to carry away the building stones and timbers that Baasha had been using to fortify Ramah. Asa used these materials to fortify the towns of Geba and Mizpah.

7 At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa and told him, "Because you have put your trust in the king of Aram instead of in the Lord your God, you missed your chance to destroy the army of the king of Aram. 8 Don't you remember what happened to the Ethiopians and Libyans and their vast army, with all of their chariots and charioteers? At that time you relied on the Lord, and he handed them over to you. 9 The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war."

10 Asa became so angry with Hanani for saying this that he threw him into prison and put him in stocks. At that time Asa also began to oppress some of his people. NLT

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Verse of the Day 2/9

Through the Bible - Isaiah 45-46, Mark 11;19-33

Good morning,

Thinking of a word to describe the person who has turned from the rat race to follow God, the word pilgrim comes to mind. One of the first that comes to mind in the Bible would be Abram. He was called by God to leave the city of Ur and let the Lord lead him, by faith.

Hebrews 11:9-10 (English Standard Version) By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. ¹⁰For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

J. M. Boice writes "it is a vision of the city of God that makes pilgrims." He defines a pilgrim as "not someone who has merely left home. A person who has done that but no more is a drifter. Rather, a pilgrim is one who has left home but is also traveling to another home. A pilgrim has had a vision of a goal, a destination, and is determined to hang loose on everything else until the achievement of that new and better place".

Are you at home in the world, the bright lights and culture of the city, are you a drifter, having given up on the rat race but drifting still not having found meaning, or are you a pilgrim, looking forward to a known destination?

Boice writes, "we were - like Abram in Ur - well settled in the world, and God had to literally blast some of us out of our ungodly moorings. Only now, having been found by Christ, we are pilgrims."

For today's verse we'll go to Psalm 84 which relates to these thoughts.

Psalm 84:5 (New King James Version) Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.

I'll close with a song that is probably one of the first songs that I remember learning as a child in Sunday School. It rings true in my heart today.

This world is not my home, I'm just a passin' through

My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue

The angels beckon me from heavens open door

And I can't feel at home in this world any more

O Lord, you know I have no friend like you

If heaven's not my home, then Lord what will I do

The angels beckon me from heavens open door

And I can't feel at home in this world any more

Psalm 84:12 O LORD of hosts,
Blessed is the man who trusts in You!

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Psalm 84 (New King James Version)

Psalm 84

To the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

¹ How lovely is Your tabernacle,
         O LORD of hosts!
² My soul longs, yes, even faints
         For the courts of the LORD;
         My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

³ Even the sparrow has found a home,
         And the swallow a nest for herself,
         Where she may lay her young—
         Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
         My King and my God.
⁴ Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;
         They will still be praising You.  Selah

⁵ Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
         Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
⁶ As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
         They make it a spring;
         The rain also covers it with pools.
⁷ They go from strength to strength;
         Each one appears before God in Zion.

⁸ O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
         Give ear, O God of Jacob!  Selah
⁹ O God, behold our shield,
         And look upon the face of Your anointed.

¹⁰ For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
         I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
         Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
¹¹ For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
         The LORD will give grace and glory;
         No good thing will He withhold
         From those who walk uprightly.

¹² O LORD of hosts,
         Blessed is the man who trusts in You!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Verse of the Day 2/8 Jeremiah 17:9

Through the Bible - Isaiah 43-44, Mark 11:1-18

Good morning,

The sobering thing about yesterday's passage and it's comparison between the shrub in the desert and the tree planted by the stream is that it is the choice of our hearts where we dwell. For today's verse we'll return to the same passage.

Jer 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?
10 I, the Lord, search the heart,
I test the mind,
Even to give every man according to his ways,
According to the fruit of his doings. NKJV

Verse 9 is often "lifted" out of the passage as a stand alone verse. It is often used to describe the heart of one that is deceitful towards others. The reality of it is that before it will be displayed towards others, it will be used towards ourselves. We deceive ourselves into thinking that "envy, the pride of life, and the lust of the flesh" which are disguised as things, the stuff that this world has to offer that will bring happiness to our lives. When you think about it, when does the rat race lead to joy, rest, and peace?

Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:11 said that "God has placed eternity into man's heart". Augustine wrote "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you."

Jer 6:16 This is what the Lord says:

"Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.
But you said, 'We will not walk in it.' NIV

Perhaps you feel that you are at a crossroad in your life. Where will your heart lead you? Don't be deceived, hear Him when He calls.

Matt 11:28 Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." NLT

5 Thus says the Lord:

"Cursed is the man who trusts in man
and makes flesh his strength,
whose heart turns away from the Lord.
6 He is like a shrub in the desert,
and shall not see any good come.
He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness,
in an uninhabited salt land.

7 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
8 He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit."

9 The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?
10 "I the Lord search the heart
and test the mind,
to give every man according to his ways,
according to the fruit of his deeds." ESV

Monday, February 28, 2011

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Friday, February 25, 2011

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Monday, February 21, 2011

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Friday, February 18, 2011

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Monday, February 14, 2011

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Friday, February 11, 2011

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Psalm 84:5 (New King James Version) Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.

Psalm 84 (New King James Version)

Psalm 84

To the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Psalm 84:5 (New King James Version) Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.