Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Verse of the Day 7/31

 
2 Timothy 4:22  The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace (God's favor and blessing) be with you. Amen (so be it).  Amplified Bible (AMP)
 
We've spent a lot of time recently on the subject of God's grace and His being gracious to us.  His grace comes to us in the forms we looked at yesterday - mercy, comfort, strength, and wisdom, when we come to Him.  Today's verse is Paul's closing remark, the closing benediction of his letter to Timothy.  It is a prayer personally for Timothy, the your is singular, and the "be with you" is for those whom Timothy will share it with, his congregation on down through us.
 
He prays that the Lord Jesus be with his spirit.  We are all spiritual beings, each with our own different spirit.  Early on you can see this in children, they may be high spirited, strong willed or any number of things.  But God can work through all of those, by His grace, His favor and blessing to achieve His purposes in our lives.  And that is my prayer for all of you... so be it.
 
The following quote is from J.R. Miller in "Family Prayers".  It is a prayer that Jesus would come into our hearts personally and into our homes.  May it be so today.
 
"Father, (I'll add be gracious to us) let Your face shine upon our home today. We thank You for it. May it be . . .
a shelter to us from the world's storms,
a nest of love,
a school where we may learn love's lessons, and
where we may grow into the beauty of Christlikeness.
We pray continually that our home may become more and more like Heaven. Teach all of us how to live, so as to add to its sweetness.

Come and be a guest in our home. Then its love will become sweeter, and more and more holy. For Your presence gives light, blessing, and joy. Make our home, Your home. Dwell with us. Then we shall be happy. Then we shall live beautifully together."

 
In Christ,
Mike
 
Follow the Verse of the Day blog at 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

2 Timothy 4:21-22

English Standard Version (ESV)

21 Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.[a]

22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.

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