Verse of the Day 11/28

Verse of the Day 11/28

Psalm 9:1-2  I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;

    I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
² I will be glad and rejoice in you;
    I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.    New International Version (NIV)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

The men's Bible study group that I'm leading has been going through the book of Philippians and a recurring theme throughout the book is that of joy.  John Piper defines joy, Christian joy, this way:

Christian joy is a good feeling in the soul, produced by the Holy Spirit, as he causes us to see the beauty of Christ in the word and in the world.

Today's verses tell of giving thanks to God with all of your heart; telling of Him, rejoicing in Him and singing praises to Him.  The rejoicing part of it is the manifestation of joy that is in the heart and in the soul, coming out in praise and thanksgiving to God for who He is and all that He has done for us.

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us"

As we meet with family and friends today, let's make sure to give thanks with grateful hearts, because of what He's done for us.

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Psalm 9 New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 9^[a][b]

For the director of music. To the tune of "The Death of the Son." A psalm of David.

¹ I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;
    I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
² I will be glad and rejoice in you;
    I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.

³ My enemies turn back;
    they stumble and perish before you.
⁴ For you have upheld my right and my cause,
    sitting enthroned as the righteous judge.
⁵ You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;
    you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.
⁶ Endless ruin has overtaken my enemies,
    you have uprooted their cities;
    even the memory of them has perished.

⁷ The Lord reigns forever;
    he has established his throne for judgment.
⁸ He rules the world in righteousness
    and judges the peoples with equity.
⁹ The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,
    a stronghold in times of trouble.
¹⁰ Those who know your name trust in you,
    for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Verse of the Day 11/27

Verse of the Day 11/27

Psalm 118:1-2 Keep on giving your thanks to God, for he is so good!

His constant, tender love lasts forever!
² Let all his princely people sing,
"His constant, tender love lasts forever!"   The Passion Translation (TPT)

I read today's verse in a devotional the other day and it will probably be read by many this week as we observe the Thanksgiving Holiday.  In this country especially, but all over the world there is plenty to be thankful for and we are reminded to give  thanks.

These verses point out several important things.  One is to keep giving thanks to God.  It is great to do it on Thanksgiving but it should be the natural outflow of our hearts every day of the year, for He is good every day of the year.  You've heard it said - "God is good all the time" and the flipside "all the time, God is good".  We need to remember that.

For some of us the first prayer that we learned to pray was to say grace at the dinner table, "God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food, Amen."  We need to be thankful not only for our food but also for all the blessings that we receive in this life.

The second point is that His love is constant.  He doesn't take a day off, He is with us all the time with a "tender love" and this love will last forever.

As we prepare for Thanksgiving, let us give thanks today as we look forward to time spent with friends and family to celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow.

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Psalm 118:1-4 New King James Version (NKJV)

Praise to God for His Everlasting Mercy

118 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

² Let Israel now say,
"His mercy endures forever."
³ Let the house of Aaron now say,
"His mercy endures forever."
⁴ Let those who fear the Lord now say,
"His mercy endures forever."

Verse of the Day 11/24

Verse of the Day 11/24       

Hebrews 13:8    Jesus, the Anointed One, is always the same—yesterday, today, and forever.     The Passion Translation (TPT)

We'll continue with our posts from Hebrews 13 with a short verse, but one that you can think about and come to from many different directions.  When you think of "the same" what comes to mind?  The same character, the same appearance; the same wisdom; the same power; the same love are a few that come to mind.

Now, think about us.  We were once children with boundless energy.  This diminishes.  As we grow older we mature physically but then somewhere we turn the corner and the aging process catches up to us. We can't play sports or climb mountains the same as we did when we were teenagers.  We may grow in wisdom as we mature and grow older, but at some point we may begin to become forgetful.  We may have been "sharp as a tack" as we came into our own but now things may be getting a little fuzzy.  Even with our sight, our hearing our sense of touch; they all will lose something as we age.  Not so with Jesus, not so with God.

It is fitting that God first identified Himself to Moses as the Great I Am.  He always has been but He has never lost anything of what He is.

Max Lucado writes, "The present-tense Christ. He never says, "I was."  We do. We do because "we were." We were younger, faster, prettier. Prone to be people of the past tense, we reminisce.   Not God. Unwavering in strength, He need never say, "I was." From the center of the storm, the unwavering Jesus shouts, "I am." 

Jesus has the same love; the same power; the same mercy; the same compassion; the same abilities as He did in the beginning today;  He will have them for tomorrow and to eternity.

Jesus, my Lord will love me forever,
From Him no pow'r of evil can sever,
He gave His life to ransom my soul;
Now I belong to Him;

Once I was lost in sin's degradation,
Jesus came down to bring me salvation,
Lifted me up from sorrow and shame,
Now I belong to Him;

Joy floods my soul for Jesus has saved me,
Freed me from sin that long had enslaved me
His precious blood, He came to redeem,
Now I belong to Him;

Chorus
Now I belong to Jesus,
Jesus belongs to me,
Not for the years of time alone,
But for eternity.

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Hebrews 13:7-9 New King James Version (NKJV)

Concluding Religious Directions

⁷ Remember those who ^[a]rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. ⁹ Do not be carried ^[b]about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

Verse of the Day 11/22

Verse of the Day 11/22

Hebrews 13:5-6 Don't be obsessed with money but live content with what you have, for you always have God's presence. For hasn't he promised you,

"I will never leave you alone, never! And I will not loosen my grip on your life!"

6 So we can say with great confidence:

"I know the Lord is for me
and I will never be afraid of what people may do to me!" The Passion Translation (TPT)

We'll continue our "walk" through Hebrews 13 and consider the difference between the "obsession" of money and contentment. In our society it seems that just about everyone is obsessed with or about something and if you look hard enough, you will see a link to money and finances as part of it.

There are times in our lives, events that occur, that cause us to realize that all the money in the world will not solve our problems. Paul realized this for sure as did the author of Hebrews. If we can learn contentment, money and the concerns about finances won't have a grip on us because Someone else does. He is for us and that feeling can't be taken away from us, no matter what.

Burk Parsons writes, " This is the foundation for true and lasting contentment. It is precisely because the Lord is our Shepherd that we shall not want. But if He is not your Shepherd, expect no contentment. True contentment is not circumstantial, it is relational. It is not based on what happens to us; rather, it is based on who has taken hold of us—the One who dwells within us. If our contentment is based merely on what we have, we will always desire more, but when it is based on who we are in Christ, we will first and foremost desire to know Him more. For if we are to find contentment in all things, we must seek contentment in the only One who can fulfill all our desires—Jesus Christ."

Think about that statement "true contentment is not circumstantial , it is relational." Who is it in your life that brings you contentment? It is rooted in faith in God and can be shared by those who believe and trust in Him.

Blessings,

Mike

Hebrews 13:1-6 English Standard Version (ESV)

Sacrifices Pleasing to God
13 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. 4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. 5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." 6 So we can confidently say,

"The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?"

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Verse of the Day 11/21

Verse of the Day 11/21

Hebrews 13:3Identify with those who are in prison as though you were there suffering with them, and those who are mistreated as if you could feel their pain. The Passion Translation (TPT)

When we lived in Illinois I served in the jail ministry of our church, once a month a group of a few men would go to the county jail and conduct services. The county jail was often a place where people were incarcerated having been arrested for a crime and waiting for their trial. None of them wanted to be there and most did not know how long they would be in jail if they were convicted. I'm sure that there were some that were not actually guilty of the crime. It is not a pleasant situation and a big part of what we had to say is that if they wanted to avoid coming back they would have to undergo changes, in habits, activities and making wise choices as to whom they hang around or associate with. They needed to be lifted up.

All of us have messed up something in our lives and one of the key things here is for us to have empathy for those who are in prison. But it goes beyond those who are physically in prison. People can be "imprisoned" emotionally as well as physically. They can be imprisoned by a sense of failure; fatigue or having lost hope or confidence in their situation. The call for us is to identify "with" them; not just identify them.

A word of encouragement; being a friend that sticks closer than a brother; showing kindness; or just spending time with them letting them know that you are with them can show that you feel their pain and give them cause to hope for a brighter day.

I was sinking deep in sin,
Far from the peaceful shore,
Very deeply stained within,
Sinking to rise no more,
But the Master of the sea,
Heard my despairing cry,
From the waters lifted me,
Now safe am I.

Refrain

Love lifted me! Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help
Love lifted me!
Love lifted me! Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help
Love lifted me!

Refrain

Souls in danger look above,
Jesus completely saves,
He will lift you by His love,
Out of the angry waves.
He's the Master of the sea,
Billows His will obey,
He your Savior wants to be,
Be saved today.

Blessings,

Mike

Hebrews 13:1-3 New Living Translation (NLT)

Concluding Words
13 Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.[a] 2 Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!3 Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.

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Verse of the Day 11/19

Verse of the Day 11/19

Hebrews 13:1-2 No matter what, make room in your heart to love every believer. 2 And show hospitality to strangers, for they may be angels from God showing up as your guests. The Passion Translation (TPT)

Today's verses came out of the read through the New Testament plan that I am following. Every year as I go through the New Testament I look forward to certain books such as Romans and Hebrews as well as the gospels of Matthew and John. There are specific passages that are precious and I look forward to them as they approach. I've recently mentioned that about Hebrews 11 but Hebrews 13 has a lot of good advice for us and; Lord willing; I'd like to "camp out" here for a few days in these posts.

Today's verses begin with "no matter what". In all circumstance whether in plenty or in need "make room in your heart to love EVERY believer". We sing in a Christmas carol "let every heart prepare him room", we think of that as being making room for Jesus, which it is, but this verse takes it to another level. We need to prepare our hearts to do so.

Part of that love is being kind and showing hospitality, giving evidence of the "fruit of the Spirit" (Gal. 5:22-23). This extends beyond our fellow believers to strangers, never knowing what the results of that action will be, just knowing that "they may be angels from God showing up" should encourage us to follow this advice.

Before we head out into the world, into this day of work or leisure, let's make room in our hearts to love.

Blessings,

Mike

Hebrews 13:1-3 New King James Version (NKJV)

Concluding Moral Directions
13 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. 3 Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.

Mike VonWachenfeldt Verse of the Day 11/19 Hebrews 13:1-2 No matter what, make room in your heart to love every believer. 2 And sho...

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