Verse of the Day 12/31

Verse of the Day 12/31  

 

Matthew 25:21   "The master was full of praise. 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together!'  New Living Translation (NLT)

 

Today's verse is probably one that we think of more in terms of what we hope Jesus would say to us at the end of our lives, but it is fitting to look at it today, as a year comes to a close as well.  2020 has been a difficult year for most with many things happening that we could not have imagined before 2020 began. It might be good today, as this year comes to a close and we can put it behind us; to ask the question what Jesus would say about how we've done through the trials of this year?

 

John Piper writes, "The 365 days of the year are like a miniature lifetime. And these final hours are like the last days in the hospital after the doctor has told me that the end is very near. And in these   last hours, the lifetime of this year passes before my eyes, and I face the inevitable question: Did I live it well? Will Jesus Christ, the righteous Judge, say "Well done, good and faithful servant"   (Matthew 25:21)?....I feel very fortunate that this is the way my year ends. And I pray that the year's end might have the same significance for you. The reason I feel fortunate is that it is a great   advantage to have a trial run at my own dying. It is a great benefit to rehearse once a year in preparation for the last scene of your life. It is a great benefit because the morning of January 1 will   find most of us still alive, at the brink of a whole new lifetime, able to start fresh all over again. 

 

It is good to step back and reflect about the past year and to take a look at our life as well.  We've made it through 2020 but we don't know what the future has in store.  As we look towards next year, may we put in place some plans and goals, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit where at the end of the next year or end of our life, whichever comes first, Jesus would be able to say "well done, my good and faithful servant."

 

--   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

 

Matthew 25:20-23 New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁰ "So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.' ²¹ His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' ²² He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' ²³ His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

 

Verse of the Day 12/28

 

Verse of the Day 12/28

 

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  English Standard Version (ESV)

 

In the post from 12/25 we were told in Micah 6:8 that we are called to "do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God".  This doesn't just happen randomly, it takes some thought and preparation day by day.  In 1 Peter 3:15 Peter challenged his readers to "always be prepared" to give a defense for what we believe in.

 

As we head towards the new year, many will be making resolutions to do this or that, to change this or that.  Beneath it all, as Christians we should give thought to what we are going to do for the day, let alone the year.

 

John Piper writes, "When you get up in the morning and you face the day, what do you say to yourself about your hopes for the day? When you look from the beginning of the day to the end of the day, what do you   want to happen because you have lived?....If you say, "I don't even think like that. I just get up and do what I've got to do," then you are cutting yourself off from a basic means of grace and a source of   guidance and strength and fruitfulness and joy. It is crystal clear in the Bible, including these texts, that God means for us to aim consciously at something significant in our days." 

 

Have you given much thought to what you are going to "do" today?  If not, stop and take a few minutes (or longer), pray, and seek God in His Word and ask Him to lead you in the way you should go and then "aim consciously and  "do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus."

--   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

 

Colossians 3:12-17 New King James Version (NKJV)

Character of the New Man

¹² Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; ¹³ bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. ¹⁴ But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. ¹⁵ And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. ¹⁷ And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

 

Verse of the Day 12/25

Verse of the Day 12/25/20

 

Micah 6:8  But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do,
    what God is looking for in men and women.
It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
    be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don't take yourself too seriously—
    take God seriously.  The Message (MSG)

 

Merry Christmas everyone!  I hope that you have been able to spend time in worship of our Lord as we celebrate His birth and I also hope that you've had the opportunity to spend some time with family and friends this season.

 

As I thought about a verse for today I thought back to this verse that I had read in my Old Testament reading devotions this past week.  As we consider the greatest gift that has been given to us perhaps the thought at some point had crossed your mind of what you can give back to God?  It is not as if we can actually attempt to give back anything near what He has given us and to try to give with that intent goes against the whole thought of our salvation, let alone Christmas.  Today's verses remind us of what we can do, we can live for Him, day by day.  I

 

I like the way The Message translates the end of verse 8.  Our daily living should actually begin with this though "take God seriously" and as you are doing so, realize what He does expect of us.  To do what is fair and just; be compassionate and loyal in your love; and don't take yourself too seriously.".

 

Perhaps it is something that we can begin to put in practice today as we sit around the Christmas table with family and friends today.  Talk about what we can do to be more "fair" in our dealings with others.  Show compassion to others and love those in your family with a loyal love.  To do so could be considered a courageous act.

 

I thought of the Casting Crowns song "Courageous".  It may not be a Christmas song, but it could be a good one for a new years' resolution.  Read the stanzas below.

 

This is our resolution
Our answer to the call
We will love our wives and children
We refuse to let them fall

We will reignite the passion
That we buried deep inside
May the watchers become warriors
Let the men of god arise

We were made to be courageous
And we're taking back the fight
We were made to be courageous
And it starts with us tonight

The only way we'll ever stand
Is on our knees, with lifted hands
Make us courageous
Lord, make us courageous

Seek justice
Love mercy
Walk humbly with your god.

 

--   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.  

Micah 6:6-8 English Standard Version (ESV)

What Does the Lord Require?

⁶ "With what shall I come before the Lord,
    and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
    with calves a year old?
⁷ Will the Lord be pleased with^[a] thousands of rams,
    with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"
⁸ He has told you, O man, what is good;
    and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,^[b]
    and to walk humbly with your God?