Verse of the Day 1/20

Verse of the Day 1/20

Psalm 27:13-14

New King James Version

13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed

That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.

14 Wait[a] on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!

Today's verses came up in my daily reading in the Psalms this morning.  They serve as a good reminder for me of the past year.  Through the suffering, loss and grief, unless I had believed, unless the Lord had lifted me up through that time, surrounded me with friends and family that cared, encouraged and comforted I would have lost heart, but I didn't lose heart,

As I heal, as the Lord restores me and strengthens me for what He has next for me, I am confident that I will see the goodness of God "in the land of the living". This year will be a year of rest, emotionallly and physically as I wait on the Lord.  But it won't be a passive rest a passive wait.  I will be cutting some things out and spending, devoting even more time to knowing God better and Lord willing sharing more of what He is doing with others including you who read these posts. As I started writing this sentence the song "Made for More" came on in the background. It is fittilng.

I know who I am 'cause I know who You are
The cross of salvation was only the start
Now I am chosen, free and forgiven
I have a future and it's worth the living

[Chorus]
'Cause I wasn't made to be tending a grave
I was called by name
Born and raised back to life again
I was made for more
So why would I make a bed in my shame
When a fountain of grace is running my way
I know I am Yours
And I was made for more

[Verse 2]
I know who I am 'cause I know who You are
The cross of salvation was only the start
Now I am chosen, free and forgiven
I have a future and it's worth the living

[Chorus]
'Cause I wasn't made to be tending a grave
I was called by namе
Born and raised back to life again
I was made for morе
So why would I make a bed in my shame
When a fountain of grace is running my way
I know I am Yours
And I was made for more             (Made for More - Josh Baldwin)           

Blessings,

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 27:7-14

New King James Version

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When You said, "Seek My face,"
My heart said to You, "Your face, Lord, I will seek."
9 Do not hide Your face from me;
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not leave me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the Lord will take care of me.

11 Teach me Your way, O Lord,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.
13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.

14 Wait[a] on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!

Verse of the Day 1/17

Verse of the Day 1/17

Psalm 25:4-5

New International Version

4 Show me your ways, Lord,

    teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,
    and my hope is in you all day long.

Today's verses came up in my daily reading in the Psalms. They are good verses for the beginning of the year, when we face a crossroads where we will be changing the direction of our life, or when we venture off on a new mission. We trust Him now because He has been faithful in the past.  He has led us before and He will do so again.

David is seeking guidance, he seeks to be taught along the way in the path of his life, he desires to be guided in God's truth, His everlasting Word, he recognizes God as his Savior and his hope for evey hour of the day.

In verse 6 David then calls upon trhe Lord to remember His tender mercies, a reminder of Jeremiah's statement in Lamentations 3:22-23

Lamentations 3:22-23

New King James Version

22 Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.

The psalmist and other Bible authors express what they need every hour.

1 I need Thee ev'ry hour,
most gracious Lord;
no tender voice like Thine
can peace afford.

Refrain:
I need Thee, O I need Thee;
ev'ry hour I need Thee;
O bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

2 I need Thee ev'ry hour,
stay Thou nearby;
temptations lose their pow'r
when Thou art nigh. [Refrain]

3 I need Thee ev'ry hour,
in joy or pain;
come quickly and abide,
or life is vain. [Refrain]

4 I need Thee ev'ry hour,
teach me Thy will;
and Thy rich promises
in me fulfill. [Refrain]

5 I need Thee ev'ry hour,
most Holy One;
O make me Thine indeed,
Thou blessed Son. 

Blessings,

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 25:1-6

New International Version

Psalm 25[a]

Of David.

1 In you, Lord my God,
    I put my trust.

2 I trust in you;
    do not let me be put to shame,
    nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3 No one who hopes in you
    will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those
    who are treacherous without cause.

4 Show me your ways, Lord,
    teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,
    and my hope is in you all day long.
6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,
    for they are from of old.

Verse of the Day 1/16

Verse of the Day 1/16

Matthew 11:28-29

New International Version

28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Today's verses came up in my read through the New Testament plan for this year.  In our family 2024 Christmas letter my wife Jean wrote that 2025 would be the year of perseverence, which it proved to be.  This year, I've chosen "rest" to be the word to focus on in scripture this year and in my life.  It is not a passive rest, but to truly rest, some other things need to be cut down or cut out of my life.  I need to not let myself feel "under the gun" to get things done in a hurry, but go about at a more deliberate and sensible pace.

Today's verses tell me that to help find that rest there is no other go to person than Jesus. Knowing that His yoke is easy and His burden is light exemplifies that deliberate sensible pace.

Max Lucado writes, " Jesus does not say, "Come to me all you who are perfect and sinless." He says just the opposite, "Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest".

Is your burden heavy as you bear it all alone?
Does the road you travel, harbor dangers yet unknown?
Are you growin' weary in the struggle of it all?
Jesus will help you with all his name you call

He's always there hearing every prayer, faithful and true
Walking by our side, in his love we hide all the day through
When you get discouraged just remember what to do
Reach out to Jesus, he's reaching out to you

Is the life you're living filled with sorrow and dispair?
Does the future press you with its worry and its scare?
Are you tired and jealous, have you almost your way?
Jesus will help you, just talk to him today.                        (Reach Out to Jesus - Ralph Carmichael)

Blessings,

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 11:25-30

New International Version

The Father Revealed in the Son

25 At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

27 "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Verse of the Day 1/15

Verse of the Day 1/15

Job 19:25

New International Version

25 I know that my redeemer  lives,

    and that in the end he will stand on the earth.

My daily reading in the Old Testament brought me to this verse this morning.  It is one of my favorites and it was for Jean as well. One of the last video recordings I have of her is Jean with her friends singing "My Redeemer Lives" by Nicole C. Mullin.  She was standing a pier at the beach with the sun going down,  surrounded by friends, praising God in the midst of the trial that she knew would soon take her life. Job penned these verses in the midst of his trial after the loss of his wife, family and belongings.  He know with all that was within him that he would stand with his Redeemer.

The "know" at the beginning of the verse is not head knowledge. It goes down to the depths of the soul and reaches to the heights of heaven where Jesus has prepared a place for us.  It is not waiting to be built, it is there waiting for us. Jean and our loved ones who "know that their Redeemer lives will be there waiting for us.

Who taught the sun
Where to stand in the morning
And who taught the ocean
You can only come this far
And who showed the moon
Where to hide till evening
Whose words alone can
Catch a falling star

[Chorus 1]
Well I know my Redeemer lives
I know my Redeemer lives
All of creation testifies
This life within me cries
I know my Redeemer lives
Yeah

[Verse 2]
The very same God
That spins things in orbit
Runs to the weary
The worn and the weak
And the same gentle hands
That hold me when I'm broken
They conquer death to bring me victory

[Chorus 2]
Now I know my Redeemer lives
I know my Redeemer lives
Let all creation testify
Let this life within me cry
I know my Redeemer

[Bridge]
He lives to take away my shame
And He lives forever I'll proclaim
That the payment for my sin
Was the precious life He gave
But now He's alive and there's an empty grave

[Chorus 3]
And I know my Redeemer, He lives
I know my Redeemer lives
Let all creation testify
Let this life within me cry
I know my Redeemer lives. (My Redeemer Lives - Nicole C. Mullen)

Job prayed, "O that my words would be recorded".  HIs prayer was answered.  i pray that you may  KNOW that your Redeemer lives. Call to Him and He will answer.

Blessings,

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

Job 19:21-27

21 "Have pity on me, my friends, have pity,
    for the hand of God has struck me.
22 Why do you pursue me as God does?
    Will you never get enough of my flesh?

23 "Oh, that my words were recorded,
    that they were written on a scroll,
24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool on[b] lead,
    or engraved in rock forever!
25 I know that my redeemer[c] lives,
    and that in the end he will stand on the earth.[d]
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
    yet[e] in[f] my flesh I will see God;
27 I myself will see him
    with my own eyes—I, and not another.
    How my heart yearns within me!

Verse of the Day 1/12

Verse of the Day 1/2

Matthew 6:31-33

New International Version

                                                                                                  

31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

What things do you find yourself worring or being anxious about.  Reading today's verses you wouldn't think that what we eat or drink would be that big of a deal,  But how many times in your life, especially when you were a teenager, have you stood in front of a refrigerator or cabinet full of food and said there's nothing to eat. There is plenty to eat but we don't like the opitons. But if we face bigger decisions in life and don't have answers for them how much more will we be anxious.

Worrying or fretting take a lof of our time and what does it ever solve, what good comes of it.  Corriee ten Boom writes, "Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength—carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength."

Are you carrying 2 or more days load today? Don't spend, don't waste your strength on it,  God knows what you need.  He's provided for you all your life and He will provide for you today. Don't let the clouds of worry and doubt cast a shadow over your day, behind those clouds are skies of blue.

When God's people pray
And take the pains of earth
To the doors of heaven
When God's people pray
There is hope reborn
There is sin forgiven
And miracles you can't explain away
When God's people pray

Hopeless situation turns around
Dilemma passes by and by
Look, there's a never-ending field of blue
Past your clouded sky
He alone can know the need in me
Before a single word begins
The Holy Spirit intercedes for me
I will trust in Him
He will not turn away when His people pray.  (When God's People Pray - Wayne Watson)

Blessings,

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 6:25-34

New International Version

Do Not Worry

25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?

28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.