Verse of the Day 3/12

Verse of the Day 3/12

2 Thessalonians 3:5

English Standard Version

5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

Our Men's Tuesday Bible study reviewed this passage yesterday and today's verse drew my attention.  Towards the end of this letter Paul is praying for the church.  The first words are a. prayer that the Lord may direct their hearts to the love of God. In this busy world there are many directions that our hearts can be drawn towards. Staying in God's Word and prayer can help us to keep them headed in the right direction.

Pastor John Piper writes "The heart has directions. It moves toward one thing or another. It moves toward what it regards as attractive and satisfying and valuable. So Paul is praying that God would give the heart a sight of the love of God as more attractive and satisfying and valuable than ordinary earthly things. "May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God." 

The second part of the verse that I'd like to focus on is the "steadfastness of Christ".  No matter what we face or are going through God can give us the grace and the strength to go through it, Christ gave us the example.  He knew that the cross was before Him, but He remained steadfast in His mission to save us.

The song " I Have Decided to Follow Jesus" was one of the first ones that I remember from childhood. The words mean more to me now than ever.

1. I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back; no turning back.

2. If no one joins me, still I will follow;
If no one joins me, still I will follow;
If no one joins me, still I will follow;
No turning back; no turning back.

3. The cross before me, the world behind me;
The cross before me, the world behind me;
The cross before me, the world behind me;
No turning back, no turning back.

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

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5

English Standard Version

Pray for Us

3 Finally, brothers,[a] pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored,[b] as happened among you, 2 and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.[c] 4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

Verse of the Day 3/5

Verse of the Day 3/5

Isaiah 55:6-7

English Standard Version

6 "Seek the Lord while he may be found;

    call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake his way,
    and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
    and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Have you ever felt that you were far away from God?  Who moved?  It wasn't God, unfortunately it is all too easy to drift and before we realize it we are way off course. The good news that if we find ourselves where we feel that way, all we have to do is turn around and seek Him.  He is always near.

This passage contains one of the clearest invitations to salvation in the Old Testament.  We can receive it now with everlasting implications and blessings. If comes by faith, but true seeking in faith involves a turning, a repentance, a change of direction, and taking time to spend in His Word and in prayer.  When we do so, the Lord gives us grace and a pardon with the power to walk with Him, live for Him.

In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise, give me Jesus

Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
But give me Jesus

When I am alone
When I am alone
When I am alone, give me Jesus

Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
But give me Jesus

When I come to die
When I come to die
When I come to die, give me Jesus.  (Give Me Jesus - Fernando Ortega)

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

Isaiah 55:1-9

English Standard Version

The Compassion of the Lord

55 "Come, everyone who thirsts,
    come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
    and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
    and delight yourselves in rich food.
3 Incline your ear, and come to me;
    hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
    my steadfast, sure love for David.
4 Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,
    a leader and commander for the peoples.
5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know,
    and a nation that did not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel,
    for he has glorified you.

6 "Seek the Lord while he may be found;
    call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake his way,
    and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
    and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Verse of the Day 3/1

Verse of the Day 3/1

2 Timothy 3:14-15

English Standard Version

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom[a] you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

I read today's verses in the Our Daily Bread devotional for today.. Normally, when I read this passage I focus on verses 16 and 17 which tell us that we can be thoroughly equipped and trained by reading, studying and applying the inspired word of God. But today, what first caught my attention were the first few words of today's verses, "but as for you."

We may have our thoughts and opinions of what another person could or should do in any given situation without addressing what we are called to do.  Paul says, "as for you", keep going, keep persevering and grow in your faith and knowledge of the Lord. We never get to a point in our Christian life where "we have arrived", gotten our degree with a feeling that there is nothing more for us to do.  Ours is a pilgrim's progress.  We face ups and downs but the general trajectory is always upwards, pressing on to the goal, the upward call of Christ.

1. I'm pressing on the upward way,
New heights I'm gaining every day;
Still praying as I onward bound,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

Refrain:
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith, on Heaven's table land;
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

2. My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Tho' some may dwell where these abound,
My pray'r, my aim is higher ground.

3. I want to live above the world,
Though Satan's darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground.

4. I want to scale the utmost height,
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I'll pray till Heav'n I've found,
Lord, lead me on to higher ground.

As for you, keep pressing on the upward way.

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

2 Timothy 3:10-17

English Standard Version

All Scripture Is Breathed Out by God

10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom[a] you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God[b] may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Verse of the Day 2/21

Verse of the Day 2/21

Isaiah 46:3-4

English Standard Version

3 "Listen to me, O house of Jacob,

    all the remnant of the house of Israel,
who have been borne by me from before your birth,
    carried from the womb;
4 even to your old age I am he,
    and to gray hairs I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
    I will carry and will save.

Through the ages people have liked rescue stories.  The Old Testament is full of them going back to Exodus (and earlier)and the parting of the Red Sea, God's deliverence of His people from evil kings. The New Testament has many of Jesus miracles with healings and even raising Lazarus from the grave are all "rescue stories".  Today we have TV shows such as RESCUE 911 and Chicago Fire (among others) that commonly revolve around rescue.

It is part of who God is.  Jesus came to earth as a deliverer and rescurer. He knew the end of our stories from before we were born.  He is our rescue story, from the womb through childhood through today with our gray hairs on our heads.

There I was empty-handed
Crying out from the pit of my despair
There You were in the shadows
Holding out Your hand You met me there

[Pre-Chorus]
And now where would I be without You?
Where would I be, Jesus?

[Chorus]
You were the voice in the desert
Calling me out in the dead of night
Fighting my battles for me
You are my rescue story
Lifted me up from the ashes
Carried my soul from death to life
Bringing me from glory to glory
You are my rescue story

[Post-Chorus]
You are, You are
You are my rescue story
You are, You are

You are my rescue story.

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

Isaiah 46:3-10

English Standard Version

3 "Listen to me, O house of Jacob,

    all the remnant of the house of Israel,
who have been borne by me from before your birth,
    carried from the womb;
4 even to your old age I am he,
    and to gray hairs I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
    I will carry and will save.

5 "To whom will you liken me and make me equal,
    and compare me, that we may be alike?
6 Those who lavish gold from the purse,
    and weigh out silver in the scales,
hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;
    then they fall down and worship!
7 They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it,
    they set it in its place, and it stands there;
    it cannot move from its place.
If one cries to it, it does not answer
    or save him from his trouble.

8 "Remember this and stand firm,
    recall it to mind, you transgressors,
9     remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
    I am God, and there is none like me,
10 declaring the end from the beginning
    and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, 'My counsel shall stand,
    and I will accomplish all my purpose,'

Verse of the Day 2/20

Verse of the Day 2/20

1 Peter 1:3-4

English Standard Version

Born Again to a Living Hope

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,

We considered yesterday how God is with us as "we go through it", we go through the waters, the trials and challenges in life.  We have hope, it is an everlasting hope that, as today's verses assure us is imperishable, unfading and kept in heaven for us.

Read the verses again.  It is all because of His great mercy, calling ut to be born again to this living hope accomplished for us by Jesus' resurrection from the dead, showing us that He has the power over death that He passes on to us.

How great the chasm that lay between us
How high the mountain I could not climb
In desperation, I turned to heaven
And spoke Your name into the night
Then through the darkness, Your loving-kindness
Tore through the shadows of my soul
The work is finished, the end is written
Jesus Christ, my living hope

Who could imagine so great a mercy?
What heart could fathom such boundless grace?
The God of ages stepped down from glory
To wear my sin and bear my shame
The cross has spoken, I am forgiven
The King of kings calls me His own
Beautiful Savior, I'm Yours forever
Jesus Christ, my living hope

Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There's salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope.                          (My Living Hope - Phil Wickham)

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

1 Peter 1:3-9

English Standard Version

Born Again to a Living Hope

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.