Through the Bible - Proverbs 25-30, 2 Corinthians 7:2- 8:24
Good morning,
I have family and friends that receive these "VOTD" devotionals that are waiting for healing.
For this weekends devotional I thought that I'd do something a little different. I'll start with a verse which I read in the "Daily Bread" devotional (www.rbc.org) and follow with a chain of verses that sprung out of that in my mind and my reading this morning.
Ps 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction,
For Your word has given me life. NKJV
I've mentioned this before and I hope that it holds true in your life as well, that even in tough, stressful times, time spent in His Word and in prayer can bring comfort and strength. (See also verses 53 and 76 in this chapter)
2 Cor 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. NKJV
As we are comforted in our troubles, may we reach out to others who may be going through the same or similar things. If you've received peace, be a peacemaker.
Rom 14:9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. NKJV
Christ is Lord of all. As Christ rose again, in His time we will rise also. My Bible referenced Acts 10:36, so we'll go there.
Acts 10:36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ — He is Lord of all — NKJV
We can have peace through Jesus Christ because He is Lord of all, those who have gone before and those living now, who trust in His name.
The thought of "Lord of the dead and the living made me think of Hebrew 11 and the "Hall of Faith". For a gliimpse of that we'll go to Hebrews 11 and then the beginning of chapter 12.
Heb 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. NKJV
How do we go through tough times by faith? We endure by seeing Him who is invisible. This is faith, this is trust.
Heb 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, NKJV
Remember that it is through Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
Ps 139:17-18 Your thoughts — how rare, how beautiful!
God, I'll never comprehend them!
I couldn't even begin to count them —
any more than I could count the sand of the sea.
Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you! THE MESSAGE:
No matter what the circumstances, "let me rise in the morning (here or in eternity) and live always with you."
Prov 4:1-3
Listen, friends, to some fatherly advice;
sit up and take notice so you'll know how to live.
I'm giving you good counsel;
don't let it go in one ear and out the other. THE MESSAGE
The Bible has good counsel for us every day. But let's apply it and not let it go in one ear and out the other. The same goes for the sermons we'll hear this weekend.
And we'll close with a couple of verses from today's read through the Bible plan:
2 Cor 7:10
Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It gets us back in the way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain. But those who let distress drive them away from God are full of regrets, end up on a deathbed of regrets. THE MESSAGE:
May we learn to let the stresses, anxieties, and troubles drive us to God to turn us around.
Praise Him this weekend for His excellent greatness, ever in joyful song.
In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
Ps 119:49-57
Remember the word to Your servant,
Upon which You have caused me to hope.
50 This is my comfort in my affliction,
For Your word has given me life.
51 The proud have me in great derision,
Yet I do not turn aside from Your law.
52 I remembered Your judgments of old, O Lord,
And have comforted myself.
53 Indignation has taken hold of me
Because of the wicked, who forsake Your law.
54 Your statutes have been my songs
In the house of my pilgrimage.
55 I remember Your name in the night, O Lord,
And I keep Your law.
56 This has become mine,
Because I kept Your precepts.
NKJV
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