Verse of the Day 12/4

Through the Bible - Daniel 5-6, 1 John 5

Good morning,

I remember hearing in a sermon about a little boy that came into his parent's bedroom during a thunder storm. The father told the boy that it would be all right because God was with him and would watch over him. The father asked if he believed him. The little boy responded, yeah, but right now "I'd like someone with skin on."

Through the Old Testament prophecies pointed to the Messiah, to Christ for hope and deliverance. Today's verse continues in John 1 with the following verse.

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. NKJV

It was one thing to hear prophecies, it was quite another to see God incarnate, "with skin on".

God's Word goes out today in the form of messages, evangelistic crusades, revivals, and even missions. God's Word indeed accomplishes much. In some respects, it does go out "with skin on" when we get involved in the lives of those we are trying to reach.

But how much more would be accomplished if we truly became imitators of Christ, put on Christ as it were so that they too would have at least an idea of what Christ with skin on would look like?

This even applies to missions. It's one thing to send aid, support to a community or even to go on a short term mission trip. It is another to "partner" with a village or church, send people regularly to work with and get to know the people and for them to get to know us. It would no longer be "just words" to the people, but words with skin on.

This was brought to my mind after hearing of plans that St. Marks Church has, to partner with a village in Kenya, to send teams there regularly to live what we believe. May more of us get involved here or across the sea in doing the same.

Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness.
Opened my eyes, let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You.

In Christ,
Mike

John 1:14-35
The Word Becomes Flesh
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said,'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'"
16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
A Voice in the Wilderness(Matt 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-20)
19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"
20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."
21 And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?"
He said, "I am not."
"Are you the Prophet?"
And he answered, "No."
22 Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?"
23 He said:"I am
'The voice of one crying in the wilderness:'Make straight the way of the Lord,"'
as the prophet Isaiah said."
24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, saying, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"
26 John answered them, saying,"I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27 It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose."
28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
The Lamb of God(Matt 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21,22)
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.' 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water."
32 And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God."
NKJV