Verse of the Day 3/31

Through the Bible - Judges 6-7, Luke 8:40-56

 

Good morning,

Yesterday we considered "entropy" which Merriam's Online Dictionary defines as " a process of degradation or running down or a trend to disorder".  This is what happened to the tribes of Israel in the days of the judges of Israel when everyone did what was right in their own eyes.

 

The opposite of entropy is diligence, in regards to our faith it involves perseverence, putting heart and soul  into learning, teaching and the application of God's Word.  Today's verse comes from Deuteronomy chapter 4.

 

Deut 4:9 Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren,    NKJV
or from the NLT

Deut 4:9 "But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren.   NLT

This thought carries over a couple of chapters later in Deuteronomy chapter 6 where we have the "shema" which a devout Jew would recite every day.  Diligence is mentioned here as well.

 

Deut 6:6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.    NKJV

We are to "diligently keep ourselves" and "diligently teach our children the Word of Truth.  John Piper writes, " God's design for the preservation of historical revelation is the family. Within the Christian community the main link between what this generation knows and what the next generation will know is the link between parent and child. Joel 1:3 puts it in a nugget: "Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation."

 

Read the passage below and think of ways that you can when you sit in your house, walk along the way (or ride in the car), when you lie down and when you get up.

 

In Christ,

Mike

 

 Deut. 4:1 Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. ² Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.

 ³ You saw with your own eyes what the LORD did at Baal Peor. The LORD your God destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, ⁴ but all of you who held fast to the LORD your God are still alive today.

 ⁵ See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. ⁶ Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." ⁷ What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? ⁸ And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?

 ⁹ Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. ¹⁰ Remember .......

 

Deut. 6:4 "Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.^{[a] 5} And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. ⁶ And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. ⁷ Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. ⁸ Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. ⁹ Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Verse of the Day 3/30

Through the Bible - Judges 4-5, Luke 8:4-39

 

Good morning,

Our pastor has been preaching a series entitled "Heart Attack" and has been dealing with various aspects of spiritual heart disease.  This weekend, towards the end of the service asked about the word "entropy". It has to do with being careless and negligent, in this case, about the condition our spiritual hearts.

 

Over the weekend the Old Testament reading moved into the book of Judges.  Joshua had passed away and without his leadership the nation drifted.  Chapter 1 begins by talking of the continuing conquests in the land of Canann, but by the end of that chapter several tribes did not drive out their enemies.  The NLT describes that the tribes of Asher and Naphtali were in fact "dominated" by the Canaanites.  It showed what was the beginning of a downward spiral.

 

Today's verses tell a sad story about what had happened to the nation.  They suffered "entropy" in the way they treated their relationship with God, to dire consequences.

 

Judg 2:10 After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel.

11 The Israelites did evil in the Lord's sight and served the images of Baal. 12 They abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the Lord.   NLT

It's a sobering demonstration of what happens if a generation fails to teach their children of the God of their spiritual heritage.  Something will fill the void, then and now it is idols of some type or form.  The NLT gives a graphic description, they had "abandoned the Lord".  What does it take?  Just walk away.

 

Under Joshua's rule the people had revered and served the true God because Joshua kept the memories of God and His accomplishments alive.  The next generation did not know God and turned their attention, their hearts elsewhere.  They had not learned of Him from their parents.  Finally, when they had come to rock bottom, God would bring judgement.

 

Where does the "teaching" start?  You've heard "home is where the heart is", well maybe that it's at home where we learn where the heart is.

 

John Piper sums it up, "The three lessons for us that I want to draw out of this text are simple, but so needful. First, when the knowledge of God is preserved in a community, especially by those who have personally experienced God's power, faith is nourished and obedience flourishes. Second, if we parents allow our children to grow up without this knowledge of God, we serve not only their ignorance and unbelief, but also their destruction. Third, therefore it is the solemn duty of all parents to teach their children about God and his saving work, so that the next generation will know and be saved. Since the first two of these lessons lead to the last one, this is what I want to talk about mainly. It is God's will that parents assume responsibility to teach their children what God has revealed about himself. It is we parents who have the first and foremost responsibility to see that our children think correctly about God. The most important school a child should ever attend is the home. And the most influential theological teachers he should ever have are Mom and Dad."

 

If you are a parent consider where your family thinks your/their heart is.  If you have young kids or are hoping to start a family, decide now what you will show them about your God.  If you are a teenager and this is not being taught in your home, think of ways that you can bring about a change.

 

Think of the consequences to the tribes of Israel.  Think of the consequences now and for the future in our country.  Where do you see "entropy" today?

 

In Christ,

Mike

 

Judg 2:6-16

The Death of Joshua
6 After Joshua sent the people away, each of the tribes left to take possession of the land allotted to them. 7 And the Israelites served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and the leaders who outlived him—those who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel.
8 Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110. 9 They buried him in the land he had been allocated, at Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
Israel Disobeys the LORD
10 After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel.
11 The Israelites did evil in the Lord's sight and served the images of Baal. 12 They abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the Lord. 13 They abandoned the Lord to serve Baal and the images of Ashtoreth. 14 This made the Lord burn with anger against Israel, so he handed them over to raiders who stole their possessions. He turned them over to their enemies all around, and they were no longer able to resist them. 15 Every time Israel went out to battle, the Lord fought against them, causing them to be defeated, just as he had warned. And the people were in great distress.  NLT

Verse of the Day - weekend 3/28

Through the Bible - Joshua 23-24, Judges 1-3, Luke 7:1 - 8:3

 

Good morning,

You have probably heard of the phrase "the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing".  It was said in reference to having a successful business but it can be related to our personal lives and to ministry.

The read through the Bible plan above is just finishing the book of Joshua.

Today's verse comes from chapter 23 towards the end of Joshua's life.  He issues a charge which is basically the same one that he started with at the beginning of their journey into the promised land.

 

Josh 23:6 "So be very careful to follow everything Moses wrote in the Book of Instruction. Do not deviate from it, turning either to the right or to the left. 7 Make sure you do not associate with the other people still remaining in the land. Do not even mention the names of their gods, much less swear by them or serve them or worship them. 8 Rather, cling tightly to the Lord your God as you have done until now.   NLT

 

If you have some time this weekend, take a few minutes (or longer) to read chapters 23 and 24.  You will see challenges, encouragements, and warnings that are just as applicable to us today as they were to the Israelites.

 

Chapter 24 contains one of the great verses in the Bible for Christian living.  It ties in closely to today's verse.  While in some respects the decision to receive Christ may be a one time decision, the choice to truly follow Him is one that must be made daily.  If you are a parent, it is one that you are making for your household with long term ramifications for your family.

 

Josh 24:14 "So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. 15 But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord."   NLT

 

I'll close with a couple of verses in Proverbs 22:

Prov 22:17 Listen to the words of the wise;
apply your heart to my instruction.
18 For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart
and always ready on your lips.
19 I am teaching you today—yes, you—
so you will trust in the Lord.  NLT

 

May you choose for your household to follow Christ today.

 

In Christ,

Mike

 

Josh 23:1-12

Joshua's Final Words to Israel

23 The years passed, and the Lord had given the people of Israel rest from all their enemies. Joshua, who was now very old, 2 called together all the elders, leaders, judges, and officers of Israel. He said to them, "I am now a very old man. 3 You have seen everything the Lord your God has done for you during my lifetime. The Lord your God has fought for you against your enemies. 4 I have allotted to you as your homeland all the land of the nations yet unconquered, as well as the land of those we have already conquered—from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 This land will be yours, for the Lord your God will himself drive out all the people living there now. You will take possession of their land, just as the Lord your God promised you.

6 "So be very careful to follow everything Moses wrote in the Book of Instruction. Do not deviate from it, turning either to the right or to the left. 7 Make sure you do not associate with the other people still remaining in the land. Do not even mention the names of their gods, much less swear by them or serve them or worship them. 8 Rather, cling tightly to the Lord your God as you have done until now.

9 "For the Lord has driven out great and powerful nations for you, and no one has yet been able to defeat you. 10 Each one of you will put to flight a thousand of the enemy, for the Lord your God fights for you, just as he has promised. 11 So be very careful to love the Lord your God.

 

Verse of the Day 3/27

Through the Bible - Joshua 20-22, Luke 6:27-49

 

Good morning,

For today's verse we'll go to Luke chapter 5.  Directly across the page from today's verse we have the account where Jesus healed Peter's mother in law of a high fever.  What Jesus was able to do for his mother in law may have had something to do with how Peter reacted to Jesus' suggestion to "move out into the deep" for a catch.

 

Peter and his partners were experienced fishermen and surely knew better than this carpenter where the fish would be, didn't he?  But since this request came from Jesus he obeyed.

 

Luke 5:5 But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.   NKJV

 

Read the complete story below.  John Piper writes that the point that Jesus is trying to make in this whole story is that "by Jesus' power and authority multitudes of people will be caught for eternal kingdom blessings by followers of Jesus who teach the word of God, obey the commands of Jesus, humble themselves, and treasure Christ above all."

 

Jesus chose to teach from a fishing boat.  The boat is a place where God's Word is proclaimed, people come to hear the word, and "fish" are caught.  He wasn't teaching in the synagogue.  What is today's boat?

Notice the four things that John Piper points out. 

 

They were to teach the word, the people were swarming to hear the Word of God, not a show or production (v.1,3).  It involves teaching and explaining, talking about God's Kingdom.  Have you ever seen a swarm of catfish or even goldfish being fed?  God's Word, proclaimed with power and authority will draw people.

 

It involves obedience (v.5).  What would have happened if Peter did not listen to Jesus' promptings to "move out into the deep".  Will we be willing to "move out", change settings in where we fish?

 

The fisherman has to humble himself (v.8).  We are not worthy of ourselves of praise for what He accomplishes, rather we should be humbled and amazed at what He has done.  The more highly we think of ourselves in ministry, the more likely we'll be heading off on our own.

 

As a result of what He had done, they treasured Him, as evidenced by the fact that they were ready to drop what they had been doing and follow Him (v.11).

 

Are you a fisher of men?  Are you ready to move out of the shallows of your faith and out into the deep for a catch?

 

In Christ,

Mike

 

Luke 5:1-12

The First Disciples

5 One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. 2 He noticed two empty boats at the water's edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish."

5 "Master," Simon replied, "we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing. But if you say so, I'll let the nets down again." 6 And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! 7 A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.

8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, "Oh, Lord, please leave me—I'm too much of a sinner to be around you." 9 For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. 10 His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.

Jesus replied to Simon, "Don't be afraid! From now on you'll be fishing for people!" 11 And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.    NLT

Verse of the Day 3/26

Through the Bible - Joshua 18-19, Luke 6:1-26

 

Good morning,

The book of Hebrews can teach us a lot about perseverence and hope in times of suffering and loss.  One of the key verses is Hebrews 6:19

Heb 6:19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.   NIV

For today's verse we'll back up a little bit to chapter 5 where Jesus shows that He knows what we are going through when we cry out to the Father in these times.

 

Heb 5:7 During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered     NIV

Kevin Little, in today's "These Days" devotional writes, "The faith I crave is not "my way" but "thine way".  In my tears of disappointment and hurt, in my loud cries of anger and rage, I don't look for a vigilante god who will avenge my feelings.  Rather I look for a vision that is larger than self, and yet includes self, a vision where my passion for the other is fused by divine compassion and purpose.  I am seeking Jesus' vision to be my vision."

 

Reading these verses and Little's comments brought to mind several songs, "Be Thou My Vision" and "Have Thine Own Way" are a couple of them.  But one that brings the verses above together for me is "With Hope" by Steven Curtis Chapman.  The chorus of that song goes like this.

 

We can cry with hope
We can say goodbye with hope
'Cause we know our goodbye is not the end, oh no
And we can grieve with hope
'Cause we believe with hope
(There's a place by God's grace)
There's a place where we'll see your face again
We'll see your face again

 

Do you have, do you need this "anchor of hope" today in your life?  Pray for and encourage those in your life today that may need the encouragement.

 

In Christ,

Mike

 

Heb 5:1-6:1

5 Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3 This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.

4 No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him,

"You are my Son;
today I have become your Father." 

6 And he says in another place,

"You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek." 

7 During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

NIV

Verse of the Day 3/25

Through the Bible - Joshua 15-17, Luke 5:27-39

 

Good morning,

We are often anxious and impatient regarding the next chapter in our life.  It may be the next career move, the next school, place to live or even a ministry.  The devil knows this and plays upon this.  He will often offer things that sound good to us, things that "tickle our fancy", but are not the best for us.  Most often what they end up being are lies.

 

Luke chapter 4 begins with Luke's account of Satan's temptation of Jesus.  Satan speaks deception and lies.  The things he offers, Jesus already has and will have in remaining obedient to the Father.  In today's verses we see this "flash".

 

Luke 4:5 Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 "I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them," the devil said, "because they are mine to give to anyone I please. 7 I will give it all to you if you will worship me."    NLT

All too often he gives us a flash of personal glory but does not give the complete picture.  The opportunity for a high profile career position may be shown to us but never the implications that such a move would have upon family and our personal relationships as well as to God.

 

John MacArthur writes, "The enemy approaches Christians also with corrupt bargaining chips.  Whatever they might want in the realm of business, politics, fame, or anything else, he claims it can be theirs for a "reasonable" price or trade off.  He says we can be or have whatever we want, just so long as we pursue it  according to the world's way.  In effect, it's like saying to ourselves, "why wait for a heavenly reward when you can cut corners, shade the truth, run ahead of God's schedule, and have what you want now."

 

When you take a look at what is going on in the economy and what has happened in the banking industry, how much of it do you think is a result of this kind of thinking.  How many "trade offs" were negotiated for personal gain that came at a high price to others?

 

Going back to yesterday's devotional regarding what it means to believe, to put your full weight on God, the following verses from Proverbs come to mind

Prov 3:5-6

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.    NKJV

Don't lean, put your full weight on your own understanding, instead lean on God and He will direct you in the path, the spiritual, and the career path that you should take.

 

In Christ,

Mike

 

Luke 4:1-14

The Temptation of Jesus

4 Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2 where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.

3 Then the devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, change this stone into a loaf of bread."

4 But Jesus told him, "No! The Scriptures say, 'People do not live by bread alone.'"

5 Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 "I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them," the devil said, "because they are mine to give to anyone I please. 7 I will give it all to you if you will worship me."

8 Jesus replied, "The Scriptures say,

'You must worship the LORD your God
and serve only him.'"

9 Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, "If you are the Son of God, jump off! 10 For the Scriptures say,

'He will order his angels to protect and guard you.
11 And they will hold you up with their hands
so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone.'"

12 Jesus responded, "The Scriptures also say, 'You must not test the LORD your God.'"

13 When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.  NLT

Verse of the Day 3/24

Through the Bible - Joshua 13-14, Luke 4:42-5:26

 

Good morning,

In a recent small group meeting, our group considered the question of "when did you get a true picture of God?  Several commented on how, for them, it was how He showed Himself to them in the difficult times of various trials.

 

I think that this was shown in "Cardboard Testimonies", the link in yesterday's devotional.  Their picture, their view of God was formed in and as He carried them through those difficult times.  God becomes very real when we depend upon Him.

 

I was finishing a book yesterday by Ravi Zacharias titled "Jesus Among other gods".  In it he shared the story of a missionary, John Paton who was translating the Bible into a new language.  He came to today's verse, a familiar one, John 3:16:

 

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.    NKJV

He did not know how to translate the word "believe".  Finally he leaned back on his chair in such a way as to put his full weight on it.  Picture yourself leaning back onto two legs of the chair instead of all four.  As he did so, the concept of trust as illustrated in his translation dawned on him, "that whosover throws his whole weight on Him" should not perish but have everlasting life.

 

It's the picture that you see in those "cardboard testimonies".  In those tough times you look back and realize that you had put your whole weight, your full trust in Him to hold you and lift you up and to carry you in these times.  It is a far cry from "easy believism" and belief as head knowledge.

 

Ravi Zacharias quoted the following lyrics below.  Think of the words in connection with this verse and the testimonies that you have heard and seen, possibly your own is similar.

 

O Love that will not let me go,

I rest my weary soul in Thee;

I give thee back the life I owe,

That in Thine ocean depths its flow

May richer fuller be.

 

O cross that liftest up my head,

I dare not ask to fly from thee;

I lay in dust life's glory dead,

And from the ground there blossoms red,

Life that shall endless be.

 

One of the greatest hopes that we have for loved ones, that helps us through tragedies and difficult times, is to look to an eternal life where they will be restored and made whole.

 

The next time you see John 3:16, remember what it means to believe.  What does it mean to you today?

 

In Christ,

Mike

 

John 3:10-22

10 Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?  11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness.  12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?  13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.   14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,  15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.  21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

NKJV

Verse of the Day 3/23

Through the Bible - Joshua 11-12, Luke 4:1-41

 

Good morning,

For today's verse we'll go to the book of Romans to one of the great passages that tells us what "Christian living" is all about.  It speaks of "transformation" and "renewal" instead of conforming to or basically being formed according to the ways of the world around us.

 

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.   NKJV
or from the NLT

Rom 12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

 

 The word for "transformed" is from the Greek word "metamorphoo" which is where we get the word metamorphisis.  It's the picture of a butterfly breaking out of the cocoon to fly.  The only other place that it is used in the New Testament is when Christ was transfigured before Peter, James, and John.

One of the ways that this "transformation" becomes evident is the way that God changes our minds through the trials and challenges that we face or have faced in our lives.  This was brought home to me in a powerful way in a video that was sent to me by a friend in California.

 

If you have a few minutes, please go to the following link.  It may "transform" your thinking today the way God transformed the thinking of these people.

 

http://www.rhchurch.org/pages/cardboard-testimonies/

 

Has your mind renewed?

 

In Christ,

Mike

 

Rom 12:1-14

A Living Sacrifice to God

12 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

9 Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God's people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.  NLT

Verse of the Day weekend -3/22

Through the Bible - Joshua 7-10, Luke 3

 

Good morning,

Over the years I've enjoyed listening to messages from various Christian ministers while travelling, one of whom is Alistair Begg.  The other day the Old Testament reading was in Joshua 6 about the battle of Jericho.  When reading this I'm always reminded of a sermon that I heard from Pastor Begg.

 

He described the army of Israel as a young one.  Many of the men of Israel, a whole generation had died in the wilderness journey.  The army most likely ranged in age from 15 or 16 to 50 or so.  Teenagers can be restless and impatient, moreso than adults (most of the time).  The command below had to be a hard one for young men to go by.  For six days they marched around the city in silence.  The seventh day they'd circle the same way seven times before the shout.

 

Josh 6:9 The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark, while the priests continued blowing the trumpets. 10 Now Joshua had commanded the people, saying, "You shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, 'Shout!' Then you shall shout."    NKJV

Can you picture kids, perhaps your son or perhaps you , questioning the leader of the army thinking, "this is crazy" or "stupid", grumbling about it as they sat in their tents at night.

 

But I'm sure that when the shout was given on the seventh day and the walls of Jericho came crashing down, they must of had a new opinion of their leader and the God that he had been obedient to.

 

Alistair Begg painted this picture and finished it by saying that he could picture one of the modern day kids sitting down and writing a song, a praise song about the event.  Something like.....

 

Our God is an awesome God,
He reigns from Heaven above,
With wisdom, pow'r and love,
Our God is an awesome God.

 

Sometimes in the battles in our life we can become impatient instead of waiting on God, move forward with our own initiative.  Perhaps, next time we might want to consider waiting expectantly for God's plan to unfold.  May we be able to shout afterward, our God is an awesome God.

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
More tools available at: http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

Josh 6:8-20

8 So it was, when Joshua had spoken to the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the Lord advanced and blew the trumpets, and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them. 9 The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark, while the priests continued blowing the trumpets. 10 Now Joshua had commanded the people, saying, "You shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, 'Shout!' Then you shall shout." 11 So he had the ark of the Lord circle the city, going around it once. Then they came into the camp and lodged in the camp.

12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 Then seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord went on continually and blew with the trumpets. And the armed men went before them. But the rear guard came after the ark of the Lord, while the priests continued blowing the trumpets. 14 And the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. So they did six days.

15 But it came to pass on the seventh day that they rose early, about the dawning of the day, and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. On that day only they marched around the city seven times. 16 And the seventh time it happened, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: "Shout, for the Lord has given you the city! 17 Now the city shall be doomed by the Lord to destruction, it and all who are in it. Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. 18 And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. 19 But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the Lord; they shall come into the treasury of the Lord."

20 So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat.
NKJV

Verse of the Day 3/20

Through the Bible - Joshua 5-6, Luke 3

 

Good morning,

We have considered biblical meekness as power under control.  As mentioned yesterday, the Old Testament reading is now in the book of Joshua.  His life is pretty much an example of this.

 

Moses had led the people  those forty years in the desert but could not enter the promised land because of an episode in his life years before.  It was a time when the people were grumbling in the desert about the lack of water and they questioned why they had ever been led out of Egypt (and out of bondage).

 

Moses was instructed to speak to the rock, instead, in anger, Moses struck the rock and water poured out.

But God was not pleased with Moses actions, it was not power under control.

 

Num 20:12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!" 13 This place was known as the waters of Meribah (which means "arguing") because there the people of Israel argued with the Lord, and there he demonstrated his holiness among them.  NLT

It may appear to be a harsh punishment for God's servant.  MacArthur notes that "The Lord's evaluation of Moses was that he failed to take God at His word and thus to treat Him as holy to the people.  Moses here failed in the same way Israel had at Kadesh 30 years earlier (14:1)."

 

What was the significance of his act?  In the eyes of Israel, it was Moses anger that brought on God's miracle.  It would give the people the impression that Moses had the "right" and the power to declare his own judgement and power to cause the water to usher forth.  It was not the example of a humble servant as he had been known at other times in his life.  God was still holy, and it was God that held the power and authority, not Moses.

 

What can we take from this?  This meekness, this power under control comes from  submitting to God's authority, not expecting or even demanding it.  Our attitude should be that of John the Baptist in John chapter 3:

 

John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.   NKJV

 

We can also learn that a person can live an "exemplary life" but still fail miserably in one weak moment.  There is forgiveness but also consequences.  This holds true in the secular world and in our spiritual lives.  We need God's grace in order to have this "power under control" every day of our lives.  Let us not let our pride, or anger, get in the way.

 

In Christ,

Mike

 

Num 20:1-14

Moses Strikes the Rock

20 In the first month of the year, the whole community of Israel arrived in the wilderness of Zin and camped at Kadesh. While they were there, Miriam died and was buried.

2 There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The people blamed Moses and said, "If only we had died in the Lord's presence with our brothers! 4 Why have you brought the congregation of the Lord's people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock? 5 Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates, and no water to drink!"

6 Moses and Aaron turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face down on the ground. Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to them, 7 and the Lord said to Moses, 8 "You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock."

9 So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the Lord. 10 Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. "Listen, you rebels!" he shouted. "Must we bring you water from this rock?" 11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill.

12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!" 13 This place was known as the waters of Meribah (which means "arguing") because there the people of Israel argued with the Lord, and there he demonstrated his holiness among them.  NLT

Verse of the Day 3/19

Through the Bible - Joshua 3-4, Luke 2:1-21

 

Good morning,

Today's Old Testament reading (above) is in Joshua 3 and 4.  It is a powerful passage and message about the time when the Israelites finally crossed the Jordan and entered the promised land.  The nation had gone through a lot over those 40 years of following God.  Now, He would lead them across the river at flood stage to miraculously bring them to their longed for destination.

 

Pastor Bob spoke about this passage a few weeks ago in his sermon, pointing out, and emphasizing, that God was at work "upstream", holding back the waters, at the exact time that the Levites, carrying the ark stepped out into the waters.

 

Today's verses come from the end of chapter 4.  The Israelites had been instructed to gather stones from the river to set up as a monument that they would remember what God had done for them.

 

Josh 4:23 for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, 24 that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever."    NKJV

When putting together our testimonies, we should remember and recall those spiritual markers in our lives and tell what God has done, that others may know the "hand of the Lord" in your life.

 

Four years ago this week, my son Jason was going in for a biopsy on the inoperable brain tumor that he has.  We had no idea what the prognosis would be.  It was another time of testing for our family, especially for Jason.

 

The tumor brought about a change in the course of his life.  Looking back, we can see that God was working "upstream".  The tumor and treatment brought him home to live with us for several months.  At that time he met his future wife.  God lead them to New York City where Jason is graduating from Union Seminary in May.

 

He just found out yesterday that he has been accepted into a doctoral program with a scholarship and stipend.

 

Jason still may have some other options but at least one door has opened.  Another marker is being placed, but it wouldn't have come about if it hadn't been for the previous testing of faith.

 

I'd ask you to pray for Jason and upcoming decisions and also to praise God for what He has done for Jason.

 

Why not take some time today to look back on some of your "spiritual markers"?  What has God done for you?  How has the testing of your faith strengthened you?

 

In Christ,

Mike

 

Josh 4:8-5:1

8 And the children of Israel did so, just as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan, as the Lord had spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. 9 Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day.

10 So the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the Lord had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and crossed over. 11 Then it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over, that the ark of the Lord and the priests crossed over in the presence of the people. 12 And the men of Reuben, the men of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses had spoken to them. 13 About forty thousand prepared for war crossed over before the Lord for battle, to the plains of Jericho. 14 On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they had feared Moses, all the days of his life.

15 Then the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, 16 "Command the priests who bear the ark of the Testimony to come up from the Jordan." 17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, "Come up from the Jordan." 18 And it came to pass, when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord had come from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet touched the dry land, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks as before.

19 Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20 And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal. 21 Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying:"When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, 'What are these stones?' 22 then you shall let your children know, saying,'Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land'; 23 for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, 24 that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever."

NKJV

Verse of the Day 3/18

Through the Bible - Joshua 1-2, Luke 1:57-80

 

Good morning,

Part of my job is to investigate complaints and to find out if they are justified or not justified.  In either case, the overall goal is to come to an equitable or fair agreement with the customer.  Sometimes it involves an explanation of an improper installation and involves educating the customer, sometimes it goes above and beyond replacing the product.  The goal is that there be peace not enmity between the parties involved.

 

I read a devotional the other day on Matthew 5:9 which has been going through my mind for several days.   We'll consider it for today's verse.

 

Matt 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.   NKJV

John MacArthur writes, "a peacemaker helps others make peace with others.  Once you see your duty as a peacemaker in the world, you'll be looking for ways to build bridges between people and God and then to build them between persons.

By definition, a bridge can't be one-sided.  It must extend between two sides or it can never function.  And once built, it continues to need support on both sides or it will collapse.  In any relationship our first responsibility is to see that our own side has a solid base.  But we also have the responsibility to help the one on the other side build his base.  Both must be built on righteousness and truth or the bridge will not stand."

 

We are to be peacemakers in the world.  Christ came to bring peace on earth and that is our hope in leading others to Christ.  But it wont be done by beating them over the head and pointing out all their faults.

It will be done when we truly love the Lord with all our hearts, souls, mind, and strength and love our neighbors as ourselves.

 

It also involves "meekness", found a few verses earlier.

 

Matt 5:5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.   NKJV

I have read that this "meekness" as personified in Jesus, would be defined as "power under control".  Put this peacemaking and meekness together and you can see how Jesus applied it.

 

You can apply it to other Bible characters as well.  If you are reading through the Bible, you may be starting Joshua in the Old Testament, he is another good example. 

 

Josh 1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."   NKJV

How might you use these qualities of being a peacemaker, using power under control to build bridges in leading others to Christ?

In Christ,

Mike

 

Matt 5:1-13

5 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

NKJV

Verse of the day 3/17

Through the Bible - Deuteronomy 34, Luke 1:39-56

 

Good morning,

The book of Matthew was written by a tax collector, an accountant.  Matthew went into great detail on some of the "transactions" of Jesus life.  The book of Mark (to me) was more like a 1 1/2 hour movie (about the time it would take to read through it in one sitting).  It gave more of an overview of Jesus life.

Luke was written by a doctor.  Doctors are known to look at the symptoms and make a diagnosis of what is causing the symptoms.  What the underlying causes of the conditions are and to give a prescription for something that will cure what ails us.

 

In the first few verses of the book Luke points out three things.  1) his account is the product of thorough, careful and patient research (v.3), 2) he has many written sources (v.1) and 3) he has many eye witnesses that he can go to to confirm his work (v.2).

 

For today's verse we'll go to Luke chapter 1.

Luke 1:16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."    NKJV

Luke is the only gospel writer who recounts the foretelling of the birth of John the Baptist.  I believe that one of the reasons that he does so is to reveal to the people and to us that the problem with the people of Israel was not one of the economy or of government oppression.  The doctor sees the condition of the people and sees that they have a severe heart condition.  Their hearts have been in the wrong place.

The verese quoted is from Malachi, the last prophetic words from the Old Testament books.  After 400 years of silence, God is raising up a prophet to pick up where Malachi had left off.  To turn the hearts of the people to God, and of fathers to their children and the children to their fathers.

 

John the Baptist would do this by taking a bold, uncompromising stand for God, speaking of the need for repentance, turning from sin and the pursuit of the world and back towards God.  Preparing people to hear Jesus message when He would arrive on the scene.

 

Is it any different today?  What would happen if our focus was less on accumulating stuff and portfolios and more time was spent on seeking God?  What would happen to family life?  Where would our focus be?

Not only on God, but on our children, our families.

 

Where is your heart today?

In Christ,

Mike

 

Luke 1:5-26

John's Birth Announced to Zacharias
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
18 And Zacharias said to the angel,"How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."
19 And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. 20 But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."
21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. 22 But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.
23 So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. 24 Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, 25 "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."
NKJV

 

Verse of the Day 3/16

Through the Bible - Deuteronomy 32-33, Luke 1:1-38

 

Good morning,

Over the weekend we considered that there is indeed more to this life.  But how is it that we come to that realization?  It is by the Holy Spirit working through the Word to change our hearts and minds "to see" what He would have us see.

 

If you are following the "read through the Bible " plan above, today you will move into the book of Luke.  We will "see" the gospel through the eyes of this doctor, a Greek and Gentile Christian.  He was the only known Gentile author of the New Testament.

 

Luke 10:23 Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see;  24 for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it."    NKJV

Has Jesus opened your eyes?  Jesus told His disciples that they were blessed in being able to see the things that they did, that the Old Testament kings and prophets only hoped for and had longed to see through the ages.  How about you and me?   Do you consider yourself blessed to live at a time when Christ has revealed Himself to you and blessed you with so many tools, and ways that you can get to know Him better?  Think of the Bible teachers of the day, Piper, Sproul, MacArthur, the list can go on.  We have translations and commentaries at our fingertips on our computers and accessible for free over the internet.

We have great music.  We have ample opportunities to meet in Bible Study groups and small groups. 

 

But even these things can become "stuff" if they become the focus and not growing and living in Christ.

 

May our hearts desire be like that of the hymnwriter below, that everything false would disappear.

 

Open My Eyes, That I May See

 

Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.

 

Refrain
Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

 

Open my ears, that I may hear
Voices of truth Thou sendest clear;
And while the wave notes fall on my ear,
Everything false will disappear.

 

Refrain

 

Open my mouth, and let me bear,
Gladly the warm truth everywhere;
Open my heart and let me prepare
Love with Thy children thus to share.

 

In the coming weeks may your eyes be opened to see more of the "glimpses of truth" He has for us as we apply His Word to our lives.

 

In Christ,

Mike

 

Luke 10:21-25

 

Jesus Rejoices in the Spirit
(Matt 11:25-27)

 

21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.  22 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him."

 

23 Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see;  24 for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it."    NKJV

Verse of the Day - weekend 3/14

Through the Bible - Deuteronomy 26-28, Mark 15:21-16:20

 

Good morning

 

There is a German term that separates existence from life -"dasean ohne leben"- literally it means existence without life.  How many of us feel, or have felt at times,as if we are merely existing, going through the motions, going through pretty much the same routine day after day with no end in sight?  At times we must think that there is more to this life, and there is.

 

For today's verse we'll jump ahead to John chapter 10 where the apostle speaks of the Good Shepherd.

 

John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
NKJV  
or from the NLT

John 10:10-11
10 The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

 

From the beginning, the thief, Satan, has been out to destroy us, often deceiving us the the pursuit of, collection, and hoarding of things that he tells us will bring satisfaction.  Apart from Christ, these "things" soon fade and lose their luster, and hopefully we'll realize that this rat race, well, it's all a chasing of the wind.

 

Barnes Notes commentary states, "Literally, that they may have abundance, or that which abounds. The word denotes that which is not absolutely essential to life, but which is superadded to make life happy. They shall not merely have life-simple, bare existence-but they shall have all those superadded things which are needful to make that life eminently blessed and happy. It would be vast mercy to keep men merely from annihilation or hell; but Jesus will give them eternal joy, peace, the society of the blessed, and all those exalted means of felicity which are prepared for them in the world of glory."

 

What the NKJV calls abundantly, the NLT translates as a satisfying life.  It speaks of abundance, but not of "stuff", but of joy, peace, fellowship, and love.  When will we ever learn that there is more to this life?

 

As I write this two songs come to mind "A Chasing of the Wind" by Steve Green and "More to this Life" by Steven Curtis Chapman.

 

More to this Life

 

Today I watched in silence as people passed me by,
And I strained to see if there was something hidden in their eyes;
But they all looked at me as if to say
Life just goes on.

The old familiar story told in different ways,
Make the most of your own journey from the cradle to the grave;
Dream your dreams tomorrow because today
Life must go on.

[Chorus:]
But there's more to this life than living and dying,
More than just trying to make it through the day;
More to this life, more than these eyes alone can see,
And there's more than this life alone can be.

Tonight he lies in silence staring into space,
And looks for ways to make tomorrow better than today,
But in the morning light it looks the same;
Life just goes on.

He takes care of his family, he takes care of his work,
And every Sunday morning he takes his place at the church;
And somehow he still feels a need to search,
But life just goes on.

[Chorus]

So where do we start to find every part
Of what makes this life complete;
If we turn our eyes to Jesus we'll find
Life's true beginning is there at the cross where He died.
He died to bring us...

More to this life.
 

In Christ,

Mike

 

John 10:1-19

 

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

 

10 "I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! 2 But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. 5 They won't follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don't know his voice."

 

6 Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn't understand what he meant, 7 so he explained it to them: "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. 9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. 10 The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

 

11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 12 A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don't belong to him and he isn't their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. 13 The hired hand runs away because he's working only for the money and doesn't really care about the sheep.

 

14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.

 

17 "The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. 18 No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded."   NLT.

Verse of the Day 3/13

Through the Bible - Deuteronomy 23-25, Mark 15:1-20

 

Good morning,

When I was a little kid I remember being able to buy a regular sized Three Musketeers bar for a nickel at the local drug store.  (I guess I'm showing how old I am),  It goes to show what inflation does, you can't buy much nowadays for a couple of pennies or a nickel.

 

For today's verse we'll go to Mark chapter 12 where the widow gives all that she has to the cause of Christ.

The NIV tells of her giving this way.

 

42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins,  worth only a fraction of a penny. 

Today's verses follow:

 

Mark 12:43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. 44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on."   NLT

 

Reading the NIV translation makes you think that the gift was pretty much worthless.  I'd read commentaries that stated that the "two small coins would have been enough to buy a meal.  While the value wasn't great, she gave away what she had for her next meal, in doing so she did not know where her own next meal would come from.

 

Matthew Henry comments, " There was a poor widow that cast in two mites, which make a farthing (v. 42); and our Lord Jesus highly commended her; called his disciples to him, and bid them take notice of it (v. 43); told them that she could very ill spare that which she gave, she had scarcely enough for herself, it was all her living, all she had to live upon for that day, and perhaps a great part of what she had earned by her labor the day before; and that forasmuch as he knew she did it from a truly charitable disposition, he reckoned it more than all that put together, which the rich people threw in; for they did cast in of their abundance, but she of her want, v. 44. "

Jean, Jeff, and I attended a fundraiser last night for Young Life of Alamance county.  Young life is a Christian organization that works with locals kids in and outside of the schools bringing the gospel to them.  One speaker noted that in this economy many people expect that charitable giving will be down.  He asked an important question.  With the stock market dropping and low interest rates in banks, where will you invest your money, what are you going to invest in?  He suggested that now, more than ever, is a good time to invest in something that will bring a return that will have an effect on generations.  Invest in kids.

 

We're not giving away all that we have or the money for our last meal, but what he said makes sense.  Like the two coins, God can take that and invest it towards changing lives for the glory of Christ.

 

Is Young Life in your community?  If not, perhaps there is another Christian youth organization in your town that could use the support to invest in our future.  Consider it today.

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
More tools available at: http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV
Mark 12:41-13:1

 

The Widow's Offering

 

41 Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.

 

43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. 44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on."   NLT

Verse of the Day 3/12

Through the Bible - Deuteronomy 20-22, Mark14:53-72

 

Good morning,

One of the things that people desire most when going through difficult times is peace.  Many things can rob us of this peace, from illness and loss of friends or family, to concerns over the economy, job loss, or any number of things.

 

John MacArthur writes, "As a Christian, you might be entering great turmoil and strife.  But in your deepest being you have peace that passes all understanding.  Many live in favorable circumstances, but without God they will never find peace, while those who cling to God in the worst of circumstances never lack peace."

 

The psalms are a great example of this, whether it is David or Asaph or another psalmist, where they focus their thoughts is an important part of finding the peace that we all long for.

 

Today's verse comes from Philippians 4 and speaks of this peace.

 

Phil 4:8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.  NLT

 

The verses point to the importance of our thought process.  What we focus on.  We are told to focus on the true, right, and pure things.  Focus on Christ and His Word and "keep putting" these into practice, it's a way of life that will lead to peace in even the tough circumstances.

 

Have you experienced the peace that passes understanding in your life?  Have you observed it in others?  What or should I say who brought it?

 

God is peace, He makes peace with us sinners through Christ, and He only can give us His peace in times of trouble.

 

We are challenged to be peacemakers , the act of being a peacemaker can bring peace to our lives as well.

 

Matt 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.    NKJV

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
More tools available at: http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

Phil 4:2-10

 

Words of Encouragement

 

2 Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. 3 And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.

 

4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

 

6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

 

8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.   NLT

Verse of the Day 3/11

Through the Bible - Deuteronomy 17-19, Mark 14:32-52

 

Good morning,

Pastor Bob finished his message Sunday by referring to the Jews crossing the Jordan.  The priests carrying the ark stepped out into the river at flood stage.  It took great faith to go on.  But an  encouragement to take from the event was that at the moment they were stepping out, God was working "upstream" to hold back the waters that they might cross.  As they stepped, the waters receded.

 

It was Saturday when I heard this message, four years to the day from when I wrote the following "Verse of the Day"

 

 

3/07/05

Many of you may have already heard that my son Jason has been diagnosed with a brain tumor.  We were on our way home from Florida from treatments for Jeff when we received a called while he was having some sort of seizure.  From the MRI and CAT scan, it appears that the tumor is blocking the ventricles causing a build up of fluid on the brain.

I will probably be heading down to Texas to bring him back home and to take him to Duke University Hospital here in North Carolina.  The first course of action would probably be to put "shunts" in to open up the ventricles and allow the fluid to drain as it should.  A further course of action will then be decided upon.

In all of this our family covets your prayers at this time.  Please pray for Jason especially as it is very hard to be going through this so far away from home.

Jason's college friends and church family there in Texas have already been very helpful and supportive of him.

Today's verse is a break from the book of John where we've been for several days. 

Each day I read 1 Psalm along with other Bible readings and devotionals.  Today's Psalm was 118 and today's verse comes from that passage.

Ps 118:5-6

5 I called on the LORD in distress;
The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.
6 The LORD is on my side;
I will not fear.
NKJV

I picture standing in a "broad" place as standing where you have a great view of what lies behind and what lies ahead, standing in awe of His creation, His power, His majesty displayed as far as you can see.  As believers, we are His children, with the view from the palms of His hands.
Prayerfully read the rest of the Psalm today.  The passage tells of His mercy, loving-kindness, and that the Lord is my strength, and my salvation.  All of these endure forever.

 

Today, Jason is anxiously waiting to hear if he has been accepted into a doctorate program in theology from several schools.  Having seen how God was working "upstream" then gives me confidence that He is doing so now, for Jason, for me and for you.  May He set you "in a broad place", giving you a clear vantage point to see what He is doing upstream in your life.  Perhaps you can stand there now and look back from somewhere downstream to see where He's been working.

 

Having gone through Jeff's accident and seeing what God had done through that tragedy gave me, gave our family more confidence that He was working in this situation.  My heart was still at the point of breaking for Jason at the time.  He would later look back on it and tell me, "if this hadn't happened I wouldn't have come to Elon for those months and wouldn't have met Kristen (his wife)."

I'll end with today's verse from a little further along in Psalm 118:

 

Ps 118:14 The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.    NKJV

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
More tools available at: http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

Ps 118:1-15

 

118 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!For His mercy endures forever.
2 Let Israel now say,"His mercy endures forever." 3 Let the house of Aaron now say,"His mercy endures forever." 4 Let those who fear the Lord now say,"His mercy endures forever."
5 I called on the Lord in distress;The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. 6 The Lord is on my side;I will not fear.What can man do to me? 7 The Lord is for me among those who help me;Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me. 8 It is better to trust in the LordThan to put confidence in man. 9 It is better to trust in the LordThan to put confidence in princes.
10 All nations surrounded me,But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. 11 They surrounded me,Yes, they surrounded me;But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. 12 They surrounded me like bees;They were quenched like a fire of thorns;For in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. 13 You pushed me violently, that I might fall,But the Lord helped me. 14 The Lord is my strength and song,And He has become my salvation.

NKJV

Verse of the Day 3/10

Through the Bible - Deuteronomy 14-16, Mark  14:10-31

 

Good morning,

Over the weekend Pastor Bob gave a powerful sermon regarding how we cope with pain, suffering, and tragedies.  He spoke from his heart and from personal experience.  Many there, myself included, were brought back to those times in our lives.

 

Bob quoted from Psalm 77, a psalm of Asaph, who was going through one of those times.  I followed along, reading from the Amplified Bible-

  ²In the day of my trouble I seek (inquire of and desperately require) the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out [in prayer] without slacking up; I refuse to be comforted.

 

That's exactly how we feel in those situations, inquiring and desperately requiring God.  Often times answers don't come and it appears that God is silent, or worse, not doing anything about it.  It's at this time that reality sets in and we may feel anger and question God, even our faith in God.  At some point we'll come to the place that Stephen Curtis Chapman sings about in "Be Still and Know".  It was a powerful song and message to me in the days following Jeff's accident.

Be Still and Know - Stephen Curtis Chapman

Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is holy
Be still oh restless soul of mine
Bow before the prince of Peace
Let the noise and clamor cease

Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is faithful
Consider all that He has done
Stand in awe and be amazed
And know that He will never change
Be still

Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is God
Be still
Be speechless

Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know He is our Father
Come rest your head upon His breast
Listen to the rhythm of
His unfailing heart of love
Beating for His little ones
Calling each of us to come
Be still
Be still

Consider the words "be still" and "be speachless".  It is the picture of collecting your thoughts and listening for His voice.  It is also a time for reflection and remembering what God has done for us in the past.

 

Today's verse comes from Psalm 143 where David is going through another difficult time, seeking deliverance from the situation.  He calls out to God, but midway through stops and "remembers".

^{Psalm 143: 5} I remember the days of old;
         I meditate on all Your works;
         I muse on the work of Your hands.
 ⁶ I spread out my hands to You;
         My soul longs for You like a thirsty land.  Selah     NKJV

If you are going through one of those times.  Pray, but if you are having difficulty, be still (Ps. 46:10), know that He is God, and remember His works.  What He has done as recorded in His Word and in your life.  Then stretch out your needy hand and seek Him, longing for Him in your desert place.

Read the psalm below.  Can you relate?  God still may not answer "speedily", but we are to trust.  Perhaps years from now you'll see where God was working upstream from the vantage point of a location further downstream.

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
More tools available at: http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Psalm 143

A Psalm of David.

 ¹ Hear my prayer, O LORD,
         Give ear to my supplications!
         In Your faithfulness answer me,
         And in Your righteousness.
 ² Do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
         For in Your sight no one living is righteous.
         
 ³ For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
         He has crushed my life to the ground;
         He has made me dwell in darkness,
         Like those who have long been dead.
 ⁴ Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;
         My heart within me is distressed.
         
 ⁵ I remember the days of old;
         I meditate on all Your works;
         I muse on the work of Your hands.
 ⁶ I spread out my hands to You;
         My soul longs for You like a thirsty land.  Selah  
         
 ⁷ Answer me speedily, O LORD;
         My spirit fails!
         Do not hide Your face from me,
         Lest I be like those who go down into the pit.
 ⁸ Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning,
         For in You do I trust;
         Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,
         For I lift up my soul to You.
         
 ⁹ Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies;
         In You I take shelter.^[a]
 10 Teach me to do Your will,
         For You are my God;
         Your Spirit is good.
         Lead me in the land of uprightness.
         
 ¹¹ Revive me, O LORD, for Your name's sake!
         For Your righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.
 ¹² In Your mercy cut off my enemies,
         And destroy all those who afflict my soul;
         For I am Your servant.