Verse of the Day 4/28

Through the Bible - 2 Samuel 20-22, Luke 22:24-38

 

Good morning,

I'm sure most of you have read, or someone read to you the story of Rip Van Winkle, famous for sleeping for 20 years.  Unfortunately, many of us at some point have been guilty of sleeping or sleep walking in a spiritual sense.  We live our lives as if sleep walking, not listening to or even looking to God, seeking His advice and His will, content to live our own lives for ourselves.

 

You may consider Samson from yesterday as an example of this.  He knew God, and the way that he was to go, to live, but did not live accordingly.

 

We are called to a relationship and to live faithfully.  Today's verse comes from Luke 21 which was part of this weekend's reading.

Luke 21:36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."     NKJV
or from the NLT

Luke 21:36 Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man."

These were the words of Jesus given to His disciples just before Judas' betrayal.

 

We are to "watch and pray".  Not just watching and not just praying.  We must be aware of what is going on around us having a close relationship with Christ through prayer and in His Word so that we will be able to stand and not fall into the devil's traps.

 

I read the following in today's "Today in the Word" devotional (www.todayintheword.com):

"Semper Fidelis, the official motto of the United States Marine Corps, was adopted in 1883. The phrase is adopted from the Latin, and it means, "Always Faithful." The Marines use an abbreviated verbal version, "Semper Fi," to voice loyalty and commitment to their comrades-in-arms. Semper Fi holds the promise to be faithful to the end. They will serve, and even die, with honor: to the corps, to one another, and to themselves. "

Instead of sleeping or sleepwalking through life, we should stay alert, be on guard against the devil and his deception, pray "always", and be willing to take a stand.

 

I'll close with a couple of stanzas of the old hymn, Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus:

 

Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus

 

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the solemn watchword hear;
If while ye sleep He suffers, away with shame and fear;
Where'er ye meet with evil, within you or without,
Charge for the God of battles, and put the foe to rout.

 

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, stand in His strength alone;
The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the Gospel armor, each piece put on with prayer;
Where duty calls or danger, be never wanting there.

Don't sleep, stand up, be alert, "put on the gospel armor" and answer His call today.

In Christ,

Mike

 

Luke 21:34-22:1

The Importance of Watching
(Matt 24:36-44; Mark 13:32-37)

34 "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.  35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.  36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."

37 And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet. 38 Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.

NKJV