Verse of the Day 7/23

Through the Bible - Psalm 42-43. Acts 26

 

Good morning,

The other day I quoted the hymn "He Lives".  In singing that song we are reminded that if we are Christ's we have the Holy Spirit living in us, giving us the power to live for Christ.

 

For today's verse we'll go to 1 Corinthians 6:19 where Paul tells us that our bodies are "the temple of the Holy Spirit".  The second part of the verse to consider is "therefore glorify God in your body", which means to live for Jesus.

 

1 Cor 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.    NKJV

John Calvin in his "Institutes" wrote, "We are God's; let us therefore live for Him and die for Him.  We are God's; let his wisdom and will therefore rule all our actions.  We are God's; let all the parts of our life accordingly strive toward him as our only lawful goal.  O, how much that man profited who, having been taught that he is not his own, has taken away dominion and rule from his own reason that he may yield it to God."  He also wrote that "true and sound wisdom consists of two parts; the knowledge of God and of ourselves."

 

Calvin saw himself as a sinner saved by grace, who yielded his will, his life to Christ.

 

These verses and John Calvin's words brought to mind another hymn that I remember from childhood.

Living for Jesus

Living for Jesus, a life that is true, Striving to please Him in all that I do; Yielding allegiance, glad hearted and free, This is the pathway of blessing for me.  Living for Jesus Who died in my place, Bearing on Calvary my sin and disgrace; Such love constrains me to answer His call, Follow His leading and give Him my all.  REFRAIN  O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee, For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me. I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne. My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.  Living for Jesus, wherever I am, Doing each duty in His holy Name; Willing to suffer affliction and loss, Deeming each trial a part of my cross.   Living for Jesus through earth's little while, My dearest treasure, the light of His smile; Seeking the lost ones He died to redeem, Bringing the weary to find rest in Him.

Remember today that "you've been bought with a price", therefore, glorify God by "living for Jesus".

 

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

 

1 Cor 6:12-7:1

 

Avoiding Sexual Sin

 

12 You say, "I am allowed to do anything"—but not everything is good for you. And even though "I am allowed to do anything," I must not become a slave to anything. 13 You say, "Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food." (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can't say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. 14 And God will raise us from the dead by his power, just as he raised our Lord from the dead.

 

15 Don't you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never! 16 And don't you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, "The two are united into one." 17 But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.

 

18 Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. 19 Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.   NLT