Verse of the Day 12/31

Through the Bible - Malachi 3-4, Revelation 22

 

Good morning,

Chuck Colson defines your worldview as "the way you think the world works and how you fit into it."  He also states that worldviews answer four questions: 1) Where did I come from?  2) Why is the world such a mess?  3) Is there a solution? and 4) What is my purpose?

 

The definition and the questions are things to think about as we look back at 2009 and look forward, make plans and goals for 2010.

Psalm 37 tells us not to "fret" but to trust in God.

 

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

 

It is only in trusting Him and acting upon that trust that we can find peace.

 

Isa 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
4 Trust in the Lord forever,
For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.   NKJV

Peace is something that I desire, I struggle with.  Any number of things can get me down, and I rob myself of this peace through my lack of trust.  I have a son who displays this peace before my very eyes every day.  He has it because he trusts, he has faith.  This gives me hope.  God's Word gives me hope.

 

I read these words yesterday from John 16 from a verse of the day from Bible Gateway.  I have it set up to come in the Amplified Bible translation.  This will serve as our verse for the day.

 

John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]  - Amplified Bible

 

Consider these words and those of Psalm 37 below as you think about how your world works.  May you find the answers to the questions through faith and trust in Christ in the coming year.  May He keep you in perfect peace because your mind is stayed, set on Jesus Christ.  As the Amplified Bible challenges us, "take courage, be confident, certain, undaunted", don't fret or be envious of others but commit your way, trust, and find rest in the Lord.

 

As you head into the new year, why not make spending more time in God's Word one of your, perhaps your foremost priority.  Charles Spurgeon wrote, "The prayerful study of the Word is not only a means of instruction--but an act of devotion wherein the transforming power of grace is often exercised, changing us into the image of Christ, of whom the Word is a mirror.

Within the Scripture, there is a balm for every wound, a salve for every sore. Oh, the wondrous power in the Scripture to create a heart of hope, within the ribs of despair! Amidst sharp and strong temptations, and fierce and bitter trials, the Word of the Lord has preserved us. Amidst discouragements which damped our hopes, and disappointments which wounded our hearts, our Bibles have brought us a secret, unconquerable consolation."

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
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 37:1-9
Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.

 

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

 

5 Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.

 

7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
Do not fret — it only causes harm.

 

NKJV

Verse of the Day 12/30

Through the Bible - Malachi 1-2, Revelation 21

 

Good morning,

We'll continue this morning with thoughts of our worldview.  The Christians' worldview sees things through the eyes of faith.  Looking back to Hebrews 11 were are told that faith is the substance.  Faith is not something nebulous.  As I just wrote those words I thought of the word nebulous, what came to mind was something random, without form.  I looked it up to confirm it.  Websters uses words like "unclear, vague, indefinite" and "cloudy, misty, unclear".  That is what the nonbeliever thinks of faith.

 

Hebrews 11:3 says, "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.   NKJV

After the first of the year we'll be turning back to Genesis for the read through the Bible plan where we'll see that God did form the world.  First he produced the matter which was formless and void.  Then by His word He created all there is.

The atheist will have you believe that everything that happened through eternity has been random and that out of the formlessness, randomness brought about order.

 

R.C. Sproul writes in his book "Not a Chance", "God is conceived as a self-existent, eternal being who possesses intrinsically the power of being.  Such power is sufficient cause for creation.  Time and chance have no being, and consequently no power.  Yet they are able to be so effective as to render God an anachronism.  At least with God we have a potential miracle worker.  With chance we have nothing with which to work the miracle.  Chance offers us a rabbit without a hat and - what's even more astonishing- without a magician."

 

We believe in a God  a creator, who formed the universe in intricate detail, in irreduceable complexity.  To believe in chance in some respects requires more faith than belief in God.

 

Sproul continues, a "trick requires only a modicum of sleight of hand dexterity to pull off.  It is accomplished easily once one has the proper magic tools.  When scientists attribute instrumental power to chance, they have left the domain of physics and resorted to magic.  Chance is their magic wand to make not only rabbits but entire universes appear out of nothing."

 

For our verse today we'll go to the New Testament reading in the book of Revelation.

Rev 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."   NIV

I don't normally use three verses together for the "verse of the day", but I found it hard to separate these.  They give us hope for the coming year, for the future, for eternity.  The same God that spoke the world into being said these words.

We can hold on to them as "rock solid", they are "trustworthy and true".  May we hold to them in the coming year or whenever circumstances cause our hearts to grieve or tears to come to our eyes.

 

Read the passage, may they encourage you today, may they be your substance.

 

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.

3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.   NKJV

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
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
Rev 21:1-9

 

All Things Made New

 

21 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

 

5 Then He who sat on the throne said,"Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."

 

6 And He said to me,"It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."   NKJV

Verse of the Day 12/30

Through the Bible - Zechariah 13-14, Revelation 19

 

Good morning,

This past weekend I heard a pastor's final sermon.  This morning in a devotional I read from 2 Timothy what were to be Paul's last recorded words, the benediction of his letter to Timothy and the church at Ephesus.

2 Tim 4:22 May the Lord be with your spirit. And may his grace be with all of you.  NLT

As Christians, from the moment of conversion to our final breath, our final words, we are dependent upon the grace of God to guide us and enable us "to finish the race".

 

Matthew Henry writes in his commentary, "since grace is with us here to convert and change us, to make us holy, to keep us humble, and to enable us to persevere to the end, glory will crown us forever."

 

For today's verse we'll go to Romans chapter 8 which speak of being "controlled" or enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

 

Rom 8:5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.   NLT

Read the passage below about "life in the Spirit".  If we are Christ followers, we will have a different "mind set".  What we set our minds on will determine what paths we will follow.  As we go through the final days of 2009 and make plans, set personal goals for 2010 let us do so with our minds set on the things of the Spirit and not sinful things which revolve around greed and lust.  Let the Spirit contol your mind and lead you to life and peace in the coming year.

Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.   NKJV

As we close out the year and look to the new one, we will consider our mindset, our worldview, the lense through which we see the world. 

 

Blessings,

Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
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
Rom 8:1-12

 

Life in the Spirit

 

8 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

 

5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. 8 That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

 

9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) 10 And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. 11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.  NLT

 

Verse of the Day 12/28

Through the Bible - Zechariah 10-12, Revelation 18

 

Good morning,

My wife Jean and I visited a church this weekend with some friends.  As it turned out, the pastor was retiring at the age of 83 and we had the privilege to hear his final sermon in the church.  The main emphasis of the message was that "nothing is impossible when you put your trust in God and rest upon His Word."  He referenced Joshua and others who gave a similar charge.  The Angel of the Lord had a similar word for Mary in Luke 1:

 

Luke 1:37 For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment. Amplified Bible

 

The pastor chose Luke 2:7-11 for his final sermon, we'll go there for today's verse.

 

Luke 2:9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord flashed and shone all about them, and they were terribly frightened.

    ¹⁰But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people.  Amplified Bible

I was following along in my Amplified Bible and as I read these verses the words, "the glory of the Lord flashed" struck me.  With today's video techology and Dolby sound you can picture a filmaker producing this "flash" along with the sound to create great splendor.  Oh what it must have been like to be there.  But this flash was no ordinary flash, the impact of it will carry on for eternity.

 

I'm sure as Pastor Watts looks back on his life and minsitry it seems like it has come and "gone in a flash".  But for anyone who delivers the Word of the Lord, the impact goes on forever in the hearts of those who are touched by the Word.

 

Pastor Watts was encouraging the congregation to continually spend time in His Word on a personal level.  He shared the story of a time when he visited someone's home and before leaving they asked him to read something from the Bible for them.  Unfortunately, the man could not find his Bible in the house and the pastor had not brought his own with him for the vist.  Both were left embarrassed.   May we always know where our Bibles are, not so much because they have an assigned place on the shelf, but because we use it daily and always know where it is.

 

He also shared the story of someone that was looking for a new book titled "Jesus, Then and Now".  Unfortunately when the person went to the bookstore he couldn't find it.  He had gotten the words crossed and when he told the clerk what book he was looking for he said "Jesus, Now and Then".  All to often, that title would sum up the place that Jesus has in many professing Christians lives, Jesus, now and then.    May it not be so in our lives.

 

The older we get, the more we realize that our lives will be gone in a flash.  Let's make it our point to have God's Word as a priority in our lives, to live by it, and to pass it on to the next generation.

 

In closing Iet's turn to Matthew 22;37-39 from The Message which phrases the words somewhat differently than you may be used to.  But consider the words  your "passion, prayer and intelligence".  Would they convey your attitude towards God and HIs Word?  You can't effectively accomplish the second part of the verses without the first.

 

Matt 22:37 Jesus said, "'Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.' This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.'

May we have this passion when we're 83 or as long as we live.

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
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

Luke 2:8-14

 

Glory in the Highest

 

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them,"Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."

 

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

 

14 "Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
NKJV

Verse of the Day 12/26

Through the Bible - Zechariah 4-9, Revelation 18

 

Good morning,

I am sure that everyone has heard at least something of the healthcare "universal healthcare"  debate that is going on in this country.  Everyone is concerned about their healthcare, but sadly very few seem to be concerned about their eternal healthcare.  Passage of a bill would bring comfort to many, that for whatever reason, do not have coverage.

 

But what is their comfort beyond this life?

 

The Heidelberg Cathecism starts off by asking the question.

 

Question 1. What is thy only comfort in life and death?

Answer: That I with body and soul, both in life and death, (a) am not my own, (b) but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ; (c) who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, (d) and delivered me from all the power of the devil; (e) and so preserves me (f) that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; (g) yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, (h) and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, (i) and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him. (j)

I had read this and then this morning I was reading in Psalm 94 when the following verses caught my attention.  They will be this weekends verses.

 

Ps 94:14 For the Lord will not cast off His people,
Nor will He forsake His inheritance.
15 But judgment will return to righteousness,
And all the upright in heart will follow it.   NKJV
or from the NLT:

Ps 94:14 The Lord will not reject his people;
he will not abandon his special possession.
15 Judgment will again be founded on justice,
and those with virtuous hearts will pursue it.  NLT

 

The Lord won't reject, forget His people, any more than He would deny Himself,  He has provided "coverage", paid the price in full.   The debate on healthcare has yet to be settled, but our eternal "coverage" can be settled once and for all who will turn to Him.

 

Until death comes, or Christ returns, will you live in the comfort of Christ's death and resurrection, or will you live in fear, not knowing what will happen when you face God on the day of judgement?

 

1 Cor 6:19 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

 

2 Tim 2:13 If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.   NKJV

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
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 94:8-20

 

8 Understand, you senseless among the people;
And you fools, when will you be wise?
9 He who planted the ear, shall He not hear?
He who formed the eye, shall He not see?
10 He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct,
He who teaches man knowledge?
11 The Lord knows the thoughts of man,
That they are futile.

 

12 Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O Lord,
And teach out of Your law,
13 That You may give him rest from the days of adversity,
Until the pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For the Lord will not cast off His people,
Nor will He forsake His inheritance.
15 But judgment will return to righteousness,
And all the upright in heart will follow it.

 

16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers?
Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
17 Unless the Lord had been my help,
My soul would soon have settled in silence.
18 If I say, "My foot slips,"
Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up.
19 In the multitude of my anxieties within me,
Your comforts delight my soul.   NKJV

Verse of the Day 12/25

Through the Bible - Zephaniah 1-3, Revelation 17

 

Merry Christmas!

Today as we celebrate Christmas it is easy for us to saturate our minds and hearts with the glory of God in Christ Jesus.  We also look forward to a day when their will be an a spiritual awakening of worship, love, compassion and a harvest of souls.

 

Until that day may our prayer for each other be that of Peter in his second letter to the churches.  It introduces his letter but it is no simple introduction, he really wants to see this happen.  This is evident by the fact that he closes this short letter with basically the same thoughts.  They form bookends to the content of the rest of the letter.

 

I read this passage in the Amplified Bible the other day, may the words be amplified in our hearts and minds today.

2 Peter 2 May grace (God's favor) and peace (which is ^[a]perfect well-being, all necessary good, all spiritual prosperity, and ^[b]freedom from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts) be multiplied to you in [the full, personal, ^[c]precise, and correct] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 

 ³For His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that [are requisite and suited] to life and godliness, through the [^[d]full, personal] knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue).  Amplified Bible

Or from the NKJV:

2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,   NKJV

 

In a sermon on this passage, John Piper states, "probably the most important thing to notice in verse 2 is that God's grace and peace are multiplied in or through the knowledge of God. Peter cannot get past his second sentence without exposing one of his deepest convictions: namely, that knowing God is the means by which his grace and peace become large and powerful in our lives. If you want to enjoy God's peace and be the aroma of his grace in the world, your knowledge of him has to grow. Grace is not a mere deposit. It is a power that leads to godliness and eternal life. And where knowledge of the glory and excellence of God languishes, grace does not flow. The channel from God's infinite reservoir of grace into and through our lives is knowledge of God. We do not study the Scripture for its own sake, but because through it comes the knowledge of God, and through that grace and peace are multiplied in your heart in the church and in the world. "

 

While we celebrate the time that Jesus Christ came to earth for us let us consider the coming year, may it be a time where we grow "in the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord" and that we would have a powerful witness to the world around us.

 

Piper continues, " Peter is aiming at two things: eternal life and godliness; moral and spiritual transformation now, and hope for life in the age to come. "

 

Good things to aim for this season and the coming year.  Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, great is His faithfulness.

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
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

2 Peter 1:1-5

 

1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

 

To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.   NKJV

2 Peter 3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

 

 

Verse of the Day 12/24

Through the Bible - Zephaniah 3 - Haggai 2, Revelation 16

 

Good morning,

Our church will be celebrating five Christmas Eve services (two were actually held yesterday).  Traditionally these services, along with Easter are the most well attended services of the year.  It is fitting, as many of the Christmas hymns and carols encourage us to "worship Christ the newborn King".

 

Today's verse comes from Matthew chapter 2:

Matt 2:1  Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him."  NLT

There is a praise song that has been popular for several years, you may not think of it as a Christmas song, but read the words, sing them out loud or in your heart, they encourage us that "now is the time to worship."

 

Come, Now is the Time to Worship

Come, now is the time to worship
Come now is the time to give your heart
Come just as you are to worship
Come just as you are before your God
Come

One day every tongue will confess
You are God
One day every knee will bow
Still the greatest treasure remains for those
Who gladly choose you now

If you haven't already given your life to Christ, I can't think of a better time to do it.  If you have, come, bring your gifts, bring your praise, celebrate the one who brings joy to the world, peace to our hearts, and hope for the future.

 

The wise men travelled great distances to worship and honor the Christ child.  Will you be willing to get off of the couch and join in fellowship with other believers around the world to celebrate at your church this evening?

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
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
Matt 2:1-13

 

Visitors from the East

 

2 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him."

 

3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. 4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, "Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?"

 

5 "In Bethlehem in Judea," they said, "for this is what the prophet wrote:

 

6 'And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
are not least among the ruling cities of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.'"

 

7 Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. 8 Then he told them, "Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!"

 

9 After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

 

12 When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.  NLT

Verse of the Day 12/23

Through the Bible - Habakkuk 3- Zephaniah 2, Revelation 15

 

Good morning,

This morning in my devotions I read Psalm 91.  I remember a message I had heard from Pastor Greg Laurie on this Psalm.  He said that when we are in trouble, when there is an emergency we are taught at a young age to "dial 911".  He said that for the Christian, in times of trouble we should also dial 911, turn to Psalm 91:1.

 

Ps 91:1-  He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust."   NKJV

For today's verses I'd like to go towards the end of the psalm:

Ps 91:14 "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.   NKJV

My Nelson Study Bible notes say that "the verb here for love is not the usual Hebrew word for love.  It is the idea of "holding close to" even "hugging tightly in love".  It is a picture of the psalmist holding tightly to his Saviour, his God, his Deliverer, trusting Him.

 

I'm sure that we can remember little children hugging us that way when they were scarred or, even if it was so long ago, hugging our parents the same way.  We did this because we knew they were there for us.  We can have the same assurance from God.  He will be there with us, to deliver us and honor those who love Him in this manner.

 

I was reminded of the Michael W. Smith song, "Draw Me Close to You".

 

Draw me close to you
Never let me go
I lay it all down again
To hear you say that I'm your friend
You are my desire
No one else will do
Cause nothing else can take your place
To feel the warmth of your embrace
Help me find the way
Bring me back to you

You're all I want
You're all I've ever needed
You're all I want
Help me know you are near

 

Most of us, at some point in our lives, have been disappointed in something we received, or didn't receive at Christmas.  We may have been disappointed in not receiving answers to prayers in our lives, at least not the answers we thought we wanted.  In holding close to God, as He draws us near, God sustains us by revealing Himself to us.  Trusting in Him leads to quiet hope instead of bitterness if things don't turn out quite like we expected, or we don't see the immediate results we want.

 

As we celebrate the time "when God came near" in the form of Jesus Christ, why don't we draw near to Him, hugging Him tightly in love, and trust that He will see you through.  Why not do the same to a loved one, hold them close, hold them tightly, let them know your love.  It's all I want for Christmas.

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
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 91:1-3
You who sit down in the High God's presence,
spend the night in Shaddai's shadow,
Say this: "God, you're my refuge.
I trust in you and I'm safe!"

 

Ps 91:14-
"If you'll hold on to me for dear life," says God,
"I'll get you out of any trouble.
I'll give you the best of care
if you'll only get to know and trust me.
Call me and I'll answer, be at your side in bad times;
I'll rescue you, then throw you a party.
I'll give you a long life,
give you a long drink of salvation!"

 

The Message

Verse of the Day 12/23

Through the Bible - Habakkuk 3- Zephaniah 2, Revelation 15

 

Good morning,

This morning in my devotions I read Psalm 91.  I remember a message I had heard from Pastor Greg Laurie on this Psalm.  He said that when we are in trouble, when there is an emergency we are taught at a young age to "dial 911".  He said that for the Christian, in times of trouble we should also dial 911, turn to Psalm 91:1.

 

Ps 91:1-  He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust."   NKJV

For today's verses I'd like to go towards the end of the psalm:

Ps 91:14 "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.   NKJV

My Nelson Study Bible notes say that "the verb here for love is not the usual Hebrew word for love.  It is the idea of "holding close to" even "hugging tightly in love".  It is a picture of the psalmist holding tightly to his Saviour, his God, his Deliverer, trusting Him.

 

I'm sure that we can remember little children hugging us that way when they were scarred or, even if it was so long ago, hugging our parents the same way.  We did this because we knew they were there for us.  We can have the same assurance from God.  He will be there with us, to deliver us and honor those who love Him in this manner.

 

I was reminded of the Michael W. Smith song, "Draw Me Close to You".

 

Draw me close to you
Never let me go
I lay it all down again
To hear you say that I'm your friend
You are my desire
No one else will do
Cause nothing else can take your place
To feel the warmth of your embrace
Help me find the way
Bring me back to you

You're all I want
You're all I've ever needed
You're all I want
Help me know you are near

 

Most of us, at some point in our lives, have been disappointed in something we received, or didn't receive at Christmas.  We may have been disappointed in not receiving answers to prayers in our lives, at least not the answers we thought we wanted.  In holding close to God, as He draws us near, God sustains us by revealing Himself to us.  Trusting in Him leads to quiet hope instead of bitterness if things don't turn out quite like we expected, or we don't see the immediate results we want.

 

As we celebrate the time "when God came near" in the form of Jesus Christ, why don't we draw near to Him, hugging Him tightly in love, and trust that He will see you through.  Why not do the same to a loved one, hold them close, hold them tightly, let them know your love.  It's all I want for Christmas.

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
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 91:1-3
You who sit down in the High God's presence,
spend the night in Shaddai's shadow,
Say this: "God, you're my refuge.
I trust in you and I'm safe!"

 

Ps 91:14-
"If you'll hold on to me for dear life," says God,
"I'll get you out of any trouble.
I'll give you the best of care
if you'll only get to know and trust me.
Call me and I'll answer, be at your side in bad times;
I'll rescue you, then throw you a party.
I'll give you a long life,
give you a long drink of salvation!"

 

The Message

Verse of the Day 12/22

Through the Bible - Habakkuk 1-2, Revelation 14

 

Good morning,

For today's verses we'll turn to Matthew 4 where Jesus begins his ministry.  He refers back to the passage in Isaiah that we looked at yesterday and introduces his message, which was the same as that of John the Baptist.  "Repent, turn to God."

 

Matt 4:16 the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light.
And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow,
a light has shined."

 

17 From then on Jesus began to preach, "Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near."   NLT

As I have mentioned our church had a number of people give "cardboard testimonies" this past weekend.  Many of them revolved around the loss of a loved one, a parent or a child.  In those difficult times they found comfort and peace in their Saviour.  In those situations the presence of Christ meant more than anything that the world could give.

 

In today's devotional from Harvest Ministries, Greg Laurie writes, "These things have their place, but we need to remember the essential message of Christmas, which is Immanuel—God is with us. And for the hurting person, the lonely person, the sorrowing person, this is the time of year to bring the gift of encouragement to them and say, "The message of Christmas is: God will be with you. God will help you. God will strengthen you."

So look for opportunities to share the love of God during this season, because it is a time when we seem to be more open to engaging in conversation with others. Now is a great opportunity for you to bring encouragement to someone who is struggling. Who needs your encouragement today? "

Matt 1:22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."   NKJV

May we focus less on "presents" this Christmas, turn from them and focus more on His presence.  Not only that, why not share His presence with someone who is hurting.

 

In closing I'd like to go to today's Old Testament reading from Habakkuk, where the prophet gives us his own "cardboard testimony"

 

Hab 2:2  "Write my answer plainly on tablets,
so that a runner can carry the correct message to others.  NLT

 And what would have the pieces of cardboard said? 

 

"Questioned God"  Hab. 1

 

God said "the just shall live by his faith" Hab 2:4

Hab 3:19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength!
He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
able to tread upon the heights.  NLT

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
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
Matt 4:12-18

 

The Ministry of Jesus Begins

 

12 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned to Galilee. 13 He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah:

 

15 "In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali,
beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River,
in Galilee where so many Gentiles live,
16 the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light.
And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow,
a light has shined."

 

17 From then on Jesus began to preach, "Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near."   NLT

Verse of the Day 12/21

Through the Bible - Namum 2-3, Revelation 13

 

Good morning,

For today's verse we'll go to Isaiah chapter 9 for one of the great prophecies about our Lord's appearing.

 

Isa 9:6 For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 His government and its peace
will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven's Armies
will make this happen.   NLT

 

He came with great expectation, as mentioned over the weekend, He was the hope of the ages.  These verses give a wonderful description of some of His attributes.

 

Today think about the Jesus being the Prince of Peace and the Everlasting Father.

 

What is it in your life that is troubling you, keeping you from peace?

 

Yesterday there were probably 30 people in our church that gave their "cardboard testimonies".  They showed how Jesus Christ had turned their lives around, brought joy, restoration, healing, comfort and peace to troubled souls.

 

The term "Everlasting Father" refers to Jesus being a Father to His people.  Much like George Washington is looked upon as our first president and father our our country, He is the Everlasting Father, the author but also the finisher of our faith.  His kingdom will not end. As King, He rules with power, with mercy, compassion in the midst of our lives to comfort, strengthen and encourage us in and through the difficult times; and bring us joy and hope for the future.  His kingdom is forever.

 

He is the One who was to come, the One who came to earth, and the One who shall return.  I was reminded of the song "He is the One" by Wes King.

 

In the days of Moses and Abraham
They looked to the future
And to the promised land
They looked for a savior
They longed for a Messiah
They prayed for deliverance from the hands of man
Their faith was counted as righteousness to them
It was a faith in the One who was to come

CHORUS:
He's the One
The One who was to come
He's the One
Yeah, well He is the One who came
He's the One
He is the One who shall return
He is the One

In the days of Augustus
In the fullness of time
They saw the fulfillment of a holy design
He was born of a virgin
She was blessed among women
He was the cup of redemption
He was a light divine
He brought salvation and healing in His hands
To all who believe He was the One that God had sent

CHORUS

He is the Alpha Omega
Lamb that was slain
He is the lion of the tribe of Judah
He shall return again and claim His own for Himself
And the glory of God forever

He is still the One.

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net

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
Isa 9:2-8

 

2 The people who walk in darkness
will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,
a light will shine.
3 You will enlarge the nation of Israel,
and its people will rejoice.
They will rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest
and like warriors dividing the plunder.
4 For you will break the yoke of their slavery
and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders.
You will break the oppressor's rod,
just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.
5 The boots of the warrior
and the uniforms bloodstained by war
will all be burned.
They will be fuel for the fire.

 

6 For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 His government and its peace
will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven's Armies
will make this happen!  NLT

Verse of the Day - weekend 12/19

Through the Bible - Macah 4- Nahum 1, Revelation 12

 

Good morning,

In last weekend's worship service we sand "O Holy Night", one of my favorite Christmas carols, I'm sure that you are familiar with it but here is the first stanza.

O Holy Night

 

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

 

Refrain
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

 

The line that struck me was " a thrill of hope".  Many people around us are weary, lacking of losing hope.  Many of  the songs of the Christmas season revolve around hope and peace.   For today's verse we'll go to the Old Testament book of Micah, part of this weekend's reading schedule, which prophesies about Jesus' birth and that He will be the source of our peace for ages to come.

Mic 5:2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
are only a small village among all the people of Judah.
Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you,
one whose origins are from the distant past.

5 And he will be the source of peace.

Our church will be doing "cardboard testimonies" as part of the worship service this weekend.  These thoughts of hope and peace were in my mind all week as our family considered our own cardboard testimonies.  We considered words that have come out of our son Jeff's mouth, who we were told after his accident that he would never speak again.  Consider these words, which I've shared before, that Jeff has spoken to us but whose source was Jesus Chris our Lord.   "Hope is my favorite thing to have", "I have the peace that passes understanding", and "My peace to you".

 

Jesus has been our hope and our peace.  As you sing or listen to some of the Christmas hymns and carols over the coming week, look for the words hope and peace and their context.

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
Israel's strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;

Or from O Little Town of Bethlehem:

 

The hopes and fears of all the years,

Are met in Thee tonight.

I'll close with a verse from Proverbs 13 that I read the other day.

 

Prov 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,  but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.   NIV

If you have a hope that has been deferred, may you find rest, peace, and joy  this season in Jesus, the tree of life.

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
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
Mic 5:2-5

 

A Ruler from Bethlehem

 

2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
are only a small village among all the people of Judah.
Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you,
one whose origins are from the distant past.
3 The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies
until the woman in labor gives birth.
Then at last his fellow countrymen
will return from exile to their own land.
4 And he will stand to lead his flock with the Lord's strength,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
Then his people will live there undisturbed,
for he will be highly honored around the world.
5 And he will be the source of peace.  NLT

 

Verse of the Day 12/18

Through the Bible - Micah 3, Revelation 11

 

Good morning,

I recently read the parable of the sower in Matthew 13 where Jesus said:

Matt 13: 22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. NIV

John MacArthur writes, "The worldly hearer in this parable is oblivious to the deception of money and it's inability to give lasting satisfaction.  He or she doesn't notice how worldliness - the worshipful priority of money, possessions, career, and other temporary affairs - can smother the Word.  Such a reality shows that the individual has a heart full of sinful weeds that cannot coexist for long with the Word of God.  If faith is genuine, it will forsake the world; otherwise, sin will choke out the Word."

As you observe, and possibly get caught up in the "rush" in this last week before Christmas, we are challenged to be mindful of our priorities.  All around us we'll see people worshipping, desiring certain gifts, possessions and "temporary affairs", while the Christmas story and the love of Christ, how God so loved the world, take a backseat.

 

For today's verse we'll go to 1 John 2 where John warns us about getting caught up, to have our minds set on "the things of this world".

1 John 2:15-18 Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world — wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important — has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out — but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity. - THE MESSAGE

 

The Message shows us that as we get caught up in the desire for other things that love for the Father gets "squeezed out".  Is your to do list max-ed out to the point where you can't squeeze time in your schedule to read the Bible and to pray?  Do you find yourself wanting, wanting, and wanting?

Perhaps you have a friend or family member in this condition.  May you be able to turn them back to God, quiet their hearts, to see what God has done for them in giving us the most precious gift.

 

The word for "don't love the world" can also be translated as "stop loving the world".  Instead we are to show our love to God which will show in our actions of showing love to others in gratitude for how God has blessed us in Jesus Christ. 

Read the passage below, may you "know" the things mentioned in verses 12-14, and may the "wanting, wanting, wanting" be on the way out.

 

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

 

1 John 2:12-18

12 I am writing to you who are God's children
because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.
13 I am writing to you who are mature in the faith
because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I am writing to you who are young in the faith
because you have won your battle with the evil one.
14 I have written to you who are God's children
because you know the Father.
I have written to you who are mature in the faith
because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I have written to you who are young in the faith
because you are strong.
God's word lives in your hearts,
and you have won your battle with the evil one.

Do Not Love This World

15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.  NLT

Verse of the Day 12/17

Through the Bible - Jonah 4 - Micah 2, Revelation 10

 

Good morning,

I've shared it before, but one of the favorite quotes that I have from my son Jeff is "Hope is my favorite thing to have".

Having hope can help us from being "dismayed".  Dismay is defined as "to lose courage or resolution" or "to be at a loss for how to deal with something".  When we are dismayed, circumstances get us down, hope lifts you up.

 

Today's verses come from Joshua 1 where Joshua was receiving his commision from the Lord.  He was to lead the people into the promised land.  A daunting, uncertain task indeed if it were to be tried in ones own strength.  Here is how God gave Joshua hope.

 Josh 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."   ESV
As we prepare to celebrate Christmas this thought should be in our hearts and minds as we read the Christmas story and sing song's about Immanuel, God with us.

 

Matt 1:22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."   NKJV

What troubles are you facing today that have you down or dismayed?  Be mindful that God is with you.  May hope be your favorite thing to have, hope in a Saviour, Christ the Lord, Immanuel God is with us.

 

If you are not facing a trial, spread the hope to someone who is.

 

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Josh 1:5-10
5  No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6  Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful 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 courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

ESV

Verse of the Day 12/16

Through the Bible - Obadiah - Jonah 3, Revelation 9

 

Good morning,

Yesterday's devotional about Elijah and the widow of Zarephath reminded me of the parable of the mustard seed which I had read recently.

For today's verses we'll go to Matthew 13 for this short but powerful parable.

 

Matt 13:31 Here is another illustration Jesus used: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches."  NLT

 

I'm not saying that the faith of Elijah or the widow in offering the water and the last bit of bread were small acts, but in comparison to what he accomplished in their lives and still accomplishes through their testimony, they started out small.

 

You can look at it from a couple of perspectives.  With Elijah, God was building his faith day.  Day by day Elijah's faith grew and if you continue to read in 2 Kings you'll see what God accomplished through him in defeating the prophets of Baal.

 

The widow in 2 Kings also reminded me of the widow in Luke 21.  They both gave what could have been enough for their last meal.  We don't know anything about these people after these events but God's kingdom continues to grow through their testimony.

 

The same can be with us.  The small steps of faith in our lives can lead to greater things in our lives or the testimony of simple acts done in our lives can impact others which may impact future generations.

 

Acts of faith done here, simple gifts or money for food given here can impact people across the world for Christ, for generations.

 

John MacArthur writes, "A further lesson from this parable is the God's kingdom will grow to become a blessing to the rest of the world.  The tree that develops from the mustard seed symbolizes the kingdom, which in this age is Christ's true church.  The metaphor of birds nesting suggests the positive idea of providing protection and safety for others."

 Are you challenged or prompted to use and show a small act, a mustard seed of faith today?  Follow through, you'll never know what might be accomplished for His kingdom if you do.

 

The "Feed the Hunger" organization can provide a meal to a starving child for about 17 cents a day.  Think of the impact that giving 17 cents a day to support a child may do for their lives.  It starts with a mustard seed of faith to give.

 

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

 

Luke 21:1-5

21 Just then he looked up and saw the rich people dropping offerings in the collection plate. Then he saw a poor widow put in two pennies. He said, "The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today. All these others made offerings that they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford — she gave her all!"   THE MESSAGE

Verse of the Day 12/15

Through the Bible - Amos 7-9, Revelation 8

 

Good morning,

If someone were to ask you where you would go to be "refined" how would you respond?  Perhaps to an ivy league school, a school for the performing arts, a theological seminary or possibly serve as an apprentice to a high level public official.  How many of you thought of the wilderness, being relocated to a small destitute town in the boonies, during a famine?

 

The  men's Bible study group that I'm in has been studying the life of Elijah.

 

Elijah had been led away from society and he found himself in a desert place and we read in 1 Kings 17 that he drank water from a trickle in a gully and was fed by ravens.  From there the Lord led him to a small town, Zarephath, where he approached  a woman for some food and water.  We'll go there for today's verses.

 

 1 Kings 17:8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 "Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food." 10 So he went to Zarephath.   NIV

It may seem like an odd verse to choose, but follow me on this.

 

Elijah's water supply literally dried up and Elijah had to relocate.  Instead of sending him to the big city, he sent him to a small town on the edge of the wilderness, a place that itself was running short of food during a time of famine.

The name Zarephath literally means "refinement" and comes from the Hebrew root OT:6884  tsaraph (tsaw-raf'); a primitive root; to fuse (metal), i.e. refine (literally or figuratively):

 

God sent him here to be refined, to be strengthened, for his will to be "fused" with God's.  God was preparing him for greater things, but he first had to go through the refining process.  Most importantly he had to learn to depend upon God daily for subsistance.  First it came by water from the wadi and food from ravens (unclean to the Jews).  Then he approaches a widow and requests her last bit of food.

In a time of despair, she trusts him, or perhaps thinks "why not, I'm going to die anyway".  But she provides for him.

 

Read the rest of the passage below.  Take some time to think about the situation.  What would Elijah have looked like after spending time in the desert, eating "roadkill" and presumably not having a change of clothes?  What would be the modern day equivalent.  If you were yourself preparing the last food in the cupboard, would you give it to a foreigner who asked for it?

 

Where might you be refined?  Perhaps you don't need to go anywhere?  Perhaps it could be Kenya, Haiti, Mexico or somewhere else on a missions trip where you will find people who live day to day for their not knowing where their next meal will come from.

 

If God speaks to you and says to go to your "Zarephath" your place of refining, will you go?

 

Wherever that place may be, across the globe, across town, or in your home may you follow and be able to say "blessed be your name" as He leads you.

 

Blessed Be Your Name - Matt Redman

 

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

God had greater things in store for Elijah, but he first had to learn to trust in the Lord, day by day, every day for his provision, physically and spiritually.  What does He have in store for you?

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net

1 Kings 17:7-17

 

Elijah and the Widow

 

8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 9 "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you." 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, "Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink." 11 And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, "Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand."

 

12 So she said, "As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die."

 

13 And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the Lord God of Israel: 'The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.'"

 

15 So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.

 

NKJV

Verse of the Day 12/14

Through the Bible -Amos 4-6, Revelation 7

 

Good morning,

Last week we looked at Proverbs 4 and considered the following verses.

Prov 4:20 My child, pay attention to what I say.
Listen carefully to my words.
21 Don't lose sight of them.
Let them penetrate deep into your heart,  NLT

We ate to pay close attention to God's Word, listen carefully, keep them in front of us and let, allow them, to penetrate "deep into" our hearts.

Those words were still fresh enough in my mind to stick out when I read the parable of the soils later in the week.

 

For today's verses we'll go to Matthew 13 where we see what happens in this parable when the seed, God's Word, was not allowed to penetrate, to take hold, deep in the heart.

 

Matt 13:20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 21 But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word.  NLT.

 

We won't have deep roots if we don't allow God's word to penetrate into our heats.  John MacArthur writes, "When superficial hearers first hear the gospel they have a euphoric religious experience, believing at last that God has met their felt needs.  They are often zealous and energetic in church activities and eager to tell others about their new happiness.

For the superficial hearer, God's truth has only penetrated the edge of the mind, but not the heart.  That is why, when the high cost of salvation does not confront the person, the gospel can quickly be renounced as it was once seemingly accepted.  Spiritual reality has no root and thus can't produce true spiritual fruit, which, as Jesus soon makes clear, is the only sure evidence of a transformed life."

 May we do like the author of Proverbs tells us, to keep His Word before us, pay attention to it, let it penetrate deep in your heart so that it springs forth in your actions.  If we do so, it will produce fruit in our lives as we see in the concluding verses from the passage in Matthew 13.

Matt 13:23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."   NKJV

 

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Matt 13:18-24

The Parable of the Sower Explained
(Mark 4:13-20; Luke 8:11-15)

18 "Therefore hear the parable of the sower:  19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.  20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;  21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.  22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.  23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."   NKJV

Verse of the Day 12/12

Through the Bible - Joel 1 - Amos 3, Revelation 6

 

Good morning,

A common theme in this weeks devotionals has been our ways and our paths.  I came across several passages and verses in my devotional readings this week that had to do with these topics, these words.  In preparation for worship this weekend I thought we might consider a few of them.

 

Ps 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
2 He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3 He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.  NLT

 

Notice the Lord's actions in these verses.  He leads, renews, and He guides along "right paths".

 

Prov 5:21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord,
And He ponders all his paths.
22 His own iniquities entrap the wicked man,
And he is caught in the cords of his sin.   NKJV

These verses point out that the Lord sees everything, He knows the path that we are on, He knows and warns that straying from the right paths "will entrap" the one who strays.  You don't have to look far in the news today to see examples of this from sports celebrities, politicians, and sadly professing Christians - even high profile pastors.

 

Hos 14:9 Let those who are wise understand these things.
Let those with discernment listen carefully.
The paths of the Lord are true and right,
and righteous people live by walking in them.
But in those paths sinners stumble and fall.  NLT

 

We are told to be mindful , to understand these things, to take them to heart and apply God's wisdom and discernment in our lives in order to keep us from stumbling.

 

For today's verse we'll go to Joel chapter 2 which is from the Old Testament reading for today.

 

Joel 2:12 That is why the Lord says,
"Turn to me now, while there is time.
Give me your hearts.
Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
13 Don't tear your clothing in your grief,
but tear your hearts instead."
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is merciful and compassionate,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
He is eager to relent and not punish.  NLT

 

If you have strayed from the His paths, He calls us to turn, not just in outward appearance, but in the heart, to return to Him in repentance, knowing that He is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and filled with unfailing love.  If you are on His path these verses should also cause us to question why we would ever willingly turn from His path in the first place.

 

Great is His Faithfulness.

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
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
Joel 2:12-18

 

A Call to Repentance

 

12 That is why the Lord says,
"Turn to me now, while there is time.
Give me your hearts.
Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
13 Don't tear your clothing in your grief,
but tear your hearts instead."
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is merciful and compassionate,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
He is eager to relent and not punish.
14 Who knows? Perhaps he will give you a reprieve,
sending you a blessing instead of this curse.
Perhaps you will be able to offer grain and wine
to the Lord your God as before.

 

15 Blow the ram's horn in Jerusalem!
Announce a time of fasting;
call the people together
for a solemn meeting.
16 Gather all the people—
the elders, the children, and even the babies.
Call the bridegroom from his quarters
and the bride from her private room.
17 Let the priests, who minister in the Lord's presence,
stand and weep between the entry room to the Temple and the altar.
Let them pray, "Spare your people, Lord!
Don't let your special possession become an object of mockery.
Don't let them become a joke for unbelieving foreigners who say,
'Has the God of Israel left them?'"   NLT

Verse of the Day 12/11

Through the Bible - Hosea 11-14, Revelation 5

 

Good morning,

In yesterday's devotional from Proverbs chapter 3 the verses spoke of trust, our ways, and our paths.

The same themes continue in chapter 4 as we see in verses 12 and 13:

 

Prov 4:11 I will teach you wisdom's ways
and lead you in straight paths.
12 When you walk, you won't be held back;
when you run, you won't stumble.  NLT

 The theme continues a few verses later.

 

Prov 4:18 The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like total darkness.
They have no idea what they are stumbling over.  NLT

 

Today's verses wrap and put a bow on the thoughts:

 

Prov 4:21 Don't lose sight of my words.
Let them penetrate deep within your heart,
22 for they bring life and radiant health to anyone who discovers their meaning.

23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it effects everything you do.  New Living Translation

 

I know that I've shared it before, but reading these verses I'm reminded again of the song Trust and Obey.  Here is the first stanza and refrain.  If you know the rest of it,sing it out loud or in your heart today.

 

Trust And Obey

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Spend time in His Word this weekend, let it penetrate deep within your heart, may it light your path.

 

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

 

Prov 4:18-5:1

18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.

20 My son, pay attention to what I say;
listen closely to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
and health to a man's whole body.
23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.
24 Put away perversity from your mouth;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead,
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Make level paths for your feet
and take only ways that are firm.
27 Do not swerve to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.   NIV