Verse of the Day 1/21

Through the Bible - Genesis 50-Exodus 1, Matthew 15:29-16:4

Good morning,

Yesterday we considered the "pearl of great price".  We are tempted to think of it as an external thing.  But finding that pearl is a working in the heart.  The pearl is formed in our hearts.

In nature, pearls are the result of a biological process -- the oyster's way of protecting itself from foreign substances.  Layers are formed aournd sources of irritation.  As we go through life, through the trials God puts layer upon layer of grace in our hearts as we follow Him

 

The parables on the pearl and the treause from Matthew 13 came to mind when I heard another song on my Blackberry on the way to the west coast.

 

Awake My Soul - Phillips,Craig & Dean

Awake my soul prepare an entrance for Your glory
And let my heart become a throne for You to dwell
And when I need Your Holy Spirit more than life itself
Then Christ is formed in Me

When I lose myself I reflect Your image
When I break, break my will, then I am whole
When I give, give my all, I find life everlasting.
Then Christ is formed in me.

 

I am not attesting to the theological corectness of the song but the picture that I get is that as we follow Christ and learn from Him we treasure Him more and more.  As this happens, the Pearl, Jesus Christ is being formed in our hearts.  It's about losing ourselves that Christ may be formed in us.  It is not something that we do, as the song may seem to indicate, it's something He does in us.

 

For today's verse we'll go to Philippians 3 where Paul shows us that his heart is much like that of the merchant.

 

Phil 3:8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead.   NLT.

 

It's God's way of making us right with Him. 

 

What is being formed in your heart today?

 

Blessings,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Phil 3:7-12

7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ  9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.    NKJV