Verse of the Day 9/30

Through the Bible - Isaiah 21-23, Ephesians 5

 

Good morning,

Nowadays its probably easier than ever to communicate with one another.  E-mail, text messages, voice-mails and social media make communication with friends and acquaintances around the world just a click of the mouse away.  Hit the send button and your message may be delivered in seconds.

 

There is still something special, personal and meaningful in the hand written letter or card, sometimes delivered in person.

 

Psalm 25 referenced yesterday,  is special, dear to me, in great part due to a note that was given to me during my darkest hours, by a friend who took the time to write the note and hand deliver it to me in the ICU waiting room in a hospital.  The note outlined several of the verses speaking encouragement to my heart when I needed it most.

I still have that note tucked in my study Bible.  The note and the song always help me to remember and be thankful for that friend.

For today's verse we'll go to Philippians 1, to a greeting in Paul's letter to the Philippian church.

Philippians 1:3 (New International Version)  ³I thank my God every time I remember you.
 

Have you received such a card or letter that helped and encouraged you while you were in your "dark night of the soul"?  Do you still have it?

 

Much of the New Testament is made up of letters from Paul to the various churches in the first century.  They were letters of encouragement and hope.  We have them today because they were held on to, copied and spread around.  Their message still resounds in us today.

 

If you are prompted to drop someone a note today, do it.  And if it is a letter of encouragement, consider hand writing it and sending it snail mail or deliver it personally.

 

I send my thanks to Bob from EEFC.  I thank my God every time I remember you.

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Thankfulness and Prayer

Philippians 1:3-11   
³ I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, ⁴ always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, ⁵ for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶ being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; ⁷ just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. ⁸ For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.
⁹ And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, ¹¹ being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Verse of the Day 9/29

Through the Bible - Isaiah 18-20, Ephesians 4

 

Good morning,

 In yesterday's devotional we considered what it means to "stretch" ourselves out on God.  This morning I read Psalm 25 and could picture David doing the same, sitting down and writing the following;

Psalms 25 ¹UNTO YOU, O Lord, do I bring my life.

    ²O my God, I trust, lean on, rely on, and am confident in You. Let me not be put to shame or [my hope in You] be disappointed; let not my enemies triumph over me.

The psalm also shows that the one who "stretches himself out" on God desires His divine guidance.  For today's verse we'll continue on in Psalm 25:

Psalm 25:4-5 (Amplified Bible)  ⁴Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths.

⁵Guide me in Your truth and faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You [You only and altogether] do I wait [expectantly] all the day long.

Continuing the thoughts from yesterday, I get the mental picture of resting in Him after the triumphs and struggles of the day, waiting expectantly for

what He has in store for us for today and tomorrow.

 

Many songs have been written about this "waiting on the Lord", several surrounding Isaiah 40:28-31.  This waiting involves hoping.  Hope is a great thing to have, especially when our hope is in the right place.  Read the lyrics to My Hope is in You by Third Day.

 

To you, O Lord, I lift my soul
In you, O God, I place my trust
Do not let me be put to shame
Nor let my enemies triumph over me

 

My hope is you
Show me your ways
Guide me in Truth
In all my days
My hope is you

 

I am, O Lord, filled with your love
You are, O God, my salvation
Guard my life and rescue me
My broken spirit shouts
My mended heart cries out...

My hope is in you.

 

My this be your song as you wait on, stretch out on Him today.

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Psalm 25

[A Psalm] of David.

 ¹UNTO YOU, O Lord, do I bring my life.

    ²O my God, I trust, lean on, rely on, and am confident in You. Let me not be put to shame or [my hope in You] be disappointed; let not my enemies triumph over me.

    ³Yes, let none who trust and wait hopefully and look for You be put to shame or be disappointed; let them be ashamed who forsake the right or deal treacherously without cause.

    ⁴Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths.

    ⁵Guide me in Your truth and faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You [You only and altogether] do I wait [expectantly] all the day long.

    ⁶Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercy and loving-kindness; for they have been ever from of old.

Verse of the Day 9/28

Through the Bible - Isaiah 15-17, Isaiah 3

 

Good morning,

Faith, hope and trust are all tied together as part of "believing".  I recently read a story about John G. Patton, an early missionary to the Pacific isles.

In trying to translate the Bible into the local language.  To his dismay, he struggled to find words that would convey faith, confidence, trust and belief.

One day, the men of the village had been out hunting and were carrying their kill back to the home of the missionary.  It was a difficult trek in the hills along the equator.  The heat and humidity were oppressive.  They arrived at the house, exhausted, dropped their burden, and threw themselves down in the grass under the shade of a tree.  One of the natives said, "oh, it is good to stretch yourself out here in the shade."

The missionary had found his word.  D.G. Barnhouse writes, "Excitedly he had his companion repeat the sentence again and again..... and when the gospels were ultimately translated, this was the word that he used to convey the idea of faith and belief."

For today's verse we'll go to John 3:16 where he inserted this word.

"For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son, that whosever "stretcheth Himself out on Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life."   John 3:16 
 or

John 3:16 (Amplified Bible) For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

He also inserted it into the following:  "Stretch yourself out on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved".

It's a picture of resting in Him, finding relief from the heat and oppression of the day, or night for that matter, such as the oppression of  the burdens in our lives.

We recently considered how we are told in the Bible "the just shall live by faith".  Barnhouse and others like John Piper have noted that it may also be stated, "the just by faith shall live".

 

Oh, trust thyself to Jesus

When daily cares perplex,

And trifles seem so mighty

Thy inner soul to vex;

Then is the hour of grasping

His hand who walked the sea;

Then is the time for singing;

"He makes it calm for me".

 

Oh, trust thyself to Jesus

When thou art full of care,

For loved  ones still refusing

Our blessed hope to share;

Then is the hour of trusting

Our Lord to bring them nigh!

Then is the time for singing,

"He loves them more  than I."

 

In what situation do you need to "stretch yourself out on Jesus" today?

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

John 3:16-21 - NLT   ¹⁶ "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

 ¹⁸ "There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son. ¹⁹ And the judgment is based on this fact: God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. ²⁰ All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. ²¹ But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants."

Verse of the Day 9/27

Through the Bible - Isaiah 12-14, Ephesians 2

 

Good morning,

Our family watched a couple of movies over the weekend.  One was "Letters to Juliet" which revolved around a letter written to a boyfriend that had been found 50 years later and made an impact even after 50 years.  The other (which I only caught the tail end of) was "Letters to God" which was about a child with a terminal illness who began a letter writing campaign to God.  The child became a letter himself to all that came to know him and were blessed to know him.

For today's verse we'll go to 2 Corinthians 3 where Paul is telling the church that they are his letters to the community to the world.  Each would tell a story.

2 Corinthians 3:3 (Amplified Bible)  You show and make obvious that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, not written with ink but with [the] Spirit of [the] living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

I've said before that our handicapped son Jeff has stated "hope is my favorite thing to have".  We easily could have lost Jeff in his accident.  He came out of it a different person.  More and more over the years we've realized, and this movie brought home, that he is a letter from God and is a letter of hope, joy, and love to anyone who takes the time to know him.

 

One of the songs from the movie was "You Give Me Hope".  I cried through the song as I saw how it applied to Jeff.

 

I look at your smiling face
You're so weak and yet you have such strength
You take a glance around this place
And you make the best of everything

Chorus:
You give me hope in-spite of everything
You show me love even with so much pain
So I'll take this life and live like I was given another try
M.m.m.m

We laugh, we cry
Sometimes we're broken and we don't know why
And I'm tired and I lose my way. You help me find faith
Ooooh

You give me hope in spite of everything
You show me love even with so much pain
So I'll take this life, and live like I, was given another try
Just give me another try

You give me hope in spite of everything
You show me love even with so much pain
I'll take this life, and live like I, was given another try

The question is what kind of letter are you from your church, your family to those around you.

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 Corinthians 3

 ¹Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? ²You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. ³You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.  NIV

Verse of the Day - weekend 9/25

Through the Bible - Isaiah 7-11, Galatians 6 - Ephesians 1

 

Good morning,

The statement "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" is one of the most famous phrases from our U.S. Declaration of Independence.  Unfortunately, more and more our society tries to find and identifies its happiness in things, possessions.

 

 Gregg Laurie writes, "When we read the word "happiness" in the Bible, it is speaking of something that is self-contained. In other words, you can experience happiness regardless of your circumstances. The happiness the Bible advocates does not come from what you have. It isn't dependent on whether things are going well. It comes from who you know. And the "who" I am referring to is the Lord himself."
For today's verse we'll go to this mornings New Testament reading from Galatians 6, I'm quoting The Message.

 

Gal 6:7-8  Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others — ignoring God! —   harvests a crop of weeds. All he'll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.   The Message

If happiness is found in "who you know" what should it mean in our relationships with God and others?

 

Gal 6:10  Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.  NLT

Regarding our opportunity, John MacArthur writes that "this Greek word refers to a distinct, fixed time period, rather than occasional moments.  Paul's point is that the believer's entire life provides the unique privilege by which we can serve others in Christ's name."

 

Think of the various stages in your life, think of the ones that lie ahead.  All of them bring unique opportunities for us.  Will we use them for the pursuit of things which will harvest a "crop of weeds"  or use them as opportunities to plant seeds to cultivate relationships, relationships that lead to eternal life.

 

Think about what truly brings happiness in your life.  When it comes down to it, hopefully, you will find that it is those you love and who love you that bring the most happiness.  Why not spend more time planting seeds in these relationships than seeds that will lead to discontent?

 

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

Gal 6:6-11

 

Be very sure now, you who have been trained to a self-sufficient maturity, that you enter into a generous common life with those who have trained you, sharing all the good things that you have and experience.

 

Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others — ignoring God! —   harvests a crop of weeds. All he'll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.

 

So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.   The Message

Verse of the Day 9/24

Through the Bible - Isaiah 4-6, Galatians 5

 

Good morning,

Some of you may remember the old "cop" show Dragnet.  One of the characters, Sgt. Joe Friday, with his monotone voice would always say "just the facts mam".  The Evil One's ways are to deceive, sidetrack, hi-jack our thoughts with false arguments. 

For today's verse we'll go to 1 Corinthians 15 where Paul tells us that if we succumb to these arguments we are to be most pitied.   Paul encourages us to hold onto the facts that Christ lived, died, was buried and rose again to give us confidence and hope that He will do the same for us.

 

1 Corinthians 15:19-20 (Amplified Bible) If we who are [abiding] in Christ have hope only in this life and that is all, then we are of all people most miserable and to be pitied.

²⁰But the fact is that Christ (the Messiah) has been raised from the dead, and He became the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep [in death].

If we are abiding with Christ, living in communion, in communication with Him in His Word and in prayer, putting our faith and trust in Him we are in union with Him.  This union definitely has benefits in the here and now and for eternity.

In "The Throne of Grace" John MacDuff writes, "It is in virtue of your union with Christ, that His grace is yours, to strengthen and sustain you—His Spirit is yours, to guide, enlighten, and comfort you—His intercession is yours, to secure for you all needed blessing—His power is yours, to defend you from injury, to secure you against defeat—His heart is yours, into which you may pour all your sorrows, and receive His sympathy—His home is yours, to be your everlasting abode, that where He is, there you may be also." 

We believe that Jesus was raised from the dead and is alive today and that we who belong to Him will be raised when He comes back.  Until then, the facts are that  His grace. Spirit, intercession, power, heart, sympathy, and His home are  ours.

Do not be deceived by false arguments.

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
1 Cor 15:12-24

 

The Resurrection of the Dead

 

12 But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? 13 For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. 15 And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can't be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. 16 And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. 18 In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! 19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.

 

20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.

 

21 So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. 23 But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.  NLT

Verse of the Day 9/23

Through the Bible - Isaiah 2-3, Galatians 4

 

Good morning,

Yesterday, I ended with Isaiah 30:15 - This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: "Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength.
But you would have none of it.  NLT

 

For today's verse we'll go to this morning's New Testament reading in Galatians 4 where Paul tells us that Jesus came :

 To purchase the freedom of (to ransom, to redeem, to atone for) those who were subject to the Law, that we might be adopted and have sonship conferred upon us [and be recognized as God's sons].   ⁶And because you [really] are [His] sons, God has sent the [Holy] Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba (Father)! Father!  - Galatians 4:5-6 (Amplified Bible)

Jesus calls us that we may be adopted as sons, to be recognized as God's children.  This means that we can come to Him, if we have strayed, we can return to Him.  If we are burned out from trying to reach him in our own power he calls to us and offers rest, comfort, and confidence.

In his final sermon, Martin Luther wanted to convey this timely message for all ages as he wrote,  "Christ says, 'Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden,' and it is as though he were saying: Just stick to me, hold on to my Word and let everything else go. . . . For when you suffer for my sake, it is my yoke and my burden which I lay upon you in grace, that you may know that this your suffering is well pleasing to God and to me and that I myself am helping you to carry it. . . . [May we] cling only to Christ's Word and come to him, as he so lovingly invites us to do, and say: You alone are my beloved Lord and Master, I am your disciple."  

 

May we come to Him and cling to His Word, surrender our lives to Him.  May we not be of those who "would have none of it".

 

All to Jesus I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

 

I surrender all,
I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

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
Gal 4:1-7

 

4 What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. 4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba,  Father." 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
NIV

Verse of the Day 9/22

Through the Bible - Song of Solomon 7 - Isaiah 1, Galatians 3

 

Good morning,

In today's New Testament reading we came across the statement "the just shall live by faith".  We find this statement at least four times in the Bible (Hab.2:4, Rom. 1:17, Gal. 3:11, Heb. 10:38).  It is so easy to fall into legalism and thinking that we can please God by following "all the rules".

For today's verse we'll go to Galatians 2 where Paul stresses once again the need for faith and trust in Christ.

Galatians 2:16 (Amplified Bible)  Yet we know that a man is justified or reckoned righteous and in right standing with God not by works of the Law, but [only] through faith and [absolute] reliance on and adherence to and trust in Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). [Therefore] even we [ourselves] have believed on Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law [for we cannot be justified by any observance of the ritual of the Law given by Moses], because by keeping legal rituals and by works no human being can ever be justified (declared righteous and put in right standing with God).

John MacArthur writes, "Three times in this verse Paul declares that salvation is only through faith in Christ and not by law.  The first is general, "a man is not justified"; the second is personal, "we might be justified"; and the third is universal, "no flesh shall be justified".  This basic Greek word forensically describes a judge declaring an accused person not guilty and therefore innocent before the law.  Throughout scripture, it refers to God's declaring a sinner not guilty and fully righteous before Him by imputing to him the divine righteousness of Christ and imputing the person's sin to his sinless Savior for punishment." (Rom.3:24, Phil. 3:8,9).

 

What part do faith and "quiet trust" play in our lives and decisions?  How will they today?  The question is general, personal, and universal.

 

Isaiah 30:15 NIV - This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:
       "In repentance and rest is your salvation,
       in quietness and trust is your strength,
       but you would have none of it.

 

 

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

No Return to the Law

   
^{Galatians 3:11 NKJV}  Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; ¹² for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. ¹³ And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.
¹⁴ But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, "If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? ¹⁵ We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, ¹⁶ knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

Verse of the Day 9/21

Through the Bible - Song of Solomon 4-6, Galatians 2

 

Good morning,

We recently read Paul's concise gospel in 1 Corinthians 15.  As we move to Galatians in the New Testament reading (above) Paul is dealing with a church that had turned away from the true gospel and fallen back into legalism.

Today's verse comes from yesterday's reading in chapter 1.

Galatians 1:6-7 (Amplified Bible)  I am surprised and astonished that you are so quickly turning renegade and deserting Him Who invited and called you by the grace (unmerited favor) of Christ (the Messiah) [and that you are transferring your allegiance] to a different [even an opposition] gospel.

⁷Not that there is [or could be] any other [genuine Gospel], but there are [obviously] some who are troubling and disturbing and bewildering you [with a different kind of teaching which they offer as a gospel] and want to pervert and distort the Gospel of Christ (the Messiah) [into something which it absolutely is not].

The Amplified Bible correctly describes the situation in that they were not just turning, they were deserting Christ by following man made rules and regulations.  John MacArthur writes regarding "turning away" - "This is better translated deserting.  The Greek word was used of military desertion, which was punishable by death.  The form of this Greek verb indicates that the Galatian believers were voluntarily deserting grace to pursue the legalism taught by the false teachers" the Judaizers.

 

Romans 4-5. Ephesians 2 and many other passages show us that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ, not of works.

 

We need to keep the gospel message before us.  This can be done by being in His Word.  We can also be reminded of this in hymns and modern songs that convey the message.  I'll post the first stanza to "Living He Loved Me".  If you have another song that reminds you of the gospel of Christ, sing it in your heart or out loud in preparation for the day ahead and the day of His return.

 

Living he Loved Me
Dying he saved me
Buried He carried my
My sins far away
Rising he justified me
Freed me forever
One day he's coming back Glorious day

 

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

 Galatians 1:3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. ⁴ Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. ⁵ All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.

There Is Only One Good News

 ⁶ I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News ⁷ but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.

 ⁸ Let God's curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. ⁹ I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed.

 ¹⁰ Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant.

Verse of the Day 9/20

Through the Bible - Song of Solomon 1-3, Galatians 1

 

Good morning,

Our men's small group is going through the book "The Same Kind of Different as Me". Its not your ordinary "study" book but has led to some great conversations.  This morning one of the topics was "what do we strive for".  We are all "striving" for something.  It could be fame, fortune, fast cars, or any number of pleasures.

For today's verse we'll go to Colossians chapter one where Paul prays for the church and for us -

Colossians 1:10 (Amplified Bible) That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition].

The discussion reminded me of the hymn "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. 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 Who died in my place, Bearing on Calv'ry my sin and disgrace; Such love constrains me to answer His call, Follow His leading and give Him my all.   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.

Consider what it means to "strive" to please Him.  It is not legalism and it is not serving for our own interest and glory.  In fact striving to please Him may "break some rules" something that Jesus knew about in His dealings with the Pharisee's.

May we have and cultivate a  fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition of His will for our lives.

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

Paul's Thanksgiving and Prayer

Colossians 1:3 We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴ For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God's people, ⁵ which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.

 ⁶ This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God's wonderful grace.

 ⁷ You learned about the Good News from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ's faithful servant, and he is helping us on your behalf. ⁸ He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.

 ⁹ So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. ¹⁰ Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

Verse of the Day 9/17

Through the Bible - Ecclesiastes 5-6, 2 Corinthians 11:16-33

 

Good morning,

The desire to make the "gospel" more presentable is something that is not just occurring today.  It has happened through the ages.  Paul at various times had to remind the churches of the time to get back to the basics.  If you read through 1 and 2 Corinthians you may see many similarities of the church of then and today and our common struggles.

For today's verse we'll go to 1 Corinthians 15.
 

1 Corinthians 15:3-5 (Amplified Bible)  For I passed on to you first of all what I also had received, that Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for our sins in accordance with [what] the Scriptures [foretold], 

 ⁴That He was buried, that He arose on the third day as the Scriptures foretold, 

  ⁵And [also] that He appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the Twelve

The apostle Paul in verse 1 has to "remind" the Corinthian church of the "basic tenets" of the gospel.  Then, as today, in efforts to reach more or be more attractive the gospel had lost focus on at least one of these building blocks.  He had to remind them that salvation begins with the soul's relationship to the God who created us.

 

D.G. Barnhouse writes, "The great good news of the gospel is that God did the work of reconciling the world to Himself; that He came in Christ, the Word made flesh, and dwelt among us in order to complete the three historical events which make salvation possible.  He died for our sins according to the scriptures, He was buried, and He rose again from the dead according to the scriptures.  The entire work of salvation was thus accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ, and now it can be applied to the individual.  This is the good news which we bring to men, and this work is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth."

 

We need to remember the fact that it all begins and ends with God.  We also need to keep our ears open to the "gospel" as it is presented, somewhere in it we should here that Jesus came to save us from sin, that He died, was buried and rose again to conquer death once and for all.  Read it again from the NLT below.

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

1 Corinthians 15

The Resurrection of Christ

 ¹ Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. ² It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.

 ³ I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. ⁴ He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. ⁵ He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. ⁶ After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. ⁷ Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. ⁸ Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. ⁹ For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I'm not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God's church.

Verse of the Day 9/16

Through the Bible - Ecclesiastes 3-4, 2 Corinthians 11:1-15

 

Good morning,

When we moved from Illinois to North Carolina (six years ago yesterday), it took us a while to find a new "home" church.  We attended St. Marks from the beginning (mostly Saturday nights)  but attended several other churches in the area on Sunday morning.  One of the things that made us feel at home was how well our son Jeff was received.  Then as now, He is not shy about sharing His love for Christ vocally with an "amen" or a "woo who" or answering rhetorical questions out loud.

 

This 27 year old young man (now) was received as a child of God, and accepted for who he was and is.  I still get tears of joy when so many people, week after week give him a hug or a fist bump on Saturday nights or Sunday mornings.

 

Today's verse from Matthew 18 shows Jesus teaching the audience, His disciples how they are to react to these children of God.

Matthew 18:5 (Amplified Bible)  And whoever receives and accepts and welcomes one little child like this for My sake and in My name receives and accepts and welcomes Me. 

John MacArthur writes, "The context of this verse makes it clear that Jesus was not speaking of the particular toddler on His lap but was using the child to symbolize and describe the spiritual children of God.  No matter how weak and unimpressive a believer may be, we must treat him as a precious child of God because there is a solidarity between God and saints and among all who share His life by the indwelling Spirit."

 

The question for us is, how do we treat special needs kids, the stranger who attends a service or may be interested in joining our small group?

 

Think of what Jesus may have looked like back then.  Think of what he might look like now.  Would it be with long hair, perhaps a pony tail?  I don't know, but I doubt that he'd be wearing the finest designer clothing.

 

Think of the way MacArthur put it, "there is a solidarity" between the saints and fellow believers.  May we take this to heart in our lives and in "our circles".

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Matthew 18 (Amplified Bible)

Matthew 18

 ¹AT THAT time the disciples came up and asked Jesus, Who then is [really] the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

    ²And He called a little child to Himself and put him in the midst of them,

    ³And said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all].

    ⁴Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

    ⁵And whoever receives and accepts and welcomes one little child like this for My sake and in My name receives and accepts and welcomes Me.

    ⁶But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in and acknowledge and cleave to Me to stumble and sin [that is, who entices him or hinders him in right conduct or thought], it would be better (more expedient and profitable or advantageous) for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be sunk in the depth of the sea.

Verse of the Day 9/15

Through the Bible - Proverbs 1 - Ecclesiastes 2, 2 Corinthians 10

 

Good morning,

My son Jeff and I often listen to sermons on the internet while I am "stretching" him in the evening.  He perks up whenever he hears a discussion on the names of God.  He smiles and gets excited when he hears the name Elohim.

For today's verse we'll go to Psalm 91, a passage that is often turned to in times of trouble.

One of those sermons that I remember was one from Gregg Laurie, he said something to the effect of "when in trouble we are taught to dial 911, as Christians we should remember this and go to Psalm 91:1.

Psalm 91:1-2 (New Living Translation)  Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
      will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
 ² This I declare about the Lord:
   He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
      he is my God, and I trust him.

Gregg Laurie's devotional from yesterday dealt with these verses.  I won't attempt to improve on it, so I thought that I would post if for you.  He writes, "To show us different facets of His nature, God gives us different names for himself. The words used in Psalm 91:1–2 include 'Elyôwn, Shaddai, Jehovah, and 'Elōhîm. First, we have "the Most High:" "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High. . . ." The Hebrew word used here for Most High, 'Elyôwn, speaks of possession. It is the idea of owning something. It simply reminds us that God owns and possesses everything, and that includes you and me.

Then there is the word "Almighty:" "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty. . . ." That is the word Shaddai. The thought here is of provision. It is wonderful to know that God owns everything. But it also wonderful to know that He wants to provide for us. Not only is He a living God, but He also is a giving God.

Then we have "the Lord:" "I will say of the Lord. . . ." That phrase "the Lord" is Jehovah, a unique name God called Himself before His own people, the Jews. It speaks of covenant and His promise to them.

Finally, there is "My God:" "My God, in whom I trust." That is the Hebrew word 'Elōhîm, which tells us there is one God who is triune, or three in one: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It also reminds us of the power of God.

So when we put it all together, we see that the all-knowing, all-powerful God who possesses heaven and Earth, who has entered into a special covenant with us, wants to provide for our needs. I want to know more about this God, don't you?"
 

Jeff has taught me a lot about faith, hope and trust.  Is it any wonder that his favorite name for God is "Elohim", my God in whom I trust?

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Psalm 91 (New Living Translation)

Psalm 91

 ¹ Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
      will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
 ² This I declare about the Lord:
   He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
      he is my God, and I trust him.
 ³ For he will rescue you from every trap
      and protect you from deadly disease.
 ⁴ He will cover you with his feathers.
      He will shelter you with his wings.
      His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
 ⁵ Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
      nor the arrow that flies in the day.
 ⁶ Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
      nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
 ⁷ Though a thousand fall at your side,
      though ten thousand are dying around you,
      these evils will not touch you.
 ⁸ Just open your eyes,
      and see how the wicked are punished.

 ⁹ If you make the Lord your refuge,
      if you make the Most High your shelter,
 ¹⁰ no evil will conquer you;
      no plague will come near your home.
 ¹¹ For he will order his angels
      to protect you wherever you go.
 ¹² They will hold you up with their hands
      so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone.
 ¹³ You will trample upon lions and cobras;
      you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

 ¹⁴ The Lord says, "I will rescue those who love me.
      I will protect those who trust in my name.
 ¹⁵ When they call on me, I will answer;
      I will be with them in trouble.
      I will rescue and honor them.
 ¹⁶ I will reward them with a long life
      and give them my salvation."

Verse of the Day 9/14

Through the Bible - Proverbs 27-28, 2 Corinthians 8:16-24

 

Good morning,

in Christian circles these days, we don't hear much talk about being " converted, more often we may hear and use the term being saved.  The words can be used interchangeably but something may be lost in the translation.

In Matthew 18:3, Jesus said that "unless you are converted" and become as little children you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.

John MacArthur writes, "Jesus' phrase "are converted" translates a form of the Greek word that elsewhere in the New Testament is always rendered with the meaning of "turning" or "turning around".  The idea is that a person must make an about-face and head in the opposite direction.  Peter used a form of the word twice in his sermon shortly after Pentecost as he urges his audience to "repent and return, so that your sins might be wiped away" and said of Christ that "God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways."

 

For today's verse we'll go to 1 Thessalonians 1 where Paul uses the same word encouraging the Thessalonians to turn from idols and return to God.

1 Thessalonians 1:9 (Amplified Bible)  For they themselves volunteer testimony concerning us, telling what an entrance we had among you, and how you turned to God from [your] idols to serve a God Who is alive and true and genuine,

Yesterday we considered our own "glory days" compared to God's unfading glory.

 

The things that we may find ourselves glorying in, in this world, will fade.  The sooner we turn our attention to our Lord and Saviour, the sooner we'll find and serve the God who is true, alive, and genuine.

 

Read the passage below.  Consider today that we don't need to look back, we as Christians, need to turn, look forward to a future glory that gives incentive to live for Him today while we await His coming.

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

The Faith of the Thessalonian Believers

1 Thessalonians 1:2  We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. ³ As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 ⁴ We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people. ⁵ For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you. ⁶ So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord. ⁷ As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece—throughout both Macedonia and Achaia.

 ⁸ And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don't need to tell them about it, ⁹ for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God. ¹⁰ And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God's Son from heaven—Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.

Verse of the Day 9/13

Good morning,

A few weeks ago I was mowing the lawn while listening to Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days".  The song, especially mentioning a kid who used to blow the speedball by you reminded me of day's playing little league baseball.  I loved baseball, was a pitcher (though I couldn't blow my fastball past many) and to a certain extent there were some "glory days" playing on tournament teams and such.

Many of us have had something, a sport, music, or something else that we may have excelled at in high school college and who knows, maybe even professionally.  But at some point, in our lives, the glory, at least our own fades.
 For today's verse we'll go to Psalm 63

 Psalm 63:2  I have seen you in your sanctuary
      and gazed upon your power and glory.
 ³ Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
      how I praise you!  NKJV

When we realize that our glory fades quickly, hopefully we will find that we can glory in One whose glory never fades. 

 

This past weekend in our worship service and in our "Crossings" youth services we sang the song "From the Inside Out"

 

A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame

My heart and my soul, I give You control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise, become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Your will above all else, my purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame

My heart, my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

All too often when our "glory days" are long gone, parents will try to achieve it in and through there kids.  There's nothing wrong with having your kids involved in sports or other activities, but we should make it a constant aim and goal that they come to know at an early age the One whose glory doesn't fade, and glory in Him.

May we glory in Him forever.

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Psalm 63 (New Living Translation)

Psalm 63:1-5

A psalm of David, regarding a time when David was in the wilderness of Judah.

 ¹ O God, you are my God;
      I earnestly search for you.
   My soul thirsts for you;
      my whole body longs for you
   in this parched and weary land
      where there is no water.
 ² I have seen you in your sanctuary
      and gazed upon your power and glory.
 ³ Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
      how I praise you!
 ⁴ I will praise you as long as I live,
      lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
 ⁵ You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
      I will praise you with songs of joy.

Verse of the Day - weekend 9/11

Through the Bible - Proverbs 21-26, 2 Coriinthians 6:14- 8:15

 

Good morning,

On this day when most of us will solemnly remember the events of this day in 2001 there is much in the news surrounding the desire, the "rights" of some who would like to build a mosque on the site and those who expressed a desire to burn the holy book of the opposing side.  Both are claiming the rights that they have in the laws of our country.

 

Neither side, from what I can see was considering the appropriateness of their actions.  They may have the right under our laws, but would either action be appropriate, especially considering both parties are taking their stand on religious beliefs.

 

If you have a "right" to take a certain course of action, is that sufficient reason for doing it?  The impact on others must be taken into account.  The question is not whether we have the right , for the Christian not whether Is it "right or wrong?" but rather, "does this help or hinder" our witness.

 

For this weekend's verse, we'll go to the book of 1 Corinthians to a passage that tells us about when (a) right becomes wrong.

 

1 Cor 8:9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.   NIV

A commentary that I read on this passage stated that "the will of God can be invoked to justify practically anything.  The following of Christ summons us to self sacrifice."

Oftentimes that self sacrifice will mean foregoing things that we may have the "right" to do.

 

The commentator continues, "Had they loved their neighbors, they would have made sure that they did not make life more difficult, if not impossible, for those whom conscience forced to take a different position."

 

We may not be in the national limelight over what is right or wrong on a certain position.  But in our actions and in our conversations with others we should evaluate whether our words or actions, our testimony, and the fall out from them,  will make life more difficult for other Christians.

 

1 Cor 8:1-Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. NIV

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
1 Cor 8:1-10

 

8 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge.  Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But the man who loves God is known by God.

 

4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

 

7 But not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

 

9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.   NIV

Verse of the Day 9/10

Through the Bible - Proverbs 19-20, 2 Corinthians 5:1- 6:13

 

Good morning,

As Christians we should know the 10 commandments and we should have come to realize that we cannot fulfill them on our own.  Quite often they are looked at as external rules to be obeyed.

In His sermon on the mount, Jesus expounded on some of these commandments.  He taught that they were actually matters of the heart.  He brought higher meaning to "thou shalt not steal" and "thou shalt not kill", teaching us that the thoughts and intents of the heart were important as well as the physical act.

 

For today's verses we'll go to Mathew 5 to a passage that deals with forgiveness and reconciliation, and the importance of doing it quickly.

Matthew 5:24-25 (Amplified Bible) Leave your gift at the altar and go. First make peace with your brother, and then come back and present your gift.

²⁵Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way traveling with him, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.

The passage brings a correlation between murder, anger and hatred.  They are not all that different in the heart.  Most of us realize that left to fester, anger can have an impact on many areas of our lives.  The passage points out that it will stand in the way of true worship.

 

In verse 25 many translations say "settle your differences quickly".  I chose the Amplified Bible because it says "come to terms quickly".  Have you ever said something like "I'm not on speaking terms with that person"?  What has happened in that situation?  Chances are the longer it goes on the harder reconciliation becomes.  In fact, we may not want reconciliation at all.  It just shows our hardness of heart.

 

The passage is talking about relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Surely this kind of thing never happens among Christians, not in our churches.  (I'm being sarcastic)

 

Coming to terms quickly is good advice for us in the home, at work, and yes, at church.  You may think that no one notices, but most likely they do, and it can destroy our testimony.

 

Is there someone that you need to come to terms with?  If so, come to terms with them before you go to worship this weekend.  Make peace with your brother or sister, see what a difference it will make as you worship this weekend.

 

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 5:21-27

 

Murder Begins in the Heart
(Luke 12:57-59)

 

21 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'  22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother,'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says,'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.  23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,  24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.  25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.  26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.   NKJV

Verse of the Day 9/9

Through the Bible - Proverbs 17-18, 2 Corinthians 4

 

Good morning,

Most of you know and are aware that our oldest son Jeff was in a car accident at the age of 16 which left him with a traumatic brain injury and permanent disability.  He can do very little for himself and needs pretty much 100% care.

He is totally dependent on others (us) for everything that he needs.  What kind of life is that?

That life is in the beauty of the eyes of the beholder.

Doctors had told us early on that Jeff would never walk or talk again.  Well, that was partially true.  He can take a few steps, with support from someone else, to get from his wheelchair to bed or exercise table.  More importantly he is able to speak.  His words are few, but they often blow me away.

One of the things that he commonly tells me when I go into his room first thing in the morning is to say "thank you for this wonderful life", or "this great life".  Think about that.  I'm humbled by it.

For today's verse we'll go to Matthew 18 where Jesus gives us a requirement for those who want to enter the kingdom of God.

 

Matt 18:2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.   NKJV
The Amplified Bible gives us some more to think about what it means to become as "little children".

Matthew 18:2-3 (Amplified Bible) And He called a little child to Himself and put him in the midst of them,

³And said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all].

Think about these words - trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving.  Would they express your hearts attitude in coming to Christ.  This trusting is learning to depend upon Him.  In this day and age, most everyone is seeking personal independence and freedom.  What Christ requires is surrender, quiet trust, dependence upon Him.  In doing so you will find His kingdom and it begins now.

 

I'm thankful for the few words that Jeff speaks.  I'm thankful for the life that God has given him.  I'm thankful for how much Jeff has taught us and others about hope, faith, trust, and love.  And I'm most thankful of how he loves.

 

If you are down on your life's circumstances, spend some time with someone who is dependent, totally dependent on others and yet show the "joy that is down in their hearts to stay."  They'll appreciate your time and attention and you may go away thanking God for your "wonderful 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

Matt 18:1-6

Who Is the Greatest?
(Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-48)

 

18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

 

2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  5 Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.   NKJV

Verse of the Day 9/8

Through the Bible - Proverbs 15-16, 1 Corinthians 3

 

Good morning,

The Sermon on the Mount ,the greatest sermon ever given.  We've often considered the fact that everyone has a world view, a lens through which we view and filter the things in our world.In a recent devotional Pastor Gregg Laurie  pointed out that this sermon expressed Jesus worldview.  Many then and now were astonished at his teaching.  Gregg Laurie wrote, "If you want to know how Jesus thinks, then study the Sermon on the Mount. This sermon, found in Matthew 5–7, lays out the worldview of Jesus himself. Do you want to know how His heart really beats? Then study this sermon. It is the official manifesto of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

It begins with the words, "Then He opened His mouth and taught them. . . ." The phrase "opened His mouth" is a Greek expression used to describe something that is solemn, grave, dignified, and weighty. That is not to suggest that other things Jesus taught were not equally important. But it is to say there is weight given to the words Jesus laid out in the Sermon on the Mount. So we are to pay careful attention to everything that is found in it."

For today's verse we'll go to the final subject of Jesus message, to build our house on "the rock" not the shifting sands of the morals and philosophies of the day.

 

Matt 7:24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:  25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.   NKJV

Notice that it is the one who hears His Words and does them that is building on that foundation.  The one who only hears may have all of the tools and materials to build the house, but unless he builds, it will do nothing for him.  In fact he may be building but not on the foundation, not relying on the Word of God, the teachings of Jesus.

 

Barnes commentary gives a sobering description of what it might be like to hear but not apply, not build on the firm foundation.

 

"There is another point in this comparison. The house built upon the sand is beat upon by the floods and rains; its foundation gradually is worn away; it falls, and is borne down the stream and is destroyed. So falls the sinner. The floods are wearing away his sandy foundation; and soon one tremendous storm shall beat upon him, and he and his hopes shall fall, for ever fall. Out of Christ; perhaps having "heard" his words from very childhood; perhaps having taught them to others in the Sunday school; perhaps having been the means of laying the foundation on which others shall build for heaven, he has laid for himself no foundation, and soon an eternal tempest shall beat around his naked soul. How great will be that fall! "

 

The words of the sermon are truly solemn, grave, dignified, and weighty.  But following them is the way to truly live.  We have the choice of building materials.

 

 Prov 4:20-22  Dear friend, listen well to my words;
tune your ears to my voice.
Keep my message in plain view at all times.
Concentrate! Learn it by heart!
Those who discover these words live, really live;  The Message

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 7:24-8:1

 

Build on the Rock
(Luke 6:47-49)

 

24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:  25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

 

26 "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:  27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."

 

28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.   NKJV

Verse of the Day 9/7

Through the Bible - Proverbs 13-14, 2 Corinthians 2

 

Good morning,

One of the things that I've really enjoyed about North Carolina are the flowers and the aromas of spring.  I remember mowing the lawn this past spring on a beautiful day when a light breeze carried  the smell of honeysuckle to me.  Even though I was sweating and probably (no, definitely) didn't smell so pleasant myself at the time, the aroma from this vine brought refreshment.  It lifted my spirits as I took a deep breath to draw it in.

For today's verse we'll go to 2 Corinthians 2 which is today's New Testament reading (above).

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 (Amplified Bible) But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ's victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere,

¹⁵For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ [which exhales] unto God, [discernible alike] among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing:

One of the things about the fragrance or a vine, is that it is discernable.  Once you know it, you can pick it out, you can identify the source of the aroma, even if you can't physically see it, you know that it is close by.

As yesterday's veres encouraged us to "let our light shine" today's verses encourage us to spread the "sweet fragrance of Christ".

 

 "The smell; the fragrance. The word in the New Testament is used to denote a pleasant or fragrant odor, as of incense, or aromatics; John 12:3 see Eph 5:2; Phil 4:18. There is an allusion here doubtless to the fact that in the triumphal processions fragrant odors were diffused around; flowers, diffusing a grateful smell, were scattered in the way; and on the altars of the gods incense was burned during the procession, and sacrifices offered, and the whole city was filled with the smoke of sacrifices, and with perfumes. So Paul speaks of knowledge-the knowledge of Christ. In his triumphings, the knowledge of the Redeemer was diffused abroad, like the odors which were diffused in the triumphal march of the conqueror. And that odor or savor was acceptable to God-as the fragrance of aromatics and of incense was pleasant in the triumphal procession of the returning victor. The phrase "makes manifest the savor of his knowledge," therefore, means, that the knowledge of Christ was diffused everywhere by Paul, as the grateful smell of aromatics was diffused all around the triumphing warrior and victor. The effect of Paul's conquests everywhere was to diffuse the knowledge of the Saviour-and this was acceptable and pleasant to God-though there might be many who would not avail themselves of it, and would perish; see 2 Cor 2:15. "  Barnes notes on 2 Corinthians 2:14

What aroma are you going to spread today?

 

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 Cor 2:12-3:1

 

Triumph in Christ

 

12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, 13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia.

 

14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.   NKJV

Verse of the Day 9/6

Through the Bible - Proverbs 11-12, 2 Corinthians 1

 

Happy Labor Day!,

I hope you'll use the extra day to recharge your batteries.

Most of us, at times at least, use rechargeable batteries.  As they weaken, your power tools slow down to a halt and the light dims in your flash light.  Plug them into the charger for a while and that flashlight now shines bright as ever.

In our lives we need to recharge our spiritual batteries on a regular basis, being plugged into God through His Word and in prayer so that we can shine.

 

For today's devotional I'll combine some of the new with some of the old.  For our verses we'll turn to Philippians chapter 2 where we are charged with carrying the "light giving message" to the world around us.

Phil 2:15-17 Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I'll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You'll be living proof that I didn't go to all this work for nothing.   The Message

For the old, I'll turn to Spurgeon's morning devotional for today which was on these verses.

 

Spurgeon writes, "We use lights to make manifest. A Christian man should so shine in his life, that a person could not live with him a week without knowing the gospel. His conversation should be such that all who are about him should clearly perceive whose he is, and whom he serves; and should see the image of Jesus reflected in his daily actions. Lights are intended for guidance. We are to help those around us who are in the dark. We are to hold forth to them the Word of life. We are to point sinners to the Saviour, and the weary to a divine resting-place. Men sometimes read their Bibles, and fail to understand them; we should be ready, like Philip, to instruct the inquirer in the meaning of God's Word, the way of salvation, and the life of godliness. Lights are also used for warning. On our rocks and shoals a light-house is sure to be erected. Christian men should know that there are many false lights shown everywhere in the world, and therefore the right light is needed. The wreckers of Satan are always abroad, tempting the ungodly to sin under the name of pleasure; they hoist the wrong light, be it ours to put up the true light upon every dangerous rock, to point out every sin, and tell what it leads to, that so we may be clear of the blood of all men, shining as lights in the world. Lights also have a very cheering influence, and so have Christians. A Christian ought to be a comforter, with kind words on his lips, and sympathy in his heart; he should carry sunshine wherever he goes, and diffuse happiness around him."

 

His words are humbling and challenging, especially "a person could not live with him a week without knowing the gospel".  May that be our hearts desire, to grow in Him that this would be the case.  May we take the time to recharge our batteries so that we may shine.

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
Phil 2:12-19

 

Shine Brightly for Christ

 

12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

 

14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ's return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. 17 But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. 18 Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.  NLT