Verse of the Day - weekend 6/26

Through the Bible - Jeremiah 51-52, Joel 1-3, Philippians 3-4

 

Good morning,

One thing that I'm sure that you've realized by now is that life is full of all kinds of setbacks.  We can experience setbacks in a building project, a career, or even taking a trip on a vacation.   We experience setbacks in a recovery process, whether it is the economy, a health issue, or spiritually.  The question is what do we do with those setbacks.  How do I approach and deal with them.

 

This weekend's New Testament reading brings us to Philippians 3 where we find some encouraging and challenging words from Paul who knew something about setbacks.  If you are not familiar with them, read chapter 3.  For today's verse Paul encourages his readers, even us, to "press on".

 

Philippians 3:13-14

English Standard Version (ESV)

¹³Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

I believe it was Artie Johnson on "Laugh In" that used to say "keep a go'n'".  That may be called encouragement.  But true encouragement lies in being pointed to the proper goal and to know the one who is providing the encouragement.  As mentioned earlier, Paul had gone through a lot, we could take it from him, but he also pointed to the fact that the ultimate goal is reached through faith in Jesus Christ.  He will see you through to finish the work, the race, and win the prize.

 

If you're down in the valley due to a setback may you be able to press on to new heights through faith in Christ.  In preparation for worship this weekend, consider the old hymn "Higher Ground".

 

I'm pressing on the upward way,
New heights I'm gaining every day;
Still praying as I'm onward bound,
"Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."

• Lord, lift me up, and let me stand
  By faith on Canaan's tableland;
  A higher plane than I have found,
    Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where these abound,
My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

I want to live above the world,
Though Satan's darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground.

 

In Christ,
Mike

 

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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

Philippians 3:12-21

New Living Translation (NLT)

Pressing toward the Goal

 ¹² I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. ¹³ No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

 ¹⁵ Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. ¹⁶ But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.

 ¹⁷ Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. ¹⁸ For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. ¹⁹ They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. ²⁰ But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. ²¹ He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

Verse of the Day 6/25

Through the Bible - Jeremiah 50,Philippians 2

 

Good morning,

For today's verse we'll go to Genesis 22 where God provided Abraham a ram for the sacrifice.

 

Gen 22:13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place,  "The Lord will provide"; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided."   ESV

In today's "These Day's" devotional Bonnie Pattison writes, "little did Abraham know as he and Isaac were climbing up one side of the mountain that God was leading a ram up the other side".  Have you ever stopped to think that's how it is in our lives?  We may be down, thinking hope is gone or that we cannot go through with the task at hand, but God steps in and provides. 

 

I'm reminded of the prayers of a friend from a men's small group that I was in years ago.  He would often say in his prayer, "Lord, meet the need".  That's what is going on here.  God had it in mind to meet the need and had set things in motion for that precise moment.  Do you think the answers to prayer appear out of nowhere or by chance?  God is at work all around you preparing to meet your need before you're even aware of it.

 

I'm reminded of the hymn "What a Friend We Have in Jesus".  In Him we have a friend who has already supplied our greatest need, we can trust Him for our daily needs.  Pray in His name that God may meet your need, that the Lord will provide in your life today.

 

What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer. 

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.

In Christ,
Mike

 

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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

Gen 22:9-18

 

9 When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. 10 And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. 11 At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"

 

"Yes," Abraham replied. "Here I am!"

 

12 "Don't lay a hand on the boy!" the angel said. "Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son."

 

13 Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14 Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means "the Lord will provide"). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: "On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided."

 

15 Then the angel of the Lord called again to Abraham from heaven. 16 "This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that 17 I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. 18 And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me."   NLT

Verse of the Day 6/23

Through the Bible - Jeremiah 48-49Philippians 1

 

Good  morning,

One of the hymns that has survived the flood of contemporary Christian music in church services is "Come Thy Fount of Every Blessing".  One of the stirring, perhaps even disturbing, but very real stanzas is:

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,  	prone to leave the God I love;  	here's my heart, O take and seal it,  	seal it for thy courts above. 

Even though we may be prone to wander in our very nature, we can take comfort in the fact that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith.  He will finish the project that He started in us as Paul tells us in today's verse from Philippians 1.

 

Phil 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began  a good work in you  will bring it to completion at  the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you  in my heart, for you are all  partakers with me of grace, both  in my imprisonment and in  the defense and confirmation of the gospel.   ESV

What are some of the things that make us prone to wander?  Pastor, author and friend Fil Anderson, in his book "Breaking the Rules" writes, "the weapons of mass distraction and self destruction pose a constant threat.  But the inner pull to return again is increasing, and I know I must resist the conflicting urge to remain away." (page 160) 

 

Our enemy, Satan and his cohorts, are finding new weapons of "mass distraction" every day with new gadgets and ways to communicate trash with the speed of the internet and through "social media" to turn our thoughts and hearts away from God.  Thankfully, if we are a child of God, we will feel that inner pull, it will increase until we return to Him, get back in the game, and once again set our hearts "on pilgrimage" (Ps. 84:5 NKJV)

 

Read the passage from The Message below which concludes with this prayer from the Apostle Paul, it is my prayer for you as well.

 

So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.

 

In Christ,
Mike

 

Follow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

Phil 1:6-12
There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.

 

It's not at all fanciful for me to think this way about you. My prayers and hopes have deep roots in reality. You have, after all, stuck with me all the way from the time I was thrown in jail, put on trial, and came out of it in one piece. All along you have experienced with me the most generous help from God. He knows how much I love and miss you these days. Sometimes I think I feel as strongly about you as Christ does!

 

So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.

THE MESSAGE

Verse of the Day 6/20

Through the Bible - Jeremiah 40-42, Matthew 27:27-50   

 

Good morning,

Last week I was out in California and Denver on business, but while I was there I was also able to enjoy and appreciate God's creation and how He has blessed our country.

After returning home, this weekend a devotional brought me to Deuteronomy chapter 8 where I read:

 

^{Deut. 8:6} "So obey the commands of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and fearing him. ⁷ For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land of flowing streams and pools of water, with fountains and springs that gush out in the valleys and hills. ⁸ It is a land of wheat and barley; of grapevines, fig trees, and pomegranates; of olive oil and honey.⁹ It is a land where food is plentiful and nothing is lacking. It is a land where iron is as common as stone, and copper is abundant in the hills. ¹⁰ When you have eaten your fill, be sure to praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you."  NLT

 

In the Sacramento area I saw how the fields were being irrigated, aided by the melting snows in the mountains from the previous winter and spring, I saw the vines around Lodi thriving from these waters, I saw the elk feeding in the valleys that were lush with growth in the mountains of Colorado.  How thankful we should be that we are so blessed to live in this country.

For today's verse we'll go to Deuteronomy 8 for a couple of verses that should be a reminder to us as individuals and as a country, that it is God who has brought us to where we are.

Deuteronomy 8:17-18Amplified Bible (AMP)  And beware lest you say in your [mind and] heart, My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.

 

¹⁸But you shall [earnestly] remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

 

Let us not forget to thank God for all of His blessings, how He has provided for us as a nation and as individuals. Let us show or thanks by walking in His ways and following where He leads us.  

 

 Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

 

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

 

In Christ,
Mike

 

Follow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

Deuteronomy 8:11-20

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹¹ "Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, ¹² lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; ¹³ and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; ¹⁴ when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; ¹⁵ who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; ¹⁶ who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end— ¹⁷ then you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.' 
¹⁸ "And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. ¹⁹ Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the LORD your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. ²⁰ As the nations which the LORD destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the LORD your God.

Verse of the Day 6/17

Through the Bible - Jeremiah 32-33, Matthew 26:26-50

 

Good morning,

Yesterday, after completing business in Denver I had the privilege to drive through Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado with my co-workers.  It was a wonderful experience enjoying God's majesty as displayed in the mountains, snow, lakes and wildlife.  It was definitely a mountaintop experience.

 

We enjoyed the trip but as we left the park, we realized that we had to make the long trip back in the dark and be back to the real world in the morning.  Fortunately, we would be able to share the experience in conversation and in pictures with friends and family.

 

For today's verse, we'll go to Matthew 17 where Peter, James, and John are coming down from the mountain and are told to keep quiet about it until the time was right.

 

Matthew 17:9  English Standard Version (ESV) And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead."

 

I his daily devotional for today, Pastor Greg Laurie wrote, " after witnessing this remarkable event, the disciples had to leave the mountain and return to the valley—the cold, hard reality of life and the problems that were waiting. The disciples were learning they could not always live on mountaintops.

When we are on the mountaintops of life, we should enjoy them. But we also should remember they are preparing us for life in the valley, for the challenges, hardships, and reality of living in the real world."
 

There may be times in life where we may have to hold our tongues in sharing "mountaintop experiences".  But how are we in sharing the receiving of our greatest gift with others in the hopes that they may have the same joy.

 

I'm reminded of one of my favorite Steven Curtis Chapman songs, "The Mountain".  I'll share a few of the lines.  God has a purpose behind the mountaintop experiences we've shared with Him, that we do share them with others.

 

You bring me up here on this mountain

For me to rest and learn and grow

I see the truth up on the mountain And I carry it to the world far below

So as I go down to the valley

Knowing that You will go with me

This is my prayer, Lord

Help me to remember what You've shown me

Up on the mountain

Up on the mountain

 

I cherish these times up on the mountain

But I can leave this place because I know

Someday You'll take me home to live forever

Up on the mountain

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Matthew 17

The Transfiguration

 ¹ And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. ²And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. ³And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. ⁴And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah." ⁵He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." ⁶When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. ⁷But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and have no fear." ⁸And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

 ⁹ And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead." ¹⁰And the disciples asked him, "Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?" ¹¹He answered, "Elijah does come, and he will restore all things.

Verse of the Day 6/16

Through the Bible - Jeremiah 30-31, Matthew 26:1-25

 

Good morning,

 

While waiting for a flight at the airport yesterday I read the following quote from "The Hidden Life of Prayer" by David McIntyre:

"The prayer of faith is a middle term between the intercession of the Holy Spirit and the intercession

of Christ.   It is the divinely appointed means by which the unutterable groanings of the Spirit, who

dwells within His people as in a temple, are conveyed and committed to the exalted Mediator, who

"ever liveth to make intercession" for us. And thus in a peculiar and especial manner, those who

make mention of the Lord are graced to become fellow-laborers together with God."

 

 It brought to mind several verses, some which have been very precious to our family in times of need.  In John 14 Jesus told the disciples that God would send the "Comforter".

 

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.     NKJV

The other day I wrote of faith being the trigger to releasing God's power.  McIntyre captures the fact that even this faith, this "trigger" is something that comes from the Spirit working in our hearts, communicating with the Father our deepest needs and desires, even when we can express them ourselves.  Paul captures this thought in Romans8 where we'll go for today's verse.

 

Rom 8:26  Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.   NKJV

Read McIntyre's statement again, especially the first sentence;  "The prayer of faith is a middle term between the intercession of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Christ."  Christ and the Spirit interceding for us, lay hold of it, treasure it.

 

It is why, in spite of our circumstances, we can have a peace that the world cannot provide, it is a gift from God.

 

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.   NKJV

Why don't I pray more?

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Rom 8:23-28

23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?

25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
NKJV

Verse of the Day 6/15

Through the Bible - Jeremiah 27-29, Matthew 25:31-46

 

Good morning,

Yesterday morning I flew into Sacramento CA on a business trip.  As the plane approached I could see the vast farm fields, many of them flooded with water despite somewhat arid surroundings.  The source of the water and the reason these fields were lush and green were that the farmers irrigate these fields.  The intentional flooding is done so that the fields will produce fruit.

 

This morning's Daily Bread devotional (www.rbc.org) brought me to Isaiah 55 where we'll go for today's verse.

 

Isaiah 55:10-11 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) For just as rain and snow fall from heaven,
    and do not return there
    without saturating the earth,
    and making it germinate and sprout,
    and providing seed to sow
    and food to eat,

    ¹¹ so My word that comes from My mouth
    will not return to Me empty,
    but it will accomplish what I please,
    and will prosper in what I send it [to do]."

Reading the  HCSB  which speaks of God's Word "saturating the earth", it was easy to correlate the scenes of the flooded fields and  lush growth that resulted.  Driving from Sacramento to Lodi we drove past miles of vineyards, row after row of perfectly watered and cultivated vines that would produce fruit and ultimately new wine.  The farmers in this case sent the water into the field.  It is also interesting to note where this water came from.  It came from the nearby snow capped mountains that even in summer, were still yielding the runoff from the previous winter's snow.

 

So it is with God's Word.  He has sent it to us.  If the soil, our hearts are well watered by the Word, God will produce fruit in our lives.  John MacArthur writes, "Moisture from heaven invariably accomplishes its intended purpose in helping meet human physical needs.  The Word of God will likewise produce its intended results in fulfilling God's spiritual purposes."

 

The question is, what are you doing with God's Word?  Are you letting in flow on by or are you taking the time to flood your field, the soil of your heart and soul, to nourish you and cause you to grow for God's intended purpose?

 

Seek Him while He may be found (v.6).

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Isaiah 55:6-13

English Standard Version (ESV)

 ⁶ "Seek the LORD while he may be found;
   call upon him while he is near;
⁷let the wicked forsake his way,
   and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him,
   and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
⁸For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
   neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
   so are my ways higher than your ways
   and my thoughts than your thoughts.

 ¹⁰ "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
   and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
¹¹so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
   it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
   and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

 ¹² "For you shall go out in joy
   and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
   shall break forth into singing,
   and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
¹³ Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
   instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall make a name for the LORD,
   an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."

Verse of the Day 6/14

Through the Bible - Jeremiah 24-26, Matthew 25:1-30

 

Good morning,

Many of you may be familiar with Dave Ramsey the Christian financial adviser.  If you listened to his radio program you've probably heard him, when asked "how are you doing", respond with, "better than I deserve.  The first time you hear it you stop and think, did I just hear that?  The thought is so counter cultural to much of today's entitlement society.  More often, especially in difficult times you'll hear people who feel the opposite, with the attitude "I deserve better".

 

For today's verse we'll go to Mark 7 where a Gentile woman approaches Jesus on behalf of her daughter for healing.  She comes seeking His mercy not based on her rights, admitting that she truly doesn't have any, she comes based on His reputation and willingness to heal.

 

Mark 7:28-30 (NLT) She replied, "That's true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children's plates."

²⁹ "Good answer!" he said. "Now go home, for the demon has left your daughter." ³⁰ And when she arrived home, she found her little girl lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone.

 

In his book, "King's Cross", Tim Keller writes, "In Western culture we don't have anything like this kind of assertiveness.  We only have assertion of our rights.  We do not  know how to contend unless we're standing for our rights, standing on our dignity, and our goodness saying, "this is what I'm owed".  But this woman is not doing that at all.  This is rightless assertiveness, something we know little about.  She's not saying "Lord, give me what I deserve on the basis of my goodness."  She's saying, "Give me what I don't deserve based on your goodness ..."

 

When you've come to God with some big requests, from what stance were you coming  from.  Looking back, I have to admit that many times it was based on what I felt I "deserved".  I need to approach Him in His power and authority and based on his goodness, His love, not based on anything I've done.

 

When asked that same question that it posed to Dave Ramsey, how are you doing?, would you be able to respond "better than I deserve".  If you feel that way, try it.  See what kind of response you get.

Blessings,
Mike
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New Living Translation (NLT)

The Faith of a Gentile Woman

 ²⁴ Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre. He didn't want anyone to know which house he was staying in, but he couldn't keep it a secret. ²⁵ Right away a woman who had heard about him came and fell at his feet. Her little girl was possessed by an evil spirit, ²⁶ and she begged him to cast out the demon from her daughter.

   Since she was a Gentile, born in Syrian Phoenicia, ²⁷ Jesus told her, "First I should feed the children—my own family, the Jews. It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs."

 ²⁸ She replied, "That's true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children's plates."

 ²⁹ "Good answer!" he said. "Now go home, for the demon has left your daughter." ³⁰ And when she arrived home, she found her little girl lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone

Verse of the Day 6/13

Through the Bible - Jeremiah 22-23, Matthew 24:29-51

 

Good morning,

When I was young I learned to shoot a .22 rifle with my dad when I was 5 or 6 years old, shooting at corn cobs  that had been thrown into a pond was great fun.  Even at that age you could not help but realize the power in that little cartridge as you watched the corn cob bounce out of the water with the shot.  Firearms can go off as intended but also go off unexpectedly.   Guns had various trigger pulls.  If you moved from a heavy trigger pull to a "hair trigger" your first shot would go off before you intended, it did not matter.  When the gun went off, you knew the power had been released.  There could also be times when you'd pull the trigger and nothing happened, the cartridge was a dud.

 

I recently read Mark 5 with the account of Jesus healing of Jairus' daughter and of the healing of the woman who had been healed by touching Jesus' garment.  We'll go there for today's verse.

 

Mark 5:28-30  New King James Version (NKJV)  For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."
²⁹ Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. ³⁰ And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"

 

Tim Keller notes that this is the first time that the word "dunamis" is used in the book of Mark.  It is the word from which we get the word dynamite.  I had previously imagined that it most have been some kind of tingling feeling that she has.  But reading this word dunamis, brought a different image to mind.  As with the gun going off, there was no doubt in the mind of the person who had released the power and no doubt of the impact on the person on the receiving end.

 

What pulled the  trigger that "set it off"?  Was it an impulse, was it chance, or some other kind of mystical power?  Jesus calls her so that there would be no doubt of what it was that released His healing power.  It was faith.  Read Jesus words as recorded by Mark.

 

Mark 5:33-34 (NLT)   Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done. ³⁴ And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over."

 

Faith is the trigger, it, in itself is not the power.  You can have faith in just about anything, but it won't release power unless it is faith in something real, something that  has true, unfailing power. , If you put your faith in something else, when you pull the trigger of faith, you may find it a dud.  We put our faith in Someone who has the power and authority to heal and to save.  It is a dynamic, explosive power.  When faith Christ is applied in our lives, when we pull the trigger, there will be a release of His power, someone, or something  will be impacted.

 

Don't put your faith in something that won't go off when you pull the trigger of faith.  Don't miss the opportunity or the blessing.

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Mark 5:25-34

New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁵ Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, ²⁶ and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. ²⁷ When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. ²⁸ For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."
²⁹ Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. ³⁰ And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"
³¹ But His disciples said to Him, "You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"
³² And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. ³³ But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. ³⁴ And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."

Verse of the Day - weekend 6/11

Through the Bible - Jeremiah 18-21, Matthew 23:23 - 24:28

 

Good morning,

Yesterday we considered N.T. Wright's question "How can you live with the terrifying thought that the hurricane has become human"?  I believe you have the answer, and if you are familiar with the David Crowder song that I referenced yesterday, the chorus to the song gives us the answer.

 

And oh, how He loves us oh
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

 

He loves us as shown to us in His grace and mercy, sometimes this mercy comes at us in ways we wouldn't consider as mercy, bending us, shaping us into the people we are to be.  God is patient with us and we must learn patience as we are being formed by Him.

 

For today's verse we'll go to James 1 where Jesus' half brother; who at one time did not believe Jesus was the Christ, penned these words.

 

James 1:3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. NKJV

Life's hurricanes can test our faith.  But we see in these verses what they can do for us.

 

Tim Keller in "King's Cross" quotes Thomas Cranmer's prayer "grant that we may follow the example of Jesus' patience".    Keller writes, "What does he mean by patience?  Patience is love for the long haul; it is bearing up under difficult circumstances, without giving up or giving in to bitterness.  Patience means working when grafification is delayed.  It means taking what life offers - even when it means suffering - without lashing out."  And when you're in a situation that you're troubled over or when there's a delay or pressure on you or something's not happening that you want to happen, there's always a temptation to come to the end of your patience."

 

Keller's statement "patience is love for the long haul" really struck me.  It is something lacking in society, churches, families and in the relationship between husbands and wives.  You may have lost your patience at times during the storms as the disciples did on many occasions.  Jesus showed patience in all of the storms.  He gives us the grace and the power through His spirit with His love to have patience "for the long haul' ourselves.

 

Lord willing, we'll talk about that power tomorrow.

 

In Christ,
Mike

 

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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

James 1:2-9

 

Profiting from Trials

 

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.   NKJV

Verse of the Day 6/10

Through the Bible - Jeremiah 15-17, Matthew 23:1-22

 

Good morning,

If you've been  reading through Matthew in the daily reading outlined above, recently in 16:16 you've  read  where Peter, when asked who Jesus is responded with "you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God".  Each of us have or will have to answer that question.

 

For today's verse we'll go to the book of John where he testifies of the same realization, but puts it in human terms that the Word became or took on flesh and had lived among the disciples.

John 1:14 New King James Version (NKJV)   And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

In his book, "King's Cross", author Tim Keller quotes N.T. Wright's sobering statement, "How can you live with the terrifying thought that the hurricane has become human, the fire has become flesh, that life itself became life and walked in our midst?  Christianity either means that, or it means nothing.  It is either the most devastating disclosure of the deepest reality of the world, or it is a sham, a nonsense, a bit of deceitful play acting.  Most of us, unable to cope with saying either of those things, condemn ourselves to live in the shallow world in between."

 Life itself became life and walked in our midst, how do you handle, what do you do with that statement?

 

Do we say with Peter that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God? Do we ever question it, thinking we may have been deceived?

May we not find ourselves in the shallow world in between.  In the end, there will be no middle ground.

 

He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane, I am a tree, bending beneath His grace and mercy -  David Crowder

 

Blessings,

Mike
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The Word Becomes Flesh

   
¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
¹⁵ John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'"
¹⁶ And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

Verse of the Day 6/9

Through the Bible - Jeremiah 12-14, Matthew 22:23-46

 

Good morning,

In today's New Testament reading in Matthew 22, the religious leaders were trying to trap Jesus with questions designed to trip him up so that they could accuse him and cut him down in front of "the people".  In each circumstance Jesus answered with answers they had not anticipated which left them embarrassed in front of the people while elevating Jesus authority before them.

 

Today's verse is a familiar one.  One of the Pharisees, a lawyer,  asked him "what is the greatest commandment?"  Here is Jesus reply.

 

Matthew 22:37-39 (NKJV) Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' ³⁸ This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'

 Yesterday in 1 Corinthians 8 we considered growing in knowledge and combining it with love as opposed to being puffed up by knowledge.  The Sadducees and Pharisees showed examples of what being "puffed up" looks like.  In tomorrow's reading we'll see where the scribes and Pharisees had "seated themselves in Moses chair" putting themselves in the seat of authority, creating their own commandments of do's and don'ts to follow, rules that they themselves didn't keep.

 

Jesus shows that He has the authority and he displayed it in the way He lived and loved.  If you follow His words in these verses and apply them in your life, in the power of the Holy Spirit, things will take care of themselves.  They are the foundation of rhe Law and the Prophets.

 

In Luke, this is tied in with the story of the good Samaritan where another  question is asked, "who is my neighbor"?    Perhaps the question for us today is "whose neighbor am I"?   To whom will you be a neighbor today?

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Matthew 22:34-40

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Scribes: Which Is the First Commandment of All?

   
³⁴ But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. ³⁵ Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, ³⁶ "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?"
³⁷ Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' ³⁸ This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' ⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

 

Verse of the Day 6/8

Through the Bible - Jeremiah 9-11, Matthew 22:1-22

 

Good morning,

I would think that most of you who read these devotionals are also involved in a small group, Bible study group, or Sunday school class for the purpose of learning more about the Bible.  Those are good things in which to be involved.  But is knowledge the desired goal?

 

For today's verse we'll go to 1 Corinthians 8 where Paul speaks of knowledge that "puffs up".  When you read those words it is easy to picture a balloon being blown up.  Its not too much of a stretch to think of an inflated ego, which knowledge itself may produce.

 

Some study groups and Sunday school classes will "take a break" for the summer. It is a time when we should spend more time in personal study, not just for knowledge but to apply what we learn from God, the Bible, Jesus to love.

 

1 Corinthians 8:1b -3  We know that "we all have knowledge." Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up. ² If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it. ³ But if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. (HCSB)

 

 I've heard John Maxwell say, "people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care".  It is a simple saying with profound implications.

 

As we read and study this summer, let's do so with the intention of learning to love more. I recently listened to a sermon by Francis Chan on this passage, he said

"It's so easy to seclude ourselves from the world of lost people. We step out of it for a season to think hard about the Scriptures and keep going on in school to learn more, and we eventually get to the point where we realize that we don't love the lost like we should. The point isn't that we shouldn't pursue learning, but we ought to be able to do both, to love people and know the Bible better."

 

As we read, may our prayer be "Lord, teach me to love".  Read a few of the lines from the Steve Green/Larnell Harris song "Teach Me to Love"

 

Lord, teach me to love
Show me how to care for others
Cause my soul to burn within
For the fellowship of my brother
Only You can break the chains
That have held me for so long
Lord, You're my hope, my only hope
Teach me to love

So daily I seek to know the Christ
Who suffered for all men
For in Him I find the courage
To ask again and again

 

Lord teach me to love.

Blessings,
Mike
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1 Corinthians 8

Be Sensitive to Conscience

 ¹ Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. ² And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. ³ But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.
⁴ Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. ⁵ For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), ⁶ yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.  NKJV

Verse of the Day 6/7

Through the Bible - Jeremiah 6-8, Matthew 21:23-46

 

Good morning,

For today's verse we'll once again go to the book of Genesis where Jacob is passing on blessings to his sons before he dies.  When he comes to Joseph, he looks back not only at his own life and how God had blessed him, but also to his son Joseph, whom he thought had perished as a young man, but had been preserved and blessed by God.  Joseph had been blessed, but it was not without its trials.

 

Gen 49:24 But his bow remained in strength,
And the arms of his hands were made strong
By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob
(From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),
25 By the God of your father who will help you,
And by the Almighty who will bless you
With blessings of heaven above,
Blessings of the deep that lies beneath,
Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.   NKJV

Joseph had not been overcome by his trials.  Why?  Because the Mighty God of Jacob, his father had been with him.  Jacob refers to Him as the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel, and God Almighty.

 

J. M. Boice writes, "each son had his own characteristics of course, and the characteristic given to Joseph's tribe was fruitfulness.  This had been his outstanding feature.  Although he had been unjustly and maliciously attacked, Joseph had stood his ground and had prospered.  He was the most fruitful of his brethren.  So also, for a time, were his descendants..... All this because Joseph depended on God."

 

Jacob's God, Joseph's God, and our God, the same God, the Mighty One of Jacob, is a personal God.  He is reminding his son that God has been mighty to him and has kept him in every circumstance at the same time encouraging his son to look forward and have confidence that Almighty God would be with him, his father's God would help him in the future.  May we have the same confidence.

 

Think of the terms used, Almighty God, the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel.  If you recall Jacob was given the name Israel, as a reminder that God would prevail, God would overcome and be his Rock.

 

How great is our God.

In Christ,
Mike

 

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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

Gen 49:22-27

 

22 "Joseph is a fruitful bough,
A fruitful bough by a well;
His branches run over the wall.
23 The archers have bitterly grieved him,
Shot at him and hated him.
24 But his bow remained in strength,
And the arms of his hands were made strong
By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob
(From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),
25 By the God of your father who will help you,
And by the Almighty who will bless you
With blessings of heaven above,
Blessings of the deep that lies beneath,
Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
26 The blessings of your father
Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors,
Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills.
They shall be on the head of Joseph,
And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.   NKJV

Verse of the Day 6/3

Through the Bible - Hosea 9-11, Matthew 19

 

Good morning,

Today we'll conclude our look at the "I am with you" statements that were made to Jacob in the book of Genesis.  It takes up where yesterday's left off.  Jacob realized that God had truly been with him during his life but what was he to do with that knowledge?

Pass it on, bring that awareness and press it upon, impress the next generation that they may have that knowledge, that image in their mind.

 

Gen 48:21 Then Israel said to Joseph, "Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers.   NKJV

Jacob was at the end and he calls his son to pass on, to assure him of this most important fact.  He then goes on to bless all of his sons before passing away.

 

It has always bothered me when I here some say "I want my child to choose their own religion".  It is true that we can't automatically pass it on, faith in Christ is a personal matter, but we can communicate in words and actions what we truly believe.  Otherwise, we are communicating that we really don't know what is true.

 

Jacob was sure, he had no doubt, he believed in God and looked to a Saviour a deliverer.

 

Boice writes, "The last reference (to I am with you) is the one in our text, spoken on Jacob's deathbed.  Having been told that God was with him and would be with him, and having seen the fulfillment of that promise, Jacob applied those truths to his descendants, saying "God will be with you".  His was a full life and this was the full scope of his testimony.

"I am with you" (Gen. 28:15)

"I will be with you" (Gen. 31:3)

"God has been with me"  (Gen. 31:5, 35:3)

"God will be with you" (Gen. 48:21)

At the end of life each of us should be able to look back on years of walking with God and say that God has indeed been with us, as he promised to be.  And we should be able to share that hope with others."

 

Have you been walking with Him?  If not, why not start today.  If so, share it with others.

 

"We are the children of God!" Romans 8:16

Never let us forget or lose sight of this--but let us live, walk, and act under the impression that, "I am God's child!"

He knows me--and knows all about me.

He loves me--and loves me with the same love with which He loves His only-begotten Son.

He cares for me--and so cares for me that I ought not to be anxious about anything.

He is with me--and will never for one moment trust me out of His sight, or out of the reach of His hand.

He appoints my daily lot--and will overrule everything for my eternal welfare!  - James Smith

In Christ,
Mike

 

Follow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

Gen 48:20-49:1

 

20 So he blessed them that day, saying,"By you Israel will bless, saying, 'May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!'" And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

 

21 Then Israel said to Joseph, "Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers. 22 Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow."   NKJV

Verse of the Day 6/2

Through the Bible - Hosea 5-8, Matthew 18:21-35

 

Good morning,

Many of you reading these devotionals are parents, grandparents and  even great grandparents.  If we've been believing Christians through most of those years and the life experiences that go along with them we may have felt God say "I am with you" and "I will be with you" as we read in the past couple of days.  If that is the case our testimony to ourselves and to others will be that of Jacobs in today's verse.

 

Genesis 35:3English Standard Version (ESV)  Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone."

 

Have you come to the point in your life where you can say that, "God has answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I've gone".  What a powerful testimony.

 

C.H. Spurgeon writes, "If you trust in God, this shall be your verdict at the close of life.  When you come to die you shall look back upon a life which has not been without its trials and its difficulties, but you shall bless God for it all; and if there is any one thing in life for which you will have to praise God more than another, it will probably be that very event which seems darkest to you."

 

I was reminded of the Laura Story song "Blessings".  Jacob could have easily had such feelings in his heart.

 

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Genesis 35

New King James Version (NKJV)  Jacob's Return to Bethel

 ¹ Then God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother."
² And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. ³ Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone."

Verse of the Day 6/1

Through the Bible - Hosea 1-4, Matthew 18:1-20

 

Good morning,

In yesterday's devotional we had seen where God had assured Jacob "I am with you" as he headed out from his home and family.

For today's verse we'll skip ahead a few chapters to a second promise which is much like the first.  Its an assurance that as I was with you in the previous trial I will be with you in whatever lies ahead. 

 

 Genesis 31:3 (New International Version) Then the LORD said to Jacob, "Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you."

In the great commission the disciples were told to go.  In this instance, Jacob truly couldn't go forward from this point until he dealt with his past.  Leaving Laban would be hard enough in itself with its own encounters, but going back home would bring about others,  His upcoming, and dreaded, encounter with Esau was necessary for him to truly move on with his life without having to look back over his shoulder thinking his brother might be there seeking revenge.

 

God would be with Jacob as he left Laban, he would be with him in his dark night of the soul with the loss of Rachel and the reported death of his son Joseph.  He would be with him when he would see Joseph again and as he approached death with confidence and passed on blessings to future generations. He would need the presence of the Lord to get through those times, God prepared him with "I will be with you'."

 

Have you felt the presence of God in and though trials in your life?  One thing we can be sure of, we will encounter "various trials" (James 1:2).  Our dark night of the soul may be ahead of us.  How important is it for you to have this promise from our heavenly Father "I will be with you" as you face the day ahead.

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Genesis 31:1-3 (New International Version)

Genesis 31

Jacob Flees From Laban

 ¹ Jacob heard that Laban's sons were saying, "Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father." ² And Jacob noticed that Laban's attitude toward him was not what it had been.

 ³ Then the LORD said to Jacob, "Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you."