Verse of the Day 1/31

Hebrews 4:13 (ESV)  And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.  

I'm sure that you can remember at some point in your life that you went to a doctor where he asked you to stick out your tongue and say "ah" at which point he would take out his tongue depressor and look down your throat.  You might say that you are feeling fine but your throat was naked and exposed to his eye and to his diagnosis.  You might have said that you were fine but what he saw revealed a different story.

 

So our lives are before God, our creator.  We may say that we are fine and on the outside we may be able to fool the best of the them.  But God knows the condition of our hearts, our true selves.  There is no fooling him.

 

What is the condition of your heart this morning?  When we admit to the condition a doctor can prescribe what we need.  When we admit our condition before God, He, and only He can grant us what we need, forgiveness.  Receiving that forgiveness can lighten our hearts and put the bounce back in our steps, and lead us into a better day.

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Hebrews 4:11-13 English Standard Version (ESV)

 ¹¹ Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. ¹² For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³ And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Verse of the Day 1/30

1 Corinthians 6:18 (AMP) Shun immorality and all sexual looseness [flee from impurity in thought, word, or deed]. Any other sin which a man commits is one outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

 

Our Pastor Bob's current series is titled "Warning Track".  In it he has been focusing on the warnings posted in the Bible that are there to prevent us from crashing or running our faith into the wall.  Yesterday's message was from this passage in 1 Corinthians 6.

 

Other translations use words such as to run from or flee from immorality.  I was following along in my Amplified Bible.  The word used here is shun, which is perhaps the strongest and gives a clearer picture.   It is a word that is not as commonly used.  We may be familiar with it in terms of the Amish community today, where they shun or cast out someone who has openly rebelled and rejected their core beliefs.   Similar actions were seen in the Jewish community from Biblical times.  It gives the picture of casting or putting out, excommunicating,  but doesn't stop there.  Along with these, barriers to re-entry are put up.

 

Notice, also, that the verse referenced impurity in thought, word or deed.  It goes beyond our actions but to the thoughts, intents, and desires of the heart.  We are to be encouraged and challanged to put up barriers to these things.  If the temptations come our way, to put them out with the shield of faith, not to give them the time of day, a second thought or a second look.

 

A lot of hurt and heartache would be avoided if we would follow this advice to "shun" immoratlity and all sexual looseness.

 

What kind of barriers are you willing to put up in your life?

 

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

1 Corinthians 6:17-20Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹⁷But the person who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him.

    ¹⁸Shun immorality and all sexual looseness [flee from impurity in thought, word, or deed]. Any other sin which a man commits is one outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

    ¹⁹Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own,

    ²⁰You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body

Verse of the Day 1/29

Psalm 34:7-8 (ESV) The angel of the LORD encamps 
   around those who fear him, and delivers them.

 ⁸ Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! 
   Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

 

I read this psalm in my devotions this morning and a couple of pictures came to mind. 

 

First, regarding the "angel of the Lord".  Many feel that when we see this phrase in the Old Testament that it is actually referring to a manifestation of Yahweh Himself or perhaps a preincarnate appearance of Christ Himself.  The picture that came to mind was the people of a city under threat of siege looking out to see the kings army "encamped" around the city.  Their visual and physical presence would bring hope, confidence, and security to them.  As Christians, the picture is similar, God is encamped around us, visible to the eyes of faith and physically there to fight our battles.

 

The second picture is that of "tasting" that the Lord is good.  I'm sure you've gone to a restaurant where after dinner they bring around the desert trays.  They look so good, but if you were to take a piece off of the tray you may find that what they were showing you was a plastic representative of the real desert.  If you did bite in you'd realize that you'd been deceived having a tasteless piece of wax in your mouth.  But to take a bite of the real thing is to experience it as it is supposed to be.  The sweetness, the smoothness, the rich flavor of the delicacy is to be savored.  So it is with our Saviour.  We need to taste AND see.

 

May you realize that the Lord is encamped around you today, to experience His presence.  May you be able to "taste and see", to experience His presence as you worship today.

 

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

Psalm 34:4-10English Standard Version (ESV)

 ⁴ I sought the LORD, and he answered me 
   and delivered me from all my fears. 
⁵ Those who look to him are radiant, 
   and their faces shall never be ashamed. 
⁶ This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him 
   and saved him out of all his troubles. 
⁷ The angel of the LORD encamps 
   around those who fear him, and delivers them.

 ⁸ Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! 
   Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! 
⁹ Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, 
   for those who fear him have no lack! 
¹⁰ The young lions suffer want and hunger; 
   but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Verse of the Day 1/28

Romans 8:33-34 (NLT)  Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. ³⁴ Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us. 

 

C. H. Spurgeon writes, " If God has justified a man it is well done, it is rightly done, it is justly done, it is everlastingly done. I read the other day in a print that is full of venom against the gospel and those who preach it that we hold some kind of theory by which we imagine that sin can be removed from men. We hold no theory, we publish a fact. The grandest facet under heaven is this—that Christ by His precious blood does actually put away sin and that God, for Christ's sake, deals with men on terms of divine mercy, forgives the guilty and justifies them, but according to the riches of His own mercy. This we have preached, do preach, and will preach as long as we live. "

 

As in Spurgeon's time, there are plenty among us today who are full of venom against the gospel.  There are plenty who will join Satan as the great accuser saying that we as Christians can't know that we are right with God.  They don't realize that it is not something that we do on our own or by our works.  It is something that God, through Jesus and the Holy Spirit working in us, does for us.  Justification and righteousness go hand in hand, God declares us "just" or not guilty, putting us in right standing before Him, not based on anything we have done, but according to His mercy.  We will have our ups and downs, our failures in this age, but there is forgiveness. 

 

Thankfully we can depend on God's promise concerning a future day when Jesus will return and make all things right between God and us forever.  Considering those first few words from Spurgeon, "if God has justified a man it is well done" brought to mind the old hymn "One Day He's Coming". 

 

Living He loved me, dying He saved me

And buried He carried my sins far away

Rising He justified freely forever

One day He's coming, oh glorious day!

 

 In the meantime, Jesus is at God's right hand, pleading for us.

 

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

Romans 8:33-39  New Living Translation (NLT)

³³ Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. ³⁴ Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us.

 ³⁵ Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? ³⁶ (As the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.") ³⁷ No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

 ³⁸ And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. ³⁹ No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Verse of the Day 1/27

John 1:16 (ESV)  For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

 

Think about that for a minute, no, longer.  Let it sink in.  Out of His fullness, His never ending, unlimited supply He heaps grace on top of grace.

 

In considering the word fullness I was reminded what I had read earlier in the week in "Our Daily Bread" regarding the Chinese New Year which started on Monday. " During the celebration of the Chinese New Year, it is customary to use certain words in print and conversation. One word is often used by itself. It is the word full, meaning "abundance of" and is used to wish someone material prosperity for the year ahead."

 

Out of God's fullness, His abundance,  He wishes to bless us with a spiritual prosperity.  It is available to us if we will turn to Him, receive the gift, a fullness of blessing.

 

In Spurgeon's morning devotional for today I read, "There is a fullness of blessings of every sort and shape; a fullness of grace to pardon, of grace to regenerate, of grace to sanctify, of grace to preserve, and of grace to perfect. There is a fullness at all times; a fullness of comfort in affliction; a fullness of guidance in prosperity. A fullness of every divine attribute, of wisdom, of power, of love; a fullness which it were impossible to survey, much less to explore."

 

Read the words of the old hymn.  Out of His fullness, the Father sent His Son, that we might receive grace, grace that is greater than all our sin.

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,  	grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!  	Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured,  	there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.  Refrain: 	Grace, grace, God's grace,  	grace that will pardon and cleanse within;  	grace, grace, God's grace,  	grace that is greater than all our sin! 

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

John 1:14-18 New International Version (NIV)

 ¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

 ¹⁵ (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, "This is the one I spoke about when I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'") ¹⁶ Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

Verse of the Day 1/26

Verse of the Day 1/26

 

2 Corinthians 5:11 (HCSB) Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we seek to persuade people. We are completely open before God, and I hope we are completely open to your consciences as well.

 

There has been somewhat of a scandal in the news recently about a political candidate that was said to have asked his wife to agree to an "open marriage" an arrangement that would have permitted or condoned unfaithfulness.

 

Today's verse in the HCSB describes a different kind of open relationship, it is one of faithfulness and honesty before and by God.  It is a relationship of surrendering of the will to serve God and others.  It involves being open and obedient to the Spirit's leading.  Doing so will lead to a clear conscience while allowing His grace to show through, His "fruit" to ripen in our lives.

 

Moody's "Today in the Word" devotional ended with this prayer that John Stott prayed every morning: "Father I pray that I may live this day in Your presence and please You more and more. Lord Jesus I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow You. Holy Spirit, I pray that this day You will . . . cause Your fruit to ripen in my life." 

 Reading the words about living this day in His presence brought to mind the old, and hopefully, familiar hymn "I Surrender All".

 

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

Refrain

I surrender all, I surrender all,
All to Thee, my blessèd Savior,
I surrender all.

 

All to Jesus, I surrender;
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

 

Do you have or are you willing to commit to such and open relationship with God?  If so, pray, perhaps make it a practice to pray John Stott's prayer or a similar one of your own creation.

 

2 Corinthians 5:15 (HCSB) And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised.

 

Blessings,
Mike
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2 Corinthians 5:11-15  Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

 ¹¹ Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we seek to persuade people. We are completely open before God, and I hope we are completely open to your consciences as well. ¹² We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride in the outward appearance^[a] rather than in the heart. ¹³ For if we are out of our mind, it is for God; if we have a sound mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For Christ's love compels^[b] us, since we have reached this conclusion: If One died for all, then all died. ¹⁵ And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised.

Verse of the Day 1/24

Nehemiah 4:20 (AMP) In whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.

 

In the book of Nehemiah God reveals Himself as the rebuilder of broken walls and lives.  In ancient times the blast of a trumpet was used to rally the people to fight against the enemy.

 

On Saturday many political commentators said that Newt Gingrich won the primary because he stood up to some of the questions that were thrown at him.  His response to the questions that were meant to tear him down built him up in the eyes of many of the voters.  In much the same way, many in today's "modern society" will do everything that they can to put and keep Christians down.  God's Word should be a rallying cry for us, to turn our hearts toward Him and live for Him as individuals and together, to fight for what we believe in.

 

Let Nehemiah's words to the people be a reminder and a rallying cry for us today, to fight for what we believe in, to fight not just for ourselves but for our families, homes and churches.

 

Nehemiah 4:14(MSG) ^13-14 So I stationed armed guards at the most vulnerable places of the wall and assigned people by families with their swords, lances, and bows. After looking things over I stood up and spoke to the nobles, officials, and everyone else: "Don't be afraid of them. Put your minds on the Master, great and awesome, and then fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes."

 

In what areas of your life can and will you fight for your sons, your daughters, your wives and your homes and your church?  How are you preparing for the battle?

 

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

Nehemiah 4:19-23 The Message (MSG)

 ^19-20 Then I spoke to the nobles and officials and everyone else: "There's a lot of work going on and we are spread out all along the wall, separated from each other. When you hear the trumpet call, join us there; our God will fight for us."

 ²¹ And so we kept working, from first light until the stars came out, half of us holding lances.

 ²² I also instructed the people, "Each person and his helper is to stay inside Jerusalem—guards by night and workmen by day."

 ²³ We all slept in our clothes—I, my brothers, my workmen, and the guards backing me up. And each one kept his spear in his hand, even when getting water.

Verse of the Day 1/23

Ephesians 1:17-19 (I pray)  that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,   RSV

In our men's Bible study group met this morning we studied about the "persistent widow" in Luke 18.  She received what she wanted from the unjust judge through persistence.  He may have responded to her so as not to get a black eye in public opinion.  Today's prayer from Paul for the Ephesian church and for us is one that we can consistently pray for.  We can be sure that God listens and that he will give us what we need as a just judge or loving father.

 

The RSV puts the word "spirit" in lower case.  John MacArthur notes that the word "spirit" here "refers to a disposition or attitude of humility, as in, "blessed are the poor in spirit" (Matt:. 5:3).  "Revelation" means knowledge  that God imparts through His Word.  "Wisdom" is the application of that knowledge to daily living.  The combined effect is a humble attitude toward God's Word that compels you to learn it and to integrate it into every aspect of our lives...... Paul's prayer is that you will understand as much as possible so that godly wisdom and revelation will govern all your attitudes and actions.  Let that be your goal today."

 

As we talked about the widow's prayer this morning, I quoted an old Doobie Brothers song that contained the line "tell me what you want and I'll give you what you need."  We need to be persistent in our prayers, while knowing that we may not always get what we want, but He will give us what we need.  I think it would be safe to say that this prayer of Paul's is something each of us need today, to have a spirit of wisdom and have the eyes of our hearts enlightened to know that hope to which He has called us.

 

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

Ephesians 1:15-22 The Message (MSG)

 ^15-19That's why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn't stop thanking God for you—every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!

 ^20-23All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.

Verse of the Day 1/21

Isaiah 41:13 (ESV) For I, the LORD your God, 
   hold your right hand; 
it is I who say to you, "Fear not, 
   I am the one who helps you."

 

I'm sure that we can all remember, as a child, walking hand in hand with a parent, feeling the comfort, trust, and confidence in having them lead the way, helping you along a path in the woods or up a hill in the snow, through a haunted house at Halloween or any number of situations.  You may remember walking hand in hand with a girlfriend, later your spouse when you did it not out of need but for the companionship, feeling the warmth of their hand coming from the warmth of each others hearts.  Possibly, you've had the chance to walk hand in hand with a grandchild and experiencing once again the wonders of life through the eyes of that child.  It could be that now, you are older and look forward to having your child or grandchild help you along, over a curb or up the stairs.

 

If you believe in God, have faith in Christ, you  can have that feeling that sense of comfort, encouragement and help through all stages of your life.  In the good times and those times in the valley, where you need that helping hand so that you are not overcome and overwhelmed along the way.

 

In today's devotional from "Tabletalk" magazine, Harry Reeder writes, "God's people are not victims in a broken world but victors walking in Christ's triumph.  Christ followers are overcomers, not the overwhelmed.  Informed by God's inerrant Word, they see life in biblical perspective, making decisions with clarity, confidence and courage."  We can make decisions with that clarity, confidence and courage, as we rely upon His Word to understand life's circumstances, that they are not all just random events.  We can walk hand in hand with the Holy Spirit guiding us to make God centered, kingdom advancing decisions.

 

May that describe you today, among the "overcomers, not the overwhelmed".

 

Ephesians 5:15-16 (HCSB)  Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise— ¹⁶ making the most of the time,

 

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

Isaiah 41:11-14 Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹¹Behold, all they who are enraged and inflamed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; they who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish.

    ¹²You shall seek those who contend with you but shall not find them; they who war against you shall be as nothing, as nothing at all.

    ¹³For I the Lord your God hold your right hand; I am the Lord, Who says to you, Fear not; I will help you!

    ¹⁴Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I will help you, says the Lord; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

Verse of the Day 1/20

 Joshua 23:6 (HCSB) "Be very strong and continue obeying all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you do not turn from it to the right or left 

Joshua is coming to the end of his life and he wants to encourage and challenge the Israelites to continue in faith.  He knew that it would not be easy, that they would not only have to be strong, very strong, while continuing to look to God for deliverance from every obstacle that would come along.

These were Joshua's "marching orders" to the people and they still serve as God's marching orders to us today.

 

The words of the Susan Ashton song "Walk On" come to mind:

 

I'm at the end of my rope, time I realize

That when the going gets tough

And the tough are long gone, just to

Walk on, walk on, walk on

 

I hadn't thought of it this way before, but Joshua was letting the people know that he wouldn't be there to lead them for much longer.  He would be gone, he was encouraging them to walk on, walk on in faith in God. 

 

Have you lost a friend, loved one, or mentor that helped you in your way?  May we remember their faith, and where their faith was placed.  May we put our faith and trust in God when the going gets tough, when we feel we're at the end of our rope, He will guide us and give us the strength to not to stop or stray from the path, but to "walk on".

 

Blessings,

Mike
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Joshua 23:6-8 (HCSB)

 ⁶ "Be very strong and continue obeying all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you do not turn from it to the right or left ⁷ and so that you do not associate with these nations remaining among you. Do not call on the names of their gods or make an oath to them; do not worship them or bow down to them. ⁸ Instead, remain faithful to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day.

Verse of the Day 1/19

Matthew 18:3-4 (NLT) Then he said, "I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. ⁴ So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

Yesterday we considered the attitude of the heart in coming to God in prayer, that of the proud pharisee and the contrite tax collector, "the sinner".  Today's verses point to another kind or another side of the humility required.

 

I've been reading the book by Todd Burpo "Heaven is for Real" which gives the account of what his 4 year old son Colton experienced in his "near death" experience.  (I'll let you read the book and see what you'd call it).  The pastor's comments on this verse really struck me.  He writes, "What is childlike humility?  It's not the lack of intelligence, but the lack of guile. The lack of an agenda.  It's that precious, fleeting time before we have accumulated enough pride or position to care what other people might think.  .... It is the opposite of ignorance - it is intellectual honesty; to be willing to accept reality and to call things what they are even when it is hard."

 

Wow!  You can see the tax collectors heart, his childlike faith in these words.

 

Oh to see that kind of heart in our politicians - the lack of guile, lack of a personal agenda, the lack of spin, the intellectual honesty and willingness to accept reality.  But before we, or I, look with disdain upon the politicians, what about me?

 

Pastor Burpo noticed this in a child, I've seen this kind of faith and honesty in my son Jeff and others with special needs.  Why is it so hard for us? 

 

May we find our way back to that childlike faith.

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Matthew 18 New Living Translation (NLT)   -  The Greatest in the Kingdom

 ¹ About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?"

 ² Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. ³ Then he said, "I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. ⁴ So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

 ⁵ "And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf^[a] is welcoming me. ⁶ But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.

Verse of the Day 1/18

 Luke 18:13-14 (ESV) But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."  

 

The men's small group that I'm in has been going (slowly) through the book of Luke.  Our next study will be in Luke 18 where we find today's verse which is an excellent one to consider while we are on the subject of righteousness or being right with God.  The passage contrasts the prayer of the pharisee and the tax collector, the "sinner".  Read the passage.  The pharisee pridefully spouts off the things that he has done for God thinking that doing those things make him worthy,  but notice that Luke says he is praying "with himself: (NKJV).  His prayer goes no higher than the ceiling or even the top of his head.

 

The tax collector realizes that he has nothing of his own to bring, he is depending on God's mercy to be saved, to be made righteous.

 

I think that if we were to take a look at our prayers and the condition of our hearts as we pray, that all too often there is a little or a lot of the pharisee in us.  When we come to the Lord may we be like the tax collector, and come to him as "sinners".  The old hymn "Just as I Am" came to mind.  Read a couple of the stanzas, does it reflect the attitude of your heart in approaching Christ today?

 

Just as I am, without one plea,
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidst me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Blessings,
Mike
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Luke 18:9-14  New King James Version (NKJV) The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

   ⁹ Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: ¹⁰ "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' ¹³ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Verse of the Day 1/17

Matthew 5:6 (NIV) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
   for they will be filled.
 

Righteousness is one of the "big" words in Christianity and one that is often misunderstood.  To be righteous is not dressing the part, going through the motions, following a list of rules.  To be righteous literally means to be right with God or before God.  It doesn't end there.  It also involves desiring to do what God would have us do.  Simply put it is to be right before God and to do right by God.  This is not something that we do or earn it is through faith in Christ and what He has accomplished for us.  The Message paraphrase may help our understanding by relating righteousness to our appetite for God.

 

. Matthew 5:6(MSG)  "You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.

 

I signed up for a weight-loss program and will weigh in today.  I will be going on a diet (wish me luck).  I'm sure that along the way I will hunger and thirst for things.  Do you have days where you hunger and thirst for food, you see an advertisement for a steak or pizza and you desire it?  In reading the verse from The Message you may have asked yourself the question "what is my appetite for God".  Do you hunger and crave His Word, wanting to spend more time with God in prayer, letting Him lead you in your walk?

 

Maybe we need to go on a diet from other things and focus more on growing in the "grace and knowledge of our Lord".  If we do so, we will be filled and fit for the Christian walk of faith.

 

2 Peter 3:18 (ESV)  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Matthew 5:3-9 The Message (MSG)

 ³"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

 ⁴"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

 ⁵"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.

 ⁶"You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.

 ⁷"You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'care-full,' you find yourselves cared for.

 ⁸"You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

 ⁹"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.

Verse of the Day 1/16

2 Samuel 7:25-26 (ESV)  And now, O LORD God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. ²⁶ And your name will be magnified forever, saying, 'The LORD of hosts is God over Israel,' and the house of your servant David will be established before you.

 

If you watch any TV, especially on some of the news channels, I'm sure you will have seen commercials from several different companies encouraging you to invest in gold and silver, "precious metals",  as a hedge against economic uncertainty now and financial security in the future.  The commercials encourage people to invest in shiny gold coins and hide them away in a vault or deposit box where they may not see the light of day for years or decades. The coins are taken out of circulation. How many of us approach God's Word and His promises in the same way, as a hedge against the future? We want to learn God's Word but in essence, we put it away for future reference and don't apply it in our every day lives.

 

Charles Spurgeon, in his morning devotional writes, "God's gold is not miser's money, but is minted to be traded with. Nothing pleases our Lord better than to see his promises put in circulation; he loves to see his children bring them up to him, and say, "Lord, do as thou hast said." We glorify God when we plead his promises." God's Word and His promises are meant to be put in circulation.  They are meant to be spent, but in a way that builds for the future. Spurgeon notes, "Our heavenly Banker delights to cash his own notes. Never let the promise rust." 

 

Asking God to confirm and establish his Word in us will mean putting it into practice, into circulation to accomplish His purposes now and for eternity, that His name will be glorified.  May it be so with us in our lives today.

 

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

2 Samuel 7:25 The Message (MSG)

 ^25-27 "So now, great God, this word that you have spoken to me and my family, guarantee it permanently! Do exactly what you've promised! Then your reputation will flourish always as people exclaim, 'The God-of-the-Angel-Armies is God over Israel!' And the house of your servant David will remain sure and solid in your watchful presence. For you, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel's God, told me plainly, 'I will build you a house.' That's how I was able to find the courage to pray this prayer to you.

Verse of the Day 1/15

Verse of the Day 1/15

"Call upon Me in the day of trouble! I will deliver you--and you shall glorify Me!" Psalm 50:15

I don't normally send out a verse of the day on both days of the weekend.  When I read this in "Grace Gems" this morning, it was a matter of the "can't help its".  It was written in James Smith's "The Believer's Companion in Seasons of Affliction and Trouble" in 1842.

Believer, in this portion of the divine Word, you will discover:
1. your present portion--trouble,
2. your constant privilege--prayer,
3. your future prospect--deliverance.

 Your constant privilege is PRAYER--to visit the throne of grace, and wait upon our God. He says, "Call upon Me in the day of trouble!" Troubles . . .
furnish us with messages to our Father's throne,
quicken us in our supplications, and
oblige us to entreat His favor!

His throne of grace is always accessible, and His ear is always open; but in times of trouble, He especially invites us to draw near. He says:
Call upon Me in trouble, call for whatever you need!
Are you perplexed--then call for wisdom;
are you weak--then call for strength;
are you guilty--then call for pardon;
are you miserable--then call for comfort;
are you in darkness--then call for light;
are you in bondage--then call for freedom and relief.

Call upon Me, for I am always on the throne of grace!

Call upon Me, for I am glad to see you!

Call upon Me, for I am ready to help you!

Call upon Me, for I wait to be gracious unto you!

Call upon Me--upon Me first, before you run to others!

Call upon Me--and you will have no occasion to go anywhere else, for I have all that you can possibly need.

Call upon Me freely--without reserve.

Call upon Me boldly--without fear.

Call upon Me importunately--without doubt!

The promise encourages us,
the invitation allures us--but
trouble impels us to call upon our God!

Our troubles are frequently the instruments the Holy Spirit employs to carry on His sacred work in our hearts. By troubles, He . . .
empties us of self,
weans us from the world, and
endears Jesus and His salvation to us!

Oh, believer, make use of your privilege in every time of trouble--and fully expect what Your God has promised!

Now fast forward to the last verse of the Psalm: 

Psalm 50:23 (Amplifed Bible) He who brings an offering of praise and thanksgiving honors and glorifies Me; and he who orders his way aright [who prepares the way that I may show him], to him I will demonstrate the salvation of 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

  Psalm 50:15 (Amplified Bible) And call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall honor and glorify Me.

 

  

Verse of the Day 1/14

Psalm 8:3-4 (ESV) When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?

 

John Calvin referred to the psalms as "an Anatomy of all Parts of the Soul", explaining that "there is not an emotion of which anyone can be conscious that is not here represented as a mirror.  Or rather, the Holy Spirit has here drawn to life all grief's, sorrows, fears, doubts, hopes, cares, perplexities, in short, all the distracting emotions with which the minds of men are wont to be agitated."

 

Reading that statement brought me to these verses and this passage which always brings to my mind a song that we used to sing in the choir at EEFC, "The Majesty and Glory of Your Name". (click on it to listen to it).  John MacArthur notes that the verse and the phrase look upon man as insignificant and transitory.  Yet Jesus chose this name "the Son of Man" as a title for himself.  His life, which to outsiders, may have seemed transitory, but it actually held the keys to eternal life.  That thought of our fleeting lives was brought home by the passing of a couple of friends that I used to sing with in that choir.  Their lives here on earth, as will ours, will prove to be transitory, but through faith in Christ we realize, and have a blessed assurance,  that we who believe in Him will live with Him again for eternity. 

 

Sometimes we may feel insignificant and wonder if anyone, especially God, truly cares for us.  This psalm and others, in fact the whole Bible,  serve as reminders that He is mindful of us, He cares for us.  May we find our rest, our peace, our hope in Him.  Pick out another psalm, let it be a reminder to you to feel that sense of wonder of the majesty and glory of 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

Psalm 8:3-9 English Standard Version (ESV)

³ When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?

⁵ Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
⁶ You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
⁷ all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
⁸ the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

⁹ O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Verse of the Day 1/13

  2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NIV)  For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. ¹⁵ And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

 

Norman Vincent Peale is famous for his book "The Power of Positive Thinking".  It has its merits and the concept is definitely better than constant negative thinking.  Positive thinking should cause us to look at things differently and if we look at things differently, we should react differently.  But positive thinking doesn't always make things right.

 

We started the week considering losing our life and not  living for ourselves,  to finding life it in Christ.  Today's verse starts with the thought that Christ's love will "compel" us, lead us, guide our thoughts and literally force us to live for him.  This will lead to a much different outcome in our lives than living for ourselves.

 

The thought fits in well with a couple of verses from Philippians which are part of a devotional that the youth group at our church is going through.

 

Philippians 4:8-9 (NIV) Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

 

It involves more than "positive thinking", it expands it to whatever is right, pure, lovely and admirable.  We are to think on these things.  But it doesn't stop there, look at the result, the God of peace will be with you.  Do you need God's peace and the God of peace with you today?  Then think of these things in Jesus.  It will be another way to count your blessings.

 

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

2 Corinthians 5:14-20 New International Version (NIV)

¹⁴ For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. ¹⁵ And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

 ¹⁶ So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.

Verse of the Day 1/12

Ecclesiastes 2:11-12 The Message (MSG)  Then I took a good look at everything I'd done, looked at all the sweat and hard work. But when I looked, I saw nothing but smoke. Smoke and spitting into the wind. There was nothing to any of it. Nothing.

 

The other day we considered life lives God's way versus "my way".  The heading for the passage in Ecclesiastes that begins with this verse has is "I hate life".  The book was written by Solomon later in life.  He had started living life God's way but was led astray by the love of, you might say, wine, women and song.   Today's verse sum's up his feelings about living such a life.

 

In this chapter Solomon boasts of building houses, planting vineyards, gardens and parks, made pools, had slaves, women, and all kinds of treasures.  But like the person in Frank Sinatra's song, My Way, he was coming towards the end of his life and found himself and his achievements as vain and empty.  "What is a man what has he got, if not himself then he has naught".  Solomon had himself and realized it was for naught. 

 

John MacArthur writes, "the futility of the labor process is that Solomon had nothing of enduring and satisfying substance to show for it.  Wisdom is no guarantee that one will achieve satisfaction, even in accomplishments comparable to Solomon's.  To expend God given resources for human accomplishment alone is empty."  Solomon could relate to the Rolling Stone's song - I can't get no satisfaction.

 

Sounds like Solomon had a few regrets himself.  Fast forward to the end of the book.  We find what the wisest person in the world found, the one that had it all yet felt empty, until he turned back to God.

 

Ecclesiastes 12:13 (NLT) That's the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone's duty.

 

Saint Augustine of Hippo. ... "You have made us for yourself, Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you,"

 

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

 Ecclesistes 2:4-11 The Message