Verse of the Day

Mark 1:15 (NLT)  "The time promised by God has come at last!" he announced. "The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!"

 

Yesterday we considered the prophet Haggai's call to "consider our ways" and to turn, to return to God.  We also looked back at Abraham Lincoln's call for our nation to do so.

 

After John the Baptist, the last of the  prophets who would precede Jesus, had been arrested, Jesus took up the mantle and began His ministry with the same call, "repent" for the Kingdom had indeed come near.  The kingdom was so near, in the form of Jesus that His call demanded a response.  Throughout His ministry, the healings, the teachings confronted people in order to bring about a response.  The call still goes out today from churches and missionary efforts across the world.  Wherever the Word of God goes, and the message of Christ and the cross is preached, the kingdom and its good news are drawing near, this action demands a response.

 

What has been your response to His call?  If we've accepted it and have acted upon it in faith, we are challenged to be involved in calling others to believe the Gospel the good news that Jesus has drawn near.

 

This is the day
This is the day
That the Lord has made
That the Lord has made
We will rejoice
We will rejoice
And be glad in it
And be glad in it
This is the day that the Lord has made 
We will rejoice and be glad in it
This is the day
This is the day
That the Lord has made. 

 

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

Mark 1:14-15 English Standard Version (ESV) - Jesus Begins His Ministry

¹⁴  Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, ¹⁵ and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."

Verse of the Day 4/29

Haggai 1:7-8 (AMP) Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways (your previous and present conduct) and how you have fared.

    ⁸Go up to the hill country and bring lumber and rebuild [My] house, and I will take pleasure in it and I will be glorified, says the Lord [by accepting it as done for My glory and by displaying My glory in it].

Over the past few days we've considered some of the words from Abraham Lincoln's speeches as he established the National Day of Humiliation and Prayer as well as a day of Thanksgiving.  He was calling for the nation to "consider it's ways", and as the Amplified Bible indicates this involves previous and present conditions.  It is looking back to the faith of the founding fathers, then looking to what brought them to this current state of affairs.  The hope was that they would realize the error of their ways, that they had forgotten God and had gotten all caught up in themselves, for their personal well being while turning a blind eye to the injustices around.

 

Again, it was a call for each person to look within themselves.  To make the right choices for the common good, "to love your neighbor as yourself", to turn individual lives around which would lead to rebuilt homes, rebuilt churches and rebuilt communities.

 

We as a nation are in a similar position today.  There is much political posturing, everyone saying what they think needs to be said to win votes, win an election, without calling for, without taking a stand for what needs to be done, which starts with our personal and national relationship to the God that Abraham Lincoln desired that we turn to.

 

After years of neglect, there is plenty of "lumber", there are plenty of hungering hearts upon which the church, God's "living stones", may be built upon.  The passage starts with "Now, therefore...".  The time is now to turn.

 

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

Haggai 1:5-10 English Standard Version (ESV)

⁵ Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. ⁶  You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.

⁷ "Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. ⁸ Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord. ⁹  You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the Lord of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. ¹⁰ Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce.

Verse of the Day 4/28

Acts 3:19-20 (AMP) So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return [to God], that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, of reviving with fresh air) may come from the presence of the Lord;

    ²⁰And that He may send [to you] the Christ (the Messiah), Who before was designated and appointed for you--even Jesus,

The other day I posted part of Abraham Lincoln's call for a national day of prayer where he said (paraphrasing) that as a nation we had been blessed beyond measure but had forgotten God.

 

Our high school youth group has been asked to read through the book of Acts this week.  As part of that reading I came across today's verses and couldn't help but think more about Abraham Lincoln's words.  I Googled "we have forgotten God" and came across some more of his words.  Today, I'll share some that he gave in calling for a National Day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer on March 30, 1863.  He wasn't calling on the people to turn towards the government, but instead to turn back, to repent, and seek God.

 

"It is the duty of nations…to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins…with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy…The awful calamity of civil war…may be but a punishment inflicted upon us for our presumptuous sins."

 

The Amplified Bible  speaks of this repentance, as called for by Peter as "changing mind and purpose."   As a nation, we need help.  The question is where are we looking for it to come from?  What would happen if more of us would turn our hearts towards God and seek the times of refreshing that only He can bring?  He can blot our and wipe clean our past sins and revive us with the fresh air of fresh faith.  A good read on this would be Jim Cymbala's book, "Fresh Faith: What Happens When Real Faith Ignites God's People".

 

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

Acts 3:17-24 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁷ "And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. ¹⁸ But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. ¹⁹  Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, ²⁰ that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, ²¹  whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. ²² Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. ²³ And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.' ²⁴ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days.

Verse of the Day 7/27

Hebrews 7:25 (AMP) Therefore He is able also to save to the uttermost (completely, perfectly, finally, and for all time and eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He is always living to make petition to God and intercede with Him and intervene for them.

 

Today's verse is one of those that you can sit back, dwell on, and meditate on in order to gain the full impact of what it says.  I read it yesterday in another translation and what caught my eye and thoughts was the phrase "save to the uttermost".  The Amplified Bible gives us a good idea, a good picture of what that means.  Think of your salvation in these terms - "completely, perfectly, finally, and for all time and eternity".

 

Several other verses or passages should come to mind, for me it is Romans 8:28-39 which ends with "nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord".

 

He saves us completely, we have nothing to add to it except our praise and thanksgiving.  We are saved, safe from all enemies and all fears.  He will stop at nothing to bring His own home.

 

The words to the Phillips, Craig, and Dean song "He'll do Whatever It Takes" came to mind.  I'll share the chorus.

 

He'll do whatever, whatever it takes
His grace reaches lower than your worst mistakes
And His love will run farther
Than you can run away, my friend
He'll do whatever, whatever it takes
He'll do whatever it takes

 

Take a few minutes to think about being "saved to the uttermost".  How will it affect the way you live your life 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

Hebrews 7:23-28 English Standard Version (ESV)

²³ The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, ²⁴ but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. ²⁵ Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

²⁶ For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. ²⁷ He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. ²⁸ For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

Verse of the Day 4/26

1 Kings 8:57-58  (ESV) The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us, ⁵⁸ that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers.

 

This was Solomon's blessing upon the people after the dedication of the temple.  In the preceding chapter, Solomon's prayer to God, he repeatedly asked that God would hear their prayers, forgive their sins and teach them to walk in His ways.

 

There are plenty of people today willing to reference Abraham Lincoln in speeches but I haven't heard many of his words being repeated.  Like Solomon, if you read his words you would see that he didn't call for big government but for a "big" God to provide for and guide his people in the way they should go, following the faith of their fathers and forefathers.

 

Oh that the next time we hear reference to Abraham Lincoln, we would hear some of his words like the following from his Thanksgiving proclamation:

 

"We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown.

But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens."

 

It wouldn't be viewed as politically correct in today's environment, but it is what we need to hear.  

 

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 Kings 8:54-61 English Standard Version (ESV)

Solomon's Benediction

⁵⁴  Now as Solomon finished offering all this prayer and plea to the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven. ⁵⁵ And he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying, ⁵⁶ "Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant. ⁵⁷ The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us, ⁵⁸ that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers.⁵⁹ Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires, ⁶⁰ that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other. ⁶¹  Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day."

Verse of the Day 4/25

1 Corinthians 11:23-24 (ESV)  For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

 

 

Yesterday we considered how Jesus is the "cure", He is what we need to overcome the sin and it's penalty in our lives.  The forgiveness He brings can bring peace and restoration in our lives.

Different denominations and individual churches celebrate communion in different ways and at different times.  Some celebrate it every week, others every month while others will do it less frequently.  But no matter the frequency or the manner it is observed in remembrance of Him, picturing what He went through for us to reconcile us to God.

 

A simple statement in verse 23 struck me this morning, "on the night when he was betrayed".  Jesus knew full well what was going on that night.  He knew that one of His own would betray Him, yet He followed through with meal and instituted that night what we observe in communion.  Each time we observe it He knows full well what is going on in our lives, but still invites us to come, to celebrate, and to restore the proper relationship.

 

The remembrance called for is not only the meal, but the things that He went through following that meal.  The journey to the cross.  John MacArthur writes, "the scene at the cross wasn't peaceful at all.  Pain, sorrow, humiliation, hatred, mockery , darkness, and death were oppressively pervasive.  But through it all Christ was doing what He alone could do; making peace between man and God.  He paid the supreme price to give us that precious gift."

 

These thoughts and the passage in 1 Corinthians bring me back to Romans 5 where we read:

 

Romans 5:8 (NIV) But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 

All this should cause us to consider the question that Chuck Colson used as the title of one of his books "How Now  Shall We Live".   His life was a testimony of his response to that question once he received Christ as his saviour, turned around his life and lived for Him.

 

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 11:23-26

English Standard Version (ESV)

²³ For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." ²⁵ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." ²⁶ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Verse of the Day 4/24

1 Peter 1:18-19(NIV)  For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

 

There are many events this time of year and throughout the year that are centered around raising money for a "cure".  I'm sure you have seen promotional information in this regard for breast cancer and many other diseases and illnesses..  People will donate time and money in varying degrees.   But often those who give most, who devote their lives to a cause do so because they have lost someone close to them to that particular disease.

 

I read the following quote in "Of First Importance" this morning:

"Knowing the cure tells you a lot about the gravity of the disease. In the cross we see what was needed to cure the wound of sin, and we see what lengths God was willing to go to cure it. Thus we see its true character as something so reprehensible to God, as something so unfit for inclusion in God's covenant kingdom, that his own Son must suffer. And finally, it is then that we see God's character as the one who goes all the way, who bears the full burden of the covenant upon himself. We see a love beyond all love."— Michael D. Williams

 

All of this serves as a reminder of the price that was paid by Jesus to cure us from what would separate us from Him, our sin.  Spend some time considering this today along with the following words from Rock of Ages. How should we live in light of this "double cure"?

 

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,  	let me hide myself in thee;  	let the water and the blood,  	from thy wounded side which flowed,  	be of sin the double cure;  	save from wrath and make me pure. 

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 Peter 1:17-21 New International Version (NIV)

 ¹⁷ Since you call on a Father who judges each person's work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. ¹⁸ For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. ²⁰ He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. ²¹ Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Verse of the Day 4/23

Mark 10:45(NIV) For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

 

John MacArthur writes that "really there are only two types of religion.  One says you can earn your way to Heaven; the other says that you must trust in Jesus alone.  One is the religion of achievement; the other is of divine accomplishment."   As Jesus states in this verse, He came to serve and give His life as a ransom, as payment for our sins and release from the bonds of this world and its vain pursuits.  This "release" is key in following Him in serving.

 

As you look back over Jesus life and ministry you see how He did not want to make much of Himself but sought to serve His disciples.  This verse comes out of a passage where James and John were arguing over who would get the prominent seats with Jesus in His kingdom.  They had no idea of what they were asking.  Jesus got to the heart of the matter, it is a matter of the heart.  Jesus is looking for those who have servants hearts who are willing to serve, to put others interests over their own.

 

Mark 10:43-44 (NLT) But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴ and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.

 

Do you seek to be a leader?  Once again, Jesus ways run contrary to the world, He wants us to lead by serving.  How can you serve others today at work, at home, or at play?

 

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

Mark 10:42-45  New Living Translation (NLT)

⁴² So Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. ⁴³ But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴ and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Verse of the Day 4/22

Psalm 139:13-14 (ESV)

¹³ For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
¹⁴ I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.

 

The latest edition to our family, our granddaughter Ava came into the world this past Friday.  Baby and parents are doing well.

 

Ava came a few weeks early and her arrival came after her mom and dad had spent  over a week in the hospital waiting for her arrival.  She came into the world at 5 lbs 1 oz. and 18.5 inches long.  She is breathing on her own and doing well.  Through the "magic" of Skype, we were able to watch a live video of her and family last night.  Pictures made her look "big" but seeing the video of her little hand wrapping her fingers around the tip (the size of his fingernail) of his finger you could see that she was still a "preemie".  I'll treasure those first pictures, those first images, especially that of her little hand grasping her father's fingertip.

 

Seeing that little hand grasping the tip of her father's finger brought today's verses to mind.  They are a reminder to us at just how precious, how intricate, how well detailed our bodies and all of creation are.  All of these things point us to look for and look at a creator who knit all of these things together.  It is also a picture of us in that even as we "mature" in this life, we are still only able to grasp, as it were, the tip of God's finger.  As Ava will continue to learn more of her parents and their love for her all of her life, we will spend the rest of our lives and as His children, the rest rest of eternity getting to know, experience and praise Him for who He is.

 

I'll treasure those first pictures, those first images, especially that of her little hand grasping her father's fingertip.  As we rejoice in this new birth, we, as a family, rejoice in our great God and our Saviour who loves us so much.

 

Romans 1:20 (NIV)For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

 

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 139:13-17 (ESV)

¹³ For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
¹⁴ I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
    the days that were formed for me,
    when as yet there was none of them.

¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
    How vast is the sum of them!

Verse of the Day 4/20

Romans 5:1-2 (NLT) Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. ² Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory.

The other day we considered how Jesus brought us to God.  Picture the shepherd carrying the lost sheep back to the fold from Luke 15.  Today's verses speak of the peace we may have and the ability to stand in grace and in hope amidst the various trials that we will face in life.

 

God sees us through and having confidence in this we are able to stand while looking forward to sharing God's glory in the future, being able to look back in our lives and through history of the great things He has done.

 

Consider the words to the Steve Camp song "We Stand in Grace"

 

We stand in grace
We stand in grace
Justified through faith in Christ
Who is the perfect sacrifice
We stand in grace

We have peace with God through the spotless Lamb
Whose blood was shed so we may be born again
Let us drink our fill from this fount of grace
And be faithful to Him 'til we behold His face

 

Has He through faith brought you to this place today?

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Romans 5:1-5 New Living Translation (NLT)  Faith Brings Joy

5 Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. ² Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory.

³ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. ⁴ And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. ⁵ And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Verse of the Day 4/19

 Hebrews 2:1(NIV)  We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 

 

Last year I lost 20 lbs by watching what I ate and getting exercise.  Unfortunately, over the winter I drifted from that regimen and have put  back on at least 10 of those pounds.  I decided that I wanted to lose those pounds that I had put back on, but I haven't been following the regimen.  I've been drifting.  One day eating right, one day exercising , the next day or several days not so much.  I haven't been losing the desired weight.

 

No one has ever gotten down to their desired weight, gotten physically fit, or achieved just about any goal by "drifting".  No one will grow and mature in their spiritual life by drifting.  As today's verse indicates, it will require that we pay attention.  Paying attention will involve following, putting into practice what we've learned while striving to learn more.  It all takes time, effort, determination and in the case of a relationship with the Lord or your spouse or children, love.

 

If we want a diet to be successful we will need something to keep us accountable.  For a diet it may be Weight Watchers, a spouse or friend or even a daily visit to the bathroom scale.  To be spiritually fit we need some accountability as well.  These things would include your Bible, time in prayer, involvement of Christian friends in a small group, as well as your spouse or family members.

 

What is your spiritual condition?  If you've been drifting it is not what is should be.

 

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

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Hebrews 2:1-4 (AMP)

 ¹SINCE ALL this is true, we ought to pay much closer attention than ever to the truths that we have heard, lest in any way we drift past [them] and slip away.

    ²For if the message given through angels [the Law spoken by them to Moses] was authentic and proved sure, and every violation and disobedience received an appropriate (just and adequate) penalty,

    ³How shall we escape [appropriate retribution] if we neglect and refuse to pay attention to such a great salvation [as is now offered to us, letting it drift past us forever]? For it was declared at first by the Lord [Himself], and it was confirmed to us and proved to be real and genuine by those who personally heard [Him speak].

    ⁴[Besides this evidence] it was also established and plainly endorsed by God, Who showed His approval of it by signs and wonders and various miraculous manifestations of [His] power and by imparting the gifts of the Holy Spirit [to the believers] according to His own will.

Verse of the Day 4/18

1 Peter 3:18 (NKJV)  For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us^[a] to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

We've recently considered how Jesus "drew near" to his disciples on the road to Emmaus and how he came to the disciples who were hiding behind locked doors.

 

He drew near to us all by coming to earth, suffering for us, for our sins, dying that he would be raised again that he might bring us to God the Father.

 

What kind of images come to your mind?  I picture the Good Shepherd carrying His sheep to the fold.  He draws us to himself now that we might be together with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit through eternity.

 

Makes me want to sing the Chris Tomlin song, "Jesus Messiah".

 

He became sin
Who knew no sin
That we might become His Righteousness
He humbled himself and carried the cross

Love so amazing
Love so amazing

Chorus:
Jesus Messiah
Name above all names
Blessed Redeemer
Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners
The ransom from Heaven
Jesus Messiah
Lord of all 
 

Blessings,
Mike
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1 Peter 3:18-22New King James Version (NKJV)  Christ's Suffering and Ours

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us^[a] to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, ¹⁹ by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, ²⁰ who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited^[b] in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. ²¹ There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²² who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

Verse of the Day 4/17

  Psalm 25:4-5(AMP) Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. ⁵Guide me in Your truth and faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You [You only and altogether] do I wait [expectantly] all the day long.

The ESV starts this verse by saying "make me to know your ways".  We learn by experience, by experience we learn patience.  But it is not an idle waiting it is waiting expectantly, looking for what God has in store for us.

Christian's will often comment or even joke about not praying for patience, why?, because it often involves waiting and we are too anxious about what comes next to wait expectantly while absorbing what God is accomplishing in the wait.  In the case of Ava, a few more days help her to develop a little more, to be more prepared for her entrance into the world.

Today's verse is another prayer that should not be taken lightly.  As we know from the book of Isaiah, His ways are not our ways, and His showing us His way may not be for our immediate liking.  But God is faithful and through His truth and His faithfulness we will experience what He has planned for us.

What things are you waiting for today?  Turn them over to God, wait for them expectantly while experiencing joy in what He reveals to you during the wait.

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 25:4-10New King James Version (NKJV)

⁴ Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
⁵ Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.

⁶ Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they are from of old.
⁷ Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness' sake, O Lord.

⁸ Good and upright is the Lord;
Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
⁹ The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way.
¹⁰ All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth,
To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.