Verse of the Day 4/30

 

 Psalm 16:11  You will show me the way of life,
    granting me the joy of your presence
    and the pleasures of living with you forever.   New Living Translation (NLT)

 

Today's verse came from John Piper's daily devotional where he listed 15 ways in which we should fight for joy.  The last two were as follows:

• do the hard and loving thing for the sake of others (witness and mercy)
• get a global vision for the cause of Christ and pour yourself out for the unreached.

Our youth group will be participating in the 30 Hour Famine in order to raise funds and awareness for starving children around the world, to bring food and hope to those in need through World Vision.

 

Yesterday, I referenced Galatians 5:22 and the fruit of the Spirit.  The passage contrasts the life of self indulgence and the immoralities associated with it and the Spirit lead life which produces fruti.  It is a choice between two ways, two paths, or two roads.  One leads to destruction the other leads to life, producing fruit,  here and to eternity.

 

It will not be easy, but through the power of the Spirit, may we be willing to do the hard and loving thing for others who are less fortunate with a global vision for the cause of Christ.  What can each of us do to participate in the 30 Hour Famine and other opportunities down the path towards life?

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Psalm 16:10-11

English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁰ For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
    or let your holy one see corruption.

¹¹ You make known to me the path of life;
    in your presence there is fullness of joy;
    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Verse of the Day 4/29

 

Philippians 2:3-4   Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.  New Living Translation (NLT)

 

The NLT says "don't be selfish" while the NIV starts these verses out with "do nothing out of selfish ambition".  We'll continue with the thoughts of pyrrhic victories where sometimes the costs outweigh the value of winning.

 

When you think of selfish ambition, rivalry, and strife, it is easy to relate it to partisanship.  With it there is a pride in getting your way.  This is often played out before our very eyes in the politics of the day, and not only national government politics, but in corporations and yes, even within churches.  The person or persons described here may not be as interested in what is actually best, but that he or his party of faction can win an advantage, to the detriment of all.

 

Instead of it, the Christian is told to be humble, thing of others, to look out for their interests as well as your own.

 

Thinking of these things brought me to the second stanza of "A Mighty Fortress", written by Martin Luther who know something about contentious battles.

 

Did we in our own strength confide,   	our striving would be losing,   	were not the right man on our side,   	the man of God's own choosing.  	Dost ask who that may be?    	Christ Jesus, it is he;   	Lord Sabaoth, his name,   	from age to age the same,   	and he must win the battle.

 

As we head out into the week ahead, may we put aside our striving for ourselves, may we respect, submit and follow the example of Christ.  If we find ourselves in some kind of skirmish, debate or argument, may we draw upon Him, His grace, realizing that if it is to be won, He must win 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

Philippians 2:2-4

Amplified Bible (AMP)

² Fill up and complete my joy by living in harmony and being of the same mind and one in purpose, having the same love, being in full accord and of one harmonious mind and intention.

³ Do nothing from factional motives [through contentiousness, strife, selfishness, or for unworthy ends] or prompted by conceit and empty arrogance. Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself [thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves].

⁴ Let each of you esteem and look upon and be concerned for not [merely] his own interests, but also each for the interests of others.

Verse of the Day 4/28

 

Proverbs 19:11  A person's wisdom yields patience;
    it is to one's glory to overlook an offense.  New International Version (NIV)

 

Tonight's lesson in our youth group will be about "pyrrhic victories", it is the situation where the cost of victory is greater than what we gain in the victory.  We may have the knowledge and skill to win victory with friends, family, co-workers or customers, but this verse tells us that the wise person sees this cost and makes a wise choice in being patient in the situation.

 

I read a comment about patience recently about a verse in the New Testament, Gal. 5:22 which stated, "Longsuffering is synonymous with patience.  This translates from a compound word in Greek meaning "far from anger".  This type of conduct, which is virtually void of a spirit of retaliation, cannot be worked up.  It is produced from within.  In our fast paced, self seeking world, patience does not seem to be in high demand.  Like all the others in this cluster of fruit (fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22), longsuffering arises from love.  Love's greatest triumph is not always in what love does - more often than not- in what love refrains from doing."

 

The NLT introduction to today's verse starts with "sensible people use restraint".  We may have opportunities today to win battles, to win a victory in another, but if it is a pyrrhic victory where we win the argument and lose a friend, what have we gained, what is our witness?  This sensibility, this patience, this forbearance, helps us to refrain from exercising our "legal right", even in the face of provocation, that we may keep the friend and pray for another opportunity to show love and for the Spirit to produce the fruit, the overall victory.

 

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

Proverbs 19:10-12

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

¹⁰ Luxury is not appropriate for a fool—
how much less for a slave to rule over princes!

¹¹ A person's insight gives him patience,
and his virtue is to overlook an offense.

¹² A king's rage is like the roaring of a lion,
but his favor is like dew on the grass.

Verse of the Day 4/26

 

John 15:16-17 You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you [I have planted you], that you might go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit may be lasting [that it may remain, abide], so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name [as ^[a]presenting all that I Am], He may give it to you.

¹⁷ This is what I command you: that you love one another.  Amplified Bible (AMP)

 

Yesterday we considered the NFL draft, relating it to choosing, about deciding to follow Christ that we may have/obtain new life.   In today's verse we see that Jesus actually chooses us first.  He has chosen us and planted us where we are with a purpose.  He has a spot on His team for us, each of us with an individually planned purpose.  The story of Esther comes to mind.  "And who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this and for this very occasion?" (Esther 4:14 Amp)

 

The question remains, what will we do with that opportunity?  Choose to get in the game, to produce, score and win in the game for Christ.   And just how is that done?  It is giving of yourself, loving one another as Christ loved and loves us.  We find new life in loving God, with the goal to love others as He loved.  Ask what He would have you to do and He will give you the power, the courage to see it through to the final victory.

 

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 15:15-17 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

¹⁵ I do not call you slaves anymore, because a slave doesn't know what his master^[a] is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from My Father. ¹⁶ You did not choose Me, but I chose you. I appointed you that you should go out and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. ¹⁷ This is what I command you: Love one another.

Verse of the Day 4/25

Verse of the Day 4/25

 

Colossians 2:13-14  You were spiritually dead because of your sins and because you were not free from the power of your sinful self. But God gave you new life together with Christ. He forgave all our sins. ¹⁴ Because we broke God's laws, we owed a debt—a debt that listed all the rules we failed to follow. But God forgave us of that debt. He took it away and nailed it to the cross.    Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

 

Tonight is the NFL draft.  Teams and fans have been looking forward to this day, hoping that their team will draft a player that will transform their team and give them hope for a Super Bowl title.  Sometimes adding one key, dominant player at quarterback or running back will inject new life into a dead or struggling offense.

 

There are many around us today that are struggling in any number of areas in their life, they've been searching for an answer as to what will make a difference in their lives.  They may be buried under the weight of past failures, of sin, that has robbed them of the joy that they so desperately desire.  Today's verses tell us that Jesus Christ the answer.  He can heal, forgive, restore, refresh, renew, rebuild, and bring new life to those who will follow Him.

 

I'm reminded of the chorus that we used to sing back in our high school youth group. 

 

New Life in Christ abundant and free!
What glories shine, what joys are mine,
What wondrous blessings I see!
My past with its sin, the searching and strife,
Forever gone -- There's a bright new dawn!
For in Christ I have found new life.

Today, our hope that those who are searching may find new life in Christ.  He didn't ease the charges, He erased them from our record, took them upon Himself, that we may have new life.

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Colossians 2:12-14  English Standard Version (ESV)

¹² having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. ¹³ And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, ¹⁴ by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

Verse of the Day 4/24

 

Psalm 37:4-5  Delight yourself in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him, and he will act.   English Standard Version (ESV)

Three times in the first eight verses of Psalm 37 David tells us "don't fret", instead, as today's verses indicate, we are to delight in and commit our way to the Lord.  There is plenty of fretting going on all around us.  It starts in the home with simple things like what will I wear or what will I eat, it carries over into our every day lives, perhaps fretting over the length of lines going through security at the airport, and we see it in government, officials fretting over this and that and never being able to get get things done, to get around to "doing good" as mentioned by David in verse 3.

 

The act of fretting can be paralyzing, the act of commiting and trusting can be freeing, allowing us to do and accomplish our hearts desires, when they are aligned with His purposes.   Part of this trusting is realizing that we are not the ones in control, it is not all up to us, He will act, and rally the angel armies we considered yesterday, to achieve His purposes and our hearts desires.

 

Will you, will I, start my day fretting, or will I delight in and commit my way to the Lord, knowing that He will act, He will (help me) get things done.

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Psalm 37:1-8  English Standard Version (ESV)

He Will Not Forsake His Saints

^[ Of David.

37 Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
    be not envious of wrongdoers!
² For they will soon fade like the grass
    and wither like the green herb.

³ Trust in the Lord, and do good;
    dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.^[b]
4 Delight yourself in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him, and he will act.
⁶ He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
    and your justice as the noonday.

⁷ Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
    fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
    over the man who carries out evil devices!

⁸ Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
    Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

Verse of the Day 4/23

Psalm 35:1-2  Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;
    fight against those who fight against me!
² Take hold of shield and buckler
    and rise for my help!  English Standard Version (ESV)

Yesterday we considered how the Apostle Paul wanted to "finish the work" that had been assigned to him.  He had surrendered his will to the Lord, having his own desires burned up, consumed and replaced with God's desires.

 

Today's verses are a reflection of that same heart attitude.  Here David calls upon the Lord to take up the battle for him, knowing that in actuality that the battle and the victory are the Lord's.  It was the attitude of others throughout the Old and New Testaments, from Joshua to David to Hezekiah.  When things seemed hopeless and overwhelming they called on God.  They didn't stand strong in their strength individually or as a nation, they stood strong in the faith, hope and knowledge that their God would stand strong for them.

 

He is the God of the angel armies, who says to our soul in those times "I am your salvation" (v.4).

 

What are the things that you are contending with today.  Call on God as your advocate to rise for your help.  Read some of the words from the Chris Tomlin song "Whom Shall I Fear".

 

I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

The one who reigns forever
He is a friend of mine
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side 
 

Blessings,
Mike
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Psalm 35:1-4

English Standard Version (ESV)

Great Is the Lord

Of David.

35 Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;
    fight against those who fight against me!
² Take hold of shield and buckler
    and rise for my help!
³ Draw the spear and javelin^[a]
    against my pursuers!
Say to my soul,
    "I am your salvation!"

⁴ Let them be put to shame and dishonor
    who seek after my life!
Let them be turned back and disappointed
    who devise evil against me!

Verse of the Day 4/22

 

 Acts 20:24  But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.  New Living Translation (NLT) 

 

The series that our youth group is going through is titled "I Wish".  The focus last night was on two short, contrasting sayings, "I Wish I Had" and "I'm Glad I Did".  Much of our lives are based on decisions that we have made.  We may be thankful and we may have regrets.

 

One of the songs that we sang had a chorus that went something like this, "Holy Spirit, send down your fire, consume my desire"  What these words are calling God to do is to burn up, to consume our own will and to replace it with His, with a heart for His will in your life.  Paul is perhaps one of the greatest examples of this.  He surrendered his life, his will to God and we are thankful to God for it today.

 

He had moments in his life where I'm sure he still said "I wish I had" done something differently,  perhaps standing by as Stephen was stoned.  But that didn't consume him, he had been saved, he had been forgiven, and in surrendering his life he took up the new cause of proclaiming the Gospel, the Good News of the wonderful grace of God.

 

What do we see when we look ahead?  Are we willing, with urgency, to take some risks for Christ and later say "I'm glad I did" or let the opportunity pass and say I wish I had?  The choice is up to each of us.

Blessings,
Mike
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Acts 20:22-24 The Message (MSG)

^22-24 "But there is another urgency before me now. I feel compelled to go to Jerusalem. I'm completely in the dark about what will happen when I get there. I do know that it won't be any picnic, for the Holy Spirit has let me know repeatedly and clearly that there are hard times and imprisonment ahead. But that matters little. What matters most to me is to finish what God started: the job the Master Jesus gave me of letting everyone I meet know all about this incredibly extravagant generosity of God.

Verse of the Day 4/21

Hebrews 6:11-12  And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, ¹² so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.  English Standard Version (ESV)
 

Over the course of the winter, many of us, myself included, have put on a few pounds.  We may or may not feel much different in everyday activities, but when we go for that first job, or walk the golf course for the first time we may feel a bit "sluggish".  Our bodies don't react quite the way they did last summer when we were in better shape and were in the regular habit of exercising, practicing, and participating in those warmer weather activities.

 

There are times when we go through seasons in our faith.  We may fall out of certain activities for any number of reasons and don't realize how out of shape we are until we find ourselves called back into them.  Our faith is to be one of diligence, of perseverence, of pilgrim's progress and not falling out or pulling ourselves out of the race, the game.

 

I read the following quote the other day  ( I did not catch the author's name) and thought that it brought these things together.  "The more we learn, the more we realize how little we know; the more we do, the more we realize how little we do; the holier we become, the more we realize how unholy we are.  Being sluggish is most unsuitable for the Christian." 

 

Let us not become sluggish but press on in faith in whatever season we find ourselves in.

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Hebrews 6:10-12  New English Translation (NET)

¹⁰ For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name, in having served and continuing to serve the saints. ¹¹ But we passionately want each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of your hope until the end, ¹² so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherit the promises.

Verse of the Day 4/19

Psalm 23:2-3   He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.^[a]
3     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness^[b]
    for his name's sake.   English Standard Version (ESV)

Psalm 84:5 states "blessed is the man whose heart is set on pilgrimage".  For me it brings to mind Pilgrim's Progress and the jouney of the Christian, it will be filled with ups and downs, trials and victories, but, over the long haul, their will be progress upwards.  This progress comes in the form of the restoration spoke of in today's verses.

 

The Lord is our Shepherd, we are sheep.  Prone to wander, prone to stumble, and prone to stray from the path.  Thankfully, as the Shepherd, He finds us and brings us back, sometimes through circumstances and sometimes through His Word as a reminder of our place along the path.

 

Octavius Winslow writes, "O Lord, how many and hidden are my soul's departures from You, You only know! How often my love chills, my faith droops, my zeal flags, and I grow weary, and am ready to halt in Your service. Mine is a sinful, roving heart, as fickle to You as the changing wind; as false to my vows as a broken bow. But You, O Lord, are my Shepherd, and You restore my soul. Pitying my infirmity, knowing my wanderings, and tracking all my steps--You recover, heal, and pardon Your poor, silly sheep, prone to leave Your wounded, sheltering side in quest of that which can be found in Yourself alone

 

O to grace how great a debtor
daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
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. 

If you've strayed or wandered, may this be the cry of your heart to God for His restoration.

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Psalm 23   English Standard Version (ESV)

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
²     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.^[a]
3     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness^[b]
    for his name's sake.

⁴ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,^[c]
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely^[d] goodness and mercy^[e] shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell^[f] in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Verse of the Day 4/18

 Isaiah 52:7-8  How beautiful upon the mountains
    are the feet of him who brings good news,
who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,
    who publishes salvation,
    who says to Zion, "Your God reigns."
⁸ The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice;
    together they sing for joy;
for eye to eye they see
    the return of the Lord to Zion.  English Standard Version (ESV)

 

I read in the news yesterday of the passing of George Beverly Shea.  For over 50 years he teamed up with Billy Graham leading evangelistic crusades to reach people with the good news of the gospel.  Billy Graham did so preaching and George did so in song.  I remember hearing George Beverly Shea's booming voice as a child and was surprised to hear him still carrying that booming voice late in life.

 

I read today's verses in my devotions this morning and thought how easily they could be related to Billy and George, bringing the good news in word and in joyful song.

 

One of the songs that he will be best remembered for, and by, was "I'd Rather Have Jesus".

 

I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold
I'd rather be His than have riches untold
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands
I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hand

 

I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause

I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause
I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame
I'd rather be true to His holy name

 

Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin's dread sway
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today

 

May we be able to say and sing the same thing today and into our elderly years and beyond, may we "boom it out" (see The Message below)  to the best of our ability as George Beverly Shea did.

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Isaiah 52:7-10

The Message (MSG)

^7-10 How beautiful on the mountains
    are the feet of the messenger bringing good news,
Breaking the news that all's well,
    proclaiming good times, announcing salvation,
    telling Zion, "Your God reigns!"
Voices! Listen! Your scouts are shouting, thunderclap shouts,
    shouting in joyful unison.
They see with their own eyes
    God coming back to Zion.
Break into song! Boom it out, ruins of Jerusalem:
    "God has comforted his people!
    He's redeemed Jerusalem!"
God has rolled up his sleeves.
    All the nations can see his holy, muscled arm.
Everyone, from one end of the earth to the other,
    sees him at work, doing his salvation work.

Verse of the Day 4/17

 

John 16:33   "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."   New International Version (NIV)
 

In my devotions this morning I read from John 14 which starts out by saying "Do not let your hearts be troubled.".  Today's verse from John 16 gives us good reason not to let our hearts be troubled.  Jesus has overcome the world.  God is sovereign and He is in control, the victory has been won, the end is sure.  At the same time, the Bible is straightforward and honest, "in this world you will have trouble".

 

Pastor Greg Laurie writes, "We may have a hard time putting the words "trials," "problems," and "God loves me" into one sentence, because they don't seem to go together. But let's take a look at God's end game. Is it to make us happy in the temporal, or is it to make us holy in the eternal? Is it to keep us always earthbound, or is it, in reality, to prepare us for heaven? The latter is the answer. So God can allow tragedy. No tragedy is good. But God can bring good despite a tragedy"

 

There will be days of trouble of tragedy in our country and our personal lives.  As Christians we know the "end game", God wins, and it is faith in Jesus Christ that brings the victory.

 

Faith is the victory, faith is the victory,

Oh glorious victory that overcomes the world.

Blessings,
Mike
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John 16:33  New International Version (NIV)

³³ "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

 

John 14:1-6  New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

14 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God^[a]; believe also in me. ² My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴ You know the way to the place where I am going."

Jesus the Way to the Father

⁵ Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"

⁶ Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Verse of the Day 4/16

 Proverbs 3:9  Honor the Lord with your wealth
    and with the best part of everything you produce.  New Living Translation (NLT)

 

I ended yesterday's devotional with the words of the song "Praise the Savior Ye Who Know Him" and the lines that stuck in my mind were "Who can tell how much we owe Him?  Gladly let us render to Him all we are and have."  The term render has several definitions, one of them from Merriam-Websters is "to give in acknowledgment of dependence."  As Christians we give out of gratitude and our acknowledgment that all that we have comes from God and is His in the first place.

 

So many times God is given the leftovers.  This is so in our monetary gifts as well as our time and our devotion. Today's verse reminds us that we should "render" our best or "first fruits", the best produce of our lives.  Not an easy task.

 

Today's verse actually come from reading the words to the hymn "Give of Your Best to the Master".

 

Give of your best to the Master;
Give Him first place in your heart;
Give Him first place in your service;
Consecrate every part.
Give, and to you will be given;
God His beloved Son gave;
Gratefully seeking to serve Him,
Give Him the best that you have
 

May we give Him first place in our hearts today, may we give Him our best.

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Proverbs 3:8-12

The Message (MSG)

^5-12 Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
    don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
    he's the one who will keep you on track.
Don't assume that you know it all.
    Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
    your very bones will vibrate with life!
Honor God with everything you own;
    give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst,
    your wine vats will brim over.
But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline;
    don't sulk under his loving correction.
It's the child he loves that God corrects;
    a father's delight is behind all this.

Verse of the Day 4/15

 

Isaiah 45:5-6   I am the Lord, and there is no other,
    besides me there is no God;
    I equip you, though you do not know me,
⁶ that people may know, from the rising of the sun
    and from the west, that there is none besides me;
    I am the Lord, and there is no other.   English Standard Version (ESV)

 

Today is April 15, for some it is considered the dreaded tax day.  For others it will be just another day, with bigger things to be occupied with.  It is a day when you will here conversations about government, whether it is too big or too small, whether we should pay more taxes.

 

The bigger concern for us is do we know the Lord?   He is in control of all things. who can tell how much we owe Him?  If we work at knowing Him, trusting Him, following Him the other things will take care of themselves.  Actually, He will see that things are taken care of.  He will equip you for the day ahead.

 

Praise the Savior, ye who know Him!
Who can tell how much we owe Him?
Gladly let us render to Him
All we are and have.

 

Jesus is the Name that charms us,
He for conflict fits and arms us;
Nothing moves and nothing harms us
While we trust in Him.

 

Trust in Him, ye saints, forever,
He is faithful, changing never;
Neither force nor guile can sever
Those He loves from Him.

 

Keep us, Lord, O keep us cleaving
To Thyself, and still believing,
Till the hour of our receiving
Promised joys with Thee.

 

Then we shall be where we would be,
Then we shall be what we should be,
Things that are not now, nor could be,
Soon shall be our own.

 

Blessings,
Mike
Follow the verse of the day at www.mikesvotd.blogspot.com

 

Isaiah 45:4-6

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁴ "And why have I called you for this work?
    Why did I call you by name when you did not know me?
It is for the sake of Jacob my servant,
    Israel my chosen one.
⁵ I am the Lord;
    there is no other God.
I have equipped you for battle,
    though you don't even know me,
⁶ so all the world from east to west
    will know there is no other God.
I am the Lord, and there is no other

Verse of the Day 4/14

 

Psalm 25:9-10  He leads the humble in what is right,
    and teaches the humble his way.
¹⁰ All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
    for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.   English Standard Version (ESV)

 

If you were to ask our son Jeff to describe himself, he would probably come back to you with "handsome and humble".  In our opinion he is.  Not many people could get away with such a statement but Jeff can.  You will often hear him say that he is "proud".  But this pride is not in himself or who he is, it is in others, first and foremost with His Savior Jesus Christ.  Jeff is probably the most trusting, loving and appreciative person I know.  The testimony of his life is that he trusts in God's faithfulness and love and he sees it in the lives of others.

 

A few verses earlier in the passage we read:

 

Psalm 25:4-5  Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
    teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are the God of my salvation;
    for you I wait all the day long.   English Standard Version (ESV)

 

It is the one whose heart is contrite and humble that the Lord will lead along the paths of life.  It is such a humble heart that is teachable, that is leadable, and that learns to trust in and depend upon His steadfast love and faithfulness.  This person will have pride in their God and take pride in what He does through others, trusting that He will lead them through it all.

 

I've had many tears and sorrows
I've had questions for tomorrow
There've been times I didn't know right from wrong
But in every situation
God gave blessed consolation
That my trials only come to make me strong

I've been a lot of places
And I've seen so many faces
But there've been times I've felt so all alone
But in that lonely hour
In that precious, lonely hour
Jesus let me know I was His own

Through it all
Through it all
I've learned to trust in Jesus
I've learned to trust in God
Through it all
Through it all
I've learned to depend upon His Word  - Andrae Crouch

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

Psalm 25:8-10

Amplified Bible (AMP)

⁸ Good and upright is the Lord; therefore will He instruct sinners in [His] way.

⁹ He leads the humble in what is right, and the humble He teaches His way.

¹⁰ All the paths of the Lord are mercy and steadfast love, even truth and faithfulness are they for those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.

Verse of the Day 4/13

 

Galatians 4:19-20  My little children, for whom I am again suffering birth pangs until Christ is completely and permanently formed (molded) within you,

²⁰ Would that I were with you now and could coax you vocally, for I am fearful and perplexed about you!   Amplified Bible (AMP)

 

In today's verses Paul shows his pastoral heart as he expresses his longing that the recipients of this letter would have Christ formed, molded in them.  This desire should be in the heart of a pastor, a parent, or anyone involved in Christian ministry.

 

Paul also reveals that it hurts him, and weighs on his heart when this is not the case.  So it is with us for our children, congregations, or students are not walking as they should.  Our desire, our prayers, our efforts are to see Christ formed in them and in turn to the next generation.

 

Before we will truly desire this for others, it should be our prayer our desire that God awakens our hearts to love Him more.  The song "Awake My Soul" by Philips, Craig and Dean comes to mind.

 

Awake my soul, prepare an entrance for Your glory

And let my heart become a throne for You to dwell

And when I need Your Holy Spirit more than life itself

Then Christ is formed in me

 

When I lose myself, I reflect Your image

When I break, I break my will, then I am whole

When I give, give my all, I find life everlasting

Then Christ is formed in me

 

Henry Scougal writes, "True religion is a union of the soul with God, a real participation of the Divine nature, the very image of God drawn upon the soul, or, in the apostle's phrase, 'it is Christ formed within us.'

 

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

Galatians 4:18-20

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁸ If someone is eager to do good things for you, that's all right; but let them do it all the time, not just when I'm with you.

¹⁹ Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I'm going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives. ²⁰ I wish I were with you right now so I could change my tone. But at this distance I don't know how else to help you.