Verse of the Day 7/31

Joshua 14:10-11 And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old.¹¹ I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming.  English Standard Version (ESV)

One thing that I have realized over the last few years, especially since I'm well into my 50's, is that I'm  not as young as I used to be and I can't do all of the things that I used to do, at least not at the same level.  How many of us would like to be able to say that we had as much "vigor" at 85 (or even 50) as we did at 40?  Some of the things that helped Joshua were faith, obedience and perseverance.  These are traits that we should all have. 

My mom has been spending some time with us this week and she is preparing to move down to North Carolina in the coming weeks.  It takes courage and faith to pull up and make such a move.  Her strength may not match or come anywhere close to Joshua's as stated here, but her faith and trust in God and His Word can be.

Henry Blackaby writes, "Scripture can be a mighty, awesome weapon in the hands of someone who knows how to use it.  Discouraged people can find hope.  Broken people  can receive healing.  Fearful people can gain courage.  There is too much at stake for us to be careless or ineffective in the way we handle God's Word."  God's Word can help us stand, give us the confidence of Joshua as we face the challenges in life, including aging.

John 14 tells us that God is preparing a place, a house for us in heaven.  I'm reminded of a song by Philips, Craig and Dean, "A Strong Determination"  one of the lines goes like this.
"trust that never dies, courage to forgive and a heart that reconciles, life full of devotion, a faith that won't give up, it takes a strong determination to build a house of love."  Jesus has built that house of love, may we be bold to live with a determination to trust Him and that He will bring us there, standing strong in our faith, like Joshua, no matter how old we are.

My we "stick to our guns, totally with God" (The Message).

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

Joshua 14:10-14The Message (MSG)

Caleb

^6-12 The people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite spoke: "You'll remember what God said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me back at Kadesh Barnea. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of God sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land. And I brought back an honest and accurate report. My companions who went with me discouraged the people, but I stuck to my guns, totally with God, my God. That was the day that Moses solemnly promised, 'The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance, you and your children's, forever. Yes, you have lived totally for God.' Now look at me: God has kept me alive, as he promised. It is now forty-five years since God spoke this word to Moses, years in which Israel wandered in the wilderness. And here I am today, eighty-five years old! I'm as strong as I was the day Moses sent me out. I'm as strong as ever in battle, whether coming or going. So give me this hill country that Godpromised me. You yourself heard the report, that the Anakim were there with their great fortress cities. If God goes with me, I will drive them out, just asGod said."

^13-14 Joshua blessed him. He gave Hebron to Caleb son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. Hebron belongs to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite still today, because he gave himself totally to God, the God of Israel.

Verse of the Day 7/30

2 Corinthians 4:18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.  English Standard Version (ESV)

Today's verse comes from a passage in 2 Corinthians perhaps better known for Paul's statement if verse 16 of "the eternal weight of glory".  The passage calls for us to look beyond the hear and now which are "transient", will pass away and to focus on the things that don't, God and His kingdom.

Where do we find or go to find these unseen things?  In God's Word, the Bible.  John Piper writes, "We "look" at these unseen things through the gospel. We strengthen our hearts — we renew our courage — by fixing our gaze on the invisible, objective truth that we see in the testimony of those who saw Christ face to face."

The Greek word for glory refers to a heavy mass.  God's weight, His glories outweighs everything else.  All of the earths things are transient, they are lightweights in comparison with God.  Knowing God and having an eternal relationship  with Him outweighs all of the other concerns in this life.

Jame Montgomery Boice  writes, "What God does with us in detail is not revealed in Scripture. It is one of the secret things that belong to God only. But that does not mean the painful path he calls you to walk has no purpose. It is how you conduct yourself in such 'wasting times' that is the stuff of victory.

Set an example for us by lifting your eyes from what is material and tangible and passing away, and point us to him who is invisible and who does everything well. Show us how light and momentary these earthly troubles are. We need to know that. Show us how they are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."

May we have the attitude of Paul in the challenges that we face today and be able to say, "we're not giving up.  How could we?" (The Message)  These challenges will pass and we will see  the glory of God that far outweighs everything else.

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.

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 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 4:16-18The Message (MSG)

^16-18 So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.

Verse of the Day 7/28

Isaiah 46:9-10    remember the former things of old;

           for I am God, and there is no other;

    I am God, and there is none like me,
¹⁰ declaring the end from the beginning
    and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, 'My counsel shall stand,
    and I will accomplish all my purpose,'  English Standard Version (ESV)

  

When I think of 46:10 as a Bible reference I first think of Psalm 46:10, "be still and know that He is God".  It is a call to be quiet, to quiet our hearts among the chaos, tumult, commotion and noise  of the world.  Reading today's verses from Isaiah 46, I thought of these verses with the backdrop of Psalm 46:10 in mind.

Little kids nowadays, as a matter of discipline are told to or are put into "time out".  It is usually a form of punishment given with the intent for them to stop and think of the situation, what they have done and what has caused them not to be doing what they were just doing.  Most often misbehaving.  Sometimes as adults we too need to be told by God's Word to take a "time out".  Remember the things of old, what God has done.  He is in control and we are not no matter how much we think we are.

He is God, His purposes, His counsel will stand.  When He decides we need a time out, may we be obedient and take them.  Like our kids or grandchildren we often object and rebel against the notion.  I like the way "The Message" puts it.  "Think about this.  (take time out).  Wrap you minds around it.  This is serious business, rebels, take it to heart".  He is God, we are not, He is in control, we are not.  He is the only God you've had or ever will have— incomparable, irreplaceable—From the very beginning  telling you what the ending will be.

May we take time out to listen, learn and apply.  Make the most of the time we have. When we do we'll find that live is worth the living.

God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!

Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 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 46:9-11The Message (MSG)

^8-11 "Think about this. Wrap your minds around it.
    This is serious business, rebels. Take it to heart.
Remember your history,
    your long and rich history.
I am God, the only God you've had or ever will have—
    incomparable, irreplaceable—
From the very beginning
    telling you what the ending will be,
All along letting you in
    on what is going to happen,
Assuring you, 'I'm in this for the long haul,
    I'll do exactly what I set out to do,'
Calling that eagle, Cyrus, out of the east,
    from a far country the man I chose to help me.
I've said it, and I'll most certainly do it.
    I've planned it, so it's as good as done.

Verse of the Day 7/27

Psalm 139:17-18 

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!

 How vast is the sum of them!

¹⁸ 

If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
    I awake, and I am still with you.  English Standard Version (ESV)

 

Our family recently spent some time at the beach.  Spending hours there you can watch the tide come in and go out with the surf continually pounding the shore which on the NC coast, is full of sand.   The tiny grains of sand can withstand what the vast power of the ocean can throw at it.

In the ebb and flow of the circumstances the word of God can be like that for us.  Some days things are tranquil while other days the seas are turbulent and the waves of fear and  doubt may try to pound us into submission.  It is in these times that God's word proves strong, a strong defense for us. 

The Bible is vast and it has something for every situation, like sand for every shore, for every storm.

Thomas Brooks writes:

Ah! the Word of the Lord is . . .
  a light to guide you,
  a counselor to counsel you,
  a comforter to comfort you,
  a staff to support you,
  a sword to defend you,
  a physician to cure you!

The Word is . . .
  a mine to enrich you,
  a robe to clothe you,
  a crown to crown you.
  bread to strengthen you,
  wine to cheer you,
  a honeycomb to feast you,
  music to delight you,
  a paradise to entertain you!

Oh! therefore, before all and above all:
  search the Scripture,
  study the Scripture,
  meditate on the Scripture,
  delight in the Scripture,
  treasure up the Scripture!  Thomas Brooks

When we search, study, meditate on, delight in and treasure up the Scripture, God's Word in our hearts it will be there in our hearts and in our minds to helps take the sometimes relentless pounding of the circumstances that the world throws at is throughout our life.

I spent some time visiting with my mom this morning and we went through some devotionals and it helped us to remember how important God's Word is in giving us peace and hope and the grace to move on to whatever we may face next.

My mom and I ended that time in talking about the old hymn "All the Way My Savior Leads Me".  May we all take comfort in God's Word and the hymns that honor and glorify Him.

1. All the way my Savior leads me,
   What have I to ask beside?
   Can I doubt His tender mercy,
   Who through life has been my Guide?
   Heav'nly peace, divinest comfort,
   Here by faith in Him to dwell!
   For I know, whate'er befall me,
   Jesus doeth all things well;
   For I know, whate'er befall me,
   Jesus doeth all things well.
2. All the way my Savior leads me,
   Oh, the fullness of His love!
   Perfect rest to me is promised
   In my Father's house above.
   When my spirit, clothed immortal,
   Wings its flight to realms of day
   This my song through endless ages:
   Jesus led me all the way;
   This my song through endless ages:
   Jesus led me all the way.

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

Psalm 139:17-22The Message (MSG)

^17-22 

Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful!
    God, I'll never comprehend them!
I couldn't even begin to count them—
    any more than I could count the sand of the sea.
Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you!
    And please, God, do away with wickedness for good!

Verse of the Day 7/26

Titus 1:4To Titus, my true child in a common faith:

Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.  English Standard Version (ESV)

My wife Jean and I have had our two oldest grandchildren with us for the past 3 weeks, one week of vacation and another two weeks at home.  For the past years our grandson Tyler has left us with precious words that stick with us and will always remind us of him and these visits.

This week we were driving somewhere and he fell asleep in the car.  When we went to get him out and walk to where were going he looked up to "Gigi" and asked, "Gigi,can you carry me, I'm feeling all wiggly".  He wasn't ill or anything but he just woke up and felt a little unsteady, still waking up and wanted the security of loved one to carry him on the short journey to our destination, while  he fully woke up.

Paul here is encouraging  Titus as he also had done with Timothy.  He was encouraging them that not only he would be there when Titus felt "wiggly" over the situations in life but that God would be there and provide the grace and peace required for the journey.

This verse was the first that I read in my devotions this morning and brought it all to mind as our family faces some decisions in the coming weeks.  In another devotional I read the following paraphrase of Romans 15:13:

Hope through the Holy Spirit isn't like a well where we let down a bucket; it is a river that will carry us through anything. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. — Romans 15:13

They were words I needed to hear today, words of hope "to carry us through anything".  If you are feeling at all "wiggly" today, may you have this hope.  If you know someone who is feeling wiggly, may you be able to encourage them that the Lord can provide them the grace, hope and peace for the situation.  May we be able to "raise hopes by pointing the way to life without end".  (The Message)

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

Titus 1:4The Message (MSG)

1 ^1-4 I, Paul, am God's slave and Christ's agent for promoting the faith among God's chosen people, getting out the accurate word on God and how to respond rightly to it. My aim is to raise hopes by pointing the way to life without end. This is the life God promised long ago—and he doesn't break promises! And then when the time was ripe, he went public with his truth. I've been entrusted to proclaim this Message by order of our Savior, God himself. Dear Titus, legitimate son in the faith: Receive everything God our Father and Jesus our Savior give you!

Verse of the Day 7/24

Ezra 7:10  For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.  New King James Version (NKJV)

We've been considering God's calling in our lives and our responsibility in what we are to do.  We've considered some of the apostles but the actions of a God follower, a Christ follower hold true in the Old Testament as well as today.  In the book of Ezra God did His work through Ezra, the "true and faithful scribe" who won the confidence of a pagan king and had influence on him to see to the rebuilding of the temple.

He sought the Lord,  had the attitude to just "do it"- follow His leading and to teach what he had learned to others.  This gave him influence with the people of Israel but also to those in the society of where he lived, right up to the king.  He was an authentic follower.

John MacArthur writes, "The pattern of Ezra's preparation is exemplary.  He studied before he attempted to live a life of obedience, and he studied and practiced the law in his own life before he opened his mouth to teach the law.  But the success of Ezra's leadership did not come from his strength alone, but most significantly because "the good hand of God was on him."

I'm sure that we'd all like to have someone say about us that the "good hand of God was on us".  If we follow Ezra's pattern it will be so and we will have an influence on others "to live God's truth and ways. "   Study, live, teach.

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

Ezra 7:6-10The Message (MSG)

^6-7 That's Ezra. He arrived from Babylon, a scholar well-practiced in the Revelation of Moses that the God of Israel had given. Because God's hand was on Ezra, the king gave him everything he asked for. Some of the Israelites—priests, Levites, singers, temple security guards, and temple slaves—went with him to Jerusalem. It was in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

^8-10 They arrived at Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king's reign. Ezra had scheduled their departure from Babylon on the first day of the first month; they arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month under the generous guidance of his God. Ezra had committed himself to studying the Revelation of God, to living it, and to teaching Israel to live its truths and ways.

Verse of the Day 7/23

1 Timothy 4:12 Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.   New Living Translation (NLT)

Yesterday we considered that if God has called and chosen you, He has a plan for you.  You have a mission in life, and it is not a "mission impossible".

In today's passage from 1 Timothy the Apostle Paul is teaching, instructing a young pastor.  He is challenging Timothy not to listen to what others say and think about him but to hold to the course that God has set for him and to set an example, to teach all believers, "in what you say, in how you live and love, and how you display your faith and purity.

John Newton, who wrote the famous hymn Amazing Grace wrote in his letters, "May you be taught of God--for none teaches like Him--and come forth an able minister of the New Covenant, well instructed to rightly divide and faithfully distribute the Word of truth.

In the school of Christ, you will have to learn some lessons which are not very pleasant to flesh and blood. You must learn to labor, to run, to fight, to wrestle--and many other hard exercises--some of which will try your strength, and others your patience."

If you look back at your school years you may not have enjoyed every subject every class (I'm thinking of geometry) but they were important for you to learn.  There may have been things even in classes that you generally enjoyed that you didn't like.  I loved gym class, playing basketball, football and several other things but I hated wrestling.  But they were all important and taught us something.

Some of life's lessons are not pleasant but they are important and can teach us and can help us to teach others about the love of Christ and the amazing grace of God.

The Message (below) states, "get the word out" and teach the things that we learned and experienced about the grace of God in our lives.  "Stay at your post reading scripture, giving counsel, teaching."

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 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 Timothy 4:12-14The Message (MSG)

^11-14 Get the word out. Teach all these things. And don't let anyone put you down because you're young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity. Stay at your post reading Scripture, giving counsel, teaching. And that special gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you and prayed—keep that dusted off and in use.

Verse of the Day 7/22

 

Acts 22:14-15   And he said, 'The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; ¹⁵ for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard.  English Standard Version (ESV)

In yesterday's devotional we considered Paul's "course" in life, his purpose was to proclaim the whole counsel of God which involved (among other things) the truths of election and our eternal destination.  You can't read today's verses without thinking about election, God's calling in Paul's life and in our lives.  It is a common theme in the Bible.

Today's verse came at the end of my devotional reading through the New Testament.  Earlier, my Old Testament

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations."  Jeremiah 1:5 ESV

If God has called you, chosen you, you will see Him and hear the words from His mouth.  It may be directly through His Spirit as you read God's Word or it may come through someone else revealing what has happened to you as it was with Ananias explaining what had happened to Paul on his way to Damascus.

The other common theme in this is that if God has spoken to you, if God has been revealed to you, it is with a purpose and that is to share, to be a "key witness" (The Message) to what He has done.

Read the short passage below from The Message.  If you have been chosen by God, if you are a follower of Christ, what does it mean to you today to think that "The God of our ancestors has handpicked you to be briefed on his plan of action?"?

The apostle Peter challenged his readers in a similar way "Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. " 2 Peter 1:10English Standard Version (ESV)

May we seek out what His plan on action for our lives is today.

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

Acts 22:14-16The Message (MSG)

^14-16 "Then he said, 'The God of our ancestors has handpicked you to be briefed on his plan of action. You've actually seen the Righteous Innocent and heard him speak. You are to be a key witness to everyone you meet of what you've seen and heard. So what are you waiting for? Get up and get yourself baptized, scrubbed clean of those sins and personally acquainted with God.'

Verse of the Day 7/21

 

Acts 20:24  But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.  English Standard Version (ESV)

The Apostle Paul had plenty to boast about, if he wanted to, about his life but instead of looking back on accomplishments and seeking accolades, what he wanted most was to finish the race, the course of his life and his ministry well, testifying of the grace of God until that course was finished.

Many people are involved in running a race, but it is a race without a course, without a destination, at least an eternal destination in mind.   Many are running the rat race, lives filled with busyness but no worthwhile goal in mind.  It is a picture of a gerbil on a wheel, spinning and spinning and getting nowhere.

Paul's "course" also involved teaching and preaching about the true course in life.  He knew that he was nearing the end of his course and one thing that he could look back on was that he didn't hold anything back.  He had taught the full, the whole counsel of God (v.27).    John MacArthur notes that  this "whole counsel" was "the entire plan and purpose of God for man's salvation in all its fullness:  divine truths of creation, election, redemption, justification, adoption, conversion, sanctification, holy living, and glorification."

Reading that list should catch our attention.  Once we get past the large theological words, we should ask ourselves "how much do I know about each of these?  How much, how often do I hear these things taught?  How many of them am I comfortable in sharing and talking about?'

Our course in life should involve a course in being taught and passing on the teaching on these subjects.  I still have a lot to learn.  How about you?

May we one day be able to say like Paul, "  I've held nothing back". (v.27) in proclaiming God's the good news.

Give the winds a mighty voice,
  Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
Let the nations now rejoice.
  Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
Shout salvation full and free,
Highest hills and deepest caves,
This our song of victory,
  Jesus saves, Jesus saves.

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

Acts 20:24-27The 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.

^25-27 "And so this is good-bye. You're not going to see me again, nor I you, you whom I have gone among for so long proclaiming the news of God's inaugurated kingdom. I've done my best for you, given you my all, held back nothing of God's will for you.