Verse of the Day 3/31

Verse of the Day 3/31

Mark 3:24-25   If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.²⁵ And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.  English Standard Version (ESV)

In today's passage Jesus us being accused by the religious leaders of being the devil, that casting out demons indicates that he is the "prince of the demons".  Jesus demonstrates the foolishness of their arguments by referencing what divisions do in the home.  Jesus was about doing good, healing, and meeting needs all of which were accomplished in his acts of kindness and mercy.

As we look at the world around us - at the family, the church and the political climate; it seems that all you see is division.  In this election "pre-season" the political parties are so busy tearing themselves apart that you wonder what will be left when it comes to the real battle.  But when we look at the problems within marriage and the family you see the same things going on.  It seems that just about everyone is out for themselves, ready to cast out their spouse or the rest of the family, when what is needed are acts of kindness and mercy, forgiveness and healing.

The Message paraphrase to these verses says it well, "a constantly squabbling family disintegrates".   May we all do our best to avoid the squabbling, the pettiness and pride and work towards unity, seeking and realizing what is best and using God's Word and it's principles in determining  our course of action.  Let's not spread rumors but spread hope, faith and love.

Micah 6:8English Standard Version (ESV)

⁸ He has told you, O man, what is good;
    and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
    and to walk humbly with your God?

--   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    

Mark 3:24-27The Message (MSG)

^22-27 The religion scholars from Jerusalem came down spreading rumors that he was working black magic, using devil tricks to impress them with spiritual power. Jesus confronted their slander with a story: "Does it make sense to send a devil to catch a devil, to use Satan to get rid of Satan? A constantly squabbling family disintegrates. If Satan were fighting Satan, there soon wouldn't be any Satan left. Do you think it's possible in broad daylight to enter the house of an awake, able-bodied man, and walk off with his possessions unless you tie him up first? Tie him up, though, and you can clean him out.

Verse of the Day 3/30

Verse of the Day 3/30

Revelation 1:7-8 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

⁸ "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."  English Standard Version (ESV)

Today's passage from Revelation 1 is another one that takes on special meaning following Easter.  Jesus had been arrested and crucified because He was accused of proclaiming Himself to be a king and in opposition to Caesar.  Though there was no guilt in Him, He was crucified and on  the cross the label "King of the Jews" was put upon the cross by Pilate.  Truly, he did not know who he was dealing with.  Pilate thought that he was in control, but then as now and in the final days leading up to His return, God is in control, He is not dead, He is surely alive.

Reading the passage in The Message below, I like the way Eugene Peterson translates this:  The God Who Is, The God Who Was, And The God About To Arrive.  It is written in bold writing, making a declaration that we should remember, take to heart and never forget.  With all the political, social and religious unrest around us, including the terrorism, it is hard to think how so few people see that He is "about to arrive".  He is coming again, He said it will happen and He will see to it and when He does all will see it.  The "all" includes those who have mocked Him, falsely accused Him, denied Him, pierced Him, slandered Him and ignored Him.

He is coming and He will rule all kingdoms as King of Kings and Lord of Lord's.  Do you believe this?  We should then live our lives to honor Him as such here and now, today.  May it be so in our lives.

I'll quote the final stanza to the song "In the First Light" which makes the declaration.  May it be our song.

Hear the angels as they're singing on the morning of his birth
But how much greater will our song be when he comes again to earth
Hear the angels as they're singing on the morning of his birth
But how much greater will our song be when he comes to rule the earth!

--   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    

Revelation 1:4-8The Message (MSG)

His Eyes Pouring Fire-Blaze

^4-7 I, John, am writing this to the seven churches in Asia province: All the best to you from The God Who Is, The God Who Was, and The God About to Arrive, and from the Seven Spirits assembled before his throne, and from Jesus Christ—Loyal Witness, Firstborn from the dead, Ruler of all earthly kings.

Glory and strength to Christ, who loves us,
    who blood-washed our sins from our lives,
Who made us a Kingdom, Priests for his Father,
    forever—and yes, he's on his way!
Riding the clouds, he'll be seen by every eye,
    those who mocked and killed him will see him,
People from all nations and all times
    will tear their clothes in lament.
    Oh, Yes.

⁸ The Master declares, "I'm A to Z. I'm The God Who Is, The God Who Was, and The God About to Arrive. I'm the Sovereign-Strong."

Verse of the Day 3/29

Verse of the Day 3/29

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.   English Standard Version (ESV)

Most would agree that the most well known verse in the Bible is John 3:16 which tell us that "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son" and that whoever believes; puts their faith and trust in Him will not perish, but will have eternal, everlasting life.

I read today's verse yesterday and following Easter and the previous week the verse had additional meaning and significance as I read it.  That "free gift" mentioned is the same gift from John 3:16, His Son Jesus.  He had to come and had to die according to God's plan, to redeem us, to pay the price, the penalty for all of our sin so that  we could have everlasting life.  It is not only talking about life after death, but this life begins the day that we receive that gift and His Spirit takes up residence in our hearts.

Take some time this morning and possibly at different points  in your busy day to grasp the enormity of this short verse, probably one of the easiest verses in the Bible to memorize.  Even though we've fallen short of His standards, "missed the mark" (see Romans 3:23), He loved us so much that He would go to such lengths to bring us salvation, a way out from the pitfalls of sin and shame of ignoring Him.  We couldn't get there on our own, but He bridged that gap, that great chasm for us.

"A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! "  (The Message)  That is the gift that is offered to you. Have you received it, are you living it?  If not, there's no time like today to receive it.  "God's gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master".   (The Message).  May the short passage from The Message below help you to appreciate it and praise God for it.

--   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    

Romans 6:20-23The Message (MSG)

^20-21 As long as you did what you felt like doing, ignoring God, you didn't have to bother with right thinking or right living, or right anything for that matter. But do you call that a free life? What did you get out of it? Nothing you're proud of now. Where did it get you? A dead end.

^22-23 But now that you've found you don't have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God's gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.

Verse of the Day 3/25

Isaiah 53:4-5 Surely he has borne our griefs

    and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
    smitten by God, and afflicted.
⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions;
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
    and with his wounds we are healed.  English Standard Version (ESV)

  

Today on "Good Friday" as we reflect upon the suffering that Jesus endured in the scourging and then the crucifixion on cross, we remember that He suffered all of this for us.  The first words of today's verses should bring all Christians  home to this fact, that He has borne our griefs and our sorrows on the cross.  He took on our sins and  the punishment that we may be healed eternally.

Without this act that we consider and will remember today, we would be dead in our trespasses. There is nothing that we could do on our own to earn forgiveness.  God is the only One with the authority to wipe the slate clean, to clear our sins, making a way for it by His only begotten Son Jesus.  John 3:16 gives us the proclamation "for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son".  The full meaning of this is perhaps most visible in this passage from the Old  Testament. 

Ephesians 2:1 states that we were "dead in our trespasses and sins" but that God made us alive. It is through the suffering and death of Jesus and His resurrection, in His conquering of  death that He can make us alive to Him.    Takes some time to consider  what Jesus accomplished through the suffering that He endured.  Reflect on the following verses from the book of Ephesians.    

Ephesians 2:1-6The Message (MSG)  It wasn't so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn't know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It's a wonder God didn't lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.

Ephesians 1:7In Him we have redemption [that is, our deliverance and salvation] through His blood, [which paid the penalty for our sin and resulted in] the forgiveness and complete pardon of our sin, in accordance with the riches of His grace    Amplified Bible (AMP)

Ephesians 2:7-8[and He did this] so that in the ages to come He might [clearly] show the immeasurable and unsurpassed riches of His grace in [His] kindness toward us in Christ Jesus [by providing for our redemption]. ⁸ For it is by grace [God's remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God;  Amplified Bible (AMP)

--   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 53:4-6The Message (MSG)

^2-6 The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling,
    a scrubby plant in a parched field.
There was nothing attractive about him,
    nothing to cause us to take a second look.
He was looked down on and passed over,
    a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.
One look at him and people turned away.
    We looked down on him, thought he was scum.
But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—
    our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.
We thought he brought it on himself,
    that God was punishing him for his own failures.
But it was our sins that did that to him,
    that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!
He took the punishment, and that made us whole.
    Through his bruises we get healed.
We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost.
    We've all done our own thing, gone our own way.
And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong,
    on him, on him.

Verse of the Day 3/24

Verse of the Day 3/24/16

 

Philippians 4:8  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.   English Standard Version (ESV)

Our men's Bible study this week was in John 19 where we have been studying the trial of Jesus and the procession go Calvary.  My Old Testament reading has been in Exodus leading up to the Passover.  The events of Holy Week have been on my mind and will continue to be as we head towards Good Friday and Easter

In our busy fast paced world we don't often find or take time to think about such things and when we have an extra day or an extended weekend we look forward to making plans to go somewhere and do something to recharge our batteries and return to work next week more tired than we were when we left.  All too often the thoughts of God, of Christ may not even enter the picture.

In the next few days we'll have opportunities to participate in Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Services.  We may have an extra day off and may have some additional "window time" as we are driving somewhere or perhaps returning from a business trip, as I am.  The first passage I read this morning was in Philipians 4.  In reading them, I was given a challenge and am giving you a challenge as we have some down time in the next few days to think about the things of God and whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable or praiseworthy and excellent.  The best place to start is in God's Word and to reflect on it in the power of the Spirit.

As you think on these things, "God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies' (The Message)  and Sunday's Easter celebration should have proper meaning and be a cause of celebration, because He lives.

I'll close with some of the words to an Easter Song, "In the First Light"'  that should give you some of the true, pure and honorable things to conider for the remainder of the week.

In the first light of a new day
No one knew he had arrived
Things continued as they had been
While a newborn softly cried
But the heavens wrapped in wonder
Knew the meaning of his birth
In the weakness of a baby
They knew God had come to Earth

As his mother held him closely
It was hard to understand
That her baby, not yet speaking
Was the Word of God to man
He would tell them of his kingdom
But their hearts would not believe
They would hate him and in anger
They would nail him to a tree

But the sadness will be broken
As the song of life arose
And the firstborn of creation
Would ascend and take his throne
He had left it to redeems us
But before his life began
He knew He'd come back not as a baby
But as the Lord of every man

Blessings,

Mike

Philippians 4:8-9The Message (MSG)

^8-9 Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

 

 

 

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Verse of the Day 3/23

Deuteronomy 8:11     "Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today,    English Standard Version (ESV)

Yesterday we considered the "lukewarm" church in Laodicea and compared it to today's society, a society in which most have everything they need (notice I said need and not want).  We have so much that many don't feel the need or give much thought to the God who has provided all that we have.  I read today's verse in my Old Testament Bible reading today and Moses here gives instructions on how we can avoid becoming lukewarm.   We need to remember, take care to remember what Christ has done for us. 

The Israelites had miraculously been delivered from Pharaoh but when food was provided for them they soon forgot about His deliverance.   This weekend we will be celebrating Easter where we will remember how Christ arose.  Before that we will celebrate Good Friday when we remember how Jesus suffered and died for us on the cross.  Billy Graham writes:

"In the Cross, Christ not only bridged the gap between God and us, but there we find the answers to life's deepest questions. There we discover our true identity: forgiven sinners who now belong to God.
There we discover our true destiny: a glorious eternity with God in Heaven. There we discover our true purpose: to love God and serve Him with all our might. …Never underestimate what Christ did for us through the Cross. By it our salvation was won, and by it our lives—and our world-can be transformed. What difference does the Cross make in your life?  

The last question that Billy Graham asks above should cause us to pause, to remember, to truly think about what Christ has done and what difference in makes in our life.  If it doesn't make much of a difference something is wrong, perhaps we've become lukewarm or worse.  The passage from The Message (below) reminds us "make sure you don't become so full of yourself and your things that you forget God, your God."

John MacArthur in commenting on today's verse writes, "Forgetting God means no longer having Him in the daily thoughts of one's life. This forgetfulness would lead to a disobedience of His commandments. Whereas, in the wilderness, Israel had to depend on God for the necessities of life, in the rich land there would be a tempting sense of self-sufficiency."

As we go through the remainder of this week, may we remember and not forget what God has done for us, may we lose any inkling of self-sufficiency and satisfaction in ourselves.  If we do so our Easter celebration will be that much greater.

1 Corinthians 15:3-8 

³ For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁵ and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. ⁶ Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. ⁷ Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. ⁸ Last of all, as to one untimely born,he appeared also to me.  English Standard Version (ESV)

Blessings,

Mike

Deuteronomy 8:11-16The Message (MSG)

^11-16 Make sure you don't forget God, your God, by not keeping his commandments, his rules and regulations that I command you today. Make sure that when you eat and are satisfied, build pleasant houses and settle in, see your herds and flocks flourish and more and more money come in, watch your standard of living going up and up—make sure you don't become so full of yourself and your things that you forgetGod, your God,

the God who delivered you from Egyptian slavery;
the God who led you through that huge and fearsome wilderness,
those desolate, arid badlands crawling with fiery snakes and scorpions;
the God who gave you water gushing from hard rock;
the God who gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never heard of, in order to give you a taste of the hard life, to test you so that you would be prepared to live well in the days ahead of you.

 

 

 

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