Verse of the Day 12/29

Verse of the Day 12/29

Psalm 42:8 By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,

    and at night his song is with me,
    a prayer to the God of my life.    English Standard Version (ESV)

 

Today's verse comes from Psalm chapter 42 which begins with "as the deer pants for water, so my soul longs for you", but reading the verse alone does not give the complete picture.  The psalm is a "maskil", the purpose of which is to instruct, to make us wise.  It is a psalm that calls us to call, to cry out to God in and through the challenges and trials in our lives.

Sometimes in our lives we feel like we are being pounded like the waves of the sea, to the point of being overcome.  But the psalm call us to hold on, to hope in God for you will again praise Him.  The psalmist is still in the midst of his trial at the end of the psalm, still fighting for that hope, not yet where he wants to be, (on the other side of it) but still trusting.  Reading through the psalm there are times when it feels as if God had forgotten, even forsaken him, even then he still trusts and believes in the absolute sovereignty of God.

John Piper writes, "the psalmist never loses this grip on the great truths about God.  They are the ballast in his little boat of faith.  They keep him from capsizing in the chaos of his emotions, and there are many who know this to be true in their own lives."

Hymns such as "It is Well With My Soul" come to mind:

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well, with my soul

It is well
With my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

Martyn Lloyd-Jones, one of my favorite pastors and authors of the last century writes, "Have you ever realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself?".  It is easy to listen to ourselves about how bad things are.  It is another thing to talk to yourself, with Biblical references like this passage or others such as "if God is for you who can be against you?

As I was reading and considering the verse and the subject matter a current contemporary Christian song came to mind, in particular the words:

Though times it seems
Like I'm coming undone
This walk can often feel lonely
No matter what until this race is won
I will stand my ground where hope can be found
I will stand my ground where hope can be found

Oh, O'Lord O'Lord I know You hear my cry
Your love is lifting me above all the lies
No matter what I face this I know in time
You'll take all that is wrong and make it right
You'll take all that is wrong and make it right   (Lauren Daigle)

Where do you find yourself today in your "little boat of faith"?  Talk to yourself of the love of Christ.  Put your faith and trust in Him, call out to Him to be able to stand your ground where hope can be found.

--   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    

Psalm 42English Standard Version (ESV)

Book Two

Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul?

To the choirmaster. A Maskil^[a] of the Sons of Korah.

42 As a deer pants for flowing streams,
    so pants my soul for you, O God.
² My soul thirsts for God,
    for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?^[b]
3 My tears have been my food
    day and night,
while they say to me all the day long,
    "Where is your God?"
⁴ These things I remember,
    as I pour out my soul:
how I would go with the throng
    and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
    a multitude keeping festival.

⁵ Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my salvation^[c] 6 and my God.

My soul is cast down within me;
    therefore I remember you
from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,
    from Mount Mizar.
⁷ Deep calls to deep
    at the roar of your waterfalls;
all your breakers and your waves
    have gone over me.
⁸ By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,
    and at night his song is with me,
    a prayer to the God of my life.
⁹ I say to God, my rock:
    "Why have you forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning
    because of the oppression of the enemy?"
¹⁰ As with a deadly wound in my bones,
    my adversaries taunt me,
while they say to me all the day long,
    "Where is your God?"

¹¹ Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my salvation and my God.

Verse of the Day 12/28

Verse of the Day 12/28

Genesis 5:24   Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.   New International Version (NIV)

Yesterday's verse from Isaiah 58:11 stated "and the Lord will guide you continually".  As I read that verse and thought of yesterday's post, today's verse about Enoch from Genesis 5 came along.  We don't know a lot about him other than he followed God, He walked with God, faithfully.  He was the father of Methuselah who would live to be the oldest person in recorded history.  Enoch is listed in the genealogy of Christ in Luke 3 and then he is recorded in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11.  The sum of his life and what can be said of him is that he walked with God.

What will be said of us when we are gone?  Will there be  a long list of things?  May it be said of us, that we walked with God.  Charles Spurgeon writes, "Like Enoch, walk with God, and you cannot mistake your road. You have infallible wisdom to direct you, immutable love to comfort you, and eternal power to defend you. "Jehovah"--mark the word--"Jehovah shall guide thee continually."

There is that word again from yesterday's post - "continually".   It is a day to day and day by day relationship.

Pastor Greg Laurie explains a little bit of this "walk" when he says " This simply means that every day, Enoch would get up and take a walk with God. Apparently he did this for many years. But one day God effectively said, "Enoch,"

May we walk closely to God day by day and one day God will decide "we're closer to My house than yours. Why don't you come on home with Me?".  I don't think that Enoch argued and said "but I need to do this or that".  May our hearts be in tune so that when that day comes to us that we'll be ready to "come home".  In the meantime God will provided "as thy days, so shall thy strength be".  (Deuteronomy 33:25).

Day by day, and with each passing moment, Strength I find to meet my trials here; Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment, I've no cause for worry or for fear. He, whose heart is kind beyond all measure, Gives unto each day what He deems best, Lovingly its part of pain and pleasure, Mingling toil with peace and rest.
	Every day the Lord Himself is near me, With a special mercy for each hour; All my cares He fain would bear and cheer me, He whose name is Counsellor and Pow'r. The protection of His child and treasure Is a charge that on Himself He laid; "As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure," This the pledge to me He made.

--   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    

Genesis 5:21-24New Living Translation (NLT)

²¹ When Enoch was 65 years old, he became the father of Methuselah.²² After the birth of Methuselah, Enoch lived in close fellowship with God for another 300 years, and he had other sons and daughters.²³ Enoch lived 365 years, ²⁴ walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.

Verse of the Day 12/27

Verse of the Day 12/27

Isaiah 58:11 And the Lord will guide you continually

    and satisfy your desire in scorched places
    and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
    like a spring of water,
    whose waters do not fail. English Standard Version (ESV)

Yesterday we considered in the Great Commission how Jesus promised "I am with you always, to the end of the age".  Today's verse comes from the Old Testament book of Isaiah and has a similar message for the nation, but it applies to the individual as well.  It is a reminder that even in the difficult times, in the "scorched places", He will meet us, be with us and  guide us by the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Charles Spurgeon writes, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5) Then observe the adverb continually. We are not merely to be guided sometimes, but we are to have a perpetual monitor; not occasionally to be left to our own understanding, and so to wander, but we are continually to hear the guiding voice of the Great Shepherd; and if we follow close at his heels, we shall not err, but be led by a right way to a city to dwell in. If you have to change your position in life; if you have to emigrate to distant shores; if it should happen that you are cast into poverty, or uplifted suddenly into a more responsible position than the one you now occupy; if you are thrown among strangers, or cast among foes, yet tremble not, for "the Lord shall guide thee continually." There are no dilemmas out of which you shall not be delivered if you live near to God, and your heart be kept warm with holy love

The nation of Israel was prone to wander as a whole and as individuals.  We are no different today, but we can change, we can turn, we can return to the Lord.  We don't have to wait for the new year and new resolutions at that time.  It can start today.  Seek the Lord and let Him guide you continually.  Ask Him to "take and seal your heart that you too will be like a "spring of water, whose waters do not fail."

Come Thou Fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
Mount of God's unchanging love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I'm come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let that grace now 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.

--   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 58:6-12The Message (MSG)

^6-9 "This is the kind of fast day I'm after:
    to break the chains of injustice,
    get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
    free the oppressed,
    cancel debts.
What I'm interested in seeing you do is:
    sharing your food with the hungry,
    inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
    putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
    being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
    and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
    The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
    You'll call out for help and I'll say, 'Here I am.'

A Full Life in the Emptiest of Places

^9-12 "If you get rid of unfair practices,
    quit blaming victims,
    quit gossiping about other people's sins,
If you are generous with the hungry
    and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,
Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness,
    your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
I will always show you where to go.
    I'll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—
    firm muscles, strong bones.
You'll be like a well-watered garden,
    a gurgling spring that never runs dry.
You'll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew,
    rebuild the foundations from out of your past.
You'll be known as those who can fix anything,
    restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate,
    make the community livable again.

Verse of the Day 12/26

Verse of the Day 12/26

Matthew 28:20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."     English Standard Version (ESV)

Today's verse is most often read with the preceding verse, beginning with the phrase "go therefore, and make disciples".  It is part of the Great Commission.  As we have just celebrated Christmas with the acknowledgement that we have received the greatest gift ever given, the commission is a reminder that this gift is to be used, to be a motivation for us  to do as we are called today.  We don't have time off to start this on January 1, it begins today.

Jesus came as "Immanuel", meaning God is with us.  We celebrated His coming yesterday, but we must realize that the Great I Am is always with us.  Charles Spurgeon writes, "If we know that Jesus is with us, every power will be developed, and every grace will be strengthened, and we shall cast ourselves into the Lord's service with heart, and soul, and strength; therefore is the presence of Christ to be desired above all things. His presence will be most realized by those who are most like him. If you desire to see Christ, you must grow in conformity to him. Bring yourself, by the power of the Spirit, into union with Christ's desires, and motives, and plans of action, and you are likely to be favoured with his company. Remember his presence may be had. His promise is as true as ever. He delights to be with us."

May that be our desire this day after Christmas, "to be like Him, to grow in conformity to Him" and to remember that He is with us always to stamp His image deep on our hearts.

O to be like Thee! blessed Redeemer; This is my constant longing and prayer; Gladly I'll forfeit all of earth's treasures, Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
	O to be like Thee! O to be like Thee! Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art; Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;   Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
2	O to be like Thee! full of compassion, Loving, forgiving, tender and kind, Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting, Seeking the wand'ring sinners to find.

--   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    

Matthew 28:16-20The Message (MSG)

^16-17 Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion. The moment they saw him they worshiped him. Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally.

^18-20 Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age."

Verse of the Day 12/25

Verse of the Day 12/25

John 1:5  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.    English Standard Version (ESV)

Merry Christmas everybody!  Today is the day when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Light of the World!  One thing we know about light is that it dispels, overpowers, overcomes the darkness.  We've experienced it in the sanctuary when it is darkened and then a candle is lit and then one by one.  That is a picture also of how the message spread through the world, one by one, one  person at a time, the light overcoming the darkness.

How silently, how silently, 
the wondrous gift is given; 
so God imparts to human hearts 
the blessings of his heaven. 
No ear may hear his coming, 
but in this world of sin, 
where meek souls will receive him, still 
the dear Christ enters in.

The Light that came, this Light of the world, is Jesus.

Verse 4 from The Message states, "What came into existence was Life,  and the Life was Light to live by."  So it is with us, this Light that came to earth and that has taken residence in our hearts is something to live by and to live for all the days of our lives.  May we worship Him for this today and every day.

Perhaps we can take a few minutes to dwell on this through the words of the Michael W. Smith song, "Here I am to Worship".   But instead of singing and thinking here I am to worship, may we offer ourselves to Him, "here, I AM", to Jesus the great I AM.

Light of the World
You stepped down into darkness
Open my eyes
Let me see
Beauty that made
This heart adore You
Hope of a life
Spent with You

Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me

--   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    

John 1:5The Message (MSG)

^3-5 Everything was created through him;
    nothing—not one thing!—
    came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life,
    and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
    the darkness couldn't put it out.