Verse of the Day 2/28

Verse of the Day 2/28

Deuteronomy 8:2-3   And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. ³ And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word^[a] that comes from the mouth of the Lord.    English Standard Version (ESV)

Today is Fat Tuesday and as a tradition, I will be running out to buy some custard filled donuts for our family.  I believe that Fat Tuesday started as a lead up to Lent, it was to eat and enjoy the food knowing that the next day you would begin a fast.  Fasting has fallen out of vogue in today's society and even if people give up something in their diet for Lent, it is often looked upon as some kind of diet, with the thought being "it would be good for me to lose a few pounds".

I read today's verses in our men's Bible study this week, the study is "The Path to the Cross".  The verses a good reminder of what Lent should be about, drawing closer to God, "remembering" what He has done for us, not only going to the cross but also looking to what He has done for us in and through those "desert" times in our lives.  When we hunger it should be to realize that we don't "live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the  mouth of God."  Anything that we give up during this time should be replaced with thoughts of God and His Word, and thanking Him for it.

I posted the following from an unknown source, in my Bible in regards to "remembering" in verse 2:

Remember how He . . .

pitied us,

awakened us,

convinced us of sin, and

drew us to Himself by the cords of love!

Remember how often He has since . . .

healed our backslidings,

pardoned our sins,

borne with our unbelief, ingratitude, and stubborness,

supplied our needs,

listened to our complaints,

alleviated our sorrows, and

revived our drooping spirits when we were ready to faint.

In short, we must remember all the way which He has led us, these many years, through a wilderness of sins, sorrows, trials and temptations!

We may celebrate "Fat Tuesday", but if we do give up something for Lent, may we remember what Jesus has done for us all through this season and every day of our 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    

Deuteronomy 8:2-5The Message (MSG)

8 ^1-5 Keep and live out the entire commandment that I'm commanding you today so that you'll live and prosper and enter and own the land that God promised to your ancestors. Remember every road that God led you on for those forty years in the wilderness, pushing you to your limits, testing you so that he would know what you were made of, whether you would keep his commandments or not. He put you through hard times. He made you go hungry. Then he fed you with manna, something neither you nor your parents knew anything about, so you would learn that men and women don't live by bread only; we live by every word that comes from God's mouth. Your clothes didn't wear out and your feet didn't blister those forty years. You learned deep in your heart that God disciplines you in the same ways a father disciplines his child

Verse of the Day 2/26

Verse of the Day 2/26

Mark 4:40-41 He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?"⁴¹ And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"  English Standard Version (ESV)

We've spent quite a bit of time in this week's posts considering prayer; the power  of it; the need of it and the frequency of it in our daily lives.  Today's verses came to me out of the read through the New Testament plan that I'm following.  They point to the power of the God that we are called to pray, praise and give thanks to.  Throughout history, God followers have stood back in awe when they have seen the power of God displayed in their lives.  Sometimes it is in direct answer to prayer, sometimes as in today's verses it is in reaction to what God does in our lives even when we have failed to go to him as we should.

The line in verse 40 "even the wind and sea obey Him" brought me to the hymn "Be Still My Soul".  Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.    In this stanza of the song, the hymn writer reminds us that this same God who commands the winds and waves will guide the future as He has the past.  Our God is not going anywhere.  He will be right there with us through the ages and through eternity.

There may be some times through the trials and challenges of our lives where we fear and lack faith.  May we be reminded in those times that the One who calmed the wind and the waves back then still and always will have the power to govern the circumstances of our lives.  When we go to Him, He is still listening.  These thoughts bring me to one of my favorite Steven Curtis Chapman songs, "Still Listening".

The years can take us far away
From the simple childlike faith
But I am longing to return
To the place where I first learned
That God is great and God is good
So I will speak the words

God our Father, once again
I bow my head to pray
You are my Father and my Friend
And You hear every word I say
A prayer for forgiveness
A desperate cry for help
Or praise flowing from a thankful heart
Like each time before
I come knowing You're still listening

Call on Him today, in praise or in need, knowing that He is still listening.

--   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 4:35-41The Message (MSG)

The Wind Ran Out of Breath

^35-38 Late that day he said to them, "Let's go across to the other side." They took him in the boat as he was. Other boats came along. A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, "Teacher, is it nothing to you that we're going down?"

^39-40 Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, "Quiet! Settle down!" The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: "Why are you such cowards? Don't you have any faith at all?"

⁴¹ They were in absolute awe, staggered. "Who is this, anyway?" they asked. "Wind and sea at his beck and call!"

Verse of the Day 2/24

 

Verse of the Day 2/24

 

Romans 8:37-39   No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  English Standard Version (ESV)

 

We've considered over the past couple of days how we are called to pray, virtually in all circumstances.  We have also considered the power of prayer as exhibited in the lives of such people throughout the Bible as Elijah, Moses,  David and Jesus.  Today's verses come from a passage, a chapter which is probably my favorite chapter in the Bible.  Along with Hebrews 11 and  it's "Hall of Faith" it is a place I turn to  in the Bible when I need  to be reminded that  God is in control, that he is there for me and I am to trust Him in and He will see me through "all things".

 

Earlier in the passage in verse 35 the questions is raised "who  shall separate us from the love  of Christ" and goes on to list pretty much the gamut of  circumstances that challenge us and our faith.  Will any of these succeed against us and separate us from His love?  The answer as stated emphatically at the beginning of today's verses is NO.

 

One of the phrases or concepts that continually comes to me as I read through this  passage are the "all things"  statements.  In v.28 we have "all things  work together  for good for those  who love God and are called  according  to His purpose".  Verse 32 reminds us that  God sent Jesus for us and will "graciously give us all things" that  we need.  In today's verses states that "in all  these things", these circumstances, these trials and challenges in our lives we are "more than  conquerors".

 

David Jeremiah writes, "Even though we experience trials, Paul wrote, we are "conquerors" in Christ. But "conquerors" wasn't enough; Paul needed a stronger word. So he used a very rare Greek word, hupernikao. Huper is the basis of our English word "hyper"—it means above, beyond, or exceedingly. And nikao means to be victorious. Together as one word, they mean "more than conquerors" or "exceedingly victorious." And that's what Paul says the Christian is in Christ. Through Christ, the believer is triumphant over every trial and tribulation in life. No wonder he writes that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ (Romans 8:39).  

 

Hyper is a word often used as a prefix to describe something beyond the  ordinary or to the extreme such  as  "hyper-velocity".   Instead of being overcome, we are overcomers, we can live victoriously, to the extreme even.  But it  starts with Jesus and faith in  Him.

His banner over us is love,
Our sword the Word of God;
We tread the road the saints above
With shouts of triumph trod.
By faith they, like a whirlwind's breath,
Swept on o'er ev'ry field;
The faith by which they conquered death
Is still our shining shield.

 

Faith is is the victory!
Faith is is the victory!
Oh, glorious victory,
That overcomes the world.

 

 

Blessings,

 

Mike

 

Romans 8:37-39The Message (MSG)

^31-39 So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:

They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.

None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

 

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Verse of the Day 2/23

 

Verse  of the Day 2/23

 

Psalm 61:1-3   Hear my cry, O God,
    listen to my prayer;
² from the end of the earth I call to you
    when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock
    that is higher than I,
³ for you have been my refuge,
    a strong tower against the enemy.   English Standard Version (ESV)

 

In yesterday's post we considered Elijah and how he prayed "fervently" to God and God responded.  David is someone who prayed fervently, he lifted the cries of his heart, his soul to God.  He embodied the attitude of James who called us to pray through suffering, joy and sickness.   I read these verses yesterday as they came up in the course of my daily reading in the Psalms.  They revealed the heart of David and should make us aware that we call on the same God, no matter where we may be, at home or  "from the end of the earth" He hears our prayers.

 

I like the reference to the "strong  tower" in verse three.  Solomon wrote of the "righteous" running to the tower and they are safe.  I'm reminded also of Psalm 46 and God being a mighty fortress as Martin Luther referenced as a "bulwark never failing".  I had posted this quote from Charles Spurgeon to "strong tower" in my eBible :" All the power, all the grace, all the blessings, all the mercies, all the comforts, all the things we have, flow to us from the well-head, through the covenant. If there were no covenant, then we should fail indeed; for all grace proceeds from it, as light and heat from the sun. No angels ascend or descend, save upon that ladder which Jacob saw, at the top of which stood a covenant God. Christian, it may be that the archers have sorely grieved you, and shot at you, and wounded you, but still your bow abides in strength; be sure, then, to ascribe all the glory to Jacob's God."

 

Jacob is the one who wrestled with God and prevailed (Genesis 32:28).  Our fervent prayers may be our "wrestling".  May our attitude be that of Jacob as he said "I will not  let you go unless you bless me".  Our goal our aim should be to keep calling, go to the "Rock", to our fortress, our refuge, to our strong tower where we may find safety, comfort and grace.

 

A mighty fortress is our God, 
a bulwark never failing; 
our helper he amid the flood 
of mortal ills prevailing. 
For still our ancient foe 
doth seek to work us woe; 
his craft and power are great, 
and armed with cruel hate, 
on earth is not his equal. 

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. 

 

Let us not rely or trust in our own strength, but let it rest in God.  It is He who must win our battles.

 

 

Blessings,

 

Mike

 

Psalm 61:1-5The Message (MSG)

A David Psalm

61 ^1-2 God, listen to me shout,
    bend an ear to my prayer.
When I'm far from anywhere,
    down to my last gasp,
I call out, "Guide me
    up High Rock Mountain!"

^3-5 You've always given me breathing room,
    a place to get away from it all,
A lifetime pass to your safe-house,
    an open invitation as your guest.
You've always taken me seriously, God,
    made me welcome among those who know and love you.

 

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Verse of the Day 2/22

 

Verse of the Day 2/22

James 5:17-18    Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.  English Standard Version (ESV)

For today's verses we'll return to James chapter 5 where we considered yesterday how prayer was to be the natural response to virtually any situation in our lives from joy to pain, sickness or sorrow.  As I was sending off the note a song came to mind – "What a Friend We Have in Jesus " where we find the line "Take it to the  Lord in Prayer".  That should be our nature our  way.

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Oh, what peace we often forfeit,

Oh, what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged—

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful,

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Today's verse references one of the great prophets of the Old Testament known for the power of his prayer.  Prayed  for it  not  to rain and  it didn't rain for 3 years.  He prayed for rain from heaven and it poured.  He called down fire from heaven to display God's power against the false god Baal.  Notice what it says here, he was a man "with a nature like ours".  Other translations say he was a man just like us.  Think about that.  The same power that was available to him, to Moses, to David and others through history is  available to us.  If we think otherwise Francis Chan reminds us "they don't have anything on you". Our  challenge is  to make it our first response our "second nature" to have that kind of communication and relationship to the  God  of  the universe.

The other thing that I'd like to point  out is that he prayed fervently.  It is a word not  often  used today but has a picture  of being  agitated or stirred like water that is at the boiling  point, something has to happen.  The power is pent up  waiting to be  released.  I had posted the following note in my Bible from another passage but it fits here as well.

"Jesus was in agony the night before his crucifixion. He prayed fervently, dreading the cross but submitting himself to his heavenly Father's higher purpose.  .....You will face deep anguish in your life—everyone does. When that happens, you can do what Jesus did: pray. Pray hard, pray deep, pray honestly, pray out all your feelings. Pray until you sweat and cry and fall down in exhaustion. Pray with others. Pray alone. Pray as long as it takes—and then pray longer. Pray because nothing else works, and keep praying when it doesn't seem to work. Pray because Jesus prayed, pray because you want to pray, pray because you don't want to pray. Pray out loud, pray quietly. Pray whenever you think about it, pray instead of just thinking about it. Pray when you walk and when you drive and when you wake up and when you go to sleep. Pray before you forget. Pray right now." Taken from NIV The NIV Journey Bible

Pray at all times, pray before you forget… pray right now.

Blessings,

Mike

James 5:17-18The Message (MSG)

16-18 Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't—not a drop for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again.

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