Verse of the Day 3/29

Verse of the Day 3/29

John 13:34-35   A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. ³⁵ By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."    English Standard Version (ESV)

Today is Maundy Thursday which is the day and evening when Jesus spent time with his disciples before Judas' betrayal which led to Jesus' arrest and eventual trial, crucifixion and resurrection.

Matthew 5-7 have been some of my favorite chapters because they contain the "Sermon on the Mount", the greatest sermon ever given.  What we find in John 13-17 is Jesus conversations, his final instructions to his disciples as a group.  The chapters contain his washing of their feet, his "let not your hearts be troubled" statements and telling of "His Father's house" prepared for us in John 14.  We have the "vine and the branches" teaching in John 15 and Jesus "High Priestly prayer" in John 17.  All these in the setting of that Thursday night.

Today's verses are given after He washes the disciples feet.  He is giving them a final lesson on serving one another and today's verses tell us that these actions, this heart, His heart that is revealed, is not just a suggestion, it is a commandment.  How will our day be today, tomorrow and following if we follow those commands?

If you have some time today and leading up to Easter Sunday, set some time aside to read through these chapters.  Put them in context with the setting and take His words to heart as instructions for yourself.  In verse 15 Jesus had said  "I have given you an example, that you also should do".  Read through these chapters and look for other things that we should do, and do them, apply them in honor of what He was about to do for His disciples and us.

--   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 13:31-35 The Message (MSG)

A New Command

^31-32 When he had left, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is seen for who he is, and God seen for who he is in him. The moment God is seen in him, God's glory will be on display. In glorifying him, he himself is glorified—glory all around!

³³ "Children, I am with you for only a short time longer. You are going to look high and low for me. But just as I told the Jews, I'm telling you: 'Where I go, you are not able to come.'

^34-35 "Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other."

Verse of the Day 3/27

Verse of the Day 3/27

Proverbs 12:18   The words of the reckless pierce like swords,

    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.    New International Version (NIV)

Today's short passage in Proverbs 12 came up in my daily reading in Proverbs this morning.  As I read them I could not help but think of all of the reckless words that are cast in today's society.  You see it every day in the media, someone throwing barbs at  someone else with the sole purpose of cutting them down, most often for personal advantage.  They are just that, reckless words.  It is all too easy to get caught up in the fray, the barbs and the mud and it is foolish to do so.

Words can cut like a knife and words can bring healing.  The wise person uses their words constructively, for healing, strengthening, and encouraging.  Reckless words and words of healing should not come from the same mouth. It is confirmed by a verse from James 3 in the New Testament, a book which some refer to as the "Proverbs of the New Testament".

James 3:10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.    New International Version (NIV)

The last chapter in the last book in the Old Testament points to the coming One who would bring healing in His wings (NKJV) or as the NIV states below "the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays."

Malachi 4:2   But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. New International Version (NIV)

Let us choose our words carefully today.

--   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    

Proverbs 12:17-19 The Message (MSG)

¹⁷ Truthful witness by a good person clears the air,
    but liars lay down a smoke screen of deceit.

¹⁸ Rash language cuts and maims,
    but there is healing in the words of the wise.

¹⁹ Truth lasts;
    lies are here today, gone tomorrow.

Verse of the Day 3/26

Verse of the Day 3/26

Luke 12:15   And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."    English Standard Version (ESV)

Over the years many people have fallen victim to get rich quick schemes that have robbed some of all of their possessions.  These "schemes", at worst, play on our greed and the tendency to hoard, and at least prey on our desire for security for our future retirement.  The Message paraphrase of this encourages us to "protect ourselves against the least bit of greed".  How is this to be done?

The parable that followed tells of a man who tore down barns to build bigger ones to hold all of his grain.  It brought to mind the picture of care enthusiasts that have 100's of cars stored in barns or even fields and never have the opportunity or time to drive them all.  But before we gaze to intently on others, it is a reminder for ourselves.  The last verse of the passage sums it up, above all other things we are to be rich towards God, and in doing so we will naturally be generous to others.

I had the following notes posted to today's verse in my eBible.  Unfortunately I had not recorded the source.

Being rich toward God means growing a soul that is increasingly healthy and good.    Being rich toward God means loving and enjoying the people around you.    Being rich toward God means learning about your gifts and passions and doing good work to help improve the world.    Being rich toward God means becoming generous with your stuff.    Being rich toward God means making that which is temporary become the servant of that which is eternal.    Being rich toward God means savoring every roll of the dice and every trip around the board.

The last statement reminded me of the old board game "Easy Money".  Each time around the board you passed go and collected $200.  But as the game progressed it became more treacherous, if you landed on the wrong spot it could bankrupt you and you'd have to sell off the properties that you had accumulated to pay off the debt.  In the game, there is no thought of being rich towards God.  The game is a reminder of "easy come, easy go", and that we are better of laying up treasures in heaven.

Matthew 6:19-20 English Standard Version (ESV)   "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust^[a] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

--   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    

Luke 12:15-21 The Message (MSG)

¹⁵ Speaking to the people, he went on, "Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot."

^16-19 Then he told them this story: "The farm of a certain rich man produced a terrific crop. He talked to himself: 'What can I do? My barn isn't big enough for this harvest.' Then he said, 'Here's what I'll do: I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll gather in all my grain and goods, and I'll say to myself, Self, you've done well! You've got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!'

²⁰ "Just then God showed up and said, 'Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods—who gets it?'

²¹ "That's what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God."

Verse of the Day 3/24

Verse of the Day 3/24

 

2 Timothy 3:16-17   All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.  New King James Version (NKJV)

 

I've been studying Psalm 119 and will be doing so for some time, Lord willing.  It is David's magnum opus if you will, his greatest work and it is all about the Word of God in the form of the word, the law, His precepts, decrees and other words used to describe it.  The amount of time that David must have devoted to this showed how important God's Word was to him in his life.  He didn't have nearly as much of it at his fingertips as we do.

 

In devotionals that I read today I read in Matthew 4 how Jesus when He was being tempted by the Devil, referred back to God's Word to refute Satan each time that he tempted him.  That should clearly give an indication of how important it was to him.  Jesus referred back to the whole Old Testament.

 

In the New Testament the writer of Hebrews said that God's Word is "living and active" (4:12) and sharper than a two edged sword.  It can cut through the deceptions of Satan and keep us straight.  Paul in Ephesians chapter 6 verses 10 -18 tells us to put on the full armor of God.  He states in verse 17 that we are to use "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."  It is the only part of the full armor that is used as both an offensive and defensive weapon.

 

In today's passage Paul tells Timothy that all of God's Word is inspired by; literally God "breathed" and it is profitable to us for God's purposes.  With it we are thoroughly equipped without it we may find ourselves lacking what we need in times of trouble.  The Message (below) tells us "stick with what you learned and believe" about God's word.  You might say "stick to your guns", use God's word, put on the full armor of God to be able to take a stand, ready to do His will.

 

I used to watch the original "MacGyver" series on TV.   He often found himself in situations where he lacked the proper tools for the challenging situation at hand.   He would improvise, use his creativity and ingenuity and come up with makeshift tools to get the job done.   All too often we take the MacGyver approach to our problems to our challenges and our temptations and try to come up with things on our own.  But MacGyver is fiction, we are not spiritual MacGyver's, we won't always be able to improvise to deal with the situations and challenges we face.  We are to rely on what we've learned, when we spend our lives in God's Word, He will thoroughly equip us with what we need.

 

Blessings,

 

Mike

 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 The Message (MSG)

^14-17 But don't let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother's milk! There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

 

 

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Verse of the Day 3/23

Verse of the Day 3/23

 

Psalm 119:37    Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
    and give me life in your ways.  English Standard Version (ESV)

 

My read through the New Testament plan today brought me to Luke 1 where I read Mary's "Magnificant" where she starts by saying "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior."  It brought me back to yesterday's post where David in Psalm 119 had asked God to "enlarge his heart".  We closed yesterday with the song Awake My Soul, "prepare an entrance for your glory and let my heart become a throne for you to dwell".  Gabriel, the angel, had given her the message that she would give birth to the Son of God, and Elizabeth being filled with the Spirit herself confirmed this.  Mary's response was to cry out "my soul magnifies the Lord".  Her heart had truly been enlarged, her soul had been awakened to the glorious news.  Her focus was now away from the world and it's troubles and turned towards God.

 

If our hearts, if our souls are to be awakened, restored, renewed, they will have to change focus; away from the "worthless things" and towards God and our Savior Jesus Christ.  James MacDonald writes, "The Bible clearly and repeatedly teaches that God wants to revive our relationship with Him. He wants to wake us up, to refresh our faith, to fire us up again. Revival is renewed interest after a period of indifference or decline......Revival is returning to God's path, setting our sights on the goal again, and pursuing with new passion the One who can make our lives more than we'd ever dreamed. Revival is gladly experiencing and enjoying God at the center of our lives. Revival is seeing God at work."

 

May that be our hope and prayer "experiencing and enjoying God at the center of our lives".    It will involve turning away from a modern world of worthless things in order to receive life in God's ways.

 

I'll close with the following hymn written by Isaac Watts, oven sung in preparation for communion, preparing our hearts, focusing our hearts towards God and away from the vain, worthless things, magnifying the Lord.

 

1.    When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

2.    Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

 

 

Blessings,

 

Mike

 

Psalm 119:33-37 New Living Translation (NLT)

He

³³ Teach me your decrees, O Lord;
    I will keep them to the end.
³⁴ Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions;
    I will put them into practice with all my heart.
³⁵ Make me walk along the path of your commands,
    for that is where my happiness is found.
³⁶ Give me an eagerness for your laws
    rather than a love for money!
³⁷ Turn my eyes from worthless things,
    and give me life through your word.

 

 

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Verse of the Day 3/22

Verse of the Day 3/22

 

Psalm 119:31-32    I cling to your testimonies, O Lord;
    let me not be put to shame!
³² I will run in the way of your commandments
    when you enlarge my heart!  English Standard Version (ESV)

 

What caught my attention in today's verses the phrase "when you enlarge my heart".  It is similar the prayer of Jabez to enlarge his territory, not for himself but to live for God.  It also reminded me of a runner.  Before my back issues, I used to like jogging and running.  Those who have run 5k's, 10k's and marathons know what it is like to hit the wall when you feel like you can't go any further but you press on.  But in pushing on and pushing through you reach a point where you get your second wind and you feel a rush, a strength, a rhythm that carries you on to the finish.  Some refer to adrenaline or endorphins, but whatever it is, if you've been a runner you have experienced it.  For those who don't run or jog regularly, you can't just go out and run a 5 or 10k, let alone a marathon without training.  If you go into it and hit the wall and expect that second wind and it doesn't happen it is due to that lack of training.  Your heart, your whole system, has not been prepared for it, it has not been "enlarged".

 

That daily time with God in His Word and in prayer is the way that God enlarges our spiritual hearts.  It prepares us for those times when we hit the wall and press on in the challenges of life.  It is not adrenaline or endorphins that give us the strength, the rhythm to push through, it is God's Holy Spirit working in us, putting wind in our sails, that does it.  It is the clinging to His Word, His testimonies, what He has done in the past and confidence in what He will do in the future that give us the will to press on and have our hearts enlarged.  It is not superficial it goes deep, to the heart and soul of who we are.

 

Perhaps you've been running spiritually lately and feel like you've hit the wall.  Press on, ask God to enlarge your heart as you seek Him, ask Him to awake your soul.

 

After considering these verses in our men's Bible study the other day,while driving down to Anderson SC,  I listened to the Phillips, Craig and Dean song "Awake My Soul".  I could picture David singing a song or a psalm like it with the attitude "I'll run the course you lay out for me if you'll just show me how."  (Psalm 119:32 The Message)

 

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      (Awake My Soul – Phillips, Craig & Dean)

 

 

Blessings,

 

Mike

 

Psalm 119:25-32 The Message (MSG)

^25-32 I'm feeling terrible—I couldn't feel worse!
    Get me on my feet again. You promised, remember?
When I told my story, you responded;
    train me well in your deep wisdom.
Help me understand these things inside and out
    so I can ponder your miracle-wonders.
My sad life's dilapidated, a falling-down barn;
    build me up again by your Word.
Barricade the road that goes Nowhere;
    grace me with your clear revelation.
I choose the true road to Somewhere,
    I post your road signs at every curve and corner.
I grasp and cling to whatever you tell me;
    God, don't let me down!
I'll run the course you lay out for me
    if you'll just show me how.

 

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Verse of the Day 3/18

Verse of the Day 3/18

Psalm 46:10-11   "Be still, and know that I am God.

    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!"
¹¹ The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah    English Standard Version (ESV)

I know that I have posted these verses as the "Verse of the Day" several times over the years and also mentioned that R.C. Sproul has said that when says "be still" here, God is literally saying here "be quiet!" or even "shut up".  Above the din, amid all of the chaos in the world around us we need to stop, away from the tumult and seek Him.  It is not a one-time thing, it is not a once a week thing, it is not only when we are in trouble, but it should be our habit, our daily time with Him to withdraw from the din and listen to God, who is our fortress.

A.W. Tozer, in "The Pursuit of God" writes, "It is important that we get still to wait on God.  And it is best that we get alone, preferably with our Bible outspread before us.  Then if we will we may draw near to God to begin to hear Him speak to us in our hearts.  I think for the average person the progression will be something like this:  First a sound of a Presence walking in the garden.  Then a Voice, more intelligible, but still far from clear.  Then the happy moment when the Spirit begins to illuminate the Scriptures, and that which had only been a sound, or at best a voice, now becomes an intelligible word, warm and intimate and clear as the word of a dear friend.  The will come life and light, and best of all, ability to see and rest in the embrace of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of All."

We recently read in Isaiah 40, "those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength."  It is that getting alone with God, waiting in faith for His answer to us with an intelligible word, warm clear and intimate.  It won't be found apart from Him, apart from His Word and apart from prayer over His Word.

The Lord of hosts, the Lord of the angel armies is with us, He is our Mighty Fortress.  Be still and know that He is God.

1. 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.  2. 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.  3. And though this world, with devils filled,  should threaten to undo us,  we will not fear, for God hath willed  his truth to triumph through us.  The Prince of Darkness grim,  we tremble not for him;  his rage we can endure,  for lo, his doom is sure;  one little word shall fell him.  4. That word above all earthly powers,  no thanks to them, abideth;  the Spirit and the gifts are ours,  thru him who with us sideth.  Let goods and kindred go,  this mortal life also;  the body they may kill;  God's truth abideth still;  his kingdom is forever.

--   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 46:7-11 The Message (MSG)

⁷ Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
    God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

^8-10 Attention, all! See the marvels of God!
    He plants flowers and trees all over the earth,
Bans war from pole to pole,
    breaks all the weapons across his knee.
"Step out of the traffic! Take a long,
    loving look at me, your High God,
    above politics, above everything."

¹¹ Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
    God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.