Verse of the Day 12/31

Verse of the Day 12/31

Isaiah 43:18-19   "Do not remember the past events,

pay no attention to things of old.
¹⁹ Look, I am about to do something new;
even now it is coming. Do you not see it?
Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness,
rivers in the desert.    Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Today's  verses are good ones to consider as we close out the old year and prepare to usher in the new one.  We've heard the saying before that "those who forget the past are forced to relive it".  I don't think that the point of this verse is to ignore the past, but it is not to dwell on it.

Think of it this way.  When driving we are wise to glance in the rear view mirror on a regular basis while driving; but we don't dwell on it.  Every second that we remain focused on the rear view mirror our eyes are not focused on what lies in the road ahead and when you're traveling at a high rate of speed it is amazing to consider how far you've driven without looking ahead.  Keep your focus ahead.

Look into the coming year with the mind set that God is "about to do something new".  Read verse 19 a couple of times and let it sink in.  Perhaps some of this year's events are preparing you for what is in store.  Perhaps you've felt like you were in a desert place or wilderness.  Look forward in anticipation to that next bend in the road it may be your way out of this desert and open up to rivers of opportunities.

God has chosen you for Himself,  and He has a purpose for you in the coming year.  See verse 21 below and trust that it applies to you.  "the people whom I formed for myself
that they might declare my praise."  Isaiah 43:21 NKJV

--   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

Verse of the Day 12/30

Verse of the Day 12/30

Nehemiah 2:18 And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, "Let us rise up and build." So they strengthened their hands for the good work.  English Standard Version (ESV)

As we head towards the new year, many of us will be planning some type of project.  It may be building something, rebuilding something and will likely involve planning, cleaning and some restoration.  In order for the plans to succeed there will have to be a commitment of time, proper tools, and to set a start and completion date.

In our spiritual lives it is no different.  We may have plans to clean up our lives, be more organized and to venture into some new ministry.  The same requirements mentioned above hold true but they are centered in prayer and time in God's word, seeking His counsel and taking action on His promptings. We may have people like Sanballat and Tobiah in today's passage that are naysayers, quick to point out our shortcomings and the likelihood of failure.  We are not to listen to them but enlist the help of others "to strengthen our hands" and our hearts for the good work.

So may we go out and build, but first preparing our hands and our hearts to do so.  Perhaps start by reading the book of Nehemiah where we can see God as the "rebuilder of broken walls and 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    

Nehemiah 2:17-20 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁷ Then I said to them, "You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies ^[a]waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach." ¹⁸ And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king's words that he had spoken to me.

So they said, "Let us rise up and build." Then they set^[b] their hands to this good work.

¹⁹ But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they laughed at us and despised us, and said, "What is this thing that you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?"

²⁰ So I answered them, and said to them, "The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem."

Verse of the Day 12/29

Verse of the Day 12/29

Philippians 3:13-14  I don't depend on my own strength to accomplish this;^[a] however I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead. ¹⁴ I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus.   The Passion Translation (TPT)

There are only a few days left in the year and in the decade of the 2010's and you will see a lot of news clips and articles with "the year in review" of "the decade in review", taking a look at what has happened over recent history.  It is not wrong to do so, but we should not dwell on it, our eyes and our hearts should be looking towards what lies ahead with a focus and a goal in mind "the upward call of Christ" (NKJV).

This past year may have been filled with plenty of challenges, healthwise, financially or emotionally and the future may look uncertain.  One thing that we can be sure of is that God is in control, and that if we "press on" if we persevere in Him, we can look forward in hope.

Throughout the Bible we see people that had difficult times that taxed them to their limit, but they persevered and "won the prize", many of them listed in the "Hall of Faith" in Hebrews 11.  David Jeremiah notes, "Peter moved past denying Christ to become the rock of the church.  Joseph surrendered the betrayal and loss of his family to serve God with passion and purpose.  Regardless of what the past has held, turn your eyes to God.  Trust His redemptive power for a new beginning."

Whatever has happened in this past year, and as you look ahead and perhaps set some goals for the year, think of some spiritual goals and fasten your hearts to them trusting God to help you achieve those goals.

--   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    

Philippians 3:12-16 New King James Version (NKJV)

Pressing Toward the Goal

¹² Not that I have already attained,^[a] or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. ¹³ Brethren, I do not count myself to have ^[b]apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴ I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. ¹⁶ Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already ^[c]attained, let us walk by the same ^[d]rule, let us be of the same mind.

Verse of the Day 12/26

Verse of the Day 12/26

2 Samuel 7:18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? English Standard Version

The heading for this passage in the ESV is David's Prayer of Gratitude.  Coming off of Christmas and time spent with family and friends, even if it was by phone or Facetime, you may have felt the same way as David did in today's verse.  It is time to celebrate God's greatest gift in Jesus and also all of the blessings that we have been given in this life.

We had our mom's over for Christmas, spoke with our kids and grandkids and reminisced about Christmas's past and watched some old Christmas movies that made us truly feel "It's a Wonderful Life", (something our son Jeff tells us about every day.  It is all because of what God, our Master, has done for us.

Today's will be a short devotional, short or words, but hopefully, you'll spend the time considering "my Master God, and what is my family, that you have brought me to this place in life?" (The Message).

Our Master
Our Savior
You are Lord our King
Our Master
Our Savior
We give our praise to our King
To our King

You're the Everlasting Father
The Beginning and the End
There is no one that can take your place
There is no other Name     (Matthew Ward)

--   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 Samuel 7:18-22 English Standard Version (ESV)

David's Prayer of Gratitude

¹⁸ Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? ¹⁹ And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! ²⁰ And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God! ²¹ Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. ²² Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

Verse of the Day 12/24

Verse of the Day 12/24

Isaiah 7:14  Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.    English Standard Version (ESV)

Happy Christmas Eve!

In yesterday's post, we considered from John 1:14 how the Word became flesh and "moved into the neighborhood".  The name Immanuel means "God is with us" and conveys the same message as John 1:14.   God has come down to earth in the person of Jesus not only to "dwell among us", but to take up residence in the hearts of those who believe.

John 3:16 states "for God so loved the world" that He gave us His only begotten Son".  Jesus was a gift to the world.   David Jeremiah writes, "many who acknowledge "God with us" have never said "God with me".  It is an important thing to consider.  Can you profess "God is with me", has He taken up residence in your heart?  What about the hearts of your kids or grandkids?

Yesterday I quoted the following line from the hymn "O Little Town of Bethlehem" - "so God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven". If we can say God is with me, we are acknowledging that God has imparted His blessings through faith into our hearts. May it be our desire this Christmas to share this message that "God is with us" and that our loved ones can acknowledge personally that "God is with me" from now through eternity.

Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing."

--   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 7:10-15 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Sign of Immanuel

¹⁰ Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: ¹¹ "Ask a sign of the Lord your^[a] God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven." ¹² But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test." ¹³ And he^[b] said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? ¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.^[c] 15 He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.

Verse of the Day 12/23

Verse of the Day 12/23

John 1:14   The Word became flesh and blood,
    and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
    the one-of-a-kind glory,
    like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
    true from start to finish.    The Message (MSG)

Most of us are very familiar with this verse, most likely in a translation such as the NKJV (below) that states "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us".  When I first read this translation from The Message it stuck with me and has become one of my favorite verses from that translation.  Just think about it then in Bethlehem, God came down in the form of baby Jesus and took up residence in this world, He moved into the neighborhood.  When He did, everything changed.  The angels sang, the shepherd's rejoiced and Mary and Joseph themselves, and all around them stood in wonder.

He didn't come with great fanfare, He came quietly, silently but the gift was the greatest ever.  Many back then as today heard about this Jesus that was born and simply went about their way.  Others took Him in, believed in Him.  For those, a wondrous gift has been given.

One of my favorite Christmas hymns is "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and as I think about today's verse, in any translation; I think of the line "so God imparts to human hearts, the blessings of His heaven."  To those who receive Him God "imparts", takes up residence, and the dear Christ enters into their hearts as Savior".

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.

O holy Child of Bethlehem,
descend to us, we pray;
cast out our sin, and enter in,
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
the great glad tidings tell;
o come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Emmanuel!

May He dwell in your hearts today and 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    

John 1:12-14 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹² But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son^[a] from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Verse of the Day 12/20

Verse of the Day 12/20

Micah 5:4 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,

in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great
to the ends of the earth. English Standard Version (ESV)

Today's verse comes from one of the "minor" prophets in the Old Testament, but the message is anything but minor. In the span of three verses the prophet foresees the coming of the Messiah Jesus in verse 2; speaks of the in-between time in verse three and references the second coming where Jesus will establish His kingdom in verse 4.

With all of the turmoil in the world then and now these are wonderful things to consider. Based on what we know of His first coming and the fulfillment of so many Old Testament prophecies we can have confidence and rest securely in the promises of Jesus for a future and a hope; a place prepared for us for eternity (John 14:3).

We will sing many Christians songs and hymns proclaiming His birth, His first coming, but how much greater will our singing be when He comes again.

I'm reminded of the song "In the First Light" which is normally sung at Easter, but it is fitting to sing during the Christmas season as well.

As His mother held him closely,
It was hard to understand
That this 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 would be broken
As the song of life arose
And the First born of creation
Would ascend and take his throne.
He had left it to redeem us,
But before His life began
He knew He'd come back not as a baby
But as The Lord of ev'ry man.

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
When He comes again
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
When He comes to rule the Earth!
When He comes back, When He comes back
To rule the Earth!

Blessings,

Mike

Micah 5:1-4 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

From Defeated Ruler to Conquering King
5 [a]Now, daughter who is under attack,
you slash yourself in grief;
a siege is set against us!
They are striking the judge of Israel
on the cheek with a rod.
2 [b]Bethlehem Ephrathah,
you are small among the clans of Judah;
One will come from you
to be ruler over Israel for Me.
His origin[c] is from antiquity,
from eternity.[d]
3 Therefore, He will abandon them until the time
when she who is in labor has given birth;
then the rest of His brothers will return
to the people of Israel.
4 He will stand and shepherd them
in the strength of Yahweh,
in the majestic name of Yahweh His God.
They will live securely,
for then His greatness will extend
to the ends of the earth.

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Verse of the Day 12/18

Verse of the Day 12/18

Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower;

The righteous run to it and are [a]safe. New King James Version (NKJV)

I read today's verse in my devotions this morning and couldn't help but think of the song that goes along with it. We would sing it regularly in the choir at our church back in Illinois. I praise God for His Word, for this song and for the memories of the people in that choir, some who have gone on to be with the Lord and others that may still be receiving these posts.

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be the name of the Lord Most High

The name of the Lord is a strong tower
The righteous run into it and they are saved

The name of the Lord is a strong tower
The righteous run into it and they are saved

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be the name of the Lord Most High

I know many that are going through challenges this Christmas season. My prayer for them is that they would seek and find the joy of the Lord in this time, realizing that He is their strength, their strong tower.

The righteous mentioned here are not "self righteous" by anything that they've done, but they are those who are in right standing before God, seeking His will and coming to Him in faith and are received into His strong tower.

Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;

But we will remember the name of the Lord our God. New King James Version (NKJV)

Blessings,

Mike

Proverbs 18:10-11 New King James Version (NKJV)

10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
The righteous run to it and are [a]safe.
11 The rich man's wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own esteem.

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