Verse of the Day 10/31

Verse of the Day 10/31

1 John 3:12-13  We should not be like Cain, who yielded to the Evil One and brutally murdered his own brother, Abel. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's righteous.

¹³ So don't be shocked, beloved brothers and sisters, if you experience the world's hatred.    The Passion Translation (TPT)

The other day I raised the question of "why can't we hear of any good news"?  The world around us is too often focused on hate, retribution, getting even or getting leverage over someone.

As I was flying back from Seattle yesterday I was finishing up "Finally Alive" by John Piper.  In the closing chapters he took a look at these verses.  He mentioned that Johns concern in writing these verses was not that love doesn't kill a brother, but love doesn't feel resentful when a brother is superior in some moral or spiritual way.  Instead of dealing with his own shortcomings he'd rather get rid of the opposition, in this case his own brother.

Isn't that what we see going on in politics, not that someone is superior, but they may have won an election.  I'm not just talking about one side.  Instead of acknowledging any kind of accomplishment the opposition looks for something wrong with them.  Piper writes, "what would it be like for any of us to be like Cain?  It would mean that anytime some weakness or bad habit in our lives is exposed by contrast to someone else's goodness, instead of dealing with the weakness or the bad habit, we keep away from those whose lives make us feel defective.  We don't kill them, we avoid them.  Or worse, we find ways to criticize them so as to neutralize the part of their lives that was making us convicted.  We feel like the best way to nullify someone's good point is to draw attention to his bad point.  And so we protect ourselves from whatever good he might be for us.... John's point is that love doesn't act like that."

Verse 13 tells us that we shouldn't be shocked that the world hates the way it does, but instead of striking back, getting even or getting the edge, we are called to love; show grace; show mercy; have compassion.

Christians have to show that love has a better way.  We can disagree on things, but we shouldn't miss, shouldn't avoid the good things in others. 

Read the passage below.  What does the outworking of love look like in 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    

1 John 3:11-18 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹¹ For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, ¹² not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous.

¹³ Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love ^[a]his brother abides in death. ¹⁵ Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

The Outworking of Love

¹⁶ By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. ¹⁷ But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

¹⁸ My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

Verse of the Day 10/30

Verse of the Day 10/30

Ephesians 1:13-14 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee[a] of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,[b] to the praise of his glory. English Standard Version (ESV)

I read a devotional this morning from Hebrews 10:23 which speaks of God's faithfulness. I' ll share it in the Amplified Version:

Hebrews 10:23 Let us seize and hold tightly the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is reliable and trustworthy and faithful [to His word]; Amplified Bible (AMP)

No matter what we are facing we are called, challenged and encourage to hold on, to see it through because He who promised is faithful. The message is for me and as today's verses in Ephesians 1 they are for you to if you have heard God's truth and have believed and have been sealed with His promise.

David Jeremiah writes, "All three persons of the Godhead work together in concerted effort to make and keep every promise in the Bible. God the Father ordains them. Christ the Son purchased them for us with His blood. The Holy Spirit brings them to fruition in our daily experiences."

I encourage you today to siege and hold tightly to His promises, knowing that He is faithful and He will see you through.

In my moments of Fear
Though Every Pain Every Tear
There's A God Who's Been Faithful To Me
When My Strength Was All Gone
When My Heart Had No Song
Still In Love He's Proved Faithful To Me
Every Word He's Promised Is True
What I Thought Was Impossible
I've Seen My God Do

He's Been Faithful
Faithful To Me
He's been faithful, faithful to me
Looking Back He's Love And Mercy I See
Though In My Heart I Have Questioned
And Failed To Believe
He's Been Faithful, Faithful To Me (Damaris Carbaugh)

Blessings,

Mike

Ephesians 1:11-14 Amplified Bible (AMP)

11 In Him also we have [a]received an inheritance [a destiny—we were claimed by God as His own], having been predestined (chosen, appointed beforehand) according to the purpose of Him who works everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ [who first put our confidence in Him as our Lord and Savior] would exist to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the good news of your salvation, and [as a result] believed in Him, were stamped with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit [the One promised by Christ] as owned and protected [by God]. 14 The Spirit is the [b]guarantee [the first installment, the pledge, a foretaste] of our inheritance until the redemption of God's own [purchased] possession [His believers], to the praise of His glory.

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Verse of the Day 10/29

Verse of the Day 10/29

1 Peter 2:1-2 So abandon every form of evil, deceit, hypocrisy, feelings of jealousy and slander. 2 In the same way that nursing infants cry for milk, you must intensely crave the pure, spiritual milk of God's Word. For this "milk" will cause you to grow into maturity, fully nourished and strong for life— The Passion Translation (TPT)

I hate to admit it, but I follow what is going on in the political arena way too much. Each day there are new heights (or depths) to "every form of evil, deceit, hypocrisy, jealously and slander tossed about.

What would happen on both sides if we called everyone we knew and asked, even demanded of "our leaders"; please, tell us something good! There has to be something good that they can tell us. If not, they need to change what they are doing

We are not to be caught up or be a part of this. We are to "abandon", throw away and leave behind any of these "feelings" from us. We need to crave "good words" and the best place to find them is in God's Word.

May we seek and crave the pure, spiritual, milk of God's Word day by day and share with others some good news about what Christ has done for us.

1
Stop; and let me tell you

What the Lord has done for me.

Stop; and let me tell you

What the Lord has done for me.

He forgave my sin

And He saved my soul,

He cleansed my heart

And He made me whole.

Stop; and let me tell you

What the Lord has done for me.
2
Go and tell the story

Of the Christ of Calvary,

Go and tell the story

Of the Christ of Calvary:

He'll forgive their sins,

He will save their souls,

He'll cleanse their hearts,

He will make them whole.

Go and tell the story

Of the Christ of Calvary.

Blessings,

Mike

1 Peter 2:1-5 New King James Version (NKJV)

Our Inheritance Through Christ's Blood
2 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow [a]thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People
4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God andprecious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

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Verse of the Day 10/25

Verse of the Day 10/25

Isaiah 43:11-12?? I,??even??I,??am??the??Lord,

And besides Me??there is??no savior.
^12??I have declared and saved,
I have proclaimed,
And??there was??no??foreign??god??among you;
Therefore you??are??My witnesses,???
Says the??Lord, ???that I??am??God.?????? New King James Version (NKJV)

In the world today people turn to all kinds of things for deliverance, for relief from things that can drag them down; even destroy them.?? These things range from illnesses; accidents; addictions or any number of things.?? They may turn to gods of their own making, that they have created in their own minds that are really no gods at all.?? People turn to drugs, 12 step programs, counselors and advisers or things that they think will make them happy and whole.?? Some of these things are helpful but without the Lord guiding and directing they find themselves disappointed, distraught and disillusioned.

Today's verses; in no uncertain terms; tell us that the Lord is God, there is no other and besides Him there is no savior, no deliverer.?? We are to cast aside the things, the other gods that may help for a time and turn to the Lord for salvation.?? He is the Savior for not and for eternity.

Verse 13 of the passage below in the NKJV says "henceforth I am He".?? We don't use the word "henceforth" very often, it simply means "from this time on" or "from now on".?? That word though, brought my mind immediately to the old hymn "Living for Jesus" and the line "my life?? I give, henceforth to live, O Christ for Thee alone.?? If you find yourself weary from the trials and challenges in life, find your rest in Him.?? There is no other.

1	Living for Jesus a life that is true, Striving to please Him in all that I do; Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free, This is the pathway of blessing for me.
??	O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee, For Thou, in Thy [redemption],* Didst give Thyself for me; I own no other Master, My heart shall be Thy throne, My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.
4	Living for Jesus through earth???s little while, My dearest treasure, the light of His smile; Seeking the lost ones He died to redeem, Bringing the weary to find rest in Him.

--   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 43:10-15??English Standard Version (ESV)

^10?????You are my witnesses,??? declares the??Lord,
???????????and??my servant whom I have chosen,
that you may know and believe me
????????and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
????????nor shall there be any after me.
^11??I, I am the??Lord,
????????and besides me there is no savior.
^12??I declared and saved and proclaimed,
????????when there was no strange god among you;
????????and??you are my witnesses,??? declares the??Lord, ???and I am God.
^13??Also??henceforth I am he;
????????there is none who can deliver from my hand;
????????I work, and who can turn it back????

^14??Thus says the??Lord,
????????your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
???For your sake I send to Babylon
????????and??bring them all down as fugitives,
????????even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice.
^15??I am the??Lord, your Holy One,
????????the Creator of Israel, your King.???

Verse of the Day 10/24

Verse of the Day 10/24

Hebrews 10:23-24^?? So now we must cling tightly to the hope that lives within us, knowing that God always keeps his promises!^[a]??^24??Discover creative ways to encourage others^[b]??and to motivate them toward acts of compassion, doing beautiful works as expressions of love.???? The Passion Translation (TPT)

In verse 22 of this passage (read below in the NKJV) we are encouraged and challenged to "draw near" to God.?? We do so by seeking Him in His Word and spending time in prayer.?? It is not a physical act, to be seen by others for acknowledgment,?? it is an "invisible" matter of the heart which goes down to our soul. But the result and impact should not be invisible, it should show in our outward actions.?? This leads us to today's verses which call us to "cling tightly" to the hope that we have in us and "consider" (NKJV below) and "discover" (TPT above) ways to encourage, motivate and challenge others to acts of kindness, love, and compassion.

This stopping to consider and then acting upon it will help us to avoid a life where we are simply "killing time" waiting for something to happen with empty minds and empty hearts.?? John Piper writes:

"It is crystal clear in the Bible, including this text, that God means for us to aim consciously at something significant in our days.    God???s revealed will for you is that when you get up in the morning, you don???t drift aimlessly through the day letting mere circumstances alone dictate what you do, but that you aim at something ??? that you focus on a certain kind of purpose.     Aimlessness is akin to lifelessness. Dead leaves in the back yard may move around more than anything else ??? more than the dog, more than the children. The wind blows this way, they go this way. The wind blows that way, they go that way. They tumble, they bounce, they skip, they press against a fence, but they have no aim whatsoever. They are full of motion and empty of life."    Spend time in God's Word today and then consider it, consider what you might to to make something of your day and your life by "discovering creative ways to encourage others" towards acts of kindness, love, mercy or compassion.  Any one of them would be better than being full of motion with an empty life.    

--   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    

Hebrews 10:19-25??New King James Version (NKJV)

Hold Fast Your Confession

^19??Therefore, brethren, having??boldness^[a]??to enter??the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,??^20??by a new and??living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,??^21??and??having??a High Priest over the house of God,??^22??let us??draw near with a true heart??in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.??^23??Let us hold fast the confession of??our??hope without wavering, for??He who promised??is??faithful.??^24??And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,??^25??not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as??is??the manner of some, but exhorting??one another,??and??so much the more as you see??the Day approaching.

Verse of the Day 10/23

Verse of the Day 10/23

Psalm 144:15?? Yes, joyful are those who live like this!

????????Joyful indeed are those whose God is the??Lord.?????? New Living Translation (NLT)

This morning I went in to give our son Jeff his medications to start the day.?? He told me that he was proud of me to which I responded "I'm proud of you".?? He asked why.?? I told him because he has taught me a lot about joy and peace, hope and love.?? In spite of the fact that he is disabled he has more joy, more peace than anyone I know.?? It doesn't come from him, but the Holy Spirit living in him, down in his heart.?? It comes from his trust in God.?? He is fueled by it.

C.S. Lewis put it this way: ???God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way. . . . God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.???    I replied back to Jeff by starting a chorus that I learned as a child and our kids learned as well.  I started it, Jeff finished it.     I've got the joy, joy,joy,joy,   Down in my heart, down in my heart,  I've got the joy, joy,joy,joy,   Down in my heart, down in my heart,  Down in my heart to stay!    Another stanza spoke of the peace that Jeff says that he has:    I've got the peace that passes understanding   Down in my heart, down in my heart,  I've got the peace that passes understanding,  Down in my heart, down in my heart to stay!    May we be among those who are "joyful and live like this". whose God is the Lord.   

--   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 144:12-15??Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

^12??Then our sons will be like plants
nurtured in their youth,
our daughters, like corner pillars
that are carved in the palace style.
^13??Our storehouses will be full,
supplying all kinds of produce;
our flocks will increase by thousands
and tens of thousands in our open fields.
^14??Our cattle will be well fed.^[a]
There will be no breach in the walls,
no going into captivity,^[b]
and no cry of lament in our public squares.
^15??Happy are the people with such blessings.
Happy are the people whose God is Yahweh.

Verse of the Day 10/22

Verse of the Day 10/22??????

1 Timothy 2:2-3 And pray for every political leader and representative, so that we would be able to live tranquil, undisturbed lives, as we worship the awe-inspiring God with pure hearts.??^3??It is pleasing to our Savior-God??to pray for them.?? The Passion Translation (TPT)

My read through the New Testament plan, this year in The Passion Translation brought me to 1 Timothy 2.?? In reading today's verses I was reminded how I don't pray often enough.?? It also reminded me of how little praying I do for our leaders, whether in government, the church at large or my local church leaders.?? There can be many reasons for this type of prayer but do we think that it will lead to "more tranquil" and undisturbed lives?

God can do mighty things through any number of people, especially leaders from our churches to the president and congress of the United States.?? But think about it again.?? Even if we don't notice whether God does?? answer all of those prayers we can have peace and be undisturbed knowing that all of these things that we are concerned about are in His hands.

As we consider all of the vitriol that comes out of Washington and other places across the country we can literally let it drive us crazy.?? I'm speaking from one that gets all too caught up in it.?? It is a reminder for me that when I get caught up in it to turn to the Lord and pray.?? After all as verse 3 tells us "it is pleasing to our Savior-God to pray for them".?? Then my challenge is to live a tranquil, undisturbed life; at peace with what He is doing in the world as the true World Leader.

--   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    

1 Timothy 2??New King James Version (NKJV)

Pray for All Men

2??Therefore I??^[a]exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions,??and??giving of thanks be made for all men,??^2??for kings and??all who are in??^[b]authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and??^[c]reverence.??^3??For this??is??good and acceptable in the sight??of God our Savior,??^4??who desires all men to be saved??and to come to the knowledge of the truth.??^5??For??there is??one God and??one Mediator between God and men,??the??Man Christ Jesus,??^6??who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,??^7??for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle???I am speaking the truth??^[d]in Christ??and??not lying???a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

Verse of the Day 10/20

Verse of the Day 10/20

1 Peter 1:22-23?? Now, because of your obedience to the truth, you have purified your very souls, and this empowers you to be full of love for your fellow believers. So express this sincere love toward one another passionately and with a pure heart. ^23??For through the eternal and living Word of God you have been born again. And this ???seed??? that he planted within you can never be destroyed but will live??and grow??inside of you forever.?????? The Passion Translation (TPT)

In yesterday's post from Psalm 119 we considered how the psalmist "treasured" God's Word.?? If we do the same it will keep us from treasonous acts of the heart.?? Today's verses from 1 Peter tells us what abiding in God's Word and applying it in our lives will lead to.?? It empowers us, leads us to love others, and it will grow inside of us - forever.?? Stop and think about that for a minute.

John Piper writes, "I want to say things that are really significant for your life whether you know they are or not. My way of doing that is to stay as close as I can to what God says is important in His Word, not what we think is important apart from God's Word."?? That should be the desire of any of us who want to share the Gospel, to share God's Word.?? We share it because it is important and what people need to hear whether they know or acknowledge it or not.?? We are sharing something for their good.

We asked yesterday from Psalm 119 "how can a man keep his way pure?".?? Verse 23 reinforces that answer of not neglecting or forgetting God's Word.?? That abiding is what leads to purifying our souls and empowering us to love others.

1. There???s a peace in my heart that the world never gave,
   A peace it cannot take away;
   Though the trials of life may surround like a cloud,
   I???ve a peace that has come here to stay!
   • Refrain:
     Constantly abiding, Jesus is mine;
     Constantly abiding, rapture divine;
     He never leaves me lonely, whispers, oh, so kind:
     ???I will never leave thee??????Jesus is mine.
2. All the world seemed to sing of a Savior and King,
   When peace sweetly came to my heart;
   Troubles all fled away and my night turned to day,
   Blessed Jesus, how glorious Thou art!
3. This treasure I have in a temple of clay,
   While here on His footstool I roam;
   But He???s coming to take me some glorious day,
   Over there to my heavenly home!

4. Romans 10:17^?? So??faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.?? English Standard Version (ESV)

--   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    

1 Peter 1:22-25??English Standard Version (ESV)

^22??Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for??a sincere brotherly love,??love one another earnestly from a pure heart,??^23??since you have been born again,??not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through??the living and abiding word of God;??^24??for

???All flesh is like grass
????????and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
????????and the flower falls,
^25??but the word of the Lord remains forever.???

And this word??is the good news that was preached to you.