Verse of the Day 9/30

Verse of the Day 9/30

Ephesians 4:2-3  Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. 3 Try your best to let God's Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace.   Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Today's verses came up in the daily read through the New Testament plan that I follow.  Coming off of the Presidential Debate last not, they call for us to live as a stark contrast to what we saw on that debate stage last night.  What we saw from both sides was the exact opposite of being "gentle and humble", let alone patience and virtually any of the qualities of the "fruit of the spirit" from Galatians 5:22-24.  There was virtually no peace seen on that stage let and I don't think that anyone that watched it would walk away from it feeling any degree of peace.

In the New King James Version (below) Paul calls us to "walk worthy".  Our lives as Christians is often referred to as a walk.  It is not a walk in the park, it involves the ups and downs of life (Pilgrim's Progress comes to mind), and we have to be careful about each step; physically and spiritually; that we take.  If we don't we'll likely find that we're not making much progress but will commonly be taking one step forward and two steps back.

As we go about our day today, may we not exchange barbs and insults with one another but rather apply the principles that Jesus and Paul often called us to do.  To love one another and patiently put up with one another all for the glory of God.  God has given us the grace to be able to do so (v.7).

Read the passage below and let it speak to you 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

Ephesians 4:1-7 New King James Version (NKJV)

Walk in Unity

4 I, therefore, the prisoner ^[a]of the Lord, ^[b]beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, ² with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, ³ endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in ^[c]you all.

Spiritual Gifts

⁷ But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.

Verse of the Day 9/29

Verse of the Day 9/29

 

Galatians 6:3-4    If you think you are better than others, when you really aren't, you are wrong. ⁴ Do your own work well, and then you will have something to be proud of. But don't compare yourself with others.   Contemporary English Version (CEV)

 

Today's verses came up in my read through the New Testament plan that I'm following, this year it is in the CEV (above).  The verses came to mind again to me this morning as I considered that tonight we will have the first of 3 presidential debates that are planned.  You can expect to see and hear plenty of barbs being jabbed at one another with plenty of boasting of how they are each better than the other candidates.  In the end, hopefully, people will decide on the record of what they have done and accomplished, not so much for themselves as for other, and who will better bear the burdens of their constituents.

 

Now, let us step back and consider ourselves, what kind of job are we doing in bearing one another's burdens?

I have these notes in my study Bible from an unknown source , "If a Christian brother or sister is weighed down or menaced by some burden or threat, be alert to that and quickly do something to help. Don't let them be crushed. Don't let them be destroyed. Don't be like the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus said, "They bind heavy burdens hard to bear and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger" (Matthew 23:4). Don't increase burdens. Make them lighter for people."

 

Some of the things that you'll hear proposed tonight will only be accomplished by increasing the burdens put on many people.  May we as Christians and as a church be more concerned and put more efforts into lessening the burdens of those friends and family members around us.

 

Read the short passage below from the English Standard Version.  How does it speak to you 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

 

Galatians 6:1-10 English Standard Version (ESV)

Bear One Another's Burdens

6 Brothers,^[a] if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. ² Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. ³ For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. ⁵ For each will have to bear his own load.

⁶ Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. ⁷ Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. ⁸ For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. ⁹ And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. ¹⁰ So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

 

Verse of the Day 9/23

Verse of the Day 9/23

Galatians 1:6-7 I am shocked that you have so quickly turned from God, who chose you because of his wonderful kindness.^[a] You have believed another message, ⁷ when there is really only one true message. But some people are causing you trouble and want to make you turn away from the good news about Christ. Contemporary English Version (CEV)

The read through the New Testament plan that I am following has recently moved into the book of Galatians.  As I read chapter 1 these verses stood out to me, especially in the light of what has been going on with the church in America during this COVID crisis.  I have heard it reported that it is likely that 20% or more of the churches that have closed during this pandemic because they have not been allowed to meet; will never reopen.  What are the reasons for this?  I am sure that the devil couldn't be happier about the situation.

 

Many churches have been forced to go to "online" services which reach a part of their normal audience on Sunday, but what about the others.  Many have "quickly turned away" to other interests, other things to occupy their time and they have fallen out of the habit of gathering together on Sunday for corporate worship and fellowship.  The question then is, what do their lives look like during the rest of the week.

 

We are called to be diligent in following the gospel and spreading it's message.  If we are not involved in worship, it is likely that we will not be involved in sharing God's praises let alone sharing the gospel.  Abandoning the church and breaking contact/fellowship is tantamount to desertion which is what the word translated "turned" here means in the original Greek.  Desertion was punishable by death.

 

Bishop Robert Barron wrote the following in a devotional that my wife Jean shared with me.  "Jesus compared his followers to salt, which is designed to preserve and enhance something other than itself, and to light, whose purpose is to be set on a stand in order to illumine what is around it. Pope St. Paul VI articulated the same truth as follows: the Church doesn't have a mission; the Church is a mission. …..We go forth, therefore, with God's authority and empowered for his work. When we stand before the judgment seat of Christ he will ask whether we have taught the world how to praise, how to reverence the truth, how to go out vigorously on campaign to extend the kingdom of God."

 

Whether we are able to attend a service at our church on Sunday, we are still a part of that community and should maintain contact and maintain our mission of being salt and light under God's power and authority, extending the kingdom of God even during a pandemic.

--   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

 

Galatians 1:6-10 English Standard Version (ESV)

No Other Gospel

⁶ I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— ⁷ not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. ⁹ As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

¹⁰ For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant^[a] of Christ.