Verse of the Day 12/28

Verse of the Day 12/28

John 14:27New King James Version

27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

One of the themes of Christmas is Jesus bringing peace on earth.  Many of the Christmas carols mention this in song.  Jesus came as Immanuel, God is with us and He brought, and still brings peace to those who receive Him.  After His resurrection and ascension into heaven

Peace is one of the key themes of the Christmas season, it is something that Jesus came to give us.  Not just for a day or season but through all of our lives and on to eternity.  In Isaiah the Messiah was referred to as the "Prince of Peace".  Jesus was Immanuel, God is with us and He brought peace to us.  Thankfully, He did not take that peace with Him after His resurrection and ascension.   John chapter 14 should encourage each of us that in troubled times we can still find, still have peace in Jesus and if we go back to verse 2 He tells us that He is preparing a place for us, our eternal home where we will experience eternal peace with Him as we live with Him there.

The world scoffs at the notion that we can experience His peace now and forever.  But Jesus words ring clear as a bell to those who truly believe.   One Christmas hymn that captures this is "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day".

1. I heard the bells on Christmas day
   Their old familiar carols play;
   In music sweet the tones repeat,
   "There's peace on earth, good will to men."
2. I thought how, as the day had come,
   The belfries of all Christendom
   Had rolled along th' unbroken song
   Of peace on earth, good will to men.
3. And in despair I bowed my head:
   "There is no peace on earth," I said,
   "For hate is strong, and mocks the song
   Of peace on earth, good will to men."
4. Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
   "God is not dead, nor does He sleep,
   For Christ is here; His Spirit near
   Brings peace on earth, good will to men."
5. When men repent and turn from sin
   The Prince of Peace then enters in,
   And grace imparts within their hearts
   His peace on earth, good will to men.
6. O souls amid earth's busy strife,
   The Word of God is light and life;
   Oh, hear His voice, make Him your choice,
   Hail peace on earth, good will to men.

As we head towards the New Year we realize that their will be busyness and strife, but may we "hear His voice, make Him our choice" for peace on earth good will to men.

Blessings,

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 14:25-29

New King James Version

The Gift of His Peace

25 "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the [a]Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because [b]

I said, 'I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I.

29 "And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.

Verse of the Day 12/25

Verse of the Day 12/25

Luke 1:49-50. New King James Version

49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me,

And holy is His name.
50 And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation.

Today's verse comes from one of my favorite "Christmas passages" in the Bible.  In the "Song of Mary", Luke records her thoughts, her ponderings of all that has taken place and what will be.  There were trials and tribulations in her life and there would be many more, but underneath it all she showed faith in God, and realized that "He has dond great things for me".  The Holy One, separate from all of us, has done this and His mercy will go out from generation to generation for those who fear Him, those who put there faith and trust in Him.

In the rush and business of modern day Christmas, take some to to "ponder" to consider what the Holy One has done for you.  Think back to that night, think back to His life, death and resurrection.  Think back over your life and what He has done to bring you to where you are today.

As you sit around the dinner table today with family and friends, talk about some of the things that He has done for you and your family  through generations and give thanks to His Holy name.

Blessings,

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 1:48-50

New King James Version

48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
50 And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation.

Verse of the Day 12/24

Verse of the Day 12/24

Isaiah 7:14 New International Version

14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Happy Christmas Eve!  Today's verse and several others from the prophet Isaiah will be read today, tonight and tomorrow.  Christmas songs will be sung, proclaiming our Savior's birth. We are celebrating the event when Jesus came down to live among us as the greatest gift ever, Himself.  Today's verse is a constant reminder that He came to be with us, then, and He is still with us today and every day .

David Jeremiah writes, "We can enjoy God's continual presence because the name Immanuel means "God with us." His prophetically-given name indicates the pouring out of God's personal presence, like a waterfall, descending from highest heaven to lowest earth, giving us access to the flood of His nearness....Live consciously in His presence today! Think of Him. Listen to Him. Talk to Him. Remind yourself of His closeness. The One called Immanuel said, "I am with you always". 

As we sing the various hymns, may we remember and rejoice that He is with us, always.

1. Hark! The herald angels sing,
   "Glory to the newborn King;
   Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
   God and sinners reconciled!"
   Joyful, all ye nations rise,
   Join the triumph of the skies;
   With th'angelic host proclaim,
   "Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
   • Refrain:
     Hark! the herald angels sing,
     "Glory to the newborn King!"
2. Christ, by highest Heav'n adored;
   Christ the everlasting Lord;
   Late in time, behold Him come,
   Offspring of a virgin's womb.
   Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
   Hail th'incarnate Deity,
   Pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
   Jesus our Emmanuel.
3. Hail the heav'nly Prince of Peace!
   Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
   Light and life to all He brings,
   Ris'n with healing in His wings.
   Mild He lays His glory by,
   Born that man no more may die;
   Born to raise the sons of earth,
   Born to give them second birth.

Blessings,

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 7:13-17

New International Version

13 Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you[a] a sign: The virgin[b] will conceive and give birth to a son, and[c] will call him Immanuel.[d]

 15 He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, 16 for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. 17 The Lord will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria."

Verse of the Day 12/22

Verse of the Day 12/22

Ephesians 2:17-18New International Version

17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Today's verses are not usually associated with Christmas, but reading them today, especially the first words "He came and preached peace" immediately brought me to the angels declaration at Jesus birth of 'Peace on earth, good will to men."  Jesus is also referred to in Isaiah as the Prince of Peace.  Peace is one of the key things that we want during this and any season of our lives, and it is stopping and recalling the story and Jesus teaching, believing and accepting them, applying what He preached that may bring us peace.

Christmas is all about Jesus coming and "moving into the neighborhood". (John 1:14 The Message).  He bridged that gap and with His death and resurrection removed the curtain, the veil that had stood between us and God.

The Greek word for preached in verse 17 literally means "to bring or announce good news".  The angels did this and Jesus did this in His life and the Holy Spirit continues to "preach" it to us today.  The world may seem to be in turmoil around us, but God's message runs strong and clear,  "The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,  With peace on earth, good will to men."

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

Blessings,

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 2:13-21

New International Version

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.

Verse of the Day 12/21

Verse of the Day 12/21

Romans 6:23

New International Version

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in  Christ Jesus our Lord.

You may not think of today's verse in relation to Christmas, probably because we focus on the gift of Jesus Christ, the possibility of salvation and eternal life through Him and with Him.  But the coming of Jesus in the flesh was in order to deal with sin and our need for a Savior.

The verse also reminds us that we cannot "earn" our salvation, it is a gift, a gift that we don't deserve.  In our own efforts we will always fall short and "miss the mark" (Rom. 3:23).  Death is eternal separation from God but people can be spiritually dead long before that. That separation is man living for himself, prone to addictions in many form.  Christ offers deliverance from that if we will hear His call and cry out to Him.

If you have some time, read Romans 6, think about the gift that has been offered to us.  I had the following notes attached to "gift" in my eBible.

"Take some time to consider the enormity of that statement. Even though we failed God's commands, even though we fell short of God's expectations for us, God still had enough love for us that he offered us a way out of the cycle. That way out is Jesus Christ, who bridges the gap between human and divine as the mediator of a new relationship between God and humanity: a covenant of life rather than one of death (see Hebrews 12:24)."

And to all of the people with burdens and pains
Keeping you back from your life
You believe that there's nothing and there is no one
Who can make it right


For the ones who can't break the addictions and chains
You try to give up but you come back again
Just remember that you're not alone in your shame
And your suffering

There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus                         (Cry Out to Jesus - Third Day)

Blessings,

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

Romans 6:20-23

New International Version

20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[a]

 Christ Jesus our Lord.

Verse of the Day 12/17

Verse of the Day 12/17

1 John 4:8-9. New International Version. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

We're all probably familiar with the song "What the World Needs Now is Love". It's the only thing that there's just to little of.  In this world of excess (for some) it seems that there isn't enough love to go around.  We are called to love.  Love one another.  Love your neighbor as yourself.  Love the Lord with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength.

One of the most important ways of showing love is to give unto others.  That is a big part of Christmas and it is the basis of this verse.  We celebrate the greatest gift of all, God, sending His Son Jesus to live among us.  (John 1:14, 3:16) and we are to live through Him, spreading His love.

1 God rest you merry, gentlemen,
let nothing you dismay;
remember Christ, our Savior

was born on Christmas Day

to save us all from Satan's pow'r
when we were gone astray.

Refrain:
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.

4 Now to the Lord sing praises,
all you within this place,
and in true love and fellowship
each other now embrace;
this holy tide of Christmas
is filled with heav'nly grace. [Refrain]

May your heats be filled with heavenly grace which will spread His love, "in true love and fellowship" with friends, family and strangers this season.

Blessings,

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 4:7-12

New International Version

God's Love and Ours

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

Verse of the Day 12/13

Verse of the Day 12/13

Romans 6:3-4

3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.  New International Version

We reviewed these verses this morning in our Monday Men's Bible study and they are a powerful picture of the significance of the new birth, new life in Christ.  The verses and passage are commonly used during baptism services, however, what the Apostle Paul is speaking of here is the change that takes place in the conversion experience and not the symbolism itself.

Charles Stanley expounds on the significance when he writes, "The Greek word for "baptize" in Scripture is the same term used to describe a cloth dipped in dye--it refers to total change. So by being plunged into the water, we declare that we're choosing to die to our old way of life and are uniting with Christ. Our sin is buried with Him, and its power is conquered through His atoning death on the cross (Rom. 6:14). When we're raised up out of the water, we affirm His resurrection. Baptism is a symbolic way of expressing that just as the Lord conquered death and rose again, we are spiritually resurrected from death into new life. We are "born again" and irrevocably transformed through the power of His Holy Spirit. "

A second illustration comes from the Greek poet and physician Nicander from around 200 B.C. who compared it to a recipe for making pickles.  The vegetable would first be dipped into boiling water, (bapto) and then "baptized" (baptizo) in vinegar for a longer period.  Being dipped in boiling water opens up the pores for the vinegar to be drawn in.  It can be compared to the sanctification process.  At conversion we are opened to receive the Holy Spirit and as we receive, learn learn and grow through the Spirit's work we are changed permanently.

We don't need to "clean up our act" before doing this, but respond to the Spirit's call in our heart.

Come just as you are
Hear the spirit call
Come just as you are
Come and see
Come receive
Come and live forever
Come just as you are
Hear the spirit call
Come just as you are
Come and see
Come receive
Come and live forever

Life Everlasting
Strength for today
Taste the living water
And never thirst again

Come and see
Come receive
Come and live forever.  (Come Just As You Are - Crystal Lewis)

Blessings,

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

Romans 6:1-7

New International Version

Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

6 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,[a]

 that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

Verse of the Day 12/12

Verse of the Day 12/12

1 John 2:5-6.  New International Version

5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

My wife Jean recently had a conversation with our youngest grandson, Jack, who is six years old about ground hogs and woodchucks.  I had spotted one by our house and Jean told him that I had seen a woodchuck.  The conversation went on to the saying "how much wood could a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?".  Jack said, "Gigi, you know that a wood chuck can't chuck wood, right?"  When questioned on this he replied, "let's review this, I'll break it down slowly, it says ' IF a wood chuck could chuck wood',  meaning that it really can't chuck wood.  We had a good time with it and I pulled up the GEICO commercials that showed wood chucks chucking wood.

I say all this to show the importance of small words as we read through the Bible.  We shouldn't simply gloss over them, verses and passages hinge on them.  In verse 6 above, we'll consider the word "must".  In context it reads,  6 "Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did."

How important is that word to the passage and more importantly in our lives as "Christ followers"?  If we claim to be Christ followers, living in Him, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we will live as Jesus did.  Not in power but by His grace in which we stand.

To know how Jesus did live we need to know His Word.  We need to know truly how He lived not based upon our own opinions of "what would Jesus do?".   It begins with a love for the Lord and for others; family, friends and strangers.

As we prepare for Christmas may it be in our minds that we "must" live as Jesus lived.

As you read through His Word pay attention to words like "if, since, but, and all".  Perhaps you'll have some others that catch your attention.  They will help you to know the passages better and to know how to live as Jesus livd.

Blessings,

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 2:3-8

New International Version

Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers

3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4 Whoever says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God[a] is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.