Verse of the Day 1/2

Verse of the Day 1/2

Psalm 31:14-16

New International Version

14 But I trust in you, Lord;

    I say, "You are my God."
15 My times are in your hands;
    deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
    from those who pursue me.
16 Let your face shine on your servant;
    save me in your unfailing love.

Today's verse of the day from Bible Gateway is Psalm 90;12 - "Teach us to number our days so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts."  Holman Christian Standard Bible.  I like that translation as it speaks of developing wisdom in our hearts.  It doesn't come in an instant but it comes over time as we put our faith and trust in God and spend time in His Word and in prayer.  Part of that development and that wisdom is shown in today;s verses posted above, realizing that our times are in God's hands.  We've trusted Him in the past and have faith in Him in the future.That doesn't mean that it will come easily or that we won't face challenges.  James 1:2 states "when you face various trials."  They will come.

Numbering our days has to do with "making them count".  Realizing tthe brevity of life therefore making every effort not to waste precious time on things that don't matter.

Matthew Henry writes:

If this should prove a year of affliction, a sorrowful year to me--I will fetch all my supports and comforts from the Lord Jesus and anchor myself upon Him, His everlasting consolations, and the good hope I have in Him through grace.

And if it should be my dying year--then my times are in the nail-scarred hand of the Lord Jesus. With a humble reliance upon His all-wise providence, I would venture into the eternal world looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith.

Oh, that the grace of God may be sufficient for me, to keep me always in a humble sense of my own unworthiness, weakness, folly, and infirmity--together with a firm dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ for both everlasting righteousness and daily strength.

Whatever we may face this year may we realize that our times are in His hands, ask that His light, His favor shine upon us, and realize that we are saved by His faithful love.

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

Psalm 31:14-24

New International Version

14 But I trust in you, Lord;

    I say, "You are my God."
15 My times are in your hands;
    deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
    from those who pursue me.
16 Let your face shine on your servant;
    save me in your unfailing love.
17 Let me not be put to shame, Lord,
    for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
    and be silent in the realm of the dead.
18 Let their lying lips be silenced,
    for with pride and contempt
    they speak arrogantly against the righteous.

19 How abundant are the good things
    that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,
    on those who take refuge in you.
20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them
    from all human intrigues;
you keep them safe in your dwelling
    from accusing tongues.

21 Praise be to the Lord,
    for he showed me the wonders of his love
    when I was in a city under siege.
22 In my alarm I said,
    "I am cut off from your sight!"
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
    when I called to you for help.

23 Love the Lord, all his faithful people!
    The Lord preserves those who are true to him,
    but the proud he pays back in full.
24 Be strong and take heart,
    all you who hope in the Lord.

Verse of the Day 1/1

Verse of the Day 1/1

1 Corinthians 15:10

New International Version

10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

Happy New Year! Many of you stayed up to do the countdown and watch the ball drop signalling the beginning of a new year.  It is just one point in time but it is one that makes it easy to look back at the year just passed and the one that lies ahead.  For the Christian, we realize that it was God that has brought us to this place and that it is the grace of God that will guide us through the coming year with it's ups and downs.

When we consider who we are, we can take it to heart like Paul that we are who we are by the grace of God.  Of this grace John Piper writes:

This grace is past and it is future. It is ever-cascading over the infinitesimal waterfall of the present, from the inexhaustible river of grace coming to us from the future, into the ever-increasing reservoir of grace in the past.

In the next five minutes, you will receive sustaining grace flowing to you from the future, and you will accumulate another five minutes' worth of grace in the reservoir of the past. The proper response to the grace you experienced in the past is thankfulness, and the proper response to grace promised to you in the future is faith. We are thankful for the past grace of the last year, and we are confident in the future grace for the new year. 

Once again we stand in His presence and consider His grace.

My faithful Father, enduring Friend
Your tender mercy's like a river with no end
It overwhelms me, covers my sin
Each time I come into Your presence
I stand in wonder once again

CHORUS:
Your grace still amazes me
Your love is still a mystery
Each day I fall on my knees
Your grace still amazes me
'Cause Your grace still amazes me

Oh, patient Saviour, You make me whole
You are the Author and the Healer of my soul
What can I give You, Lord, what can I say
I know there's no way to repay You
Only to offer You my praise.               (Your Grace Still Amazes Me - Philips, Craig & Dean)

'

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 Corinthians 15:3-11

New International Version

3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas,[b] and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.