Verse of the Day 7/1

Verse of the Day 7/1

James 4:10 New King James Version

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

There are any number of things that can get us, bring us down. It can be illness, loss of a job, loss of a loved one or any number of things.  All too often we think that we need to bring ourselves out of it and by doing so only fall deeper into the doldrums. Today's verse may not seem like it is the way to be lifted up, but sometimes we need to go lower before we can be lifted higher.

Think of the prodigal son in Luke 15 where "he came to himself" and thought "I will arise and go to my father" (Luke 15:18). in going to the father he was willing to submit to him.

David prayed in Psalm 51 in The Message:

God, make a fresh start in me,
    shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.
Don't throw me out with the trash,
    or fail to breathe holiness in me.
Bring me back from gray exile,
    put a fresh wind in my sails!

We can't solve all of our problems or untangle the the knots in our chaotic lives, but we can admit where we are and seek God's help. How do we do that?

Paul, someone else who experienced his share of ups and downs wrote:

Philippians 3:13-14

The Message

Focused on the Goal

12-14 I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.

Philippians 3:13-14

New International Version

13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

What is our goal, the upward call of Christ.

I'm pressing on the upward way,
New heights I'm gaining every day;
Still praying as I onward bound,
"Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."

 

Lord, lift me up, and let me stand
By faith on Canaan's tableland;
A higher plane than I have found,
  Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

2

My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where these abound,
My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

3

I want to live above the world,
Though Satan's darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground.

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

James 4:7-10

New King James Version

Humility Cures Worldliness

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.