Verse of the Day 1/11

 

1 Thessalonians 1:2-3  We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, ³ remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.   English Standard Version (ESV)

My wife Jean and I got together with some friends last night.  They are among several people that I know and have been praying for who have family members that are in life or death battles with various severe illnesses.  They have been friends of ours for years and have been encouragers for us and great friends for our son Jeff.   Today's verses from 1 Thessalonians was a reminder of them and their faithfulness and the privilege to pray for them now in their time of need.

 

I also read the following quote from today's Daily Bread, which is a reminder of how God's hope is at work in our hearts.  "From a biblical perspective, hope may be best imaged as a line suspended between past experience of God's reliability and a future that is still open, a line stretched taut between the reliability and the freedom of Israel's God."

 

As I look back over our lives I can see God's reliability.  We may not have seen answers to prayers in the ways that we would have wanted them, but we can see His hand in how things have worked out.  It is what gives us hope for the future, hope for our friends and their family members. 

 

My prayers for these families and for you is that your faith would be steadfast, "have convictions of steel" (The Message) that you'd be able to count on God's reliability in the future, to have that hope a taut between the past and a rock solid anchor in Christ in the future.  The One who died and overcame the grave for us is  the same  One who holds our future.

 

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly trust in Jesus name

Christ alone; cornerstone
Weak made strong; in the Saviour's love
Through the storm, He is Lord
Lord of all

 

In Christ,
Mike

 

Follow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 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 Thessalonians 1:2-10The Message (MSG)

Convictions of Steel

^2-5 Every time we think of you, we thank God for you. Day and night you're in our prayers as we call to mind your work of faith, your labor of love, and your patience of hope in following our Master, Jesus Christ, before God our Father. It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special. When the Message we preached came to you, it wasn't just words. Something happened in you. The Holy Spirit put steel in your convictions.

^5-6 You paid careful attention to the way we lived among you, and determined to live that way yourselves. In imitating us, you imitated the Master. Although great trouble accompanied the Word, you were able to take great joy from the Holy Spirit!—taking the trouble with the joy, the joy with the trouble.

^7-10 Do you know that all over the provinces of both Macedonia and Achaia believers look up to you? The word has gotten around. Your lives are echoing the Master's Word, not only in the provinces but all over the place. The news of your faith in God is out. We don't even have to say anything anymore—you're the message! People come up and tell us how you received us with open arms, how you deserted the dead idols of your old life so you could embrace and serve God, the true God. They marvel at how expectantly you await the arrival of his Son, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescued us from certain doom.

Verse of the Day 1/9

Philippians 4:5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;  English Standard Version (ESV)

Today's verse from Philippians chapter four comes from a passage that is probably better known by some of the other verses which call us to "rejoice in the Lord always" (v.4), and not to be anxious about anything (v.6), and that through Christ we can have the "peace that passes understanding" (v.7).  Tucked in the middle of these verses we find this short one which sums up the Christian's character, being reasonable.

John MacArthur notes that it refers to "contentment with and generosity toward others" and having "mercy and leniency towards the faults and failures of others."

I read a story about Saint Francis of Assisi in which he was taking a young monk along with him to "preach" in a city.  When they had finished going through the town the young monk reminded him that he had forgotten to preach, to which Saint Francis replied, "My son, we have preached.  We have been seen by many.  Our behavior was closely watched, our attitudes were closely measured.  Our words have been overheard.  I was by thus that we preached our morning sermon."

As we go out into the work world and into the community or on the mission field this morning consider what kind of sermon that you are preaching today in your actions.  May our "reasonableness" be known to those whom we meet and interact with as we "celebrate God all day" (The Message) and revel in Him.

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Philippians 4:4-7The Message (MSG)

^4-5 Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

^6-7 Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Verse of the Day 1/7

 

Matthew 6:2"Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they havereceived their reward.  English Standard Version (ESV)

Today's read through the Bible New Testament reading was from Matthew 6:1-18 where we'll go for today's verse.  Reading through these 18 verses, 3 times Jesus states "when".  In verse 2, "when you do a good deed", verse 5 "when you pray" and verse 16 "when you fast".  He indicates that each of these things are assumptions, things that His followers should be doing in their everyday lives.

In each of the instances we are shown that we are not to make a spectacle of these things, to broadcast them for others to see and take notice with the intention of being rewarded by compliments or other.  In each of the instances He states that your Father sees and that you will be rewarded, by your heavenly Father.

As we head out into the day, into this winter day may we be mindful to do good to and for someone, to pray, and to fast, to give up something and replace it with a time of prayer and considering your many blessings as we considered yesterday.  Don't worry about being noticed, "the world is not a stage -work behind the scenes" (The Message) the most important One will notice.

Blessings,
Mike
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Matthew 6:1-4The Message (MSG)

The World Is Not a Stage

6 "Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don't make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won't be applauding.

^2-4 "When you do something for someone else, don't call attention to yourself. You've seen them in action, I'm sure—'play actors' I call them—treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that's all they get. When you help someone out, don't think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.

Verse of the Day 1/6/15

 Verse of the Day 1/6

1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  New King James Version (NKJV)

As I woke up and headed into the day yesterday I knew that it was going to be a challenging day.  As I prepared for it I read today's verse in a devotional and am thankful that I did.  It reminded me that no matter what I faced in the day ahead, whatever difficulties, that I had plenty to be thankful for and to be mindful of that and not to let the burdens of the day take that knowledge away from me.

I immediately gave thanks for my life,my wife, my job, my family and friends, a warm place to stay, food to eat, co-workers to help face the challenges of the day, and a warm coat and hat (even though I would choose not to wear it, bad idea).   Those things weren't in order of importance, they just came to mind as did God's Word and His presence as I had those thoughts and continuing presences throughout the day as the challenges were faced.

The day turned out to be better than anticipated, possibly because of the way the day started in His Word.  It is a reminder to start each day the same way, to Count Your Blessings, name them one by, at the end of the day it might surprise you what the Lord has done.

Lord, as we face the day today, may we look to you as we face the challenges of the day, knowing that you will make a difference in our hearts and give us the grace and the strength to deal with the challenges of our circumstances.

Blessings,
Mike
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1 Thessalonians 5:14-22The Message (MSG)

^13-15 Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other's nerves you don't snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.

^16-18 Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.

^19-22 Don't suppress the Spirit, and don't stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don't be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what's good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.

Verse of the Day 1/3

 

Colossians 3:17  And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.  Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

 

Today's verse is a good one to consider as we head into the New Year.  John MacArthur notes that it "simply means to act consistently with who He is and what He wants".  I must say that doing so is not so simple.

 

The verse is a good one and as with all of scripture it can stand on its own, but as with the rest of the Bible reading it in context brings so much more to us.  In the passage, beginning in verse 12, we are given some ideas of the things that we are to be doing, such as being compassionate, showing kindness, meekness, humility, patience, forgiveness, and having peace.  Oh, and I must not forget, giving thanks to God in all of these things.

 

One of the big questions we hear all around us is why can't they just get along?  Perhaps if we, if I, were to do these things, walk this way, "in step with each other" (The Message) we would get along better.  As The Message puts it in verse 15 "let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other".  It is when we "do" in the name of the Lord Jesus that we can live in harmony.

 

In Christ,
Mike

 

Follow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

 

Colossians 3:12-25The Message (MSG)

^12-14 So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

^15-17 Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

Verse of the Day 1/1

 

Isaiah 43:18-19 The Lord says, "Forget what happened before
    and do not think about the past.

¹⁹ 

Look at the new thing I am going to do.
    It is already happening. Don't you see it?
I will make a road in the desert
    and rivers in the dry land.  New Century Version (NCV)

 

Happy New Year!  Today's' verses from the prophet Isaiah have good advice for us as we look towards the New Year.  Don't dwell on the past mistakes and problems, forget about them put them behind you and think about the new things that are in store for us.  But the expectation is not passive, it is not sitting back and waiting, it is looking for the "new thing".

 

I know that most of us have looked within ourselves or perhaps have gone through studies or seminars on "our spiritual gifts".  But I'll go back to something I remember reading in Henry Blackaby's "Experiencing God" study where he encouraged people who weren't sure what their gifts were to see where God was at work and join in.

 

While it may be the start of a new year, we may be in the middle of a desert or wasteland.  There may not be evidence of much growth, but the verses encourage and challenge us to look for it.  He will make the road, blaze a trail and produce rivers in the desert wasteland.  Blackaby writes, "if you past feels like a wilderness, know that God wants to make a road through it, perhaps to navigate the difficult years and salvage the good.  If you past feels like a desertland of death, know that God will make rivers of redemption flow as He brings beauty out of ashes.  Embrace the fresh beginning God wants to give you."

 

Read the passage below from The Message.  May be "be alert, and be present", aware of what God is doing in our lives in the world around us and join in.

 

In Christ,
Mike

 

Follow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 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 43:18-21The Message (MSG)

^16-21 This is what God says,
    the God who builds a road right through the ocean,
    who carves a path through pounding waves,
The God who summons horses and chariots and armies—
    they lie down and then can't get up;
    they're snuffed out like so many candles:
"Forget about what's happened;
    don't keep going over old history.
Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new.
    It's bursting out! Don't you see it?
There it is! I'm making a road through the desert,
    rivers in the badlands.
Wild animals will say 'Thank you!'
    —the coyotes and the buzzards—
Because I provided water in the desert,
    rivers through the sun-baked earth,
Drinking water for the people I chose,
    the people I made especially for myself,
    a people custom-made to praise me.

Verse of the Day 12/31

 

Romans 16:25-26 Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time. ²⁶ But now as the prophets^[a] foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him.  New Living Translation (NLT)

 

As we come to the end of a year and look ahead to the new one, it is natural to take a look back and recall how we've arrived where we are today.  Today's verses come at the end of the book of Romans as Paul writes a benediction.  He is looking back over the work of the letter and its message, that of the Good News of redemption in the gospel which has been revealed to all. 

 

The benediction also looks ahead that the readers of the letter, those who follow God's Word as it has been revealed, will truly believe and live by faith to the glory of God.  The strength to do so doesn't come from ourselves, it is the power of God and the Holy Spirit working in and through us.  We can be strong in the Lord and the power of His might.

 

In R.C. Sproul's Tabletalk devotional I read that "God strengthens through the gospel, according to what the prophets foretold, in order to bring about the obedience of faith. (Rom. 16:26).  All that the Lord has done is so that we might trust in Him alone and then serve Him in gratitude for His great salvation."

 

As we look back over the past year may, see how He has strengthened you, seen you through and as you look to the coming year may He strengthen you as you read the good news of the gospel, apply it to your life and share it with others, so that "they too might believe and obey Him."

Let the word of Christ dwell in you Richly, in all wisdom Teaching and admonishing one another In psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, Singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord And whatever you do, in word or in work Do all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Do all in the name of our Lord.

(from Colossians 3:16-17)

 

In Christ,
Mike

 

Follow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 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 16:24-26Amplified Bible (AMP)

²⁴ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) be with you all. Amen (so be it).

²⁵ Now to Him Who is able to strengthen you in the faith which is in accordance with my Gospel and the preaching of (concerning) Jesus Christ (the Messiah), according to the revelation (the unveiling) of the mystery of the plan of redemption which was kept in silence and secret for long ages,

²⁶ But is now disclosed and through the prophetic Scriptures is made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, [to win them] to obedience to the faith,