Verse of the Day 8/16

Verse of the Day 8/16

Romans 3:23-24

New Living Translation

23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.

Have you ever heard someone say that they would get to heaven because they "are basically a good person" or that they've "done more good than bad" and that God would understand.  The Bible has more than a few words to say about that and in today's verses Paul puts it right out there, everyone has sinned, literally "missed the mark".  We can't achieve God's standards on our own. Earlier in the chapter Paul quoted the Old Testament, writing that "there is none righteous", that is, who is in right standing. before God, "not one". Jesus set the standard by living a perfect life.  Where does that leave us?

Where does that leave us? Thankfully, we don't have to go far for that answer either. "Yet God, in His grace ... makes us right.... through Jesus Christ. He offers that grace which includes forgiveness when we turn to Him and trust in Him as our Savior.

All of this reminds me of Psalm 23 where Jesus, as the Good Shepherd leads us, renews us, restores us and pursues us with His love.  The sheep that has gone astray can't make it on his own, but the Good Shepherd can bring him back to the fold, He cares for every lost sinner.

Psalm 23:6

New Living Translation

6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me

    all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
    forever.

1. Savior, like a shepherd lead us, much we need Thy tender care;
   In Thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use Thy folds prepare.
   Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.
   Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.
2. We are Thine, Thou dost befriend us, be the Guardian of our way;
   Keep Thy flock, from sin defend us, seek us when we go astray.
   Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Hear, O hear us when we pray.
   Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Hear, O hear us when we pray.
3. Thou hast promised to receive us, poor and sinful though we be;
   Thou hast mercy to relieve us, grace to cleanse and pow'r to free.
   Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! We will early turn to Thee.
   Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! We will early turn to Thee.
4. Early let us seek Thy favor, early let us do Thy will;
   Blessed Lord and only Savior, with Thy love our bosoms fill.
   Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast loved us, love us still.
   Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast loved us, love us still.

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 3:21-26

New Living Translation

Christ Took Our Punishment

21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses[a] and the prophets long ago. 22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

Verse of the Day 8/11

Verse of the Day 8/11

Ephesians 5:15-16

New King James Version

Walk in Wisdom

15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

I read today's verse in my devotions this morning.  It is one of my favorites in the book of Ephesians.  Whenever I read it I think of it in the New King James Verssion above.  I especially like the word "circumspectly".  You don't often hear it used, but it gives the idea of having a 360 degree view of what is going on around you.  It has to do with awareness of not only the world around you but also your place in that world.

Former Watergate co-conspirator Chuck Colson later gave his life to Christ and started a jail ministry sharing the gospel in prisons.  His life perspective had been changed significantly and he owed it to faith in Christ.  He went on to write a book "How Now Shall We Live"  which explored the new relationship in Christ finding answers to life's questions such uas where did we come from, who are we, and what is wrong with this world?  He also focused on how we can go about fixing it in terms of living for Jesus.

A big part of that walk is walking according to His Word which means having His Word in front of us, in our hearts and minds and applying it in our lives.  The Jewish people in the Old Testament daily read the schema, Deut. 6:4-9:

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

New King James Version

4 "Hear, O Israel: 

The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

We could do the same or perhaps a New Testament passage such as this passage in Luke 12:

Mark 12:28-34

New King James Version

The Scribes: Which Is the First Commandment of All?

28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, [a]perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the [b]first commandment of all?"

29 Jesus answered him, "The [c]first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' [d]This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

32 So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."

But after that no one dared question Him.

The call is to be aware of where you stand in the world around you and to make a difference for Christ, redeeming the time.

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 5:15-20

New Living Translation

Living by the Spirit's Power

15 So be careful how you live. Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. 18 Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse of the Day 8/10

Verse of the Day 8/10

Malachi 4:2

Holman Christian Standard Bible

2 But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and playfully jump like calves from the stall.

I read today's verse in my devotions this morning as the sun was coming up after several days of rain, storms and flooding.  The sun was a welcome sight and it will help warm things back up, dry things back out and bring new growth.  Many will be heading out to enjoy summer activities once again, I can picture kids and adults playfully jumping around at parks in yards or at the beach.

The verse comes from the last chapter of the Old Testament after which there would be 400 years of silence from the prophets, spiritual darkness.  But this last chapter points to the return of the sun, in the form of the Son.

Step back and think how important the sun is to us.  We often think of it's warmth, it's light that provides life, but how often do we consider gravity that holds the solar system in place, revolving around the sun.  Now, think of what Jesus means to us as Christians.  Charles Spurgeon helps us as he writes:

Jesus, like the sun, is . . .
  the center and soul of all things,
  the fullness of all good,
  the lamp that lights us,
  the fire that warms us,
  the magnet that guides and controls us.

Jesus is the source and fountain of all . . .
   life,
   beauty,
   fruitfulness,
   and strength.

We'll close with the Doxology, praising God, praising Jesus the sun of righteousness, from whom all blessings flow.

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.

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

Malachi 4

English Standard Version

The Great Day of the Lord

4 [a] "For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. 3 And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.

4 "Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.

5 "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction."

Verse of the Day 8/3

Verse of the Day 8/3

Romans 1:16-17

English Standard Version

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."

The read through the New Testament plan that I follow has brought me to the book of Romans.  It is my favorite book of the Bible and over the years, I've probably spent more time in it, read more commentaries, listened to and read more sermons from it than any other book in the Bible.  Today's verses are part of that reason, thinking about the "gospel" what it means to us as Christians and considering the power of God to salvation.  God's power that brought the universe into being has also brought salvation to us in the person of Jesus Christ.  We live by faith in Him and are powered by the Holy Spirit living in us.

Stop for a few minutes today and think about what this means to you.  Then think about the last statement, "the righteous (those in right standing before God) shall live by faith. It is a way, it is the way of life for us.  Through joys and sorrows, through sickness, trials and through the good times in life, we are to live by faith.

John Piper writes, "what this means is not that the gospel is God's power to convert people to faith (although that is indeed true!), but that it means the gospel is God's power to bring those who keep on believing to everlasting safety and joy in the presence of God.....The gospel is mainly the good news that God himself has rescued us from the wrath of God. Not mainly from ourselves and the mess we make of our lives, but from his own anger and his own righteous judgment. The gospel is the power of God for salvation from the wrath of God — the power that brings us to eternal safety and joy in the presence of God."

That power is available to us through the blood of Christ that was shed for us on the cross. That precious blood has given us new life and the power to live life by faith.

1. Would you be free from the burden of sin?
   There's pow'r in the blood, pow'r in the blood;
   Would you o'er evil a victory win?
   There's wonderful pow'r in the blood.
   • Refrain:
     There is pow'r, pow'r, wonder-working pow'r
     In the blood of the Lamb;
     There is pow'r, pow'r, wonder-working pow'r
     In the precious blood of the Lamb.
2. Would you be free from your passion and pride?
   There's pow'r in the blood, pow'r in the blood;
   Come for a cleansing to Calvary's tide;
   There's wonderful pow'r in the blood.
3. Would you be whiter, much whiter than snow?
   There's pow'r in the blood, pow'r in the blood;
   Sin-stains are lost in its life-giving flow;
   There's wonderful pow'r in the blood.
4. Would you do service for Jesus your King?
   There's pow'r in the blood, pow'r in the blood;
   Would you live daily His praises to sing?
   There's wonderful pow'r in the blood.

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 1:8-16

English Standard Version

Longing to Go to Rome

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers,[a] that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Verse of the Day 7/29

Verse of the Day 7/29

Psalm 5:3

Holman Christian Standard Bible

3 At daybreak, Lord, You hear my voice;

at daybreak I plead my case to You and watch expectantly.

We had a guest speaker at our church this Sunday, Reverend Wilkes, and he spoke from John chapter 11 where we read the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.  His focus was on the hearts of Mary and Martha.  In chapters 11 and 12 they both came to Jesus at different times and fell at His feet.  Martha came questioning God saying "if you had been here Lazarus woudn't have died".  Mary fell at His feet in chapter 12 in worship for raising Lazarus. The point was that God can handle either situation.  We've all read Psalms where David questioned God and ended up praising and worshipping Him, often before the situation had changed.

How about us?  Whether we are in a situation where we find ourselves questioning God or praising Him, God can handle both.  He wants to hear it from our mouths and our hearts.  The key is found in this psalm   Come to the Lord regularly in prayer, come to His feet.  Plead your case to Him  and wait "expectantly" to see what the Lord will do.  The Creator holds our future in His hands and we have the privilege to come to Him knowinng that He hears our cry.

1 In the morning when I rise,
in the morning when I rise,
in the morning when I rise,
give me Jesus.

Refrain:
Give me Jesus, give me Jesus.
You may have all this world, give me Jesus.

2 Dark midnight was my cry,
dark midnight was cry,
dark midnight was my cry,
give me Jesus. [Refrain]

3 I heard the mourner say,
I heard the mourner say,
I heard the mourner say,
give me Jesus. [Refrain]

4 Oh, when I come to die,
oh, when I come to die,
oh, when I come to die,
give me Jesus. [Refrain]

Whether in the position of questioning God or praising God, "give me Jesus".

Psalm 5:7

English Standard Version

7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,

    will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
    in the fear of you.

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 5:1-7

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Psalm 5

The Refuge of the Righteous

For the choir director: with the flutes. A Davidic psalm.

1 Listen to my words, Lord;
consider my sighing.
2 Pay attention to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for I pray to You.

3 At daybreak, Lord, You hear my voice;
at daybreak I plead my case to You and watch expectantly.

4 For You are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil cannot dwell with You.
5 The boastful cannot stand in Your presence;
You hate all evildoers.
6 You destroy those who tell lies;
the Lord abhors a man of bloodshed and treachery.

7 But I enter Your house
by the abundance of Your faithful love;
I bow down toward Your holy temple
in reverential awe of You.