Verse of the Day 3/12

 

Psalm 84:11 For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield; the Lord bestows [present] grace and favor and [future] glory (honor, splendor, and heavenly bliss)! No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.  Amplified Bible (AMP)

 

Over the weekend it was close to 70 degrees here in NC and if you were fortunate enough to be outside you would have felt the warmth of the sun on your back.  After winter, it feels good, invigorating.  It gives you the hope of warmer days and outdoor activities from yard work (which I like), cook outs, long walks, or recreational activities such as golf, boating or any number of other pursuits.

 

Think about the first few words of today's verse in regards what God's love means to us.  It should be greater than any of the things just mentioned.  They should be a reminder of God's faithfulness, "strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside".  John Piper writes, "the mercy and sovereignty of God are the twin pillars of my life.  They are the hope of my future, the energy of my service, the center of my theology, the bond of my marriage, the best medicine of my sickness, the remedy of all my discouragements."    Wow!  Can you echo those feelings?

 

The Amplified Bible states that the Lord gives "present grace and favor" and future "glory, honor, bliss".  His Word like the sun gives us this encouragement and hope, His Word also acts like a shield to guard, protect and instruct us and to prevent harm.  May he be your Sun and Shield today. 

 

Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God proves true;
    he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.   English Standard Version (ESV)

 

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

Psalm 84:10-12

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

¹⁰ Better a day in Your courts
than a thousand anywhere else.
I would rather be at the door of the house of my God
than to live in the tents of wicked people.
¹¹ For the Lord God is a sun and shield.
The Lord gives grace and glory;
He does not withhold the good
from those who live with integrity.
¹² Happy is the person who trusts in You,
Lord of Hosts!

Verse of the Day 3/11

Verse of the Day 3/11

 

1 Peter 2:1 So rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander.   Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

 

It is a beautiful spring like weekend in North Carolina, many people were probably ready to get a jump on spring and do a little "spring cleaning".  Over the winter, and perhaps longer, junk has accumulated in the garage, and branches and debris from winds has gathered in portions of the yard.  It seems to take more time and effort to get rid of these things than it did for us to allow them to accumulate.  So it is with our hearts.  Perhaps things like malice, bitterness, hypocrisy, envy and slander have crept in and even taken hold.  If so, we may find that they are a lot more difficult to "rid ourselves" of than we thought it would be.

 

This is not something we can achieve on our own, but turning our hearts over to Jesus, He can direct us in the way to go, His Word will reveal what needs to be thrown away, out of our lives.  The Spirit will give us the strength, determination, and the grace to see it through.

 

Why not go ahead and get a jump on spring, both in our garages and more importantly in our hearts.  May we be "nurtured and grow unto completed salvation" as the Amplified Bible states below.

 

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 Peter 2:1-2

Amplified Bible (AMP)

2 So be done with every trace of wickedness (depravity, malignity) and all deceit and insincerity (pretense, hypocrisy) and grudges (envy, jealousy) and slander and evil speaking of every kind.

² Like newborn babies you should crave (thirst for, earnestly desire) the pure (unadulterated) spiritual milk, that by it you may be nurtured and grow unto [completed] salvation,

Verse of the Day 3/9

 

Revelation 21:4  God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, neither shall there be anguish (sorrow and mourning) nor grief nor pain any more, for the old conditions and the former order of things have passed away.  Amplified Bible (AMP)

 

I recently had a wart removed from my foot which left me hobbling for several days.  That is nothing compared to the chronic pain of arthritis and other pains that aggravate and in some cases debilitate people and bring their spirits down. 

 

Yesterday we considered the topic of experiencing "Your Best Life Now".  If you are in the midst of a trail or long term illness, it is hard to imagine that this is our "best life", physically.  If you are fairly, young, healthy and in good financial standing, you may be more prone to feel that you are experiencing "the good life".  But, as we grow older, at some point we will have to deal with the problems associated with growing old.  What will be the thoughts of "our best life" then?

 

I recently read the following in a devotional, "The best part of life lies ahead - stored up for you in heaven, awaiting your arrival.  This is true for all Christians, both young and old.  As you grow older and deal with infirmities, you may feel as if your life is closing in on you.  Physically, your limitations do increase with age and illness.  However, your spiritual life can open up even wider as your soul grows strong in the nourishing Light of My Presence."

 

As we grow older may we "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18), realizing that spiritually we can have our best life now, helping us to be overcomers of the physical limitations of this life, while looking forward to the day when there will be no more aches and pains, no more tears or anguish, sorrow or mourning.

 

In verse 5 (below), Jesus tells us " Record this, for these sayings are faithful (accurate, incorruptible, and trustworthy) and true (genuine)."

 

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

Revelation 21:3-5

Amplified Bible (AMP)

³ Then I heard a mighty voice from the throne and I perceived its distinct words, saying, See! The abode of God is with men, and He will live (encamp, tent) among them; and they shall be His people, and God shall personally be with them and be their God.

⁴ God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, neither shall there be anguish (sorrow and mourning) nor grief nor pain any more, for the old conditions and the former order of things have passed away.

⁵ And He Who is seated on the throne said, See! I make all things new. Also He said, Record this, for these sayings are faithful (accurate, incorruptible, and trustworthy) and true (genuine).

Verse of the Day 3/8

1 John 5:11-12  And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹² Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.   English Standard Version (ESV)
 

We've been considering eternity and hope recently, something we long for in this life and into the next.  Joel Osteen wrote a book by the title "Your Best Life Now".  I haven't read the book, but just going by the title, it is saying that you can have your "best life now".  That may be true for the here and now, but ultimately our best life will be in the future through life in Jesus Christ.

 

J.M. Boice writes, "Eternal life is not merely unending life, therefore "it is the very life of God".  What we are promised in Christ is participation in the life of the One who bears this testimony.  This life is not to be enjoyed by everyone, however.  This life is in Christ.  Consequently it is impossible to have life without having Christ as it is impossible to have Christ without at the same time possessing eternal life."

 

The best life, is life in Christ.  It is life "above the circumstances".  It may begin now but will grow into and throughout eternity.  John wrote these words so that we may know that we have eternal life in and through Jesus Christ.

Blessings,
Mike
Follow the verse of the day at www.mikesvotd.blogspot.com

1 John 5:11-13  New Living Translation (NLT)

¹¹ And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹² Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God's Son does not have life.

Conclusion

¹³ I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.

Verse of the Day 3/7

 Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. ² Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.   English Standard Version (ESV)

 

Yesterday we considered the "times and seasons" and the thoughts of eternity that God has placed in our hearts.  Today's verses give us encouragement and hope because we can have peace with God through faith, it is in His grace that we can stand through the storms of this life.

 

Charles Spurgeon writes, "Thank him for little grace and ask him for great grace.  He has given you hope, ask for faith; and when he gives you faith, ask for assurance; and when you have full assurance, ask for enjoyment; and when you have enjoyment, ask for glory itself;  and he shall surely give  it to you in his own appointed season."
 

There is quite a lot to grasp and take hold of in these verses and the insights of Charles Spurgeon.  Spend some time this morning thinking of and thanking God for faith, for hope, for His grace in which we stand in this season of our lives.

Blessings,
Mike
Follow the verse of the day at www.mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Romans 5:1-2  Amplified Bible (AMP)

5 Therefore, since we are justified (^[a]acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to ^[b]enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

² Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God's favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God.

Verse of the Day 3/6

Verse of the Day 3/6

Ecclesiastes 3:11   He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.  English Standard Version (ESV)

Shortly after the passage in Ecclesiastes 3 where Solomon writes that for everything "there is a time and a season" we come to today's verse where he states that God has put "eternity into mans heart".  Everyone thinks of eternity.  They hope, they dream, perhaps they fear eternity, especially if they don't know God.  It is a mechanism that God has put into our hearts, to want to know, to find answers.

 

Saint Augustine captured this thought when he wrote,  "God has created us for Himself, and our hearts will remain restless until we find our rest in Him."  What is the condition of your heart today, is it restless or have you found rest?  It is a rest that once found, can be with us through the times and seasons of our lives.

 

People through the ages have been caught up with themselves, some, for a lifetime.  When they come to the end of their lives they find themselves empty, realizing that there has to be more to this life.  John Piper writes, "The self was never designed to satisfy itself.  It can never be sufficient.  We are but in the image of God, not God himself.  We are shadows and echoes.  So there will always be an emptiness in the soul that struggles to be satisfied with the resources of self."

 

If your heart is restless today, may you find rest in Him and may it be with you through the seasons, through the years and lasting through eternity.

 

Blessings,
Mike
Follow the verse of the day at www.mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Ecclesiastes 3:10-12  Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹⁰ I have seen the painful labor and exertion and miserable business which God has given to the sons of men with which to exercise and busy themselves.

¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also has planted eternity in men's hearts and minds [a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy], yet so that men cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

¹² I know that there is nothing better for them than to be glad and to get and do good as long as they live;

Verse of the Day 3/5

Verse of the Day 3/5

1 John 5:4-5  For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?  English Standard Version (ESV)
 

The other night in our high school youth group we talked about Mother Teresa and the 1980 USA hockey team that won the Olympic Gold Metal.  You wouldn't often think of the two together.  The olympic event was the basis for the movie "Miracle".  Mother Teresa's life was recognized with the Nobel Peace prize. Both were overcomers.

 

In a day before "dream teams", the US hockey team overcame the overwhelming favorite Russian team and went on to win the Gold.  Coach Brooks brought the team together, one of his motivating statements was "it's the name on the front of your jersey (USA) that is important, not the name on the back".  It was dedication to the team, to the country, extra all out effort, and giving up of self that led to the victory.  They believed in the team as a unit.

 

Mother Teresa in humility overcame the temptations of the world and never let the world, even the monetary award of winning the Nobel Prize, influence what was of first importance in her life, that of serving others in the name of her Savior.  Mother Teresa said, " "By blood, I am Albanian. By citizenship, an Indian. By faith, I am a Catholic nun. As to my calling, I belong to the world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to the Heart of Jesus."

 

We may be many things to many people, but when it gets to the core, may we be able to say that I belong entirely to Jesus.  If we are in danger of being overwhelmed by circumstances today, may we rely on the strength that only Jesus can provide and live to be overcomers.

 

Do you believe in miracles?  YES!

 

Blessings,
Mike
Follow the verse of the day at www.mikesvotd.blogspot.com

 

1 John 5:3-5  English Standard Version (ESV)

³ For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. ⁴ For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?