Verse of the Day 12/17

Verse of the Day 12/17

 

Psalm 29:4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.  English Standard Version (ESV)

I read Psalm 29, a psalm of David, in my devotions this morning.  It is a psalm of worship (v.1) and speaks of the power of the voice of God in creation and all around us.  I am also reminded of examples in the Bible where the voice of God in the person of Jesus used his voice to calm the seas, to heal and even to raise someone back to life as we read in John 11 and the call to Lazarus to "come forth" out of the grave.

We can also think of the voice of the LORD in the creation of everything back in Genesis 1.  We can think of His voice as when He declared "this is my Son with whom I am well pleased" at Jesus' baptism.

Just as importantly for us, God is known to speak in a "still small voice":

1 Kings 19:12New King James Version (NKJV) and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

During this season we will be amidst many voices, there will be a lot of noise around us.  May we be able to hear the voice of God in the beauty of creation, in the beauty of the baby born in a manger or the beauty of the still small voice that may be speaking to us in the sanctuary or perhaps in front of a Christmas tree or nativity scene.  May our hearts "prepare Him room" and to be listening for His voice amid the noise, sometimes glaring noise of the world around us.

Blessings,
Mike
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Psalm 29:3-5New Living Translation (NLT)

³ The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea.
    The God of glory thunders.
    The Lord thunders over the mighty sea.
⁴ The voice of the Lord is powerful;
    the voice of the Lord is majestic.
⁵ The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars;
    the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.

Verse of the Day 12/16

Verse of the Day 12/16

John 1:3-4 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  English Standard Version (ESV)

 One of the things associated with the Christmas season is lights, Christmas lights, adorning trees, bushes and around the frames of homes.  In Elon, where we live, people will line up in cars waiting for an hour to tour the lights that are put out in Twin Lakes, a retirement community.  The lights are an attraction for all ages.

For children, there is a certain wonder with the lights on the Christmas tree and in the living room (or wherever the tree is in the home) when the rest of the lights are out and only the tree glistens. 

I am looking forward to having our grandchildren in our home next week and to see the wonder in their eyes, the joy in their hearts, and the hugs from their arms.

The lights are a reminder of the stars in the sky.  I heard the song away in a manger the other day and was reminded of the stars and the children and the need for His presence in our homes this season and at all times.

The stars in the sky looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And take us to heaven, to live with Thee there

May the love of Christ be near to us in our families this season, may we share His love and teach it to our children, and enjoy the fact that in Him we have the light of life, of men, and of children.  Truly, may all of our children be blessed in His tender care.  May His light shine in our hearts and let nothing put it out.

Blessings,
Mike
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John 1:3-5The Message (MSG)

^3-5 Everything was created through him;
    nothing—not one thing!—
    came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life,
    and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
    the darkness couldn't put it out.

Verse of the Day 12/14

 

Philippians 2:8-9 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—
even to death on a cross.

⁹ 

9 For this reason God highly exalted Him
and gave Him the name
that is above every name,   Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

 

I read the following quote by C.S. Lewis this morning and in reading today's verses came to mind.  At Christmas we celebrate what we read in John 3:16 that God loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son.  We realize that Jesus existed before this happened and in coming He "humbled Himself" taking on human form. 

 

"God descends to re-ascend. He comes down; down from the heights of absolute being into time and space, down into humanity… down to the very roots and sea-bed of the Nature He has created. But He goes down to come up again and bring the ruined world up with Him. One has the picture of a strong man stooping lower and lower to get himself underneath some great complicated burden. He must stoop in order to lift, he must almost disappear under the load before he incredibly straightens his back and marches off with the whole mass swaying on his shoulders." C. S. Lewis

 

The verses also remind us that He became obedient to the point of going to the cross, the sinless one taking on the sin of all mankind.  He humbled Himself again in going to the cross to bring us salvation.  Tim Keller, in "Prodigal God" writes, "You need to be moved by the sight of what it cost to bring you home. The key difference between a Pharisee and a believer in Jesus is inner-heart motivation. Pharisees are being good but out of a fear-fueled need to control God. They don't really trust him or love him. To them God is an exacting boss, not a loving father. Christians have seen something that has transformed their hearts toward God so they can finally love and rest in the Father."

 

This Christmas season may we be aware that God came near, that Jesus came down, He descended to re-ascend, to offer salvation.  He has called us, He has changed us, and transformed our hearts.  May we love and rest in the Father's love, in the sacrifice of Jesus, and in the power of the Holy Spirit that God sent to fill us while we wait for His return. 

 

May we "bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father." (The Message)

 

In Christ,
Mike

 

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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

 

Philippians 2:7-11The Message (MSG)

^5-8 Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.

^9-11 Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.

Verse of the Day 12/13

 

Psalm 25:20-21 Guard me and deliver me;
do not let me be put to shame,
for I take refuge in You.

²¹ 

21 May integrity and what is right
watch over me,
for I wait for You.   Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

 

I read Psalm 25 in my devotions the other day and thought that today's verses would be a good way to sum up the week where we've considered being watchful and alert, contending for the faith in our daily lives.  That same day I received a note of encouragement from a friend.  That same friend had sent a note of encouragement to me in one of the darkest times in our families lives some 15 years ago.  In the note he referenced several verses from Psalm 25.

 

In many translations the chapter starts out with David saying, I lift up my soul, or I lift up my life, my heart or my inner being to you.  It is a heartfelt cry to God.  I was reminded of a song that I remember singing at Promise Keepers events back in the 1990's with my sons and my friend Bob as well.

 

It Is The Cry Of My Heart To Follow You
It Is The Cry Of My Heart To Be Close To You
It Is The Cry Of My Heart To Follow
All Of The Days Of My Life 

Teach Me Your Holy Ways O Lord
So I Can Walk In Your Truth
Teach Me Your Holy Ways O Lord
And Make Me Wholly Devoted To You 

 

In those troubled times we learn from ourselves and from friends that encourage us that we are to cry out to God from our hearts, to cast our cares upon Him knowing that He hears us and He will see us through.  In looking back over the years we can see how He has done so.  We can see and be thankful for those He brings alongside to encourage, challenge, remind us to take refuge in God, to,keep following Him all other days of our lives, to be wholly devoted to Him.

 

Thanks Bob for the reminder.

 

in Christ,
Mike

 

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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 25:16-22English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁶ Turn to me and be gracious to me,
    for I am lonely and afflicted.
¹⁷ The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
    bring me out of my distresses.
¹⁸ Consider my affliction and my trouble,
    and forgive all my sins.

¹⁹ Consider how many are my foes,
    and with what violent hatred they hate me.
²⁰ Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!
    Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
²¹ May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
    for I wait for you.

²² Redeem Israel, O God,
    out of all his troubles.

Verse of the Day 12/11

Psalm 24:3-4

Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?  Or who may stand in His holy place?

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.  New King James Version (NKJV).

As I read today's verses from Psalm 24 I couldn't help but think of the verses from the past few days and the focus, the challenge to contend for the faith, to watch ourselves, to be aware of what is going on around us in the world and in the church, to see how things measure up to the word of God.

Elsewhere in the Psalms our lives are referred to as " a pilgrimage", a journey to our future destination - heaven for those of us who follow Jesus Christ.  It is a day by day process of discerning and following what God would have us do.  That is the person who would have clean hands and a pure heart.  The pure heart is undivided and devoted to God and cleansed of deceit.

The words "sworn deceitfully" at the end of verse 24 also caught my attention.  With all of the hearings and investigations we see in the news, people are brought in for sworn testimonies.  They give you an idea of what "sworn deceitfully' mean.  The words are carefully chosen so that technically they may be telling the truth but the real or whole truth is nowhere to be found.  It should not be so with us in our dealings or in our conversations.  We should hold to strive to uphold and to testify of the truth of the gospel.

John Piper writes, "God guides us by bringing our hearts and minds into harmony or sympathy with his own heart and mind so that when we study a situation, we discern (you might even say intuit) what path would best accord with the character and purposes of God that we know from Scripture."

As we make our pilgrimage up to the mountain of God in this life, our own pilgrim's progress,  may God guide us day by day with our hearts in harmony and sympathy with the heart of God as revealed in the Bible.

Blessings,
Mike
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Psalm 24:1-6The Message (MSG)

A David Psalm

24 ^1-2 God claims Earth and everything in it,
    God claims World and all who live on it.
He built it on Ocean foundations,
    laid it out on River girders.

^3-4 Who can climb Mount God?
    Who can scale the holy north-face?
Only the clean-handed,
    only the pure-hearted;
Men who won't cheat,
    women who won't seduce.

^5-6 God is at their side;
    with God's help they make it.
This, Jacob, is what happens
    to God-seekers, God-questers.

Verse of the Day 12/10

Verse of the Day 12/10

Jude 1:3-4 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. ⁴ For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.  English Standard Version (ESV)

Today's verses once again come from the daily read through the Bible plan.  Like yesterday's verse, it comes from a short, one chapter book/letter with the purpose of urging us to keep and hold onto our faith.  Yesterday we were called to "watch yourselves" to be aware of false doctrines, false messages that can creep into the church.  Today's urging is for us to "contend for the faith', to stand up, to take a stand against those same false doctrines and to hold onto the gospel which was delivered "once and for all" to the saints.

This "faith" that is to be contended for , John MacArthur writes,   "is the whole body of revealed salvation truth contained in the scriptures.  Here is a call to know sound doctrine, to be discerning to sort out truth from error, and to confront and attack error."  He continues and points out that this faith, once for all delivered was "God's revelation delivered once as a unit, at the completion of scripture, and is not to be edited by either deletion or addition.  Scripture is complete, sufficient and finished."

Whenever we hear of or read of a revelation, a "new message" from God, that is held up as authoritative, warnings should go off in our minds.  We should hold it up against what we have learned from the Bible and if there is any disagreement, to hold and contend for the truth's expressed in the Bible that we have come to know and trust.

The Message (below) put's it this way, " I have to write insisting—begging!—that you fight with everything you have in you for this faith entrusted to us as a gift to guard and cherish."

This being watchful, this contending has to do with our walk, growing in our faith.  Henry Blackaby writes, "The longer we serve God — the more intimately acquainted with Him we become. When God has access to our heart, mind, and soul through years of fellowship and worship, He allows us to see more of His activity and to be more involved in His miraculous work. Stay alert! God is at work all around you!"

Blessings,
Mike
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Jude 1:2-4The Message (MSG)

^1-2 I, Jude, am a slave to Jesus Christ and brother to James, writing to those loved by God the Father, called and kept safe by Jesus Christ. Relax, everything's going to be all right; rest, everything's coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way!

Fight with All You Have in You

^3-4 Dear friends, I've dropped everything to write you about this life of salvation that we have in common. I have to write insisting—begging!—that you fight with everything you have in you for this faith entrusted to us as a gift to guard and cherish. What has happened is that some people have infiltrated our ranks (our Scriptures warned us this would happen), who beneath their pious skin are shameless scoundrels. Their design is to replace the sheer grace of our God with sheer license—which means doing away with Jesus Christ, our one and only Master.

Verse of the Day 12/9

2 John 1:8-9Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we[a] have worked for, butmay win a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.  English Standard Version (ESV)

 Today's verse comes yesterday's read through the Bible plan, it is from the small book, a short letter from John.    Second and third John are the shortest books of the New Testament with fewer than 300 words in each in the original Greek language, but it had an important message for the churches then and now as well as for us individually.

Verse 7 warns that many deceivers had gone out leading people to false religions and away from the true gospel, teaching things that were in opposition to Jesus and the Apostle's messages.  A couple of key words or phrases in these verses jump out at you.  Watch yourselves, be alert, be aware of what you are doing and where you are headed as individuals and churches - don't get ahead of yourself and away from God.  The other thing is to "abide in the (correct) teaching" of the Bible and steer clear of false teachings.  If you are to steer from false teaching you must know what true teaching is.

John MacArthur writes, "The Word abide has the idea of constant adherence and warns that fundamentals are not open to change or subject to the latest trends or philosophical fads".

A couple of songs came to mind, one was "Constantly Abiding".  The other goes back to David in Psalm 42 - "As the Deer".  We aren't spiritual camels that can drink our fill on Sunday and then go for days or weeks without thinking about, let alone following God.  We need to be constantly abiding, watching ourselves that we are holding true to God's Word.

As the deer panteth for the water

So my soul longeth after you

You alone are my heart's desire 

And I long to worship you

You alone are my strength my shield

To You alone may my spirit yield

You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship you

Blessings,
Mike
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2 John 1:7-11The Message (MSG)

Don't Walk Out on God

⁷ There are a lot of smooth-talking charlatans loose in the world who refuse to believe that Jesus Christ was truly human, a flesh-and-blood human being. Give them their true title: Deceiver! Antichrist!

^8-9 And be very careful around them so you don't lose out on what we've worked so diligently in together; I want you to get every reward you have coming to you. Anyone who gets so progressive in his thinking that he walks out on the teaching of Christ, walks out on God. But whoever stays with the teaching, stays faithful to both the Father and the Son.

^10-11 If anyone shows up who doesn't hold to this teaching, don't invite him in and give him the run of the place. That would just give him a platform to perpetuate his evil ways, making you his partner.