Verse of the Day 5/23

Verse of the Day 5/23

Isaiah 61:3-4To all who mourn in Israel,

    he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
    festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
    that the Lord has planted for his own glory.

⁴ They will rebuild the ancient ruins,
    repairing cities destroyed long ago.
They will revive them,
    though they have been deserted for many generations.    New Living Translation (NLT)

Last night a friend invited the high school seniors from our youth group over to her house for a cook out, probably one of the last times that we'll all be together as a group.  It was a beautiful evening and we all had fun and did some reminiscing.  The four youth leaders (myself included) have worked with these kids (when they started in 6th grade) up until now when they are graduating from high school.  At one point I noticed all of the tall oak trees that were in the yard and commented how they must look when storms come through, I could picture it in my mind.  Obviously, they have withstood the test for generations, some of them probably 100 years old or more.

God brought today's verses to me in a devotional this morning and I couldn't help but think of those trees in the yard last night and relating it to those kids, hopefully and prayerfully growing in their faith to be "oaks of righteousness" , being in right standing before Him and accomplishing many things for Him.  God had planted them in our youth group.  They have grown and are maturing, they are the next generation.  They are developing those deep roots that will be there to help them withstand the storms of life which will include college professors who will try to uproot their  faith.  Instead of being pulled up, may the "Spirit of the Lord be on" them" as and send their roots deeper as they head out out into a culture to revive it, bring life into households, colleges and workplaces where faith has been "deserted for many generations', to bring liberty, good news and hope to a world that desperately needs it.

--   In Christ,  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    

Isaiah 61:1-4New King James Version (NKJV)

The Good News of Salvation

61 "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
² To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
³ To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."

⁴ And they shall rebuild the old ruins,
They shall raise up the former desolations,
And they shall repair the ruined cities,
The desolations of many generations.

Verse of the Day 5/21

Colossians 3:12-13 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts,kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, ¹³ bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.   English Standard Version (ESV)

Given our choice, many of us would choose to start the day by putting on our favorite, most comfortable pair of jeans.  They may not have been that comfortable from day one, but now that they've been broken in and may even show some wear, holes or stains, they still feel the best.

Many of us may have to wear a uniform to work, some, business suits, others perhaps scrubs, they are all prescribed for us by the type of work we are to do.  They may not have felt comfortable from day one but gradually we get used to them and to some they even become part of who we are.

Some translations say "clothe yourselves" in verse 12, but "put on" definitely let's you know that it is a conscious decision of what we are to put on spiritually that will show in our actions throughout the day, and hopefully throughout our lives.  Whether we are putting on a judges robe, scrubs or a mechanic's uniform, may we spiritually be putting on Christ and the attributes described in these verses.  Our world will be a better place if we would choose to do so and if it becomes regular practice these clothes will be more comfortable than your favorite pair of jeans.

May we "dress in the wardrobe that God has picked out" for us.

 

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

Colossians 3:12-14The 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.

Verse of the Day 5/19

 

James 3:17-18But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.  English Standard Version (ESV)

I'm sure that many college students have recently prayed for wisdom as they headed into their final exams and many high school students will be doing the same thing soon as they approach the end of the school year and their finals.  I get a kick out of some of the high school students, relating back to when I was in their position doing the same thing, praying for wisdom to take tests without studying.  I don't think that is what God had in mind for us to do.

Solomon, the wisest man on the earth in his time was offered anything, and he asked for wisdom, the wisdom to lead God's people.  God granted him this request.  We have his words of wisdom still recorded in the "wisdom literature" in the Old Testament, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon.  If you haven't read these recently you might consider doing so.

Today's verses in James give us an idea of what God's wisdom looks like in our lives - pure thoughts, peaceable, gentle, open to reason and full of mercy.  Couldn't we all use more of that in our lives today?  Pray for it and it will produce good fruit, impartial and sincere in our lives and in our dealings.

Whether it be in school, at work, in the courtroom, in the doctor's office may we seek God's wisdom in the situations that come up today may we be open to his "reason" and respond to his promptings of wisdom.  The Message says that "it is characterized by getting along with others".  Can't we use more of this in our society today?  Let's be sure to do our part.

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

James 3:17-18The Message (MSG)

^17-18 Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.

Verse of the Day 5/17

James 1:23-24English Standard Version (ESV)

²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. ²⁴ For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.

I read these verses in a devotional this morning and what struck me was that at that moment many people would be standing in front of mirrors, (of much higher quality than in those days) getting ready to go to church and to worship this morning, noticing and taking care of that hair that was out of place, or the spot on your chin that you missed while shaving, or perhaps that stain on your shirt that you hadn't noticed when putting it on.

Pastors would be putting their finishing touches on sermons that were developed by looking intently into God's Word for a message for His people with the hope and prayer that the words that would soon be spoken would be like that mirror,spiritually.  Perhaps you've heard of  or experienced yourself, when a message seems to have been prepared as if the pastor had you in mind when he developed that sermon.  In actuality, it was still God's Word working on you as it had worked on your pastor with the intent of change.

Perhaps you are reading this after returning from church with the message still in your mind.  What are you going to do about it?  Are you going to leave that spot, that hair that is out of place on your life or will you be a doer and make the change, remembering what God's Word is calling you to do, and do it.

Were you listening?   Go out and act upon it.

--   In Christ,  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 1:21-24The Message (MSG)

Act on What You Hear

^19-21 Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God's righteousness doesn't grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.

^22-24 Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.

Verse of the Day 5/15

Exodus 33:18-19Moses said, "Please show me your glory." ¹⁹ And he said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name 'The Lord.' And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.   English Standard Version (ESV)

I've been on my own  two year reading plan through the Old Testament and part of today's reading was from this passage in Exodus 33.  In the passage, Moses first prays "show me Your way, that I may know You" and later in the passage he prays to God "show me your glory".  Both times, Moses reveals that he has a heart for God.

Yesterday we considered the graduates those who have recently graduated from college or will soon be graduating from High School.  Many, if not most of them, are mainly thinking of their own glory, moving on to a career where they will make a name for themselves, and find a place in the sun.  Our prayer and our advice to them would be more to have a heart like Moses, for God to show them "their way, that they'd know Him and  that they would confidently know that God would indeed show them His glory.

It is interesting to note that Moses said the prayer, called out to God, but God did the rest, He gave Moses a place to stand, placed him in service, covered him with His hand, then passed by and revealed Himself.  He can do the same thing for today's students and for us.  Are we wiling to ask in the same way, to see God's glory in what He will do through us?

Max Lucado writes "God is the One who will equip us for our eternal moment in the Son.  Hasn't He given us a rock, the Lord Jesus?  Hasn't He given us a cleft, His grace?  Hasn't He covered us with His hand, His pierced hand?   ..... Ask God to reveal Himself"  -  to students, colleagues, friends and neighbors.  In showing His glory, He will be glorified.

--   In Christ,  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    

Exodus 33:12-19The Message (MSG)

^12-13 Moses said to God, "Look, you tell me, 'Lead this people,' but you don't let me know whom you're going to send with me. You tell me, 'I know you well and you are special to me.' If I am so special to you, let me in on your plans. That way, I will continue being special to you. Don't forget, this is your people, your responsibility."

¹⁴ God said, "My presence will go with you. I'll see the journey to the end."

^15-16 Moses said, "If your presence doesn't take the lead here, call this trip off right now. How else will it be known that you're with me in this, with me and your people? Are you traveling with us or not? How else will we know that we're special, I and your people, among all other people on this planet Earth?"

¹⁷ God said to Moses: "All right. Just as you say; this also I will do, for I know you well and you are special to me. I know you by name."

¹⁸ Moses said, "Please. Let me see your Glory."

¹⁹ God said, "I will make my Goodness pass right in front of you; I'll call out the name, God, right before you. I'll treat well whomever I want to treat well and I'll be kind to whomever I want to be kind."

Verse of the Day 5/14

Verse of the Day 5/14

Philippians 4:8-9Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.⁹ What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. English Standard Version (ESV)

There has been some talk in the news recently about various commencement speeches that have been given at colleges.  Most of them have come from a secular perspective challenging the students to live for themselves with relatively few from a godly perspective, challenging the students to give thanks to God and to live for Him and invest in others.

Today's verses are good advice for students who are graduating.  Unfortunately, many that are graduating from college have had four years (or more) of hearing a totally different message.  It is not too late, but the challenge will be greater.

In the next several weeks many high schools will have their commencement speeches.  My prayer is that  more of them will be from a Christian perspective and issue the call that we read in today's verses.  For those of us who know seniors or perhaps work with them in church, school or in the community, may we have the opportunity to share these verses and the thoughts behind them as they head out into new ventures, new challenges, including classrooms where their faith will be challenged.

Verse 9 should bring a sobering thought to us, could we challenge students with "what you have learned and seen in me, put these things into practice"?  If not, a change is called for in our lives so that we may be able to say.

I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Philippians 4:8 The Message (below).

--   In Christ,  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    

Philippians 4:6-9The Message (MSG)

^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.

^8-9 Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

Verse of the Day 5/12

John 8:31-32   So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, ³² and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  English Standard Version (ESV)

Our men's Bible went through this passage this week and today's verses were a focal point of that study.  We considered the word "abide" which in other versions of the Bible is also translated as "remain" or "sticking with it".  

We also considered freedom, which as pointed out  in MacArthur's commentary has 3 features: 1) progress,,  2) pretense, 3) promise.  Those who are free will progress, grow in it.  The pretense is that the only way to truly find it is in faith and trust in Christ,  and the promise of it is that it will set us free.

We also considered the opposite of freedom; slavery.  We all can be slaves to something, to some kind of sin, they are addictions that will try to draw us back in and take hold of us if we let it.  Gambling, drugs and alcohol, pornography, even the desire for wealth can take over our lives.

But God gives us the opportunity and the ability to be free.  John Piper writes, "to be fully free, we must have the desire, the ability and the opportunity to do what will make us happy forever.  No regrets.  And only Jesus, the Son of God who died and rose for us, can make that possible.  If the Son sets you free, you are free indeed."

Being set free means you no longer have to look over your back or worry that this freedom can ever be taken away from you.  Lies, sin in general are like something that is following us, chained to us that we can't get rid of on our own.  Jesus breaks that chain, releases us and offers freedom.  Are we willing to follow Him and accept it?

If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. John 8:31 The Message

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

John 8:31-38The Message (MSG)

If the Son Sets You Free

^31-32 Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in him. "If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you."

³³ Surprised, they said, "But we're descendants of Abraham. We've never been slaves to anyone. How can you say, 'The truth will free you'?"

^34-38 Jesus said, "I tell you most solemnly that anyone who chooses a life of sin is trapped in a dead-end life and is, in fact, a slave. A slave is a transient, who can't come and go at will. The Son, though, has an established position, the run of the house. So if the Son sets you free, you are free through and through. I know you are Abraham's descendants. But I also know that you are trying to kill me because my message hasn't yet penetrated your thick skulls. I'm talking about things I have seen while keeping company with the Father, and you just go on doing what you have heard from your father."