Verse of the Day 9/15

Verse of the Day 9/15

John 3:3 ^?? Jesus replied,?????Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again."???? New International Version (NIV)

You've probably heard the term before, "seeing is believing".???? Over the past few posts we've considered "seeing", to see spiritually, is something that requires faith in God.?? It's one of those things where people can naturally question, which comes first the seeing or believing.?? Today's verses from John 3 and His meeting with Nicodemus gets to the heart of the matter.

The Amplified Bible expands on the thoughts in verse 3:

"unless a person is born again??[reborn from above???spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified],??he cannot??[ever]??see??and??experience the kingdom of God.???

There is a "transformation" that takes place, God opens up the heart of a person and they are transformed, renewed, born again.?? John Piper writes, "What happens in the new birth is not getting new "religion" but getting new life, and what happens in the new birth is not merely affirming the supernatural in Jesus, but experiencing the supernatural in yourself."

If we've been "re-born" it is of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit in us which allows us to see, not only see but to experience the change ourselves.?? It is not about what church we go to, wearing a tee shirt or bracelet that expresses faith.?? Seeing Him will involve a change, a change of perspective, a change in direction, a change in attitude; and will lead to a change in destination.?? Are you going through "the change"?

Well I got myself a T-shirt that says what I believe
I got letters on my bracelet to serve as my ID
I got the necklace and the key chain
And almost everything a good Christian needs, yeah

I got the little Bible magnets on my refrigerator door
And a welcome mat to bless you before you walk across my floor
I got a Jesus bumper sticker
And the outline of a fish stuck on my car
And even though this stuff's all well and good, yeah
I cannot help but ask myself--

What about the change
What about the difference
What about the grace
What about forgiveness
What about a life that's showing
I'm undergoing the change, yeah
I'm undergoing the change???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? (The Change - Steven Curtis Chapman)

--   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    

John 3:1-8??Amplified Bible (AMP)

The New Birth

3??Now there was a certain man among the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler (member of the Sanhedrin) among the Jews,??^2??who came to Jesus at night and said to Him, ???Rabbi (Teacher), we know [without any doubt] that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs [these wonders, these attesting miracles] that You do unless God is with him.?????^3??Jesus answered him,?????I assure you??and??most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again??[reborn from above???spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified],??he cannot??[ever]??see??and??experience the kingdom of God.???

^4??Nicodemus said to Him, ???How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother???s womb a second time and be born, can he??????^5??Jesus answered,?????I assure you??and??most solemnly say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot??[ever]??enter the kingdom of God.??^6??That which is born of the flesh is flesh??[the physical is merely physical],??and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.??^7??Do not be surprised that I have told you, ???You must be born again??[reborn from above???spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified].?????^8??The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.???

Verse of the Day 9/11

Verse of the Day 9/11

Hebrews 11:3 Faith empowers us to see that the universe was created and beautifully coordinated by the power of God's words! He spoke and the invisible realm gave birth to all that is seen. The Passion Translation (TPT)

As a Christian, as one who believes that God created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, the gift of vision is probably one of the gifts that makes me believe in creation. I am not a scientist, but I can't figure out howsight, how the eye could have just developed on it's own in animals, humans and insects. How could something so intricate develop on its own?

Faith, given by God is what helps us as Christians to understand Him, to see God in all His creation, all it's beauty; all it's majesty. We believe as David did, that we are the works of His fingers and as great and marvelous as His creation is; He cares for us, individually, and as His own.

Read the passage in Psalm 8 below. Thank Him for all that He has created and vision to see Him through His works.

Psalm 8:3-9 The Passion Translation (TPT)

3 Look at the splendor of your skies,
your creative genius glowing in the heavens.
When I gaze at your moon and your stars,
mounted like jewels in their settings,
I know you are the fascinating artist who fashioned it all!
But when I look up and see
such wonder and workmanship above,
I have to ask you this question:
4 Compared to all this cosmic glory,[a]
why would you bother with puny, mortal man
or be infatuated with Adam's sons?
5 Yet what honor you have given to men,
created only a little lower than Elohim,[b]
crowned like kings and queens[c] with glory and magnificence.
6 You have delegated to them
mastery over all you have made,
making everything subservient to their authority,
placing earth itself under the feet of your image-bearers.[d]
7–8 All the created order and every living thing
of the earth, sky, and sea—
the wildest beasts and all the sea creatures—
everything is in submission to Adam's sons.
9 Lord, your name is so great and powerful.
People everywhere see your majesty!
What glory streams from the heavens,
filling the earth with the fame of your name!

Blessings,

Mike

Hebrews 11:1-3 New King James Version (NKJV)

By Faith We Understand
11 Now faith is the [a]substance of things hoped for, the [b]evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.

3 By faith we understand that the [c]worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

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Verse of the Day 9/10

Verse of the Day 9/10

Psalm 55:17-18 Evening and morning and at noon
I utter my complaint and moan,
and he hears my voice.
18 He redeems my soul in safety
from the battle that I wage,
for many are arrayed against me. English Standard Version (ESV)

We've all heard of "Murphy's Law", that when everything that can go wrong will go wrong. Have you ever had one of those days? Perhaps it's been more than a day, but you get the picture. What do we do in those instances? We moan and complain or worse but what does it accomplish if it is simply getting mad.

The important factor and reminder in today's verses are where are those complaints to be directed. God hears our moans and complaints but how much better would we be off if we turned those things over to the Lord instead of letting them fester.

Author John Eldredge reminds us as he writes, "Now is the time to pray, for now is all we really have". He then instructs us in how we are to moan and even complain:

"Jesus, come into this — we invite You into this" is a great place to start. Whatever the need — guidance, direction, encouragement, healing, protection; the cancelled flight, the report from the doctor, the tension in relationship — this is the place to start. Invite Jesus right into the heart of it all, right there, in the moment. "Jesus, come into this — we invite You into this."

I had one of those days on Sunday. Regrettably, I had not read this that day and therefore didn't follow that advice. Next time, and there will be a next time; when we have one of those days, invite Jesus into it.

Blessings,

Mike

Psalm 55:16-18 Amplified Bible (AMP)

16 
As for me, I shall call upon God,
And the Lord will save me.
17 
Evening and morning and at noon I will complain and murmur,
And He will hear my voice.
18 
He has redeemed my life in peace from the battle that was against me,
For there were many against me.

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Verse of the Day 9/6

Verse of the Day 9/6

 

Psalm 32:6. Therefore let all the faithful pray to you

    while you may be found;

surely the rising of the mighty waters

    will not reach them.

7 You are my hiding place;

    you will protect me from trouble

    and surround me with songs of deliverance.

 

As I read this psalm yesterday in my devotions, the pictures of hurricane Dorian in the new immediately came to mind.  The news was full of predictions of storm surge and flooding that would occur.  People, especially in low lying coastal areas were urged to take shelter from the storm.

 

Sometimes the storms of life come at us in waves, in a surge and we feel like we have no way out of it.  God offers shelter, a place to take refuge and ride out the storm, while we wait on Him in prayer and spend time in His Word which comforts us.

 

Do storms of fear and doubt surround you, do you feel the storm surge?  Pray to the Lord, seek protection and may you be able to sing a song of deliverance, like "Hiding Place" from Steven Curtis Chapman:

 

In the distance I can see the storm clouds coming my way,

And I need to find a shelter

Before it starts to rain,

So I turn and run to you Lord;

You're the only place to go,

Where unfailing love surrounds me

When I need it most.

You're my hiding place;

Safe in your embrace,

I'm protected from the storm that rages

When the waters rise,

And I run to hide;

Lord, in You I find my hiding place.

I'm not asking You to take away

My troubles, Lord,

'Cause it's through the stormy weather

I learn to trust You more.

So I thank You for Your promise;

I have come to know

Your unfailing love surrounds me

When I need it most.

 

Blessings,

 

Mike

 

Psalm 32:6-11 New International Version (NIV)

 

6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you

    while you may be found;

surely the rising of the mighty waters

    will not reach them.

7 You are my hiding place;

    you will protect me from trouble

    and surround me with songs of deliverance.

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

    I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,

    which have no understanding

but must be controlled by bit and bridle

    or they will not come to you.

10 Many are the woes of the wicked,

    but the Lord's unfailing love

    surrounds the one who trusts in him.

11 Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;

    sing, all you who are upright in heart!

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Verse of the Day - Young Life Fundraiser

Psalm 22:30-31

Our children will also serve him.
    Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord.
31 His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born.    New Living Translation (NLT)

I am sending this post out for the purpose of ministering to the next generation by way of Young Life.

Dear Friends,

I am writing to ask for your financial support for my participation in the Alamance County Young Life fall fundraiser.

 Every fall brings fresh excitement to Alamance County's Young Life program and this fall is no exception. The program is under the leadership of a new Area Director, Michael Vicary who has moved with his wife Banner to Burlington from Charlotte. The middle school, high school and college ministries have all kicked off under enthusiastic staff and volunteer leadership; and we are laying the groundwork for the launch in January of our Young Lives ministry for teen moms.

Everything Young Life does is focused on the mission of reaching every kid with the good news of Jesus Christ.  Not just popular kids, good kids, tough kids, smart kids, rich kids, poor kids, white kids, or black kids.  Every kid!  Young Life's mission is to introduce adolescents to Jesus Christ & help them grow in their faith.  Their strategy is to go wherever kids are - school cafeterias, sporting events, school concerts, coffee shops and anywhere else!  They are intentional about building deep friendships, walking with kids through everyday life and earning the right to share the good news of the gospel.  

 Would you consider making a gift to help carry out this vision in Alamance County? Thank you for your generous support for my participation in our fall golf fundraisers in past years.  The ministry would not be thriving without your help. The goal for this fall is $50,000, an important piece of the ACYL annual budget. I have a personal goal to raise $3,000. The deadline is September 27^th when 48 golfers will convene at Alamance Country Club for the ACYL Golf Classic. We know it will be a great day of golf and we are hoping it will be a victorious celebration for our fundraising.

 If you would like to make an on line donation do so by going to the ACYL website at alamanceyl@gmail.com.

If you prefer to give by check please mail it to:

Alamance County Young Life

P.O. Box 2612

Burlington, NC  27216

 

Thank you for considering an investment to help Young Life staff and volunteers be living examples of the gospel to adolescents in our community.

Blessings,

Mike

Mike VonWachenfeldt

1307 Tudor Court

Elon, NC 27244

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Verse of the Day 9/5

Verse of the Day 9/5

Isaiah 64:4 For since the world began,
no ear has heard
and no eye has seen a God like you,
who works for those who wait for him! New Living Translation (NLT)

Have you ever heard someone say "this just isn't working out for me"? It may be the path that they had chosen in life; it may be a career path; a diet; or even a relationship. They are ready to give up and throw in the towel. If they do so, and God is not in it; they may find themselves in a worse situation than they just left. It is possible, even probable that they had not sought out; waited on God before heading down their current path.

A key statement in this verse in the New Living Translation is that God "works" for those who wait on Him.

As I was driving down the road to our plant in Anderson SC yesterday I listened to a sermon by John Piper that covered this passage. Here are some things that he had to say on the subject:

"Only a few things have gripped me with greater joy than the truth that God loves to show his God-ness by working for me, and that his working for me is always before and under and in any working I do for him.

At first it may sound arrogant of us, and belittling to God, to say that he works for us. But that's only because of the connotation that I am an employer and God needs a job. That's not the connotation when the Bible talks about God's working for us. As in: "God works for those who wait for him" (Isaiah 64:4).

The proper connotation of saying God works for me is that I am bankrupt and need a bailout. I am weak and need someone strong. I am endangered and need a protector. I am foolish and need someone wise. I am lost and need a Rescuer.

"God works for me" means I can't do the work"

Before throwing in the towel and giving up on something. Wait on the Lord. It is not sitting back and waiting, it is seeking Him and acting in faith while you wait for Him to do the work and bring about a change. Perhaps a change in you.

Psalm 20:7-8 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
8 They have bowed down and fallen;
But we have risen and stand upright. New King James Version (NKJV)

Blessings,

Mike

Isaiah 64:1-4 New King James Version (NKJV)

A Prayer for Help
64 Oh, that You would [a]rend the heavens!
That You would come down!
That the mountains might shake at Your presence—
2 As fire burns brushwood,
As fire causes water to boil—
To make Your name known to Your adversaries,
That the nations may tremble at Your presence!
3 When You did awesome things for which we did not look,
You came down,
The mountains shook at Your presence.
4 For since the beginning of the world
Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear,
Nor has the eye seen any God besides You,
Who acts for the one who waits for Him.

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Verse of the Day 9/3

Verse of the Day 9/3

1 Peter 2:9 ^?? But you are God???s chosen treasure ???priests who are kings, a spiritual ???nation??? set apart as God???s devoted ones. He called you out of darkness to experience his marvelous light, and now he claims you as his very own. He did this so that you would broadcast his glorious wonders??throughout the world.???? The Passion Translation (TPT)

Our Pastor Jarm spoke of this verse in his sermon last Sunday and what caught my attention was the phrase that we are God's "own possession", it is one of those statements that should catch our attention.?? It is spoken of Christians collectively and individually.?? When He says that we are His own possession, or as The Passion Translation states "chosen treasure" it should remind us of who we are and whose we are in Christ.

It raises the question "who do you belong to"??? If you are His, His chosen treasure and possession; what kind of impact should that have on the way we live our lives??? Another important thing to remember about that is that it is not just for the day; for the moment or a period of time in our lives.?? It is for eternity.

Jesus, my Lord will love me forever,
From Him no pow'r of evil can sever,
He gave His life to ransom my soul;
Now I belong to Him;

Once I was lost in sin's degradation,
Jesus came down to bring me salvation,
Lifted me up from sorrow and shame,
Now I belong to Him;

Joy floods my soul for Jesus has saved me,
Freed me from sin that long had enslaved me
His precious blood, He came to redeem,
Now I belong to Him;

Chorus
Now I belong to Jesus,
Jesus belongs to me,
Not for the years of time alone,
But for eternity.

Every morning we should start the day being reminded of who we belong to; whose we are and live in the knowledge and comfort of that.

--   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    

1 Peter 2:7-9??English Standard Version (ESV)

^7??So the honor is for you who??believe, but for those who??do not believe,

???The stone that the builders rejected
????????has become the cornerstone,???^[a]

^8??and

???A stone of stumbling,
????????and a rock of offense.???

They stumble because they disobey the word,??as they were destined to do.

^9??But you are??a chosen race,??a royal??priesthood,??a holy nation,??a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you??out of darkness into??his marvelous light.