Verse of the Day 3/21`

Verse of the Day 3/21

Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."  New International Version (NIV)

With all of the hysteria, fear and commotion going on around us in the world today, we as Christians should realize that there are several things for us to remember.  Today's verses from "the Great Commission" at the end of the gospel of Matthew give us a few things to consider.   First of all, in all things and at all times as Christians we are to remember that Jesus is with us always, and will be when this turmoil comes to an end in the coming months, and if not, for sure, at the end of the age.

The second thing to remember is that we have a job to do that doesn't change no matter what the shape of the world is,  no matter the season; no matter the job situation; we have a job to do, to spread the Gospel.

Alexander Smellie writes,

The path in front of me may be full of flowers--or full of thorns.  Or, as is more probable, flower and thorn may be mingled together.   The sky may be light--or dark.   The weather may be glorious summer--or bleakest winter.   But I go safely and happily, if the Lord Jesus, who can and will supply my every need, is with me all the days.    Some of the days will be days of discipline--of the pruning knife and the cleansing fire.   But when He is with me, the discipline is a blessing, and not a curse. It teaches me . . .    to grasp His strong right hand with a tighter hold,    to pray more earnestly,    to find heights and depths of meaning in the promises of God,    to feel for others who are in tribulation.   Mind and heart and character are bettered by the endurance of affliction.  

As we follow the advice in these words to "feel for others who are in tribulation", may part of our action, part of our resolve be to share the gospel of hope with them, encouraging them to reach out, to draw near to God.  He is there, He is with us to the end of the age.

James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.   New King James Version (NKJV)

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    

Matthew 28:16-20 New King James Version (NKJV)

The Great Commission

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. ¹⁷ When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

¹⁸ And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go ^[a]therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." ^[b]Amen.

Verse of the Day 3/20

Verse of the Day 3/20

Job 26:13-14   By his breath the skies became fair;

    his hand pierced the gliding serpent.
¹⁴ And these are but the outer fringe of his works;
    how faint the whisper we hear of him!
    Who then can understand the thunder of his power?"   New International Version (NIV)

The other day I mentioned how my wife Jean and I enjoyed a recent walk in the neighborhood, appreciating the beauty of the flowering trees of spring, the chirping birds and the fresh air.  We failed to mention the beauty of the blues skies and puffy white clouds.  God has created all of this by His breath, His Word.

Today's verses were spoken by Job, who knew a little bit about life's ups and downs, joys and heartbreaks.  Through it all he held onto what he believed.  God is over all and all that we can see in the world around us and all the majesty and mysteries of the world are just the "outer fringes" of who He really is.

A.W. Tozer writes, "God is of an essence and substance the like of which nothing else exists in the universe.  He is above all - and yet we can know a little portion of God's ways.  When I preach on the being of God, the attributes of God, when I talk about what God is like, and what kind of God He is, I approach it respectfully, from afar.  I point with a reverent finger to the tall mountain peak which is God, which rises infinitely above my power to comprehend.  But that is only a little portion.  The paths of His ways cannot be known; the rest is super-rational."

All that we see around us give us a glimpse of who He is and we must realize that our times are in His hands.

Sovereign Ruler of the skies,  Ever gracious, ever wise,  All my times are in Your hand,  All events at Your command!    His decree, who formed the earth,  Fixed my first and second birth;  Parents, native place, and time,  All appointed were by Him.    He who formed me in the womb,  He shall guide me to the tomb.  All my times shall ever be,  Ordered by His wise decree!    Times of sickness, times of health;  Times of poverty, and of wealth;  Times of trial, and of grief,  Times of triumph, and relief.    Plagues and death around me fly;  Till He bids, I cannot die!  Not a single shaft can hit,  Till the God of love sees fit!  (John Ryland)

--   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    

Job 26:7-14 New International Version (NIV)

⁷ He spreads out the northern skies over empty space;
    he suspends the earth over nothing.
⁸ He wraps up the waters in his clouds,
    yet the clouds do not burst under their weight.
⁹ He covers the face of the full moon,
    spreading his clouds over it.
¹⁰ He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters
    for a boundary between light and darkness.
¹¹ The pillars of the heavens quake,
    aghast at his rebuke.
¹² By his power he churned up the sea;
    by his wisdom he cut Rahab to pieces.
¹³ By his breath the skies became fair;
    his hand pierced the gliding serpent.
¹⁴ And these are but the outer fringe of his works;
    how faint the whisper we hear of him!
    Who then can understand the thunder of his power?"

Verse of the Day 3/19

Verse of the Day 3/19

Psalm 42:5-6   Why are you cast down, O my soul,

    and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my salvation^[a] 6 and my God.

My soul is cast down within me;
    therefore I remember you
from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,
    from Mount Mizar.    English Standard Version (ESV)

Psalm 42 is probably better known for the opening verse which states, "As the deer pants for water, so I long for you, O God." The Living Bible. But reading through the whole psalm you realize that it is a prayer and a song to God that draws attention to what it means to long for God the same way that the deer needs water; every day.  They don't go a day without coming to the brook or pond.  In the same way, no matter what is going on we need to draw near day by day to the Lord. 

Today's verses start out by the admission that David is downcast, but He still comes to God.  He lays out his heart to Him while trusting, and putting his hope in Him, knowing that he will still praise God, which in itself is an act of praise, and worship.

Pastor Greg Laurie writes, "Many of the Psalms are songs and prayers. They are honest. And as we read some of them, we may think, "I dare not pray that." But go ahead and pray that. Go ahead and say, "Lord, I am hurting right now. . . . I'm in pain right now. . . . I don't understand this right now. . . . I'm struggling with this right now."...The next time you're feeling down, the next time you think, "I don't know how I'm going to get through this situation," quote the Bible to yourself. Remind yourself of the truth of God's Word. That is what it means to think biblically."

Greg Laurie's words reminded me of the Simon and Garfunkel song from years ago; "Bridge Over Troubled Water".

When you're weary, feeling small
When tears are in your eyes, I'll dry them all (all)
I'm on your side, oh, when times get rough
And friends just can't be found
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

When you're down and out
When you're on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you (ooo)
I'll take your part, oh, when darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

If you're feeling down, pour out your heart to the Lord, may He be that bridge for you, to comfort you today and settle your troubled heart.

--   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    

Psalm 42 New King James Version (NKJV)

BOOK TWO

Psalms 42–72

Yearning for God in the Midst of Distresses

To the Chief Musician. A ^[a]Contemplation of the sons of Korah.

42 As the deer ^[b]pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and ^[c]appear before God?
³ My tears have been my food day and night,
While they continually say to me,
"Where is your God?"

⁴ When I remember these things,
I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go with the multitude;
I went with them to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and praise,
With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.

⁵ Why are you ^[d]cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him
^[e]For the help of His countenance.

^6 [f]O my God, my soul is cast down within me;
Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan,
And from the heights of Hermon,
From ^[g]the Hill Mizar.
⁷ Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls;
All Your waves and billows have gone over me.
⁸ The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,
And in the night His song shall be with me—
A prayer to the God of my life.

⁹ I will say to God my Rock,
"Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?"
¹⁰ As with a ^[h]breaking of my bones,
My enemies ^[i]reproach me,
While they say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"

¹¹ Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The ^[j]help of my countenance and my God.

Verse of the Day 3/18

Verse of the Day 3/18

Ecclesiastes 3:11  He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.    New King James Version (NKJV)

Yesterday evening with all of the commotion and fears about COVID19, my wife Jean and I went out for a walk in the neighborhood.  We saw many families out for a walk as well, the kids not being concerned about the news, just enjoying being outside walking and skipping alongside their parents.  Spring was in the air and virtually all of the flowering trees were in bloom.  But to top it all off, the birds were all singing; seemingly at the top of their lungs.  We heard robins, cardinals, whip-poor-wills, and mockingbirds.  Truly, in spite of all things that are going on in this world God has made these beautiful things to help take our minds off of the not beautiful things.

Scientists who don't believe in God believe that this all (the flowering trees and the singing birds) all happened by chance and that the birds are not singing, they are just instinctively making these calls.  But who put those instincts in them?

A.W. Tozer writes, "Why doesn't the bird just squeak or groan or gurgle?  Why does he have to sing and warble and harmonize as though he had been tuned to a harp?... I think the answer is plain - it is because God made him to sing.... If I were a male bird and wanted to attract a female I could turn handsprings or do any number of tricks.  But why does the bird sing so beautifully?... It is because the God who made him is the Chief Musician of the universe.  He is the composer of the cosmos.  He made the harps in those little throats and feathers around them and said "go and sing"..... Thankfully, the birds obeyed and they have been singing and praising God ever since they were created."

Even in these uncertain times, may we do our best to find a reason to be joyful and sing the praises of the One who created all things, even if we don't have perfect pitch, God sees and hears from the heart of praise.

Perhaps you can find a recording for the song "Turn, Turn, Turn" from Ecclesiastes by "The Byrds".  How fitting.

--   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    

Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 English Standard Version (ESV)

The God-Given Task

⁹ What gain has the worker from his toil? ¹⁰ I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 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. ¹² I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; ¹³ also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man.

¹⁴ I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. ¹⁵ That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.^[a]

Verse of the Day 3/16

Verse of the Day 3/16

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)

With all of the news reports and talk of COVID19 there is a lot of fear and uncertainty out there in the world around us.  It is in times like these where we need to draw upon our faith, stand upon it and be able to have a peace that passes understanding about it all (Philippians 4:7).  Through our faith in Jesus Christ we can stand and face today with a peace and a hope that will endure today and tomorrow and that will last through all eternity.

Joseph Alleine addresses this when he writes, "I will be a never failing fountain of joy, peace, and bliss unto you! I will be your God, your Father, and your Friend as long as I have any being. I have made My everlasting choice in electing you. Fear not, for the eternal God is your refuge, and underneath you are the everlasting arms. My unsearchable riches shall be yours. Though all should forsake you, yet I will never forsake you!   I am your rock and your fortress, your deliverer, your strength, the horn of your salvation, and your high tower." 

The heading for the passage below from Romans 5 states "faith that triumphs in trouble".  We don't have to be caught up in the frenzy over hoarding toilet paper.  The God that provides our daily bread will provide for our needs.  May we feel His presence today to give us peace "that endureth" ; give us hope to stand in faith today and be a help to others.

Read or sing the hymn below and read the short passage or all of Romans 5 or 8 and call upon to strengthen your faith and give you peace and hope today.

1 Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father; 
there is no shadow of turning with thee; 
thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not; 
as thou hast been thou forever wilt be.

Refrain: 
Great is thy faithfulness! 
Great is thy faithfulness! 
Morning by morning new mercies I see:
all I have needed thy hand hath provided--
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

2 Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
join with all nature in manifold witness 
to thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love. [Refrain]

3 Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, 
thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide, 
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

--   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    

Romans 5:1-5 New King James Version (NKJV)

Faith Triumphs in Trouble

5 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.