Thought for the day
The Santa Claus at the mall was very surprised when a young lady about twenty years old walked up and sat on his lap.
Santa doesn't usually take requests from adults, but she smiled very nicely at him, so he said, "OK, you can ask for something but it has to be for someone other than yourself. What do you want for Christmas?"
"Something for my mother," said the young lady.
"Something for your mother? Well, that's very thoughtful of you," smiled Santa. "What do you want me to bring her? "
Without blinking she replied, "A son-in-law!"
We often say that Christmas is a time when the focus is on giving, but let's be honest -- for many (perhaps most) people, the greater excitement of Christmas is in what we receive, not in what we give. How many people do you know who are saying, "I can't wait to give a gift!"? Now, how many people do you know who are saying, "I can't wait to see what I get!"? As parents, we know the joy of watching our children open their gifts, but are we instilling in our children the joy of giving, or is Christmas simply a time when they are excited to receive what they wanted (or perhaps they're upset because they didn't get what they wanted)?
While trying not to sound too cynical, how many of the gifts we give every Christmas are given because we feel obligated to give, or because we are hoping to receive something back? Is it possible for those of us who are Christ-followers to give simply for the joy of giving?
Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, "If you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?" (Luke 5:46-47). To take it one step further, if we give only to those from whom we expect to receive something back, how are we different from anyone else in the world? What should distinguish God's people is a desire to give with no thought no receiving anything back.
In Luke 14:12-14, Jesus said, "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."
May I encourage you, not only this season, but year-round, to seek to find ways to give to those who can't give back, to learn to give simply for the joy of giving.
Verses
Ephesians 6:13
That is why you need to get God's full armor. Then on the day of evil you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing.
Romans 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 Corinthians 5:14
For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died.
Psalm 118:25
Save now, I pray, O Lord; O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity.
2 Corinthians 9:8
Now God is able to shower on you every kind of favor, so that when you have plenty of everything for any occasion you yourselves may shower every sort of kind deed on others.
Prayer
Jesus, as I live by the truth of Your radiant light I am reminded again of the spiritual transformation that took place when my sins were exposed and You replaced my human nature with Your divine nature. Now my roots grow deep into the light of Your Gospel causing me to draw up nourishment from You so that I grow in faith, becoming strong and vigorous in this glorious new life. Thank You for canceling my sin debt when You were nailed to the cross on my behalf. I’m forever grateful that You came to seek me out and save me when I was lost in sin. I am so glad to be walking in the light of Your truth. Shine, Jesus, shine through me. Amen.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Wednesday prayer & verses (23 12 2009)
Thought for the day
Dear Ms. Ezell:
Thank you for your letter of April 17. After careful consideration I regret to inform you that I am unable to accept your refusal to offer me employment with your firm. This year I have been particularly fortunate in receiving an unusually large number of rejection letters. With such a varied and promising field of candidates it is impossible for me to accept all refusals.
Despite your company's outstanding qualifications and previous experience in rejecting applicants, I find that your rejection does not meet with my needs at this time. Therefore, I will initiate employment with your firm immediately following graduation. I look forward to seeing you then.
Best of luck in rejecting future candidates.
Sincerely,Matt Taylor
That's certainly a unique way of handling rejection (no, I don't recommend it to you seniors graduated a while back). But how do you handle rejection? We live in a world that rejects our belief in a Creator, our commitment to Jesus Christ, our morality. The rejection might be overwhelming if it were not for the assurance that those of us who are "in Christ" have been "made accepted in the Beloved." (Ephesians 1:6)
"If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you." (I Peter 4:14)
Rejection doesn't have to be the end of the world, and it won't be if we live with the assurance that God has accepted us.
Verses
James 1:2-4
Count it a most favourable occurrence, brothers, when you meet with various trying experiences, recognizing that the testing of your faith gives rise to constancy. But let constancy fulfil its complete function, so that you may be whole and hale, deficient in nothing.
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
1 Corinthians 10:13
Trial has not overtaken you more than men can endure: for God is faithful, Who will not permit you to be tried beyond what you are able; on the contrary, He will with the trial also provide the escape by which you will be able to come out of it.
Colossians 4:2
You must keep praying. Keep watching! Be thankful always.
2 Corinthians 9:7
Each one should give, then, as he has decided, not with regret or out of a sense of duty; for God loves the one who gives gladly.
Prayer
Jesus, because You came as light into the world we, the redeemed, are “children of the light.” May we walk faithfully and earnestly in the light of Christ so that darkness dissipates wherever we go. May those still walking in darkness be drawn to Your light through the things we say, the songs we sing, the things we set before our eyes and the things we do as we represent You in the home, the workplace and wherever we go. In Your name we pray, Amen.
Dear Ms. Ezell:
Thank you for your letter of April 17. After careful consideration I regret to inform you that I am unable to accept your refusal to offer me employment with your firm. This year I have been particularly fortunate in receiving an unusually large number of rejection letters. With such a varied and promising field of candidates it is impossible for me to accept all refusals.
Despite your company's outstanding qualifications and previous experience in rejecting applicants, I find that your rejection does not meet with my needs at this time. Therefore, I will initiate employment with your firm immediately following graduation. I look forward to seeing you then.
Best of luck in rejecting future candidates.
Sincerely,Matt Taylor
That's certainly a unique way of handling rejection (no, I don't recommend it to you seniors graduated a while back). But how do you handle rejection? We live in a world that rejects our belief in a Creator, our commitment to Jesus Christ, our morality. The rejection might be overwhelming if it were not for the assurance that those of us who are "in Christ" have been "made accepted in the Beloved." (Ephesians 1:6)
"If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you." (I Peter 4:14)
Rejection doesn't have to be the end of the world, and it won't be if we live with the assurance that God has accepted us.
Verses
James 1:2-4
Count it a most favourable occurrence, brothers, when you meet with various trying experiences, recognizing that the testing of your faith gives rise to constancy. But let constancy fulfil its complete function, so that you may be whole and hale, deficient in nothing.
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
1 Corinthians 10:13
Trial has not overtaken you more than men can endure: for God is faithful, Who will not permit you to be tried beyond what you are able; on the contrary, He will with the trial also provide the escape by which you will be able to come out of it.
Colossians 4:2
You must keep praying. Keep watching! Be thankful always.
2 Corinthians 9:7
Each one should give, then, as he has decided, not with regret or out of a sense of duty; for God loves the one who gives gladly.
Prayer
Jesus, because You came as light into the world we, the redeemed, are “children of the light.” May we walk faithfully and earnestly in the light of Christ so that darkness dissipates wherever we go. May those still walking in darkness be drawn to Your light through the things we say, the songs we sing, the things we set before our eyes and the things we do as we represent You in the home, the workplace and wherever we go. In Your name we pray, Amen.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Monday prayer & verses (21 12 2009)
Thought for the day
Because I'm a guy, I must hold the television remote control in my hand while I watch TV. If the thing has been misplaced, I'll miss a whole show looking for it, though one time I was able to survive by holding a calculator.Because I'm a guy, when I lock my keys in the car I will fiddle with a wire clothes hanger and ignore your suggestions that we call a road service until long after hypothermia has set in. Oh, and when the car isn't running very well, I will pop the hood and stare at the engine as if I know what I'm looking at. If another guy shows up, one of us will say to the other, "I used to be able to fix these things, but now with all these computers and everything, I wouldn't know where to start."Because I'm a guy, when I catch a cold I need someone to bring me soup and take care of me while I lie in bed and moan. You never get as sick as I do, so for you this isn't an issue.Because I'm a guy, I can be relied upon to purchase basic groceries at the store, like milk, or bread. I cannot be expected to find exotic items like "Cumin" or "Tofu." For all I know these are the same thing.Because I'm a guy, when one of our appliances stops working I will insist on taking it apart, despite evidence that this will just cost me twice as much once the repair person gets here and has to put it back together.Because I'm a guy, I don't think we're all that lost, and no, I don't think we should stop and ask someone. Why would you listen to a complete stranger -- how in the world could HE know where we're going?Because I'm a guy, whatever you got your mother for Mother's Day is ok, I don't need to see it. Did you remember to pick up something for my mom, too?Because I'm a guy, you don't have to ask me if I liked the movie. Chances are, if you're crying at the end of it, I didn't.Because I'm a guy, I think what you're wearing is fine. I thought what you were wearing five minutes ago was fine, too. Either pair of shoes is fine. With the belt or without it looks fine. Your hair is fine. You look fine. Can we just go now?Because I'm a guy and this is, after all, the 21st century, I will share equally in the housework. You do the laundry, the cooking, the cleaning, and the dishes. I'll do the rest.It does seem that a lot of behavior on the part of men can be explained with the simple phrase "it's because I'm a guy -- that says it all". Likewise, a lot of the behavior we as Christians exhibit in the workplace, at home, or at school, should be explainable by the phrase, "it's because I'm a child of God". That says it all -- that's why I do what I do and say what I say."But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." (1 Peter 2:9-10)When people wonder about our actions, they should be able to look at our lives and say, "Oh yes, he acts that way because he's a Christian." Whether they appreciate it or not, may they see that Christ truly does make a difference in the way we live.
Verses
2 Corinthians 4:18
For we keep before us not the things which are seen, but those which are not seen; for the things which are seen are transitory, but those which are not seen are Eternal.
Exodus 15:26
and He saith, `If thou dost really hearken to the voice of Jehovah thy God, and dost that which is right in His eyes, and hast hearkened to His commands, and kept all His statutes: none of the sickness which I laid on the Egyptians do I lay on thee, for I, Jehovah, am healing thee.
John 15:13
"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.
Ephesians 6:18
praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
2 Corinthians 9:6
Do not forget: thin sowing means thin reaping; the more you sow, the more you reap.
Prayer
Father, we identify with the Israelites who surely had concerns and fears regarding their future as they journeyed into uncharted territory. We are comfortable with the familiar and can easily worry about the unknown. But we find peace and refuge in You, our eternal God, when we experience the unfamiliar as we learn to trust You for all that concerns us. It is in Your everlasting arms that we find a place of reassurance. Your arms never grow weary nor do they turn us away as we come to You for strength, support, and rest. Amen.
Because I'm a guy, I must hold the television remote control in my hand while I watch TV. If the thing has been misplaced, I'll miss a whole show looking for it, though one time I was able to survive by holding a calculator.Because I'm a guy, when I lock my keys in the car I will fiddle with a wire clothes hanger and ignore your suggestions that we call a road service until long after hypothermia has set in. Oh, and when the car isn't running very well, I will pop the hood and stare at the engine as if I know what I'm looking at. If another guy shows up, one of us will say to the other, "I used to be able to fix these things, but now with all these computers and everything, I wouldn't know where to start."Because I'm a guy, when I catch a cold I need someone to bring me soup and take care of me while I lie in bed and moan. You never get as sick as I do, so for you this isn't an issue.Because I'm a guy, I can be relied upon to purchase basic groceries at the store, like milk, or bread. I cannot be expected to find exotic items like "Cumin" or "Tofu." For all I know these are the same thing.Because I'm a guy, when one of our appliances stops working I will insist on taking it apart, despite evidence that this will just cost me twice as much once the repair person gets here and has to put it back together.Because I'm a guy, I don't think we're all that lost, and no, I don't think we should stop and ask someone. Why would you listen to a complete stranger -- how in the world could HE know where we're going?Because I'm a guy, whatever you got your mother for Mother's Day is ok, I don't need to see it. Did you remember to pick up something for my mom, too?Because I'm a guy, you don't have to ask me if I liked the movie. Chances are, if you're crying at the end of it, I didn't.Because I'm a guy, I think what you're wearing is fine. I thought what you were wearing five minutes ago was fine, too. Either pair of shoes is fine. With the belt or without it looks fine. Your hair is fine. You look fine. Can we just go now?Because I'm a guy and this is, after all, the 21st century, I will share equally in the housework. You do the laundry, the cooking, the cleaning, and the dishes. I'll do the rest.It does seem that a lot of behavior on the part of men can be explained with the simple phrase "it's because I'm a guy -- that says it all". Likewise, a lot of the behavior we as Christians exhibit in the workplace, at home, or at school, should be explainable by the phrase, "it's because I'm a child of God". That says it all -- that's why I do what I do and say what I say."But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." (1 Peter 2:9-10)When people wonder about our actions, they should be able to look at our lives and say, "Oh yes, he acts that way because he's a Christian." Whether they appreciate it or not, may they see that Christ truly does make a difference in the way we live.
Verses
2 Corinthians 4:18
For we keep before us not the things which are seen, but those which are not seen; for the things which are seen are transitory, but those which are not seen are Eternal.
Exodus 15:26
and He saith, `If thou dost really hearken to the voice of Jehovah thy God, and dost that which is right in His eyes, and hast hearkened to His commands, and kept all His statutes: none of the sickness which I laid on the Egyptians do I lay on thee, for I, Jehovah, am healing thee.
John 15:13
"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.
Ephesians 6:18
praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
2 Corinthians 9:6
Do not forget: thin sowing means thin reaping; the more you sow, the more you reap.
Prayer
Father, we identify with the Israelites who surely had concerns and fears regarding their future as they journeyed into uncharted territory. We are comfortable with the familiar and can easily worry about the unknown. But we find peace and refuge in You, our eternal God, when we experience the unfamiliar as we learn to trust You for all that concerns us. It is in Your everlasting arms that we find a place of reassurance. Your arms never grow weary nor do they turn us away as we come to You for strength, support, and rest. Amen.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Friday prayer & verses (11 12 2009)
Thought for the day
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was not only the creator of Sherlock Holmes, but apparently, he was a creative practical joker, too.
The story is told of one horrendous - although clever - practical joke that he played one time. He just wrote a short, unsigned telegram - all in fun - to 12 of the best known men in England. The anonymous message was the same - only six words - six scary words,
"All is discovered. Flee at once."
As the story goes, within 24 hours not one of those men could be found. I don't know if that really happened, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did because almost everyone carries the burden of knowing they've done something in the past that they're ashamed of. One of the first things we do when we commit a sin is to try to hide (that's what Adam and Eve did!).
And we will often go to great lengths to hide that part of our lives from everyone around else. The more we hide, the more the feelings of guilt grow and the greater we feel the need to hide.
Psalm 139 is a beautiful psalm where David acknowledges that God knows everything about us. He knows our words. He knows our every thought. There is no need to hide from God. There is no way to hide from God. And it is only when we realize that, and are honest about those pieces of our lives that we try to hide that we can come to know forgiveness (and the peace that comes with it).
Let us say with David, "For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before you." (Psalm 51:3)
All is discovered -- it always has been. And there is a need to flee at once -- to the arms of God.
Verses
Matthew 21:21
"Believe me," replied Jesus, "if you have faith and have no doubts in your heart, you will not only do this to a fig-tree but even if you should say to this hill, 'Be uprooted and thrown into the sea', it will happen!
Luke 10:9
"And heal the sick who are there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'
Galatians 3:9
Abraham believed this, and because he believed, he was blessed. It is the same today. All who believe today are blessed just as Abraham was blessed.
Psalm 86:6
Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; And attend to the voice of my supplications.
Psalm 23:1
Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall never have less than I need.
Prayer
Father, You grow and stretch our maturity through circumstances that don’t always reflect our choosing. It helps us to gain needed perspective and experience in situations not of our own choosing, but to our overall benefit. Help us to be patient as we search Your Scripture and seek to understand Your plan as it unfolds in our lives. Align our desires with Your own as we submit our will to Yours. May we not be overcome by adversity but ask You, Father, to use adversity as a tool by which You carve Your image and character deep into our hearts. We may make our plans but we realize that, as Your children, You will have the final say. Amen.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was not only the creator of Sherlock Holmes, but apparently, he was a creative practical joker, too.
The story is told of one horrendous - although clever - practical joke that he played one time. He just wrote a short, unsigned telegram - all in fun - to 12 of the best known men in England. The anonymous message was the same - only six words - six scary words,
"All is discovered. Flee at once."
As the story goes, within 24 hours not one of those men could be found. I don't know if that really happened, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did because almost everyone carries the burden of knowing they've done something in the past that they're ashamed of. One of the first things we do when we commit a sin is to try to hide (that's what Adam and Eve did!).
And we will often go to great lengths to hide that part of our lives from everyone around else. The more we hide, the more the feelings of guilt grow and the greater we feel the need to hide.
Psalm 139 is a beautiful psalm where David acknowledges that God knows everything about us. He knows our words. He knows our every thought. There is no need to hide from God. There is no way to hide from God. And it is only when we realize that, and are honest about those pieces of our lives that we try to hide that we can come to know forgiveness (and the peace that comes with it).
Let us say with David, "For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before you." (Psalm 51:3)
All is discovered -- it always has been. And there is a need to flee at once -- to the arms of God.
Verses
Matthew 21:21
"Believe me," replied Jesus, "if you have faith and have no doubts in your heart, you will not only do this to a fig-tree but even if you should say to this hill, 'Be uprooted and thrown into the sea', it will happen!
Luke 10:9
"And heal the sick who are there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'
Galatians 3:9
Abraham believed this, and because he believed, he was blessed. It is the same today. All who believe today are blessed just as Abraham was blessed.
Psalm 86:6
Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; And attend to the voice of my supplications.
Psalm 23:1
Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall never have less than I need.
Prayer
Father, You grow and stretch our maturity through circumstances that don’t always reflect our choosing. It helps us to gain needed perspective and experience in situations not of our own choosing, but to our overall benefit. Help us to be patient as we search Your Scripture and seek to understand Your plan as it unfolds in our lives. Align our desires with Your own as we submit our will to Yours. May we not be overcome by adversity but ask You, Father, to use adversity as a tool by which You carve Your image and character deep into our hearts. We may make our plans but we realize that, as Your children, You will have the final say. Amen.
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Thursday prayer & verses (10 12 2009)
Thought for the day
Back in the days when the Old West was being settled, there were a lot of pioneers who made their way over the Oregon trail. When they got to the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains, they found a stream a little too wide to cross in one step. So they "two-stepped" across by using an ugly lump sticking up out of the water in the middle of the stream.
As the years passed, other pioneers settled in that area, built their cabins, strung fences and plowed the fields. One man built his cabin near that same stream. But he had a problem -- his door flapped in the wind. To solve his problem, he found a heavy lump in the middle of the stream. So he carried it to his front step and it became a door stop.
More years passed. Railroads were built across the nation, more people pushed west and modern cities sprang up. A nephew of the old pioneer went east to study geology at a large university. He returned home during vacation. Lo and behold, on the front porch of his uncle's cabin by the stream, he found not just an ugly lump, and not just a heavy lump, but a lump of pure gold, the largest gold nugget ever discovered on the eastern slopes of the Rockies!
It had been there for three generations, but everybody saw it in a different light, some as an ugly lump, some as a heavy lump, but only the nephew saw it for what it really was -- a lump of gold. The same thing is true of Jesus. The same Jesus whom others have seen as a stumbling rock was actually a very precious stone -- the chief cornerstone.
The cornerstone was the major structural part of ancient buildings. It had to be strong enough to support what was built upon it, and it had to be precisely laid, because every other part of the structure was oriented to it. The cornerstone was the support, the orienter, and the unifier of the entire building. That is what Jesus Christ is to God's building, the church. The whole building ties together because of the cornerstone.
"You are....members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord." (Ephesians 2:19-21)
Verses
Romans 8:28
We know that in everything God works with those who love him, whom he has called in accordance with his purpose, to bring about what is good.
Matthew 8:17
in order that this prediction of the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled, <"He took on Him our weaknesses, and bore the burden of our diseases.">
Hebrews 3:1
Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,
Colossians 4:2
Persevere in prayer, but also be inwardly attentive while you pray.
Psalm 1:1-3
Happy the man who never follows the advice of the wicked, or loiters on the way that sinners take, or sits about with scoffers, but finds his pleasure in the law of Yahweh, and murmurs his law day and night. He is like a tree that is planted by water streams, yielding its fruit in season, its leaves never fading; success attends all he does.
Prayer
Father, just as Simeon took Your Son Jesus into His arms and gave praise to You, we invite Jesus into our hearts and raise our arms toward You. We ascribe to You glory and honor and power and strength due Your name. We rejoice in our salvation made available through the incarnation of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who came to redeem humankind from their wretched sin. For, at just the right time, while we were still powerless and dead in our sins, Jesus died for us. God, You demonstrated Your love for us, in that You credited righteousness to us through Christ’s death, and justified us from sin. Your wondrous love is truly amazing and I can only respond by dedicating to You my soul, my life, my all! Amen.
Back in the days when the Old West was being settled, there were a lot of pioneers who made their way over the Oregon trail. When they got to the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains, they found a stream a little too wide to cross in one step. So they "two-stepped" across by using an ugly lump sticking up out of the water in the middle of the stream.
As the years passed, other pioneers settled in that area, built their cabins, strung fences and plowed the fields. One man built his cabin near that same stream. But he had a problem -- his door flapped in the wind. To solve his problem, he found a heavy lump in the middle of the stream. So he carried it to his front step and it became a door stop.
More years passed. Railroads were built across the nation, more people pushed west and modern cities sprang up. A nephew of the old pioneer went east to study geology at a large university. He returned home during vacation. Lo and behold, on the front porch of his uncle's cabin by the stream, he found not just an ugly lump, and not just a heavy lump, but a lump of pure gold, the largest gold nugget ever discovered on the eastern slopes of the Rockies!
It had been there for three generations, but everybody saw it in a different light, some as an ugly lump, some as a heavy lump, but only the nephew saw it for what it really was -- a lump of gold. The same thing is true of Jesus. The same Jesus whom others have seen as a stumbling rock was actually a very precious stone -- the chief cornerstone.
The cornerstone was the major structural part of ancient buildings. It had to be strong enough to support what was built upon it, and it had to be precisely laid, because every other part of the structure was oriented to it. The cornerstone was the support, the orienter, and the unifier of the entire building. That is what Jesus Christ is to God's building, the church. The whole building ties together because of the cornerstone.
"You are....members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord." (Ephesians 2:19-21)
Verses
Romans 8:28
We know that in everything God works with those who love him, whom he has called in accordance with his purpose, to bring about what is good.
Matthew 8:17
in order that this prediction of the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled, <"He took on Him our weaknesses, and bore the burden of our diseases.">
Hebrews 3:1
Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,
Colossians 4:2
Persevere in prayer, but also be inwardly attentive while you pray.
Psalm 1:1-3
Happy the man who never follows the advice of the wicked, or loiters on the way that sinners take, or sits about with scoffers, but finds his pleasure in the law of Yahweh, and murmurs his law day and night. He is like a tree that is planted by water streams, yielding its fruit in season, its leaves never fading; success attends all he does.
Prayer
Father, just as Simeon took Your Son Jesus into His arms and gave praise to You, we invite Jesus into our hearts and raise our arms toward You. We ascribe to You glory and honor and power and strength due Your name. We rejoice in our salvation made available through the incarnation of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who came to redeem humankind from their wretched sin. For, at just the right time, while we were still powerless and dead in our sins, Jesus died for us. God, You demonstrated Your love for us, in that You credited righteousness to us through Christ’s death, and justified us from sin. Your wondrous love is truly amazing and I can only respond by dedicating to You my soul, my life, my all! Amen.
Wednesday praer & verses (09 12 2009)
Thought for the day
Reaching the end of a job interview, the Human Resources person asked the young MBA fresh out of MIT,
"And what starting salary were you looking for?"
The candidate responded, "In the neighborhood of $125,000 a year, depending on the benefits package."
The HR person said, "Well, what would you say to a package of 5-weeks vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% salary, and a company car leased every two years - say a red Corvette?"
The graduate sat up mouth agape and said, "Wow! Are you kidding?"
And the HR person responded, "Certainly.....but you started it!"
That's the trouble with a lot of young people today (I thought I would never be old enough to say that!) -- they want to start at the top and work their way up from there. We as Christians are sometimes the same way. We want what's at "the top" without going through what lies below.
For example, we want patience (and we want it right now!), but we don't want the trials that develop patience. We'd rather start at the top. James said,"My brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience." (James 1:2-3, NCV)
Have you prayed for patience lately? Expect God to give it to you immediately. And, on top of that, you'll never have any problems in life at all. None! Everything will always go smoothly. You'll suffer no injustices, experience no heartaches, and never know what it means to fail. Am I kidding? Certainly........but you started it!
May the troubles you experience today lead you toward patience and maturity in the days to come (no kidding!).
Verses
1 Peter 5:7
Give all your worries to him, because he cares for you.
Romans 4:19
And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb.
Colossians 3:15
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Mark 11:24
For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe -- trust and be confident -- that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].
1 Timothy 6:17
Urge upon those who are wealthy in this life not to pride themselves, or fix their hopes, on so uncertain a thing as wealth, but on God, who gives us a wealth of enjoyment on every side.
Prayer
Father, thank You for meeting our greatest need in the person of Jesus who was born when the time had fully come; born of a virgin conceived by the Holy Spirit. We are a redeemed people because You gave Your only begotten Son so that we would not perish but have eternal life. Just as Simeon and Anna awaited the first coming of the Messiah, we await the second coming of Christ’s return when we will be caught up in the air and will forevermore reign in the eternal heavens. Keep us watchful and faithful until that day of promise is fulfilled. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Reaching the end of a job interview, the Human Resources person asked the young MBA fresh out of MIT,
"And what starting salary were you looking for?"
The candidate responded, "In the neighborhood of $125,000 a year, depending on the benefits package."
The HR person said, "Well, what would you say to a package of 5-weeks vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% salary, and a company car leased every two years - say a red Corvette?"
The graduate sat up mouth agape and said, "Wow! Are you kidding?"
And the HR person responded, "Certainly.....but you started it!"
That's the trouble with a lot of young people today (I thought I would never be old enough to say that!) -- they want to start at the top and work their way up from there. We as Christians are sometimes the same way. We want what's at "the top" without going through what lies below.
For example, we want patience (and we want it right now!), but we don't want the trials that develop patience. We'd rather start at the top. James said,"My brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience." (James 1:2-3, NCV)
Have you prayed for patience lately? Expect God to give it to you immediately. And, on top of that, you'll never have any problems in life at all. None! Everything will always go smoothly. You'll suffer no injustices, experience no heartaches, and never know what it means to fail. Am I kidding? Certainly........but you started it!
May the troubles you experience today lead you toward patience and maturity in the days to come (no kidding!).
Verses
1 Peter 5:7
Give all your worries to him, because he cares for you.
Romans 4:19
And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb.
Colossians 3:15
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Mark 11:24
For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe -- trust and be confident -- that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].
1 Timothy 6:17
Urge upon those who are wealthy in this life not to pride themselves, or fix their hopes, on so uncertain a thing as wealth, but on God, who gives us a wealth of enjoyment on every side.
Prayer
Father, thank You for meeting our greatest need in the person of Jesus who was born when the time had fully come; born of a virgin conceived by the Holy Spirit. We are a redeemed people because You gave Your only begotten Son so that we would not perish but have eternal life. Just as Simeon and Anna awaited the first coming of the Messiah, we await the second coming of Christ’s return when we will be caught up in the air and will forevermore reign in the eternal heavens. Keep us watchful and faithful until that day of promise is fulfilled. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Monday, December 07, 2009
Tuesday prayer & verses (08 12 2009)
Thought for the day
Imagine what it would have been like if the Old Testament law covered such things as eating of dessert:
For we judge between the plate that is unclean and the plate that is clean, saying first, if the plate is clean, then you shall have dessert. But of the unclean plate, the laws are these:
If you have eaten most of your meat, and two bites of your peas with each bite consisting of not less than three peas each, or in total six peas, eaten where I can see, and you have also eaten enough of your potatoes to fill two forks, both forkfuls eaten where I can see, then you shall have dessert.
But if you eat a lesser number of peas, and yet you eat the potatoes, still you shall not have dessert; and if you eat the peas, yet leave the potatoes uneaten, you shall not have dessert, no, not even a small portion thereof.
And if you try to deceive by moving the potatoes or peas around with a fork, that it may appear you have eaten what you have not, you will fall into iniquity. And I will know, and you shall have no dessert.No, those verses are not to be found in Exodus, Leviticus, or Deuteronomy. But something similar is in the "lawbook" of almost every parent. As children, we thought the "rules" were terribly unfair, almost bordering on "cruel and unusual punishment".
But, as we became parents ourselves, we began to understand the need for setting guidelines for the behavior of our children, both in matters as mundane as the eating of dessert and as crucial as having a faith in Jesus Christ."And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:1).
God, we look to you as our heavenly Father and give thanks for our earthly parents who taught us and trained us (though we didn't always appreciate it at the time). We ask your blessing on those of us who are now in the process of training our children. In Jesus' name, amen.
Verses
Matthew 8:13
Then Jesus said to the centurion, 'Go home now; because of your faith, so let it be.' At that moment the boy recovered.
Isaiah 61:1
"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;
Psalm 118:6
He is for me! How can I be afraid? What can mere man do to me?
Matthew 21:22
Anything you ask for in prayer, believe, and you will get it."
Proverbs 28:25
A grasping nature stirs up enmity, but he who trusts in the Eternal thrives.
Prayer
Jesus, thank You for clothing Yourself in flesh and making Your home among Your own creation. You are both God and Man, completely divine and completely human. Rather than coming to us only through written precepts and the revelation of Your Word, You came to us through a Person’s life, something we could tangibly see, physically grasp and personally identify with. You revealed the divine nature and perfect will of the Father through the Person of Jesus Christ. Grace flows through You in those whose lives are spiritually transformed and the lives of those who experience miracles and healings. Thank You for emptying Yourself and taking the nature of a servant as You walked in truth and obedience, knowing that it would lead to death on the cross. We praise You, Jesus, as You are exalted to the highest place. We confess that You are Lord, to the glory of God the Father! Amen.
Imagine what it would have been like if the Old Testament law covered such things as eating of dessert:
For we judge between the plate that is unclean and the plate that is clean, saying first, if the plate is clean, then you shall have dessert. But of the unclean plate, the laws are these:
If you have eaten most of your meat, and two bites of your peas with each bite consisting of not less than three peas each, or in total six peas, eaten where I can see, and you have also eaten enough of your potatoes to fill two forks, both forkfuls eaten where I can see, then you shall have dessert.
But if you eat a lesser number of peas, and yet you eat the potatoes, still you shall not have dessert; and if you eat the peas, yet leave the potatoes uneaten, you shall not have dessert, no, not even a small portion thereof.
And if you try to deceive by moving the potatoes or peas around with a fork, that it may appear you have eaten what you have not, you will fall into iniquity. And I will know, and you shall have no dessert.No, those verses are not to be found in Exodus, Leviticus, or Deuteronomy. But something similar is in the "lawbook" of almost every parent. As children, we thought the "rules" were terribly unfair, almost bordering on "cruel and unusual punishment".
But, as we became parents ourselves, we began to understand the need for setting guidelines for the behavior of our children, both in matters as mundane as the eating of dessert and as crucial as having a faith in Jesus Christ."And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:1).
God, we look to you as our heavenly Father and give thanks for our earthly parents who taught us and trained us (though we didn't always appreciate it at the time). We ask your blessing on those of us who are now in the process of training our children. In Jesus' name, amen.
Verses
Matthew 8:13
Then Jesus said to the centurion, 'Go home now; because of your faith, so let it be.' At that moment the boy recovered.
Isaiah 61:1
"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;
Psalm 118:6
He is for me! How can I be afraid? What can mere man do to me?
Matthew 21:22
Anything you ask for in prayer, believe, and you will get it."
Proverbs 28:25
A grasping nature stirs up enmity, but he who trusts in the Eternal thrives.
Prayer
Jesus, thank You for clothing Yourself in flesh and making Your home among Your own creation. You are both God and Man, completely divine and completely human. Rather than coming to us only through written precepts and the revelation of Your Word, You came to us through a Person’s life, something we could tangibly see, physically grasp and personally identify with. You revealed the divine nature and perfect will of the Father through the Person of Jesus Christ. Grace flows through You in those whose lives are spiritually transformed and the lives of those who experience miracles and healings. Thank You for emptying Yourself and taking the nature of a servant as You walked in truth and obedience, knowing that it would lead to death on the cross. We praise You, Jesus, as You are exalted to the highest place. We confess that You are Lord, to the glory of God the Father! Amen.
Monday prayer & verses (07 12 2009)
Thought for the day
An investment counselor went out on her own. She was shrewd and diligent, so business kept coming in, and pretty soon she realized she needed an in-house counsel, so she began interviewing young lawyers."As I'm sure you can understand," she started off with one of the first applicants, "in a business like this, our personal integrity must be beyond question." She leaned forward. "Mr. Peterson, are you an *honest* lawyer?"
"Honest?" replied the job prospect. "Let me tell you something about honesty. Why, I'm so honest that my father lent me fifteen thousand rands for my education and I paid back every cent the minute I tried my very first case."
"Impressive..... And what sort of case was that?
"The lawyer squirmed in his seat and admitted, "He sued me for the money."
Sometimes we do something good because it's the right thing to do. And sometimes we do the right thing simply because we have no choice. The difference will manifest itself in our lives at some point, though, when we do have a choice.
I see it happen all the time with college students. For years, they attended church with Mom and Dad. But as soon as they are on their own, making their own decisions, it becomes evident whether they attended all those years because it was the right thing to do or because they were forced to go.
What is your motivation?
May we all seek to have the attitude of David:"I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure....I love Your law.....My soul keeps your testimonies and I love them exceedingly.....LetYour hand become my help, for I have chosen Your precepts. I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight." (Psa. 119:162,163b,167,173-174)
Verses
2 Corinthians 4:13
But Scripture says, 'I believed, and therefore I spoke out', and we too, in the same spirit of faith, believe and therefore speak out;
Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
1 Corinthians 10:13
As yet you have been faced with no temptation beyond that of the ordinary human life. And God is faithful; even in the future He will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength; as soon as temptation assails you He will provide a way of escape, so that you may be saved.
Colossians 4:2
Devote yourselves to prayer. Give your whole mind to it, and also offer thanksgiving;
James 1:4
but let your fortitude have complete scope, so that you may be complete and blameless, lacking in nothing.
Prayer
Father, You reward the obedient but the disobedient will always deal with resulting consequences, now or later. Obedience brings about blessing and disobedience brings about dishonor. I want to honor You with my life, for there is nothing hidden from Your eyes. Help me to set the standards of truth and honesty by Your Holy Word, not the standards of this world that are customizing “truth” to suit their ever-changing whims. When I’m confronted with my sin help me to have the fortitude and courage to deal with it. May I not cover it up, change its true meaning, blame others, procrastinate or deceive myself. Thank You for granting complete forgiveness. Amen.
An investment counselor went out on her own. She was shrewd and diligent, so business kept coming in, and pretty soon she realized she needed an in-house counsel, so she began interviewing young lawyers."As I'm sure you can understand," she started off with one of the first applicants, "in a business like this, our personal integrity must be beyond question." She leaned forward. "Mr. Peterson, are you an *honest* lawyer?"
"Honest?" replied the job prospect. "Let me tell you something about honesty. Why, I'm so honest that my father lent me fifteen thousand rands for my education and I paid back every cent the minute I tried my very first case."
"Impressive..... And what sort of case was that?
"The lawyer squirmed in his seat and admitted, "He sued me for the money."
Sometimes we do something good because it's the right thing to do. And sometimes we do the right thing simply because we have no choice. The difference will manifest itself in our lives at some point, though, when we do have a choice.
I see it happen all the time with college students. For years, they attended church with Mom and Dad. But as soon as they are on their own, making their own decisions, it becomes evident whether they attended all those years because it was the right thing to do or because they were forced to go.
What is your motivation?
May we all seek to have the attitude of David:"I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure....I love Your law.....My soul keeps your testimonies and I love them exceedingly.....LetYour hand become my help, for I have chosen Your precepts. I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight." (Psa. 119:162,163b,167,173-174)
Verses
2 Corinthians 4:13
But Scripture says, 'I believed, and therefore I spoke out', and we too, in the same spirit of faith, believe and therefore speak out;
Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
1 Corinthians 10:13
As yet you have been faced with no temptation beyond that of the ordinary human life. And God is faithful; even in the future He will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength; as soon as temptation assails you He will provide a way of escape, so that you may be saved.
Colossians 4:2
Devote yourselves to prayer. Give your whole mind to it, and also offer thanksgiving;
James 1:4
but let your fortitude have complete scope, so that you may be complete and blameless, lacking in nothing.
Prayer
Father, You reward the obedient but the disobedient will always deal with resulting consequences, now or later. Obedience brings about blessing and disobedience brings about dishonor. I want to honor You with my life, for there is nothing hidden from Your eyes. Help me to set the standards of truth and honesty by Your Holy Word, not the standards of this world that are customizing “truth” to suit their ever-changing whims. When I’m confronted with my sin help me to have the fortitude and courage to deal with it. May I not cover it up, change its true meaning, blame others, procrastinate or deceive myself. Thank You for granting complete forgiveness. Amen.
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Friday prayer & verses (04 12 2009)
Thought for the day
A local policeman had just finished his shift one cold November evening and was at home with his wife. "You just won't believe what happened this evening. In all my years on the force I've never seen anything like it!"
"What happened?"
"I came across two guys down by the canal, one of them was drinking battery acid and the other was eating fireworks."
"Drinking battery acid and eating fireworks!! What did you do with them?"
"I charged one and let the other one off."
Spiritually speaking, those of us who are Christians have been both "charged" and "let off." We are charged with sin (and rightfully so, for we are guilty). "For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin." (Rom. 3:9)
But, those of us who are Christians who have put on Christ have also been "let off" because Jesus Christ has paid the price for our sins. We have been justified, "just as if I'd" never sinned. "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13:38-39)
To be charged is a frightful thing (those of you who have received tickets can vouch for that). To have a judge say, "I find you guilty, but I'm going to pay the fine for you" is inconceivable. Yet, that's exactly what has happened! May our lives demonstrate the gratitude we feel.
Verses
Luke 1:37
For every promise of God is sure to be fulfilled."
Exodus 15:26
"If you will listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and obey it, and do what is right, then I will not make you suffer the diseases I sent on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals you."
2 Corinthians 5:14
We are ruled by Christ's love for us. We are certain that if one person died for everyone else, then all of us have died.
Matthew 21:22
and all that you ask for by prayer, if you have faith, you shall receive.
2 Corinthians 9:10
And God, who supplies "seed for sowing and bread for eating,"
will certainly supply seed for you to sow in ever-increasing abundance, so that the fruits of your piety will be multiplied.
Prayer
Father, we are mindful that we not only fall short of Your glory, but we also fall short of understanding. Understanding all that You want to teach us in this life and the life yet to come. But we draw near to You with a sincere heart as we study Your truths and seek to apply them with understanding to our minds and hearts. This comes about as we read the Scriptures, as we meditate in prayer, as we contemplate Your holy character, and even as we make wrong decisions that force us to reaccess our actions and go back to Your infinite wisdom and understanding. As we do so we hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for You are faithful in all You say and in all You do. We bless You, Lord, at all times and give thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord, for Your infinite wisdom. Amen.
A local policeman had just finished his shift one cold November evening and was at home with his wife. "You just won't believe what happened this evening. In all my years on the force I've never seen anything like it!"
"What happened?"
"I came across two guys down by the canal, one of them was drinking battery acid and the other was eating fireworks."
"Drinking battery acid and eating fireworks!! What did you do with them?"
"I charged one and let the other one off."
Spiritually speaking, those of us who are Christians have been both "charged" and "let off." We are charged with sin (and rightfully so, for we are guilty). "For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin." (Rom. 3:9)
But, those of us who are Christians who have put on Christ have also been "let off" because Jesus Christ has paid the price for our sins. We have been justified, "just as if I'd" never sinned. "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13:38-39)
To be charged is a frightful thing (those of you who have received tickets can vouch for that). To have a judge say, "I find you guilty, but I'm going to pay the fine for you" is inconceivable. Yet, that's exactly what has happened! May our lives demonstrate the gratitude we feel.
Verses
Luke 1:37
For every promise of God is sure to be fulfilled."
Exodus 15:26
"If you will listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and obey it, and do what is right, then I will not make you suffer the diseases I sent on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals you."
2 Corinthians 5:14
We are ruled by Christ's love for us. We are certain that if one person died for everyone else, then all of us have died.
Matthew 21:22
and all that you ask for by prayer, if you have faith, you shall receive.
2 Corinthians 9:10
And God, who supplies "seed for sowing and bread for eating,"
will certainly supply seed for you to sow in ever-increasing abundance, so that the fruits of your piety will be multiplied.
Prayer
Father, we are mindful that we not only fall short of Your glory, but we also fall short of understanding. Understanding all that You want to teach us in this life and the life yet to come. But we draw near to You with a sincere heart as we study Your truths and seek to apply them with understanding to our minds and hearts. This comes about as we read the Scriptures, as we meditate in prayer, as we contemplate Your holy character, and even as we make wrong decisions that force us to reaccess our actions and go back to Your infinite wisdom and understanding. As we do so we hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for You are faithful in all You say and in all You do. We bless You, Lord, at all times and give thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord, for Your infinite wisdom. Amen.
Thursday prayer & verses (03 12 2009)
Thought for the day
I have heard that there is a monastery in Greece perched high on a cliff, several hundred feet in the air. The only way to reach the monastery is to be suspended in a basket which is pulled to the top by several monks who pull and tug with all their strength. Obviously the ride up the steep cliff in that basket is terrifying.
One tourist got exceedingly nervous about half-way up as he noticed that the rope by which he was suspended was old and frayed. With a trembling voice he asked the monk who was riding with him in the basket how often they changed the rope.
The monk thought for a moment and answered serenely: "Whenever it breaks."
We are shocked that someone would wait that long before changing the rope. It only makes sense that the rope ought to be changed long before reaching that point. But it dawned on me that God operates the same way in our lives. If we were to ask God when He will change our lives, His answer might well be, "Whenever you break!"
You see, our lives can only change once we have what the Bible refers to as a "broken spirit". As long as we remain arrogant and determined to do things our way, God can't shape us and mold us. Like a wild stallion, we remain useless until we are "broken"."
The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit." (Psa. 34:18).
Father, I so often want to stubbornly do things my way. Help me as I strive to have a broken spirit, recognizing my shortcomings, humbly willing to listen to Your instruction. In Jesus' name, amen.
Verses
2 Corinthians 5:7
(for here I live by what I believe and not by what I see),
Exodus 15:26
"If you will listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and obey it, and do what is right, then I will not make you suffer the diseases I sent on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals you."
Romans 6:23
When someone sins, he earns what sin pays--death. But God gives us a free gift--life forever in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Matthew 21:22
and all that you ask for by prayer, if you have faith, you shall receive.
2 Corinthians 9:10
And God, who supplies "seed for sowing and bread for eating,"
will certainly supply seed for you to sow in ever-increasing abundance, so that the fruits of your piety will be multiplied.
Prayer
Father, we are so very thankful for all the blessings we enjoyed over the past year of 2009. There were many opportunities for rejoicing and many opportunities for trusting. Your mercies are renewed daily and Your provision is experienced in our lives each moment of every day. We seek You for guidance in the new year and growth in our daily Christian walk. Though we cannot predict the future we can predict Your faithfulness because You are a God that does not change. Every promise You’ve made is true as we have seen in the Biblical records. This gives us reason to trust You for the dawning of a new year where we will once again experience Your guiding presence in our daily lives. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Amen
I have heard that there is a monastery in Greece perched high on a cliff, several hundred feet in the air. The only way to reach the monastery is to be suspended in a basket which is pulled to the top by several monks who pull and tug with all their strength. Obviously the ride up the steep cliff in that basket is terrifying.
One tourist got exceedingly nervous about half-way up as he noticed that the rope by which he was suspended was old and frayed. With a trembling voice he asked the monk who was riding with him in the basket how often they changed the rope.
The monk thought for a moment and answered serenely: "Whenever it breaks."
We are shocked that someone would wait that long before changing the rope. It only makes sense that the rope ought to be changed long before reaching that point. But it dawned on me that God operates the same way in our lives. If we were to ask God when He will change our lives, His answer might well be, "Whenever you break!"
You see, our lives can only change once we have what the Bible refers to as a "broken spirit". As long as we remain arrogant and determined to do things our way, God can't shape us and mold us. Like a wild stallion, we remain useless until we are "broken"."
The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit." (Psa. 34:18).
Father, I so often want to stubbornly do things my way. Help me as I strive to have a broken spirit, recognizing my shortcomings, humbly willing to listen to Your instruction. In Jesus' name, amen.
Verses
2 Corinthians 5:7
(for here I live by what I believe and not by what I see),
Exodus 15:26
"If you will listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and obey it, and do what is right, then I will not make you suffer the diseases I sent on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals you."
Romans 6:23
When someone sins, he earns what sin pays--death. But God gives us a free gift--life forever in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Matthew 21:22
and all that you ask for by prayer, if you have faith, you shall receive.
2 Corinthians 9:10
And God, who supplies "seed for sowing and bread for eating,"
will certainly supply seed for you to sow in ever-increasing abundance, so that the fruits of your piety will be multiplied.
Prayer
Father, we are so very thankful for all the blessings we enjoyed over the past year of 2009. There were many opportunities for rejoicing and many opportunities for trusting. Your mercies are renewed daily and Your provision is experienced in our lives each moment of every day. We seek You for guidance in the new year and growth in our daily Christian walk. Though we cannot predict the future we can predict Your faithfulness because You are a God that does not change. Every promise You’ve made is true as we have seen in the Biblical records. This gives us reason to trust You for the dawning of a new year where we will once again experience Your guiding presence in our daily lives. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Amen
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Wednesday prayer & verses (02 12 2009)
Thought for the day
In the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," Butch and Sundance, running from the law, run up to a cliff hundreds of feet high overlooking a river. They are outnumbered by lawmen who have taken up their positions and there is no way out. They get ready to shoot it out, but they know it's a suicide mission.
Then Butch looks out over the cliff and sees the river below and says, "I know, we'll jump!" Sundance thinks he's crazy. Butch tells him it's their only hope. Sundance is still reluctant. Butch assures Sundance that the lawmen would never follow them, saying, "Would you make a jump like that you didn't have to?" Sundance says, "I have to, and I'm still not going to." Finally, Sundance gives the reason for his reluctance. He says, "I can't swim." Butch just laughs and says, "Are you kidding? The fall will probably kill you!"
But Sundance, because of the predicament, knows he's out of options, and though he can't swim, he jumps.I think there are times that the Lord leads us into predicaments where the only reasonable thing to do is to jump and trust the Lord. And we know that he'll never let us down. Over and over, the Bible stresses that one of the primary attributes of God is his faithfulness. God is always dependable.
You can count on him. He makes his word good. When he tells you he'll do something, you can believe that he will do it. When he makes a promise, you know he's going to keep it. Because God is faithful.It's interesting to notice how the Bible connects stability in the lives of Christians to the faithfulness of God. Thus, we find statements like this: "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23).
The reason a Christian is able to stand when life's storms come against him is that his faith is grounded in a God whose promises to him will always be honored. In Hebrews 11, Sarah is praised with these words: "By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged him faithful who had promised." (Hebrews 11:11).
Here were two people who shared the disappointment over the years of being childless. They had no tangible reason to think anything had changed. Yet, God gave his word to them. And they knew that God was faithful. He wouldn't let them down.It is essential that we understand this very important truth:
God keeps his promises. And it doesn't matter whether it was made to Abraham, David, Paul or you, God has never given a promise that he failed to honor. He is faithful.
All you need to do is to jump.
Verses
Revelation 12:11
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
Malachi 4:2
But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves.
Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
Psalm 122:6
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you.
Philippians 4:19
May the Lord reward you by supplying all your needs with his wealth of glory in Jesus Christ.
Prayer
Father, we consider with deep gratitude our endless blessings as we are among “all peoples on earth” transformed by the good news of great joy the angels delivered on that unforgettable night! The Savior, yes, the Lord Jesus Christ who was born in Bethlehem, the city of David, is Messiah. He is our Emmanuel, God with us, who has redeemed us from the pit of despair in this life and eternal damnation in the life to come. He will guide us through the dark and difficult places and set our feet upon a firm foundation to stay the course and sustain us on life’s path. Thank You for Your endless mercies. Amen.
In the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," Butch and Sundance, running from the law, run up to a cliff hundreds of feet high overlooking a river. They are outnumbered by lawmen who have taken up their positions and there is no way out. They get ready to shoot it out, but they know it's a suicide mission.
Then Butch looks out over the cliff and sees the river below and says, "I know, we'll jump!" Sundance thinks he's crazy. Butch tells him it's their only hope. Sundance is still reluctant. Butch assures Sundance that the lawmen would never follow them, saying, "Would you make a jump like that you didn't have to?" Sundance says, "I have to, and I'm still not going to." Finally, Sundance gives the reason for his reluctance. He says, "I can't swim." Butch just laughs and says, "Are you kidding? The fall will probably kill you!"
But Sundance, because of the predicament, knows he's out of options, and though he can't swim, he jumps.I think there are times that the Lord leads us into predicaments where the only reasonable thing to do is to jump and trust the Lord. And we know that he'll never let us down. Over and over, the Bible stresses that one of the primary attributes of God is his faithfulness. God is always dependable.
You can count on him. He makes his word good. When he tells you he'll do something, you can believe that he will do it. When he makes a promise, you know he's going to keep it. Because God is faithful.It's interesting to notice how the Bible connects stability in the lives of Christians to the faithfulness of God. Thus, we find statements like this: "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23).
The reason a Christian is able to stand when life's storms come against him is that his faith is grounded in a God whose promises to him will always be honored. In Hebrews 11, Sarah is praised with these words: "By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged him faithful who had promised." (Hebrews 11:11).
Here were two people who shared the disappointment over the years of being childless. They had no tangible reason to think anything had changed. Yet, God gave his word to them. And they knew that God was faithful. He wouldn't let them down.It is essential that we understand this very important truth:
God keeps his promises. And it doesn't matter whether it was made to Abraham, David, Paul or you, God has never given a promise that he failed to honor. He is faithful.
All you need to do is to jump.
Verses
Revelation 12:11
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
Malachi 4:2
But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves.
Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
Psalm 122:6
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you.
Philippians 4:19
May the Lord reward you by supplying all your needs with his wealth of glory in Jesus Christ.
Prayer
Father, we consider with deep gratitude our endless blessings as we are among “all peoples on earth” transformed by the good news of great joy the angels delivered on that unforgettable night! The Savior, yes, the Lord Jesus Christ who was born in Bethlehem, the city of David, is Messiah. He is our Emmanuel, God with us, who has redeemed us from the pit of despair in this life and eternal damnation in the life to come. He will guide us through the dark and difficult places and set our feet upon a firm foundation to stay the course and sustain us on life’s path. Thank You for Your endless mercies. Amen.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Tuesday prayer & verses (01 12 2009)
Thought for the day
A store manager overheard a clerk saying to a customer, "No, ma'am, we haven't had any for some weeks now, and it doesn't look as if we'll be getting any soon."
Alarmed by what was being said, the manager rushed over to the customer who was walking out the door and said, "That isn't true, ma'am. Of course, we'll have some soon. In fact, we placed an order for it a couple of weeks ago."Then the manager drew the clerk aside and growled, "Never, never, never, never say we don't have something. If we don't have it, say we ordered it and it's on its way. Now, what was it she wanted?"
The clerk smiled and said, "Rain."
We must come to the realization that there are some things that we cannot provide. There is only one God and I am not Him! When all is said and done in the book of Job, that's the message with which we are left. After Job spent most of the book begging to know why God had allowed to happen to him the things that happened, God answered Job. However, he never directly answered Job's questions. He merely reminded him of which one of them was God:
"Have you ever ordered the morning to begin, or shown the dawn where its place was?....Can you bring out the stars on time?....Can you shout an order to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water? Can you send lightning bolts on their way?....Job, are you the one who gives the horse its strength or puts a flowing mane on its neck?" (Job 38:12,32,34-35; 39:19, NIV)
The answer to God's questions to obvious. Like Job, I can't do anyof those things. I sometimes make the mistake of thinking, "If I wereGod, I would do things differently." Reading Job 38 and 39 serves to remind me that I don't even come close to having the qualifications for the job.
So, like Job, I will humble myself in the presence of the Almighty and bow down before Him, trusting Him even in the midst of those things I don't always fully understand.
Verses
Hebrews 6:12
in order that, instead of hanging back, you may be imitators of those who, through their faith and patience, are entering into possession of what God has promised.
Matthew 12:15
But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there; and great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Romans 12:12
rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
2 Corinthians 9:6
I would remind you of this, He who sows sparingly will reap sparingly; he who sows freely will reap freely too.
Prayer
Father, we thank You for our family members who work hard day in and day out to provide for the material needs of their spouses and children. We pray for our unemployed readers who want to provide for their families according to Scripture. We thank You that You promise to supply all our needs according to Your riches in glory. Open closed doors, provide through the willful generosity of others, and make available opportunities for bartering and other means to stretch the dollar until the door for gainful employment opens. May endurance and faith increase in the lives of our brothers and sisters during their difficult wait. As a result we will declare together with the songwriter, “All I have needed Your hand hath provided. Great is Thy faithfulness Lord unto me.” Amen.
A store manager overheard a clerk saying to a customer, "No, ma'am, we haven't had any for some weeks now, and it doesn't look as if we'll be getting any soon."
Alarmed by what was being said, the manager rushed over to the customer who was walking out the door and said, "That isn't true, ma'am. Of course, we'll have some soon. In fact, we placed an order for it a couple of weeks ago."Then the manager drew the clerk aside and growled, "Never, never, never, never say we don't have something. If we don't have it, say we ordered it and it's on its way. Now, what was it she wanted?"
The clerk smiled and said, "Rain."
We must come to the realization that there are some things that we cannot provide. There is only one God and I am not Him! When all is said and done in the book of Job, that's the message with which we are left. After Job spent most of the book begging to know why God had allowed to happen to him the things that happened, God answered Job. However, he never directly answered Job's questions. He merely reminded him of which one of them was God:
"Have you ever ordered the morning to begin, or shown the dawn where its place was?....Can you bring out the stars on time?....Can you shout an order to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water? Can you send lightning bolts on their way?....Job, are you the one who gives the horse its strength or puts a flowing mane on its neck?" (Job 38:12,32,34-35; 39:19, NIV)
The answer to God's questions to obvious. Like Job, I can't do anyof those things. I sometimes make the mistake of thinking, "If I wereGod, I would do things differently." Reading Job 38 and 39 serves to remind me that I don't even come close to having the qualifications for the job.
So, like Job, I will humble myself in the presence of the Almighty and bow down before Him, trusting Him even in the midst of those things I don't always fully understand.
Verses
Hebrews 6:12
in order that, instead of hanging back, you may be imitators of those who, through their faith and patience, are entering into possession of what God has promised.
Matthew 12:15
But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there; and great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Romans 12:12
rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
2 Corinthians 9:6
I would remind you of this, He who sows sparingly will reap sparingly; he who sows freely will reap freely too.
Prayer
Father, we thank You for our family members who work hard day in and day out to provide for the material needs of their spouses and children. We pray for our unemployed readers who want to provide for their families according to Scripture. We thank You that You promise to supply all our needs according to Your riches in glory. Open closed doors, provide through the willful generosity of others, and make available opportunities for bartering and other means to stretch the dollar until the door for gainful employment opens. May endurance and faith increase in the lives of our brothers and sisters during their difficult wait. As a result we will declare together with the songwriter, “All I have needed Your hand hath provided. Great is Thy faithfulness Lord unto me.” Amen.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Monday prayer & verses (30 11 2009)
Thought for the day
A couple of stories to illustrate how our children explain what happened in the Bible:
A Sunday school teacher asked her class why Joseph and Mary took Jesus with them to Jerusalem. A young girl answered: "Because they couldn't get a babysitter."
Another Sunday school teacher was carefully explaining the story of Elijah the prophet and his contest with the false prophets of Baal. She explained how Elijah built the altar, put wood upon it, cut the bull in pieces and laid it upon the altar. Then Elijah commanded the people of God to fill four barrels of water and pour it over the altar. He had them do this three times.
"Now," said the teacher, "Can anyone in the class tell me why the Lord had Elijah pour water over the bull on the altar?" A little girl in the back of the room raised her hand with great enthusiasm. "To make the gravy."
It was a good question. Why DID the Lord tell Elijah to pour the water over the altar? The answer is obvious (and it has nothing to do with gravy). The Lord wanted to exhibit His power in an absolutely incredible manner. When God was finished, no one was going to say, "Well, maybe Elijah used a flame he kept tucked away in his cloak." No! The fire from the Lord burnt up the wet sacrifice, the soaked wood, and even the rocks used to build the altar!If there is any lesson to be learned in this story, it is that our God is a powerful and awesome God!
Though we ourselves may not see displays of God's power like what happened on Mount Carmel, it is comforting to know that the God who hears and answers our prayers is the God who has such power."Be exalted, O LORD, in Your own strength! We will sing and praise Your power." (Psalm 21:13)
Praise be to our all-powerful and truly awesome God!
Verses
Ephesians 6:11
Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil.
Isaiah 53:4
But it was our pain he took, and our diseases were put on him: while to us he seemed as one diseased, on whom God's punishment had come.
1 Corinthians 10:13
The only temptations that you have are the temptations that all people have. But you can trust God. He will not let you be tempted more than you can bear. But when you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape that temptation. Then you will be able to endure it.
Romans 12:12
rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
Romans 8:32
God didn't hold back even when it came to giving His own Son. Instead, He handed Him over to die for all of us. And since He has given us His Son, it isn't possible that He isn't going to give us everything else as well.
Prayer
Father, help us to be faithful to Your Scriptures no matter the tidal wave of evil that spreads across our land. Truth is not based upon the popular opinion polls, but instead it is based upon Your eternal Word. May we be found faithful, no matter the price we pay! In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
A couple of stories to illustrate how our children explain what happened in the Bible:
A Sunday school teacher asked her class why Joseph and Mary took Jesus with them to Jerusalem. A young girl answered: "Because they couldn't get a babysitter."
Another Sunday school teacher was carefully explaining the story of Elijah the prophet and his contest with the false prophets of Baal. She explained how Elijah built the altar, put wood upon it, cut the bull in pieces and laid it upon the altar. Then Elijah commanded the people of God to fill four barrels of water and pour it over the altar. He had them do this three times.
"Now," said the teacher, "Can anyone in the class tell me why the Lord had Elijah pour water over the bull on the altar?" A little girl in the back of the room raised her hand with great enthusiasm. "To make the gravy."
It was a good question. Why DID the Lord tell Elijah to pour the water over the altar? The answer is obvious (and it has nothing to do with gravy). The Lord wanted to exhibit His power in an absolutely incredible manner. When God was finished, no one was going to say, "Well, maybe Elijah used a flame he kept tucked away in his cloak." No! The fire from the Lord burnt up the wet sacrifice, the soaked wood, and even the rocks used to build the altar!If there is any lesson to be learned in this story, it is that our God is a powerful and awesome God!
Though we ourselves may not see displays of God's power like what happened on Mount Carmel, it is comforting to know that the God who hears and answers our prayers is the God who has such power."Be exalted, O LORD, in Your own strength! We will sing and praise Your power." (Psalm 21:13)
Praise be to our all-powerful and truly awesome God!
Verses
Ephesians 6:11
Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil.
Isaiah 53:4
But it was our pain he took, and our diseases were put on him: while to us he seemed as one diseased, on whom God's punishment had come.
1 Corinthians 10:13
The only temptations that you have are the temptations that all people have. But you can trust God. He will not let you be tempted more than you can bear. But when you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape that temptation. Then you will be able to endure it.
Romans 12:12
rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
Romans 8:32
God didn't hold back even when it came to giving His own Son. Instead, He handed Him over to die for all of us. And since He has given us His Son, it isn't possible that He isn't going to give us everything else as well.
Prayer
Father, help us to be faithful to Your Scriptures no matter the tidal wave of evil that spreads across our land. Truth is not based upon the popular opinion polls, but instead it is based upon Your eternal Word. May we be found faithful, no matter the price we pay! In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Friday prayer & verses (27 11 2009)
Thought for the day
I heard recently about a college professor who had the mysterious habit of walking into the lecture hall each morning, removing a tennis ball from his jacket pocket. He would set it on the corner of the podium. After giving the lecture for the day, he would once again pick up the tennis ball, place it into his jacket pocket, and leave the room. No one ever understood why he did this, until one day. . . .
A student fell asleep during the lecture. The professor never missed a word of his lecture while he walked over to the podium, picked up the tennis ball and threw it, hitting the sleeping student squarely on the top of the head.
The next day, the professor walked into the room, reached into his jacket, removed a baseball. . . No one ever fell asleep in his class the rest of the semester!
I would imagine that many of us have had the experience of falling asleep at a time when we should have stayed awake -- perhaps in a classroom or during a sermon. In the scriptures, poor Eutychus will forever be known for only one thing -- falling asleep during a sermon and falling out the window!
For those of you who aren't familiar with this Bible story (found in Acts 20:7-12), there was a young man by the name of Eutychus (a side note: ironically, his name means “fortunate”) who attended a worship service where the apostle Paul was speaking. No doubt, Eutychus was tired and perhaps his stomach was full. He found a spot near a window where he could get some fresh air because oil lamps lighted the room and the air would have been a bit stuffy. We're told that Paul talked on and on until after midnight. Luke tells us that the young man fought sleep and gradually lost the battle. When he nodded off, he fell out of the third-story window. Fortunately, the story has a happy ending as he was raised back to life by Paul.
Those of us who are preachers are inclined to say that the moral of this story is that you should never fall asleep during a sermon (though I suspect others may say that the moral is that preachers shouldn't preach so long -- it can be dangerous!). But of even greater concern than falling asleep in our worship is the fact that we sometimes fall asleep in our walk with Christ. We grow weary, we lose our concentration, our mind drifts off to other things, and the result can be deadly!
The apostle Paul warns us: "Therefore, let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober." (I Thess. 5:6).
Is your mind focused on God? Are you listening carefully to Him, submitting to His Spirit? If you're growing weary, it's time to wake up!
Verses
Romans 8:28
And we are conscious that all things are working together for good to those who have love for God, and have been marked out by his purpose.
Colossians 2:10
and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
2 Corinthians 1:20
For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
Jeremiah 33:3
If you call to me I shall answer, and tell you great and mysterious things of which you are still unaware.
Proverbs 10:22
It is the LORD's blessing that makes you wealthy. Hard work can make you no richer.
Prayer
In thanksgiving we lift our voices of praise from grateful hearts, Father, as we sing songs of praise and adoration to You, our blessed King. Whether in seasons of prosperity or in seasons of want we find Your grace sufficient to meet each one of our needs. You guide us, protect us, and You provide for us as we journey here below. Every good and perfect gift comes from Your hand. Thank You, faithful Father! Amen.
I heard recently about a college professor who had the mysterious habit of walking into the lecture hall each morning, removing a tennis ball from his jacket pocket. He would set it on the corner of the podium. After giving the lecture for the day, he would once again pick up the tennis ball, place it into his jacket pocket, and leave the room. No one ever understood why he did this, until one day. . . .
A student fell asleep during the lecture. The professor never missed a word of his lecture while he walked over to the podium, picked up the tennis ball and threw it, hitting the sleeping student squarely on the top of the head.
The next day, the professor walked into the room, reached into his jacket, removed a baseball. . . No one ever fell asleep in his class the rest of the semester!
I would imagine that many of us have had the experience of falling asleep at a time when we should have stayed awake -- perhaps in a classroom or during a sermon. In the scriptures, poor Eutychus will forever be known for only one thing -- falling asleep during a sermon and falling out the window!
For those of you who aren't familiar with this Bible story (found in Acts 20:7-12), there was a young man by the name of Eutychus (a side note: ironically, his name means “fortunate”) who attended a worship service where the apostle Paul was speaking. No doubt, Eutychus was tired and perhaps his stomach was full. He found a spot near a window where he could get some fresh air because oil lamps lighted the room and the air would have been a bit stuffy. We're told that Paul talked on and on until after midnight. Luke tells us that the young man fought sleep and gradually lost the battle. When he nodded off, he fell out of the third-story window. Fortunately, the story has a happy ending as he was raised back to life by Paul.
Those of us who are preachers are inclined to say that the moral of this story is that you should never fall asleep during a sermon (though I suspect others may say that the moral is that preachers shouldn't preach so long -- it can be dangerous!). But of even greater concern than falling asleep in our worship is the fact that we sometimes fall asleep in our walk with Christ. We grow weary, we lose our concentration, our mind drifts off to other things, and the result can be deadly!
The apostle Paul warns us: "Therefore, let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober." (I Thess. 5:6).
Is your mind focused on God? Are you listening carefully to Him, submitting to His Spirit? If you're growing weary, it's time to wake up!
Verses
Romans 8:28
And we are conscious that all things are working together for good to those who have love for God, and have been marked out by his purpose.
Colossians 2:10
and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
2 Corinthians 1:20
For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
Jeremiah 33:3
If you call to me I shall answer, and tell you great and mysterious things of which you are still unaware.
Proverbs 10:22
It is the LORD's blessing that makes you wealthy. Hard work can make you no richer.
Prayer
In thanksgiving we lift our voices of praise from grateful hearts, Father, as we sing songs of praise and adoration to You, our blessed King. Whether in seasons of prosperity or in seasons of want we find Your grace sufficient to meet each one of our needs. You guide us, protect us, and You provide for us as we journey here below. Every good and perfect gift comes from Your hand. Thank You, faithful Father! Amen.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Thursday prayer & verses (26 11 2009)
Thought for the day
There's a man trying to cross the street. As he steps off the curb, a car comes screaming around the corner and heads straight for him. The man walks faster, trying to hurry across the street, but the car changes lanes and is still coming at him.
So the guy turns around to go back, but the car changes lanes again and is still coming at him.
By now, the car is so close and the man so scared that he just freezes and stops in the middle of the road.
The car gets real close, then swerves at the last possible moment and screeches to a halt right next him.
The driver rolls down the window.
The driver is a squirrel.The squirrel says to the man says, "See, it's not as easy as it looks, is it?"
There have been times when I've discovered that experiencing something is more difficult than it looks. For example, when I was younger, I was full of ideas on how parents ought to be raising their children. However, after having three of my own, I've discovered that "it’s not as easy as it looks." Maybe there was a time when you thought someone ought to be handling a divorce or a death in the family better than they do. But after experiencing it for yourself, you found out that "it's not as easy as it looks."
Sometimes there's no way to know what it feels like to go through something without actually experiencing it yourself. That's why the incarnation is so important. There's no way we can say to God, "Living here on this earth -- it's not as easy as it looks!" God knows. He's taken on flesh and blood and walked this earth. He's experienced temptation, frustration, persecution, disappointment and a host of human emotions. He knows how tough it is. He understands. And that's why He is in a position to be of help to us.
"For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb. 4:15-16)
It's true. Living life on this earth is "not as easy as it looks." But may you find comfort today in knowing that God understands that more that you can begin to imagine.
Verses
Romans 8:28
And we are conscious that all things are working together for good to those who have love for God, and have been marked out by his purpose.
Luke 10:19
"Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
2 Corinthians 5:15
and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
Be praying unceasingly.
2 Corinthians 9:10
He who furnishes the sower with seed and with bread to eat will supply seed for you and multiply it; he will increase the crop of your charities
Prayer
Father, our journey here below is extremely difficult without the friendships, prayers, and assistance of our brothers and sisters who share our precious faith. We thank you for those who sacrificially give of themselves to come alongside us; who walk with us in the ups and downs of this tempest life; who pray for us and help guide us when we can’t see what lies ahead. Their interest in our welfare and their continued presence brings reassurance that Your hand is extended to us through their kind and loving friendship. Help us to carefully nurture our friendships so that we build one another up and bring refreshing to our conversation and in our times of fellowship.
There's a man trying to cross the street. As he steps off the curb, a car comes screaming around the corner and heads straight for him. The man walks faster, trying to hurry across the street, but the car changes lanes and is still coming at him.
So the guy turns around to go back, but the car changes lanes again and is still coming at him.
By now, the car is so close and the man so scared that he just freezes and stops in the middle of the road.
The car gets real close, then swerves at the last possible moment and screeches to a halt right next him.
The driver rolls down the window.
The driver is a squirrel.The squirrel says to the man says, "See, it's not as easy as it looks, is it?"
There have been times when I've discovered that experiencing something is more difficult than it looks. For example, when I was younger, I was full of ideas on how parents ought to be raising their children. However, after having three of my own, I've discovered that "it’s not as easy as it looks." Maybe there was a time when you thought someone ought to be handling a divorce or a death in the family better than they do. But after experiencing it for yourself, you found out that "it's not as easy as it looks."
Sometimes there's no way to know what it feels like to go through something without actually experiencing it yourself. That's why the incarnation is so important. There's no way we can say to God, "Living here on this earth -- it's not as easy as it looks!" God knows. He's taken on flesh and blood and walked this earth. He's experienced temptation, frustration, persecution, disappointment and a host of human emotions. He knows how tough it is. He understands. And that's why He is in a position to be of help to us.
"For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb. 4:15-16)
It's true. Living life on this earth is "not as easy as it looks." But may you find comfort today in knowing that God understands that more that you can begin to imagine.
Verses
Romans 8:28
And we are conscious that all things are working together for good to those who have love for God, and have been marked out by his purpose.
Luke 10:19
"Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
2 Corinthians 5:15
and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
Be praying unceasingly.
2 Corinthians 9:10
He who furnishes the sower with seed and with bread to eat will supply seed for you and multiply it; he will increase the crop of your charities
Prayer
Father, our journey here below is extremely difficult without the friendships, prayers, and assistance of our brothers and sisters who share our precious faith. We thank you for those who sacrificially give of themselves to come alongside us; who walk with us in the ups and downs of this tempest life; who pray for us and help guide us when we can’t see what lies ahead. Their interest in our welfare and their continued presence brings reassurance that Your hand is extended to us through their kind and loving friendship. Help us to carefully nurture our friendships so that we build one another up and bring refreshing to our conversation and in our times of fellowship.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Wednesday prayer & verses (25 11 2009)
Thought for the day
Here are some sports quotes reported from England:
"And here's Moses Kiptanui, the 19-year-old Kenyan, who turned 20 a few weeks ago." (David Coleman)
"We now have exactly the same situation as we had at the start of the race, only exactly the opposite." (Murray Walker)
After playing Cameroon in the 1990 world cup finals:
"We didn't underestimate them. They were just a lot better than we thought." (Bobby Robson)
"I was in a no-win situation, so I'm glad that I won rather than lost." (Frank Bruno)
"The lead car is absolutely unique, except for the one behind it which is identical." (Murray Walker)
"There have been injuries and deaths in boxing, but none of them serious." (Alan Minter)
"Just under 10 seconds for Nigel Mansel. Call it 9.5 seconds in round numbers." (Murray Walker)
"I'll fight Lloyd Honeyghan for nothing if the price is right." (Marlon Starling)
"If history repeats itself, I should think we can expect the same thing again." (Terry Venables)
"The Queen's Park Oval, exactly as its name suggests, is absolutely round." (Tony Crozier)
"I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and father." (Greg Norman)
Like Greg Norman, we all owe our parents a great deal. We're mindful not only of the physical needs which they met, but such things as the love they have shown, the example they have set, and the chastisement they have administered (yes, even the chastisement). I owe my parents all of these things, and so much more. Perhaps most meaningful were the words of wisdom which guided me in the right direction (though not always appreciated at the time).
The words of Solomon speak to me: "My son, keep your father's commands, and don't forget your mother's teaching. Keep their words in mind forever as though you had them tied around your neck. They will guide you when you walk. They will guard you when you sleep. They will speak to you when you are awake. These commands are like a lamp; this teaching is like a light.
And the correction that comes from them will help you have life." (Prov. 6:20-23, NCV).
Say a special prayer of thanks to God for your parents -- especially your mother and father!
Verses
Numbers 23:19
God is not as man to waver, nor as the son of man to be threatened; shall he say and not perform?
shall he speak and not keep to his word?
Deuteronomy 7:15
The LORD will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all who hate you.
Malachi 3:10
Bring to the storehouse a tenth of what you gain. Then there will be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord of heaven's armies. "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out more blessings than you have room for.
Mark 11:24
Therefore, I exhort you, All things whatever you pray for and ask, have faith that you have taken hold, and it shall be for you.
Romans 10:12
For there is not a distinction between Jew and Greek. For the same Lord is over all, constantly rich toward all those who call upon Him.
Prayer
Father, so many of us live in a state of discontent when we find ourselves loving things and using people. It distorts our priorities and gives us temporary thrills with things, but leaves us with long-term dissatisfaction within ourselves and in our relationships. Help us to enjoy material things but to place a higher value on greater pursuits such as growing friendships, solid marriage relations, developing godly character, giving without receiving in return, and other worthy goals. We will be content as we rejoice in the fact that whether we are in want or whether we have plenty You have promised that You will never leave us nor forsake us. What a treasured promise for the believer in times of need and in times of prosperity. We are content when we realize our all-sufficiency is in You, Lord. You will never leave us nor forsake us and You will meet all our needs according to Your glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Here are some sports quotes reported from England:
"And here's Moses Kiptanui, the 19-year-old Kenyan, who turned 20 a few weeks ago." (David Coleman)
"We now have exactly the same situation as we had at the start of the race, only exactly the opposite." (Murray Walker)
After playing Cameroon in the 1990 world cup finals:
"We didn't underestimate them. They were just a lot better than we thought." (Bobby Robson)
"I was in a no-win situation, so I'm glad that I won rather than lost." (Frank Bruno)
"The lead car is absolutely unique, except for the one behind it which is identical." (Murray Walker)
"There have been injuries and deaths in boxing, but none of them serious." (Alan Minter)
"Just under 10 seconds for Nigel Mansel. Call it 9.5 seconds in round numbers." (Murray Walker)
"I'll fight Lloyd Honeyghan for nothing if the price is right." (Marlon Starling)
"If history repeats itself, I should think we can expect the same thing again." (Terry Venables)
"The Queen's Park Oval, exactly as its name suggests, is absolutely round." (Tony Crozier)
"I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and father." (Greg Norman)
Like Greg Norman, we all owe our parents a great deal. We're mindful not only of the physical needs which they met, but such things as the love they have shown, the example they have set, and the chastisement they have administered (yes, even the chastisement). I owe my parents all of these things, and so much more. Perhaps most meaningful were the words of wisdom which guided me in the right direction (though not always appreciated at the time).
The words of Solomon speak to me: "My son, keep your father's commands, and don't forget your mother's teaching. Keep their words in mind forever as though you had them tied around your neck. They will guide you when you walk. They will guard you when you sleep. They will speak to you when you are awake. These commands are like a lamp; this teaching is like a light.
And the correction that comes from them will help you have life." (Prov. 6:20-23, NCV).
Say a special prayer of thanks to God for your parents -- especially your mother and father!
Verses
Numbers 23:19
God is not as man to waver, nor as the son of man to be threatened; shall he say and not perform?
shall he speak and not keep to his word?
Deuteronomy 7:15
The LORD will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all who hate you.
Malachi 3:10
Bring to the storehouse a tenth of what you gain. Then there will be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord of heaven's armies. "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out more blessings than you have room for.
Mark 11:24
Therefore, I exhort you, All things whatever you pray for and ask, have faith that you have taken hold, and it shall be for you.
Romans 10:12
For there is not a distinction between Jew and Greek. For the same Lord is over all, constantly rich toward all those who call upon Him.
Prayer
Father, so many of us live in a state of discontent when we find ourselves loving things and using people. It distorts our priorities and gives us temporary thrills with things, but leaves us with long-term dissatisfaction within ourselves and in our relationships. Help us to enjoy material things but to place a higher value on greater pursuits such as growing friendships, solid marriage relations, developing godly character, giving without receiving in return, and other worthy goals. We will be content as we rejoice in the fact that whether we are in want or whether we have plenty You have promised that You will never leave us nor forsake us. What a treasured promise for the believer in times of need and in times of prosperity. We are content when we realize our all-sufficiency is in You, Lord. You will never leave us nor forsake us and You will meet all our needs according to Your glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Tuesday prayer & verses (24 11 2009)
Thought for the day
Robert Thornton, a professor of economics at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA, was, like many teachers, frustrated about having to write letters of recommendation for people with dubious qualifications, so he put together an arsenal of statements that can be read two ways. He calls his collection the "Lexicon of Inconspicuously Ambiguous Recommendations", or LIAR, for short.
Thornton explains that LIAR may be used to offer a negative opinion of the personal qualities, work habits or motivation of the candidate while allowing the candidate to believe that it is high praise.
Some examples from LIAR:
* To describe a person who is extremely lazy: "In my opinion, you will be very fortunate to get this person to work for you."
* To describe a person who is totally inept: "I most enthusiastically recommend this candidate with no qualifications whatsoever."
* To describe an ex-employee who had problems getting along with fellow workers: "I am pleased to say that this candidate is a former colleague of mine."
* To describe a candidate who is so unproductive that the job would be better left unfilled: "I can assure you that no person would be better for the job."
* To describe a job applicant who is not worth further consideration: "I would urge you to waste no time in making this candidate an offer of employment."
* To describe a person with lackluster credentials: "All in all, I cannot say enough good things about this candidate or recommend him too highly.
"Robert Thornton is right, isn't he? We don't like to hurt people's feelings, but we don't want to be totally dishonest either, so we are excited to find a way to be ambiguous. We call it ambiguity, speaking a half-truth, using mental reservation, twisting the truth a bit, being ambivalent. Perhaps at least Thornton was more honest when he called his collection "LIAR".
It may be that no Christian characteristic has suffered more in the workplace than honesty. It shouldn't be that way. Jesus wants his people to be known as a people of truth. It is important that those around us can trust what we say without wondering whether we really mean it or not. "Therefore, putting away lying, each one speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another." (Ephesians 4:25).
Have a great day (and I say that in all truth)!
Verses
Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold unwaveringly our grip on the hope we confess, for He who promised is faithful.
Matthew 8:17
This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, "He took our sicknesses and bore our diseases."
Proverbs 6:2
you are snared by the words of your own mouth; you are taken by the words of your mouth.
Ephesians 1:16
do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:
2 Corinthians 9:8
God can give you more than enough of every good gift, enough for you to have plenty for yourselves always and in any circumstances, and to have enough left over to contribute to every good cause.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, Habakkuk reminds me that my joy is not derived from my abundant provisions. But rather my joy comes from God my Savior as I choose to rejoice in Him whether or not my pantry is overflowing. I rejoice in knowing that You are my strength as You enable me to descend the rigorous, steep terrain toward the victorious mountaintop. At the height of the mountain I can look back at the disappointments and hardships I climbed through as You made my feet sure-footed like those of a deer. I once again affirm my faith in You, my Sovereign Lord, and rejoice in the work You are accomplishing in my life.
Robert Thornton, a professor of economics at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA, was, like many teachers, frustrated about having to write letters of recommendation for people with dubious qualifications, so he put together an arsenal of statements that can be read two ways. He calls his collection the "Lexicon of Inconspicuously Ambiguous Recommendations", or LIAR, for short.
Thornton explains that LIAR may be used to offer a negative opinion of the personal qualities, work habits or motivation of the candidate while allowing the candidate to believe that it is high praise.
Some examples from LIAR:
* To describe a person who is extremely lazy: "In my opinion, you will be very fortunate to get this person to work for you."
* To describe a person who is totally inept: "I most enthusiastically recommend this candidate with no qualifications whatsoever."
* To describe an ex-employee who had problems getting along with fellow workers: "I am pleased to say that this candidate is a former colleague of mine."
* To describe a candidate who is so unproductive that the job would be better left unfilled: "I can assure you that no person would be better for the job."
* To describe a job applicant who is not worth further consideration: "I would urge you to waste no time in making this candidate an offer of employment."
* To describe a person with lackluster credentials: "All in all, I cannot say enough good things about this candidate or recommend him too highly.
"Robert Thornton is right, isn't he? We don't like to hurt people's feelings, but we don't want to be totally dishonest either, so we are excited to find a way to be ambiguous. We call it ambiguity, speaking a half-truth, using mental reservation, twisting the truth a bit, being ambivalent. Perhaps at least Thornton was more honest when he called his collection "LIAR".
It may be that no Christian characteristic has suffered more in the workplace than honesty. It shouldn't be that way. Jesus wants his people to be known as a people of truth. It is important that those around us can trust what we say without wondering whether we really mean it or not. "Therefore, putting away lying, each one speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another." (Ephesians 4:25).
Have a great day (and I say that in all truth)!
Verses
Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold unwaveringly our grip on the hope we confess, for He who promised is faithful.
Matthew 8:17
This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, "He took our sicknesses and bore our diseases."
Proverbs 6:2
you are snared by the words of your own mouth; you are taken by the words of your mouth.
Ephesians 1:16
do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:
2 Corinthians 9:8
God can give you more than enough of every good gift, enough for you to have plenty for yourselves always and in any circumstances, and to have enough left over to contribute to every good cause.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, Habakkuk reminds me that my joy is not derived from my abundant provisions. But rather my joy comes from God my Savior as I choose to rejoice in Him whether or not my pantry is overflowing. I rejoice in knowing that You are my strength as You enable me to descend the rigorous, steep terrain toward the victorious mountaintop. At the height of the mountain I can look back at the disappointments and hardships I climbed through as You made my feet sure-footed like those of a deer. I once again affirm my faith in You, my Sovereign Lord, and rejoice in the work You are accomplishing in my life.
Monday prayer & verses (23 11 2009)
Thought for the day
A band director was having a lot of trouble with one of his drummers. He talked and talked and talked with the drummer, but performance didn't improve.
Finally, in front of the whole orchestra, he said, "When a musician just can't handle his instrument and doesn't improve when given help, they take away the instrument, give him two sticks, and make him a drummer."A whisper was heard from the percussion section: "And if he can't handle even that, they take away one of his sticks and make him a conductor."
It is a biblical principle that if we are unable to handle the responsibility that God has given us, it can be taken away. Jesus told a parable in Matthew 25 about three servants who were given money by their master and were told to make use of it while their master was gone. When he returned, two of them had used their "talents" and one had not.
Jesus concluded the parable by saying:"For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away." (Matt. 25:29).
I need a constant reminder that all that I have has been given to me by God to use for His glory. It is an exciting thought to realize that as I use what God has given me, He will bless me with even more opportunities for service. On the other hand, it is a sobering thought to realize that if I fail to make use of what I have been given, I may lose it.
So what are you doing with what God has given you?
Verses
Hebrews 10:23
Let us cling to the confession of our hope and not waver in it. We can trust Him who gave us His promise.
Romans 4:20-21
He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
Ephesians 6:17
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
Matthew 21:22
Yes, if you have faith, you will get everything you ask for in your prayers."
2 Corinthians 9:8
God can give you more than enough of every good gift, enough for you to have plenty for yourselves always and in any circumstances, and to have enough left over to contribute to every good cause.
Prayer
Father, we’re reminded of Your absolute faithfulness as we reflect upon the Israelites journeying in the wilderness. Even when they were unfaithful, You in Your unwavering faithfulness, provided for their daily needs. We read the words of the prophet Jeremiah who wrote in Lamentations, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness.” And we sing along with the hymn writer, inspired by the words of Jeremiah, who penned these words, “All I have needed thy hand hath provided. Great is Thy faithfulness Lord unto me.”
A band director was having a lot of trouble with one of his drummers. He talked and talked and talked with the drummer, but performance didn't improve.
Finally, in front of the whole orchestra, he said, "When a musician just can't handle his instrument and doesn't improve when given help, they take away the instrument, give him two sticks, and make him a drummer."A whisper was heard from the percussion section: "And if he can't handle even that, they take away one of his sticks and make him a conductor."
It is a biblical principle that if we are unable to handle the responsibility that God has given us, it can be taken away. Jesus told a parable in Matthew 25 about three servants who were given money by their master and were told to make use of it while their master was gone. When he returned, two of them had used their "talents" and one had not.
Jesus concluded the parable by saying:"For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away." (Matt. 25:29).
I need a constant reminder that all that I have has been given to me by God to use for His glory. It is an exciting thought to realize that as I use what God has given me, He will bless me with even more opportunities for service. On the other hand, it is a sobering thought to realize that if I fail to make use of what I have been given, I may lose it.
So what are you doing with what God has given you?
Verses
Hebrews 10:23
Let us cling to the confession of our hope and not waver in it. We can trust Him who gave us His promise.
Romans 4:20-21
He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
Ephesians 6:17
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
Matthew 21:22
Yes, if you have faith, you will get everything you ask for in your prayers."
2 Corinthians 9:8
God can give you more than enough of every good gift, enough for you to have plenty for yourselves always and in any circumstances, and to have enough left over to contribute to every good cause.
Prayer
Father, we’re reminded of Your absolute faithfulness as we reflect upon the Israelites journeying in the wilderness. Even when they were unfaithful, You in Your unwavering faithfulness, provided for their daily needs. We read the words of the prophet Jeremiah who wrote in Lamentations, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness.” And we sing along with the hymn writer, inspired by the words of Jeremiah, who penned these words, “All I have needed thy hand hath provided. Great is Thy faithfulness Lord unto me.”
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Friday prayer & verses (20 11 2009)
Thought for the day
WIFE: "There's trouble with the car. It has water in the carburetor."
HUSBAND: "Water in the carburetor? That's ridiculous."
WIFE: "I tell you the car has water in the carburetor."
HUSBAND: "You don't even know what a carburetor is. I'll check it out. Where's the car?"
WIFE: "In the pool."
That gives a whole new meaning to the term "flooding the engine"! There are some things that are so obvious you don't have to be an auto mechanic to be certain of them! And there are some things in the Bible that are so obvious that you don't have to be a brain surgeon to be certain of them!
Five times in the "Pastoral Epistles", Paul uses the phrase "faithful saying". It indicates something you can be absolutely certain of, without question, beyond a shadow of a doubt. Here's one of them:"
This is a faithful saying:For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him.If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot denyHimself."(2 Timothy 2:11-13)
Praise be to our God who not only gives us "faithful sayings", but who himself is "faithful", one who can be trusted to keep his word, and in whom we have the ability to place all our confidence!
Verses
Romans 8:28
We know that in everything God works with those who love him, whom he has called in accordance with his purpose, to bring about what is good.
Proverbs 17:22
A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.
Romans 5:9
much more, then, having been declared righteous now in his blood, we shall be saved through him from the wrath;
Luke 18:1
And he told them a parable of which the point was that they must always pray and never give up:
Psalm 112:1,3
Halliluyah. He who fears the LORD will succeed And whoever delights in His Laws, Ease and plenty will be in his house, And his happiness always will last;
Prayer
Jesus, You’ve called us to be light in a world full of darkness. You’ve also called us to be peacemakers in as much as it is possible. Sometimes when we take a stand for righteousness it does not bring peaceful resolution, but instead further conflict arises. Then we go through a surge of emotions and doubts begin to arise regarding our stand. Would You help us to be diligent in our study, prayerful about our stand, and immersed in Your Holy Word. Lord, as we take a position against the evil tide of our land help us to unapologetic in our stand and very consistent in our Christian walk. May we, by example and word, say to the fallen world that we serve not the god of this age, but we serve a King who is ageless and eternal. We lift up our persecuted brothers and sisters and their families who are paying a heavy price for their stand both physically and emotionally. May their spirits be strengthened as they continue to lift up their soul to You for infilling from Your Holy Spirit. Amen.
WIFE: "There's trouble with the car. It has water in the carburetor."
HUSBAND: "Water in the carburetor? That's ridiculous."
WIFE: "I tell you the car has water in the carburetor."
HUSBAND: "You don't even know what a carburetor is. I'll check it out. Where's the car?"
WIFE: "In the pool."
That gives a whole new meaning to the term "flooding the engine"! There are some things that are so obvious you don't have to be an auto mechanic to be certain of them! And there are some things in the Bible that are so obvious that you don't have to be a brain surgeon to be certain of them!
Five times in the "Pastoral Epistles", Paul uses the phrase "faithful saying". It indicates something you can be absolutely certain of, without question, beyond a shadow of a doubt. Here's one of them:"
This is a faithful saying:For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him.If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot denyHimself."(2 Timothy 2:11-13)
Praise be to our God who not only gives us "faithful sayings", but who himself is "faithful", one who can be trusted to keep his word, and in whom we have the ability to place all our confidence!
Verses
Romans 8:28
We know that in everything God works with those who love him, whom he has called in accordance with his purpose, to bring about what is good.
Proverbs 17:22
A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.
Romans 5:9
much more, then, having been declared righteous now in his blood, we shall be saved through him from the wrath;
Luke 18:1
And he told them a parable of which the point was that they must always pray and never give up:
Psalm 112:1,3
Halliluyah. He who fears the LORD will succeed And whoever delights in His Laws, Ease and plenty will be in his house, And his happiness always will last;
Prayer
Jesus, You’ve called us to be light in a world full of darkness. You’ve also called us to be peacemakers in as much as it is possible. Sometimes when we take a stand for righteousness it does not bring peaceful resolution, but instead further conflict arises. Then we go through a surge of emotions and doubts begin to arise regarding our stand. Would You help us to be diligent in our study, prayerful about our stand, and immersed in Your Holy Word. Lord, as we take a position against the evil tide of our land help us to unapologetic in our stand and very consistent in our Christian walk. May we, by example and word, say to the fallen world that we serve not the god of this age, but we serve a King who is ageless and eternal. We lift up our persecuted brothers and sisters and their families who are paying a heavy price for their stand both physically and emotionally. May their spirits be strengthened as they continue to lift up their soul to You for infilling from Your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Thursday prayer & verses (19 11 2009)
Thought for the day
These are the results of a "Creative Scientific Theories Contest" sponsored several years ago by Omni magazine:
GRAND PRIZE WINNER:
When a cat is dropped, it always lands on its feet. And when toast is dropped, it always lands with the buttered side facing down. I propose to strap buttered toast to the back of a cat; the two will hover, spinning inches above the ground. With a giant buttered cat array, a high-speed monorail could easily link New York with Chicago.
RUNNERS-UP:
#1If an infinite number of rednecks riding in an infinite number of pickup trucks fire an infinite number of shotgun rounds at an infinite number of highway signs, they will eventually produce all the world's great literary works in Braille.
#2Why yawning is contagious: You yawn to equalize the pressure on your eardrums. This pressure change outside your eardrums unbalances other people's ear pressures, so they must yawn to even it out.
#3Communist China is technologically underdeveloped because they have no alphabet and therefore cannot use acronyms to communicate ideas at a faster rate.
#4The earth may spin faster on its axis due to deforestation. Just as a figure skater's rate of spin increases when the arms are brought in close to the body, the cutting of tall trees may cause our planet to spin dangerously fast.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The quantity of consonants in the English language is constant. If omitted in one place, they turn up in another. When a Bostonian "pahks" his "cah," the lost r's migrate southwest, causing a Texan to "warsh" his car and invest in "erl wells."
Birds take off at sunrise. On the opposite side of the world, they are landing at sunset. This causes the earth to spin on its axis.
Those are certainly some creative theories. I am reminded that over the years there have been some creative theories proposed to explain the empty tomb. The first theory came the same day the tomb was found empty: "When [the chief priests] had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, 'Tell them, "His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept." ' " (Matthew 28:12-13).
Other theories proposed include the suggestion that the women who reported the body missing went to the wrong tomb and just thought Jesus' tomb was empty, and that the appearances of Jesus after the resurrection were either illusions or mass hallucinations. Still others say that Jesus never really died; he merely fainted and later woke up in the tomb and walked out.
All fanciful theories. But none of them adequate the explain the event which showed the power of God more forcefully than anything else that has ever happened. Jesus Christ was raised from the dead!"If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty......But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." (I Cor. 15:14,20).
Verses
Galatians 6:9
Let us not get tired of doing good. At the right time we'll reap if we don't give up.
Isaiah 53:5
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed.
1 John 4:8
He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Jeremiah 33:3
If you call to me I shall answer, and tell you great and mysterious things of which you are still unaware.
Deuteronomy 8:18
You must remember the Eternal your God, for it is he who gives you the power of gaining wealth, that he may ratify the compact which he swore to your fathers, as it is today.
Prayer
Your purpose in my life, Lord, is seen in a multitude of ways; whether it is in my vocational training; in the way I raise my children; in the relationships I engender or in the way I use my gifts to touch other lives. But Your purpose in my life is most visible to others in my response to heartache, betrayal, disappointment, suffering, and loss. Your purpose can be seen when I choose not to repay evil for evil, but rather good for evil. Lord, as I keep Your purpose for my life always before me I will remember that much good spiritual fruit can be developed in me in the ups and downs I encounter today. May I be faithful in making choices today that reflect Your purpose in my life. Amen.
These are the results of a "Creative Scientific Theories Contest" sponsored several years ago by Omni magazine:
GRAND PRIZE WINNER:
When a cat is dropped, it always lands on its feet. And when toast is dropped, it always lands with the buttered side facing down. I propose to strap buttered toast to the back of a cat; the two will hover, spinning inches above the ground. With a giant buttered cat array, a high-speed monorail could easily link New York with Chicago.
RUNNERS-UP:
#1If an infinite number of rednecks riding in an infinite number of pickup trucks fire an infinite number of shotgun rounds at an infinite number of highway signs, they will eventually produce all the world's great literary works in Braille.
#2Why yawning is contagious: You yawn to equalize the pressure on your eardrums. This pressure change outside your eardrums unbalances other people's ear pressures, so they must yawn to even it out.
#3Communist China is technologically underdeveloped because they have no alphabet and therefore cannot use acronyms to communicate ideas at a faster rate.
#4The earth may spin faster on its axis due to deforestation. Just as a figure skater's rate of spin increases when the arms are brought in close to the body, the cutting of tall trees may cause our planet to spin dangerously fast.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The quantity of consonants in the English language is constant. If omitted in one place, they turn up in another. When a Bostonian "pahks" his "cah," the lost r's migrate southwest, causing a Texan to "warsh" his car and invest in "erl wells."
Birds take off at sunrise. On the opposite side of the world, they are landing at sunset. This causes the earth to spin on its axis.
Those are certainly some creative theories. I am reminded that over the years there have been some creative theories proposed to explain the empty tomb. The first theory came the same day the tomb was found empty: "When [the chief priests] had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, 'Tell them, "His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept." ' " (Matthew 28:12-13).
Other theories proposed include the suggestion that the women who reported the body missing went to the wrong tomb and just thought Jesus' tomb was empty, and that the appearances of Jesus after the resurrection were either illusions or mass hallucinations. Still others say that Jesus never really died; he merely fainted and later woke up in the tomb and walked out.
All fanciful theories. But none of them adequate the explain the event which showed the power of God more forcefully than anything else that has ever happened. Jesus Christ was raised from the dead!"If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty......But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." (I Cor. 15:14,20).
Verses
Galatians 6:9
Let us not get tired of doing good. At the right time we'll reap if we don't give up.
Isaiah 53:5
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed.
1 John 4:8
He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Jeremiah 33:3
If you call to me I shall answer, and tell you great and mysterious things of which you are still unaware.
Deuteronomy 8:18
You must remember the Eternal your God, for it is he who gives you the power of gaining wealth, that he may ratify the compact which he swore to your fathers, as it is today.
Prayer
Your purpose in my life, Lord, is seen in a multitude of ways; whether it is in my vocational training; in the way I raise my children; in the relationships I engender or in the way I use my gifts to touch other lives. But Your purpose in my life is most visible to others in my response to heartache, betrayal, disappointment, suffering, and loss. Your purpose can be seen when I choose not to repay evil for evil, but rather good for evil. Lord, as I keep Your purpose for my life always before me I will remember that much good spiritual fruit can be developed in me in the ups and downs I encounter today. May I be faithful in making choices today that reflect Your purpose in my life. Amen.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Wednesday prayer & verses (18 11 2009)
Thought for the day
Someone (unknown to me) relates this story:
When my grandmother was in her eighties, she decided to move to Israel. As part of the preparations, she went to see her doctor and get all her charts. The doctor asked her how she was doing, so she gave him the litany of complaints -- this hurts, that's stiff, I'm tireder and slower, etc., etc., etc.
He responded with, "Mrs. Weiss, you have to expect things to start deteriorating. After all, who wants to live to 100?"
My grandmother looked him straight in the eye and replied, "Anyone who's 99."
It's so true. No matter how old we are, there is the desire to live at least one more year. Even Christians who look forward to being with their heavenly Father sometimes have a hard time letting go of life in this world. But Jesus' death (and resurrection) truly makes all the difference in the world. "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death -- that is, the devil -- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." (Heb. 2:14-15, NIV)
Satan holds the "power of death", but praise be to the One who gives us hope because He holds the "power of life"!
Verses
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is a well-grounded assurance of that for which we hope, and a conviction of the reality of things which we do not see.
Exodus 15:26
saying, "If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give heed to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon you which I put upon the Egyptians; for I am the LORD, your healer."
2 Corinthians 5:15
He died for all, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but only for him who died and was raised to life for their sake.
Luke 18:1
Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,
3 John 2
Beloved, I hope you are in good health -- may you thrive in all other ways as you do in the spirit.
Prayer
Lord, I am an ordinary person who has submitted my heart to You. But it is in the ordinary people that the infusion of Your resurrection power makes us extraordinary. Your Holy Spirit gives me boldness that does not come naturally to my personality. Thank You for giving me the strength to stand against the basic principles of this world when they conflict with Your principles. Lord, help me to be a watchman for my family, my co-workers and my friends as I intercede for their salvation or continued fruitfulness. I thank You that I do not stand in the gap alone but You, my Father, are with me and I stand in Your strength! Amen.
Someone (unknown to me) relates this story:
When my grandmother was in her eighties, she decided to move to Israel. As part of the preparations, she went to see her doctor and get all her charts. The doctor asked her how she was doing, so she gave him the litany of complaints -- this hurts, that's stiff, I'm tireder and slower, etc., etc., etc.
He responded with, "Mrs. Weiss, you have to expect things to start deteriorating. After all, who wants to live to 100?"
My grandmother looked him straight in the eye and replied, "Anyone who's 99."
It's so true. No matter how old we are, there is the desire to live at least one more year. Even Christians who look forward to being with their heavenly Father sometimes have a hard time letting go of life in this world. But Jesus' death (and resurrection) truly makes all the difference in the world. "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death -- that is, the devil -- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." (Heb. 2:14-15, NIV)
Satan holds the "power of death", but praise be to the One who gives us hope because He holds the "power of life"!
Verses
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is a well-grounded assurance of that for which we hope, and a conviction of the reality of things which we do not see.
Exodus 15:26
saying, "If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give heed to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon you which I put upon the Egyptians; for I am the LORD, your healer."
2 Corinthians 5:15
He died for all, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but only for him who died and was raised to life for their sake.
Luke 18:1
Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,
3 John 2
Beloved, I hope you are in good health -- may you thrive in all other ways as you do in the spirit.
Prayer
Lord, I am an ordinary person who has submitted my heart to You. But it is in the ordinary people that the infusion of Your resurrection power makes us extraordinary. Your Holy Spirit gives me boldness that does not come naturally to my personality. Thank You for giving me the strength to stand against the basic principles of this world when they conflict with Your principles. Lord, help me to be a watchman for my family, my co-workers and my friends as I intercede for their salvation or continued fruitfulness. I thank You that I do not stand in the gap alone but You, my Father, are with me and I stand in Your strength! Amen.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Tuesday prayer & verses (17 11 2009)
Thought for the day
There is a beautiful legend about a king who decided to set aside a special day to honor his greatest subject. When the big day arrived, there was a large gathering in the palace courtyard. Four finalists were brought forward, and from these four, the king would select the winner.
The first person presented was a wealthy philanthropist. The king was told that this man was highly deserving of the honor because of his humanitarian efforts. He had given much of his wealth to the poor.
The second person was a celebrated physician. The king was told that this doctor was highly deserving of the honor because he had rendered faithful and dedicated service to the sick for many years.
The third person was a distinguished judge. The king was told that the judge was worthy because he was noted for his wisdom, his fairness, and his brilliant decisions.
The fourth person presented was an elderly woman. Everyone was quite surprised to see her there, because her manner was quite humble, as was her dress. She hardly looked the part of someone who would be honored as the greatest subject in the kingdom. What chance could she possibly have, when compared to the other three, who had accomplished so much?
Even so, there was something about her the look of love in her face, the understanding in her eyes, her quiet confidence.The king was intrigued, to say the least, and somewhat puzzled by her presence. He asked who she was. The answer came:
"You see the philanthropist, the doctor, and the judge? Well, she was their teacher!"
It was James who wrote, "Brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers." (James 3:1, GOD'S WORD). He points out that teachers will be judged more severely. He could just as easily have said that teachers have a greater responsibility, a greater challenge, a greater opportunity to affect the lives of people in a negative way. It is impossible to teach without using words, and with greater use of words comes a greater danger that the words will do harm.
But thanks be to God that there are those who face that challenge and assume that responsibility and make a diligent effort to use their words as an opportunity to affect the lives of people in a positive way. Those of you who are teachers -- who can begin to measure the tremendous effect that you are having in the lives of the children (and adults) in your classrooms? You may not see the results of your efforts for years. In fact, you may never get to see the results. But you do make a difference.
Those of you who are schoolteachers are teaching not only the basics of education, but you are teaching values and character. Those of you who are Bible class teachers are filling the minds and hearts of our children with stories of faith that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Those of you who are preachers are strengthening the family of God and bringing salvation to the lost.So, my hat is off to all of you who are teachers because you make a difference!
"We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach." (Romans 12:6-7)
Verses
Romans 10:17
Yet faith comes from listening to this Good News -- the Good News about Christ.
Mark 11:23
"For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says.
1 Peter 3:10-11
For the Scriptures say, "If you want a happy life and good days, keep your tongue from speaking evil, and keep your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others.
John 16:23
In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
Psalm 34:9-10
Revere the LORD, ye His saints, for there is no lack to those who revere Him. The young lions do need and suffer hunger; but those who seek the LORD shall lack in nothing good.
Prayer
Father, Romans 1:21 indicates that those who knew You neither glorified nor gave thanks to You which led to their futile and foolish thinking. It eventually caused the light of Your Word to be veiled and ineffective in their lives as darkness crept in and covered the radiant light of Your truth. They sought honor for themselves and lived for self-glory. Anything good in us is but a reflection of the Spirit of Christ who lives within, so we will glory only in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ though it is mocked and ridiculed by the world. We are unashamedly children of God whose depth of wisdom comes not from the understanding from the world but the understanding from Your Word. May its truth always be our source of light in the darkened age in which we live. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
There is a beautiful legend about a king who decided to set aside a special day to honor his greatest subject. When the big day arrived, there was a large gathering in the palace courtyard. Four finalists were brought forward, and from these four, the king would select the winner.
The first person presented was a wealthy philanthropist. The king was told that this man was highly deserving of the honor because of his humanitarian efforts. He had given much of his wealth to the poor.
The second person was a celebrated physician. The king was told that this doctor was highly deserving of the honor because he had rendered faithful and dedicated service to the sick for many years.
The third person was a distinguished judge. The king was told that the judge was worthy because he was noted for his wisdom, his fairness, and his brilliant decisions.
The fourth person presented was an elderly woman. Everyone was quite surprised to see her there, because her manner was quite humble, as was her dress. She hardly looked the part of someone who would be honored as the greatest subject in the kingdom. What chance could she possibly have, when compared to the other three, who had accomplished so much?
Even so, there was something about her the look of love in her face, the understanding in her eyes, her quiet confidence.The king was intrigued, to say the least, and somewhat puzzled by her presence. He asked who she was. The answer came:
"You see the philanthropist, the doctor, and the judge? Well, she was their teacher!"
It was James who wrote, "Brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers." (James 3:1, GOD'S WORD). He points out that teachers will be judged more severely. He could just as easily have said that teachers have a greater responsibility, a greater challenge, a greater opportunity to affect the lives of people in a negative way. It is impossible to teach without using words, and with greater use of words comes a greater danger that the words will do harm.
But thanks be to God that there are those who face that challenge and assume that responsibility and make a diligent effort to use their words as an opportunity to affect the lives of people in a positive way. Those of you who are teachers -- who can begin to measure the tremendous effect that you are having in the lives of the children (and adults) in your classrooms? You may not see the results of your efforts for years. In fact, you may never get to see the results. But you do make a difference.
Those of you who are schoolteachers are teaching not only the basics of education, but you are teaching values and character. Those of you who are Bible class teachers are filling the minds and hearts of our children with stories of faith that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Those of you who are preachers are strengthening the family of God and bringing salvation to the lost.So, my hat is off to all of you who are teachers because you make a difference!
"We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach." (Romans 12:6-7)
Verses
Romans 10:17
Yet faith comes from listening to this Good News -- the Good News about Christ.
Mark 11:23
"For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says.
1 Peter 3:10-11
For the Scriptures say, "If you want a happy life and good days, keep your tongue from speaking evil, and keep your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others.
John 16:23
In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
Psalm 34:9-10
Revere the LORD, ye His saints, for there is no lack to those who revere Him. The young lions do need and suffer hunger; but those who seek the LORD shall lack in nothing good.
Prayer
Father, Romans 1:21 indicates that those who knew You neither glorified nor gave thanks to You which led to their futile and foolish thinking. It eventually caused the light of Your Word to be veiled and ineffective in their lives as darkness crept in and covered the radiant light of Your truth. They sought honor for themselves and lived for self-glory. Anything good in us is but a reflection of the Spirit of Christ who lives within, so we will glory only in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ though it is mocked and ridiculed by the world. We are unashamedly children of God whose depth of wisdom comes not from the understanding from the world but the understanding from Your Word. May its truth always be our source of light in the darkened age in which we live. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Monday prayer & verses (16 11 2009)
Thought for the day
There is a story about a bride and groom long ago who were leaving on their honeymoon in a buggy pulled by a horse. As they traveled, a piece of paper fluttered across the road and the horse bolted. When the man regained control of the horse he said, "That's one!"
Later in the day, a rabbit jumped from the side of the road and ran in front of the horse. Again the horse bolted. When the man regained control of the horse this time he said, "That's two!"
Something similar happened later in the day and the groom said, "That's three!" He then pulled out his gun and killed the horse.
His startled and bewildered wife said, "Why John, that's terrible; you can't do that!" Her new husband looked at her with expressionless eyes and said, "That's one!"
We have limits on how much we're willing to tolerate from others. Peter thought a generous limit was "seven times" of being sinned against (Matt. 18:21). Jesus said, though, that we are to forgive up to "seventy times seven" (Matt. 18:22), without limit.
I think one of the most difficult Christian traits for us to develop is forbearance, which is the ability to "put up with others". We expect others to tolerate and overlook our shortcomings, but we are often slow to do the same for others. Let us be reminded of these words from Paul:
"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do." (Col. 3:12-13).
Verses
Ephesians 6:11
Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God to the end that you will be able to hold your ground against the stratagems of the devil,
1 Peter 3:10
For "He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking guile;
1 Corinthians 1:30
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God -- and righteousness and sanctification and redemption
John 16:24
"Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
Joshua 1:8
Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Prayer
Father, strange teachings lead me far away from Your truths that I learn as I walk on the straight and narrow path laid out for me. It is on this path that Your grace is revealed to me. It is evident as far as the eye can see and reaches way beyond our limited imagination. Your abundant grace brings me assurance when the world speaks of trouble. Your abiding grace brings me consolation when others forsake me. Your sustaining grace is manifested more in the trials of life than in the mountain top experiences. Thank You for supplying me with Your sufficient grace in the height and depth of my existence. Your amazing grace is supernatural; it never ceases to be amazing and it is good for my heart to be strengthened by Your grace! Amen.
There is a story about a bride and groom long ago who were leaving on their honeymoon in a buggy pulled by a horse. As they traveled, a piece of paper fluttered across the road and the horse bolted. When the man regained control of the horse he said, "That's one!"
Later in the day, a rabbit jumped from the side of the road and ran in front of the horse. Again the horse bolted. When the man regained control of the horse this time he said, "That's two!"
Something similar happened later in the day and the groom said, "That's three!" He then pulled out his gun and killed the horse.
His startled and bewildered wife said, "Why John, that's terrible; you can't do that!" Her new husband looked at her with expressionless eyes and said, "That's one!"
We have limits on how much we're willing to tolerate from others. Peter thought a generous limit was "seven times" of being sinned against (Matt. 18:21). Jesus said, though, that we are to forgive up to "seventy times seven" (Matt. 18:22), without limit.
I think one of the most difficult Christian traits for us to develop is forbearance, which is the ability to "put up with others". We expect others to tolerate and overlook our shortcomings, but we are often slow to do the same for others. Let us be reminded of these words from Paul:
"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do." (Col. 3:12-13).
Verses
Ephesians 6:11
Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God to the end that you will be able to hold your ground against the stratagems of the devil,
1 Peter 3:10
For "He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking guile;
1 Corinthians 1:30
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God -- and righteousness and sanctification and redemption
John 16:24
"Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
Joshua 1:8
Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Prayer
Father, strange teachings lead me far away from Your truths that I learn as I walk on the straight and narrow path laid out for me. It is on this path that Your grace is revealed to me. It is evident as far as the eye can see and reaches way beyond our limited imagination. Your abundant grace brings me assurance when the world speaks of trouble. Your abiding grace brings me consolation when others forsake me. Your sustaining grace is manifested more in the trials of life than in the mountain top experiences. Thank You for supplying me with Your sufficient grace in the height and depth of my existence. Your amazing grace is supernatural; it never ceases to be amazing and it is good for my heart to be strengthened by Your grace! Amen.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Friday prayer & verses (13 11 2009)
Thought for the day
The story is told of a married couple who enjoyed their luxury fishing boat together, but it was the husband who was always behind the wheel operating the boat. He was concerned about what might happen in an emergency. So one day out on the lake he said to his wife, "Please take the wheel, dear. Pretend that I am having a heart attack. You must get the boat safely to shore." So she drove the boat to shore.
Later that evening, the wife walked into the living room where her husband was watching television. She sat down next to him, switched the TV channel, and said to him, "Please go into the kitchen, dear. Pretend I'm having a heart attack. You must set the table, cook the dinner, and wash the dishes."
It's not a very pleasant thing to pretend such a thing, but there are some legitimate concerns we should have. I wouldn't consider it at all out of place for an insurance salesman to ask the question, "If you were to have a heart attack today, would your wife and children be taken care of?"
An even more important question, though, needs to be raised as we consider our spiritual relationship with God. If I were to have a heart attack tonight and die, would I be prepared to stand before the great judgment seat of Christ? It's a legitimate question. When I was a teenager, I thought that I would live forever. As I grow older, I become more and more aware of the fact that each day is a blessing provided by God, and I am not promised even one more.
"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit'; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." (James 4:13-14)
I know it requires a degree of seriousness that may make you a bit uncomfortable, but just for a moment, pretend that you are having a heart attack.
Are you prepared for eternity?
Verses
2 Corinthians 5:7
We live by believing, not by seeing.
Exodus 23:25
"You shall serve the Lord your God only; then I will bless you with food and with water, and I will take away sickness from among you.
1 Corinthians 10:13
You have been put to no test but such as is common to man: and God is true, who will not let any test come on you which you are not able to undergo; but he will make with the test a way out of it, so that you may be able to go through it.
Acts 4:31
And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Joshua 1:8
Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Prayer
Father, we thank You for the sweet glorious message that simple faith may claim; that yesterday, today and forever Jesus is still the same. For still He loves to save the sinful, heal the sick and lame. We rejoice in the fact that He cheers the mourner and stills the tempest. Glory to His name! Yesterday, today and forever Jesus is the same. Everything else changes but Jesus never, glory to His name!
Prayer adapted from the hymn, “Yesterday, Today, Forever” by A.B. Simpson
The story is told of a married couple who enjoyed their luxury fishing boat together, but it was the husband who was always behind the wheel operating the boat. He was concerned about what might happen in an emergency. So one day out on the lake he said to his wife, "Please take the wheel, dear. Pretend that I am having a heart attack. You must get the boat safely to shore." So she drove the boat to shore.
Later that evening, the wife walked into the living room where her husband was watching television. She sat down next to him, switched the TV channel, and said to him, "Please go into the kitchen, dear. Pretend I'm having a heart attack. You must set the table, cook the dinner, and wash the dishes."
It's not a very pleasant thing to pretend such a thing, but there are some legitimate concerns we should have. I wouldn't consider it at all out of place for an insurance salesman to ask the question, "If you were to have a heart attack today, would your wife and children be taken care of?"
An even more important question, though, needs to be raised as we consider our spiritual relationship with God. If I were to have a heart attack tonight and die, would I be prepared to stand before the great judgment seat of Christ? It's a legitimate question. When I was a teenager, I thought that I would live forever. As I grow older, I become more and more aware of the fact that each day is a blessing provided by God, and I am not promised even one more.
"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit'; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." (James 4:13-14)
I know it requires a degree of seriousness that may make you a bit uncomfortable, but just for a moment, pretend that you are having a heart attack.
Are you prepared for eternity?
Verses
2 Corinthians 5:7
We live by believing, not by seeing.
Exodus 23:25
"You shall serve the Lord your God only; then I will bless you with food and with water, and I will take away sickness from among you.
1 Corinthians 10:13
You have been put to no test but such as is common to man: and God is true, who will not let any test come on you which you are not able to undergo; but he will make with the test a way out of it, so that you may be able to go through it.
Acts 4:31
And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Joshua 1:8
Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Prayer
Father, we thank You for the sweet glorious message that simple faith may claim; that yesterday, today and forever Jesus is still the same. For still He loves to save the sinful, heal the sick and lame. We rejoice in the fact that He cheers the mourner and stills the tempest. Glory to His name! Yesterday, today and forever Jesus is the same. Everything else changes but Jesus never, glory to His name!
Prayer adapted from the hymn, “Yesterday, Today, Forever” by A.B. Simpson
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Thursday prayer & verses (12 11 2009)
Thought for the day
A woman goes into the local newspaper office to see that the obituary for her recently deceased husband is properly written (she had always been known for her accuracy to details, second only to her famous sense of thrift). Only his beloved pickup truck remains to remind her of his presence.
The obit editor informs her that the fee for the obituary is 50 cents a word. She pauses, reflects and then says, "Well then, let it read, 'Billy Bob died."
Although amused at the woman's cleverness, the editor says, "Sorry, ma'am, but there is a 7 word minimum on all obituaries."This causes her to become a little flustered, and she thinks things over for a few seconds. "In that case," she says, "let it read, 'Billy Bob died, 1983 Pickup for sale.'
"For reasons that go far beyond finances, we should learn to be a people of few words (and we should make those few words count). Solomon had quite a few things to say on this subject:
"In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise." (Prov. 10:19)
"Therefore let your words be few. For....a fool's voice is knownby his many words." (Eccl. 5:2-3)
"He who has knowledge spares his words..... Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive." (Prov. 17:27-28)
Let your words be few. I would say more, but.......
Verses
Joshua 1:3
As I promised Moses, I will deliver to you every place where you set foot.
Isaiah 53:4
Surely our sicknesses he hath borne, And our pains--he hath carried them, And we--we have esteemed him plagued, Smitten of God, and afflicted.
Romans 3:24
being declared righteous freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
John 15:7
If you remain united to me and my words remain in your hearts, ask for whatever you please and you shall have it.
2 Corinthians 9:7
Each person [should give] just as he has planned in his heart, not with regret, not from compulsion. For God loves a joyful giver.
Prayer
Father, we march as soldiers in the army of the Lord. We thank you for the many spiritual warriors who have taken on added responsibility and assumed difficult duties leading us to victory in this war against sin and strife. Bless our leaders who have poured themselves into our lives and set for us an example to follow; in their conversation, their lifestyle, their faith, their doctrine and in their purity. We honor and bless the previous generation who passed onto us the Living Water and Bread of Life. We now extend the same message to our generation and the next, for with our mouths we will make known Your faithfulness to all generations. Amen.
A woman goes into the local newspaper office to see that the obituary for her recently deceased husband is properly written (she had always been known for her accuracy to details, second only to her famous sense of thrift). Only his beloved pickup truck remains to remind her of his presence.
The obit editor informs her that the fee for the obituary is 50 cents a word. She pauses, reflects and then says, "Well then, let it read, 'Billy Bob died."
Although amused at the woman's cleverness, the editor says, "Sorry, ma'am, but there is a 7 word minimum on all obituaries."This causes her to become a little flustered, and she thinks things over for a few seconds. "In that case," she says, "let it read, 'Billy Bob died, 1983 Pickup for sale.'
"For reasons that go far beyond finances, we should learn to be a people of few words (and we should make those few words count). Solomon had quite a few things to say on this subject:
"In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise." (Prov. 10:19)
"Therefore let your words be few. For....a fool's voice is knownby his many words." (Eccl. 5:2-3)
"He who has knowledge spares his words..... Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive." (Prov. 17:27-28)
Let your words be few. I would say more, but.......
Verses
Joshua 1:3
As I promised Moses, I will deliver to you every place where you set foot.
Isaiah 53:4
Surely our sicknesses he hath borne, And our pains--he hath carried them, And we--we have esteemed him plagued, Smitten of God, and afflicted.
Romans 3:24
being declared righteous freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
John 15:7
If you remain united to me and my words remain in your hearts, ask for whatever you please and you shall have it.
2 Corinthians 9:7
Each person [should give] just as he has planned in his heart, not with regret, not from compulsion. For God loves a joyful giver.
Prayer
Father, we march as soldiers in the army of the Lord. We thank you for the many spiritual warriors who have taken on added responsibility and assumed difficult duties leading us to victory in this war against sin and strife. Bless our leaders who have poured themselves into our lives and set for us an example to follow; in their conversation, their lifestyle, their faith, their doctrine and in their purity. We honor and bless the previous generation who passed onto us the Living Water and Bread of Life. We now extend the same message to our generation and the next, for with our mouths we will make known Your faithfulness to all generations. Amen.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Wednesday prayer & verses (11 11 2009)
Thought for the day
You've no doubt heard of Murphy's Law ("If anything can go wrong, it will.") You may have even heard of some of the corollaries to Murphy's Law ("If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.") But have you heard of the following new laws:
"The Law of Volunteering" -- If you dance with a grizzly bear, you had better let him lead.
"The Law of Avoiding Oversell" -- When putting cheese in a mousetrap, always leave room for the mouse.
"The Law of Reality" -- Never get into fights with ugly people, they have nothing to lose.
"The Law of Self-Sacrifice" -- When you starve with a tiger, the tiger starves last.
"Weiler's Law" -- Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself.
"Law of Volunteer Labor" -- People are always available for work in the past tense.
"Conway's Law" -- In any organization there is one person who knows what is going on. That person must be fired.
"Osborne's Law" -- Variables won't; constants aren't.
"Main's Law" -- For every action there is an equal and opposite government program.
"The Law of Fools" -- It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious.
"Law of Accuracy" -- When working toward the solution of a problem, it always helps if you know the answer.
Corollary: Provided, of course, that you know there is a problem. There are some laws that truly are "laws" in that they always hold true. There are some laws that we wish weren't true. And there are some laws which, fortunately, are eventually removed from the books. The New Testament speaks about the subject of "law" quite a bit. There is a sharp contrast drawn between the "old law" (given by Moses) and the "new law" (given by Jesus Christ). The apostle Paul spent several chapters in Romans discussing "the law" and its shortcomings (though he makes it clear that the law served an important role in his life).
Then in Romans 8, Paul refers to "the law of sin and death." What is that law? Simply this:
Whoever sins, must die (Rom. 6:23). It's a frightening law because we all know (even when we try to deny it) that we are guilty of sin, and so the punishment is inevitable.Fortunately, there is a "corollary" to the law of sin and death: "For the law of the Spirit in life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2).
There's only one thing that can keep the law of sin and death from having its dreaded effect in our lives -- that's is to live a life "in Jesus Christ" according to the Spirit."For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin." (Romans 8:3). The law brings only the result of punishment. Jesus Christ brings a hope of blessing for those who live in Him.
Folks, that's good news!
Verses
Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that He should tell or act a lie, neither the son of man, that He should feel repentance or compunction [for what He has promised]. Has He said, and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken and shall He not make it good?
Deuteronomy 7:14
"You shall be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be a male or female barren among you or among your livestock.
John 3:17
"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Psalm 86:7
In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, For You will answer me.
2 Corinthians 9:11
you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.
Prayer
Father, it comes very naturally to encourage and instruct others in Your teachings. But it is much more difficult to bring loving correction to one who has chosen to live in disobedience to Your command. Help me to go forth as one pure in heart, humble in spirit, and earnest in prayer when I am commissioned to be Your messenger of life-giving rebuke. When the messenger is pure in motive and the message is received in the right spirit then correction will take place, just as it did with David and Nathan. Though I cannot be assured of the desired results help me to find blessing in having been obedient to Your Spirit’s leading. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen
You've no doubt heard of Murphy's Law ("If anything can go wrong, it will.") You may have even heard of some of the corollaries to Murphy's Law ("If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.") But have you heard of the following new laws:
"The Law of Volunteering" -- If you dance with a grizzly bear, you had better let him lead.
"The Law of Avoiding Oversell" -- When putting cheese in a mousetrap, always leave room for the mouse.
"The Law of Reality" -- Never get into fights with ugly people, they have nothing to lose.
"The Law of Self-Sacrifice" -- When you starve with a tiger, the tiger starves last.
"Weiler's Law" -- Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself.
"Law of Volunteer Labor" -- People are always available for work in the past tense.
"Conway's Law" -- In any organization there is one person who knows what is going on. That person must be fired.
"Osborne's Law" -- Variables won't; constants aren't.
"Main's Law" -- For every action there is an equal and opposite government program.
"The Law of Fools" -- It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious.
"Law of Accuracy" -- When working toward the solution of a problem, it always helps if you know the answer.
Corollary: Provided, of course, that you know there is a problem. There are some laws that truly are "laws" in that they always hold true. There are some laws that we wish weren't true. And there are some laws which, fortunately, are eventually removed from the books. The New Testament speaks about the subject of "law" quite a bit. There is a sharp contrast drawn between the "old law" (given by Moses) and the "new law" (given by Jesus Christ). The apostle Paul spent several chapters in Romans discussing "the law" and its shortcomings (though he makes it clear that the law served an important role in his life).
Then in Romans 8, Paul refers to "the law of sin and death." What is that law? Simply this:
Whoever sins, must die (Rom. 6:23). It's a frightening law because we all know (even when we try to deny it) that we are guilty of sin, and so the punishment is inevitable.Fortunately, there is a "corollary" to the law of sin and death: "For the law of the Spirit in life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2).
There's only one thing that can keep the law of sin and death from having its dreaded effect in our lives -- that's is to live a life "in Jesus Christ" according to the Spirit."For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin." (Romans 8:3). The law brings only the result of punishment. Jesus Christ brings a hope of blessing for those who live in Him.
Folks, that's good news!
Verses
Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that He should tell or act a lie, neither the son of man, that He should feel repentance or compunction [for what He has promised]. Has He said, and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken and shall He not make it good?
Deuteronomy 7:14
"You shall be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be a male or female barren among you or among your livestock.
John 3:17
"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Psalm 86:7
In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, For You will answer me.
2 Corinthians 9:11
you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.
Prayer
Father, it comes very naturally to encourage and instruct others in Your teachings. But it is much more difficult to bring loving correction to one who has chosen to live in disobedience to Your command. Help me to go forth as one pure in heart, humble in spirit, and earnest in prayer when I am commissioned to be Your messenger of life-giving rebuke. When the messenger is pure in motive and the message is received in the right spirit then correction will take place, just as it did with David and Nathan. Though I cannot be assured of the desired results help me to find blessing in having been obedient to Your Spirit’s leading. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen
Monday, November 09, 2009
Tuesday prayer & verses (10 11 2009)
Thought for the day
I read recently about a congregation that decided to have four worship services each Sunday.
There was one for those new to the faith. Another for those who liked traditional worship. One for those who'd lost their faith and would like to get it back. And another for those who had bad experiences with churches and were complaining about it.
They have names for each of the services: FINDERS, KEEPERS, LOSERS, WEEPERS.
The joke does remind me that we all have a different idea of what worship should be like. There are some who would like to have a more celebratory nature to our worship. There are others who would prefer to take a more reverent approach. There are many who are concerned about what they get out of worship.
The truth is that there is some validity to each of those concerns. Worship should be a time of celebration: “Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before his presence with singing.” (Psalm 100:1). It should also be a time of reverence. “...Serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.” (Heb. 12:28-29).
And while worship will make an impact on our hearts and lives, ultimately worship is not about what we “get out of it”, but what we “put into in it.” It is a time for us to bow down before the heavenly throne and pour out our praise for who God is and all that He has done for us.
Verses
2 Corinthians 4:13
Now since I have the same spirit of faith as he who said in the Scriptures, "I believed, and so I spoke," I too believe, and so I speak,
John 8:31-32
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
2 Corinthians 5:15
his purpose in dying for all humanity was that those who live should live not any more for themselves, but for him who died and was raised to life.
Jeremiah 33:3
"Call to me, and I will answer you; I will tell you wonderful and marvelous things that you know nothing about.
Proverbs 13:21
Ill fortune pursues the sinner; good fortune rewards the righteous.
Prayer
Jesus, You are life’s greatest Treasure as You emptied Yourself of equality with God and chose to be made in human likeness taking on the very nature of a servant. Thank You for coming to us and meeting our most critical need of salvation. May we not be fearful but openly voice Your presence in the public square even as great hosts of angels proclaimed Your earthly arrival in Bethlehem. Your salvation message brings hope to the hopeless, strength to the weak, and release for those help captive in the ravages of sin’s wasteland. You did not descend to earth in order to conquer or enslave, but to draw the hearts of humankind to Yourself through the incredible sacrificial love that poured forth from Your body on the cross of Calvary. What personal wondrous love is this! Amen.
I read recently about a congregation that decided to have four worship services each Sunday.
There was one for those new to the faith. Another for those who liked traditional worship. One for those who'd lost their faith and would like to get it back. And another for those who had bad experiences with churches and were complaining about it.
They have names for each of the services: FINDERS, KEEPERS, LOSERS, WEEPERS.
The joke does remind me that we all have a different idea of what worship should be like. There are some who would like to have a more celebratory nature to our worship. There are others who would prefer to take a more reverent approach. There are many who are concerned about what they get out of worship.
The truth is that there is some validity to each of those concerns. Worship should be a time of celebration: “Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before his presence with singing.” (Psalm 100:1). It should also be a time of reverence. “...Serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.” (Heb. 12:28-29).
And while worship will make an impact on our hearts and lives, ultimately worship is not about what we “get out of it”, but what we “put into in it.” It is a time for us to bow down before the heavenly throne and pour out our praise for who God is and all that He has done for us.
Verses
2 Corinthians 4:13
Now since I have the same spirit of faith as he who said in the Scriptures, "I believed, and so I spoke," I too believe, and so I speak,
John 8:31-32
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
2 Corinthians 5:15
his purpose in dying for all humanity was that those who live should live not any more for themselves, but for him who died and was raised to life.
Jeremiah 33:3
"Call to me, and I will answer you; I will tell you wonderful and marvelous things that you know nothing about.
Proverbs 13:21
Ill fortune pursues the sinner; good fortune rewards the righteous.
Prayer
Jesus, You are life’s greatest Treasure as You emptied Yourself of equality with God and chose to be made in human likeness taking on the very nature of a servant. Thank You for coming to us and meeting our most critical need of salvation. May we not be fearful but openly voice Your presence in the public square even as great hosts of angels proclaimed Your earthly arrival in Bethlehem. Your salvation message brings hope to the hopeless, strength to the weak, and release for those help captive in the ravages of sin’s wasteland. You did not descend to earth in order to conquer or enslave, but to draw the hearts of humankind to Yourself through the incredible sacrificial love that poured forth from Your body on the cross of Calvary. What personal wondrous love is this! Amen.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Monday prayer & verses (09 11 2009)
Thought for the day
Years ago, on the mighty Mississippi River, two tugboat captains who had been friends for years, would always cry "Aye!" and blow their whistles whenever they passed each other.
A new crewman asked his boat's mate, "What do they do that for?"
The mate looked surprised and replied, "You mean that you've never heard of... an aye for an aye and a toot for a toot?"
I suspect that few of us would admit to living by the motto, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" (Matthew 5:38), but let's be honest -- there is something inside of us that enjoys the idea of getting revenge. Some of the more popular movies throughout the past years have been those that opened with someone being mistreated. We spend the rest of the movie anxiously waiting for the hero to get the opportunity to exact his revenge -- and then we cheer!
It's not much different on a personal level. I suspect that whenever somebody does you wrong, the temptation is there to immediately start thinking of what you can do to get them back. But, if you find yourself tempted to take revenge, may I suggest two things:
(1) Resist the temptation to exchange evil for evil. That temptation will always be strong and we need realize that it will be there. But we also need to remember the emptiness and hollowness of revenge and resentment.
(2) Show your enemy kindness. Abraham Lincoln was once accused of being too nice to his enemy. He was told to be firmer; he must destroy his enemies. He replied, "I do destroy them when they become my friends."
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you." (Matt. 5:43-44)
Verses
1 Peter 5:7
let all your anxieties fall upon him, for his great interest is in you.
1 Peter 2:24
Christ carried the burden of our sins. He was nailed to the cross, so that we would stop sinning and start living right. By his cuts and bruises you are healed.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Philippians 1:19
For I know that this will turn out for my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
Philippians 4:19
Now my God will fill every need of yours according to his riches in glory in connection with Christ Jesus.
Prayer
Father, help us to be moved by the plight of those who are prepared to suffer and even lay down their lives for the sake of Christ. Presently, most all of them are from other lands, which leads to our forgetfulness. But we do want to remember them in our prayers and remember them as warriors of the faith, who for the joy set before them endured the suffering, shame and agony of their tormentors. As they endured the humiliation they also overcame by the blood of the Lamb. So many were presented the crown of life in heaven that is rewarded to those who received the sentence of death on earth by their persecutors. On Coronation Day when we all gather in heaven we look forward to fellowship with these tried and true saints of our faith who did not give up meeting together, no matter the penalty, as they worshiped You. Keep us faithful when tested by fire, we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Years ago, on the mighty Mississippi River, two tugboat captains who had been friends for years, would always cry "Aye!" and blow their whistles whenever they passed each other.
A new crewman asked his boat's mate, "What do they do that for?"
The mate looked surprised and replied, "You mean that you've never heard of... an aye for an aye and a toot for a toot?"
I suspect that few of us would admit to living by the motto, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" (Matthew 5:38), but let's be honest -- there is something inside of us that enjoys the idea of getting revenge. Some of the more popular movies throughout the past years have been those that opened with someone being mistreated. We spend the rest of the movie anxiously waiting for the hero to get the opportunity to exact his revenge -- and then we cheer!
It's not much different on a personal level. I suspect that whenever somebody does you wrong, the temptation is there to immediately start thinking of what you can do to get them back. But, if you find yourself tempted to take revenge, may I suggest two things:
(1) Resist the temptation to exchange evil for evil. That temptation will always be strong and we need realize that it will be there. But we also need to remember the emptiness and hollowness of revenge and resentment.
(2) Show your enemy kindness. Abraham Lincoln was once accused of being too nice to his enemy. He was told to be firmer; he must destroy his enemies. He replied, "I do destroy them when they become my friends."
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you." (Matt. 5:43-44)
Verses
1 Peter 5:7
let all your anxieties fall upon him, for his great interest is in you.
1 Peter 2:24
Christ carried the burden of our sins. He was nailed to the cross, so that we would stop sinning and start living right. By his cuts and bruises you are healed.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Philippians 1:19
For I know that this will turn out for my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
Philippians 4:19
Now my God will fill every need of yours according to his riches in glory in connection with Christ Jesus.
Prayer
Father, help us to be moved by the plight of those who are prepared to suffer and even lay down their lives for the sake of Christ. Presently, most all of them are from other lands, which leads to our forgetfulness. But we do want to remember them in our prayers and remember them as warriors of the faith, who for the joy set before them endured the suffering, shame and agony of their tormentors. As they endured the humiliation they also overcame by the blood of the Lamb. So many were presented the crown of life in heaven that is rewarded to those who received the sentence of death on earth by their persecutors. On Coronation Day when we all gather in heaven we look forward to fellowship with these tried and true saints of our faith who did not give up meeting together, no matter the penalty, as they worshiped You. Keep us faithful when tested by fire, we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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