Tuesday prayer & verses (31 03 2009)

Thought for the day

The story is told of a principal of a small middle school who had a problem with a few of the older girls starting to use lipstick. When applying it in the bathroom they would then press their lips to the mirror and leave lip prints.Before it got out of hand he thought of a way to stop it. He gathered all the girls together that wore lipstick and told them he wanted to meet with them in the ladies' room at 2 pm. They gathered at 2 pm and found the principal and the school custodian waiting for them.

The principal explained that it was becoming a problem for the custodian to clean the mirror every night. He said he felt the ladies did not fully understand just how much of a problem it was and he wanted them to witness just how hard it was to clean.

The custodian then demonstrated. He took a long brush on a handle out of a box. He then dipped the brush in the nearest toilet, moved to the mirror and proceeded to remove the lipstick.

That was the last day the girls pressed their lips on the mirror!!!

I know......that's disgusting!!!! But sometimes it takes something disgusting for us to recognize the seriousness of what we have done. Like my sins, for example. I'm often tempted to take them lightly ("they're not really so bad"). Sometimes I need to be shocked by the realization of what happened on the cross because of my sin. The spit running down Jesus' face, the blood gushing out, the excruciating agony of spikes being driven into his flesh. It's not a pretty sight. In fact, it's disgusting! But it is in that disgusting sight that I find the strength to turn from the sin I may be contemplating.

"Then they struck him on the head with a reed and spat on him; and bowing the knee they worshiped him. And when they had mocked him, they took the purple off him, put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him." (Mark 15:19-20)

Verses

Romans 8:37

Yet in all these things that happen we shall have victory and more than victory by the help of Him Who loved us.

Matthew 8:17

So God's promise came true, just as the prophet Isaiah had said, "He healed our diseases and made us well."

2 Corinthians 5:20

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.

Jeremiah 29:12

Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

2 Corinthians 9:8

And God is able to give you more than you need of every divine gift, so that in every situation you will always have everything you need, and enough left over for every good work,

Prayer
Father, You desire that we live holy and godly lives as we eagerly await the reappearing of Your Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Nothing here on earth compares with the anticipation we feel about that glorious day. We want to speed Christ’s coming by sharing the gospel message to those near and far. Help us not to be timid or apathetic, but keep us enthused and eager to share the message of salvation so that we speed Your Son’s return. Amen.