Quote from Forum Archives on October 15, 2001, 3:50 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

Here are the Weekly Verses that are written by Phil Ware and compilied
into a weekly list by Crosswalk.com. The theme of this week's message
is seeking God, which includes acknowledging that God saves us, God
sustains us, and God deserves our attention, praise, our trust - a
realization that we belong to God, and we are here to serve Him, not
the other way around.

My pastor really hit home in his sermon this week. He noted that we
often pray for the things that WE want, as if God is always there to
serve us. Well, in one sense, I think it gives God pleasure to give
lavishly to his people. But we belong to God, not the other way
around. I think as I learn to seek God, I see in Him a servant's
heart. But I think that is what God wants ME to have - a servant's
heart. God has modeled, in His Son, the way He wants us to be -
toward Him, and toward one another. As we learn to serve, we begin to
gain an appreciation of the heart of God. Let's remember, though,
that the One we are to seek first and serve is God. Any other kind of
service ends up being service that is done in vein. Note that every
scripture in this series points to God and His purpose. I have to
regularly check myself on this, lest something "supposedly" done in
His name is really nothing more than my own vein thoughts.

Dear Lord,

I yearn to seek You, love You, and serve You in all things. How
painful it is once my eyes are opened and I realize how many of the
things I say and do are really self serving. Forgive me, Lord, and
draw me close to You and Your will for my life.

Brian

Reply-to: Weekly Verses <weeklyverses@lists.crosswalk.com>
Subject: Weekly Verses from Crosswalk.com - 10/15/01

Weekly Verses
from Crosswalk.com
www.crosswalk.com
10/15/01

These verses are taken from TODAY'S VERSE, by Phil Ware
< devotionals.crosswalk.com/TodaysVerse >

~~~~~~~~~
MONDAY

"I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior.
I have revealed and saved and proclaimed -- I, and not some
foreign God among you. You are my witnesses," declares the
Lord, "that I am God."

--Isaiah 43:11-12
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
1 Peter 2 reminds us that we are here as witnesses to
"declare the praises of him who has called us out of darkness
into his marvelous light." We have seen and experienced God's
saving work. We are recipients of his blessing. We are the
people who anticipate his mighty deliverance yet to come. How
can we remain silent? How can we remain bitter, pessimistic,
or discouraged? The God who made the tomb empty and made the
corpse our living Lord is our God and he is mighty to save. He
is our Savior!

MY PRAYER...
O Mighty God, I confess that I slip so easily into my
day-to-day rut that I grow immune to the joy and excitement of
your salvation. Give me eyes to see and a voice to tell of
your glorious deeds, your mighty works, and your answered
promises. I believe you are leading me to glory, so help me
show and share that glory with those who do not know you as
God, Savior, and King. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~

TUESDAY

It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must
revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold
fast to him.

--Deuteronomy 13:4
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
So many people want us to follow their lead and obey their
voice. But God has proved himself faithful and loving through
the ages. In his might he is to be revered. But rather than
seeing reverence as a "church thing," we are reminded by Moses
it is a "life thing." We are to obey and keep his
commandments, and we are to serve him and depend upon him in
our daily lives. Rather than silence in the assembly,
reverence is action to his glory!

MY PRAYER...
Holy and Righteous Father, help me take my worship outside
the church building into my day to day life as I try to live
what I sing, practice what I say, and pursue what I pray. In
Jesus name. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~

WEDNESDAY

Listen to advice and accept instruction and in the end you will
be wise. Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the
Lord's purpose that prevails.

--Proverbs 19:20-21
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
"Man proposes, heaven disposes." Most of us rush to give
advice and make grandiose plans. The wise man reminds us that
wisdom comes from submitting to instruction for a significant
period of time and then, only at the end of long listening,
does it come. If you are like me, you would do much better to
let your plans ripen a bit more in the light of the Lord before
you launch into them. I am comforted that James, the wisdom
writer of the New Testament, reminds us that God will give that
wisdom if we seek it and not doubt.

MY PRAYER...
Almighty God, teach me your ways and help me discern your
paths for my life. I have so many plans and schemes, but I
know if they are not from you, they will not stand. Lead me to
your wisdom and I pledge to you that I will not only seek to
know it, but also seek to live it. Through Jesus I pray.
Amen.

~~~~~~~~~

THURSDAY

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to
him, for God is our refuge.

--Psalms 62:8
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
It is so hard to share the secrets of our hearts with
anyone. We want to keep our secret failings, embarrassments,
and sins hidden, fearing others would reject us and we would
shame ourselves. But hidden sin is only hidden from us, not
from our Father. Hidden sin festers in our hearts and drives a
wedge between us and the God who would forgive us and empower
us to triumph over it if only we would pour out our hearts to
him, because he is our refuge.

MY PRAYER...
Loving Father and Holy God, today I want to confess to you
several things on my heart. Father, I am afraid for others to
know that I have. Holy God, I have sinned and ask your
forgiveness for. Eternal Lord, I get anxious about. You alone
are my refuge and strength. I trust these confessions with you
and ask that you strengthen me by the power of your Holy Spirit
not to fall into these same traps again and again. In Jesus
name I pray. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~

FRIDAY

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own
understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will
make your paths straight.

--Proverbs 3:5-6
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
When things are tough, I find it easy to call on God and
lean on his mercy and grace. He's my ripcord Savior. But I
must confess, when I'm reveling in his blessings and things are
going well, I am so much like the Israelites and forget to
acknowledge that all the blessings I have and all the
opportunities I have received come because of his grace. In my
joy and success, I need to learn to acknowledge him!

MY PRAYER...
Gracious Father, every good thing I have in my life has come
because of you. The family I have been blessed with, the
protection I have received, the values that I hold, the
successes I have enjoyed, the hope I have, the salvation I have
received, and the future I anticipate are all mine because of
your grace and not my goodness. Thank you! Thank you!
Through Jesus I thank you more! Amen.

~~~~~~~~~

SATURDAY

"I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to
prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a
future."

--Jeremiah 29:11
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
When Israel lay devastated in the face of a ruthless enemy
that would rob all glory and strip bare the very soul of God's
people, God issued his promise. While the destruction visited
upon them was in response to their rebellion and sin, God's
punishment wasn't punitive alone, but redemptive. In their
destruction, God promised prosperity, hope, and a future. Just
as a doctor must cause pain when he sets a broken bone so it
may heal, God's discipline is not capricious but curative and
ultimately life-giving.

MY PRAYER...
In my struggles, O Lord, help me find your grace -- not in
the relief of struggle and pain, but in redemption and change
to your glory. By your grace and through my Savior I say it.
Amen.

~~~~~~~~~

SUNDAY

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be
able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good,
pleasing, and perfect will.

--Romans 12:2
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Don't be molded by the world. Wow, isn't that a tough one
to obey? It's a reminder that what we think is one of the
places of greatest spiritual warfare. Sloppy thinking is more
than sloppy, it's dangerous because we are fed messages
constantly that distort God's truth and holy values. But
rather than being incensed by the world acting like the world,
let's be transformed by renewing our minds and doing what Paul
said he did -- take every thought, every word, captive for
Christ. We often think a tithe is giving ten percent of our
money, but an even more vital tithe is giving ten percent of
our thought time totally to the things of God!

MY PRAYER...
O Lord, please guard my soul from pride, my heart from
callousness, and my mind from too much focus on unimportant
things and not enough on your things. Teach me in my heart
what it means to be about my Father's business, especially in
the world of my thoughts! Through Jesus, my greatest example
of time spent with you. Amen.

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____________________________________________________________

=====
--
Brian Masinick, "The Mas", mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

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