Word for Today, Mon, 16 Feb 2004, Weekly Verses, New Thinking
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>
Dear friends,
Today's message is from Phil Ware. This is the weekly collection
of scripture verses, thoughts about each verse, and prayers for
each day of the week. In this particular collection, attention
is given to praying for leaders and those in authority over us,
also for prayers and purpose filled lives. These are among the
very important matters of our faith that have a profound impact
on the way we think and act - deeply affecting our spirit.
Naturally, it is the Holy Spirit that transforms our thinking in
these matters.
Yours in Christ,
Brian
___________________________
Weekly Verses
from Crosswalk.com
link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.23.19062.1.293748
February 16, 2004
These verses are taken from Heartlight Daily Verse, by Phil Ware
link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.23.19062.2.293748
~~~~~~~~~
MONDAY
He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant - not
of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the
Spirit gives life.
--2 Corinthians 3:6
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
A new covenant -- God willingly entered into a new agreement
with us, his creatures, sealed it with the blood of his Son
Jesus, and sent the Spirit to give us the power to live the
life of this new covenant. God has made a covenant of love and
grace with us. The Almighty has then turned around and made us
worthy and competent to share that covenant with others. Now
wonder it is life-giving: it brings life to us and through us!
MY PRAYER...
O holy and majestic God, thank you for your grace that has
saved me from sin and has redeemed me from the law of sin and
death. Thank you for sending the gift of your Son and the gift
of your Spirit so that I can live with you in a covenant of
life, grace, and love. While I confess my weaknesses, I also
promise you that I will live to honor your sacrifice, love and
covenant, trusting that you will ultimately empower me to be
what you are calling me to be. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
TUESDAY
This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's
servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone
what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue,
then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
--Romans 13:6
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Ouch! I hate taxes. But I have to admit, I enjoy many of
the privileges and blessings that those taxes afford. Paul
keeps reminding us in Romans 13 that civil authorities are
God's tools to hold back anarchy, chaos, and lawlessness. As a
Christian, I'm immune to most laws because my faith in Jesus is
going to regulate my behavior far more strictly than a legal
code. But I do have a responsibility (I owe it, Paul says) to
be a good citizen, a good financial manager, a nice respectful
neighbor, and a person who willingly honors those who have
merited it.
MY PRAYER...
Almighty God, I pledge allegiance to you. You alone are
Sovereign, Ruler, and King. But because you call me to honor
my government, because you have so richly blessed me to be in a
land such as this, because you have lavished your grace on me
so richly, I will live today in a way that honors my allegiance
to you, my citizenship in my country, and my respect toward
those whom I meet this day. In Jesus I pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
WEDNESDAY
He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his
good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into
effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment - to
bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one
head, even Christ.
--Ephesians 1:9-10
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Jesus is Lord! God's plan was purposed in Christ. It
centered on Christ coming at the right time. God's plan was to
bring unity in Christ by making him Lord of all! What's more,
this plan that brings our salvation brings God great pleasure.
God is the only saving God and Jesus is both our Savior and
Lord. So the real issue we face today is this: What area of
our lives, our hearts, our secrets, our sin, our rebellion,
have we not submitted to his lordship?
MY PRAYER...
O Precious Father, I know my heart can be deceitful. At
times I can even fool myself. But when I kneel in your
presence and am convicted by your Word, I find myself reminded
of the areas I have not yet fully submitted to your control and
Jesus' lordship. Please, dear Father, use the Holy Spirit to
gently show and convict of my self-deception so that I may be
wholly lost in your will. Through Jesus, Lord of lords, I
pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
THURSDAY
I urge, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and
thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in
authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all
godliness and holiness.
--1 Timothy 2:1-2
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
God wants us to be a praying people. But more than that,
God wants us to pray for people. The blessing of that kind of
prayerful life is that we get to live peaceful and quiet lives
full of godliness and holiness. So pray, dear friend in Jesus,
pray as if world peace depends upon it, because it does!
MY PRAYER...
Majestic and Holy God, your greatness is beyond my mind to
grasp but your grace reaches me and teaches in a new way each
day. Forgive me when my prayer life has not been passionate.
Forgive me for letting my prayers focus only on what is wrong.
Use your Spirit, O God, to ignite a hunger in my soul so that I
come to find satisfaction only in you and your presence.
Through Jesus Christ and the intercession of the Holy Spirit, I
pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
FRIDAY
If serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for
yourselves this day whom you will serve.... As for me and my
household, we will serve the Lord.
--Joshua 24:15
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
While we can't speak for everyone in our family, we can
commit to what everyone in our family should desire: We will
serve the Lord!
MY PRAYER...
Give me wisdom, O tender Shepherd, on how to lead my family
to love you more. Please bless my parents, and thank you for
their faith. Please give me courage and sensitivity so that I
can effectively share your truth with my children. O God,
please bless those parents who are seeking to raise godly
children who will someday marry the children you've given me.
I want my house to be a place where you are known, appreciated,
honored, and loved. Through Jesus I ask it. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
SATURDAY
'Come now, let us reason together,' says the Lord. 'Though
your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.'
--Isaiah 1:18
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Nothing stains quite like sin. It not only leaves a stain
in our heart but a residue in our minds. But God's grace is
shown in that he doesn't just forgive our sins, he doesn't just
forget our sins, he banishes them. They are gone. The stain
is removed, the guilt is taken away. We are clean by his
grace.
MY PRAYER...
O the joy your grace gives me! I can never thank you or
praise you enough for rerouting my life so that it will end,
and begin again, in you. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
SUNDAY
God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things
beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, 'Fall on the
earth,' and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.'
--Job 37:5-6
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Isn't that a beautiful phrase! "God's voice thunders in
marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding."
Rather than spending a lot of time talking or thinking about
how marvelous God is, let's praise him in prayer.
MY PRAYER...
Holy, Righteous, and Eternal God, You alone are truly and
fully holy. I cannot comprehend the distant outskirts of your
ways. But I love you. You are so far beyond me on my best
days, I can't quite understand why you would pay such a cost to
redeem someone like me. But, Dear God, I thank you. In Jesus
name. Amen.
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--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/
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