Word for Today, Mon, 27 Dec 2004: Weekly Verses
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>
Dear friends,
Today's devotional message comes from Phil Ware's Weekly Verses.
This week's collection of verses are about the things we value
and treasure contrasted with the things that God values and
treasures. We are presented with a clear explanation of what
God's love is, compared to the nebulous and varied
interpretations we have of what love is. We are reminded of what
our new identity is as children of God, and what it can become if
we desire to become adopted sons and daughters of the Living God.
We learn what real truth is, what genuine love is, we learn how
to treat one another and how to respond to the wonderful Creator
who made us and cares enough about us to draw us to Himself.
Yours in Christ,
Brian
____________________________
Weekly Verses
from Crosswalk.com
link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.23.29869.1.293748
December 27, 2004
These verses are taken from Heartlight Daily Verse, by Phil Ware
link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.23.29869.2.293748
~~~~~~~~~
MONDAY
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth
and rust destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up
for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not
corrupt and thieves do not break in and steal. For where your
treasure is, there your heart will be also.
--Matthew 6:19-20
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Where do you hide your heart? What we most value is where
we will find our heart. So it is an important question. You
see, we can treasure riches, control, security, relationships,
and even church. Jesus comes to remind us that it is only by
turning loose of the things that most of us keep as our
treasures that we find what is truly
treasure.
MY PRAYER...
Majestic Father, I pray that out of the riches of your
grace, you may help me find my treasure in you and nothing
else. Today, I want to offer you all that I am and have to
your glory. Through Jesus, my example and Savior, I pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
TUESDAY
Just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;
for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
--1 Peter 1:15-16
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
"Holy" is one of those words we generally associate with the
"stained glass ghetto" -- a word only "church folks" use. That
may be true, but it's still a great concept. Every kid knows
that you don't eat hot dogs and potato chips on china. Mom's
china is reserved for "special company" or "special occasions."
Hot dogs are for paper plates and every day, china is for
special events. When God is calling us to be holy, he's
calling us to be china -- something special just for him, and
as Peter emphasizes, just like him.
MY PRAYER...
Holy Lord, God Almighty, I come before you knowing how great
the distance is between your holiness and my commonness. I
thank you for making me holy through the sacrifice of Jesus and
by sending your Holy Spirit to live inside of me. Please
receive my life today as a holy offering to you. Through
Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, I pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
WEDNESDAY
In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting
me free. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can
man do to me?
--Psalm 118:5-6
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
The beginning of the year has been a trying time for people
I care about. Maybe it's been that way for you or those you
love. My prayer for you, and for them, is that they may know
the comfort of God's presence. Whether it's the popular little
poem "Footprints" or the familiar "Yea though I walk through
the shadow of death, thou art with me," the presence of the
Lord is absolutely vital to standing up against our anguish!
The Lord does long to be with us, especially at those moments
when we feel most alone. He told us that by experiencing it
himself at the cross.
MY PRAYER...
I am thankful, O God, that you refused to be God from a safe
distance. Because you came and felt what it was like to be
abandoned, forsaken, and alone, I know I can trust that I will
never be forsaken by you. Please give me a clearer sense of
your presence with me in my life today, I pray through Jesus.
Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
THURSDAY
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all
of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves
with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free,
male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
--Galatians 3:26-29
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
One. Basic, simple, and easy to understand. When we become
Christians through faith and baptism into Christ, we are made
one with all other Christians around the world. Race, gender,
and social status are gone. All that's left is One, the One,
Jesus. Our lives are his and thus are connected to each other.
Our destination is the same, heaven. Our family is the
church. No barriers. No closed doors. We are one.
MY PRAYER...
Abba Father, thank you for adopting me into your family.
May we be one earth now, as we will be when we are all together
around your throne in heaven. I pray for unity among all those
who call upon your name and share your Spirit so the world may
know there is a solution to conflict, strife and division.
Through Jesus our Savior, I pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
FRIDAY
God has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are
therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his
appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be
reconciled to God.
--2 Corinthians 5:19-20
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
The price has been paid. The ransom is provided. God's
judgment was averted, not because of anything we did to appease
him, but by his own sacrifice of Jesus for our sins. If God
has gone to such great lengths to reconcile us to himself and
adopt us into his family, how can we refuse? We must not!
Father God, we offer you our hearts!
MY PRAYER...
O Gracious God, I know my sin has broken your heart and
offended your holiness. Words, therefore, cannot communicate
my thankfulness to you. You were hurt by my sin and yet
provided a sacrifice to redeem me from it and reconcile me to
you. I praise you for your grace, thank you for your love, and
promise to share your mercy. Through Jesus my sacrifice I
pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
SATURDAY
If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a
liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has
seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given
us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his
brother."
--1 John 4:20-21
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Love! The word can mean anything. Many in the Christian
community have tried to define it by a dictionary or lexicon,
not realizing the key word for love, agape, is defined by
action. Before Christians got a hold of agape, it meant the
same thing our word today does: just about anything! But if
you read 1 John, you see what love is by what God does. God
demonstrates his love. He asks us to do the same for our
brothers and sisters. Love must be more than talk, it must be
genuinely demonstrated in action!
MY PRAYER...
Precious Father, you have so graciously shared your love
with me. I must confess, in my heart I intend to love others
as you do, but my intentions often get washed away with
"busy-ness" or timidity. Father, through your Spirit, prompt
me to show my love to others in actions rather than just
thought and talk. Through Jesus, your greatest demonstration
of love I pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
SUNDAY
Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my
disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will
set you free."
--John 8:31-32
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
There are few things more coveted than freedom. People die
for it. People pray for it. People strive for it. True
freedom comes from knowing truth. Knowing truth only comes by
living in obedience to Jesus. Truth is not something you
merely think about or believe. Truth is something you do, you
live. Jesus' teaching always ends with the exclamation:
Blessed are you who do these things! Only by doing will we
ever know the truth that liberates us.
MY PRAYER...
To the only true God be glory, honor, power, and praise.
Father, I seek not only your presence in my daily life, but
also your pleasure in the choices I make. Please teach me more
of your truth as I pledge to live today in obedience to your
word and your will. Through Jesus the living Word I pray.
Amen.
Please forward this message to a friend!
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--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/
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