Word for Today, Mon, 29 Mar 2004: Weekly Verses
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>
Dear friends,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who
came to us as a man, yet, the scriptures tell us, was in His
very nature, God. Who else can make such a claim? Many in His
day were offended by the mere thought. They sought to kill Him,
and did not even consider verifying whether or not it could be
true. Historical accounts, time and time again, verify event
after event in biblical history, including many of the events
that happened during the ministry of Jesus Christ.
Do you choose to believe them or do you choose to either doubt
or completely reject them? Here are some verses that may help
you make a decision or reinforce that which you already believe.
Yours in Christ,
Brian
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Weekly Verses
from Crosswalk.com
link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.23.20449.1.293748
March 29, 2004
These verses are taken from Heartlight Daily Verse, by Phil Ware
link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.23.20449.2.293748
~~~~~~~~~
MONDAY
Mary said, "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices
in God my Savior.... The Mighty One has done great things for
me - holy is his name."
--Luke 1:46
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
While Mary's submission to God's will costs her in ways we
can never imagine, for Jesus to come to life in the hearts of
people today our attitude must be the same as her attitude was
on this night of miracle and mystery. We too, must be willing
to be the Lord's servant and offer him the praise of our lives
and of our lips. In Jesus, the Lord has done great things for
us!
MY PRAYER...
Majestic Father, Almighty God, you have done wonderful
things for me. You have saved me from sin, you have paid the
price for my rebellion, and you have given me the promise of
heaven and the Holy Spirit to empower me there. You are
greater than I can imagine and your glory is without
comparison, yet you have stooped so low as to reach me and then
raised me back up with you by your grace. I can never fully
thank you, for you are more wonderful to me than my words can
declare or a thousand years of life could repay. Through Jesus
I give you all glory and praise. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
TUESDAY
An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as
your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy
Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him
the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their
sins."
--Matthew 1:20-21
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Jesus first had to become the sins of the people before he
could save them (us) from those sins (2 Cor. 5:21; 1 John
4:10). His own people rejected him before his forgiveness
could be received. Jesus' gift of salvation was incredibly
costly to him. It is a reminder of two great truths: God
loves us incredibly and salvation is a precious gift.
MY PRAYER...
Almighty God and Savior, thank you for bearing the cost of
my sin in Jesus. Thank you precious Lord, for taking on human
flesh, bearing its difficulties, facing rejection so I could be
saved. My salvation makes all other names pale in comparison to
Jesus, through whom I offer all thanks and praise. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
WEDNESDAY
[Zechariah said,] "Praise be to the Lord, God of Israel,
because he has come and has redeemed his people. He has raised
up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant
David, as he said through his holy prophets long ago."
--Luke 1:68-70
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
What God does in Jesus is not a surprise. Yes, it was
unexpected, but the "hints" and prophecies of his coming are
found all over the Old Testament. The holy prophets had spoken
about it "long ago." But more than the prophets, Jesus coming
is God keeping his word. Jesus' coming is God's answer to his
promises. That's why Paul can say that all God's promises find
their "yes" in Jesus and it is through Jesus that the "amen" is
spoken (2 Cor. 1). In Jesus, God comes, God ministers, God
cares, God saves, God redeems, and God keeps his promises.
MY PRAYER...
I thank you, Holy Father, that you keep your promises. I
know you don't have to keep your word to me, but because of
your love and kindness, I know you will. So please help me be
more faithful to you as I seek to honor my commitments and
pledges to you. I know this is important to you not only
because I need to learn obedience, but I also need to develop a
character more consistent with your own. Thank you for hearing
my heart. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
THURSDAY
[Zechariah prophesied concerning John,] "You, my child, will be
called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before
the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the
knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God."
--Luke 1:76-78
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Where does salvation come from? Does it come from our sense
that something is desperately wrong and we need to change and
make it better? Does it come from casting things in a more
positive light so we don't become discouraged and quit? Does
it come from a lucky break? Does it come because we are
scrupulously righteous and deserve it come our way? Does it
come from rigorously obeying everything in the law? No!
Salvation and forgiveness come from one source, "the tender
mercy of our God."
MY PRAYER...
I confess, Father, that at times I've tried to earn my
salvation. At other times, I have taken it for granted and
trampled on your mercy and grace. Today, Father, I want to
live for you: not to be saved or gain salvation, but to please
you and reflect your character and nature. Your mercy and
grace have redeemed many people from the worthless way of
living that I see so many others trapped in. Thank you for your
salvation, but please help me to live in a way that shows the
joy of that salvation in all I say, think, and do. Through
Jesus I pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
FRIDAY
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census
should be taken of the entire Roman world. So Joseph went up
from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the
town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of
David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to
be married to him and was expecting a child.
--Luke 2:1 and 4-5
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Isn't it amazing how many inconveniences in our lives the
Lord uses to accomplish his will in us? Can you think of a
worse time to have to go on a cross-country trip with their
modes of travel than Joseph and Mary faced? Yet God turned it
into the moment in which the angels found their tune and Satan
met his match.
MY PRAYER...
Father, I thank you that behind history, and especially
behind the part of history where I live, your hand is always
working for my redemption and your glory. Give me faith to
ride out the difficult times, knowing that you will use those
difficulties to be the incubator of your next great work in me.
Through Jesus I pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
SATURDAY
While [Joseph and Mary] were [in Bethlehem], the time came for
the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a
son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.
--Luke 2:6-7
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
I've always been amazed at how God chose to place his Son
into our world. He could have done it any way he wanted. But
he chose this way -- to enter the world in difficult times
under difficult circumstances as a helpless infant who must be
cared for by parents who were vulnerable to so many frailties.
Yet in spite of the challenges that lay ahead and the
bewildering mystery that confronted them: Joseph and Mary,
along with everyone around them, were caught up in the great
joy this new child gave.
MY PRAYER...
Give me a heart of faith, O God, so that I might always see
your sovereignty and grace being poured out on me in special
ways. I am thrilled that you, the Creator and Sustainer of the
entire universe, chose to enter my world as a child. Thank you
for trusting your wonderful salvation to human flesh so we
could know that you deemed us worthy of entering our world to
make us right for yours. Through Jesus. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
SUNDAY
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby,
keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord
appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not
be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for
all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been
born to you; he is Christ the Lord."
--Luke 2:8-11
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Shepherds and the glory of the Lord in the same sentence.
Shepherds enjoyed a great heritage in Israel with Abraham,
Moses, and David as notable shepherds and God being identified
through Psalm 23 as a great shepherd. But by this time in
Israelite history, they were not highly regarded. They smelled
like sheep. They spent their time with sheep. They were not
really clean and religious enough to be considered spiritual.
So when God chose to announce the birth of Jesus to shepherds
with his contingent of angels he makes his point clear:
Everyone is loved by God, everyone has access to God, and
everyone is desired by God.
MY PRAYER...
Holy and Almighty God, I confess to you that sometimes the
outward appearance and reputation of a person colors the way I
treat them. But today, I'm convicted of how much you want
everyone to know about your grace in Jesus. Give me a heart to
love all people and a passion to share your grace with them.
Through Jesus I pray this. Amen.
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Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/
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