Word for Today, Mon, 8 Oct 2001: Scripture Reminders about contentment, peace, joy, and love
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>
I want to encourage you today, reminding you that it is possible to
be content, no matter what hideous set of events you have to endure.
Here's a snip of what Paul went through:
"We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed,
but not in despair." --Second Corinthians 4:8
Paul is the same one who wrote these words in The Message: "Love never
gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want
what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, doesn't have a swelled head,
doesn't force itself on others, isn't always 'me first,' doesn't fly
off the handle, doesn't keep score of the sins of others, doesn't
revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best,
never looks back, but keeps going to the end" (1 Corinthians 13:4-8
The Message).
Do you think that it is possible to have that kind of love? I believe
it is not only possible, I believe it is God's intended design for
each of us.
Here's a variety of other well-known scripture passages from multiple
bible translations, which help to piece together the elements of a
life that is content, full of peace, joy, and love:
7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what
happens to you. (1 Peter 5:7, New Living Translation - NLT)
1 Thessalonians 5:15-17 - Always seek to do good to one another and to
all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all
circumstances. (NRSV)
Galatians 6:2 - Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of
Christ. (RSV)
Matthew 7:7-8 - Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will
find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks
receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be
opened. (NIV)
Pray without ceasing ... bear one another's burdens ... Ask and it
shall be given unto you ...
Matthew 18:19 - If two of you on earth agree about anything you ask
for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. (NIV)
4 Be full of joy in the Lord always. I will say again, be full of
joy. 5 Let everyone see that you are gentle and kind. The Lord is
coming soon. 6 Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for
every- thing you need, always giving thanks. 7 And God's peace, which
is so great we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds
in Christ Jesus. 8 Brothers and sisters, think about the things that
are good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that are true
and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected. 9 Do
what you learned and received from me, what I told you, and what you
saw me do. And the God who gives peace will be with you.
(Philippians 4:4-9, New Century Version)
New Century Version 1987, 1988, 1991 by Word Publishing, a division
of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
My prayer today is that, no matter what the translation, no matter who
we are or what we are going through right now, the Word of God is
still clear, right, and true, and that these words will encourage us,
whether we are in the middle of a spiritual high or deep in the depth
of despair. God is present, He is an ever present help in times of
trouble, He is the Great Physician, He is the Lover of my soul, He is
the One who made us, and He is the One who cares. Without Him, to be
sure, life loses meaning. But the Good News is that HE draws US to
Himself, regardless of where we have been or what we have done. So
today, I confess before Him my own personal need, and earnestly seek
Him. Will you join me today?
Attached below are the "Weekly Verses from Crosswalk.com" that I
usually send each week.
Your Brother in Christ,
Brian
Reply-to: Weekly Verses <weeklyverses@lists.crosswalk.com>
Subject: Weekly Verses from Crosswalk.com -- 10/8/01
Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2001 12:02:51 -0400
SPONSOR | Sponsored by Gospel for Asia
sda.goshen.net/cgi-bin/redirect.cgi?AD=gfa0901
____________________________
Weekly Verses
from Crosswalk.com
http://www.crosswalk.com
10/8/01
These verses are taken from TODAY'S VERSE, by Phil Ware
< devotionals.crosswalk.com/TodaysVerse >
~~~~~~~~~
MONDAY
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and
falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven,
for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were
before you.
--Matthew 5:11-12
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
For most who can read this Internet message, the sentiments
of this verse seem foreign. But among those who closely study
persecution, believers in Christ are enduring perhaps the
greatest amount of persecution in the history of Christianity.
For those of us who live in cozy places where belief is
tolerated and Christians are just considered "unhip" or a bit
out of touch, we need to be thankful that our lives make enough
of a distinction from our culture to be noticed, even if it's a
bit unfavorably. But at the same time, we need to pray for
other believers throughout the world who are undergoing the
wrath of hell for the faith.
MY PRAYER...
Great Deliverer, we have many who call on your name with
faith in Jesus who face persecution and hardship every day. I
pray that they will not lose heart and give up their
confidence. I pray that you will bring deliverance from this
time of persecution. I pray that their sufferings will be the
source of powerful witness so others will come to see the great
value of Jesus and our allegiance to him. This I pray in his
precious and holy name. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
TUESDAY
Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the
Lord is kept safe.
--Proverbs 29:25
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Fear is such a paralyzing emotion. It robs us vitality,
decision-making ability, and strength. Courage helps us step
out of fear's paralysis and turn its nervous edge into power.
But this kind of courage comes to us fully only when we know
that all that Satan and his allies can really have of us is our
bodies. He cannot take our mind, our attitude, our faith, and
most of all, he cannot take our relationship with God, given to
us through Jesus.
MY PRAYER...
O Savior, my Great Redeemer, thank you for triumphing over
all that I fear through Jesus. You have not only given me a
hero I trust, but a hope by which I can live victoriously.
Through my Conquering King I thank you. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
WEDNESDAY
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In
his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
--1 Peter 1:3
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
The great truth about Jesus' empty tomb is not that he is
risen, but that he is living! His victory over death wasn't
short-lived, it was ultimate. He now lives to make
intercession for us until he can return and bring us to his
home. Our life is hidden with him so that no one and nothing
can take it from us. When he appears, we will get to share in
his never-ending glory. How can we not praise God for such
grace?
MY PRAYER...
Almighty God, I praise you from the bottom of my heart for
your incredible and glorious grace that has brought eternal
victory out of mortal anguish. Thank you for paying the price
to make it so. You are marvelous beyond my words and worthy of
more praise than all your children's voices together can tell.
My Hope will live forever because he is risen and reigning as
Lord. To you be all honor, glory, and majesty forever, and
ever, Amen!
~~~~~~~~~
THURSDAY
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may
bring forth.
--Proverbs 27:1
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Don't you have your hands full with today? Don't you find
yourself distracted from the urgent and important things of
today by worrying about the problems of tomorrow and
fantasizing about all the possibilities down the road? Isn't
it a waste of time to be anxious about those things you have no
influence over? So why...?
MY PRAYER...
God, give me the strength to seize the moment and live the
life today that will please you and bless others. Help my
heart feel the urgency of today and act with boldness,
kindness, and salvation instead of worrying so much about what
may happen. Give me the immediacy of the moment I see in your
son's ministry. Through whom I pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
FRIDAY
Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is
near.
--Isaiah 55:6
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
In truth, God is always close to those who genuinely seek
after him. The real problem is that we drift away from him,
lose interest, and leave his presence. So let's seek him and
receive his grace and his help while we recognize that he alone
is the one who truly saves.
MY PRAYER...
Father, I seek you with all my heart. While I seek to know
about you through your Word, I long to know you and be known by
you as a tender father knows his child and as a child feels
complete trust toward his tender father. Be not only my God,
but be real to me in ways that transcend explanation. Help me
sense your nearness and to know your presence. Through Jesus I
pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
SATURDAY
Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord is the Rock
Eternal.
--Isaiah 26:4
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
When we see mountains we feel small, knowing not only how
much larger they are than we are, but also how much longer they
have been here than we have been. But the Lord existed long
before any mountain and will exist long after it has melted
into nothing. The only rock of security, and all the forevers
we have, are found in him.
MY PRAYER...
Eternal I Am, who is and was and will be forever, I trust
that you are and will always be my God, my Redeemer, my Savior,
my Shepherd, and my Father. I commit all my tomorrows to you.
Through Jesus my Lord. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
SUNDAY
O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts
for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where
there is no water.
--Psalm 63:1
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Addiction has been defined as "God-hunger directed to the
wrong source of soul satisfaction." Psalm 63 reminds us this
is true. Deep in us is a desire to seek after God because he
is not far from us and longs to be known by us (see Acts 17).
But often when our soul-craving need for God is greatest, he is
the last place we turn for satisfaction.
MY PRAYER...
Holy Father, fill my heart with longing for you and my head
with understanding that it is your presence I crave. I confess
that I have often sought relief for my hunger in things that do
not satisfy. I pledge today to recognize all other sources of
satisfaction to be temporary and false. I promise to pursue you
and your will through your word and your Spirit until I rest in
your presence and grace. In the power of Jesus my Lord, Amen.
____________________SUBSCRIPTION INFO_______________________
* To subscribe, send an email to:
< SUBSCRIBE-weeklyverses@lists.crosswalk.com > or go to
< http://www.crosswalk.com/lists > for a complete list of
our newsletters.
* Copyright 2001 Crosswalk.com, Inc. and its Content
Providers. All rights reserved.
------------------------------------------------------------
=====
--
Brian Masinick, "The Mas", mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
NEW from Yahoo! GeoCities - quick and easy web site hosting, just $8.95/month.
geocities.yahoo.com/ps/info1