Quote from Forum Archives on December 9, 2002, 9:39 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

Today's message comes from the Crosswalk.com compilation of
Weekly Verses, which originates from Phil Ware's column called
"Today's Verse".

As I first mentioned a week or so ago, this is the season of
preparation, and it's called Advent for that reason. We're
preparing ourselves to receive Christ in our hearts, either for
the first time, or we are renewing our minds, and remembering all
that Christ has done for us.

Today's collection of scriptures from Weekly Verses is useful
because it's all about Christ, and the messages discuss the
things that Christ has done for us.

Won't you:

Think about His love
Think about His goodness
Think about His grace
That's brought us through?

(excerpts from the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir Song, "Think About
His Love).

Your Brother in Christ, Brian

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Weekly Verses
from Crosswalk.com
www.crosswalk.com

December 9, 2002

These verses are taken from TODAY'S VERSE, by Phil Ware
link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.23.9248.1.293748

~~~~~~~~~
MONDAY

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets
at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he
has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all
things, and through whom he made the universe.
--Hebrews 1:1-2
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
God is a speaking God. He loves us and has chosen to get
his message to us in words. First there were the patriarchs
and great prophets. Then there was the written record in the
Scriptures. But God's greatest message, his most powerful
words, were not really words at all, but a person named Jesus
of Nazareth, who is Christ and Lord of all. For us, his
Church, to be what he wants us to be, we must not just look at
Scripture, we must also look at him. He is the key to
understanding what Scripture means and how it is to be lived.

MY PRAYER...
Holy Father, help me to see Jesus and his work and purpose
more clearly as I open your Book and seek to understand your
will. Fill me with your Spirit, so that I may greet each
decision awakened to the answer to "What would Jesus do?"
Through Jesus, my Lord and Savior I pray. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~

TUESDAY

Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me
will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be
thirsty."

--John 6:35
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
We crave food at regular intervals during the day. During
this holiday season food occupies our thoughts and fills up our
activities. But deep in our soul is a hunger, a soul hunger.
It cannot be filled by food, drink, or chemicals. This hunger
was the desire built into us by our Creator, placed there when
he knit us together in our mother's womb. This hunger can only
be satiated by Jesus.

MY PRAYER...
Please fill me, my Father, with Jesus. Give me today, my
Daily Bread, that I may find life in all its fullness.
Precious Lord, Jesus my brother and Savior, fill me and touch
me with your presence so that I can serve you by blessing those
around me with your grace. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~

WEDNESDAY

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said,"I am the light
of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life."

--John 8:12
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Darkness is more than a symbol, it is a pervasive way of
living and viewing the world. Darkness is the place of
deception, evil, crime, predators, sin, and death. To follow
Jesus means to bring him our heart and let him cast everything
from the darkness that plagues us on the inside so we don't
have to be afraid of the darkness on the outside. In this way,
Jesus gives us light, but it is a light that does more than
fill a dark room. This is a light that illumines the heart.

MY PRAYER...
Holy God who lives in glorious and irrepressible light, I
praise you for sending Jesus to cast away the dark fears that
so easily envelope me. I pray for strength and courage to not
only live in the light, but show others their way to the light.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~

THURSDAY

Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep;
whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and
go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and
kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have
it in full."

--John 10:7 and 9-10
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Jesus came to the world to give us life. He didn't come to
bring us rules, or judgment, or fear, or work. Jesus came to
give us life in its fullest form. While we know that this is
promised to us when we go to be with him for all eternity, John
wants us to clearly hear that Jesus' promise to give us life
begins right now! Not JUST life later, but also life NOW!

MY PRAYER...
Almighty God, I confess that sometimes I play life too
carefully, not risking failure and loss and not reaching for
your opportunities and your concerns. Give me a heart that
yearns to live life in all its fullness by seeking after your
will, Jesus' example, and the Holy Spirit's leading in my
decisions today and always. Through Jesus I ask this to your
glory. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~

FRIDAY

[Jesus said,] "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my
sheep know me - just as the Father knows me and I know the
Father - and I lay down my life for the sheep."

--John 10:14-15
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
The goal of our walk with Jesus is to come to know him as
our shepherd just as intimately as he knows the Father. A key
thing for us to remember: In a world where so many people want
to attract our attention and are willing to give us advice, we
can refuse their voice. We listen to Jesus because he has
shown his love for us by laying down his life for us. He is
not a hireling, he is the Good Shepherd.

MY PRAYER...
Holy Father, you are wonderful and generous beyond
description. You have shown your love by sending your Son to
be my Shepherd. Help me hear his voice through your Word.
Help me hear his voice through the wise counsel of spiritual
friends. Help me hear his voice through the words sung by my
brothers and sisters when we are assembled. Help me hear his
voice in the Holy Spirit's work on my conscience. Father, I
want to follow your Son as my Shepherd and Lord because I know
he, like you, is good! Through my Shepherd and Lord I pray.
Amen.
~~~~~~~~~

SATURDAY

[Jesus said,] "I am the resurrection and the life. He who
believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever
lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

--John 11:25
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
This is the most important question you will ever answer.
Do you really believe this? Do you believe that when you died
with Christ in baptism through faith, that you died the most
significant death and that your physical death will not
separate you from Jesus? All of life, even all of eternity for
you, hangs on this one question.

MY PRAYER...
Almighty and Everlasting Father, I believe that because you
have adopted me into your family, death will never claim me.
Help me live with new vigor and confidence knowing that Satan
cannot have me and death cannot claim me because I am yours
through Jesus. In my precious Redeemer I pray. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~

SUNDAY

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No
one comes to the Father except through me."
--John 14:6
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
I don't want to be any more exclusive than Jesus. But I do
want to hear his voice. He calls me to find the way to the
Father through him. I must also know that others must know him
to find their way to the Father, too. How can we not be more
passionate about those around us who do not really know Jesus
as their Savior, Redeemer, Brother, and Lord? How can the
first four books of our New Testament lie unread?

MY PRAYER...
Holy God and Righteous Father, give me a passion for Jesus
and a heart that knows him in word, deed, and concern. Through
him I pray. Amen.

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____________________________________________________________

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

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