Quote from Forum Archives on December 18, 2001, 9:24 am

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

This week's selection of Weekly Verses from Phil Ware includes a
smattering of selections from Old Testament prophesy, Gospel
records, and historical accounts concerning the events leading up
to the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. As usual, Phil
includes a scripture verse, a brief thought about each verse, and
a prayer.

It is my prayer that each of us will not only continue to
earnestly seek the Christ in our lives, but we will find Him and
He will continually guide each day of our lives. May this
particular holiday season bless you and those around you, like no
other time, as you seek Him again, or even for the first time.
Christ IS in our midst, even now.

O Lord, how wonderful it is that You came to dwell among us. You
chose not to come with any great fanfare, though it is clear that
You came in a way that no other could possibly accomplish -
through the virgin birth of a humble and faithful servant, Mary.
Though Mary is not the Christ, surely she is unique among women,
for You used her body as the vessel to deliver Your Spirit to
dwell among us in flesh!

What a wonder! What a joy! What a sacrifice You made to come
and live among us!

The manner in which You lived was amazing, too - humble, yet with
authority, in flesh, yet without sin, powerful, like a lion, yet
meek and lowly, like a lamb. Truly, the words of Isaiah the
prophet were fulfilled at Your coming.

I ask that You would continue to move and work within us today,
even the meek and low among us. For those of us who lack a
humble and contrite heart, I pray that You would reveal Yourself
within us, soften our coarseness, free us from the fears that
harden us, demonstrate Your peace that is within, and bring glory
to Your Name. I ask each of these things humbly, in Jesus' Name.
Amen.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

Weekly Verses
from Crosswalk.com
www.crosswalk.com
12/17/01

These verses are taken from TODAY'S VERSE, by Phil Ware
< devotionals.crosswalk.com/TodaysVerse >

~~~~~~~~~
MONDAY

The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like [Moses]
from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.

--Deuteronomy 18:15
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Jesus is that prophet like Moses. He has come and taught us
God's truth. He has taught us with his words recorded in the
Gospels. He has taught us with his example, through the deeds
he has done. He is teaching us through his abiding presence in
us and through the Spirit he has given us. But he teaches us
most effectively when we put into practice what he has said.

MY PRAYER...
El Shaddai, who thundered from Mount Sinai and gave your Law
to your servant Moses, I believe you are still speaking today
through Jesus. Help me not only hear his voice, but listen to
his message and life and put it into practice today. Gently
correct and lead me in the way of obedience so that I may more
perfectly glorify you with the worship of my daily life.
Through Jesus I pray. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~

TUESDAY

The Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with
child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

--Isaiah 7:14
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
God is interested in us personally. So much so that he
personally gives us this sign. Because of Matthew's
explanation of the meaning of the name Immanuel, we know what
that sign was - Jesus coming to live as God with us. His
presence is God's presence. His life is God's sign. The
miracle of his conception is God's mystery and also his
statement of grace for us.

MY PRAYER...
Holy and Almighty Lord who refuses to be detached and far
away: I thank you for coming to live among us in Jesus. I
thank you and praise you for your sacrifice and pain. I know
this sign cost you greatly so please let my praise in prayer,
song, thought and life reflect my thanks to you in Jesus.
Amen.

~~~~~~~~~

WEDNESDAY

When the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a
woman, born under law, that we might receive the full rights of
sons.

--Galatians 4:4-5
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
God waited untill history reached his appointed time and
sent Jesus. Just the right time -- Roman rule, Jewish
subordination, good roads, freedom, a degree of safety, a
common trading language, cruel and barbaric punishment
accompanied by religious infighting. In times such as these,
he sent his Son to be a woman's son. He emptied his home so he
could send a redeemer to our home. He did it so we could be
his children -- not pretend children, but real children, with
full rights. So he could not only be God, but so he could be
Abba.

MY PRAYER...
Abba Father, even your name is precious to me. I gasp at how
much it cost you to let me call you Abba. I don't understand
such extravagant love, but I thank you for it. I know I don't
deserve to call you Abba, but it sounds so right. Something
inside resonates at the sound of Abba -- Holy, Righteous,
Almighty, Abba! While I know that I will never be a perfect
child, I rest today in the confidence that I am your child and
that you claim me. Thank you in Jesus. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~

THURSDAY

When King Herod had called together all the people's chief
priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ
was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for
this is what the prophet has written: 'But you, Bethlehem, in
the land of Judah, are by no means the least among the rulers
of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the
shepherd of my people Israel.'"

--Matthew 2:4-6
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
"The first will be last and the last will be first." That's
one of Jesus' favorite sayings. Isn't it interesting that God
said it long before he was born. Isn't it interesting that
those who knew the Scriptures, but didn't know Jesus, said it
too! Isn't it interesting that Herod and Jesus lived it thirty
years before Jesus would teach it? Isn't it interesting that
Jesus gave us the Lord's Supper to remember that while Jesus
died and shed his blood, on the first day of the week, Sunday,
he rose. When it matters most, Jesus and his people will
finish first!

MY PRAYER...
You, O Lord, are marvelous. You are God Almighty, the holy
and majestic Creator. Yet you became the least so I can share
in your glory. Please help me, O God, never to look down on
someone else because they look like the least. I know, Father,
that as I serve and love them, I'm serving and loving you. In
Jesus name I pray. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~

FRIDAY

God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a
virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a
descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel
went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored!
The Lord is with you."

--Luke 1:26-28
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Wow! Such a familiar sentence packed with emotion. An
angel comes to Nazareth to visit and speak with a young woman
engaged to be married. Before the history-shattering news is
announced, she is given one key reminder that will be truer
than she could imagine, "The Lord is with you."

MY PRAYER...
My request, O God, I've sung many times: "Be with me Lord,
I cannot live without Thee. I cannot bear to take one step
alone." Father, I need your abiding presence to face the
challenges of life. As you have upheld your children through
the ages, I am thankful to greet each day knowing that I will
not face it alone. In Jesus' name. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~

SATURDAY

The angel said to [Mary], "Do not be afraid, you have found
favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a
son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great
and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will
give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over
the house of Jacob forever."

--Luke 1:30-33
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Jesus is identified by many names stated or implied in the
four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John). Notice how Jesus is
identified in just this one passage: child, son, Jesus, great,
Son of the Most High, King, son of David, and leader of Israel
(Jacob). Jesus exhausts all descriptions, and yet chose to be
limited to imperfect descriptions by becoming human. But this
flood of names and descriptions helps us find Jesus a Savior in
every trial and blessing of life. Jesus is Savior for all
seasons.

MY PRAYER...
Holy and Almighty Father, I thank you for all the ways Jesus
is described and all the names he is given. They help me see
the breadth of his nature and the depth of his character.
Please bless me so I may always find a dimension of Jesus'
ministry or a name or description of Jesus to help sustain me,
when I walk through the shadows of doubt caused by the evil
one. Help me, O Father, to see Jesus and not my preoccupations
and biases so that when he comes again, I will know him, and he
me. Through the glorious name of the Savior I pray. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~

SUNDAY

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.

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____________________________________________________________

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

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