Word for Today, Tue, 21 Dec 2004: Weekly Verses
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>
Dear friends,
Today's devotional message comes from Phil Ware's Weekly Verses.
Do you want to do what's right? Do you want to have the right
kind of attitude? Are you willing to examine yourself? This
collection of verses, thoughts, and prayers is just right if you
are ready to take the Advent step of examining your own heart and
allowing the Word of God to transform the way you think and act.
Yours in Christ,
Brian
____________________________
Weekly Verses
from Crosswalk.com
link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.23.29862.1.293748
December 20, 2004
These verses are taken from Heartlight Daily Verse, by Phil Ware
link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.23.29862.2.293748
~~~~~~~~~
MONDAY
Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of
wisdom.
--Psalms 90:12
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
So often we look up and time has passed us by. The things we
promised ourselves we'd accomplish and the deeds we told others
we'd do get left undone. Before we know it, days have become
weeks, and weeks months, and months years. We find ourselves
unable to do what we once assumed we could do any time we want.
We must ask the Spirit of God to help us see and seize the
opportunities the LORD places in our path.
MY PRAYER...
Father, I confess that so often I leave undone what needs to
be done. Please help me see your plans in each of my days and
live in a way which not only honors you, but also blesses those
you want me to reach. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
TUESDAY
The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions,
and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this
present age.
--Titus 2:11-12
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
In a world that has no absolutes, in a world in search of
moral standards, salvation by the costly grace of God beckons
us to change our lifestyle in response to God's grace. Anyone
who receives grace and refuses to pursue righteousness
demonstrates his/her ignorance or hardness of heart. In our
day, in our time, to be saved means to pursue righteousness --
not so that we may earn our salvation, but so that God's saving
grace will not be fruitless in us.
MY PRAYER...
Holy Father, I confess that I live in a confusing time.
Satan is always distorting the distinction between right and
wrong, good and evil, moral and immoral. Because you have been
so gracious with me, may my life today reflect the
righteousness you gave me through Jesus. "May the words of my
mouth and the thoughts of my heart, be pleasing in your sight,
my Rock and my Redeemer." Through Jesus, my atoning sacrifice I
pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
WEDNESDAY
[God] has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the
Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to
walk humbly with your God.
--Micah 6:8
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
God's desires for us are not hard to discern. He wants to
bless us with salvation. The incredible gift of his Son is
powerful testimony to this truth. But salvation from sin and
death is not something he wants to happen in our lives only
once. He wants our lives to daily reflect his salvation and to
share it with others. We should act justly and pursue mercy in
our relationships, and honor him with our worship from a humble
heart.
MY PRAYER...
Almighty and compassionate Father, as I embrace this New
Year, help my eyes see what your heart sees. Teach me to hate
sin and be merciful to the repentant. Teach me to know truth
and act fairly, while hating abuse and exploitation. Through
your Spirit, stir me to reflect on the great distance between
your holy majesty and my inconsistent character. Make me more
your child, I pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
THURSDAY
Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage
the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless.
--Isaiah 1:16-17
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Do you find it easy to replace service to those in need with
religious rituals? I know I do! But God wants us to not get
so caught up in talking about him and celebrating his deeds,
that we forget we're supposed to care for others like he does.
Whether it is Jesus defining his ministry in Luke 4:18-19 or
James talking about the kind of piety that pleases God
(1:26-27), we must realize true faith is treating others as God
would. Today's verse defines what God does and asks us to live
the same.
MY PRAYER...
O Great God of all comfort, open my eyes today to see those
who need your love and give me the attentiveness, time, and
compassion to serve them. May Jesus' work be seen in my life
today. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
FRIDAY
Prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your
hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is
revealed.
--1 Peter 1:13
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
When Jesus came the first time, he came to reveal God (John
1:18). As wonderful, powerful, and gracious as he was in his
earthly ministry, it did not fully reveal Jesus our Lord. Our
hope is tied to his return. When he comes this time, he won't
come to reveal God, but to reveal himself -- the conquering
Lord, the Rider on the white horse. Every knee will bow. And
we will see him as he really and fully is, Immanuel in power
and grace. With this as our hope, we can be ready for active
service to our king as people who live their lives under his
leadership and control.
MY PRAYER...
O Almighty God, I long for the day when I get to see Jesus
face to face coming with the angels in power. Until that time,
fasten my heart in hope to the glory Jesus will share with me
on that day, and please empower me to live as one who knows
that victory is mine in Jesus. Jesus, through your powerful
name I pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
SATURDAY
Be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live a life of
love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a
fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
--Ephesians 5:1-2
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. If we are
to sincerely flatter God by being like him, imitation may be
the most costly form of flattery as well. You see, love for
God is never something that occurs just in our minds or our
hearts. Love is something we do for another -- it is action.
John said in 1 John 4 that we must love in both our deeds and
our words. Love means to give ourselves up -- what we want,
our rights, our desires -- to honor God and serve others. This
is a kind of love that can change the world, or a marriage, or
a family.
MY PRAYER...
Abba Father, I will never fully understand how you could
love me so much that you would allow your son to die for me as
my sacrifice. Please help me love others sacrificially. I
know the power to do this is not within me, so please pour your
love into my heart so that I may share that love with others.
Through Jesus, my brother and my sacrifice, I pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
SUNDAY
Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God
Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil,
love good; maintain justice in the courts.
--Amos 5:14-15
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
A whole bunch of folks claim that God is on their side. In
reality, that's not important at all. The real question is
whether we are on God's side! That's determined more by what
we seek and do rather than what we say and believe. God longs
to be with us, but he will not sacrifice his character to
extend us cheap grace, a grace that does not call us to be like
him. He's looking for believers who put their character where
their mouth is.
MY PRAYER...
Most Holy God. Your righteousness and holiness are beyond
me and my ability to attain. Yet I long, dear Father, to be
more like you in every way humanly possible. Let me know of
your presence with me as I seek you and your character in my
life. Through Jesus the Righteous One I pray. Amen.
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--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/
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