Word for Today, Tue, 28 Aug 2001: What is Certain?
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>
My brother used to say, "There are two things certain in this
life: death and taxes". Well, in a human sense, he might be
right. But when I think about the realities of the world, the
story of Creation, observing daily what I see around me, and then
reflect back on what God's Word tells me, I get a somewhat
different picture.
In this life, there will be struggles, regular struggles. For
some, they will seem never ending. That is one reality. Another
reality for those who love Christ is that He is with us
continually, interceding on our behalf. The struggles may or may
not go away, but we can be certain that the Presence of God is
with us, in the form of the Holy Spirit, because Jesus Christ,
the Son, has given us access once again to God.
We can also be certain that there is an eternity. Though human
life has a beginning and an end, there is no beginning or end to
the Spirit of God. Our choice is to spend that eternity WITH God
- that's what we call Heaven, or spend it without God - that is
eternal separation from God, and that is what we call Hell.
Heaven and Hell - yes, those are the things that are certain. We
have a certain way to know which way we will spend all of
eternity, too.
If we acknowledge that we are prone to sin, that is, no matter
how hard we try, we make mistakes, we fail, we sin, then we begin
to understand our plight. We realize that we cannot make things
right on our own. Once we realize that, we then have a choice.
We can continue to try to struggle through life on our own, or we
can confess our deep need for something else - to be saved from
ourselves, and our tendency to sin.
Jesus Christ made the ultimate sacrifice of love on our behalf.
Jesus, being God, made man, came to earth as a man, but in very
nature God. Though He had the form of a man, He humbled Himself.
Here's what the scriptures say about this, straight from my
favorite book of the Bible, the book of Philippians:
1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any
comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit?
Are your hearts tender and sympathetic? 2 Then make me truly
happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one
another, and working together with one heart and purpose. 3
Don't be selfish; don't live to make a good impression on
others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. 4
Don't think only about your own affairs, but be interested in
others, too, and what they are doing. 5 Your attitude should be
the same that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not
demand and cling to his rights as God. 7 He made himself
nothing; [F5] he took the humble position of a slave and appeared
in human form. [F6] 8 And in human form he obediently humbled
himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross. 9
Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and
gave him a name that is above every other name, 10 so that at
the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth
and under the earth, 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
FOOTNOTES:
F5: Or He laid aside his mighty power and glory.
F6: Greek and was born in the likeness of men and was found in
appearance as a man.
(Philippians 2:1-11, courtesy of The New Living Translation
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
60189. All rights reserved.)
I urge you to think about, meditate, rethink, and pray about what
this passage is saying. You can be sure that everyone (whether
they like it or not) WILL acknowledge Jesus as Lord. If we
recognize Him now, and accept His gift of salvation - that is,
saving us from our sin, we will find ourselves WITH HIM forever.
If we fail to recognize and accept His gift, we will still
eventually confess Him as Lord, but we will find ourselves
separated from Him forever because we failed to recognize His
gift when it was offered.
So the offer is out there. I urge you to understand and know,
not only WHO Jesus Christ is, but to enter into a personal
relationship with Him. Pray with Him every day. Talk to the ONE
who really loves you (and me). Let Him know that you NEED Him,
and that you accept His gift of love. Then ask Him to make sense
out of the words in His precious book, the Bible. When you
realize it is His spoken and written words of love to you, the
words that seemed like mere history and stories will become His
Story - that's where HiStory comes from!
Your Brother in Christ,
Brian
Reply-to: Weekly Verses <weeklyverses@lists.crosswalk.com>
Subject: Weekly Verses from Crosswalk.com - 8/27/01
Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 13:15:27 -0400
Weekly Verses
from Crosswalk.com
http://www.crosswalk.com
8/27/01
These verses are taken from TODAY'S VERSE, by Phil Ware
< devotionals.crosswalk.com/TodaysVerse >
We hope they're a blessing to your week!
~~~~~~~~~
MONDAY
I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my
right hand, I will not be shaken.
--Psalm 16:8
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
There are many things that can trouble our lives, but none
that can shake us loose from the grip of God's grace if our
hearts remain close to Jesus as our Lord, and our hope remains
focused on the Lord's return. If Jesus is our Lord, then all
of life's greatest blessings lie ahead of us and we will let
nothing rob us of this coming glory!
MY PRAYER...
Holy Lord, you are worthy of majesty, honor, and praise. I
lift up your name, O God, and place it above every name. As I
look to the future, I want to honor you and find you there.
Since I believe you will never leave or forsake me, I will
always look ahead to find you leading the way. Through Jesus I
pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
TUESDAY
By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me
-- a prayer to the God of my life.
--Psalm 42:8
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
I have always loved music. To this day, songs help unlock
the part of me that is most yielded to God. It helps me
declare my love for him and my praise to him. But as the
psalmist says, at night, especially on those nights when sleep
is hard to come by, his song is with me.
MY PRAYER...
O God of my life, thank you for music and song. Thank you
for giving me so many good things to sing joyfully about.
Thank you for hearing my heart when I sing, not just my words
or just the song's melody. I long, dear Father, for the day I
get to hear you sing. Until then, fill my life with your song.
Through Jesus I ask it. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
WEDNESDAY
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all --
how will he not also, along with him, give us all things?
--Romans 8:32
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
If God gave up his Son to save me, what would he not give up
to bless us and keep us! That's Paul's point. In 1
Corinthians 6:19-20, he tells us we are bought with a price to
encourage us toward holiness. Here, he makes the same point,
but to give us assurance. Isn't it amazing how the truth of
God's grace contains such a multifaceted blessing.
MY PRAYER...
Almighty God, I am overwhelmed at your sacrificial love
offered to me in Jesus. Father, please use your Spirit to stir
me to service in response to your grace and have this Comforter
build my assurance of the salvation and blessings that you so
long to give me. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
THURSDAY
When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O Lord,
supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your
consolation brought joy to my soul.
--Psalm 94:18-19
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
While we are amazed at the vastness of God's reach and the
awesome breadth of his power and the glorious sweep of his
majesty, the incredible truth is his personal nearness to us.
He chooses to know us and be actively involved in the trials
and triumphs of each day with us. How will today, or tomorrow,
be different because you are aware of his presence and
companionship?
MY PRAYER...
God who is near, please hear my heart. I am overwhelmed at
your presence near me and within me. The comfort you bring
when I am under siege, the strength you offer when I am weak,
the courage you give when I am under attack, and the hope you
instill when all seems hopeless -- these gifts of your presence
are precious to me. Without your presence I would not know
where to go or why I am here. Thank you for knowing me. I
look forward to knowing you one day as you know me today. In
Jesus name I pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
FRIDAY
I love the Lord, he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.
Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as
I live.
--Psalm 116:1-2
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
Understanding the Lord's love and nearness should lead us to
serve him and continue our relationship with him. While we
love God for many reasons, we want to express our love to him
today especially for his personal concern for us.
MY PRAYER...
Father who knows each hair on my head and thought of my
heart, thank you for hearing my prayers. Thank you for
answering so many with the answer I sought from you. Give me
patience when I cannot see your hand in other situations. I
believe and trust you are there and working for my good even
when I can't see it. Please strengthen my faith so that I will
never outlive my trust and faith in you. Through Jesus I ask
this. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
SATURDAY
Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make
them stumble.
--Psalm 119:165
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
As someone who had a very clumsy stage of life, this promise
is almost beyond believing -- nothing can make me stumble! But
when it comes to living life, if I know God's will and love it,
I will do it. Then nothing can make me stumble.
MY PRAYER...
Thank you God for this day. Thank you for all that lies
ahead. Thank you that I don't have to face with doubts about
my basic values and without a sense of your will for my life.
Stir in me a love for your will and your way so that nothing
can make me stumble. Empower me by your Spirit and guide me by
your truth so that I may more perfectly reflect your character.
Through Jesus I pray. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~
SUNDAY
Just as each of us has a one body with many members, and these
members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who
are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the
others.
--Romans 12:4-5
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE...
One of the key realities of Christianity is belonging. I
belong! I belong to God. I belong to Jesus. I belong to
Jesus' body the Church. I have a place and a purpose in that
body. I belong!
MY PRAYER...
Help me, Father, to find the place where I'm suppose to fit
in your body. Until then, I pledge to try all sorts of
ministries so that your Spirit, and not just my own preference,
will guide me into your place for me to serve. In Jesus name I
pray. 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!?
Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger
phonecard.yahoo.com/