VOD: verse of the day

His love endures forever!

Verse for the Day
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good
his love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of Lords:
His love endures forever.
Psalm 136: 1-3

Basically this whole psalm is David just praising God for everything. I realize that I do not praise God as I should. I selfishly use him as a genie in a bottle. I come to him with a list of prayer requests, pretty much all about me, and I forget to give Him glory first. It is not about me, its about Him! I also love in this psalm when David says: who gives food to every creature, he freed us from enemies, he brings us through the midst of our troubles, he has a mighty hand and an outstreched arm, and he is the God of heaven! His love, his obligation, his commitment, and his faithfulness endure forever!

posted by Anonymous @ 8:15 AM 0 comments

We are conitnually with God

posted by Tamara @ 5:54 AM 0 comments

Trust in the Lord

Verse for the Day
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5 NLT

As I was looking at this verse and different versions, I noticed different words inserted for do not depend. NIV says do not lean, the Message says to trust God from the bottom of your heart. I am reminded of other passages in the bible that say who has known the mind of Christ. No one can completely understand God's ways because He is God, He is higher than us, and ultimately He is our Creator. This is something that fascinates me and frustrates me all at the same time. I want to understand why things have happened, and I ask God why. But I have to trust Him with everything, and trust that I do not undestand. At the same time, it gives me comfort to know He is in control. He is faithful, trustworthy, just, and He cares for us. He disciplines those who he calls his children, and that in itself is all I need. We are His, He will discipline us, because He loves us and wants more for us than we could ever imagine. I have to tell myself this daily, but then remind myself of the cross. One cross, One Lord, One time...I come over and over again but Christ finished it. Then I think, who else would I trust? He is yearning for us to know him better, and His arms are wide for us to run to. Trust takes sacrifice and humilty and surrender to know we can not do this alone. But we do not have to. O praise him for that!

posted by Anonymous @ 7:52 AM 0 comments

Our Bodies...not our own.

1 Corinthians 6:19
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

This is a deep verse, and what I want to share honestly won't delve into it and may seem a little simplistic.
In the last couple of days, in light of my own little health scare, I've realized that my body is in fact more and more like a machine than what I'd like to admit. Needing check-ups to poke and pry at it to confirm that everything is or is not OK. In my past I have done MANY things that have been harmful and I'm convinced only by my Fathers graces has my health been protected and restored. I am so amazingly blessed to have a body with all it's limbs and properly working organs, muscles, tissue, etc. With such a blessing as this, why is it so easy to take for granted? Like all cherished gifts we should be especially mindful as to keeping our bodies in mint condition. How we dress, treat, feed, and care for this temple of the Holy Spirit, reflects how we respect and love our God and inadvertently ourselves(meaning good self-esteem). I've learned... My body does not make me who I am, more so, the manner in which I care for it is a reflection of what I am...a child of God.

posted by Tamara @ 10:26 AM 0 comments

Leviticus 19:1,2

Verse for the Day
1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.

Basically this whole passage in Leviticus 18,19, and 20 is God giving the 10 commandments to Moses and the Israelities. The laws that we are supposed to follow. He commands us to obey Him and only Him, to love no one else, and not bow to any false gods. Then we are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, even if our neighbors happen to be our enemies at the present time. Jon Weece preached on this last week, and it is true that our neighbors are anyone around us. At work, in certain relationships, people whom God placed in our lives for a reason. God uses every situation for His glory so I think it would be wise for us to pray to be available for Him, and to pray for discernment on treating people (especially those we don't like). We are to be holy because God is holy, and He made us in His image. To be holy in our thoughts, words, and actions. If God can use Moses, He certainly wants to use us.

posted by Anonymous @ 5:52 AM 0 comments

Make Your Requests Known to God

About four months ago...I was told by a friend to check out two verses. They had felt led to pray for me during a Sunday drive and from that these were revealed to reflect on...I have shared the first in my last post and now the second:

5Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'

7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Luke 11:5-13 (New International Version)

Friend's comment: this one confuses me, because it almost seems to suggest we can persuade God by persistant prayer... maybe we can, I dunno, but I never thought about that

What we ask for may not be given, however, what is given in these prayer requests and what we should be praying for is discernment and peace from the Holy Spirit. Look at what verse 13 is saying, our Father in Heaven is giving us the Holy Spirit. It doesn't say the exact thing you are asking for. No! Because if we think about it more, what type of infinate wisdom do we have to know what we are asking for is really helpful or benificial to our situation or need? We don't. Only until we ask God for his guidance and patiently wait for His Holy Spirit do we have an idea. I say idea because more often than not God doesn't reveal his whole plan in a situation nor would we be aware of the whole impact of one move in one moment. Often though we can look back in retrospect of our lives and see how His hand has guided us through troubles and showered us with blessings to get us to where we are now.

posted by Tamara @ 2:49 PM 0 comments

God's way of giving...

About four months ago...I was told by a friend to check out two verses. They had felt led to pray for me during a Sunday drive and from that these were revealed to reflect on...This is the first of two posts:

3"About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' 5So they went.

"He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. 6About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?'

7" 'Because no one has hired us,' they answered.
"He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.'

8"When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.'

9"The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. 10So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'

13"But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? 14Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'

16"So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

Matthew 20:1-16 (New International Version)

Friends' Comment: about how God doesn't give us things based on what we've done, or how much we've done, but simply because He wants to give us gifts

I often, and I mean often, find myself being envious of God's generosity when I think things seem unfair...I think this is the first time where I've really made myself stop and think beyond the parable. I've heard it before and either dismissed it as something too simple or complicated to understand. Well now I've made myself reflect and reflect and reflect on this verse and this is a little of what I've realized. God's mercy is amazing and for everyone, but then to add reward(blessing) on top of that?? No one deserves that! We may see others getting things that we pray and hope for, but it's all God's timing and we put our trust in Him for what is best in our lives. All of us are sinners and should be thankful for things we DO have rather than comparing or looking at someone else. For we have no clue what that person is going through or what either of you will be going through in the future. I'd say my friend summed it up well.

posted by Tamara @ 2:46 PM 0 comments

Righteousness Through Faith

Verse for the Day
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
-Romans 3:21-24

This also was a K-love verse of the day that I am passing along. Righteousness just seems like such a huge word to me. I mean what do you think of when someone says righteousness? I think of Christ as righteous. Being so holy, pure, and perfect. Then I think how on earth could I, with all my worldy sin, grime, and just crap, ever be made righteous. We all fall short, daily we turn away from God, we make pure choices, say and think things that are just not pleasing to him. But, righteousness does not come through us...it comes through Jesus Christ. Comes through faith in Jesus Christ. That fact still amazes me. We are washed clean by the blood of the Lamb, and we are covered by his grace. Let us profess the faith we have through our thoughts, words, and deeds. We are called to more than this world can ever offer...we are His! I know this song is sung a lot but how appropriate it is...amazing grace how sweet the sound!

posted by Anonymous @ 7:46 AM 0 comments

Jeremiah 17:7 NLT

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.

~Cady

posted by Tamara @ 6:58 AM 1 comments

Psalm 91:1

Verse for the Day
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
-Psalm 91:1
This was the verse of the day off of bible gateway, and when I looked at other versions I found a great translation from The Message. Sometimes other people say things better than me. So here it is:
13You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow, Say this: "God, you're my refuge.
I trust in you and I'm safe!" That's right—he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you— under them you're perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm. Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day, Not disease that prowls through the darkness, not disaster that erupts at high noon. Even though others succumb all around, drop like flies right and left, no harm will even graze you. You'll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance, watch the wicked turn into corpses. Yes, because God's your refuge, the High God your very own home, Evil can't get close to you, harm can't get through the door. He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go. If you stumble, they'll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling. You'll walk unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions and serpents from the path.

posted by Anonymous @ 5:44 AM 0 comments

Various

Ok, Today I get the slacker award, as I don't feel an inspired verse for me to share...which, sad to say could be a reflection of the poor quality of quite time with God I've been having as of late...anyway this isn't true confessions.

What I'd like to share with you today is a link to a friend of a friend's myspace blog... He writes some of the most insightful essays on scripture and I always go away feeling blessed after reading his posts. I can't even decide which one post to refer you to read, as they are all equally great.

link to John

posted by Tamara @ 9:47 AM 0 comments

Proverbs 28:26

Verse for the Day
He who trusts his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
-Proverbs 28:26

This was sent to me through K-Love and I looked up lots of translations. Basically, I think it is God telling us that when it comes to matters of the heart, we can be deceived by lots of conflicting emotions. When making decisions, or just everyday thoughts, we can not rely on our own hearts, feelings, etc...But we need to seek counsel from elders, wise counsel, and from God's Word.

posted by Anonymous @ 7:37 AM 0 comments

Proverbs 23:24

“ The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him. ”

On this father's day week-end, I reflect on this verse...and wow! I pray that as our Heavenly Father looks at me, He has great joy and delight. I want to make both my fathers proud, and reading this verse gives much inspiration to do so. To be righteous and wise...

posted by Tamara @ 10:33 AM 0 comments

Verse for the Day

Verse for the Day
O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise
because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and stars,
which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:
all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,
the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

I love this psalm because David is proclaiming how great our God is. And O how marvelous, wonderful, and holy He is! Give praise to Him because He is majestic to craft mountains, but personal enough to wipe tears from our eyes. There is no other way to say it. He is awesome!

posted by Anonymous @ 7:30 AM 0 comments

Psalm 95:1-6

Psalm 95

1 Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.

3 For the LORD is the great God,
the great King above all gods.

4 In his hand are the depths of the earth,
and the mountain peaks belong to him.

5 The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.

6 Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;

I'm realizing lately or I should say learning, that I have been focusing on wrong verses for my situation. I have been focusing on verses that are about anxiety, the broken hearted, and dealing with troubles. While these are great verses to reflect on, I find that verses like the ones for today are much more helpful to my spirit. Verses like this bring me closer to my Father in Heaven, who is the only one that I can depend on to get me through Victoriously. We are to praise and worship Him in all times, even more so when we are down trodden. In doing this it changes the focus heaven ward, instead of on the issues we deal with here on Earth.

In all my ramblings, this is what I'm trying to say I've learned: 1) Verses about issues we deal with on Earth, read and meditate on when you aren't going through said issues...this way you understand that they do still happen to Christians and you'll instill the confidence that God is there to comfort when it happens. 2) When actually dealing with an issue meditate on verses that praise, honor, glorify, and worship our Lord and Saviour.

posted by Tamara @ 7:45 AM 0 comments

Verse for the Day

Verse for the Day
This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. He will be like a bush in the wastelands;he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that send out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." ~Jeremiah 17:5-8

What I love about this verse is a I feel like God is kind of "calling us out". Hard times will come, he never promised we would be happy and comfortable all the days of our lives. In fact, we may be in situations right now that cause us to doubt, question, and even turn from God because we cannot rationalize what or why these things are happening. But, the thing is, if we are rooted in Christ and in the Word, when the hard times come we will know it is in God's hands. Instead of being crippled by the situaution, we will grow stronger and let the rains from the storm nourish our growing faith. God does promise a Savior, that He would walk among us, He promises salvation, and He promises to never leave us...all of these fulfilled. How then can we doubt someone so perfect and genius?

posted by Anonymous @ 7:05 AM 0 comments

Psalm 51:10

Psalm 51:10

Growing up this verse was part of a song we would sing in church before communion...I always liked the tune of the music, but now I listen to the words and they are even more beautiful! My spirit is in desperate need of renewal. My heart is so filthy with bitterness, lust, jealousy, and unthankfulness...just to name a few of the issues I've been fighting the last 3 days. This is the verse I'm needing to pray into my life and meditate on...Lord, as it is your will, PLEASE, Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit (your Spirit) within me!

posted by Tamara @ 9:49 AM 0 comments

Verse for the Day

Verse for the Day
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!"
John 1:29

This verse follows Tamara's in that one day we will look upon the Lamb of God, the Savior, who took away the sins. The Lamb ofGod walked among us, and His spirit dwells inside of us. Our God is so amazing! This truly is what Love is. God gave of himself for us. He is a royal deity, but humbled himself to be man. Our faith is alive, and we should be alive with it. Not wasting a moment while we are here. One day we will see His glorious face, and we wait in sweet anticipation of that day. What hope we have! But also what hope we have to share. Jesus is the Lamb of God.

posted by Anonymous @ 7:55 AM 1 comments

Revelation 21:1-5

1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

5He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

I am so excited for this New Jerusalem! God will be dwelling with us!! Granted He is with us now, but then it will be so much more intimate!!

May I suggest reading the whole chapter, or you can even listen to it through a link on BibleGateway...very cool! I just realized that today.

posted by Tamara @ 12:08 PM 0 comments

Psalm 27:14

posted by Tamara @ 8:25 AM 0 comments

Verse for the Day

Verse for the Day
The verse I picked is from Isaiah 54:10
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you
will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace removed, says the LORD who has compassion on you.

For me this verse reminds me of how God's love is unfailing. What I learned Sunday, was that the translation for love is obligation, but not in the sense we know. Obligation to the Jewish, was a repsonsibility. Father's have responsibility to their children. God's obligation is unfailing, and His promises are true. We simply have to gaze upon the cross to know how much He cares for us. No matter what happens, and things will, He will always be here and He is unfailing, unstoppable, and amazing!

posted by Anonymous @ 8:55 AM 1 comments

Esther 4:14 (NIV)

It had been suggested to me to read the book of Esther, to see how God is working in our lives though we may feel He is silent. Did you know there is no reference to the God in any of His names through out the book of Esther? Yet, for me the faith of Mordecai was clear and God was definitely working in the lives of him and Esther.

Esther 4:14 (NIV)

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

What I like about this verse is the emphasis felt in that God desperately wants to use us for great and mighty things, but often we doubt or feel incapable. The amazing thing is that even if we succumb to our weaknesses God's plan is never thrown into chaos. He has other ways to achieve his plan, but using you was his first desire.

In this verse I think we are also to see that we are placed in various positions in our lives for reasons. We should have confidence in knowing this and use what authority has been given to us in Christ, not being timid to answer His call.

posted by Tamara @ 5:37 AM 0 comments

This is super neato!

This is so cool. I am glad we are doing this because I feel so technologically advanced (hehe). Anyway here is my verse. It is from this Sunday's 608 service, which I am loving our new series, and I dwelled in this verse last night. Here it is:

posted by Anonymous @ 5:15 AM 0 comments

1 Corinthians 15:57

How we thank God, who gives us

victory over sin and death through

I chose this verse, because I wanted something that I felt could express the joy that we have in Christ and why any person would/should proclaim such faith through acts such as baptism :). Not to mention the amount of strength and power this verse reminds us that we as believers have!!

posted by Tamara @ 8:15 AM 0 comments

2 Timothy 1:9 (TEV)

2 Timothy 1:9 (TEV)
He saved us and called us to be his own people, not because of what we have done, but because of his own purpose.

posted by Tamara @ 8:20 PM 0 comments

Philippians 3:8,9

The verse comes from Philippians 3:8,9 and I think it is a great reminder that Christ is all we need. Everything else, everything we do or have, every relationship is rubbish without Him. It challenges me to seek him evermore. Have a good day!

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from God and is by faith.

Stacy Pishko

posted by Tamara @ 8:29 AM 0 comments