A waiting lifestyle

Photo courtesy Pixabay.com

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 1 Thessalonians 1-2; Psalm 15

TO CHEW ON: "For they themselves declare concerning us, what manner of entry we had to you and how you turned from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come." 1 Thessalonians 1:9,10

In the next two days we're going to read all the way through 1 Thessalonians. As we begin today, here are some background facts about the book to help us understand its setting.

1. 1 Thessalonians was the first of Paul's letters that has been saved and the first book in the New Testament to be written. My Bible's introductory notes date it at A.D. 50—written before the Gospels, though they describe earlier events.

2. Paul founded the church in Thessalonica on his second missionary journey. It was on the route he took after having the vision of the Macedonian man begging, "Come over to Macedonia and help us" - Acts 16:10.

3. On that trip (about 49 A.D.) Paul went to Philippi (Acts 16:12-40) and then to Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-9). His stay there was brief and controversial but life-altering for that "...great multitude of devout Greeks and not a few leading women" who believed Paul's gospel message.

One of the main themes in 1 Thessalonians is the return of Christ. In fact, a reference to it appears in each chapter. It is a theme thread we can follow as we read through the book.

In today's focus verses, Paul is complimenting the Christians there for their stellar reputation.

(The "...they…" ["For they themselves declare concerning us… etc. - vs. 9] who speak so glowingly of the Thessalonian believers refers back to the other believers in the region: "… all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe…" - 1 Thessalonians 1:7.)

It's interesting to note what these early and quite new Christians were known for:

• Faith in God - 1 Thessalonians 1:8.

• A dramatic lifestyle change as they turned from idol worship to worship and serve God - 1 Thessalonians 1:9.

• An attitude of expectancy. These people had a reputation of waiting for Jesus' return - 1 Thessalonians 1:10.

• A serenity about the future as they no longer feared the "wrath of God" - 1 Thessalonians 1:10.

I wonder how the expectant lifestyle of these Christians looked. Maybe they had stopped collecting stuff, like property and clothes. Maybe they were making sure all their relationships were tended to. They probably spoke of their expectation to family, friends, and neighbors so that their dear ones would believe too and not be left behind. It's clear that they had a reputation for sounding forth their beliefs (1 Thessalonians 1:8).

A good question to ask ourselves is, what sort of reputation do we have as believers? Are we known for our faith in God? Have we turned from our old pre-Christian ways? Do our lives give any evidence at all that we expect Christ to return? (Or do we really expect that?)


PRAYER: Dear God, I am challenged by the simple yet bold faith of these one-year-old New Testament Christians. Please help me to firm up my expectation inYour return so that it becomes evident in my lifestyle. Amen. 

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 15

The Bible Project VIDEO: 1 Thessalonians (Read Scripture Series)




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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Making plans

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Romans 15-16; Psalm 140

TO CHEW ON: "...and having a great desire these many years to come to you, whenever I journey to Spain I shall come to you." Romans 15:23,24


When Paul wrote Romans he had not yet met the Christians there. In his letter he introduces himself to them in anticipation of seeing them — and it sounds like he hopes it is soon.

Our reading today is full of his plans. He wants to go eventually to Spain and his visit of Rome will be on the way. Presently he is anticipating a trip to Jerusalem (from Corinth where scholars believe Romans was written). In the meantime, he asks them to help Phoebe a businesswomen from Cenchrea, and to give his greetings to fellow tentmakers Priscilla and Aquila.

It is a normal and good thing for us to make plans. They help us look toward to the future with expectation and optimism, and to tailor the present with realism. For example, our plan to buy a car next year will give us the discipline to live frugally this year so that we can save the needed money for our purchase. Right now we're making plans to visit Israel next year.

Did Paul eventually get to Rome? Yes he did, but hardly in the way he anticipated. For his trip to Jerusalem ended in arrest and imprisonment. And though God affirmed to Paul in a dream that he would someday realize his goal of visiting Rome (Acts 23:11) it wasn't for a while.

To prevent the Jews from lynching him, his Roman captors soon transferred him to Caesarea. There he was held in prison for two years and when it looked like Felix's successor was going to hand him over to the Jews again — which would mean certain death — Paul appealed to Caesar (Acts 23-25). This meant traveling to Rome.

However, even the last leg of his journey wasn't straightforward. On his voyage from Caesarea to Rome, his ship met with a deadly storm at sea that saw him and his shipmates washed up on the island of Malta for the winter. Only in spring could they continue toward their destination.

So Paul eventually got to Rome, only several years later as a prisoner. And though the Acts history ends with him still in Rome, tradition would support a later trip to Spain before he was martyred by Nero in 67 A.D.

Though it may be normal, and healthy to make plans (and in fact for the Christian these plans may be divinely inspired and initiated — as it seems Paul's desire to visit Rome was) let's not be surprised when God modifies them, adding all manner of twists, turns, and adventures. (For our trip, trip cancellation insurance is offered and we're taking it.)

Two Bible passages come to mind.

"We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps" - Proverbs 16:9, NLT.

"Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.”  How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that” - James 4:13-15, NLT

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for Your plan for my life. Help me to live in sync with your purposes, to catch Your vision, and to make plans according to Your promptings. Then help me to hang onto them loosely, allowing You to craft my circumstances in their fulfillment. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 140

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Unfinished and finished business

TODAY’S SPECIAL: John 19-21; Psalm 111


TO CHEW ON: “Simon Peter said to them, ‘I am going fishing.’ They said to him, ‘We are going with you also.’ They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.” John 21:3


Peter’s simple pronouncement, “I am going fishing,” becomes complex when we put it into context. Three years earlier he had left fishing to follow Jesus. The years he had spent with this incredible teacher were quite a ride. He had seen healings of all kinds, people raised from the dead, the Scribes and Pharisees bested. The wisdom of Jesus’ lessons and stories exceeded any he had ever encountered. He had experienced the very presence of heaven.

However, in the end, it all proved confusing and disappointing. Jesus didn’t do the expected and prove Himself Messiah. Instead He was put to death at the instigation of the very leaders to whom He had proved Himself superior. But Peter’s biggest disappointment was with himself. After pledging to stick by Jesus no matter what, he denied Him – and on the prodding of a mere woman.

Now, though Jesus had risen and Peter had seen Him, the future was still utterly foggy. And so his words, “I am going fishing,” seem a poignant attempt to reverse the last three years of his life. He will go back – back to the simple way things were before he met Jesus, back to when he was oblivious to the possibilities of what life could be, but also back to before he had proved himself such a useless cad.

Intuitive Jesus knew where Peter was and how to reach him. In their interchange Jesus put His finger on the exact thing that was bothering Peter and confronted him with it. He brought closure to the unfinished business of their broken relationship.

He also made it clear to Peter that fishing was finished business. He closed the door forever on it by giving Peter a new assignment. The three Jesus-years weren’t a waste or mirage. Instead they were the doorway to more responsibility (despite his failure): “'Feed my lambs.... Tend my sheep… Feed my sheep.'”

Have you ever been at a spot in your life when you’ve gone back to “fishing”? Perhaps after sensing the call of God, things haven’t worked out the way you thought they would or you’ve let yourself down. Take it from someone who has at various times retreated to the security of the way things were before – it rarely works. If you are tempted to go back to the past in your career or ministry, don’t, until you’ve spent time with Jesus and got the confirmation that that is indeed His next assignment.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, help us to leave former things and ways behind. Give us the faith to face new challenges and forge into new territory at Your bidding. Amen.






PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 111

MORE:

“…once you receive a commission from Jesus Christ, the memory of what God wants will always come like a goad; you will no longer be able to work for him on the common-sense basis.”
- Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest (March 4th reading)

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Sing, you kingdoms!

"Glory of the Lamb - Revelation 5:13" by David van der Plaats (The Bible and Its Story Vol 10)

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 1 Chronicles 18-21;  Psalm 68

 TO CHEW ON: "Sing to God you kingdoms of the earth;
O sing praise to the Lord.  - Psalm 68:32

It's interesting how our two readings complement each other. In Chronicles, we see David going to war, conquering even the giants, and read the author's observation: "And the Lord preserved David wherever he went" - 1 Chronicles 18:13. 

In the psalm David describes one of his battles.

There is blood (Psalm 68:21-23).

There is a procession (Psalm 68:24-27).

And there is the obeisance of earth's rulers (Psalm 68:28-31):

"Sing to God you kingdoms of the earth;

O sing praises to the Lord."

David's words suggest a voluntary—not a forced—praise. They bring to mind the wonderful scene from Revelation:

"After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” - Revelation 7:9-10.

I see this psalm as a picture of life.

• Life on earth is our battlefield.

• We anticipate the final victory that we know is coming:

 "So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written:
'Death is swallowed up in victory.'
 'O Death, where is your sting?
 O Hades, where is your victory?'
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" - 1 Corinthians 15:54-57.

Then will come the time when all on earth will acknowledge God for who He is:

“As I live, says the Lord. 
Every knee shall bow to Me, 
And every tongue shall confess to God”- Romans 14:11 (quoting Isaiah 45:23).

PRAYER: Dear God, in a world that doesn't even acknowledge Your existence, the sight of the kingdoms of earth singing Your praises seems almost unimaginable. Help me to cling to this hope with unwavering faith. Amen. 

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 68

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

When life turns out the lights

Image: Pixabay

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ezekiel 40-44;  Psalm 43

TO CHEW ON:
“Oh, send out Your light and Your truth!
Let them lead me
Let them bring me to Your holy hill
And to Your tabernacle.” Psalm 43:3

Have you ever tried to walk a footpath—even one you know well—in the dark? Without the benefit of light how easy it is to stumble on subtle unevenesses, to miss obstacles, to run into things, or “see” things that aren’t even there!

Such walking in darkness is bad enough in the physical, but we can also experience it spiritually. That’s what the psalmist seems to be going through in today’s reading.

His distress has several sources. In the verses preceding our focus verse he speaks of an “ungodly nation” and an “unjust man” who trouble him. In Psalm 42 (which commenters believe was originally joined to Psalm 43 as one psalm—note the common refrain in Psalm 42:5,11; 43:5) he speaks of cynics who mock him in his grief (Psalm 42:3) and a personal sense of depression and loss of hope (Psalm 42:5,6; 43:5).

And so he prays for light—a light that will lead him back to God and His house (“Your Tabernacle”), where he dreams of joining others in worship (Psalm 42:4).

It’s easy to identify with the psalmist in his cry for light. Life throws many surprises at us too. Loved ones get sick, or we get a bad diagnosis. Natural disasters wreak havoc with our surroundings and our lives. Money problems are the wreckage of marketplace storms. We often find ourselves asking why, what next, where to from here? We may feel left in the dark, as if God has abandoned us.

At these times, let’s pray, with the psalmist, to get back to Him:

“Oh, send out Your light and Your truth!
Let them lead me”

For He is the source of light (“… God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” - 1 John 1:5). With our hand in His, we can walk any dark path.

PRAYER:
Dear Father, uncertainty is so much a part of the human condition—of my condition. Help me not to stew about what I can’t see ahead, but to seek You, to join other believers in Your house, and in faith to enter into praise and worship no matter what my circumstances. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 43

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

A bright future

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Jeremiah 26-29; Psalm 20


TO CHEW ON: "For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11
If you've been around church or Christians for a while, you've probably heard someone quote the verse above. Perhaps you've read or recited it to yourself, maybe in a time you felt confused, directionless, or discouraged for some reason.

It is interesting to come across it in context. We discover these words are part of a letter Jeremiah wrote to people who were being punished. They were former Jerusalem dwellers who the Babylonians had taken captive.

These words assured the exiles back then, and us now, that no matter what situation we find ourselves in, God's intentions toward us are good. His ways in our lives move us toward a bright future.

But that future seems contingent on some actions on our part — actions that no doubt arise out of our confusion, difficulties and troubles: "Call upon Me...go and pray to Me...seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:12-13).

A sidebar article in my Bible says about these verses;

"Implied in this passage is a quest for God that includes a level of intensity beyond what might be termed ordinary prayer. The word 'search' along with the phrase "with all your heart" suggests an earnestness that borders on desperation" Dick Eastman, "Seeking God and Spiritual Warfare," New Spirit Filled Life Bible, p. 999.

I am reminded of other passages that speak of our search: Hosea 6:3; Matthew 6:33; Matthew 7:7-8.

There is no question: I want that hopeful future God has in mind for me. No doubt you do too. So let's do what it takes to get it, in terms of praying, seeking and searching to find, not a bright career or a satisfying human relationship, or power, or wealth, but Him.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for all the ways You draw me to Yourself — even using problems, difficulties and punishment to accomplish Your plans in my life. May these things drive me to seek You with all my heart.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 20

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

A model mother

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Image: Pixabay

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Proverbs 31:10-31

TO CHEW ON: “Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also, and he praises her.” Proverbs 31:28

What a gorgeous—and intimidating—passage to read for Mother’s Day.  This model of biblical womanhood has been both a shining beacon and a convicting searchlight for me. I think if I was in her presence, I would watch and listen as I tried to figure out—how does she do it all? I love her industriousness, creativity, wide-ranging abilities, and energy. And I love her family values.

Today, let’s focus on her qualities as a mother.

1. She is a good example of marriage to her, children, by her faithfulness and support of her husband - Proverbs 31:12.

2. She works hard and willingly - Proverbs 31:13,18,19.

3. She puts the needs of her household above her own as she gets up early and stays up late to ensure they are met - Proverbs 31:15,18.

4. She is a good example in her treatment of the poor and needy - Proverbs 31:20.

5. She looks ahead, plans, and works for the future - Proverbs 31:16, 21, 27.

6. She speaks with kindness and wisdom, always, and to everyone - Proverbs 31:26.

The reward for all this? She gets praise from her husband and blessing from her children.

Is all the above worth it for a few words of praise and affirmation from hubby and the kids?

I would say yes, despite how our modern society would insist a woman needs more. For the sense of well-being conveyed by the word “blessed” goes beyond a mere word.

[Blessed - ashar - means “Happy, blessed, prosperous, successful, straight, right, contented. Its original meaning is to ‘be straight’” - Dick Mills, Word Wealth, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 841.]

The fact that she is called “blessed” communicates this woman’s inner sense of rightness as she does what she was created to do. Her life is straight, plumbs with how she was made. As a result she experiences deep inner peace and contentment in living out her industrious, nurturing essence.

May us mothers and the mothers in our lives (our own mothers, mothers-in-law, daughters, granddaughters) be similarly blessed.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for my mom, who was more like the Proverbs 31 woman than I will ever be. Be with the mothers in my life, rewarding them as only You can for their work and faithfulness. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

A divine tatoo

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Revelation 21:22-22:5

TO CHEW ON: "And they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads." Revelation 22:4

Two wonderful things about the future of the redeemed ones in heaven (our future) stand out in these verses:

1. "They shall see His face…"

Looking at God in the face is certainly something people could not do in Old and New Testament times (Exodus 33:20). Though some prophets had visions of God (Isaiah 6:1; Ezekiel 1:1), looking at Him face to face was something Bible writers only anticipated (Psalm 17:15; Isaiah 33:17).

But here, in his vision, John sees what he has looked forward to: "…but we know that when He is revealed we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" - 1 John 3:2.

Seeing His face, writes my Bible commenter, means "The redeemed enjoy perfect fellowship with God and the Lamb" - Earl Wesley Morey, notes on Revelation, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1846.

2. "… His name shall be on their foreheads."

A divine tattoo!

We mark things in this way now. Cattle are branded with their owner's mark to show whose possession they are. Slaves were once tattooed or physically marked in some way. Revelation 3:12 also speaks of such a mark: "He who overcomes … I will write on him the name of My God ... And I will write on Him a new name."

Such marks, say my Bible's footnotes, show "… possession by God, a spiritual citizenship, and a reflection of the character of Christ" - Ibid, p. 1822 (emphasis added).

Won't that be grand! No more barriers to seeing Him face to face, but marked as His possession and having His character!

"For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known" - 1 Corinthians 13:12.

PRAYER: Dear God, what a thing to look forward to! Help me to be an "overcomer" in this life as I anticipate perfect fellowship with You in heaven. Amen.

MORE: We Shall Behold Him - sung by Sandi Patti




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The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

Six sinister seals

Image: Pixabay.com

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Revelation 6:1-17

TO CHEW ON: “And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders of the mighty men, every slave and every free man hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come and who is able to stand?’” Revelation 6:15-17

Revelation 6 reminds me of some poetry. Even though I don’t understand specifics, the images and tone are enough to send shivers up and down my back.

My Bible includes notes about the interpretation of the six seals described here (New Spirit-Filled Life Bible Revelation study notes written by Earl Wesley Morey, p. 1825, 1826).

1. Seal 1 (Revelation 6:2): The white horse could be symbolic of international power politics in the form of military conquest, or it could be a symbol of Christ moving in triumph through His church during the events that follow.

2. Seal 2 (Revelation 6:3,4): The red horse is symbolic of civil war and strife.

3. Seal 3 (Revelation 6:5,6): The black horse is symbolic of economic disruption – not famine but inflation and scarcity.

4. Seal 4 (Revelation 6:7,8): The pale horse symbolizes disease and death.

5. Seal 5 (Revelation 6:9-11): The fifth seal is the souls of martyrs praying for the vindication of God’s justice. God assures them the day of vindication will come – but not until all those predestined to join them, as people who have died because of their faith, is complete. (“God is concerned for justice but even more for mercy” – New Spirit Filled Life Bible p. 1826.)

6. Seal 6 (Revelation 6:12-14): Cosmic natural disaster or disasters in the form of earthquakes and galactic events that will impact the sun, moon and stars. This last seal climaxes in the humans left alive on earth screaming for something – anything, to come between them and God’s wrath.

Lately, when hearing news of economic upheaval, or watching the ebola virus ravage whole countries in Africa, or observing scenes from natural disasters like the recent floods in India (together with hearing how they have affected people on the ground from those who live there), or watching
geopolitical disasters on TV like the thousands of Syrian refugees camped on Europe's borders in winter's cold,  I have asked – could it get any worse? This passage assures us – it can, and will!

The question for me and you, then, is what are we doing now, in the light of these coming events? Are we living awake or asleep, prepared or unprepared (Matthew 25:1-12)?  Are we recognizing the tremors that are already shaking our world – the precursors to “the big one”? (Matthew 24:3-8)  Are we busy with God’s assignments  or absorbed in our own business (Matthew 28:18-20; Matthew 24:45-51)?

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to live with the awareness of Your plan, present and future. Help me to be expectant and wise, redeeming the time I have. Amen
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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
 

Do your 8-12-year-olds have daily devotions? Point them to Bible Drive-Thru.

We don't know, but God does

Happy New Year! 

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 40:20-31

TO CHEW ON: "Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable." Isaiah 40:28

As we enter the new year, there is so much we don't know. We don't know what the economy will do or whether interest rates and the prices of oil, gold, and commodities will rise or fall. We don't know what weddings, births, and funerals will take place in our families. We don't even know if we ourselves will last the year or, indeed, this day!

When we focus on life's uncertainties it's easy to tie ourselves into knots of anxiety. That's a good time to look to the One who does know all of the above and more. The Bible tells us God knows:

• Our pre-born state - Psalm 139:15-16.
• Our ways—all of our physical movements - Psalm 139:3; Jeremiah 23:24.
• What we need and how to supply it - Matthew 6:8, 32-33.
• Our thoughts - Jeremiah 17:10.
• Our motives - Proverbs 16:2; 1 John 3:20.
• Our secrets - Psalm 44:21; Daniel 2:22.
• Our anxieties - Psalm 139:23
• Our words - Psalm 139:4.
• The mind and intentions He Himself (via the Holy Spirit) has toward us - Romans 8:27.
• How to "hedge" us in (I take that as protect us—from others, from ourselves, from life's circumstances) - Psalm 139:5-6.
• Our sins - Psalm 69:5.
• Our lifespan - Psalm 139:16.

Our focus verse describes God's knowledge as "unsearchable"!

Of this all-knowing God, Isaiah says:

"He gives power to the weak
And to those who have no might He increases strength…
Those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint" - Isaiah 40:31.

In the face of the uncertainties of 2016, let's choose to trust in Him as our ever-watchful guide and source of power in the days ahead.


PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the dawn of another year. Help me to face its uncertainties with my hand in Yours. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Unveiling of the Bride-City

The New Jerusalem - Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Revelation 21:1-21

TO CHEW ON: "Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband… 'Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife."  Revelation 21:2,9

What an interesting comparison—likening a city to a bride.

Bride Imagery is used in other places in the Bible.

• Already way back in Isaiah we have Jerusalem referred to as a bride - Isaiah 52:1.
• And Paul often refers to believers in bride terms:

• He urges Christians in Rome to leave their old loyalty to law-keeping and "be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead" - Romans 7:4.

• He exhorts the Christians in Corinth to be faithful to Christ as a bride would be faithful to her husband sexually - 1 Corinthians 6:15.

• He also challenges the Corinthian Christians to loyalty and purity as if they were a chaste virgin whom he (Paul) anticipates presenting to Christ - 2 Corinthians 11:2.

• He talks plainly to the church in Ephesus about their ideal intimacy with Christ using words that remind us of the marriage covenant: "For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones" - Ephesians 5:30 (compare Genesis 2:24; Mark 10:8 and Ephesians 3:31). In fact in Ephesians 5:32, Paul spells it out: "This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church."

• These Bible bride metaphors often refer, as well, to getting ready and being prepared. We see this in John's writings:

• "… the marriage of the Lamb has come and His wife has made herself ready" - Revelation 19:7.

• "… the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down… prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" - Revelation 2:20 (our verse for today).

Which takes us back to John's vision, of which my Bible's study notes explain:
"The holy city is the bride of Christ, the church as well as the abode of the saints" - Earl Wesley Morey, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1845.

The vision of this bride-city is rich with symbolism. We might interpret:*

• The gates to it, located on all sides, to mean that it's open to all peoples (Revelation 21:12,13).

• The "twelve tribes" and "twelve apostles" to mean that it incorporates both Old and New Testaments (Revelation 21:12,14).

• The "twelve foundations" as a reference to the "household of God" that Paul talks about, which is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ as the cornerstone (Revelation 21:14; Ephesians 2:20).

• The cube shape of the city as a symbol of its perfection (Revelation 21:15-17).

• The precious materials used in the city as symbols of its value, beauty, and glory (Revelation 21:18-21).  (*Morey's study notes used in the above.)

Doesn't reading this wondrous description of the New Jerusalem Bride of Christ (of which we're a part) make you want to stay loyal to Jesus and not get involved with anyone else? Doesn't it also make you want to prepare yourself for the day of this amazing unveiling?


PRAYER: Dear God, in the midst of my mundane, often disappointing, sometimes hostile-to-Christianity life on earth, help me to keep my sites on the real and glorious future You have for Your church and for me as part of it. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The prize of heaven

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Revelation 7:1-17

TO CHEW ON: "And the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." Revelation 7:17

This heavenly scene from John's vision is full of mystery but also certainty. There are ambiguities like who exactly are the 144,000? What does it mean to "seal them"? Is the mark of God's seal on their foreheads a literal mark or symbolic?

However, many things in this chapter are clear.

• The great multitude in heaven will be made up of people from all around the world: "...of all nations, tribes, peoples and tongues" - Revelation 17:9.

• They are absorbed in praising God and Jesus in a scene that reminds us of a combination of Palm Sunday (John 12:12-14) and the wedding feast in Jesus' story (Matthew 22:1-14).

• The creature inhabitants of heaven are also completely wrapped up in praising God. They chant what my Bible footnotes describe as "a sevenfold ascription of adoration":

"Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honour and power and might Be to our God forever and ever. Amen."

• When John, in his vision, asks who this great crowd is, one of the elders tells him it is "...the ones who came out of the great tribulation." The grammatical makeup is literally the "ones coming out" expressing a continuous (not once-for-all) action. My Bible's footnote explains: "This is not a post-consummation picture. Therefore tribulation is to some degree taking place throughout the entire church age....The great tribulation describes the acceleration and intensification of troublesome times as this age comes to an end, climaxing with the Rapture and Second coming" - Earl Wesley Morey,  New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1827 (emphasis added).

• The setting in heaven is idyllic.

- no more hunger or thirst.
- no more sunstroke or energy-sapping heat.
- the Lamb-Shepherd (Jesus) leads its inhabitants to living fountains of water (Psalm 23:1-6).
- and finally, there is comfort as God wipes tears away. Note that it doesn't say there won't be tears but that God will wipe them away. I see a picture of a tender parent, wiping the tears of a distressed child: "There now, it's all better." (See also Isaiah 25:8, 35:10.)

Sometimes I wonder why we hang onto our sick and dying loved ones who have trusted Jesus so tenaciously when this is what awaits them. No matter what we go through on earth of persecution, suffering, bodily illness, or decay, we have this wonderful place to look forward to. As we face the challenges of life's race today, let's focus on this "prize" (Philippians 3:14, 1 Corinthians 9:24).


PRAYER: Dear God, heaven, as shown in the Bible, is beyond my most wonderful imaginings. Help me to keep these scenes in mind when I meet up with derision and scoffing, pain and sickness today and in the days ahead. Amen.

MORE: All Saints' Day

Today the church celebrates All Saints' Day—a commemoration of saints and martyrs who have died. The liturgy for today begins with this collect:

"Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen."

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Watch with double vision

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Ezekiel 17:22-24

TO CHEW ON: "'And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the Lord, have brought down the high tree, dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish; I the Lord have spoken and have done it.'" Ezekiel 17:24

Our short reading today is obviously a parable or metaphor. What or who is it about?

All the commentaries I read agree that this tree story is a picture of little Israel, exalted above other nations. It is also messianic or prophetic of Jesus.

There is a sense in which this prophecy has already been partially fulfilled in history. For example, Howard M. Ervin, the writer of my Bible's notes on Ezekiel says: "All the trees are foreign nations. The high tree is Jehoiachin, the low tree a scion of David (and Jehoiachin)" New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1070.  Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Commentary says: "… Some by the high and green tree understand Zedekiah, who was brought low; and by the 'low' and 'dry tree' Jeconiah who was raised by the king of Babylon - Jeremiah 52:11."

However, we can't help but pick up Messianic references. My Bible's study notes again: "'I will take' (vs. 22)  signifies the divine intervention of God to establish a descendant of David on the throne."

As we understand the cedar to represent the house of David (Pulpit Commentary), we read this line: "I the Lord, have brought down the high tree and exalted the low tree…" and recall words from Hannah's prayer: "The Lord …  brings low and lifts up," 1 Samuel 2:7. It reminds us too of Mary's words from the Magnificat: "He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly" - Luke 1:52.

And Jesus referred to the green and dry wood as He was led to the cross: "'Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me. … For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?'" Luke 23:29,31.

The prophecy still to be fulfilled is of a day when Israel will be exalted under the leadership of that cedar branch (Messiah—Jesus) as if planted "on a high and prominent mountain."

As we continue to watch world affairs, let's do it with double-vision. Let's  keep our sights on what's happening around us and at the same time stay alert to what God, through His prophets, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, has said will happen, those things "I the Lord have spoken and have done it."  Let's not be caught napping (Matthew 25:1-13).

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to be an astute watcher of world events as I seek to understand them in the light of prophecy. Amen.

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New King James Version (NKJV) Used with permission. The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Realistic resolutions

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Psalm 147:1-20

TO CHEW ON: "He does not delight in the strength of the horse;
He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
In this who hope in His mercy." Psalm 147:10-11

If we're resolution-makers we are in our glory right about now, composing hopeful lists of what to do more and less of this year. The beginning of a new year is, typically, a time to take stock, evaluate where we are in achieving the plans we made in previous years, and set new targets for the year ahead.

To keep us from getting too caught up in our self-made ways, too confident that we can direct the course of life, today's focus verses add a pinch of realism to the resolution-making process.

The "strength of the horse…legs of a man" that God doesn't delight in suggest not only personal self-determination but national. The psalmist may well have introduced these images to plant the idea of an army and war (compare Psalm 33:16,17). He is saying that the outcomes of even nations are not self-determined.

So what, or who, determines success—personal or national? Psalm 147:11 tells us that God is the basis of it all. His mercy, not our cunning and intelligence and strength, foundation successful hopes and plans for the future.

Does that mean we shouldn't plan ahead, make goals, write down what we plan to do more of and less of in the days ahead?

I don't think so. Jesus recommended "counting the cost" of building a tower, going to war, and discipleship (Luke 14:26-33). In His parable of the minas, the man who refused to think ahead to when His master would return but buried His investment capital in the ground as if there would never be a day of reckoning, was punished for not being a good steward of what he had been given (Luke 19:20-26).

However, I believe we need to make our plans in pencil, acknowledging that we are not, finally, the masters of our fate. It is all His mercy, not our strong horses and well-toned selves.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for Your mercy that underlies all predictable life. I give my plans for 2015 to You, acknowledging that Your providence and will determine their ultimate achievement, and not me at all. Amen.

MORE: Are we in danger of worshiping our work?

"Beware of any work for God which enables you to evade concentration on Him. A great many Christian workers worship their work. The one concern of a worker should be concentration on God and this will mean that all the other margins of life, mental, moral and spiritual, are free with the freedom of a child, a worshiping child, not a wayward child" - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest  (April 23rd reading).

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Pessimism-colored glasses

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Ecclesiastes 2:14-26

TO CHEW ON: "The wise man's eyes are in his head,
But the fool walks in darkness.
Yet I myself perceived
That the same event happens to them all." Ecclesiastes 2:14

"And then I took a hard look at what's smart and what's stupid … it's better to be smart than stupid, just as light is better than darkness. Even so, though the smart ones see where they're going and the stupid ones grope in the dark, they're all the same in the end. One fate for all—and that's it." Ecclesiastes 2:12-14 MSG


The words of Solomon's in this passage show us that the lens through which we view life is as important as the ability to see at all. He has chosen to filter what he sees through pessimism. Thus:

• The fact that his wisdom gives him insights and understandings about life that the unseeing person doesn't have goes unappreciated (Ecclesiastes 2:12-16).

• The work he enjoys becomes a bitter thing because he has to leave the fruit of it to someone undeserving - Ecclesiastes 2:17-23.

• Even the supposedly merit-based inequalities—the wisdom, knowledge, and joy God gives to the man "who is good in His sight" over the "gathering and collecting" of the "sinner" is, to him, "vanity and grasping for the wind" (Ecclesiastes 2:24-26).

We too can sink into such depressive thinking if we let ourselves. Even when life is sweet, we can harbor thoughts like, "It will soon be evening and this will end," or
"Something bad will probably happen tomorrow," or "Despite this good incident, it's generally all downhill from here."

There is one advantage to viewing life with such negativity: it is the realistic view without God. Solomon seems to be setting himself and his readers up for what I consider the climax of the book in this answer to the disappointing human condition:

"Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed;
Or the golden bowl is broken
Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain
Or the wheel broken at the well" - Ecclesiastes 12:6.

When we do that—live with our Creator and His promises for the present and future in mind—life filtered through optimism becomes the realistic view.



PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for changing everything when You sent Jesus to earth to die and rise again so that a future with You is possible. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Our Helper

TODAY'S SPECIAL: John 15:18-16:4

TO CHEW ON: "'But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.'" John 15:26.


Here Jesus predicts that practically everyone will hate His followers. The world will hate them just as it hated Him (John 15:18-25). Fellow Hebrews will hate them, throwing them out of the synagogue and killing them, believing that by doing this they are serving God (John 16:2-4).

Sandwiched between these grim predictions is a comforting one: "'But the Helper comes whom I will send to you…'"

Helper - parakletos comes from para - beside and kaleo - to call—meaning called to one's side. "The word signifies an intercessor, comforter, helper, advocate, counselor. In non-biblical literature parakletos had the technical meaning of an attorney who appears in court in another's behalf" - Dick Mills, Word Wealth article - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1472.

Bible writers mention the Holy Spirit's help in many places. Below are several. In each one the Spirit's way of helping is a little different:

• In John 14:16 we have the Helper that abides (lives) with us forever.

• In John 14:26 the Helper is a teacher and the One who helps us recall what we have learned.

• In John 15:26—our focus verse—the Helper testifies of Jesus. In this promise, placed between two predictions of persecution, is also the implication that the Holy Spirit will help Jesus' followers with strength to endure the world's hostilities.

• In John 16:7,8 the Helper convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.

• In John 16:13 He is called the Spirit of truth who guides us into truth and a knowledge of the future as He speaks what He hears from the Ones who know—the Son and the Father (John 16:15,15).

• Finally, in Acts 9:31, author Luke connects the early Christians' Spirit-comforted lifestyle with church growth.

What a comfort for us to know that this Comforter/Helper is still available to us. Let's step out in faith as Jesus' modern disciples, knowing that He is beside us and in us, like a wise, knowledgeable lawyer, ready to help when we need Him.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for sending Comforter, Helper Holy Spirit. Help me to know His presence in a practical way through the different situations of my life. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Led through 2014

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 42:14-25

TO CHEW ON: "I will bring the blind by a way they did not know;

I will lead them in paths they have not known.

I will make darkness light before them,

And crooked places straight." Isaiah 42:16

Though the lists of goals and resolutions we customarily make at this time of year may give us a sense of control over the future, we don't know what will happen to us even later today, let alone for this week or this year. We face the future blind.

But we go into it with a Guide who can see. God can:

• Obliterate barriers: "break gates of bronze and cut bars of iron (Isaiah 45:2).

• Remove stumbling blocks (Isaiah 57:14).

• Lead us into new territory as he will: "Get the road ready for the people. Build the highway....Clear the debris, hoist high a flag" (Isaiah 62:10 - MSG).

• Lead us on this year's unfamiliar path:

But I'll take the hand of those who don't know the way,
   who can't see where they're going.
I'll be a personal guide to them,
   directing them through unknown country.
I'll be right there to show them what roads to take,
   make sure they don't fall into the ditch.
These are the things I'll be doing for them—
   sticking with them, not leaving them for a minute"  (Today's focus verse  - Isaiah 42:16 - from MSG)

Let's trust our Guide through the days, weeks, and months of 2014.

PRAYER: Dear God, You see the future ahead of me. I put my hand in Yours. Please lead me down this year's unfamiliar path. Amen

MORE: "Lead Kindly Light" by John Newton (sung by Aled Jones).

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Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from The Message are labelled MSG. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Enter 2014 with confidence

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

TO CHEW ON: "…And He has put eternity in their hearts…"  Ecclesiastes 3:11

In his book Despite Doubt, Michael E. Wittmer explores the realm of belief, doubt, who or what we believe in and why. He starts out at the ground level, showing how a belief in God is embedded in our very DNA, as it were.

He shows that without a god, two things we instinctively do would make no sense:

1. Make judgements between right and wrong.
Wittmer says:

"If God does not exist, then everything is permitted. You may not like an act, and that's your preference, but that's all it is. Without God, you cannot explain why anything is ultimately good or evil" - p. 46.

2. Trust that we are rational.
We assume that our minds and senses function properly and correspond with the way the world is. However, if we're all a product of random chance, how can we have any such guarantee? Wittmer concludes: 

"Here's the point: we assume God's existence every time we think, utter an intelligible sentence, or declare that some act is right or wrong. Everyone who relies on their minds and morality in this way assumes the existence of God. As even the skeptical Voltaire admitted: 'If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent Him'" - p. 48.

As we enter 2014, let's reassure ourselves that God is real and His presence will be with us in the moments, days, weeks and months of 2014. The God of the Bible—who Wittmer goes on to connect to the God we instinctively "know":

• Loves us with an everlasting love - Jeremiah 31:3; Psalm 25:6; John 6:44.

• Knows the way ahead - Job 23:20, Psalm 32:8; Psalm 33:18.

• Has good plans for us - Jeremiah 29:11; Isaiah 55:8-12.

• Is able to work even the seemingly bad, painful stuff together for good in our lives - Romans 8:28-30.

We can go into 2014 with confidence and hope.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for evidences of Your existence all around me, even within my own mind. Help me to grow in knowing You, trusting You and obeying You in 2014. Amen.

MORE: Holy Name Day

Today the church celebrates the naming of Jesus, called Feast of the Holy Name. This prayer begins the liturgy of the day:

"Eternal Father, you gave to your incarnate Son the holy name of Jesus to be the sign of our salvation: Plant in every heart, we pray, the love of him who is the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen."

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New King James Version (NKJV) Used with permission. The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

How far will God bring you?

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Samuel 7:18-29

TO CHEW ON: "Then King David went in and sat before the Lord; and he said 'Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that you have brought me this far?'" 2 Samuel 7:18


God's favour to David, as evidenced by His promise to make David's family a forever lineage, caused him to take stock of how far he had come. His humble beginnings as the youngest, stuck tending sheep while his brothers lined up for Samuel's anointing, would not have predicted this. Neither would the years he lived as an outcast on the run from King Saul. But no person or circumstance could thwart God's plans for him.

It's the same for you and me. Our humble beginnings and what has happened in our past is no obstacle to God and His destiny for us. However, when we're in the middle of humdrum life, it's hard to believe or even grasp this. Here are some verses to help us build faith in God's creative ability to transform our lives:

“Then I will sprinkle  clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed  away, and you will no longer worship idols.  And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I  will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender,  responsive heart.And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations" - Ezekiel 36:25-27, NLT.

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope'" - Jeremiah 29:11, NLT.

"But He said, 'The things which are impossible with men are possible with God'” - Luke 18:27, NKJV.   

"And all of us, as with  unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as  in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured  into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree  of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit"  - 2 Corinthians 3:18, AMP.

As Joyce Meyer puts it:

"I encourage you to take a positive look at the possibilities of the future and begin to "call(s) those things which do not exist as though they did" (Romans 4:17). Think and speak about your future in a positive way, according to what God has placed in your heart, and not according to what you have seen in the past or are seeing even now in the present" - Joyce Meyer, Battlefield of the Mind, p. 186.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for the example of David who came from nowhere to father the royal line from which You were born. Please give me the faith to live out the dreams I believe You have placed in my heart. I want You to bring me as far as I am meant to go. Amen.


MORE: All the Way My Saviour Leads Me sung by Chris Tomlin





(From the archives)

New year - faithful God

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Psalm 8:1-9

TO CHEW ON: "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

The moon and stars which You have ordained,

What is man that You are mindful of him,

And the son of man that You visit him?" Psalm 8:3-4

Today is the day we not only flip over to a new page on the calendar, but put up a whole new calendar! We can experience a lot of different emotions as we start a new year.

We may feel anticipation, as we look at our crisp new journals or agenda books and wonder what activities and appointments will soon fill those squares. We may feel regret as we look back on the year past and recall the mistakes we've made and the things we've left undone. We may feel sadness because some of our friends and family members are no longer with us, and fear as we look into a future without them which may contain, as well, other dark expectations and dreaded outcomes. Or we may be full of eagerness to get going because we know this year is going to be great!

Whatever our emotions, the beginning of a new year is a good time to ponder the big picture. Psalm 8 — a nature psalm by David — is one way to do this.

In it David talks about looking into the sky and getting a sense of insignificance. That's not hard for us to identify with— mere dots that we are on this tiny planet in one little corner of the vast stretch of the universe where distances between bodies are expressed in light-years, a calculation we can hardly comprehend.

But David also feels a sense of significance. For man is the part of creation that is conscious of God's presence in a way the rest of the created world can never be. As a result he is "crowned" with glory and honour and has "dominion" over the rest of creation. A sidebar article in my Bible elaborates on human dominion and its resultant responsibility:

"Man has a responsibility that the rest of creation does not and holds a critical role in the affairs of earth....The world literally stands or falls based on the actions and stewardship of human beings...For this reason we should never be satisfied to dwell on a mere lower level of creaturely existence, but strive to live at the highest and fullest level of our human nature. God designed for man a more noble destiny than creation could ever bestow. We should continue to explore what it is to be human, made in the image and likeness of God and given dominion (stewardship) over all the earth" - C.B./J.M. in "Twin Truths: Man's Dominion and Responsibility" New Spirit Filled Life Bible p. 691.

May I submit that we need to "strive to live at the highest and fullest level of our human nature" not only as we relate to the natural world, but as we confront personal, family and work challenges as well? There too we can live above "a mere lower level of creaturely existence." We don't need to be victims of the ups and downs of circumstances because we choose to live by faith in God, who has visited us and assures us in the Bible:

• He loves us (John 3:16; 1 John 4:9-10).

• His plans for us are all-encompassingly good (Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:27-28).

• We can face the future fearless because of His love (1 John 4:18)

PRAYER: Dear God, I give You this year with all its uncertainties, its highs and lows, its potential triumphs and disappointments. Help me to choose to trust You in every situation that will come my way in 2011. Amen.

MORE: A verse for the year

For some time now one of my first devotional activities of the year is to choose a Bible verse or verses as a flag-plant or banner for the year.

One year it was: Matthew 6:33

Another year it was: Philippians 4:6-7

Still another year it was: 1 Corinthians 13

Maybe you'd like to join me in doing that this year. Begin by taking some time to sit before God asking Him to show you what Your focus verse should be. Then open yourself to His answer through your own Bible reading, a sermon, song, something you read... When you've chosen your verse write it on a file card, post it on your bathroom mirror or fridge, memorize it, meditate on it, pray it, and generally let it permeate all of 2011.