datethewordtest

Category: Verse to DATE

  • PRAYING EFFECTIVELY FOR YOUR PASTOR(S)

    PRAYING EFFECTIVELY FOR YOUR PASTOR(S)

    1 Thessalonians 5:25 Brethren, pray for us. 
    7 Prayer requests to pray for US
    Verses to DATE the Word on May 25 (5/25) is 1 Thessalonians 5:25 “Brethren, pray for us.
    This devotional is a how-to for putting praying for “us” into practice.
    The great apostle Paul understood that he must himself be a man of prayer and that he MUST have others praying for him.  Notice some verses that have him appealing for prayer support.
    1 Thessalonians 5:25 “Brethren, Pray for us”                        
    Hebrews 13:18 Pray for us; 
    2 Thessalonians 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us,                
    Colossians 4:3 praying also for us,
    Ephesians 6:18-19  Praying always…. for me”
    Romans 15:30  Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me,
    2 Corinthians 1:11 You also helped together in praying for us

    If the Apostle Paul needed to pray and needed prayer warriors how much more do our pastors need our prayers?

    Please notice 7 Prayers for God’s People to Pray for God’s Pastor – one prayer each day of the week from Monday to Sunday:
    1. Prayers for God’s People to Pray for God’s Pastor on Monday:  Pray for PROTECTION
    Pray for PROTECTION from the attacks of the wicked
    2 Thessalonians 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you,  2  and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.
    Pray for PROTECTION from the attacks of the Devil, namely DISCOURAGEMENT
    2 Timothy 1:3-4  I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, 4  greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears,
    Pray for PROTECTION from natural temptations, namely PRIDE
    1 Timothy 3:6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.  
    John 12:43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God  

    2. Prayers for God’s People to Pray for God’s Pastor on Tuesday: Pray for PREPARATION

    Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.    * He studied it, submitted to it, and he shared it

    Ecclesiastes 12:9-11 “And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright — words of truth.11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd.
    “Shepherds seek to speak words to be remembered, retained and reproduced by the sheep!”
      
    1 Thessalonians 3:10 “night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and supply what is lacking in your faith:  (Pray they provide what you need to learn!)

    3. Prayers for God’s People to Pray for God’s Pastor on Wednesday: Pray for PROVISION

    Luke 8:2-3 some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3  and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.
    1 Timothy 5:18  For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” 
    Pray for the PROVISION of PAY.  (Pastors have bills just like everyone else.)

    Pray for the PROVISION OF WISDOM, & PRUDENCE in handling people and problems
    Daniel 2:14  Then Daniel responded with tact and prudence to Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. 

    1 Timothy 3:2 Pastor is to be sober-minded, (calm, cool and collected in the face of a crisis)

    Pray for the PROVISION of ENCOURAGEMENT
    2 Corinthians 7:6  But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.
    2 Timothy 1:16 The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain;
    1 Corinthians 16:17 I am glad about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for what was lacking on your part they supplied. 18 For they refreshed my spirit

    Pray for the PROVISION of HELPERS
    Exodus 18:25-26 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.  26  So they judged the people at all times; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves.
    Acts 6:1-7 (v3)  “Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;

    Pray for the PROVISION of STRENGTH
    Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 
    Nehemiah 6:9 “Now, therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.”

    4. Prayers for God’s People to Pray for God’s Pastor on Thursday: Pray for PROGRESSION,  the PROGRESSION of personal pursuits of piety.
    1 Timothy 4:15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. 
    1 Timothy 6:11  But you, O man of God, flee (PUT WAY) these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
    2 Timothy 2:22  Flee (PUT AWAY) also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
    1 Timothy 4:12  Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
    1 Peter 5:2-3 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
    That the pastor PRACTICES WHAT HE PREACHES
    Hebrews 13:7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.

    5. Prayers for God’s People to Pray for God’s Pastor on Friday:  Pray for POSSIBILITIES
    Colossians 4:3 praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the Word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,

    6. Prayers for God’s People to Pray for God’s Pastor on Saturday: Pray for the pastor’s PRIORITIES
    Acts 6:4  “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

    Pray for the pastor’s PRIORITIES with his Faith; his Family; his Fitness
        
    Faith – has to sit before he serves    Has to abide to abound.
    A pastor can become so busy doing the work of the Lord that they have no time for the Lord of the work.

    Family – what does it profit a pastor to gain the whole world and lose his family?  
    1 Peter 3:7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

    Fitness  – exercise    – rest – relax – recreation
    Mark 6:31  And Jesus said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

    7. Prayers for God’s People to Pray for God’s Pastor on Sunday: Pray for God’s POWER. 
    POWER from God’s ANOINTING so there will be POWER from the PULPIT and in the PREACHING
    1 Corinthians 2:4-5 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
    Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
    Acts 10:38  “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

    Prayers for God’s People to Pray for God’s Pastor on Monday: Pray for PROTECTION
    Prayers for God’s People to Pray for God’s Pastor on Tuesday: Pray for PREPARATION
    Prayers for God’s People to Pray for God’s Pastor on Wednesday: Pray for PROVISION
    Prayers for God’s People to Pray for God’s Pastor on Thursday: Pray for PROGRESSION of personal pursuits of piety.
    Prayers for God’s People to Pray for God’s Pastor on Friday: Pray for POSSIBILITIES
    Prayers for God’s People to Pray for God’s Pastor on Saturday: Pray for the pastor’s PRIORITIES
    Prayers for God’s People to Pray for God’s Pastor on Sunday: Pray for God’s POWER 
    the POWER from God’s ANOINTING so there will be POWER from the PULPIT and in the PREACHING

    Based on the appeal may you make the commitment to PRAY FOR YOUR PASTOR(S)

  • Verse to DATE the Word on May 25 (5/25) is 1 Thessalonians 5:25

    “Brethren, pray for us.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:25
    The Request of Request – PRAY FOR US!

    One must describe the great Apostle Paul as a man who BELIEVES IN PRAYER!! He started letter after letter telling of how he was praying for those he was writing to, whether an individual or a church. He was a PRAYER WARRIOR for others.  Then as you get to the end of his letters, he almost always made a personal APPEAL for prayer. For instance: 
    Romans 15:30 says, “I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive (agonize) together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,”
    Ephesians 6:18 says, “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,
    Colossians 4:2 says, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison  4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

    Friends, the appeals of Paul in just these few verses convey a huge truth for all of us.  If the Apostle Paul absolutely knew he could not do ministry without PRAYER what makes any of us think we can do ministry without prayer?    We must be prayer warriors and we must have prayer warriors!

    How will you apply 1 Thessalonians 5:25?  
    If you are the “brethren” of the verse I trust you will pray for your spiritual leaders (the “us” of the verse)
    If you are the “us” of the verse I trust you will be spending time in individual prayer but also ASKING OTHERS (the “brethren” of the verse) TO PRAY FOR YOU!

    “Brethren,” are you spending time praying? Are you praying for your spiritual leaders?
    “Us,” are you asking others to pray for you? 

    The verse to DATE the Word on May 25 (5/25) is 1 Thessalonians 5:25. It says, “Brethren, pray for us.”

    Reminder: “Nothing of eternal significance ever happens apart from prayer!”  Dr. Jerry Falwell

    Continue Strong as a PRAYER WARRIOR,
    And remember to DATE the Word
    BTW – your prayers for Date the Word are greatly appreciated!!!! 
    www.datetheword.com 
  • Verse to DATE the Word on May 24 (5/24) is 1 Thessalonians 5:24

    Verse to DATE the Word on May 24 (5/24) is 1 Thessalonians 5:24

    “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:24
    FAITHFUL in name and in character is God

    1 Thessalonians is one of the most REASSURING verses in the Bible.  We live in a world of UNFAITHFULNESS.  The evidence is all around us, whether in the family unit, the church, the political world, etc.  It is hard to know who to TRUST.  It is hard to know who to believe.   

    Then you read 1 Thessalonians 5:24 that GOD, “who calls you is FAITHFUL” and then comes the additional confirmation, “who also will do it”.   As I internalize these words, I find comfort and I find assurance and I find encouragement.   As I have entrusted my soul and my life to Jesus, I have placed myself in the sure hands of one who is FAITHFUL.  He is reliable and dependable.  He can be TRUSTED.  He keeps His PROMISES!  

    Going a little deeper let me remind you that this description of God is mentioned many times in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.  For instance, in Deuteronomy 7:9 we read, “Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.”
    Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:9  that “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.:
    To the Thessalonians, he wrote in 2 Thessalonians 3:3 that “the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.”  
    John wrote that He is faithful to forgive and cleanse us when we confess our sins. (I John 1:9). John describes Jesus as the FAITHFUL witness (Rev. 1:5) and tells us that one of His names is FAITHFUL. (Rev. 19:11)  

    I know we live in a world filled with unfaithfulness and where we find ourselves wondering if anyone can be trusted.  However, we do know One we can always rely on.  When God makes a promise, He keeps a promise.  And the promises of promises are tied to our salvation.  Another verse for 5/24 is John 5:24 and in John 5:24 we have this promise: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life”   What a promise.  The One we put our trust in for salvation is trustworthy!  He is faithful and will DO IT!!

    Ponder the great faithfulness of the Lord to you!!  What does His faithfulness mean to you? 

    Verse to DATE the Word on May 24 (5/24) is 1 Thessalonians 5:24. It says, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”

    Continue Strong KNOWING He is FAITHFUL,
    And remember to DATE the Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on May 23 (5/23) is 2 Samuel 5:23

    Verse to DATE the Word on May 23 (5/23) is 2 Samuel 5:23

    “Therefore David inquired of the LORD, and He said, “You shall not go up; Circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees.”  – 2 Samuel 5:23
    **On a personal note, 2 Samuel 5 has been a go-to for me for making decisions since I first heard a Bible study on 2 Samuel 5 taught in the early ’80s!   

    With the Philistines invading the valley of Rephaim AGAIN King David knows he must go out and battle them again.  But before he goes, he INQUIRES of the Lord what direction the Lord would have him take. We see this practice of inquiring of the Lord a few verses earlier in 2 Samuel 5:18-20 where we read “Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 19 And David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the LORD said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.” 20 And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The LORD has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.”

    David inquired of the Lord and God gave the answer and because of the Lord, David experienced victory. 

    Now we come to verse 22 and read, “The Philistines came up again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.”  AGAIN – you see the word, right?  AGAIN.  So again, David has to deal with the Philistines.

    Thus David AGAIN INQUIRES of the Lord. (1 Samuel 5:23a) But this time God says, “YOU SHALL NOT GO UP.” (1 Sam. 5:23b)

    Please don’t miss this. To David’s prayer, God said “YOU SHALL NOT GO UP” as you did before. This time, God tells David he is to “Circle behind them.” (1 Samuel 5:23c) The Lord tells David that his approach will be different.
    Please don’t miss how specifically God is as He tells David to circle around.  He tells David to COME UPON THEM IN FRONT of the mulberry trees.”  (1 Samuel 5:23d)

    King David inquired of the Lord and God gave him an answer, a different answer than before. And God gave him another victory. We read in verse 24 “And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the LORD will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” 25 And David did so, as the LORD commanded him; and he drove back the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer.”

    What might we learn here?  First, it is foolish to think because God gave a victory one time, He will just give it again (Think Ai after Jericho). It is also foolish to think that God will work the same way even as you face the same temptation or problems. We must be ready for God to change our direction as well as even our methods. 

    NOW, you need to ask yourself if GOD can say to you, “YOU SHALL NOT.” David was victorious twice in 2 Samuel 5 because he inquired of the Lord and he DID WHAT GOD SAID, doing the battles DIFFERENTLY!  One time they GO UP.  One time they GO AROUND! 
    (Can’t you just hear the soldiers as they moved in front of the mulberry trees saying, “We’ve never done it this way before.”) 

    Verse to DATE the Word on May 23 (5/23) is 2 Samuel 5:23. It says, “Therefore David inquired of the LORD, and He said, “You shall not go up; circle around behind them and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees.”

    Are you FLEXIBLE with God to allow Him to say YOU SHALL NOT so that He can get you into the right position to be victorious again?

    Continue Strong inquiring of the Lord,
    And remember to DATE the Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on May 22 (5/22) is 1 Thessalonians 5:22

    Verse to DATE the Word on May 22 (5/22) is 1 Thessalonians 5:22

    “Abstain from every form (or appearance, KJV) of evil.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:22
    The apostle Paul PUSHES us to make serious decisions about participating in sin and doing any type of evil.  As believers, we are not to participate in any form of evil! The call is to ABSTAIN. Abstain means total REJECTION.  It means to completely WITHDRAW from it.  Abstain means to absolutely STAY AWAY from the practice of any evil. In the strongest sense, it means DON’T DO IT!!  ABSTAIN!! DON’T DO EVIL!!!  Don’t even give the APPEARANCE of doing evil!

    Determining what to avoid means we must get into our Bibles to learn what is good and what is evil.  A major reason for learning what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is evil is there are those who will call good evil and evil good. (Isaiah 5:20) We must learn the difference and then abstain not just from the action but even the appearance of doing anything sinful or evil.  

    In growing to be stronger and more victorious over temptations we must remember that victory over temptation many times comes down to the decision of STAYING AWAY from the people and places that provide temptations. 

    DON’T place yourself in places where you are prone to FALL! 
    DON’T place yourself with people who are prone to pressure you to FALL! 

    It may be today you need to step up some decision-making! Decide to decide that you are not going to give opportunities to temptation.  Decide that you will abstain from evil!!  Decide that you will not even give to anyone the appearance of evil. 

    Verse to DATE the Word on May 22 (5/22) is 1 Thessalonians 5:22.  It says, “Abstain from every form (or appearance, KJV) of evil.”

    Continue Strong with strong convictions of doing right and AVOIDING wrong,
    And remember to DATE the Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on May 21 (5/21) is 2 Corinthians 5:21

    Verse to DATE the Word on May 21 (5/21) is 2 Corinthians 5:21

    “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become
    the righteousness of God in Him.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21
    THE GREATEST EXCHANGE. 

    Jesus Christ, 2nd person of the Trinity, the Son of God, comes into this world as a human. Coming to this earth as a human He came with a purpose and in I John 3:5 we see the main reason for His coming as it says, “He was manifested to take away our sins AND there is no sin in Him.”

    Just as the Apostle John has written, the Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:21 that Jesus did not sin.  He was perfect.  He was completely righteous.  Paul then writes that while He never sinned, He is made sin.  This is to be understood that at Calvary, on the cross, He takes our sin. On the cross, He takes the punishment and pays the penalty for our sins.  The One who never sinned takes all our sins and pays the penalty for our sins.   Overwhelming to consider is it not?

    But there is more.  He then gives to those who accept Him as Savior His righteousness. He imparts His righteousness to the one who accepts Him.   He takes our sins and gives us His righteousness!

    Christ lived as if He lived my life or your life so that we might now have a life as if we had lived like Him. 

    Let’s just take a moment and say WHAT AN EXCHANGE!!! WHAT A SAVIOR!!! 

    BTW – The prerequisite for entrance into heaven is to be as RIGHTEOUS as God. The only way that ever happens is for Christ, who was perfect, to give us His righteousness. Our righteousness is so bad that it is described as filthy rags. You are not getting to heaven keeping the Ten Commandments – (no one is able to keep all of them,) You are not getting to heaven being a good person because while you may be good you are also bad. You are not getting to heaven because you love people or help people or serve people or even attend a church. You get to heaven by accepting Jesus who died and rose again for you and with that acceptance, you are justified, and being justified you receive Christ’s righteousness.

    Without a doubt, 2 Corinthians 5:21 is one of the most informative verses we have concerning our great and wonderful salvation!

    Verse to DATE the Word on May 21 (5/21) is 2 Corinthians 5:21. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 

    Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior?   I trust you have and that you have experienced the greatest exchange of all time. 

    Continue Strong praising God for the great exchange,
    And remember to DATE the Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on May 20 (5/20) is 2 Corinthians 5:20

    Verse to DATE the Word on May 20 (5/20) is 2 Corinthians 5:20

    “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us:
    we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:20
    From an ALIEN from God to an AMBASSADOR for God

    When a person becomes a believer their lives are changed. As one reads the concluding verses of 2 Corinthians 5 one will read of wonderful, almost unbelievable changes that happen to the new Christian.  These changes include being reconciled to God and made a new person.  It included receiving the righteousness of Christ.  And we read of one of the most marvelous changes in which God now views us as AMBASSADORS for CHRIST.  

    Being an ambassador means one is a representative.  If you are a Christian, you now REPRESENT Christ in this world and are to bring His message of reconciliation to them!

    Please take a moment and consider what a change this is!  Recall what you were before becoming a believer.  In Ephesians 2:19 we are called “strangers and aliens.” In Romans 5:10 we are called “enemies.” In Colossians, we are “ALIENATED” from God.

    Yet here in 2 Corinthians 5:20, we are called AMBASSADORS for CHRIST.  We went from being in rebellion against God to being a representative of God. That friends, is a change!!!  I was an alien from God and now I am an Ambassador of God.  I am Ambassador Carson.  You are Ambassador (your first and last name)!!  

    Ambassador, you are called to represent Christ to a lost world.  You represent Christ to the lost working next to you and to those living next to you. You are to represent Christ to friends, family members, and even enemies!  Plead with them to be reconciled to God by sharing the glorious gospel!  

    Verse to DATE on May 20 (5/20) is 2 Corinthians 5:20. 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”

    Continue Strong representing Christ to the nations,
    And remember to DATE the Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on May 19 (5/19) is Ephesians 5:19

    Verse to DATE the Word on May 19 (5/19) is Ephesians 5:19

    “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing 
    and making melody in your heart to the Lord,” – Ephesians 5:19
    A Spirit-filled believer is Singing!

    Do you love to sing?  I love to sing but no one around me loves to hear the sound of my singing.  I have been asked to sing many SOLOS – so low no one can hear me.  At Easter I was asked to sing ON A HILL FAR AWAY.   

    When it comes to singing, we read that God sings over us.  Zephaniah 3:17 says, “The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness….He will rejoice over you with singing.”   We know that God loves to hear singing and that heaven is filled with singing.  We read of singing in Revelations 5 and 14.  Revelation 15:3 says, “They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!”  Every now and then there comes the question of what will we be doing in heaven.  Well, we will be singing a lot!

    But before we get to heaven we are instructed to SING here on earth. We are to sing with others. We are to sing to others. We are to sing in our hearts.  (I hear that part of the verse quoted to me a lot!)  We are to sing Psalms.  We are to sing hymns.  We are to sing spiritual songs, known today as praise and worship.  

    If I may give an opinion on songs to sing, I have found it helpful to sing songs ABOUT the Lord and songs TO the Lord.  

    As you consider putting into action Ephesians 5:19 make the commitment that you are going to sing.  Sing in the shower.  Sing alone in your car.  Sing in your heart.  And if you can sing and not hurt other people’s ears (like me) sing in public.   Lift up your voice to the Lord.  

    As you consider putting into action Ephesians 5:19 I encourage you to have a hymnal to use for your quiet time and as well use your computer to listen to and sing praise and worship songs.  Have a diet of songs that allows you to sing ABOUT God and to sing TO God!  

    I do believe that when a person gets saved God puts in their heart a new song.  (Psalm 40:3  says, “He has put a new song in my mouth — Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the LORD.”)  And I connect Ephesians 5:18 to Ephesians 5:19. When you are filled with the Spirit you will be singing songs about God and to God!

    Verse to DATE the Word on May 19 (5/19) is Ephesians 5:19. It says, “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,”

    Continue Strong SINGING to the Lord,
    And remember to DATE the Word
     
  • Verse to DATE the Word on May 18 (5/18) is 1 Thessalonians 5:18

    Verse to DATE the Word on May 18 (5/18) is 1 Thessalonians 5:18

    “In everything (in all circumstances) give thanks; for this is the
    will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18
    Our verse to DATE the Word on May 18 (5/18) is 1 Thessalonians 5:18. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything (in all circumstances) give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

    Giving Thanks IN Everything

    I find some Scriptures to be easy to quote but very difficult to live out.  I can easily quote 1 Thessalonians 5:18 but as I process the straightforward teaching of the verse, I want to say back to Paul that this is ridiculous.  I think it is unreasonable to think that when bad things happen that I am supposed to give thanks.  I think it is just as unreasonable to think that I am to “count it all joy when I fall into various trials.” (James 1:2) I don’t think I am alone in this thinking.  Giving thanks for everything just doesn’t make sense. 

    I am not sure if you feel you need to correct me on the very last sentence, but I need to correct what I just wrote.  I wrote that giving thanks for everything just doesn’t make sense and what was written is not what the verse says.  I Thessalonians 5:18 does not say to give thanks FOR everything.  It says, “IN everything give thanks.”  The word IN is far different than the word FOR.  FOR everything means that even as the worst of the worst happens you are to be giving thanks. IN everything means that as you process through even the worst of the worst you can find things to give thanks for.  

    I came across a story about Corrie Ten Boom and her sister Betsie that illustrates this.  During WW2 they were taken captive and were living in a German concentration camp.  In their barrack, they would hold a Bible study and they studied 1 Thess. 5:16-18.   In discussing the application Betsie said they should give thanks.  Corrie was resistant but Betsie was firm.  She believed there were many things to give thanks for even to the point of saying they should give thanks for the FLEAS.  Corrie was not having any of it.  Yet Betsie insisted and they give thanks for the pesty fleas and even the awful lice.

    A few weeks went by, and the ladies began to realize that no guards ever came into their barracks.   They never had anyone interrupt their Bible studies.   They wondered why, as other barracks faced constant harassment.  One day Betsie overheard some guards refusing to go into her barrack and their reason was that the barrack was the barrack with all the fleas and lice.  Betsie and Corrie were able to see God’s purpose for fleas was to protect them.   

    We should consider the alternative to giving thanks.  It is grumbling and complaining and being bitter.  These actions grieve the heart of God.  The Book of Numbers lets us know that God does not handle complaining well!   These actions also bring harm to one’s own life.  You may have heard that bitterness is like drinking poison and then waiting for the other person to die.  

    As you consider the application of IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS, we do need to consider that the Apostle Paul must have known it would be difficult so he added that “this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 

    So, do you have an attitude of gratitude?  Can you see, believe, and trust that IN all circumstances God is working?   Are you expressing thanks to God in both good and bad situations?  

    Verse to DATE the Word on May 18 (5/18) is 1 Thessalonians 5:18. 1 It says, “In everything (in all circumstances) give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
     
    BTW – The time to be most thankful is when you are praying.  
    Psalm 95:2  Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, 
    Ps 100:4  Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him,  bless His name. 
    Philippians 4:6  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
    Colossians 4:2   Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

    Continue Strong expressing gratitude to God
    And remember to DATE the Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on May 17 (5/17) is 2 Corinthians 5:17

    Verse to DATE the Word on May 17 (5/17) is 2 Corinthians 5:17

    “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away;
    behold, all things have become new.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17
    KNOW CHRIST means KNOW CHANGE!  NO CHANGE means NO CHRIST.  

    I suspect many of you find 2 Corinthians 5:17 to be a very familiar verse as it is usually one of the first verses we learn as a NEW believer. With Christ IN our lives and us now being IN CHRIST, we are a NEW CREATION!! It is as if we have a FRESH START. Our old behaviors and beliefs, especially regarding Christ, are passed away.  

    With Christ in us and us in Christ, we have BECOME NEW!!

    Let us make no mistakes as we understand our new life.  With Christ living IN us, we are CHANGED!! I think it is correct to say that to KNOW CHRIST means we will KNOW CHANGE!  And I think it is correct to say if there is NO CHANGE in one’s life then there is NO CHRIST in one’s life.

    As a Christian, you have a testimony – a story.  Within the story is how Christ changed your life! And BTW – the CHANGED life of 2 Corinthians 5:17 then becomes the TRANSFORMED life of Romans 12:1-2 where one changes to become more like Christ!  

    Take a moment and recall how you were CHANGED by Christ when you were saved. 
    As I recall the day I was saved, I find myself thinking about John Newton’s song Amazing Grace.  He wrote I once was lost but now I am found, was blind but now I see.

    How are you continuing to be CHANGED with Christ being in your life?

    Verse to DATE the Word on 5/17 is 2 Corinthians 5:17. It says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 

    Knowing Christ means knowing transformational change!

    Continue Strong CHANGING INTO HIS IMAGE!
    And remember to DATE The Word