datethewordtest

Category: Verse to DATE

  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 26 (4/26) is Proverbs 4:26

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 26 (4/26) is Proverbs 4:26

    “Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.” – Proverbs 4:26
    OH BE CAREFUL LITTLE FEET WHERE YOU GO!

    Wrong practices happen so many times because of being with the wrong people and being in the wrong place. From the very start of the Book of Proverbs, there are warnings issued to stay away from places where one will be tempted to do wrong.  Proverbs 1:15 says, “My son, do not walk in the way with them (sinners of verse 10), keep your foot from their path.”  We have seen in Proverbs 4 the instructions to avoid the path of the wicked.  Proverbs 4:14 says, “Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil.”

    In staying safe we teach that it is important to KNOW WHERE YOU ARE and know your SURROUNDINGS.  MORE IMPORTANTLY, though, you need to THINK ABOUT WHERE YOU WILL BE GOING.  To ponder the path of your feet is to be proactively THINKING about what possible temptations could be at certain places.  

    A WISE PERSON DOESN’T PUT THEMSELVES IN PLACES WHERE THEY ARE PRONE TO FALL! 

    In “establishing” your ways consider some benefits when you choose the “right” path. 

    Proverbs 10:17  Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
    Proverbs 12:28  In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway, there is no death.
    Proverbs 15:19  The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.
    Proverbs 15:24  The path of the prudent leads upward bringing life, that he may turn away from hell beneath.
    Isaiah 26:7  The path of the righteous is level; You make level the way of the righteous.

    From Proverbs 4:18 we are told that things get brighter for the righteous:  “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.”

    As you ponder where your feet are going to take you PONDER WITH PRAYER.  Psalms 119:35  is a good one to pray for it says, “Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.”    Of course, we have from the Lord’s Prayer that we ask the Lord to LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION!  When we pray these prayers we can expect our SHEPHERD to lead us in PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS!
     
    Verse to DATE the Word on April 26 (4/26) is Proverbs 4:26.  It says, “Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.”

    Continue Strong being careful where you go!
    And remember to DATE the WORD
  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 25 (4/25) is Proverbs 4:25

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 25 (4/25) is Proverbs 4:25

    “Let your eyes look straight ahead, and let your 
    eyelids look right before you.” – Proverbs 4:25
    Guarding the EYE Gate to guard your heart!

    Proverbs 4 teaches how one may be spiritually healthy.  To be spiritually healthy one needs to be proactive in ACQUIRING WISDOM that is then APPLIED to one’s life.  (Prov. 4:5-9) To be spiritually healthy one must AVOID the highway of evil.  Proverbs 4:14 “Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil. 15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on.”

    As one moves to the end of chapter 4, one learns how vital the heart is to our spiritual health and is told to GUARD the HEART with all DILIGENCE.  To guard the heart there are several actions to take.  For instance, there are things to PUT IN the heart AND there are things to KEEP OUT of the heart.  From Psalm 119:11 we learn what to PUT IN OUR HEART as it says, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You!”  

    To be spiritually healthy you must be PUTTING GOD’s WORD in your heart.  Getting personal and practical, what is the last Bible verse you memorized?

    Our verse to DATE, Proverb 4:25, calls for guarding our eyes to KEEP WRONG THINGS OUT OF OUR HEART.  We need to know that what comes in through the eye gate can have a significant impact on our hearts.  If we are going to be diligent in guarding our hearts, we must be diligent in guarding our eyes.  

    How do you guard your eyes?  David helps here as in Psalm 101:3 he wrote a conviction regarding his eyes.  He wrote, “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes.”  In Psalm 119:37 he prayed for God to “Turn away his eyes from looking at worthless things.”  This is a prayer we should be praying!  

    Job offers this conviction regarding his eyes in Job 31:1 stating, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?”  I remind you that temptations must be met with convictions!  Let us learn from Job to have a conviction about our eyes!

    Jesus reveals the seriousness of guarding our eye gate by saying, “And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.” (Mark 9:47) 
     
    To drive home the point of just how important the eyes are notice this from Jesus:  Luke 11:34 says, “The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is GOOD, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.

    The children’s song of Oh, Be Careful tells us to BE CAREFUL with our EYES is a song to sing daily and to live minute by minute.  

    Are you WATCHING what you WATCH?  To be spiritually healthy you will need to discipline your eyes as to what they see!  

    Verse to DATE on April 25 (4/25) is Proverbs 4:25. It says, “Let your eyes look straight ahead, and let your eyelids look right before you.”

    Continue Strong with godly eyesight,
    And remember to DATE the Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 24 (4/24) is Proverbs 4:24

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 24 (4/24) is Proverbs 4:24

    “Put away from you a deceitful mouth and put perverse lips far from you.” – Proverbs 4:24
    Tell the TRUTH THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH

    Very few topics in the Word of God receive as much attention as being honest. For instance, when you look at the Ten Commandments you find that two speak directly about honesty as we are told NOT to STEAL and NOT to BEAR FALSE WITNESS.  

    When you come to the Book of Proverbs you find that it addresses over and over the topic of honesty.  There are verses about lying compared to truthfulness like Proverbs 12:22 that tell how God feels about these two opposites. Proverbs 12:22 says, “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are His delight.”

    There is verse after verse in Proverbs about not being a false witness.  For instance, we find in the list of things that God hates (Proverbs 6:16-19) that He hates “A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.”

    Proverbs 19:5 tells how the one who thinks lying will help them escape consequences that it will not happen. It says,  “A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies will not escape.”  Proverbs 25:18 tells just how harmful a false witness is.  Read carefully as it says, “A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.”

    There are numerous verses about the deceitful tongue or mouth which our verse to DATE is commanding us to put away.  In Proverbs 11:11 we learn how destructive the deceitful liar can be as it says, “When God blesses his people, their city prospers, but deceitful liars can destroy a city.” 

    We find God’s Word speaking clearly in the NT about honesty. Colossians 3:8 tells us to put away obscene talk and verse 9 says to stop lying to one another. As well Ephesians 4:25 says, “Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.”

    Let us be honest here.  While we do not want someone telling a lie about us let us make sure we are not telling lies about others.  

    Our verse to DATE also demands we put perverse lips far from us. Tied very closely to being deceitful the idea of speaking perverse or perverted is to TWIST.  The perverse person twists the truth.  They don’t just mishandle the truth, they seek to mangle the truth.  They want the truth to be hard to be found.

    The deceitful mouth will seek to cover up the truth.  The perverse lips will seek to confuse one on what the truth is.  

    As God finds lying an abomination He also finds the perverse person an abomination.  Proverbs 11:20  says, “Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the LORD.”  The great danger of the preserve person is they stir up strife as Proverbs 16:28 says, “A perverse man sows strife,”

    Friends, we are to be telling the TRUTH THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH about ourselves and about others!   Don’t cover up the truth with deceit and don’t twist the truth in order to bring confusion!  

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 24 (4/24) is Proverbs 4:24. It says, “Put away from you a deceitful mouth and put perverse lips far from you.”

    Are you being CAREFUL with your words to ensure they are TRUTHFUL?

    Continue Strong speaking HONESTLY,
    And remember to DATE the Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 23 (4/23) is Proverbs 4:23

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 23 (4/23) is Proverbs 4:23

    “Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” – Proverbs 4:23
    It is HEART AWARENESS DAY for your SPIRITUAL HEART

    As we look at our verse to DATE on April 23 (4/23) we have one of the strongest statements in the Bible about the need to PAY SERIOUS ATTENTION to a critical area of our life.  The verse starts with GUARD and then says what is to be guarded is to be done WITH ALL DILIGENCE.   With these bookends, we evidently have something that DEMANDS we WAKE UP and PAY SERIOUS ATTENTION TO IT.

    What is so vital that it demands such attention?  It is our HEART.   

    Now we have to quickly say this is not a public service announcement for the American Heart Association.   We are not talking about guarding with all diligence our physical heart, although I do hope you take care of your physical heart.  Proverbs 4:23 is speaking of the seat of our emotions and will.  The Bible refers to the heart as where we make our decisions.   You might recall, for instance, that Jesus said in Matthew 15:19  that “out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.”

    Because of how important our decisions are then we must make certain that we have a heart that is clean, not corrupt.  Based on what our heart takes in determines what will come out.  The old saying goes “Garbage in, garbage out.”  

    In taking care of our (spiritual) heart there are several things that are vital to do.  First, we must recognize that we have wicked hearts.  Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; Who can know it?”  Our wicked heart needs to be clean.  David prayed for God to “Create in him a clean heart,” (Ps 51:10)  God says through Ezekiel that we “Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.” (Eze 18:31) For us to get a new heart is to accept Jesus as Savior and He makes us a new man.

    Friends, the heart of the problem is the problem of the heart.   In taking care of your heart, getting saved is the most important decision you will ever make!

    Now let us talk about what it means to guard with all diligence your heart as our very life depends on it.  The heart disease that we must avoid is sin.  How do we keep our heart from sinning?  I am glad you asked.
    The answer is found in Psalm 119:11.  It says, “Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”  

    Solomon will give the instructions to his son, “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;”  (Proverbs 4:20-21)

    To guard and protect your heart you will need to fill it, yes, you need to SATURATE it, with the Word of God.  Saturating your heart with Scripture is one of the surest ways to stop sin!  

    Someone said, “The Bible will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from the Bible!”

    I must add that hiding God’s Word in your heart is only the first step.  With the hiding, there must also be the HEEDING or obeying of God’s Word.  Proverbs 3:1 says, “My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep or obey my commands.”  

    All the way back in Moses’ day God wanted an obedient heart. Notice Deuteronomy 5:29  as it says, “Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!”

    Taking care of your heart is PRIORITY ONE!  Guard it by guarding your eyes for what you look after impacts it.  Guard your ears for what you listen to impacts it.   Guard your thinking as what you think about impacts it.  Regarding your thinking and your heart let me give one more verse for keeping your heart healthy. It is Psalms 19:14. It is a prayer.  It says, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be ACCEPTABLE to You O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” 

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 23 (4/23) is Proverbs 4:23.  It says, “Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”

    What actions do you need to GUARD WITH ALL DILIGENCE YOUR HEART?

    Continue Strong with a clean heart,
    And remember to DATE the Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 22 (4/22) is Matthew 4:22

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 22 (4/22) is Matthew 4:22

    “and immediately they (James and John) left the boat and
    their father (Zebedee) and followed Him.” – Matthew 4:22
    Letting GO to GO

    For us to have the full picture of Matthew 4:22 let us back up to verse 18 to read of Jesus calling men to be His disciples. Matthew 4:18 “And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.  19  Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him. 21  Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22  and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.”

    Our verse to DATE reveals there was a lot of LETTING GO that day.   For James and John, they had to LET GO of their own dreams and desires.  To be a FOLLOWER means one must LEAVE.  It means one has to LET GO.  To be a follower one is no longer leading their own life and doing their own thing.  To be a follower you FOLLOW the leading of the one LEADING!

    A great example of this is the prophet, Elisha.  When he was called to go with Elijah he had been plowing with his oxen.  Elisha would kill his oxen and burn his plow in order to follow Elijah. It is worth reading. Notice from 1 Kings 19:19 “So he (ELIJAH)  departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him.  20  And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”  21 So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen’s equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant.”

    In Matthew 4 we are reading of two brothers who LEFT in order to follow.  What did they leave?

    They LEFT the boat where they had fished for fish to now fish for men. They left their business to go and do the Lord’s business!  While they were doing something GOOD, they had to turn loose of the good in order to do what was BEST.  

    When Jesus said, “LET’S GO” they LET GO!! 

    It is very possible that as you are reading this the Lord is working in your heart to do something that is different from what you are doing.  And the thing you are doing is most likely GOOD but God has something else for you.   I encourage you to turn the “good” loose.  As if you were holding it in your hands turn your hands over and release it.  They turn your hands back over, palms up, and receive the new assignment from God.  As He says, “LET’S GO” you LET GO so you can GO where He wants you and DO what He wants you to DO!  And there is no better place to be than in the place where God wants you and doing what He wants you to do!

    They LEFT (oh don’t miss this) they left their father. They LEFT their family to go and become and do what Jesus wanted. 

    And while we see these two LEAVING as “they LEFT their boat and their father,” we also need to know that many times for a person to FOLLOW means someone else has to LET GO.  That other person is Zebedee.  Zebedee has always been a hero to me because he did not believe his sons belong to him. His testimony here is he LET GO!

    When Jesus said, “LET’S GO” Zebedee LET GO!! 

    Parents reading this: Are you preparing your child(ren) to be followers of Jesus – to go where He wants them to go – to be what He wants them to be – to do what He wants them to do? I surely hope so!  When Jesus says to your child LET’S GO will you LET GO? 

    Friend, when Jesus calls for you to FOLLOW HIM are you going or staying? I hope you have decided to follow Jesus – no turning back – no turning back! 

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 22 (4/22) is Matthew 4:22.  It says, “and immediately they (James and John) left the boat and their father (Zebedee) and followed Him.” 

    Continue Strong letting go so you/they can GO
    And remember to DATE The Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 21 (4/21) is Nehemiah 4:21

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 21 (4/21) is Nehemiah 4:21

    “So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears 
    from daybreak until the stars appeared.” – Nehemiah 4:21
    Diligence and Determination are Essential for Dreams to be Accomplished

    The Book of Nehemiah is the story of how a group of people under the leadership of Nehemiah REBUILT the city of Jerusalem by rebuilding the city walls and repairing the gates.  The rebuilding started with a DREAM that is born in the heart of Nehemiah as his heart broke when he heard the conditions of the people, the Jews, and the place, Jerusalem, that he so loved. Nehemiah 1:2-3 reveals the heartbreaking answer that Nehemiah received when he asked how things were in Jerusalem.  Neh. 1:2 says, “When Hanani, one of my brethren came with men from Judah I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 3  And they answered me saying “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”  These words broke Nehemiah’s heart and he became determined to make a difference.  The rest of Nehemiah 1 will tell how he was a leader from the knees up as he spends time praying to God because there was no way this dream could become a reality without God.  Nehemiah’s dream was DEPENDENT on God!!

    As one reads Nehemiah 2 God answers prayers and Nehemiah secured the authority from the king to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the broken walls and repair the gates.  Having seen the conditions first hand he then would cast the vision, his dream, to the people who decided to join him. It is worth reading this exciting moment in the story.  Neh. 2:17  “Then I said to them, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.”  18  And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me. So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set their hands to this good work.’

    At this point in the story, one does need to know that NOT everyone is on board with the dream. Matter of fact some are DISAPPOINTED that Nehemiah has shown up.  From Nehemiah 2:10  we read “When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of it, they were deeply disturbed that a man had come to seek the well-being of the children of Israel.”  This is a great reminder that NOT everyone will embrace your dreams!  This is why it is essential to have DETERMINATION because if you are doing something for God you will have OPPOSITION.  

    Despite the opposition Nehemiah and the people go to work and in Nehemiah 4:6 we get a progress report. Neh. 4:6 says, “So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.”  The diligent work of God’s people was starting to pay off and the dream was becoming a reality.   

    Seeing the progress, the opposition stepped up its attack.  To protect the workers and the work Nehemiah gives orders for the workers to be equipped with tools for constructing the wall and tools for defending the wall. Notice Nehemiah 4:16-18  “So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders were behind all the house of Judah. 17  Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. 18  Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built.”

    With that background, we come to our verse to DATE on April 21 (4/21).  Nehemiah 4:21 is another progress report.  It says, “So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears from daybreak until the stars appeared.”  

    “So, we LABORED” speaks of the diligence needed for a dream to be accomplished.  Laziness does not accomplish anything.  Diligence and hard work, laboring is what produce results.  

    “And half of the men held the spears from daybreak until the stars appeared” speaks of the determination to do whatever was necessary.  From sun up to sun down, they stood up to DEFEND and protect.  

    If you have a dream to do something for God I am sure there will be statements on your progress report like Nehemiah 4:21.  The opposition to God’s work is real.  The devil hates what you are doing.  He will seek to discourage you.  He will seek to defeat you! You must be determined to be DILIGENT DOING the WORK while also DILIGENT to DEFEND the work.  Your dream of making a difference for God demands diligence and determination.  

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 21 (4/21) is Nehemiah 4:21. It says, “So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears from daybreak until the stars appeared.”

    The harder you pray and the harder you work the harder it will be to surrender. 

    Continue Strong LABORING to see His dream come true!
    And remember to DATE The Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 20 (4/20) is Romans 4:20

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 20 (4/20) is Romans 4:20

    “He (Abraham) did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief,
    but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,” – Romans 4:20
    Believing the PROMISER

    As the Apostle Paul is teaching the Romans about the FAITH of Abraham, he tells them how Abraham responded when he was told by God that his wife Sarah was going to have his son and that they would be naming him Isaac. Upon hearing this Abraham BELIEVED the UNBELIEVABLE was going to happen because HE BELIEVED THE PROMISER of the Promise!  

    If you are like me, you need a moment to process what you just read.  I will write it again. Abraham BELIEVED the UNBELIEVABLE was going to happen because HE BELIEVED THE PROMISER of the Promise!  

    As the Apostle Paul recounts this great story of Abraham’s faith he says that Abraham “did not waver.”  This means that he did not hesitate to believe.  It means he did not have a divided mind.  No dispute arose in his head that sought to deny what God had said. While he will ask how this could be he is not questioning God’s ability to perform what He had promised.  Abraham knows that his God is a promise-keeping God who cannot lie!  

    The apostle adds that in analyzing this moment in the life of Abraham, Abraham’s faith GREW in STRENGTH.   Hearing what humanly seemed so unbelievable Abraham does not stagger in faith but becomes STRONGER in faith.  

    Paul writes that in displaying the belief in God’s promise He brought GLORY to God.  God is so glorified when we BELIEVE Him and TRUST Him.  He is pleased when we take steps of FAITH!

    How are you doing in BELIEVING GOD in the present moment?  As God is guiding you are you believing He will be PROVIDING for you?  Do you stagger at His promises, or do you stand firmly on His promises knowing – KNOWING – that He KEEPS His promises? 

    May I remind you that a promise is only as good as the one making the promise?  Abraham’s faith was in God as God was the One making the promise.  If you are experiencing some weakness in your faith I appeal to you to get into His Word and learn more about the PROMISER!  Remember that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God!  

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 20 (4/20) is Romans 4:20. It says, “He (Abraham) did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,”

    Abraham BELIEVED the UNBELIEVABLE was going to happen because HE BELIEVED THE PROMISER of the Promise!  

    Continue Strong standing firm on the Promises of God
    And remember to DATE the Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 19 (4/19) is 1 John 4:19

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 19 (4/19) is 1 John 4:19

    “We love Him because He first loved us” – 1 John 4:19
    Our verse to DATE the Word on April 19 (4/19) is 1 John 4:19. 1 John 4:19 says, “We love Him because He first loved us.”

    OH, HOW HE LOVES YOU AND ME leads to OH HOW I LOVE JESUS!

    Every now and then it is good to pause to CONSIDER just how much God LOVES you!  The Apostle Paul prayed that we would COMPREHEND the LOVE of God (Eph. 3:18-19).  Allow me to place some verses before you to help you consider and comprehend His LOVE for you.

    John 3:16  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
    Romans 5:8  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
    John 15:12-13  “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
    Galatians 2:20  “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
    Ephesians 5:2  And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
    1 John 4:10  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
    Revelation 1:5  and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,  6  and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
    Ephesians 2:4  But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5  even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
    1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! 

    Frederick Martin Lehman wrote: 
    The love of God is greater far Than tongue or pen can ever tell.
    It goes beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell.
    The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win;
    His erring child He reconciled and pardoned from his sin.
    O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong!
    It shall forevermore endure – The saints’ and angels’ song.    
    Could we with ink the ocean fill,  and were the skies of parchment made;
    Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade;
    To write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry;
    Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky.

    Kurt Kaiser wrote the chorus: Oh, how He loves you and me, Oh how He loves you and me. He gave his life, what more could he give? Oh, how He loves you; Oh, how He loves me; Oh, how He loves you and me.

    As we consider how much God loves us, we should now be asking how much do we love Him.  
    Frederick Whitfield wrote:
    There is a name I love to hear, I love to sing its worth; it sound like music in mine ear, the sweetest name on earth.
    Oh, how I love Jesus.  Oh, how I love Jesus.  Oh, how I love Jesus.  Because He first loved me!
    It tells me of a Savior’s love who died to set me free;  It tells me of His precious blood, the sinner’s perfect plea
    Oh, how I love Jesus.  Oh, how I love Jesus.  Oh, how I love Jesus.  Because He first loved me!

    How are you showing your love to God?  Again a few verses to bring to your remembrance of what loving God looks like: 
    Matthew 22:37  Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38  “This is the first and great commandment.
    John 14:15  “If you love Me, keep My commandments.
    1 John 5:3 HCSB For this is what love for God is: to keep His commands. Now His commands are not a burden,
    1 John 4:11  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
    1 John 3:16  By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

    Our love for God shines out as we LOVE HIM WITH ALL WE ARE AND HAVE, KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, LOVE ONE ANOTHER AND LOVE THE LOST!

    As we DATE our verse for April 19 (4/19) and consider His love for us and our love for Him I trust you have not lost your first love. (Revelation 2:4) May our love for God grow deeper and stronger and may it then increase in our love for one another and deeper and stronger for those who do not know Him (2 Cor. 5:14).

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 19 (4/19) is 1 John 4:19. It says, “We love Him because He first loved us.”

    Continue Strong loving Him who LOVED YOU MORE
    And remember to DATE The Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 18 (4/18) is Proverbs 4:18

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 18 (4/18) is Proverbs 4:18

    “But the path of the just (righteous) is like the shining sun, that shines
    ever brighter unto the perfect day.” – Proverbs 4:18
    Our verse to DATE the Word on April 18 (4/18) is Proverbs 4:18. Proverbs 4:18 says, “But the path of the just (righteous) is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.”

    I Can See Clearly Now

    If you read Proverbs 4 you find Solomon speaking to his son about the various paths he can take and that he wants him to choose to take the path of righteousness and AVOID the paths of wickedness.  I like to call the middle part of Proverbs 4 God’s Highway Advisory.   Notice Proverbs 4:10-16. “Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life will be many.  11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in the right paths. 12  When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, And when you run, you will not stumble. 13  Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life. (now God’s Highway Advisory) 14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil. 15  Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on.”

    As we move to our verse to DATE Solomon wants to illustrate how the righteous walk is so much better than the unrighteous walk.  Having already said “Your steps will not be hindered, and you will not stumble” he continues that thought in verse 18. Those choosing the path of righteousness are going to be able to see clearly just as one would see clearer as the sun rises during the morning hours to high noon.  

    The Christian Standard Bible says, “The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday. 

    The NIV says, “The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.” 

    As we live out our Christian life, we are going to face temptations and we have an adversary seeking to devour us.  Being able to see the “obstacles” as quickly as possible will help keep us from stumbling.  When you are on the path of righteousness you will see past the allure of temptation, seeing the horrible consequences that could come if you yield to the temptation.  You are able to see the coming attack of the devil and hold up the shield of faith to quench his fiery darts.  

    Pausing to connect this verse to real life:  Has there been a time you were walking and did not see an obstacle in your path, and it caused you to trip and fall?  It could have happened in your house as it did to me one night.  Not wanting to turn on a light that might wake others up I walked blindly toward the kitchen and tripped over a box sitting in the hallway.  One of my first thoughts was I should have turned on the LIGHT.  

    Solomon speaks of life being a path and the one who is righteous is going to find that the path is clearer thus allowing for the righteous to avoid the obstacles and enjoy a better life!  The path of the wicked, on the other hand, is dark and leads to lots of stumbling and falling.   Proverbs 4:19 says, “The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble.” I would hope the comparison should help all of us to choose the paths of righteousness!

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 18 (4/18) is Proverbs 4:18. It says, “But the path of the just (righteous) is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.”

    Choose today the path of righteousness for a brighter day and a better life!  It will be your nightlight in the hallway, so you don’t trip and fall!

    Continue Strong on the path of righteousness and off the highway of wickedness,
    And remember to DATE the Word
     
  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 17 (4/17) is Ephesians 4:17

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 17 (4/17) is Ephesians 4:17

    “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as
    the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,” – Ephesians 4:17
    Our verse to DATE the Word on April 17 (4/17) is Ephesians 4:17. Ephesians 4:17 says, “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,”

    A WORTHY Walk is no longer a WORLDLY Walk

    From the start of the practical section of the Book of Ephesians the Apostle Paul calls on the believer to WALK WORTHY of the calling with which they were called. (Eph. 4:1) To walk worthy means there must be a change in how one walks/lives as the past walk was a life of sin.  It is expected that if someone knows Christ there is a story of change.  If there is no change then I am not sure how one can say they know Christ.  The believer goes from living a sinful life to a sanctified life.  The believer goes from doing things that displease God to doing the things that do please Him!

    To convey how one will live differently Paul writes the believer NO LONGER walks as the GENTILES walk.  The idea of “the Gentiles” is those who do not know God and have a worldly, self-centered, selfish mindset as opposed to one who knows God and has a God-centered, heavenly mindset.  

    You may recall that Jesus told His disciples that they were not to be like the Gentiles as they have a different value system.  They lord over people and use their authority for their own benefit. (Matt. 20:25)  The Gentiles do not live a life of faith but are constantly concerned about present needs.  (Matt. 6:32)

    As you consider your PRESENT walk with Christ what is your story of how you have changed?   How has becoming a Christian CHANGED you?  How different is the present walk from your past walk?  

    How is your mindset different?   The Apostle writes to no longer live like the Gentiles in the FUTILITY of their mind.  How is your thinking different now that you are a Christian?

    Maybe a couple of verses will help you answer the question.   The mind of a believer is having a mind that is set on the things above.  Colossians 3:1 says, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”
    When we have our minds set on things above, we are looking for what God wants for us.  We have an eternal mindset as opposed to a temporal mindset.

    Philippians 2:5 calls for us to “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Having a Christ-like mindset is to have a SERVANT mindset.  It puts OTHERS above yourself.   Christ’s mindset was to do for others what they could never do for themselves.  

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 17 (4/17) is Ephesians 4:17. It says, “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,”

    What are you NO LONGER DOING?

    Continue Strong living a different life!
    And remember to DATE the Word