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Weekly Verses from Crosswalk.com http://link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.23.27517.1.1698058 October 18, 2004 These verses are taken from Heartlight Daily Verse, by Phil Ware http://link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.23.27517.2.1698058 ~~~~~~~~~ MONDAY Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. --1 Peter 5:8-9 New International Version THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE... Satan is real. He and his power are intended to harm. But rather than spending our time worrying about him, let's resist him when we are tempted and focus on Jesus. He's the one who won the big showdown at Calvary, triumphing over Satan. He took Satan's greatest tool and disarmed it. Now we can resist and Satan will flee. MY PRAYER... Thank you, Almighty God, for sending Jesus to break Satan's stranglehold over us. Through the Savior's death you have assured me that mine won't be the end of our relationship, but the beginning of life with you. Today, however, I ask that you help me especially resist Satan's power over my life in the following ways... Through Jesus I pray. Amen. ~~~~~~~~~ TUESDAY I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints. --Ephesians 1:18 New International Version THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE... Heaven is something we see with our heart. When we are discouraged, doubtful, and depressed, we need to have the eyes of our hearts "enlightened." The dawn needs to rise in our darkness, and then we will see the dawn of hope and the riches of our inheritance. But when things look bad, the only way to remember these things is to sing them, pray them, and read God's promises of them. MY PRAYER... O God, you are my Hope. I trust in you and your promises. But I admit that at times, like even right now, I struggle with the confidence that you will act in response to my prayers and do what I've trusted you with my life to do. Please fill me with your Spirit, comfort my doubts, and kindle my passion so that I may serve you with boldness and share your grace with others. Through my Lord Jesus I pray. Amen. ~~~~~~~~~ WEDNESDAY You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. --1 Peter 2:9 New International Version THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE... We've been picked to be on God's team, and we were picked first! We have an important role to play in the unfolding of the world's history. We're here to declare God's praises to those who don't know him so they can find his marvelous light and leave their world of darkness. MY PRAYER... O Great Light of Eternal Hope, I praise you and thank you for including me in your people. Now move me and empower me to share your Gospel with others so the world might truly know that Jesus is Lord. Through him I pray. Amen. ~~~~~~~~~ THURSDAY Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. --Romans 13:1 New International Version THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE... Yes, there are things we don't like about our government. But God has truly blessed us to enjoy the protection of the authorities. But we also live in the time of some of the greatest persecution ever known in the Christian era. So as we pray for our leaders and thank God for our freedoms, let's not forget the persecuted church all over the world. MY PRAYER... O Great Deliverer, God of the Exodus, as you have shown your power and deliverance in the past, we ask that you act today and bless every believer who is persecuted for your sake. Show them tenderness, healing, and protection on this day. Through Jesus we ask it. Amen. ~~~~~~~~~ FRIDAY He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant - not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. --2 Corinthians 3:6 New International Version THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE... A new covenant -- God willingly entered into a new agreement with us, his creatures, sealed it with the blood of his Son Jesus, and sent the Spirit to give us the power to live the life of this new covenant. God has made a covenant of love and grace with us. The Almighty has then turned around and made us worthy and competent to share that covenant with others. Now wonder it is life-giving: it brings life to us and through us! MY PRAYER... O holy and majestic God, thank you for your grace that has saved me from sin and has redeemed me from the law of sin and death. Thank you for sending the gift of your Son and the gift of your Spirit so that I can live with you in a covenant of life, grace, and love. While I confess my weaknesses, I also promise you that I will live to honor your sacrifice, love and covenant, trusting that you will ultimately empower me to be what you are calling me to be. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. ~~~~~~~~~ SATURDAY This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. --Romans 13:6 New International Version THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE... Ouch! I hate taxes. But I have to admit, I enjoy many of the privileges and blessings that those taxes afford. Paul keeps reminding us in Romans 13 that civil authorities are God's tools to hold back anarchy, chaos, and lawlessness. As a Christian, I'm immune to most laws because my faith in Jesus is going to regulate my behavior far more strictly than a legal code. But I do have a responsibility (I owe it, Paul says) to be a good citizen, a good financial manager, a nice respectful neighbor, and a person who willingly honors those who have merited it. MY PRAYER... Almighty God, I pledge allegiance to you. You alone are Sovereign, Ruler, and King. But because you call me to honor my government, because you have so richly blessed me to be in a land such as this, because you have lavished your grace on me so richly, I will live today in a way that honors my allegiance to you, my citizenship in my country, and my respect toward those whom I meet this day. In Jesus I pray. Amen. ~~~~~~~~~ SUNDAY He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment - to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. --Ephesians 1:9-10 New International Version THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE... Jesus is Lord! God's plan was purposed in Christ. It centered on Christ coming at the right time. God's plan was to bring unity in Christ by making him Lord of all! What's more, this plan that brings our salvation brings God great pleasure. God is the only saving God and Jesus is both our Savior and Lord. So the real issue we face today is this: What area of our lives, our hearts, our secrets, our sin, our rebellion, have we not submitted to his lordship? MY PRAYER... O Precious Father, I know my heart can be deceitful. At times I can even fool myself. But when I kneel in your presence and am convicted by your Word, I find myself reminded of the areas I have not yet fully submitted to your control and Jesus' lordship. Please, dear Father, use the Holy Spirit to gently show and convict of my self-deception so that I may be wholly lost in your will. Through Jesus, Lord of lords, I pray. Amen. >>> Share the good news <<< Please forward this message to a friend! FREE Christian Book http://l.salemweb.net/swnoffer0203/ ____________________SUBSCRIPTION INFO_______________________ * This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. To unsubscribe from this newsletter immediately, simply click on the link below. If this link is not clickable, simply cut and paste it into the address bar of your browser. http://www.salememail.com/unsub/23/1698058.aspx * Copyright � 2004 Salem Web Network and its Content Providers. 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