My Favourite Verse as of Noveber 2010

My favourite verse right now is Ezra 1:1-2
Now it came to pass in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: "All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah."

Kind of a strange verse to have as a favourite? Well, this is what memorization has done for me: I am actually taking time to LISTEN to each verse, and consider the implications of what each verse is saying. When you memorize, even the little words are important, so we have to actully pay attention to the little words, and suddenly you realize that it's the little words that can completely change the meaning of an entire passage!

Ok, back to Ezra, so, in memorizing this, as I meditated on it to "hide it in my heart", it came to me:
1. GOD did the stirring of a GREAT KING's heart, and thereby CHANGED THE COURSE OF HISTORY!!
2. God did it to FULFILL HIS WORD!!!
3. God did it right away IN THE FIRST YEAR!!!
4. This ungodly king, actually gave credit to the "LORD God of heaven"
5. THIS UNGODLY KING ACTUALLY *OBEYED*!!!!!!
6. This ungodly king "also put it in writing". The significance of that? It was found in the archives many years later when the adversaries of the Jews were trying to put a stop to the rebuilding of the temple. Ezra 6:1

And what is the significance of these things??? If God has that much control over the events on the earth, who am I to worry about what will happen to me tomorrow. If He has such power over a man who was not even serving Him as a child of God, He will certainly have no problem directing me! My life is in His hands, my future is in His hands, I only have to obey, be quiet, listen, read and hide His word, and: Trust in the LORD with all [my] eart, And lean not on [my] own understanding. In all [my] ways acknowledge Him And He shall direct [my] paths. Prov 3:5-6 (And in checking my accuracy, I noticed vs 7: Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. -- humility must accompany it all. God help me!)

Job and Hosea

Job... a kind of picture of the church. I read last night a guy who believes God allows bad things because it's the only way we see how evil we really are, how much we need Him... so, Job, -- I'm looking at Hosea 2... vs 5 says: For their mother has played the harlot; She who conceived them has behaved shamefully. For she said, 'I will go after my lovers, Who give me my bread and my water, My wool and my linen, My oil and my drink.' -- and what crossed my mind was the idea that that is what we are like, even as Christians. When things don't go our way we depend on our jobs and our employers or -- even worse -- the government, to supply our needs. We aren't willing to trust that God knows what He is doing. I think we also forget that THIS life isn't REAL life, that this is just a temporary shell we are living in. We are only left here to do a job, a job that is to bring glory to God and bring more into His kingdom... am I doing that? Do I really believe that.... REALLY in my heart???? If I did, wouldn't His kingdom be the most important thing in my life, forsaking all others???

so, back to my original thought.... about Job. God allows evil in our lives, in the world around us, so we turn to Him and only Him, recognizing that we know nothing. We do not know the end from the beginning, we do not know the whys and the wherefors, we have no idea of the big picture and how it all fits together. Back to the tapestry illustration... the side we see is the side with all the knots and stray bits and pieces, not the beautiful finished work of art that will be shown to us only after we are with Him in heaven.

We are set apart, we are protected, we are called, chosen, special.... peculiar -- and we had better stand out that way... or we are not living our lives they way we should be.

New Testament verses relating to warfare:

Ro 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
2Co 6:7 by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
2Co 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
2Co 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
Eph 6:16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
Php 2:25 Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need;
1Th 5:8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
1Ti 1:18 This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,
2Ti 2:3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
2Ti 2:4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
Phm 1:2 to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
1Pe 2:11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,

(in context: Rom 13:12-Php 2:25, 1 Thess 5:8-1 Pet 2:11)

I just read this this morning, and it was rather interesting cuz recently, just this week especially, I am constantly having to remind myself we are in a war. And this war will not stop until Jesus returns to destroy this world and set up the new heavens and new earth. Until then, life is a battle and we are to be soldiers for God. I don't think many of us truly understand what it is to be a soldier, I know I certainly don't, but Paul uses the example many times. There are lots of references to being a soldier and being ready as a soldier. Ephesians 6 is one of the verses I have heard quoted and preached upon many time, and it is all about a soldier's preparation.

Spurgeon's Daily Devotion

"But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock." — 1sa 13:20

We are engaged in a great war with the Philistines of evil. Every weapon within our reach must be used. Preaching, teaching, praying, giving, all must be brought into action, and talents which have been thought too mean for service, must now be employed. Coulter, and axe, and mattock, may all be useful in slaying Philistines; rough tools may deal hard blows, and killing need not be elegantly done, so long as it is done effectually. Each moment of time, in season or out of season; each fragment of ability, educated or untutored; each opportunity, favourable or unfavourable, must be used, for our foes are many and our force but slender.

Most of our tools want sharpening; we need quickness of perception, tact, energy, promptness, in a word, complete adaptation for the Lord's work. Practical common sense is a very scarce thing among the conductors of Christian enterprises. We might learn from our enemies if we would, and so make the Philistines sharpen our weapons. This morning let us note enough to sharpen our zeal during this day by the aid of the Holy Spirit. See the energy of the Papists, how they compass sea and land to make one proselyte, are they to monopolize all the earnestness? Mark the heathen devotees, what tortures they endure in the service of their idols! are they alone to exhibit patience and self-sacrifice? Observe the prince of darkness, how persevering in his endeavours, how unabashed in his attempts, how daring in his plans, how thoughtful in his plots, how energetic in all! The devils are united as one man in their infamous rebellion, while we believers in Jesus are divided in our service of God, and scarcely ever work with unanimity. O that from Satan's infernal industry we may learn to go about like good Samaritans, seeking whom we may bless!