Verse of the day - Ephesians 3:19

"And to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God"

To know the love of Christ is greater than any knowledge there is
As I am studying at University and always learning things about science and the amazing wonder of God's creation, I'm always struck by how much there is to know
Still, I never really have a problem with understand how much more amazing the love of Christ is than any of that information.
However this passage is not just a reference to the knowledge of science, history, politics, etc. It is also addressing the knowledge of so called "religious" things. I love to learn new things about God and His word and I love to tell others about that, but I can so often get caught up in the knowledge of these things and start to think its so great.
The knowledge is really nothing if I don't first look at it through the knowledge of the love of Christ.
The knowledge of God's word is a great thing, especially since all of it is a means to point to the love of Christ.
God has written this book to allow those who read it and proclaim it to others may see one thing: The love of Christ
As Christians it is so important to make sure that as we study God's word and teach others that the purpose is to experience God's love and to understand it more

Verse of the day - Romans 10:10

"For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved"

The verse previous says pretty much that same thing, that it is both the heart and mouth that is needed. So often as I strive for one of these two things I forget the other. I find myself so fired up about confessing Christ to others and sharing what I've been learning and I neglect the heart of the matter and forget how Christ has changed my heart. I will not be an effective tool for God even if I have all the right words and have the whole Bible memorized if my heart is not in the right place of believe that Christ is Lord and He died for me.
Similarly, it is not enough to just believe in Christ and do nothing about it. We can study God's word and pray in humility and love for a passion and understand of what Christ has done for us, but if we don't share this with others, and teach what Christ has taught us, then what purpose is it.
"if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved"
It is so necessary and so awesome to experience the life that God has called us to in Christ as we share with others the the belief we hold in our heart, that Christ has saved us. Don't be all about teaching, don't be all about keeping your beliefs to yourself, be all about Jesus Christ and confessing Him as Lord

Ephesians 3:8

"To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ"

Some context: Paul is proclaiming the mystery of the gospel of Christ - namely that He is not only for the Jews but for the Gentiles as well.
How awesome is that! God established before the foundations of the world that Jesus Christ would come and die and be raised to life for the whole world. Paul, in humility, states that although he has been given this task of preaching to the Gentiles, he is the very least. Paul recognizes that it is only because Christ has first saved him that he can preach Christ to those who do not now Him.
Even more amazing is what he is preaching. "The unsearchable riches of Christ". So often I can find myself in this plateaued state of life where I think to myself I know pretty much all there is to know about God. This verse is a great reminder that there is no end to the depth of what can be know about Christ, and even better, it is all RICH. So as Paul is preaching the "unsearchable riches" he is also learning more about them himself. God is infinitely big and unknowable, which makes it so important and awesome to know that I must be continually reading His word and proclaiming Him to others that I may fall into these riches and glorify God because of them.

Verse of the day - 1 Timothy 6:12

"Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses"

A bit of context: Paul is writing to Timothy about the necessity of contentment with what God has provided. In verse 9 he states that those who desire to be rich fall into temptation which will plunge them into destruction.
Instead of seeking the things of this world, as Christians we are to take hold of the eternal life to which we are called. Paul isn't referring to the point of conversion, but to a daily task of remembering and seeking that salvation that came from our confession of faith. All that God has in store for us in heaven is far greater than all that you could imagine here on the earth, and although God does not promise prosperity here on the earth, He does promise to provide our needs. The more we seek His kingdom and are thankful for eternal life, the more content we will become with what we have here on the earth and will stay farther from the temptation of seeking after riches. While it is not wrong to be rich, it is wrong to continually seek more as it is quite obvious in the world today that those who continue to seek more will never be satisfied
The only true satisfaction comes with laying hold of eternal life in Jesus and to be continually thankful in all circumstances for His provision

Verse of the day - Ephesians 1: 21

"far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come."

Paul is referring to the place which God has established Jesus Christ. If ever there was a verse to show to those skeptics out there who say that Jesus was just a good guy, or a prophet or whatever, this is that verse. Jesus is not only above all rulers past, present (while Paul wrote this), AND future (today and forever), He is FAR above, it is not even a competition. So although there has been and continue to will be new people who say they're the new way to God or they've realized they are the second coming or anything like that, we know that Christ has already be established by God as the authority and power over all and we will most assuredly know it is Him when He returns, praise God for that as we remember to pray earnestly that He might come today :)
With all the elections going on, even though I'm more apathetic than I should be about it all, there are far to many Christians worry about whats going to happen
It is necessary and a good thing to vote and to know what is going on, but it is so much more important to keep the focus on Christ who is in authority over everything, especially our lives.
Don't worry about tomorrow, the authority of today and forever is in control and He always comes through

Verse of the Day - Ephesians 1:14

"who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory."

Talk about a guarantee
This isn't one of those guarantees you get when buying a car, or like some amazing mattress, this is the guarantee of Jesus Christ
What an amazing thing to remember that we have a 100% assurance that our home is in heaven with God and that it is waiting for us after living on this earth for Christ
All of this being "to the praise of His glory"
Not only do we have the best guarantee there is, we have the knowledge that the reason for this is to glorify God. He is not guaranteeing us to make us feel better, or so we can brag to un-christians about our future place in heave, the purpose is to glorify Him.
As I wait for the future inheritance, which I pray for everyday to come, my perspective of that future should be one that makes me drawn closer to God and desire to bring Him glory as I live. Everyday that I am faced with new trials and persecutions and as the final day draws nearer I should be struck with the realization that God is continually being glorified and I am a tool that He will use if I am willing to be used. I am not a tool for anything but bringing God glory and that awesome thing is that from that I have an inheritance in heaven

Verse of the day - Galatians 6:8

"For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life."

What am I sowing? When I asked this question to my small group and to myself, no one was quick with an answer. Most of them were confused as to what the question meant. I tried to explain it like this: The farmer who sows only corn, will harvest only corn, likewise to person who spends most of there time on the computer or video games or whatever will likely reap the benefits of that (not that there really are any).
So really the question is what am I doing with my life? Am I investing my time and thoughts in the things of my flesh or am I giving it all to the Spirit?
It is once again a humbling thing to look at this verse and see the difference between the two. As a fallen and sinful human I know how easy it is to sow from my flesh, and equally I know what it is like to reap corruption from that. I am humbled in that but also in the second part of the verse where it says the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. When I am dealing with the flesh it is all about me, and from me comes the corruption, but when I choose to put that aside and start focusing on God's Holy Spirit I do not gain good things from myself, no, it is from the Spirit that eternal life comes from.
As Christians it important not only to understand the need to be focused on sowing (meaning giving our time and thoughts and everything) to the Spirit, but also to understand that the results are from the Spirit and not some of our own ability. There is no good that comes from us, praise God for the mercy and blessings that He pours out as we live for Him

Verse of the day - Ephesians 1:4

"Even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him."

It's an interesting and convicting thing to examine to purpose of God's will. For the most part, as Christians, we know a lot about the moral will of God (i.e what we should and should not do), but we often neglected to look at the purpose of His sovereign will. In this case the will of God in terms of our calling before the foundation of the world. God not only knew who would come to repentance, but He specifically called/chose those who would. Now I've never really had a dilemma in my mind with election; to know that God chose me is a very humbling and awesome thing, it brings about the knowledge that there couldn't possibly have been anything I've done in order to get it, even though I so often act like there is and I try to do it. But recently, as in today, as I read this verse, I was reminded of the purpose of this choice by God. It is again a humbling thing to know that the purpose God has for me is really again nothing to do with me. The verse simply states that the purpose of the who God called is that we should be holy and blameless before Him.
With all of my aspirations and goals to accomplish, I am reminded that my purpose needs to be nothing but the process of sanctification which is glorifying to God, He will use me as He will, but I must forget the idea that I have any ability of my own to make the will of God happen

Verse of the day - Malachi 1:11

"For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts."

The people of Israel had been giving sacrifices to God as He required, but instead of the first born and the best of the flock, they were giving the blind and the runts of the flock.
From this practice God speaks to the people through Malachi in a way that would make them all realize how stupid and prideful it what they were doing was. Honestly how hard is it, you've got tones of animals all God is asking for is your best, you'll still have lots left over
But in our lives today we don't give sacrifices so this passage doesn't really apply...
oh wait its pretty obvious and incredibly convicting that it does
God stood before the foundation of the world, His name is great and He is worthy of all praise, and we struggle as we follow Him to give our first. The first moments of our day, the first thoughts and conversations, the first of our possessions, the best of everything He has given to us.
Do I really think that giving some of my day to God right in the middle and getting right back at the rest of the things I need to get done will cut it. Am I studying my school work alongside with God's word or am I taking a specific set time to come before God and lean on His word alone? Am I praying constantly or just when I come across something I can't face and need God's help?

God is the Lord of Hosts. He deserves all of my life and the sacrifices of my life to Him need to be the best and the first, if they are not it is a mockery of God and all He has done for me

Verse of the day - Romans 15:22

"This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you"

Context: well clearly a context is need - who is it that Paul wants to go to...well that one is pretty easy because he is writing to the church in Rome, but what is the reason that he has been hindered?
The verse previous Paul quotes from Isaiah 52: 15 concluding that his only aim is to preach the gospel so that "those who have never been told of him will see"
If anyone needed a vacation it was Paul, he never stopped sharing the gospel, and he was kept from going to help the church and be helped by the church in Rome in order that he might continue to preach Christ
Talk about a lifestyle
Do I think and act like that? I would say hardly
My life of following Christ so often consists of serving in areas that I want to be in, the places where my friends are or where I know I will do well
Paul could have easily gone to Rome and been serving God there with the church he so desperately wanted to be with, but he didn't
God was calling him to something else and Paul chose to be where God needed him most
In our own service to the Lord we need to be willing to work where He calls us, no matter where it is, or who is or isn't there along side us, God will provide us with our needs the only thing that should matter to us is that we are where the Lord has put us and are serving Him with our whole hearts such that we too may be hindered in our return to our friends, family, or any place we desire to be.

Verse of the Day - Job 42:2

"I know you can do all things;
no plans of yours can be thwarted"

So today I went back at it
University is a tough place and I've put a lot of hard work into it so discovering today that I had apparently failed a class did not exactly make me smile
I didn't know what to do but with a few reminders ;) I quickly realized how God is sovereign over all things and there is nothing He lets out of His sight
Me freaking out about it and worrying till I get sick isn't helping, but coming before a God who's plans can not be thwarted is what I am called to do and is what brings Him glory
I am lacking in faith and in my understanding as to what is going on, but I know that He has always provided for me before and He will continue too as long as I continue to follow what He has called me to.
I will remember to pray this verse in the days to come and as I am continually faced with challenges in my live that God allows into my life
with all of this in mind I am sure that a mistake has been made and my final exam was not included in the mark so I believe everything will work out according to the purpose of God
Remember He can not be thwarted