Daily Verse

So Many Whatsoever’s!

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After sharing our family’s prayer request for our daughter-in-law Melinda yesterday I was overwhelmed with people offering encouragement and prayers. Thank you for the verses, songs, and personal insights. I thought I would share a blessing of how they are facing the situation.

Yesterday, instead of staying home and moping, they took advantage of a rare warm November day to head over to Melinda’s favorite hangout – The miniature Horse farm in Strassburg. We all love the place where you can feed miniature horses, llamas, goats and chickens. Then there are the whoopie pies, home-made apple butter and lots of Amish handcrafts in their store. It reminded me of the verse that the Apostle Paul wrote while sitting in prison. He didn’t say, “Woe is me! The Romans are corrupt, please get me out of here!” Instead he encouraged his friends to be grateful for every good thing -no matter how small.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Philippians 4:8 KJV

It makes me ask myself, “How thankful have I been today for every detail of the blessing of life that God has granted me. In fact remembering and celebrating the good in spite of the bad is even what Jesus told us to do every time we receive communion. It is all part of His plan and at the end is joy in His presence and peace beyond anything we will ever understand!

Escaping the Cage

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When He said these things He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus come forth!” The man who had died came out, His hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth, Jesus said to them, “Unbind him and let him go.” John 11:43-44

Once we had a very active ground hog who had decided to build his home right in the middle of my perennial garden. No amount of filling in the burrow or chasing him off made any impact. Finally, I set a large cage trap just outside the entrance to his home and the following morning he was caught…. To read the rest of the story go to Walking With Lambs

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Working in God’s Vineyard

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But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?
Matthew 20:13 ESV

We Are All Working For Jesus– Of course, we are not saved by works, but there is a work for the believer, that is to believe (John 6:29). When we come to work for Jesus, He tells us in advance what we will receive. The key word in today’s verse is friend. Jesus calls everyone who came to “work” in His vineyard His friend.

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Everyone’s Wage is the Same! Everyone who “works” for Jesus receives the same wage (salvation). At the day’s end, no one gets more saved and no one less. We each receive the silver coin, just as He promised when we answered His call. We are all saved by grace. No one will be impressed by how long we “worked” in His vineyard because we are all receiving infinitely more than we deserve!

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The Last Will be First – Being last in line, doesn’t mean that people who only believed for an hour are more important. They are first because when they receive their “wage” they are a greater show of God’s goodness. They come first because in them God is receiving even greater glory. “Are you envious because I am generous?” Matthew 20:14.

a) Instead of complaining hearts, let’s rejoice with God for the salvation of others

b) Instead of asking why we didn’t get more, let’s be amazed at the fact that we are all receiving infinitely more than we could ever deserve!

C) Instead of sour hearts, let’s rejoice that we got to work all day close to Jesus and at the end of the day He calls us friend!

Have a blessed Sunday everybody. I hope you will enjoy this wonderfully simple presentation by EMU music of the classic hymn, Hallelujah What a Savior!