[Membersandfriends] Tuesday, November 30, 2004

Mon Nov 29 22:02:02 PST 2004

The Upper Room Daily Devotional -- E-mail Edition
Brought to You by Upper Room Ministries
Tuesday, November 30, 2004

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Advent Seasonal Reflections

Upper Room Ministries is pleased to offer Advent Seasonal Reflections to help you celebrate this most holy of seasons. This year's theme is "Prepare Your Heart." To read these daily Advent reflections, visit us at 
http://www.upperroom.org/seasonal/advent/
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THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME
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2 Timothy 3:10-17 (NRSV)

Now you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions, and suffering the things that happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. Indeed, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But wicked people and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

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Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom.
- Colossians 3:16 (NIV)
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I was asked to provide the morning message at our church.  As I thought about topics, it occurred to me that the greatest-of-all-time lists appear on many topics -- movies, songs, athletes, etc.  I decided to prepare a sermon, "The Greatest Bible Verses of All Time," based on an informal poll I would do with friends and co-workers.

I sent out my request, asking people what their favorite verse of scripture is and why.  I expected that a clear, number-one choice, and my plan was to use the winning verse and the comments on it as the basis for my sermon.  But all my friends had a different favorite verse!  As I read people's reasons for their selections, I gained new perspectives on verses I had known for years.

That's the beauty and wonder of the Bible.  Words written thousands of years ago are as relevant today as then.  And while God speaks to us collectively as the Body of Christ, God also speaks to each of us individually in deeply personal ways as we read and study the Bible.

Prayer:   Lord, thank you for the Bible.  Help each of us to read it, study it, reflect on it, and follow its wisdom in our daily lives.  In Jesus' name we pray.  Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
How does God speak to me today?

-- John D. Bown (Minnesota, U.S.A.)

PRAYER FOCUS: Bible study groups

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RELATED READING ...

GATHERED IN THE WORD offers a step-by-step approach to using the classic spiritual practice of lectio divina or "divine reading" with small, intimate study groups. Author Norvene Vest shows how a prayerful reading of the scriptures leads us to a deeper understanding of the scripture and into a deeper relationship with God.
http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/desc.asp?ep_id=30&item_id=12579

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The scripture quotation is from the NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION of the Bible, copyright (c) 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.