Best read with coffee or tea...

I try to read Oswald's Chamber's Utmost for His Highest and the accompanying chapter from the Bible everyday.  For those unfamilar with Utmost for His Highest, Chamber's takes a verse from the Bible and expands on it.  I like to read the whole chapter that the verse is found in to get more context.  Many times when I read the chapter I find other verses or stories that are encouraging or thought provoking.  So, I wanted to share a few verses with you today.  Some are out of my reading and some are from a daily verse that is emailed to me.  It's simple, but will give you something to read and contemplate (all verses are from the Message version unless otherwise noted).  So, find ten to fifteen minutes, grab a cup of coffee and tea and read over these verses.  Let them sink in and consider how they apply to your day to day life.    

"The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what's ahead.  He puts a little of heaven in our hearts, so that we'll never settle for less." 2 Corinthians 5: 5-6

"Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that's what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions.  Sooner or later we'll all have to face God, regardless of our conditions" 2 Corinthians 5:9-10

"Christ love has moved me to such extremes.  His love has the first and last word in everything we do." 2 Corinthians 5:14

"We're Christ's representatives.  God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them.  We're speaking for Christ himself now:  Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you.  How? you say. In Christ.  God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.  2 Corinthians 5: 20-21

"So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable.  Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." 1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT Version

"Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promises." Hebrews 10:23

*Photos are from a Picassa photo search under cross and love.