Todays Beginning

John 18:4a (NLT), "Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward to meet them." Wednesday... He knew what was coming and didn't run. There are so many ways that God's Word shows us what to do. And having God's Spirit reinforcing what it says and his being with us means we can face anything. No matter what we are going through His Word with His Spirit will carry us through.  Look at John 18:4a (NLT). It says, "Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward to meet them." He didn't run. And running so many times can be the option we choose but for Jesus that wasn't the case. Now if you read all that was happening, you will see 9 of the disciples ran. Jesus had given them the opportunity to do what he did with what was going to happen. As you read all of the accounts of what had happened you will see that one of his disciples had slipped out to betray Jesus but he had given the other...

  John 16:24 (NLT), "You haven't done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy." Tuesday... It is so good to know that we can ask.  Yes it is! I have all my family before Christmas give me a list for what they want and Margaret and I enjoy going through the lists and giving some thought and giving to them some of the things on their lists. I've had them tell me how much fun it is to make the list. In John 16:24 (NLT) Jesus says, "You haven't done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy." Now there is a part of love that allows us to ask. There is so much joy in the privilege of and the possibility in asking. Now the difference in being a human and Jesus, God's son is that he has the ability to give whatever we ask but we parents do have some of that ability but not like God. And he also sees how that which we ask for will be used. A ten year old may ask for a c...

Psalm 62:1-2 (NLT), "I wait patiently before God, for my victory comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken." Monday... So, how do we face a Monday morning? Now it can be hard to face a new day, a new week, and even today, a new month. I love how our life has been organized the way it is, 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day, 30 or 31 days except for February in a month, 12 months in a year and then centuries and they all end up as an organized life with beginnings and beginnings. Only God in his wisdom could put this all together. And that is why I have named this blog, Todays Beginnings. No matter what has happened we still will have a new beginning. Now King David was a pro at handling difficulties in life. I have read a Psalm at the beginning of my day for over 40 years. I have needed a word from God through David to start my day and I found this new start to this new day. Psalm 62:1-2 (NLT) s...

Proverbs 30:5 (AMP), "Every word of God is tested and refined [like silver]; He is a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him." Friday... So, do we have it all together? That is a good, good question. The writer of Proverbs 30 answers it this way in verses 1b-3a (NLT), "I am weary, O God. I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense. I have not mastered human wisdom." Maybe we don't have it all together. Getting up each morning facing the day feeling like this really can make us weary, can't it? Well verse 3b may give us a clue as to why we feel this way. It says, "nor do I know the Holy One." The Amplified Bible say, "Nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One [who is the source of wisdom.]" And that is the key to having it all together. Verse 5 says, "Every word of God is tested and refined [like silver]; He is a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him." Look at what verse 4 (NLT) says, "Who but God ...

  Psalm 59:17 (AMP), "To You, O [God] my strength, I will sing praises; For God is my stronghold [my refuge, my protector, my high tower], the God who shows me [steadfast] lovingkindness." Thursday... We are not perfect but... Yes, I am not perfect but God "shows me [steadfast] lovingkindness." Yes he shows love and kindness. Psalm 59:17 (AMP) says, "To You, O [God] my strength, I will sing praises; For God is my stronghold [my refuge, my protector, my high tower], the God who shows me [steadfast] lovingkindness." I really enjoy reading the Gospels at the beginning of the New Testament. I am reading right now in John and this morning I found this encouraging situation in John 14:8 (NLT), "Philip said, 'Lord show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." Now if we were just newbies to following Jesus that might be understandable but Philip was one of his 12 disciples who had been following and listening and living with Jesus. And that was a du...

Proverbs 28:25-26 (AMP), "An arrogant and greedy man stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the Lord will be blessed and prosper. He who trusts confidently in his own heart is a [dull, thickheaded] fool, but he who walks in [skillful and godly] wisdom will be rescued." Wednesday... This is so important to know and have. You will find this word two times in Proverbs 28:25-26 (AMP). It says, "An arrogant and greedy man stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the Lord will be blessed and prosper. He who trusts confidently in his own heart is a [dull, thickheaded] fool, but he who walks in [skillful and godly] wisdom will be rescued." The word is trust. Now our trusting in the Lord is so important but totally trusting in our own heart can have problems. Yes, trust is so important to know and have but in the right who makes all the difference. I just read in John 13 of a very special time that Jesus had with his 12 disciples. It was in this time that he revealed that one o...