Todays Beginning

Psalms 1:1a (AMP), "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked." Tuesday... So, this is the way it starts. I love reading the book of Psalms which is in the Old Testament of the Bible. I have systematically read it everyday for 40+ years. There are 150 Psalms and they can be read one at a time in five months. I just finished Psalms 150 on March 30 and have on April 1 just read in 6 different translations Psalms 1. Now April 1 is April Fools Day. It is a fun day but Psalm 1 is the truth and this is how it starts in the NIV. Verse 1a says, "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked." The Amplified Bible says it this way, "Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example]. And then the whole verse in The Message says, "How well God must like you - you don't walk in the ruts of those blind-as-pats, you don't stand with t...

Deuteronomy 31:8 (NLT), "Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you." Monday... There is so much ahead for us. So much! Look at these words. Moses at 120 years of age wrote them. The children of Israel were just about to go over the Jordan River into their Promised Land so in Deuteronomy 31:8 (NLT) Moses writes, "Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you."  Yes, Moses knew what he was talking about. He had brought them out of Egypt and through the desert for 40 years. Now if they would have lived by God's commands it would have been shorter but they didn't so their fathers and mothers were not allowed to continue and even Moses wasn't going to go. He had some wavering in there and he suffered the consequences.   Now Solomon over in Proverbs 1 gives some very good advice. Verse 7 (AMP) says, "The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly aweso...

Mark 10:27 (NLT), "Jesus looked at them intently and said, 'Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.'" Friday... There is a great difference between love and fear. It is true that the Old Testament of the Bible is different from the New Testament. Because of Jesus coming into the world, things are different but it still is important for us to see that in our relationship with God through Jesus we still need to love and also to fear God.  Now Deuteronomy 28 is a difficult chapter to read but it is necessary for us to see that God is a God of love but also a God we need to fear. Verses 1-2 (AMP) says, "Now it shall be, if you diligently listen and obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all of His commandments which I will command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you pay attention to the voice of...

Psalm 147:18 (MSG), "Then he gives the command and it all melts; he breathes on winter - suddenly it's spring!" Thursday... This is another of his wonders. I am sitting here in my morning coffee shop and looking out the window at one of the wonders of God, the trees have leaves all over them. It seems that the last time I had really looked, there were no leaves. The leaves knew when to come out. It was great to see and then I read Psalm 147:18 (MSG), and it said, "Then he gives the command and it all melts; he breathes on winter - suddenly it's spring!" Oh what a God we serve. He really does know what he is doing. Verse 15 in the Amplified Bible says, "He sends His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly." Verses 3-5 (NLT) says, "He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. He counts the stars and calls them all by name. How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension!" And he cove...

Psalm 146:5b (MSG), "Put your hope in God and know real blessing." Wednesday... So, let's get it and do it! Here is what we need to and can do. Psalm 146:5b (MSG), says, "Put your hope in God and know real blessing." Over in Mark 8 Jesus 'disciples were having an argument. Verses 16-19 (MSG) says, "Meanwhile the disciples were finding fault with each other because they had forgotten to bring bread. Jesus overheard them."  I wonder what God thinks over the things we argue about. He has to have a lot of patience, doesn't he? "Jesus overheard and said. 'Why are you fussing because you forgot bread? Don't you see the point of all of this? Don't you get it at all?'" He must get frustrated. He goes on. "'Remember the five loaves I broke for the five thousand? How many baskets of leftovers did you pick up?' They said, 'Twelve.' 'And the seven loaves for the four thousand - how many bags full of leftov...

Psalm 145:14 (MSG), "God gives a hand to those down on their luck, give a fresh start to those ready to quit." Tuesday... Quitting is an option but so is a fresh start. Are you really down on your luck and you're ready to quit? Well David writes in Psalm 145:14 (MSG), "God gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit." I hope you believe in God. David did and he had been in so many situations where he could have quit. So he wrote this from experience. The Amplified Bible says verse 14 this way. It says, "The Lord upholds all those [of His own] who fall and raises up all those who are bowed down." Did you notice that it says "of His own"? There is something different even in us if those going through bad times are a part of our family. They really matter to us, at least they should. Now God's plan was that all of us would be a family together but he set up some guidelines in order for us to get the b...