Today's Beginning

Colossians 1:22a (NLT), "Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body." Thursday... Yet, now this is true. Now Paul a prisoner in Rome is writing a letter to a church in Colossae. And in Colossians 1:21 (MSG) he says, "Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds, engaging in evil deeds" The NLT says "This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated by your evil thoughts and actions." And that is where so many in this world live today. They are blowing it and they don't know what to do. Yes, they are hostile in their minds and they are engaging in evil deeds but there is Good News. Now Paul in verses 19-20 sets the stage for an answer to those who don't want to live that way. He says, "For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and earth b...

Philippians 4:6 (NIRV), "Don't worry about anything. No matter what happens, tell God about everything. Ask and pray, and give thanks to him." Wednesday... But there is more to it. Our mind is a tremendous thing. There is so much that it can do but there is more to controlling situations than just using our mind. The Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:6 (NIRV) says, "Don't worry about anything." Now that is where a lot of people stop. "I'm not going to worry. I can handle this." But there is more to it. Paul writes while a prisoner, "Don't worry about anything. No matter what happens, tell God about everything. Ask and pray, and give thanks to him." The NLT says, "Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done." Now he does say later in verses 8b-9, "Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. T...

Nehemiah 6:16b (NLT), "They realized this work had been done with the help of our God." Tuesday... I wonder what would happen if we didn't take the credit? Over in the Old Testament in the book of Nehemiah it tells of a major task that through the leadership of Nehemiah was accomplished. The walls of Jerusalem had been torn down and God had laid it on Nehemiah to build those walls back up. It was definitely an almost impossible task but Nehemiah 6:15-16 says, "So on October 2 the wall was finished - just fifty-two days after we had begun. When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God." Now, we so many times want to take credit for doing the impossible. It would make such a difference for us. But I wonder what would happen through us if God got the credit? Psalm 96 tells us what we are to do. Verses 2-3 says, "Sing to the LORD; praise his name. ...

Psalms 95:3 (AMP), "For the LORD is a great God and a great King above all gods." Monday... For many we've had our break but we need more. The weekend is over and it's Monday and a new work week and it can be tough to get up and get out. So here is a fact to dwell on as we start this new day, this new week. Psalms 95:3 (AMP) says, "For the LORD is a great God and a great King above all gods." Now it doesn't stop there. Verses 4-5 says, "In whose hand are the depths of the earth; the peaks of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for He made it [by His command]; and His hands formed the dry land." So what are we facing today? Can we handle it alone or do we need help? Verse 7a (NLT) says, "for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care." Yes, God has what it takes to take care of what we are facing and we need to be reminded of that fact. But the problem is found in the last part of verse 7, "...

Psalms 92:4 (AMP), "For You, O Lord, have made me glad by Your works; at the works of your hands I joyfully sing." Friday... He really does do great works. Have we ever stopped and thought about how hard a job it is to be GOD? It should really make us glad at all He has done and is doing in our lives. How horrible would it be to have a job with taking care of people who constantly blow it. Who never really do their work as we need them to do it? hard work Psalms 92:4 (AMP) says "For You, O Lord, have made me glad by Your works; at the works of your hands I joyfully sing." Yes, we really do need to appreciate and be glad at all the works that God personally does for us. Verse 5 says, "How great are Your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep [beyond man's understanding]" It is so easy at our work to constantly complain about all that happens around us. What if God did that with us? Paul over in Ephesians 6:7-8 (NLT) says, "Work with enthusiasm,...

Ephesians 5:8 (NLT), "For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!" Thursday... It is what we are looking for. Every morning at 6:30 am I go out on our back patio and sit in my adirondack chair and look out on the mountains right across the 215 and read that days three chapters from my NIV Bible. Today the Sun wasn't totally shining yet on those mountains but after I had finished my reading I looked up and those mountains were totally lit up by the morning sun and it really emotionally hit me. Margaret and I are going through a time of wonder and we are searching for God's light on what is ahead for us and that light on those mountains hit me. Yes, God in His time will light up what we are to do. I went back and read through my chapters again in the NLT as I do every morning and I came on this verse in Ephesians 5:8 which says, "For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So li...