Todays Beginning

Sunday... What do you need today? Just ask Him. He will hear you and answer you. David in Psalm 28:6 (NLT) says, "Praise the Lord! For he has heard my cry for mercy." Is that what you need today? Maybe you blew it with your family. You showed no concern for their feelings. You showed the selfish side of you. Or maybe you let your guard down and did something you wish you hadn't done. And you are ashamed to come before God. There are so many things that we can do that we need to ask for mercy. So just ask Him  Maybe you are feeling very weak. David goes on in verse 7 (AMP), "The Lord is my strength and my [impenetrable shield.] My heart trusts [with unwavering confidence] in Him, and I am helped."  Just reach out to Him. Remember those times when you were facing temptations and you felt weak and He came along side you and gave you strength to say no. He will do it again. The NIRV says, "The Lord gives me strength. He is like a shield that keeps me safe. My h...

Saturday.,. Here is something I am still sure of. Do you have something that you are still sure of today? Maybe it is trouble, maybe it is unrest, maybe it is fear. And all of those may be true. But David said something else. In Psalm 27:13 NIVR) he said, "Here is something I am still sure of. I will see the Lord's goodness while I am still alive." Yes there may be trouble all around him, yes we may be still in a pandemic but we can be confident in the fact that we will see the Lord's goodness and that is how we face each new day. The New Living Translation says, "Yet I will be confident I will see the Lord's goodness while I am here in the land of the living." And how do you do that? Verse 14 says, "Wait, patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord."  But we don't like to wait, do we? We would rather be afraid and live in the moment than to trust that God is working, that He has a plan, that He loves u...

Friday... Oh what joy. I know, I know. Some would say, oh what joy it's Friday. The work week is over. And that is a good thing to celebrate. But that is not what David is celebrating. In Psalm 32:1 & 2 (NLT) he says, "Oh what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight!" I love that, it's put out of sight. "Yes! what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!" He continues, verse 3, "When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sin to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, 'I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.'" And here is the great news, "And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone." And that is what he is celebrating. That is where his joy ca...

Thursday... Now this is something we need to know. If you want God to listen and not ignore your prayers, you need to know this. Psalm 66:16 & 17 (NLT) says, "Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me. For I cried out to him for help, praising him as I spoke." Now that is great. During the difficult times we are going through we need to be able to connect with God, to be able to cry our to him. But then verses 18 - 20a says "If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer. Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer." Now this is really important to know if you want God to listen and not ignore your prayers. So, if we want God to listen and answer our prayers we need to confess our sins to God. The Amplified Bible says, "If I regard sin and baseness in my heart [that is, if I know it is there and do nothing about it]. the Lord will not hear me....

Wednesday... It is all His. Psalm 24:1 (NLT) says, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him." We are His.  Yes we are. Psalm 50:10 & 11 says, "For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine." He also takes care of it. Psalm 65:9, "You take care of the earth and water it, making it rich and fertile. The river of God has plenty of water, it provides a bountiful harvest of grain, for you have ordered it so." And then verse 5, "You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth."  Do you need that today? Do you need to know that you are His and that you matter to Him and that He will take care of you? If He takes care of the earth, making it rich and fertile and provides a bountiful harvest then He will take care of you....

Tuesday... Even when . . . I will not be . . . Here is the whole verse, Psalm 23:4 (NLT), "Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid," and here is the reason why, "for you are close beside me, Your rod and staff protect and comfort me." This is probably a verse that needs to be put on our refrigerator or bathroom mirror. We need to be reminded each day that no matter what we are facing God is close beside us. How do you handle darkest valleys? Do you go to pieces? It's the natural thing to do, isn't it? So how have you handled the pandemic? This is a darkest valley, isn't it? A little over a week ago I took the first vaccine. I thought at my age that was the wise thing to do. So eight days later, which was Sunday I got the chills and I had a fever. Now during normal times I would take some Tylenol and go to bed but with the Covid I was not sure what to do so Stef, my daughter made an appointment to check if I had it. I should find...

Monday... Maybe this is a prayer for you, today? Maybe? There is power in praying the Bible. I love the Psalms. They teach us so many ways to worship God, to reach out to Him and what and how to pray to Him. David says in Psalm 25:1-3 (NLT), "O Lord, I give my life to you." Now that is a good start. "I trust in you, my God." That's why David prayed to God. He trusted Him. The Amplified Bible say, "O my God, in You I [have unwavering] trust [and I rely on you with steadfast confidence]" I love that, steadfast confidence. Now he gets to specifics. This may be what you need to pray. "Do not let me be disgraced or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat." Do you need to pray that today? Do you? Are you in a situation that is greater than you and you need help in making right decisions, in making wise decisions, in handling the situation? God does that. He wants us to trust him and have steadfast confidence so He puts us in situations where we need Hi...

Sunday... Is it any wonder? David says in Psalm 21:7 (MSG), "Is it any wonder the king loves God? that he's sticking with the Best?" Now we too many times stay with the asking, with the needing and never get round to the wonder, the wonder of God and what He does for us. It is so easy to stay in the wants and never get around to the wonder.  The writer of Psalm 100 verses 3-5 (Amp) writes, "We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with a song of thanksgiving and HIs courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, bless and praise His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy and lovingkindness are everlasting, His faithfulness [endures] to all generations." If we only live in the down times, only focussing on our needs to God and never get around to the focussing of what He has done for us by our thanking Him, then we never get to the wonder of what He has done and even the wonder that He cares enough to do anything for us. It then that we can say, no...

Saturday... In what you are going through have you ever wondered if someone is praying for you or even what you can pray for? Have you? In Psalm 20 David prayed for you. In verse 1 (NIV) he says, "May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the Lord protect you." He prayed that for you. He then prays in verse 2 (Amp), "May He send you help from his sanctuary (His dwelling place) and support and strengthen you from Zion." Verse 3 (NCV), "May He remember all your offerings and accept your sacrifices." And then in verse 4 (NLT) he says, "May he grant your heart's desires and make all you plans succeed." and verse 5b, "May the Lord answer all your prayers." Again, may the Lord answer you, may He protect you and send you help, may He support and strengthen you, may He remember and accept your gifts and sacrifices, may He grant your desires and make your plans succeed and may the Lord answer all your prayers."  He then says...

Friday... There is so much to see each and everyday. There really is. I am a morning person. This morning as I got up and opened the blinds I was drawn to the beauty of the Sunrise. It was spectacular. And it brought a new awareness of God's presence, His glory and His reality. He made that, He created that to show that He is real and that He is alive.  David begins his 19th Psalm with these words, verses 1 - 4 (NLT), "The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet the message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world."  Some would say, but there is no God. Then I would say, then who made that Sunrise, who made the Sunset. The beginning and end of the light of each new day, again and again shows God in all His wonder and beauty. God is real. He is the great creator. But you might...

Thursday... I love the mornings. Every night we bury another day. We see the sun bury itself. Wednesday, February 17 is no more. It is just a memory but February18 is alive and well. It lives. I love getting up before the Sun has been resurrected and open the blinds to let the light come in and to welcome a new day. It is always a reminder of what Christ did for us.  Yesterday was Ash Wednesday. Every Sunset is a reminded of what Christ did for us but each Sunrise is also a reminder of what He did for us. And we need to be reminded that He is alive. David in Psalm 18:46 (NLT) reminds us, "The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock!" As you wake us to the fact that a new day has been resurrected please remember what David wrote here in verses 46-50, "The Lord lives! Praise to the Rock! He is the God who pays back those who harm me; he subdues the nations under me from my enemies. You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies; you save me from violent opponents. For this, O Lord,...

Wednesday... So what is wonderful and beautiful to God? What is it? The writer of Psalm 133 had a thought. In verse 1 (MSG) he says, "How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!" So if that is wonderful and beautiful then let's do it? Oh I know, we won't agree on everything but we can disagree and still get along, can't we?  We are going through a difficult time of pandemic. Yes we are but there is a vaccine that we can take that will help. But we disagree about whether we should take it or not. And there is a vaccine for disagreeing in the right way. It's called God's love. It goes a long way at helping us to get along. But I'm afraid that getting along is not too important for us today. It is more important for us to be right and to get what we want. Psalm 106:6 says, "We've sinned a lot, both we and our parents; we've fallen short, hurt a lot of people. After our parents left Egypt, they took your wonders for gran...

Tuesday... Here are some thoughts that really make sense to be. Here is the first one, Psalm 16:2 (MSG), "I say to God, 'Be my Lord!' Without you, nothing makes sense." And that is so true. I mean, the idea that all of this in life is just happening doesn't make sense to me. But a God who is looking and is watching and is leading and who has a plan, now that makes sense to me. It really does. And I want Him to be my Lord! Here's another one, verses 5 - 6, "My choice is you, God, first and only." Now that is being smart and it really makes sense to choose God. It really does. But here is something I'm not sure makes sense but I'm so glad that it is true, "And now I find I'm your choice." It doesn't really make sense that He chooses us but He does and I'm so glad. Look at this one, verses 7 & 8, "The wise counsel God gives when I'm awake is confirmed by my sleeping heart." Now that makes sense. And then, ...

Monday... Who? Who? How? How? David starts Psalm 15 with two good questions. He asks in verse 1 (MSG), "God, who gets invited to dinner at your place?" And then he puts it a little differently but basically the same question, "How do we get on your guest list?" Two very important questions. He then in verse 2 (MSG) gets to the point and says, "Walk straight, act right, tell the truth." The Amplified Bible says it this way, "He who walks with integrity and strength of character, and works righteousness, and speaks and holds truth in his heart." The walk straight takes me back to one of my favorite verses over in Proverbs chapter 3 verse 5. The NIV says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding;" The Messages says, "Trust God with all you heart" not just a part but with all your heart. Trust Him. It then says, "don't try to figure out everything on your own." But we want to do t...

Sunday... Each day has such potential no matter our age. Yes it does. Maybe you need this, today. Psalm 92:12-15 (Amp), "The righteous will flourish like the date palm [long-lived, upright and useful]" No matter your age, you are useful, don't forget that. "They will grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic and stable]." Now here is the key, "Planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God." We've got to keep growing. He has planted us to grow. "[Growing in grace] they will still thrive and bear fruit in old age; they will flourish and be vital and fresh [rich in trust and love and contentment.];" I love that, we can flourish, we can be vital, we can still be fresh, and rich in trust, love and contentment. Now that is what living is all about. He goes on, "[They are living memorials] to declare that the Lord is upright and faithful [to His promises];" And this is the key, "He is my rock, and the...

Saturday... It is so easy to face life, to face what we are going though with our head down, isn't it?  But David in Psalm 13 had a another way to look at it. He started out by saying in verse 3 (MSG), "Take a good look at me, God, my God;" He wanted God's attention and then he said what he wanted. He said, "I want to look life in the eye, so no enemy can get the best of me or laugh when I fall on my face." Now you realize that if you walk with your head down then you are going to have some problems? I mean, for one you won't now where you are going so you might run into something and fall on your face or you might have all kinds of problems. But if you hold your head up and face life head on then you can handle anything.  I like how the NLT put it. It says in verses 2 & 3, "How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? Turn and answer me. O Lord my God!" And I love th...

Friday... In what we have gone through this past year, have you ever stopped and said, I really want to understand what is happening, I really do? But most of the time it has been, I really don't understand. Has this been you more than you want to admit? Psalm 74:13-14 (NLT), "Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason? I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain." I'm sure there has been a time or many times that that type of thought has passed through your mind this past year.   The Psalmist in his honesty goes on, verse 15 (NIRV), "What if I had talked like that? Then I wouldn't have been faithful to God's children." But it is so easy to say what we feel without thinking about the consequences and the pain it can cause others. Oh yes, we can have our doubts and we want to share our deepest feelings so we head to the internet not thinking about those we might hurt. He goes on, verses 16 ...

Thursday... Oh, could we just get back to normal? Then we would be happy. But maybe that isn't true. Maybe normal is not what will make us happy. Maybe God has something better than normal. But maybe our prayer should be what Psalm 85:6 (AMP) says, "Will You not revive us and bring new life again, that Your people may rejoice in You?" The NIRV says, "Won't you give us new life again? Then we'll be joyful because of what you have done." That is what we need, that is what God wants to give us and do for us. Yes, revive us, yes, give us a new perspective, a new attitude, a new adventure. Oh God, give us new life again. But I want to go back to normal but maybe that normal is not what God has in mind. And if that is true then there is no way we want to go back. Could it be that God has something great and wonderful ahead?   The NLT says, "Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?" Maybe we have been dead and didn't know...

Wednesday... I like to be victorious, don't you? But it is horrible to be on the losing side, isn't it? It all depends on who is on your side, who is with you, whom you are with. Psalm 44:4 (NLT) says, "You are my King and my God. You command victories for Israel." That's who I want on my side. If He did it for them, He will do it for us. Verses 5-7 says, "Only by your power can we push back our enemies;" We can't do it alone. "only in your name can we trample our foes." Here is a smart thought. "I do not trust in my bow;" So many do. "I do not count on my sword to save me." So many do, but here it is, "You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies; you disgrace those who hate us." We can't be victorious alone? Yes, we may have great abilities but we can't do it alone. We need God on our side, in our life, in our heart.  Verse 8 says, "O God, we give glory to you all day long and constantly...

Tuesday... Here is a word of encouragement to those who are afflicted. Is that you?  Psalm 9:12b (Amp) says, "He does not forget the cry of the afflicted and abused." He doesn't forget. Verse 18 (NIV), "But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish." He never will forget the needy. Your hope will never perish. It never will. He then says in 9 & 10 (MSG), "God's a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax." And this is so good and so true, "you're never sorry you knocked." But what if you are afflicted and don't knock, you don't turn to Him?  But you'll never be sorry if you do. Verses 13-14 says, "Be kind to me, God; I've been kicked around long enough. Once you've pulled me back from the gates of death, I'll write the book of Hallelujahs; on the corner of Main and First I'll hold a street meeting; I'll be the ...

Monday... As I was reading this morning in Psalm 8 (MSG) I came upon this question in verse 4, "Why do you bother with us? Why take a second look our way?" And as you read the OT in the Bible you see that it is way more than a second look. Why? Why? Why? Why God do You bother with us? You could start all the way over, You're God.  As the first verse of Psalm 8 (Amp) says, "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic and glorious and excellent is your name in all the earth! You have displayed Your splendor above the heavens." Verses 3 - 8 says, "When I see and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the starts, which You have established, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him? Yet" I love that word, "Yet You have crowned him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, also the beasts of the field, the birds of the air and ...

Sunday... There is so much that the Evil One and the wicked throws at us to hurt us or even destroy us but it backfires on him. Could that be true of the pandemic? Psalm 7:14-16 (NLT) says, "The wicked conceives evil; they are pregnant with trouble and give birth to lies. They dig a deep pit to trap others, then fall into it themselves. The trouble they make backfires on them. The violence they plan falls on their heads." Now whatever happens to those who follow God it must first go through His love. It may have been thrown at us to hurt us, to hurt God, to hurt His plan. It says, "they dig a deep pit to trap others, then fall into it themselves. The trouble backfires on them." The trouble is thrown at us to hurt us, to destroy us but God changes the purpose and uses it for our good and many times it backfires on them and they fall into the pit themselves. Could it be that the pandemic was sent out to hurt us even to destroy us but that God is using it to reach the ...

Saturday... How long will this go on? Now that is a good question on this Saturday morning, isn't it? I mean we have been at this for a year. This is really tough. David in the OT must have been going through a difficult time when he wrote Psalm 6. He said in verses 6 & 7 (GNB), "I am worn out with grief; every night my bed is damp from my weeping; my pillow is soaked with tears. I can hardly see; my eyes are so swollen from the weeping caused by my enemies." Now this was the David who killed the giant Goliath. He was the one who killed a lion, he also became the second king of Israel. He was not a weakling but he had his darker moments and God had him share them in the Bible for you and me to read. Does that encourage you? You are not alone in your darkest moments. Others have gone through deep distress and agony. And God wants us to know that He understands and cares and He listens. Now the key is not to stay there. David showed us how to take charge, how to get out...

Friday...  What are you expecting for today? That is a very good question that goes a long way in forming this new day. David the writer of Psalm 5 (NLT) starts by saying, "O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning." That's a good place to start, isn't it?  Then in verse 3 he says, "Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly." There it is. He starts his day bringing his requests to God and then waits expectantly. I started my morning by going to God and thanking Him for all that came to my mind of what He did for me yesterday. That is a great way to start building expectancy. Just remind yourself of what God did for you yesterday. Why not stop right now and thank Him for at least five things He did for you yesterday. Start with thanking Him for the good night's rest. He did that for you. And then go from there. We so many times start with our urgent needs and that's okay, but st...

Thursday... So, how did you sleep last night? Did you get enough? If you were awake what kept you awake? Was it worry? Was it fear? Was it anger? None of those are really worth our lack of sleep but they do keep us awake. By the way, at any time did you call upon God for help? Did you?  David writes in Psalm 4, "Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have freed me when I was hemmed in and relieved me when I was in distress." Maybe you are feeling hemmed in and you are really distressed. Well, He's relieved and freed you before so why wouldn't He do it again? That's another good question. He did relieve you before. He did and He will do it again if you ask. David asks, "Be gracious to me and hear [and respond to] my prayer." Just ask Him when that worry is hemming you in or that anger. It is all greater than you can handle. Maybe it is fear. Just pray, "O God, be gracious to me and respond and hear my prayer." Just ask Him. The la...

Wednesday... David was so discouraged when he started writing Psalm 3. But He found someone who would hold his head high. Yes he did, Maybe that is what you need today. Maybe this is what you need to hear today. Maybe you need someone to hold your head high during a difficult time in your life. Now as David was writing this Psalm he was running from his son, Absalom who was trying to kill him. Starting in verse 1 (NLT), he said, "O Lord I have so many enemies; so many are against me." Do you feel that way today? He continues, "So many are saying, 'God will never rescue him!'" Maybe that is what you are hearing from those around you or even what you are hearing and feeling in your head. Your head is down, you are discouraged and that thought keeps going through your head, "He's not going to rescue me, He's not going to do it. I've put my trust in Him and look at what is happening to me." Is that what you are saying? Is that what you are ...

Tuesday... It may not seem like it, but we are so fortunate. Yes we are. Psalm 2:12b (Amp) says, "How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] are all those who take refuge in Him!" So do you feel blessed this morning? Do you? It all depends on what you take refuge in.  The first verse of this Psalm (NLT) says, "Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans?" Verses 2 & 3 continue, "The kings of the earth prepare for battle, the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one. 'Let us break their chains,' they cry, 'and free ourselves from slavery to God.' " They blow it. They take refuge in themselves and their futile plans. So many are doing that today. Then verses 4 & 5 says, "But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. Then in anger he rebukes them with his fierce fury." Why do we think we can take refuge in ourselves, in our money, in ou...

Monday... Which voice in our mind do we usually grab on to? It usually is the loudest one, isn't it? But just because it is the loudest doesn't mean it is the right one. Have you ever been in a situation and a negative thought runs through your mind and you say it out loud or write it on the internet and it may cause some pain in whoever is listening and you wished that you hadn't said it but you can't take it back? Of course that has happened to each one of us. But the key is what we put into our minds comes out. Look at Psalm 1:1 & 2. It says, "Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with the mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all the do." The Message puts it this way, "How well God must like you - you don't hang...