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 out today or tomorrow if I'm positive or negative. And this could be a darkest valley but I don't have to be afraid no matter the result.

That's what this verse is talking about. Because we have a relationship with God we know He is close by and He is involved in whatever we are going through. No evil will come from it. Oh, there may be some pain but He will be close by.

The Amplified Bible says it this way, "Even though I walk through the [sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me." And that is the truth. It really is.

By the way, I think it is just the vaccine doing its work. It probably isn't the flu because the mask helps in that and I wear a mask because that is the wise thing to do. It's part of that rod and staff thing, and that's the way God works. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

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Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do

Psalm 8:3-4 (NLT), "When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers - the moon and the stars you set in place - what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?" Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do. No, not the fact that I can go out my front door and look out at night at the marvels of the sky. I can do that and it is amazing and it takes my breath away each time I see it. Yes, that is a fact but the reality of who did that and the wisdom and the faith that I have to believe that and to marvel that the one who did that cares about me makes such a difference in how I live my life. Yes, God really does. That is so wonderful for us to believe. And that is why faith and wisdom are so important. Now whatever belief you have at how that marvel happened must also be believed through faith. And the sad thing to me is that more and more people have been taught that there is no God and therefore he did not have a h...

Monday... Three ifs and two thens. They go together!

Monday... Three ifs and two thens. They go together! They really do. And this is what caught my attention this morning as I was reading Proverbs 2. Verse 1 (NRSVUE) says, "My child, if you accept my words and treasure my commands within you." Verse 3 (NIV), "Indeed i f you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, Verse 4, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, Verse 5, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God." And verses 9-11, " Then you will understand what is right and just and fair - every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you." There will always be some effort we must do, some ifs for the thens to be realized in our lives. So many of us want to understand without the ifs. But the thens are so worth, so very worth the effort. Verses 5-6 in the Ampli...

Wednesday... Our unless can turn into useless.

Wednesday... Our unless can turn into useless. It really can. I have found that unless I give the correct email of my wife then I can't get what I wanted. I put an extra i in her email and I have been working for 5 days to get it changed. Unless has been useless. The writer of Psalm 94 uses this word and shows how important it is. Verses 17-19 (NLT) says, "Unless the Lord had helped me, I would have soon settled in the silence of the grave. I cried out, 'I'm slipping!' but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer." "Unless the Lord had helped me." So many people go on and on and on striving to live their life on their own but they keep slipping and doubting and living without hope and cheer. Yes the Lord has such unfailing love for us, he really does but unless we have a relationship with him and we turn to him and ask him for help then the unless turns in to useless because h...

Todays Beginning

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