Saturday... Do you ever have those times when you can't sleep?

Saturday... Do you ever have those times when you just can't sleep? Something wakes you up and then all those thoughts, all those discouraging thoughts take over and you just can't get back to sleep?

The writer of Psalm 77:4 (NLT) says, "You don't let me sleep. I am too distressed even to pray!" I'm sure you have felt that way, haven't you?

He goes on, verses 5-10, "I think of the good old days, long since ended. when my nights were filled with joyful songs. I search my soul and ponder the difference now. Has the Lord rejected me forever? Will he never be kind to me? Is his unfailing love gone forever? Have his promises permanently failed? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he slammed the door on his compassion. And I said, 'This is my fate; the Most High has turned his hand against me'" Have you ever said that? Have you ever felt that? Now that is not going to lift our spirits. That is only going to take us deeper into our despair. But God understands us and He loves us. And He gives us the Psalms right in the middle of the Bible to show He understands. But He also shows us that we are not to stay there.

I have had in my background those times when I stayed there. Those were dark days. And when I start to dwell too long on those thoughts I stop and I say I can't go there, I won't go there. I have learned from experience that that isn't a great place to go. And spending time in the Psalms was what started me on the path of turning those times around.

Look at verses 11 & 12. See how he turns these times of despair around. He says, "But then" I love that. "But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works."

If your thoughts can take you to dark places then they can also take you to great places and you have control of your thoughts. Yes, there is power in prayer but there is also power in praise and thanksgiving and that is where you and I need to first go in our prayer and then to our needs. There is great power in praise and thanksgiving, in remembering his wonderful deeds and thinking about His mighty works.

"But then I recall." Yes, yes! todaysbeginning

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Tuesday... It is so worth it. It really is!

Tuesday... It is so worth it. It really is! Look at this, Proverbs 5:21-23 (CEV) says, "The Lord sees everything, and he watches us closely. Sinners are trapped and caught by their own evil deeds. They get lost and die because of their foolishness and lack of self-control." That is true of so many. Now look at this, Luke 15:1-7 says, "Tax collectors and sinners were all crowding around to listen to Jesus. So the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law of Moses started grumbling, 'This man is friendly with sinners. He even eats with them.' Then Jesus told them this story: If any of you has 100 sheep, and one of them gets lost, what will you do? Won't you leave the 99 in the field and go look for the lost sheep until you find it? And when you find it, you will put it on your shoulder and carry it home. Then you will call in your friends and neighbors and say, 'Let's celebrate! I've found my lost sheep.' Jesus said, 'In the same way there is mo...

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

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