Monday... This is so important for us to understand!

Psalm 66:18-20 (NLT) 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 or withdraw his unfailing love from me."

Two key words are right in front of us, "If" and "But". "If I had not confessed." That is so important. We must confess our sins. And then the second word, "But" "But God did listen." The writer of this Psalm had confessed His sins and God did listen to his prayer.

It is so important for us to understand that there are "Ifs" in the world. Over in Proverbs 6: 9-11 (NIRV) there is a silent "If". Here is what it says, "You lazy people" In other words if you are lazy. "how long will you lie there? When will you get up from your sleep? You might sleep a little or take a nap. You might even fold your hands and rest. Then you will be poor, as if someone had robbed you. You would have little, as if someone had stolen from you." The Message Paraphrase says, "You can look forward to a dirt-poor life, poverty your permanent houseguest!"

But there is also a "but". Verses 6-8, "You people who don't want to work, think about the ant! It has no commander. It has no leader or ruler. But it stores up its food at harvest time." The Message Paraphrase says, "at harvest it stockpiles provisions."

This is a pretty good reminder here on labor day that work has an important place in our life. doesn't it? If you are lazy, there will consequences but if you work hard there will be rewards.

There are "ifs" and "buts" that are important for us to understand. 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...

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...

Todays Beginning

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