Todays Beginning

Saturday... It is flawless, it proves true. Now that can't be said of much of anything but it can be said of God's word. Proverbs 30:5 (NIV) says, "Every word of God is flawless." Now that is such a good reason to be into His word on a daily basis, isn't it? We spend so much time reading and listening to and watching stuff that we cannot say that it is flawless but let God's Word gather dust.  The MESSAGE says in verses 5 & 6, "The believer replied, 'Every promise of God proves true; he protects everyone who runs to him for help. So don't second-guess him; he might take you to task and show up your lies.' " Now of course we might not like everything He says and we sometimes try to change it so we don't feel guilty and so we don't have to live by it but every promise does prove true and it is flawless and he does protect us when we run to him for help. The NLT says it this way, "Every word of God proves true. He is a shiel...

Friday... So where are you headed? Do you know how to get there? It is so important to know where you are headed and also how to get there. It really is. I was, it seems born in a car. My dad was a traveling evangelist. We would go to a church and would usually hold 10 services and then take three days to get to the next church doing it all over again so we spent a lot of time in the car.  Now it was my job to read the map and tell my dad as the driver how to get to where we were going. I loved doing that. I even now like to pull out a map and visualize driving on certain roads and seeing in my mind how to get to different places and what the scenery is like. Of course we don't use maps anymore. I'm sure some of you have never looked at a map but there is something different that we use to get to where we are going. I usually use Waze that I have on my phone. But we do need something. Now what if I had to get to Reno from Las Vegas but I said I don't need a map or Waze, I...

Thursday... We're back to be reminded again. I have for years set into motion certain actions that help me in living a positive life instead of a negative one. And one of the most important of those actions is to read a Psalm everyday and they have become such good friends and here I am today in Psalm 118.  It starts off in verse 1 with, "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever." No matter if I let up and blow it along the way, "His faithful love endure forever." Do you ever need to be reminded of that? I sure do. It also is great to realize even through a prolonged pandemic that "He is good." Verse 24 is another of those facts that keep me on a positive path, "This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." Do you need to b e reminded of that? The Great Creator made today. Today matters to Him. He made it with a purpose. He took special care in creating it. And He knows what He is doi...

Wednesday... Short and right to the point. Psalm 117 (NLT) is the shortest Psalm and it gets right to the point. The writer writes, "Praise the Lord, all your nations; extol him all you peoples. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord." Sometimes we don't need a lot of words. We just need to get to the point.  Yes, His love is great to us and yes, His faithfulness endures forever. Right to the point and we should praise Him. And more importantly, we want to praise Him. How did His love toward you reveal itself yesterday? How has He been faithful to you this week? The MESSAGE paraphrase puts it this way, "Praise God, everybody! Applaud God, all people! His love has taken over our lives; God's faithful ways are eternal. Hallelujah!" Short and right to the point. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning  

Tuesday... Even when we are unaware, He isn't. I found this in my reading this morning. Psalm 116:6a (NIV), "The Lord protects the unwary." The NIRV says, "The Lord takes care of those who are not aware of danger." I like that. I need that. We can only see what our senses let us in our humanness. We don't even know what is really going on around us. But He does. We think we know what is happening. There are so many conspiracy theories going around. But do we really know what is happening, are we really aware? I don't think so but He does and "The Lord protect the unwary." We think it is all on us but it isn't. Paul quotes Isaiah 64:4 in 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT), "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." We are so unaware. But Paul goes on, "But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God'...

Monday... His plans changed. It is so good to have plans but they sometimes change, don't they? Over in Paul's letter to the church in Rome, he says, In Romans 15:23-24 (NLT), "But now I have finished my work in these regions, amd after all these long years of waiting, I am eager to visit you. I am planning to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellowship for a little while, you can provide for my journey." He had planned it all out. But God's plans were different. You would think that Paul who was such a great man of God would know what God's plans were for him. But at the end of the book of the Acts of the Apostles in 28:30-31 it says,"For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expenses. He welcomed all who visited him, boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him." But we need to see that he was there as a prisoner. That wasn...

Saturday... Have you ever thought of this? Look at Proverbs 13:8 (MSG), "The rich can be sued for everything they have, but the poor are free of such threats." There are so many views that we can have of other people and of how they have it so much better than we do, but do they? But we think they do so we live in despair and discouragement. This Proverb shows how we can see our situation in a new light which can make us feel encouraged. It is all in our perspective.  Yes, it is good to be rich but there are a lot of difficulties that go with it. The Proverb right before this says, "A pretentious, showy life is an empty life; a plain and simple life is a full life." Maybe your simple life is the way for you to go.  And then verse 9 says, "The lives of good people are brightly lit streets; the lives of the wicked are dark alleys." The wisdom from God can show us different ways to view life. I am finding that spending time in the Proverbs shows life in a tot...

Friday... What does He want from you and me? What does He want us to do? And that is what we want to know, isn't it? Romans 12:1 (MSG) says, "So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as a offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him." The New Living Translation says, "This is truly the way to worship him." Now He says what He wants you to do and He also says that He will help you. Now that is a great deal, isn't it? I love the phrase, "Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him." He wants us to really embrace our sleeping, our eating, our going-to-work, our walking around life, all of those things, our ordinary life that we take for granted and that we gripe about. He wants us to really see what they are, they are gifts from Him. and to really appreciate ...

Thursday... Here is a sight that takes your breath away. Paul in Romans in 10:15b (MSG) says, "That's why the Scripture exclaims, A sight to take your breath away! Great processions of people telling all the good things of God." The New Living Translation says, "How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!"  The scripture Paul is looking back at is Isaiah 52:7 in the Old Testament which says, "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!" And the MESSAGE says, "A sight to take your breath away." Romans 10:13-15 (NLT) says, "For 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone...

Wednesday... Let's let Him settle it. There are things that we want God to do for but there are some things we want to do ourselves. I'm not sure why but it may be because we think we can do it better. Proverbs 20:22 (MSG) says, "Don't ever say, 'I'll get you for that!' Wait for God; he'll settle the score." Now He is serious about this. He says, "Don't ever say." This is something that He is better at than us. The New Living Translation says, "Don't say, 'I'll get even for this wrong.' Wait for God to handle the matter." Amplified Bible, "Do not say, 'I will repay evil'; wait [expectantly] for the Lord, and He will rescue and save you." I've heard it said of one leader who lost an election that if he were elected again, the next time would be one of revenge and that goes totally against what this verse says. But we feel that is our task, that is what we are to do but it isn't. That ...

Tuesday... Oh to be a sensible person. The wise writer of Proverbs 19:11 (NLT) says, "Sensible people people control their temper, they earn respect by overlooking wrongs." Now that makes sense doesn't it? But then aren't we as Christ followers to always be on the lookout for people doing wrong? Isn't that what we are to do? That is maybe the reason why people don't respect us. We are always pointing our finger in an accusatory way instead of with open arms in a loving and gracious way. We seem to be always angry at something. But does that really make sense?  The MESSAGE says, "Smart people know how to hold their tongue; their grandeur is to forgive and forget." Okay, I want to be sensible and smart and I want to be someone who forgives and forgets. But you don't know what they did to me. But it still is smart to hold your tongue and to forgive them and forget. But that is so hard to do but being smart and sensible isn't always easy. The Amp...

Monday... It really is better, it really is! Psalm 118:8-9 (NIRV) says, " It is better to go to the Lord for safety that to trust in mere human beings. It is better to go to the Lord for safety than to trust in human leaders." So where do we usually turn? The MESSAGE Paraphrase in verses 5-9 says, "Pushed to the wall, I called to God; from the wide open spaces he answered. God's now at my side and I'm not afraid; who would dare lay a hand on me? God's my strong champion; I flick off my enemies like flies. Far better to take refuge in God than trust in people; Far better to take refuge in God than trust in celebrities." And then verses 13-16 MSG), "I was right on the cliff-edge, ready to fall, when God grabbed and held me. God's my strength, he's also my song, and now he's my salvation. Hear the shouts, hear the triumphant songs in the camp of the saved?" Here's the answer, "The hand of God has turned the tide! The hand of t...

Saturday... Make a list and see what happens. We have our lists, don't we? For sure, many have their list of what is going wrong in their lives and all that does is discourage them.  But the Psalmist in 106:1&2 says, "Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord? Who can ever praise him enough." It really does make a difference on what we focus on. Now, our lists that we seem to make that discourage us are real. Life is tough, life is rough. That is so true and it is more true for some than others but that is not the only list to be made. God is so good to us. There is so much we can thank Him for, there really is but we must wade through the negative to get to the positive and we do that through praise and thanksgiving.  The Amplified Bible puts it this way, "Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His mercy and lovingkindness endure...

Friday... It seems that we are in a time of until and it is a difficult time but with great rewards. Have you ever had a dream about your future? What do you want to be when you grow up? But it really is more important what does God wants us to be when we grow up. He has a plan, a purpose, a dream for each one of us. And He is preparing us for that dream to be fulfilled, to come to pass but there is an until in there. And it seems that we may be in a time of until. Psalm 105:19 (NLT) says, "Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph's character." The Amplified Bible says, "Until the time that his word [of prophecy regarding his brothers] came true, the word of the Lord tested and refined him." I know, I know, we love the dream part but the testing and refining is not always a lot of fun but it is necessary. And our attitude toward the testing and refining makes it so much better. Proverbs 15:15 (AMP) says, "All the days of the afflict...

Thursday... But it stays clean. The writer of Proverbs writes in 14:4 (NLT), "Without oxen a stable stays clean." Now staying clean is a good thing, isn't it? If no one lives in a house, then it says clean. If you never take your car out of the garage it stays clean. If you never let your kids go outside and play they will stay clean.  He goes on, "But you need a strong ox for a large harvest." But it's a good thing when you live in the house. It's a good thing when you go places, maybe work or church. It's a good thing for kids to play. Yes we may have many levels of desires but then there is always the greater ones that supersedes the lesser ones. Over in Acts 26 Paul is in big trouble. He is a prisoner. Now if being free, if being back home in Jerusalem was his greatest desire then he wouldn't have been standing and sharing the Good News to King Agrippa and governor Festus. Verse 32 says, "And Agrippa said to Festus, 'He could have be...

Wednesday... It is so easy to forget. At least at my age it is. We have just moved into a new house and that means there are some adjustments. Now I do a lot of my stuff off of a routine in order to not forget. And so in a new house and a new location that means a new schedule, a new routine. I know that sounds boring but it really helps me to not forget.  Now the writer of Psalm 103 must have had a problem in remembering. He says in verse 2 (NLT), "Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me." And that is an great way to remember what He does for us. So much of the time we are remembering all of the problems, all of the difficultes, all our needs that we are facing today. It is so easy to remember the negative but what about the positive, what about all the good things that He does for us. And in remembering it gives us confidence in facing the negative. Praise is not only for Him but it is for us. Think back on yesterday. Where did G...

Tuesday... And hurry - this can't wait! I love how Psalm 102 is introduced and I wonder if this is the way you feel and what you could pray today. The intro before this Psalm in the New Living Translation says, "A prayer of one overwhelmed with trouble, pouring out problems before the Lord." Is this you today?  Verse 1 says, "Lord, hear my prayer! Listen to my plea!" Verse 2, "Don't turn away from me in my time of distress. Bend down to listen, and answer me quickly when I call to you." It's not if it is when. The MESSAGE Paraphrase gets to the point, "Pay attention! This is a cry for help ! And hurry - this can't wait." Are you at that point today? Where do you go when you are overwhelmed with trouble?  Do you pour out your problems before the Lord? He will listen to a prayer like that, a prayer of desperation. Proverbs 12:25 (NLT) says, "Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up."  Listen there...

Monday... I'm doing my best. Do you ever say that? The Psalmist in 101:2 (MSG) says, "I'm finding my way down the road of right living," now that's a good thing to say "but how long before you show up?" and then it says, "I'm doing the best I can, and I'm doing it at home, where it counts."  And that is a good thing to do and say. Someone has said that our weakest Christian link is at home. We do pretty well around our Christian' friends but at home, that is another story. So saying, "I'm doing the best I can, at home, where it counts" is something that we all wish we could say and need to say, isn't it? I find that spending that time at the beginning of our day, cultivating our relationship with God can make such a difference in our relationships especially at home where it counts. How we react in our car going to church and coming home from church has such a strong influence on whether those in the car want to ha...

Saturday... On your toes, everybody!  I love to go to Starbucks. I really do. But I really like to go when some of the big wigs of the company are on their way. Everybody is doing all they can to make their particular store better. I did the same when our District Superintendent was coming to my church.  Look at Psalm 99:1-3 (MSG), "God rules. On your toes, everybody! He rules from his angel throne - take notice! God looms majestic in Zion, He towers in spendor over all the big names. Great and terrible your beauty: let everyone praise you! Holy, yes holy." Now what if we all really did that, we got on our toes? The Amplified Bible says, "let the people tremble [with submissive wonder]!" I love that, "submissive wonder". Yes when the big wigs come we do tremble a little. We want to be at our best, to make a great impression and we need to want the same, if not more with God. He is God, He really does rule and He is holy. There is no one greater than He is ...

Friday... He rolled up his sleeves. There are people who walk into a situation, look around and see what needs to be done and they roll up their sleeves and get it done. They don't need someone to tell them what to do, they do it. And they have what it takes to make a difference. It is great to see them work. And to praise them for a job well done. The writer of Psalm 98 in verses 1 & 2 (MSG) says, "Sing to the Lord a brand-new song. He made a world of wonders! He rolled up his sleeves, he set things right. God made history with salvation, he showed the world what he could do." And that is the God that I serve, that I put my trust in today. He is a doer. He gets thing done even in my life and your life. There maybe something in our lives that we can't seem to get a handle on but God is at work.  Now we need to step back and see what He is doing. It may seem like nothing is happening but He is at work.  Verses 1- 3 in the NIRV says, "Sing to the Lord. He has d...

Thursday... They melt like wax. What an interesting picture.  Psalm 97:5 (MSG) says, "The mountains take one look at God and melt, melt like wax before earth's Lord." We have mountains all around us and it is so difficult to see them melting but when a volcano erupts it melts and flows like rivers. I know we are frustrated with what is happening around us. This virus seems to keep coming but it has no power over God. He can melt mountains. Verse 6 says, "The heavens announce that he'll set everything right, and everyone will see it happen - glorious." We haven't seen anything yet.  Verses 7 & 8, "All who serve handcrafted gods will be sorry - and they were so proud of their ragamuffin gods. On your knees, all you gods - worship him! And Zion, you listen and take heart." Again, think of that picture, "The mountains take one look at God and melt, melt like wax before earth's Lord." Our God "announces that he'll set ever...

Wednesday... What a tremendous opportunity we have today. We are in the middle of moving out of our third story apartment into our new house. This is such a great opportunity but that is not the opportunity that I am talking about. It is a very exciting one but not the one that the Psalmist speaks of.   Psalm 96:1-3 (NLT), "Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Sing to the Lord, praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does." Now what if you used the power of the internet to do that. It is an amazing tool to use, isn't it?  What if we as Christ's followers starting today would "each day proclaim the good news that he saves". What a tremendous opportunity we have to spread the good news throughout the world.  I am also reading in the Acts of the Apostles of the means that they had to spread the good news and the impact th...

Tuesday... Drop everything, all the negative self talk all the bad news and all the fear. Could there be something that God wants to say to us through all of this that we as a nation, as a world are going through? Could there be some good news that He wants us to listen to and receive and share? Psalm 95:6-7 (NLT) says, "Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today!" The MESSAGE says, "Drop everything and listen, listen as he speaks." Over in Acts 14:15b-18a (NIRV) it says, " 'We are bringing you good news. Turn away from these worthless things. Turn to the living God. He is the one who made the heavens and the earth and the sea. He made everything in them. In the past he has given proof of what he is like. He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven. He gives you crops in their season. He provide...

Monday... They fall flat on their faces. There are so many benefits that come from a relationship with God. There really are. And it is imperative that we share the Good News of these benefits. And Proverbs 4:18-19 (MSG) is a great one to share. It says, "The ways of right-living people glow with light; the longer they live, the brighter they shine. But the road of wrongdoing gets darker and darker - travelers can't see a thing; they fall flat on their faces." The NLT puts it this way, verse 18, "The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever bright until the full light of day." I love getting up early in the morning and going and opening up our blinds on our third floor apartment and watching the sun come up and bring light to the darkness of the night. It was really beautiful this morning. I love to see "the first gleam of dawn." But so many people live their lives in total darkness. Verse 19, "But the way of the wic...

Saturday... We have been searching for the right trees. We have gotten the keys and are in the process of moving into our retirement home. With all the situations involved with what our world is going through we decided that building a new house here in the desert of Las Vegas was best for us. Now here in Vegas, we are responsible for the landscape in our backyard and trees are an important choice here in the desert. So we have been doing all we can to figure out the best trees to survive and to thrive. We have loved it.  So as I was reading in Psalm 92 these verses caught my attention. Verse 12 (NLT) says, "But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow like the cedars of Lebanon."  Now Palm trees in the desert are signs of water, of an oasis. And the cedars were used in so many ways to build great buildings. Craftsmen used then in building the Temple in Jerusalem.  Maybe God wants to use us, to help us flourish in this desert of despair and fear and pandemic. And ...

Friday... Have you seen this? This is such a great word of encouragement for us today. Psalm 91:1 (NLT), "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the Shadow of the Almighty." We sure don't find it on TV, or in our leaders, or social media, do we? Verse 2, "This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God and I trust Him." Yes, yes, yes I do.  Verse 3, "For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease." I'm afraid that the wisdom and the knowledge that God has given out to help us through this pandemic has been covered over by people who are striving for power and control. They are using our fears as a means of gaining more power. And that is not one side but both sides.  They have brought fear and distrust instead of protection. We need to see what God has given us as a means to protect us from this deadly disease. He wants to rescue us from so many traps and t...