Saturday... Here is something else we do a lot.

Saturday... Here is something else we do a lot. We shop and shop and shop. Searching for more and more.

Are you are shopper? Do you love to shop? I love to look but I alway hope there is a Starbucks close so I can rest while everyone else shops. But I do love to give. That gives me joy.

Now the writer of Proverbs shows where shopping can be a problem. Proverbs 4:6 (MSG) says, "Why is everyone hungry for more? 'More, more, they say." I've got to find that just right gift or I have to have it. I need it, I want it. It has to be the best gift I have ever given. I want more, more.

He goes on in verse 7, "I have God's more-than-enough, more joy in one ordinary day than they get in all their shopping sprees" And that is so true. God is so good to us. He wants to give us more joy than we can ever get in all the shopping that we do. And shopping makes me so tired. Searching for more and more is hard work.

He says, "At days end I'm ready for sound sleep, for you God, have put my life back together."

Now shopping is a part of this time of the year but stuff is not what will give us joy. Oh watching that person open the gift you gave them is motivation for looking and finding that gift but the joy comes from the love that goes along with the gift.

The New Living Bible says, "Many people say, 'Who will show us better times?' Let your face smile on us, Lord. You have given me greater joy... In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord will keep me safe."

He wants to give us greater joy. "Let your face smile on us, Lord. You have given me greater joy." 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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