Saturday... I hope to, but just in case.

In my reading this morning in 1 Timothy, I came across a phrase that spoke to me about the beginning of a New Year. I Timothy 3:14 (MSG) says, "I hope to visit you soon, but just in case I am delayed, I'm writing this letter so you'll know how things ought to go in God's household, the God-alive church, bastion of truth."

Paul was a very driven man but also a very caring man. He planted many churches. He would spend time with them and then move on to a different area to plant a new church but he still had the a burden for the church he left. He couldn't be with them so he sent letters to them. He would say over and over, I hope to visit you soon but just in case.

Now in heading into the New Year I'm sure you have some hopes. I know we all hope that this virus is taken care of. There are many other hopes that we each individually want to happen but do you have any just in case they don't? Or is it all or nothing?

Paul did not put his total hope on one thing, he had a back up plan and it was a very effective back up plan. I hope to come and see you but just in case I can't, I'm writing this letter. I hope this happens but just in case I'm still going to do something.

Now God doesn't always reveal His plan about tomorrow. Yes, you may have a plan and it is important to have one but it still comes down to as Proverbs 1:7 says, "Start with God - the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning."

That is where you put your hope and your just in case. So what if you hope something is going to happen in the New Year and how will you deal with it just in case it doesn't happen? The hope is important but so is the just in case. The key is to start with God! Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

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Monday... He did it by Himself

Isaiah 44:24b (AMP), "I am the Lord, Maker of all things. Who alone stretches out the heavens, Who spreads out the earth by Myself." Monday... He did it by Himself. Many have a tendency to think very highly of themselves and what they can do. Oh we do have great ability but we are not the source. Yes it is important to have self-confidence but we are limited. The prophet Isaiah in 44:9-10 (NLT) says, "How foolish are those who manufacture idols. These prized objects are really worthless. The people who worship idols don't know this, so they are all put to shame. Who but a fool would make his own god - an idol that cannot help him one bit?" Now later in verse 24 (AMP) he writes, "For the Lord, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb says, 'I am the Lord, Maker of all things, Who alone stretches out the heavens, Who spreads out the earth by Myself.'" I love that. "By Myself." Now we do need confidence but we are foolish to ma...

Friday... We have this hope of expectancy.

Psalm 5:3 (NLT), "Listen to my voice in the morning Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly." Friday... We have this hope of expectancy. Now David found a great way to start his day. He says in Psalm 5:1-3 (NLT), "O LORD, hear me as I pray." And that is a great place to start. It really is. Morning sunrise He goes on, "Listen to my cry for help, my King, my God, for I pray to no one but you." And that is so important. We don't try to pump ourselves up by ourself. No, we pray to no one but you, God, my LORD, my King. Now this relationship with God is so, so very important. And then David says, "Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you" And that is so great. And then he says, "and wait expectantly." Yes, we have this hope of expectancy. We are experienced. That is what a relationship with God and a moment by moment connection does. It makes a difference in our daily wa...

Friday... Yes, we can know this to be true.

Psalm 12:6 (NLT), "The Lord's promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over." Friday... Yes, we can know this to be true. Maybe this is what you want to say in this day in which we live. Psalm 12:1-2 (MSG) says, "Quick, I need your helping hand! The last decent person just went down, all the friends I depend on gone. Everyone talks in lie language; lies slide off their oily lips. They doubletalk with forked tongues." Do you ever feel that way?" Have you found that to be true? Well David the writer of this Psalm continues and says in verse 6 something to encourage us, to lift us up, to give us hope. Psalm 12:6 (NLT) says, "The Lord's promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over." The Message Paraphrase says verses 6-8 this way, "God's words are pure words, pure silver words refined seven times in the fires of his word-kiln, pure on earth as well as in heaven, God, keep ...

Todays Beginning

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