Monday... Winning and love seem to go together.

Proverbs 14:20 (MSG) says, "An unlucky loser is shunned by all, but everyone loves a winner." Last night was the Super Bowl and at the end there was a team that will be remembered as the winner. Now a lot of different situations came about to make them the winner but history will tell everyone they won. And the Proverbs says that everyone loves a winner.

But that may not be a good thing. Verse 21 says, "It's criminal to ignore a neighbor in need, but compassion for the poor - what a blessing."

The NLT gives another slant to these two verses. It says, "The poor are despised even by their neighbors, while the rich have many 'friends.' It is a sin to belittle one's neighbor; blessed are those who help the poor."

Granite in sports there is always a winner and loser but in God's view of a winner and loser is different. An unlucky loser could also be a winner depending upon how they handle it or how I reach out to them with understanding and love. Yes the poor are looked down on because they are poor but God says it is a sin to belittle one's neighbor even though they may be poor or an unlucky loser and blessed are those who help the poor. God's definition of a winner is different.

Verse 22 (MSG) says, "Isn't it obvious that conspirators lose out, while the thoughtful win love and trust."

The NLT says, "If you plan to do evil, you will be lost; if you plan to do good, you will receive unfailing love and faithfulness." Now that is the kind of winner I want to be. 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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