Thursday... Now this really, really matters.

Thursday... Now this really, really matters. I know it does to me.

I love being a grandpa. I really do. I love to make my family happy but there is one thing that really matters to me. I really do love to give them what they want and need and help them when they are in trouble but there is one thing that I want in return and the same is true of my Heavenly Father.

Over in Psalm 50 we see how much it matters to Him. Now as a grandpa, I'm not going to go this far but it will make me contemplate what I am going to do for them. Verse 22 (GNT) says, "Listen to this, you that ignore me, or I will destroy you, and there will be no one to save you." I think He is really serious. The Message says, "Time's up playing fast and loose with me. I'm ready to pass sentence, and there is no help in sight." He is really serious. It is really important for us to understand that.

And then He says in verse 23 (NLT), "But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal the salvation of God." Giving thanks really matters to Him, it honors Him.

Up in verses 12-13 the Psalmist writes what God wants from us. He says, "If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is mine and everything in it. Do I eat the meat of bulls? Do I drink the blood of goats?" Of course the answer is no. Verse 14 says, " Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High." He goes on in verse 15. He shows us the if and then. If we are thankful to Him, we can. He gets personal, "Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory."

The Amplified Bible says, "Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving and pay your vows to the Most High; Call on Me in the day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you shall honor and glorify Me." There is great power in being thankful and honoring Him and giving Him glory. Listen, it really matter to Him and it might be an important way to start your day.

Living a life of despair and anxiety does not show our appreciation and thankfulness for all He has done for us. He does not reward despair. He understands it but He doesn't reward it.

The Good News Translation says, "Let the giving of thanks be your sacrifice to God, and give the Almighty all you promised. Call to me when trouble comes; I will save you, and you will praise me." Again, "I will save you, and you will praise me." That really matters to Him so let's do it! Why not start right now. 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

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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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