Friday... But I'm in a hurry and I'm angry.

I love being reminded each month as I read these verses in Proverbs 19. Verse 2 (NLT) says, "Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good, haste makes mistakes." And verse 3, "People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord."

For some it is always his fault. They think he causes all the bad in the world. Oh we may not stop and read his word on a daily basis, we are always in a hurry. We think we have the answers and without going to him in his word or striving to hear what his Spirit has to say, we do, do, do without listening, without seeking and then we blame.

But it is not just us who does this. Psalm 79:9 says, "Help us, O God of our salvation! Help us for the glory of your name. Save us and forgive our sins for the honor of your name." And then verse 12, "O Lord, pay back our neighbors seven times for the scorn they have hurled at you." And if you do this, verse 13, "Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will thank you forever and ever, praising your greatness from generation to generation."

Our desperation gets ahead of our devotion, our trust.

And then over to Acts 7. This chapter is Stephen after being arrested telling the story of generation to generation, of Abraham through David. And in verse 51 he says, "You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That's what your ancestors did, and so do you." And I'm afraid, so do we.

We come to God in desperation and in a hurry and tell him what we want and then blame him when it doesn't happen the way we want.

These religious leaders didn't want to hear the truth that Jesus, who they killed was the Messiah. And then verse 59, "As they stoned him. Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' He fell to his knees, shouting, 'Lord, don't charge them with this sin!' And with that he died."

O God, may we not be in such a hurry. May we listen to your Spirit and follow what your word tells us. May we seek your knowledge and turn from our foolishness to you. May we get out of the condemnation business into your compassion. May we learn, may we seek and may we love. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

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Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do

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Todays Beginning

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