Saturday... If and when and if and then.

If we have a living relationship with God there are times when he has made a difference in the great difficulties that we have faced.

The writers of the Psalms over and over look back on the time when God brought their nation out of the evil, the servitude of Egypt. Psalm 114:1a (NLT) says, "When the Israelites escaped from Egypt."

If we have a living relationship with God there are times when he has really helped us and we need to hold on to the reality of those times. That can make such a difference in whatever we are facing today.

I love how this writer puts it. He says in verses 3-6, "The Red Sea saw them coming and hurried out of their way! The waters of the Jordan River turned away. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs! What's wrong, Red Sea, that made you hurry out of their way? What happened, Jordan River, that you turned away? Why mountains, did you skip like rams? Why, hills, like lambs?"

And then verses 7-8, "Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob. He turned the rock into a pool of water; yes, a spring of water flowed from solid rock." Yes, God took care of them in mighty, mighty ways.

The if and whens of our life are so important to do and to remember and if we do then God wants to do it again and again.

But Proverbs 24:30-34 says, "I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense. I saw that it was overgrown with nettles. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down. Then as I looked and thought about it, I learned a lesson: A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest - then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber."

If we get to the point that it isn't worth the effort then as this Proverb says, "then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit." If and then.

Paul over in Romans 9:2-4 writes, "My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be cursed - cut off from Christ - if that would save them. They are people of Israel, chosen to be God's adopted children. God revealed his glory to them."

There is so much that God wants to do if we continually put our trust in him, if and when and if and then. Let's not get off track. Let's alway remember the whens that God has done and will do in our lives if we continually put our trust in him. Romans 9:33b (AMP) says, "And He who believes in Him [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] will not be disappointed [in his expectations]'" If and then. 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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