Saturday... We think we've got it all figured out.

We really do. But Solomon in his book of Proverbs in the Old Testament of the Bible has a different perspective.

Look at what Proverbs 16:1 (MSG) says, "Mortals make elaborate plans, but God has the last word." We make all these plans. We have it all figured out. But it is so important to have God in our life. It really is.

Verse 2, "Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good; God provides for what is good."

Now this is important. Verse 3 says, "Put God in charge of your work, then what you've planned will take place." The Amplified Bible says, "Commit your works to the Lord [submit and trust them to Him] and your plans will succeed [if you respond to His will and guidance]." We think we have it all figured out but do we really?

This is a good one. Verse 7 (MSG) says, "When God approves of your life, even your enemies will end up shaking your hand." Now we need to understand that all of this is from the perspective that there is more to life than just the here and now. When your enemies get to the judgment they will see that you were right. We need to live with the fact that there is more to life as a Christ follower than the here and now. There is more to come.

Look at this in verse 9, "We plan the way we want to live but only God makes us able to live it." We need to see that we need God in our life. Yes we do.

And then the last two verses of this chapter say something that will help us now. We are in the middle of an election year. And we seem to be all upset. But verses 32 & 33 in The Message say, "Moderation is better than muscle, self-control better than political power. Make your motions and cast your votes, but God has the final say."

We think we have it all figured out and we do if we have God at the center of our life. Yes, yes! #newbeginnings

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Tuesday... I wonder what would happen if we didn't take the credit?

Nehemiah 6:16b (NLT), "They realized this work had been done with the help of our God." Tuesday... I wonder what would happen if we didn't take the credit? Over in the Old Testament in the book of Nehemiah it tells of a major task that through the leadership of Nehemiah was accomplished. The walls of Jerusalem had been torn down and God had laid it on Nehemiah to build those walls back up. It was definitely an almost impossible task but Nehemiah 6:15-16 says, "So on October 2 the wall was finished - just fifty-two days after we had begun. When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God." Now, we so many times want to take credit for doing the impossible. It would make such a difference for us. But I wonder what would happen through us if God got the credit? Psalm 96 tells us what we are to do. Verses 2-3 says, "Sing to the LORD; praise his name. ...

Tuesday... We just have trouble listening.

1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT), "Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." Tuesday... We just have trouble listening. Over in Jeremiah 25:4 (NLT) it says, "Again and again the LORD has sent you his servants, the prophets, but you have not listened or even paid attention." And Jeremiah went on to tell what was going to happen. There will be consequences if we do not listen to what God says through his Word. Now the Apostle Paul over in 1 Corinthians was having a problem with some professed Christ followers who were having trouble at listening. And we too can have problems at listening. We can think that being a Christ follower means we do a lot of finger pointing and we give up on people who don't do what we say. We can even do that in our families. But Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT), "Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." In verse ...

Thursday... Yet, now this is true.

Colossians 1:22a (NLT), "Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body." Thursday... Yet, now this is true. Now Paul a prisoner in Rome is writing a letter to a church in Colossae. And in Colossians 1:21 (MSG) he says, "Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds, engaging in evil deeds" The NLT says "This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated by your evil thoughts and actions." And that is where so many in this world live today. They are blowing it and they don't know what to do. Yes, they are hostile in their minds and they are engaging in evil deeds but there is Good News. Now Paul in verses 19-20 sets the stage for an answer to those who don't want to live that way. He says, "For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and earth b...

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