Thursday... It's no fun when someone is angry with you.

There was a lady who was really angry at another lady at Starbucks yesterday. Not a fun time. Have you ever felt that God was angry with you? Well, the children of Israel knew he was angry with them. He had done so much for them and they still didn't follow him. That was not a fun time.

Well, Isaiah was given the task of telling them what God was feeling about them but then in Isaiah 12 he tells of what will happen in the day that they come back to God. In verse 1 Isaiah writes, "In that day you will sing: 'I will praise you, O Lord! You were angry with me, but not anymore. Now you comfort me.'" Now that is a great feeling, isn't it? Knowing that someone was really angry with you and it was your fault but then they aren't anymore. A great load is lifted, isn't it?

He goes on in verse 2. He says, "See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The Lord is my strength and my song, he has given me victory." Now that is the way a relationship with God is suppose to work out and it does if we are obeying him and following him.

Let's say, you have a great relationship with your spouse but you blow it. You do something that really hurt them and they are angry with you and you deserve it. It wasn't their fault, it was your fault. Now you can set back and make excuses but in no way does that make a difference. The only way that you are going to be able to diffuse the anger is to really show that you know that you were wrong and that you will repent. In other words, you confess to them that you were wrong and you ask them to forgive you and you tell them that you will do everything you can to not do it again. And that will make all of the difference.

Now it may take a while for their anger to subside and for you to prove to them that you won't do it again but with God it is an instant happening. You see, he knows if you are really repentant. He knows your heart and he is in the second chance business.

Hebrews 10:17 tells us, "Then he says, 'I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.'" Verse 23 says, "Let us hold tightly to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise."

And then verses 35-36 says, "So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised."

Earlier it says that if you (vs. 26), "deliberately continue sinning", then, verse 31 says, "It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God." We must do everything we can to not have him angry with us.

And we can. It is not up to him, it is up to us. And there is so much for us if we do. Isaiah 12:2 says, "See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory." Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

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

Tuesday... Let's be smart.

Tuesday... Let's be smart. Proverbs 12:16a (CEV) says, "Losing your temper is foolish." It really is. And it is so hard to take it back. That is not smart. There are always consequence when we lose our temper and they are usually not good. Think of the last time you lost your temper at home, at your kids, at your spouse, at your pets. at your life, at where you live, at where you work. There are always repercussions and they are not good. The New Living Translation says, "A fool is quick-tempered." The Message says, "Fools have short fuses and explode all too quickly." The Amplified Bible says, "The [arrogant] fool's anger is quickly known [because he lacks self-control and common sense]." It just is not a good thing. is it? But then the rest of this verse, this proverb (CEV) says, "ignoring an insult is smart." It really is. I have striven in dealing with people to give them a benefit of doubt. They didn't mean that, they

Friday... But, can be such a beautiful word.

Friday... But, can be such a beautiful word. It really can be life changing. Look at what Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians. In 2:1-3 (NLT) he says, "Once you were dead because of your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil - the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God's anger, just like everyone else." There it is, there it is. That is the way we are living or have lived. Dead is a definite word of finality. At least the devil thought so and maybe you do too. And then verses 4-5 starts by saying, "But", that beautiful life changing word of opportunity even though we are dead. Yes, we are subject to God's anger, "But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even t

Todays Beginning

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