Monday... They are so honest. They really understand.

I have been reading a Psalm everyday for over fifty years and I love the fact that they are honest and understanding.

Look at Psalm 10:1 (NLT). It says, "O Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I am in trouble?" Have you ever felt that way? I mean, trouble is all around you and you feel all alone. Have you ever felt that way? Maybe you feel that way today.

Well that is the way this Psalm like many other Psalms start. Yes we are allowed to say what we feel. It seems to get it out in the open.

I'm not sure what David the writer of this Psalm was going through but he starts out being honest about what he felt. But that is not where he stops but too many times that is where we stop.

He continues. In verse 13 he says, "Why do the wicked get away with despising God? They think, 'God will never call us to account.'" And then verse 14 starts with a very important word. It is a word that gets him back on track. It says, "But." In all of this honesty we need to finally get to the but. That is what the Psalms helps us do. Verse 14 says, "But you see the trouble and grief they cause. You take note of it and punish them. The helpless put their trust in you. You defend the orphans."

Yes, David goes on and in verses 17-18 he says, "Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them. You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them."

Verse 17 in the NIRV says, "Lord, you hear the desires of those who are hurting. You cheer them up and give them hope. You listen to their cries."

The Amplified Bible says, "O Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble and oppressed; You will incline Your ear to hear." We cannot stop at verse 1, "Why do You stand so far away, O Lord? Why do You hide [Yourself, veiling Your eyes] in times of trouble." We must keep going. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

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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...

Today's Beginning

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