Friday... We can do so much but.

There is so much that we can do in whatever situation we are in. I mean, the internet is unbelievable. I love what I can find and share on here. I also love streaming. I love YouTube. There is so much to learn on there. But, but.

Here is what I read this morning in Romans 15:4 (NLT). It says, "Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled." Yes, there is so much available to us but there is also the Scriptures. Not just the promises but there is so much that has been written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us hope and encouragement. Have you found that to be true?

There was a key time in my life when I had gotten off track. I stopped and talked to people of wisdom. I read, read, read and I came up with a series of changes that I needed to make and one of them was to read a chapter of Psalms everyday. I have read for 40+ years a chapter dependent upon the date. The first 30, the second thirty, all the way to the fifth 30 and I will in five months have read all 150 chapters of Psalms. This discipline change had a major impact in changing me from a man of despair and anxiety to a man of hope and faith. Yes it changed many other things but that was the key one.

Here is a highlight verse I read today in Psalm 35. I'm on my second 30 and today is the 5th. Verse 10 says, "With every bone in my body I will praise him: 'Lord, who can compare with you? Who else rescues the helpless from the strong? Who else protects the helpless and poor from those who rob them?'" Such encouragement for this day in which I will live. I am not helpless because of the Lord.

And then I read this in Proverbs 5:21, "For the Lord sees clearly what a man does, examining every path he takes." I need to be reminded of that fact as I live this day. He clearly sees all I will do and he will examine every path I take. That truth keeps me on his path.

And then what has been highlighted in Romans 15. But it starts for me in Psalms. That one book has made a lifetime change on me but I haven't stopped there.

And then back to Romans 15:4 but from the Amplified Bible which says it this way, "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope and overflow with confidence in His promises."

But it continues. Verses 5 & 6 says, "Now may the God who gives endurance and who supplies encouragement grant that you be of same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify and praise and honor the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." We are not alone. We really do need each other to with one voice praise and honor the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. What would happen in this world if we would do that? It would change our world.

Yes, we can do so much but we could do so much more if we search the Scripture daily which will teach us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

Monday... He did it by Himself

Isaiah 44:24b (AMP), "I am the Lord, Maker of all things. Who alone stretches out the heavens, Who spreads out the earth by Myself." Monday... He did it by Himself. Many have a tendency to think very highly of themselves and what they can do. Oh we do have great ability but we are not the source. Yes it is important to have self-confidence but we are limited. The prophet Isaiah in 44:9-10 (NLT) says, "How foolish are those who manufacture idols. These prized objects are really worthless. The people who worship idols don't know this, so they are all put to shame. Who but a fool would make his own god - an idol that cannot help him one bit?" Now later in verse 24 (AMP) he writes, "For the Lord, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb says, 'I am the Lord, Maker of all things, Who alone stretches out the heavens, Who spreads out the earth by Myself.'" I love that. "By Myself." Now we do need confidence but we are foolish to ma...

Friday... We have this hope of expectancy.

Psalm 5:3 (NLT), "Listen to my voice in the morning Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly." Friday... We have this hope of expectancy. Now David found a great way to start his day. He says in Psalm 5:1-3 (NLT), "O LORD, hear me as I pray." And that is a great place to start. It really is. Morning sunrise He goes on, "Listen to my cry for help, my King, my God, for I pray to no one but you." And that is so important. We don't try to pump ourselves up by ourself. No, we pray to no one but you, God, my LORD, my King. Now this relationship with God is so, so very important. And then David says, "Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you" And that is so great. And then he says, "and wait expectantly." Yes, we have this hope of expectancy. We are experienced. That is what a relationship with God and a moment by moment connection does. It makes a difference in our daily wa...

Friday... Yes, we can know this to be true.

Psalm 12:6 (NLT), "The Lord's promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over." Friday... Yes, we can know this to be true. Maybe this is what you want to say in this day in which we live. Psalm 12:1-2 (MSG) says, "Quick, I need your helping hand! The last decent person just went down, all the friends I depend on gone. Everyone talks in lie language; lies slide off their oily lips. They doubletalk with forked tongues." Do you ever feel that way?" Have you found that to be true? Well David the writer of this Psalm continues and says in verse 6 something to encourage us, to lift us up, to give us hope. Psalm 12:6 (NLT) says, "The Lord's promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over." The Message Paraphrase says verses 6-8 this way, "God's words are pure words, pure silver words refined seven times in the fires of his word-kiln, pure on earth as well as in heaven, God, keep ...

Today's Beginning

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