Todays Beginning

Friday... These three really will make a difference. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians gives some very practical advice. My dad used to say, "Advice not asked for, stinks" but I still get up each morning and strive to give some practical and hopefully uplifting advice because God's Word is always faithful and some will find it useful. So here are three verses in Ephesians that are great advice. Here in chapter 5, verses 15-17 (NLT) Paul writes, "So be careful how you live. Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do."  Verse 15 in the Amplified Bible says, "Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people],"  Now that is really good. It really is. Yes, we need to ...

Thursday... Let's take care of those differences and hurtful memories. And that is a great way to live. Paul in Ephesians 4:3 (NLT) says, "Make every effort to keep yourselves united together with peace." It is so hard to live with someone and be in conflict, isn't it? Always remembering something they did especially in your past. Well, making an effort in the here and now can make such a difference in each day and in our futures. Verse 2 says, "Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowances for each other's faults because of your love." That is such a great idea.  The Message says it this way. "I don't want anyone of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline - not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mendi...

Wednesday... We sometimes miss this but oh how we need it. Many Pastors after they have delivered their message to their congregation give a blessing as people head out to face a new week. But sometimes we are getting emotionally ready to head out so we miss this. Ephesians 3:20 (NLT) is one of those blessings that Pastor's share to encourage us as we head out to face our life but in our hurry we may miss this even though we really need to be reminded of this truth. Here is what it says. "Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." He deserves our glory. The NIRV says, "Give him glory." Yes, without a doubt, he deserves it. You see, he is able. We may not be able to handle what we are facing each and every day but God is able. Stop and really think about that.  The MESSAGE says, "God can do anything, you know - far more than you could ever imagine or guess or reque...

Tuesday... So what did we all used to be? We tend to forget what we used to be like, don't we?  But the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians says in chapter 2 verse 2a (NLT), "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 goes on in verse 3, "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." Yes we tend to forget what we used to be like and that the change in us did not just happen. And we so many times look at people even those close to us and point our finger at them in condemnation, condemning them. "Look at the sinner. Look at what they did to me. I'm so glad that I'm not like that." But at some point, "All of us used to live that way."  But Paul goes on in verses 4 & 5 to say, "But God is so rich ...

Monday... Desperation can lead to dependency. Now in some areas of our life, dependency is not a good thing but in one it is the way to live. David, who was a man after God's own heart writes in Psalm 86:1 (NLT) "Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help". Verse 3 says, "Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am calling on you constantly". And verse 7 (NIV), "When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me." And back to verse 6 (AMP), "Hear, O Lord, my prayer; And listen to the voice of my supplications [specific requests]." In our desperations too many times we head to other dependencies that are definitely not good for us but prayer is the right dependency. I hope you have found that to be true. And then over to Ephesians 1:19-20 (NLT), the Apostle Paul says, "I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him. This is the same power that raised Chr...

Friday... But I am so tired of being good. I know that is true if you are a child especially in these beginning days of school. But I know it is also true with adults in the United States during this period of selecting a new President. We really can be really bad to those on the other side. And it can also really be hard when we in the church are having major disagreements.  Yes, we can be so tired at being good but the Apostle Paul says in Galatians 6:9 (AMP), "Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give in." The Message says, "So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigue doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up" Yes, it is so difficult being good with all this stuff around us. Do you know what my teacher wants me to do? Do you know what they are saying on the other side? But we Christ followers are to "not get tired of doing good." (NLT) Now...

Thursday... Let's be realistic and then be rewarded. But being realistic can really be hard to do.  Now Proverbs 23:4 (AMP) says, "The reward of humility [that is, having a realistic view of one's importance] and the [revenant, worshipful] fear of the Lord is riches, honor, and life." Matthew in chapter 5 verse 6 says, "Blessed [joyful, nourished by God's goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied." Someone who was focused on getting more and more and who others would say was successful was asked if they had all they wanted and if they were really satisfied? And they said, "No not yet, I just want a little more and then I'll be satisfied. I'm not completely satisfied yet" It is so easy for us to have a very unrealistic view of who we are and what we want and never be satisfied even though we believe that we deserve more. So many h...

Tuesday.... We can be so critical and maybe blow it. Especially with people who are different than we are.  Especially when they see things different than we do. Proverbs 20:3 (NLT) says, "Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling."  And then verse 29 says, "The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hairs of experience is the splendor of the old." But they drive so fast, so slow. But they look down on me, they don't understand, they don't appreciate me.  Yes there are some things where we can get way off track and we need to stop and really listen to the other side especially when it's the Good News about what God has done through Jesus his Son. There are some things where we need to stop and listen. But how it is said goes a long way in how it is received. Now in the new church that was coming into existence after Jesus resurrection and his going back to heaven there was a major disagreement between the Jews and the G...

Monday... He knows what he is doing. He really does. Proverbs 19:2 (NIRV) says, "Getting excited about something without knowledge isn't good. It's worse to be in a hurry and miss the way." And we are in such a hurry, aren't we? But of course we see life in a different way than God. We think we know it all. Verse 8 (NIV) in Psalm 79 says, "Do not hold against us the sins of past generations; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need." And we want whatever it is that we want, we want it now because we are in desperate need. The NLT says, "for we are on the brink of despair." And then back to Proverbs 19:3, "People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then they are angry with God." The Message says, "People ruin their lives by their stupidity, so why does God get all the blame." The Amplified Bible says, "The foolishness of man undermines his way [ruining whatever he undertakes]; Then h...

Friday... Life can be so interesting and so flexible.  It really can be. I am a person of routine. It is at my age the way I remember. But it really is a good thing to be somewhat flexible. Especially if you have put your trust in God. Things can change. So how do we handle that? Now this is important for us to realize. Proverbs 16:1 says, "We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer." So how do we handle when our plans change? If we put our trust in God then we need to be flexible. But believing in our ability to know what is the right thing to do can get in the way of being flexible but not being flexible in our trust in God is the way to live. The past few day have been very interesting in our life. The truth is our summer has been very interesting. But we are doing great. Yes, we have for sure found that the Lord gives the right answer. He really does.  Verses 1 & 2 in the Amplified Bible says, "The plans and reflections of the heart belong to ...

Thursday... Three things that we do that make a difference. And we find them in Psalm 75:1 (NLT). Here is what it says, "We thank you, O God! We give thanks because you are near. People everywhere tell of your wonderful needs."  First of all, thank him. Just thank him for being who he is. He is God. Acknowledge the fact that he is real and that he is in your life. Just thank him. Acknowledging by being thankful is so important as we get up to face a new day. Being thankful that he is God is such a great way to start our day and it will make such a difference. The Message says, "We thank you, God, we thank you." Just say, "Thank you God." Yes, he is real. He really is God. Thank him for that fact. Next, acknowledge that he is near. Yes, it is so true that he is not far away, he is close, he is near, and he is definitely involved in our life. Yes, he is, he really is. Proverbs 15:3 (AMP) says, "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil ...

Wednesday... Oh, if my life was easier. We so many times look at our life and wish that it didn't have all that it has in it that cause us more work, more difficulties and more annoyances. We just don't see the benefit. We just see the problem, we just see the how it affects us in not making our life easier. The writer of Proverbs 14:4 (Amp) starts by saying, "Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean." And we can say that in many ways. How much better it would be if I was alone. How much cleaner the house would be if we didn't have kids. I hate getting up so early to go to work. I wish I didn't have this problem in my life. My life would be so much more enjoyable, so much easier to live. But this verse doesn't stop there. It goes on to say, "But much revenue [because of good crops] comes by the strength of the oxen." The NLT says, "but you need a strong ox for a large harvest."  There is so much more to life than just having it to b...

Tuesday... It really does make a difference in how we feel. The writer of Psalm 73 started this Psalm focusing on those who were rich around him and he got into a really bad mood. Verse 7 (NLT) says, "These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for!" And that thought got him into a very bad mood. Even to the point in verse 21 he says, "Then I realized that my heart was bitter and I was all torn up inside." What we focus on does make a difference in how we feel. It really does. But he didn't stop there. He started evaluating what this focus was doing to him. And in his honesty he stops and says in verse 22, "I was so foolish and ignorant - I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you." And that was good. We need to get to the point of realizing what it is that has gotten us into a bad mood and that it is really senseless. It really is. And we need to stop and really evaluate what is the truth, and to change our focus. And I hope tha...

Monday... We can be victorious. Yes, we can. Over in Psalm 72:12-14 (NLT) the writer writes, "He will rescue the poor when they cry to him; he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them. He feels pity for the weak and the needy, and he will rescue them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to him."  Now this is not talking about what a Presidential candidate can do. It is talking about what God can and will do. Please, let's not get that mixed up. Yes, God can use others but he still is the source. Verse 11 says, "All kings will bow before him, and all nations will serve them." There will be a time when God returns that this will be true. Now, the Psalms is in the Old Testament of the Bible but here is what the Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, which is in the New Testament. He writes, "We are human, but we don't wage war as humans. We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongh...

Friday... Maybe, this is where we are. There are three people in the Bible whose lives have had a major impact on my life. Of course, Jesus is one, the main one but also King David and the Apostle Paul.  Now King David was very human. He shares his bad times and his good times. He starts in Psalm 69 in verse 1 (NLT) by saying, "Save me, O God, for the flood waters are up to my neck." Maybe that is where you are today. In verse 13 he says, "But I keep praying to you, Lord, hoping this time you will show me favor." And a lot of people are praying that on this Friday. That is real honesty. He then says in verses 29, "I am suffering and in pain. Rescue me, O God, by your saving power." And then he reminds us in verse 32, "The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God's help be encouraged." And over in Psalm 22:26 (AMP) David writes, "The afflicted will eat and be satisfied; Those who [diligently] seek Him and requir...

Thursday... There is also a purpose in this emotion. We were created to be emotional beings and each emotion has a purpose. Now we love being happy. Happiness is a very good emotion but so is sadness. It too has a purpose. The Apostle Paul in writing to the church in Corinth says in 2 Corinthians 7:9 (NIRV), "Now I am happy. I'm not happy because you were made sad. I'm happy because your sadness led you to turn away from your sins. You became sad just as God wanted you to. So you were not hurt in any way by us." Now I am a very positive person and I do what I can to encourage people to see the positive side but there is also a sorrowful side that God uses. Sorrow has its place in our lives. But sorrow is not there just to make people feel bad, it is there to change people. Let's say that we are love at all cost people. That is what some believe and they believe suffering consequences because of wrong choices is not love. But that is not true. As Paul said, "I...

Wednesday... It really is a great place to start. It really is. Paul, over in his second letter to the Corinthian church says this in verse 1 (NIRV), "We work together with God. So we are asking you not to receive God's grace and then do nothing with it." Now that is right to the point, isn't it? And then back to Psalm 67:1 (MSG), "God, mark us with grace and blessing! Smile!" And he does, he really does. Yes, God does mark us with grace and blessing. He really does. And a great place for us to start in showing our appreciation for his grace and blessing, is to smile. And is that too much to ask? I mean, in no way do we ever get what we deserve. God is so good to us, he is so gracious toward us and just the opportunity of this new day is a blessing.   I know, I know, we wake us each morning with so many problems and difficulties but what if we woke up and faced them without God? Don't you think that waking up and thanking him for being in our life, for h...

Tuesday... This is so comforting! David writes in Psalm 66:9 (NLT) "Our lives are in his hands, and he keeps our feet from stumbling." Isn't that great? Now the key is to listen to his voice. Yes, his Spirit is one of the voices that is always going through our minds especially during times of temptation. God will always give us a way around those places where we might stumble but we still must listen and follow what he says. As you know, there are so many voices in our mind that are craving for attention and many of them are so loud but God's voice is a still small voice but it is there. We just have to search or as the railroad sign say, Stop, Look and Listen. Also, many times those places of stumbling are tests. Verse 10 says, "You have tested us, Oh God; you have purified us like silver." Those times of testing build into us a deeper sensitivity to listen and do what his Spirit tells us to do.  We have a leak in our sprinklers. We live in a desert so we ...

Monday... We are and we are not. Here is what the Apostle Paul writes to the church at Corinth and to us here on a Monday morning. 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 (NLT) says, "We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed."  The Amplified Bible defines it a little more. It says, "We are pressured in every way [hedged in], but not crushed; perplexed [unsure of finding a way out], but not driven to despair; hunted down and persecuted, but not deserted [to stand alone]; struck down, but never destroyed." But, how can that be? Oh, the we ares are easy to understand. It is where so many live each and every day but the we are nots are different. So that is a very good question.  Well, Paul says a very important but in verse 7 and it makes all of the difference. He says, "But we have this precious  treasure [the good news ...

Friday... There is so much to be had. Just believe it! David in Psalm 62 says this word twice and it is something that is so very hard for us to say and do. In verse 1 (NLT) he says, "I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him." And verse 5 says, "Let all that I am wait quietly before God for my hope is in him." And did you see that other word? "I wait quietly before God" and "Let all that I am wait quietly before God." Yes, waiting is a difficult thing for us to do and doing it quietly is almost impossible, isn't it? Now verse 8 (AMP) give us another important word. It says, "Trust [confidently] in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him, God is a refuge for us." To trust confidently in Him is why we can wait quietly before God. David had experience and confidence that lead him to being able to wait quietly. So what is it that you are waiting on God for? Now I understand why it is so difficult for u...

Thursday... Repetition can be so important. It seems that even in reading the Bible on a daily basis we want and we think we need to find something new, something we haven't heard before. And that is important in our growth and maturity. But the key is, are we living by what we know. Maybe we need to have it told to us over and over and live it. I have read daily the book of Psalms in the Old Testament of the Bible for over 50 years and in those 150 Psalms I have found a whole lot of repetition. Now I have written for a lot years from the truths of the Psalms and I wonder if I have repeated some of those truths to the point that some would say that they have heard that so they need to head to a new voice. And of course each of us has that choice. But we really do need some repetition to keep us on the right path, don't we? Now here is what King David says in today's Psalm. He starts Psalm 61:1-3 (NLT) this way, "O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of...