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 Gentiles. Yes, there has been a problem between these two going all the way back to Abraham and his two sons. Now one side was saying we've always done it this way but the other side was seeing it a different way and they were right. They were right because something happened to change the way they used to do and now what they are to do.

Yes, life can be so complicated, can't it? So it really is wise to stop and listen and see life from a different perspective. There may be something to learn.

The problem was, the Jews had lived and follow a certain law. Yes, it was a law from God but something happened that changed everything. God sent his Son to earth to change it all through his teaching, his life, his perspective and then his death and resurrection. His coming and death and resurrection changed everything.

Paul in Galatians 3:3-4 says, "How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely is was not in vain, was it?" Yes, we have so much to learn. And just because we have always done it one way doesn't mean it is right. Maybe we need to stop quarreling and stop and listen no matter if they are young or old, if they are different from us. Maybe we need to change. Maybe the way we are doing it isn't working.

Verse 5 says, "I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ."

The Amplified Bible says, "So then, does He who supplies you with HIs [marvelous Holy] Spirit and works miracles among you, do it as a result of the works of the Law [which you perform] or because you [believe confidently in the message which you] heard with faith?"

Maybe we need to stop quarreling and start listening. Yes, something happened that changed the world. Jesus came to earth and he change it all. And that message of His salvation may come to us through someone young or old and maybe we need to listen. It really is Good News. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

Thursday... Maybe we need this word today.

Psalm 57:1b (NIRV), "There I will stay until the danger is gone." Thursday... Maybe we need this word today. There are words in life that give us confidence no matter what we are facing. Now we have to believe them in order for them to have an impact. David wrote Psalm 57 while he was in a cave hiding from Saul who wanted to kill him and he says in the last part of verse 1, "There I will stay." It was a safe place and Saul didn't know that he was there. But he doesn't stop there. With confidence he said, "There I will stay until." And until is definitely a word of faith and confidence. "There I will stay until the danger is gone." Do we need that today? Let me give you the whole verse. In verse 1 David says, "Have mercy on me, God. Have mercy on me." And that is a great place to start in times of trouble. Maybe that is what we need to pray today, "Have mercy on me, God. Have mercy on me." It is so great to have someone...

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 ...

Friday... It is so exciting but wait a minute.

Proverbs 19:2 (NLT), "Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes." Friday... It is so exciting but wait a minute. This time of the year is so exciting. We get our paycheck from work and then we head to the store or Amazon and buy and buy and buy all those presents and then our check is gone Proverbs 19:2 (NLT) says, "Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes." But buying gifts can be so much fun and seeing how happy they are when opening those presents makes us feel so good. But then verse 3 says, "People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then they are angry at the Lord." Now for some that is their life. They get money and they spend it on their wants with no thought of what needs to be paid. An important lesson that we have learned is just because you have money in the bank doesn't mean you must spend it. But our enthusiasm takes over. But the problem is when it is gone and there is no money to pay th...

Today's Beginning

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