Monday... Yes, yes, we may really need it.

Proverbs 12:25 (AMP), "Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, but a good (encouraging) word makes it glad."

Monday... Yes, yes, we may really need it.

It is so true that anxiety in a person's heart really does weigh it down. So many around us have such heavy hearts. Proverbs 12:25 (AMP), says, "Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down," The Message says, "Worry weighs us down." Now a lot of times that comes from the kind of people we are around. It even can be from the type of TV that we watch. CNN and Fox News can really get us down.

But that is not the whole Proverb. There is more. The Amplified Bible says, "But a good (encouraging) word makes it glad." And the Message says, "a cheerful word picks us up." That may be what so many of us need, really need on this Monday morning. So let's see what the Bible says.

Psalm 12:6-8 (NLT) says, "The Lord's promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven time over. Therefore, Lord, we know you will protect the oppressed, preserving them forever from this lying generation, even though the wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout the land." Verse 6a in the NIRV says, "The words of the Lord are perfect." and verse 7a says "Lord, you will keep needy people safe." And that is so encouraging.

Hebrews 12:1-2a says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith." Verse 2a in the Amplified Bible says, "[looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of faith"

Yes, there is so much negativity and discouragements and there are sins that can weigh down our hearts with such anxiety. It is really is in our focus. Verses 2-3 in the NIV translation says, "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

I know that may be a lot to give us on a Monday morning but our focus and our hope is so important in how we face each and every day. We are not alone and we have such a great example in Christ. And he also has sent his Spirit to dwell in us to strengthen and encourage us and cleanse us.

"Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, but a good (encouraging) word makes it glad." Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

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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...

Wednesday... It didn't just happen.

Psalm 16;10 (NLT), "For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave." Wednesday... It didn't just happen. We are headed into a weekend of deep emotion. One that we really really love was killed and it didn't just happen. David in Psalm 16:10 (NLT) writes of this happening. He says about God, "For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave." We read over in the Gospels at the beginning of the New Testament in the Bible of the life of God's Son who came to earth to be our sacrifice so that our soul would not be left among the dead. Jesus came so that we wouldn't have to be buried at death and just left there. But he also shares that Jesus who was going to be killed as a sacrifice for our sins would not have to rot in a grave. David many generations before foretold this and that is what happened. Now that had to be a God thing. We can guess a lot about our future and we d...

Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do

Psalm 8:3-4 (NLT), "When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers - the moon and the stars you set in place - what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?" Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do. No, not the fact that I can go out my front door and look out at night at the marvels of the sky. I can do that and it is amazing and it takes my breath away each time I see it. Yes, that is a fact but the reality of who did that and the wisdom and the faith that I have to believe that and to marvel that the one who did that cares about me makes such a difference in how I live my life. Yes, God really does. That is so wonderful for us to believe. And that is why faith and wisdom are so important. Now whatever belief you have at how that marvel happened must also be believed through faith. And the sad thing to me is that more and more people have been taught that there is no God and therefore he did not have a h...

Todays Beginning

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