Thursday... So many do it alone.

Psalm 35:1 (NIV), "Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me.."

Thursday... So many do it alone.

I have started this month reading Genesis, the first book in the Bible and reading of the consequences of not doing what God has told our representatives, Adam and Eve to do. It was awesome how it all started. They were able to walk through the Garden of Eden and walk with God, have fellowship with God, talk personally with God, but they blew it for them and for us.

Now Genesis 5:1b-2 (AMP) says, "When God created man, He made Him in the likeness of God [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]. He created them male and female, and blessed them and named them Mankind at the time they were created." And then it says in verse 5," So Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years in all, and he died."

Now that was a whole lot of years to live but it wasn't what God had planned. There was a tree in the middle of the garden and they could eat from it and if they did they would have lived forever. Death was not God's plan. But because they ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil which God commanded them not eat, they then were driven from the Garden and an angle stood at the gate so they couldn't go and eat from the other tree, the tree of life and live forever. Death was not God's initial plan and having an uninterrupted relationship and fellowship with God was his plan.

But as soon as it all happened God started a new plan through Jesus, God's Son.

Now through it all God gave humans free choice. That's why he gave them the freedom to choose if they would eat from the the other tree. And in his new plan now we have the choice to have a relationship with God or not and there are great benefits if we do. Such as if we follow and do what God says then after death we will have the privilege again of eating from the tree of life and live forever.

Now King David had a relationship with God and he writes here in Psalm 35 of one of the benefits of having a relationship with God. And so many people do not have this privilege because they are living their life alone but we don't have to go through life alone.

Verses 1-3 (NIV) says, "Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me. Take up shield and armor; arise and come to my aid. Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to me, 'I am your salvation.'"

In Genesis 3:24 (NLT) it says, "After sending them out, the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life." Yes, the living forever was not possible for them but it is for those of us who turn to God for our salvation.

Psalm 35:9-10 (NIV) says, "Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord and delight in his salvation. My whole being will exclaim, 'Who is like you, Lord? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them.'"

God's new plan still has him taking care of us but we must choose to follow him, to have a relationship with him, to be saved by him.

The Message Paraphrase says verses 1-3 this way, "Harass those hecklers, God, punch these bullies in the nose. Grab a weapon, anything at hand; stand up for me! Get ready to throw the spear, aim the javelin at the people who are out to get me." And this is so good, "Reassure me; let me hear you say, 'I'll save you.'"

And that is what he will do if we have a relationship with him. We don't do life alone. We do life with him.. 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 ...

Todays Beginning

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