Monday... So, what is going to happen today?

Psalm 73:24 (NLT), "You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny."

Monday... So, what is going to happen today?

I was listening yesterday morning to a pastor that I had when we lived in California. It was his sermon that he gave the first Sunday after New Years. Earlier this week I also was listening to him tell of how they were doing all they could to get as much as they could out of their building because they were afraid of a fire destroying their church.

I heard this week that a church where my father was an assistant pastor when I was very young, this week burned down.

Earlier in this Psalm the writer honestly says in verses 2-3, "But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness. They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong. They don't have troubles like other people; they're not plagued with problems like everyone else."

But what a difference a week can make.

Now my heart goes out to all of those people no matter who they are who have lost their homes in the fires this past week in Los Angeles. We as humans do not know what is going to happen, do we? But there is someone who does.

Psalm 73:24 (NLT) says, "You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny."

Again the Psalmist in their honesty says in verses 13-14, "Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason? I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain."

And that is the way that so many live, even Christians.

But the Psalmist doesn't stop there. In his honesty before God in verses 21-22 he writes, "Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. I was foolish and ignorant - I must seem like a senseless animal to you."

So what is going to happen today and how am I going to handle it?

The Psalmist goes on. Verses 23-24 says, "Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny."

He continues. Verse 25 says, "Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth." Now we need to realize that this is earth. This is not heaven. In the Lord's Prayer we are told to pray, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." We must realize that God's will is not always done here on earth. God's perfect will is done in heaven. And this is not heaven. We must not blame God for the fires in LA. But he can use them.

Verse 26 continues, "My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever."

And verse 28 is so good. It says, "But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter; and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do." Even in the midst of the fires.

Yes, there were churches that burned down and good, good people lost their homes. Yes, "My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever." And "But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter; and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do."

So, what is going to happen today? That is a very good question. 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

Search This Blog