Friday... There is a great difference between love and fear.

Mark 10:27 (NLT), "Jesus looked at them intently and said, 'Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.'"

Friday... There is a great difference between love and fear.

It is true that the Old Testament of the Bible is different from the New Testament. Because of Jesus coming into the world, things are different but it still is important for us to see that in our relationship with God through Jesus we still need to love and also to fear God.

Now Deuteronomy 28 is a difficult chapter to read but it is necessary for us to see that God is a God of love but also a God we need to fear.

Verses 1-2 (AMP) says, "Now it shall be, if you diligently listen and obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all of His commandments which I will command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you pay attention to the voice of the Lord your God. And then verses 3-14 list those blessings. Yes God loves us and wants to bless us.

But then verse 15 says, "But it will come about, if you do not listen to and obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments and His statues which I am commanding you today. then all these curses will come and overtake you." And they are tough to read. Yes, God is also one to fear.

It is important to see that the Old Testament is based on God's laws and then in the NT God sent His Son to save us by dying for us.

Now over in Mark 10:27 (NLT) it says, "Jesus looked at them intently and said, 'Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.'"

There was this rich young ruler who had come and asked Jesus in verse 17b, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Good question and it is a question that we might have asked.

Jesus then in verse 19a said, "But to answer your question, you know the commandments" and he listed some of then and the man said that he had obeyed all of then "since I was young." And then verse 21 says, "Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. 'There is still one thing you haven't done,' he told him. 'Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'"

And verse 22 says, "At this the man's face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions." And then Jesus said in verse, "It is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God.' Verse 25, "In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!"

Verse 26, "The disciples were astounded. 'Then who in the world can be saved?'" And that is another good question. And there can be real fear in that question. A fear that it is impossible for us to live up to the standard and wishes of God. And yes, that fear is necessary in our relationship with him. We must not take our relationship with God with complacency. He wants our total unwavering allegiance.

But then verse 27 says, "Jesus looked at them intently and said, 'Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.'" It is through him and his love and his grace that we can be saved from our fears.

There will be things that are important to us that will need to be given to him but "Everything is possible with God." And it is so worth it. Yes, there is a great difference between love and fear but they can lead us to God. We really do need 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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