Thursday... But this is a different story.

Psalm 86:15 )NLT), "But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness."

Thursday... But this is a different story.

Too many have the idea that the God of the Old Testament is different than the God of the New. But is that true?

Yes, there is so much correction but the Old Testament also is long. Now it seems that the Old Testament is about a God who is always angry and we don't like anger even when it is needed and it is the correct response.

David in writing Psalm 86:15 (NLT) says, "But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness." Yes, David did know the God of correction. And he deserved it. But he also knew the God of compassion and mercy. And he knew that God was slow to get angry even when he deserved it. And he knew that he was a God who was filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. Anger happened when all else failed.

I've had my parents say to me when I was punished that it hurt them more than it did me. Couldn't really understand that until I had a son and a daughter who I really loved but had to correct. Compassion and mercy slows down anger but correction is sometimes needed.

If you have noticed, the Evil One hates God, so he will magnify all of the corrections. He does all he can to hide the compassion and mercy of God and the fact that God has unfailing love and faithfulness. He is definitely a liar.

Verse 5 in the Amplified Bible says, "For You, O Lord, are good, and ready to forgive [our sins, sending them away, completely letting them go forever and ever]; and abundant in lovingkindness and overflowing in mercy to all those who call upon You."

But he doesn't give me everything I want. So some would say, that must mean that he doesn't love me. But are you sure that is true? Whatever we ask for from God goes through His abundant lovingkindness and mercy first.

Verse 15 in the Amplified Bible says, "But You, O Lord, are a God [who protects and is] merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness and truth."

When our kids did what we said, and followed what we taught them then corrections and what some would call anger wasn't needed.

Now in reality God dealt with this problem by sending his son to die for us, to be our sacrifice, to pay the penalty for our sins. And that really showed how much he loves us. Yes, God really really does love us and he gives us the opportunity to love him back.

The Message says, "But you, O God, are both tender and kind, not easily angered, immense in love, and you never, never quite." And that is the real story. 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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