Today's Beginning

Matthew 17:27a (NLT), "However, we do not want to offend them." Friday... It is so easy to live by our rights. Now Matthew 17 starts with Jesus taking Peter, James and John up this mountain. And while Peter was talking, verse 5 (NLT) says, "But as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them and a voice from the cloud said, 'This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great pleasure. Listen to him.'" Yes, it was God speaking to them and telling them who Jesus really was. Then go to the end of this chapter. Verse 24 says, "On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, 'Doesn't your teacher pay the Temple tax?'" Now Peter didn't say what many people would say, "Don't you know who this is? He is the Son of God. He doesn't have to pay any tax." Now let's not get into politics and taxes but into our actions and attitudes and responses. Verse 25 says, "'Yes, he doe...

Psalm 26:3 (NIRV), "I have always remembered your love that never fails. I have always depended on the fact that you are faithful." Thursday... There are things we really do need to remember and share. David writes in Psalm 26:3 (NIRV), "I have always remembered your love that never fails. I have always depended on the fact that you are faithful." And right before this in verse 2 he says, "LORD, test me. Try me out. Look deep into my heart and mind." And at a time like that we need to remember verse 3. Now later in verse 11 (AMP) he writes, "But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me and be merciful and gracious to me." God is in the business of growing us and he comes with love that never fails, faithfulness, mercy, grace and with redemption or another way to say it is deliverance. Now he doesn't force all this upon us. We can live with no regard for what he wants to give and do in and through us. Now Proverbs 26:1 (NIV) says, ...

Psalm 25:4 (NLT), "Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow." Wednesday... So where do I go? I had a friend in the coffee shop I go to who asked me to pray for them and their planting a new church and that brought me so many memories. I was a church planter. I have even in my life headed out the door asking God what coffee shop do you want me to go? That is a great place for planters to go. Now here is the scripture today that caught my attention. King David in Psalm 25:4 (NLT) said to God what we also can say and need to pray. He said, "Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow." Yes, God is in the right path business for all those who turn to him. I turned my radio off in my car this morning and talked to God about some paths that Margaret and I have to go on. That is such a tremendous opportunity. Now The New International Reader's Version says, "Lord show me your ways. Teach me to follow you." Ve...

Psalm 24:1 (AMP), "The earth is the LORD's and the fullness of it, the world, and those who dwell in it." Tuesday... He really does use people. He really does. Yes God does. Over in Psalm 24:1 (AMP) it says, "The earth is the LORD's and the fullness of it, the world, and those who dwell in it." We are here for a purpose. God created this world for us and then Proverbs 24:3-4 says, "Through [skillful and godly] wisdom a house [a life, a home, a family] is built, and by understanding it is established [on a sound and good foundation." Again He wants to develop and use us. And then over in Matthew 14:14a (NLT) it says, "Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat." And verse 19, "Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up to heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people." Now the...

Psalm 23:4 (NIRV), "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid. You are with me. Your shepherd's rod and staff comfort me." Monday... Even though, I will not. There are so many even thoughs in our life and yes, we can be so afraid. But David writes in Psalm 23:4 (NIRV) of an even though that only happens once but he also shows us how to handle it. He says, "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid. You are with me. Your shepherd's rod and staff comfort me." Of course, one of the darkest valleys is death and it seems that we face the possibility of it every day. The News loves to reminds us of the reality. But there are other dark valleys that we also face, aren't there, but death is the ultimate, isn't it? Now David says, that even though we walk through those dark valleys, we don't need to be afraid but so many of us are. Why? Because we don't follow and realize that we are not facing those...

Proverbs 20:24 (NLT), "The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way." Friday... But I want to understand and be understood. My wife, Margaret is a doer. So many times I will share something with her and she is ready to do something about it. But the problem from my standpoint is that I just wanted her to understand, I want to understand and be understood. Yes, there are lessons for me to learn from reading God's Word. God has created each one of us to be unique but for many it is so important to understand and to be understood. Now Proverbs 20:24 (NLT) says, "The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way." That is so good. I needed that. David over in Psalm 20:1 says, "In times of trouble, may the LORD answer your cry. May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm." Now in these times of trouble we can wonder and strive to understand why in the world is God allowing this in...

Psalm 19:1 (AMP), "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And the expanse [of heaven] is declaring the works of His hands." Thursday... So how do we keep from believing? We right now live in a place where we have tremendous views. Out the back we see hills and then mountains. I open our shades every morning to read my Bible and pray looking out on that view. And then at night we see what men have built. We see the city lights. Now the house we had before this one did not have views like that. We had walls all around our backyard and one was really high. Yes, they blocked our views except our view of the sky and I really loved that view. It was so unlimited. I could never see the end. It was a great place to connect with God. So how do we keep from believing there is a God? David in Psalm 129:1 (AMP) says, "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And the expanse [of heaven] is declaring the works of His hands." Yes, yes, yes. That is so true. This verse in...

Psalm 18:2 (NLT), "The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I feel protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me." Wednesday... They really can be tough to move. I don't know if you watched many of those old westerns on TV. I loved them. We now live in Nevada but we go across the desert to get to Los Angeles. Now as you head down the Pass to LA you will see road 395. If you take that road north you will see so many big boulders. If you head up to the town of Lone Pines you will see where they filmed a lot of those old Westerns. There are boulders all over the place. Those cowboys were filmed all over them. We also lived in Colorado looking up at the Rocky Mountains. Yes, those boulders are tough to move and they can be a great place to hide from your troubles. Now David was being pursued by King Saul who wanted to kill him and during that time he wrote Psalm 18. Here is what verse 2 says, "The LORD is my rock, my fortress, a...

Proverbs 17:27 (AMP), "He who has knowledge restrains and is careful with his words, and a man of understanding and wisdom has a cool spirit (self-control, and even temper)." Tuesday... Our reactions can be different at different periods of our life. Now Proverbs 17:27 (AMP) says, "He who has knowledge restrains and is careful with his words, and a man of understanding and wisdom has a cool spirit (self-control, and even temper)." One things about being 78 going on 79 is to be able to see life through experience and hopefully with wisdom and knowledge. That of course can come from a life with Christ and spending time in His Word. But time doesn't always make a difference in a positive way. Verse 28 says (NLT), "Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent." I love that. But at different periods of life we have different needs and responses. Now I am fighting through this time of my life with rememberi...

Psalm 16:8-9 (NLT), "I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety." Monday... We can be so needy and not know it. I mean, we wake us this morning and face this new day with confidence because we know that God is with us. Psalm 16:8-9 (NLT) says, "I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety." Yes that is accepting that we are needy and we know that we have someone with us who can handle anything we need. And that is a great way to live. But there are sometimes that we really don't know that we are needy and that we really do need someone else. Now I sometimes have trouble with this. My personal confidence can be too high so I don't realize that I do need help when someone offers it. Proverbs 16:18 (MSG) says, "First pride, then the crash - the b...

Psalm 13:3 (NLT), "Turn and answer me, O LORD my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die." Friday... So this is that day. I so many times respond to people and they come back at me with a, "Are you serious?" and I come back with a "You must see the twinkle in my eye." I strive to spend my days with a twinkle in my eyes. But sometimes for me and for so many people they don't live with that twinkle. Outside situations can take that twinkle from you. Yes, this can be one of those days. This is Friday the 13th. Now David writes in Psalm 13:3 (NLT), "Turn and answer me, O LORD my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die." Yes there are times in our life when that needs to be our prayer, for God to restore the sparkle to our eyes. Yes, there are many who face today with some fear and anxiety in their eyes. Today is Friday the 13th and they know something bad is going to happen and that is why Psalm 13:3 is a great verse for tod...

Proverbs 12:25 (NLT), "Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up." Thursday... This really can weigh us down. Worry really can but an encouraging word does really cheer us up. Solomon writes in Proverbs 12:25 (NLT), "Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up." So what are we worried about today? Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount spent some time on this subject of worry. He knows us and he has a better way to handle the difficulties that we can face every day. In Matthew 6:27 Jesus asks, "Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?" Can they? I know that we too many times have tried by worrying but did it work? Verse 27 (NIRV) says, "Can you add one hour to your life by worrying?" Of course not! It is definitely a waste of time. Isn't it? And here is the encouraging word. Verse 31 (AMP) says, "Therefore do not worry or be anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted) saying, 'What...

Psalm 11:1 (AMP), "In the LORD I take refuge [and put my trust]; How can you say to me, 'Flee like a bird to your mountain." Wednesday... There is so much advice out there and it does make sense. Now King David writes in Psalm 11:1 (AMP), "In the LORD I take refuge [and put my trust]; How can you say to me, 'Flee like a bird to your mountain." If we haven't settled the first part then the second part of this verse can make sense. Yes, running away from my problem can make sense. I mean if someone is going after me then running to the mountains does make sense. But David doesn't stop there. In verses 2-3 he goes on and says, "For look, the wicked are bending the bow; they take aim with their arrow on the string to shoot [by stealth] in darkness at the upright in heart. 'If the foundations [of a godly society] are destroyed, what can the righteous do?'" And that makes sense to the nonbeliever. They don't live from the perspective ...

Proverbs 10:5 (AMP), "He who gathers during summer and takes advantage of his opportunities is a son who acts wisely, but he who sleeps during harvest and ignores the moment of opportunity is a son who acts shamefully." Tuesday... Yes, we do have moments of opportunity. There is so much that a Christ follower has in their life and His Spirit is without a doubt one of them. If we follow His promptings and His wisdom then we will see so many moments of opportunity in so many areas of our lives. Proverbs 10:3 (AMP) says, "The LORD will not allow the righteous to hunger [God will meet all his needs], but He will reject and cast away the craving of the wicked." Now Proverbs 10:5 says, "He who gathers during summer and takes advantage of his opportunities is a son who acts wisely, but he who sleeps during harvest and ignores the moment of opportunity is a son who acts shamefully." Yes God through His Spirit and His wisdom gives us moments of opportunity and if w...

Psalm 9;1-2 (NLT), "I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O most High."  Monday... This is why I read a Psalm everyday. I had one of those weekends. It was my fault and as I was up and getting ready for a new day I was having some ramifications inside of me in my emotions from the weekend. I was a little down, but then I read this in Psalm 9:1-2 (NLT), "I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O most High." And that turned my emotions around. And maybe that will be true of you. You may need a word from God directly to your situation, to your attitude. It starts out by saying, "I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart." Not just part but all. The Amplified Bible says, "I will give tha...

Psalm 6:9 (NLT), "The Lord heard my plea; the Lord will answer my prayer." Friday... He uses many different ways to get our attention. Have you found that be true or maybe you didn't realize that in what you were going through was God's way of getting your attention? David was going through a very tough time and he was very emotional. Psalm 6-7 (NIRV) says, "My groaning has worn me out. All night long my tears flood my bed. My bed is wet because of crying. I'm so sad I can't see very well. My eyesight gets worse because of all my enemies." But then verse 9 says, "The Lord has heard my cry for his mercy. The Lord accepts my prayer." Maybe you are going through a very emotional time. Have you thought that God is maybe striving to get your attention? Verse 10 says, "All my enemies will be covered with shame and trouble. They will turn back in shame. It will happen suddenly." Now over in Matthew 2 in verses 1b-2 (NIRV) it says, "...

Psalm 5:3 (NLT) "Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly." Thursday... Yes, just keep at it. So what is our problem today? We wake us each morning with different situations facing us and many of them are bigger than we can handle so having a plan is such a smart thing to have. I'm sure there are some mornings you just don't want to get up, so you need a plan. Well King David had one. Psalm 5:3 (NLT) says, "Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly." Yes, yes, that is such a great plan. Now he starts this Psalm by saying, "O LORD, hear me as I pray." Now God won't hear you if you don't pray. Oh He has the ability to read our thoughts but that is not where the power comes in. David goes on, "pay attention to my groaning." Verse 2, "Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you....

  Psalm 4:1 (AMP), "Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have freed me when I am hemmed in and relieved me when I was in distress; Be gracious to me and hear [and respond to] my prayer." Wednesday... This is what we really need. It really is. So what is it? Psalm 4:1 (AMP) says, "Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have freed me when I am hemmed in and relieved me when I was in distress; Be gracious to me and hear [and respond to] my prayer." There is a lot of stuff there that we do need, isn't there? But there is a need in there that is also in the last sentence in the Bible. Revelation 22:21 says, "The grace of the Lord Jesus (the Christ, the Messiah) be with all [the saints - all believers, those set apart for God]. Amen." And that is what we need everyday in which we live. Yes, I need God to answer me when I call. Yes, I need to be freed from being hemmed in and so many times I need to be relieved of my distress a...

Proverbs 3:1-2 (NLT), "My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years and your life will be satisfying." Tuesday... The don'ts really do speak wisdom. Now the wisdom commands that we read in the book of Proverbs in the Old Testament of the Bible are not necessarily there for God to see if we are going to obey Him. Yes obedience is a major part of our relationship with God but it also has great benefit for us personally. Of course many do not like any commands. Just drive on the Interstate 15 or 11 and see how many people are obeying the speed limit. The don'ts really do speak wisdom. Proverbs 3:1-2 (NLT) says, "My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years and your life will be satisfying." There is a personal benefit in obeying God's commands. Did you notice the never in verse 1? Verse 3 says, ...

Proverbs 2:2-3 (NIRV), "Let your ears listen to wisdom. Apply your heart to understanding. Call out for the ability to be wise. Call out for understanding." Monday... Why do we think we can do it by ourselves? When we don't have to. Here it is Monday. We are headed into a new day, a new week and a new month and so many will face it on their own. So many think they can do it by themselves. But here is the truth for a new day, a new week and a new month. We don't have to. We don't. Let me introduce you to something you may not know. Proverbs 2:2-3 (NIRV) says, "Let your ears listen to wisdom. Apply your heart to understanding. Call out for the ability to be wise. Call out for understanding." And each one of us can do this.  But who do we call out to? Where do we go? And that could be our problem. Proverbs 2:6-8 says, "The LORD gives wisdom. Knowledge and understanding come from his mouth. He stores up success for honest people. He is like a shield to ...