Sunday, January 31, 2021

KEY TO PERFECT PEACE



"You will keep in perfect peace
all who trust in you, 
all whose thoughts are fixed
on you!"  
(Isaiah 26:3 NLT)

I have found this to be so true.
Several places in the Scriptures God
tells us to not worry but to give him
our problems.

But notice that there are conditions.
We are not just to throw our problem
at God and expect him to take care of 
it for us while we run on and do our
own thing.

If our thoughts or mind is constantly
on God and his kingdom and his will.
Then we can trust in him to take care
of the problems and he will then give
us perfect peace.






 

Thursday, January 28, 2021

TODAY'S PROMISE

 


"The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed,
a refuge in times of trouble.
Those who know your name trust in you,
for you, O LORD, do not abandon
those who search for you." 
(Psalms 9:9,10 NLT)


Tuesday, January 26, 2021

TODAY'S QUOTE



"For too many years I've trusted in strategy
or my own intelligent or my own ability
to communicate."
- Francis Chan



Sunday, January 24, 2021

STRENGTH FOR THE DAY

 


Nehemiah, much like ourselves was living in a desperate
time.  The nation of Israel was attempting to rebuild with
enemies all around trying to destroy them while they were
rebuilding.  They even had to work with a weapon at their
side.  Today we would call it open carry.

The difference is, we are being destroyed on our way down.
Israel was on it's way up, we are on our way down.  We could
wave at each other in passing.  We are at similar dangerous
points in history.  They were reestablishing their society and
our world and it's society are on it's way to hell in a hand
basket.

They needed strength and so do you and I to live in today's
world.   But where do I get the strength needed to go through
each day?



I'm a very old man.  I take lots of pills.  But, thank God,
only one is a medicine.  The others are all just supplements
to keep me healthy.  The image above looks like that man
also takes vitamin B-12 too.  Why not, they are supposed to
give you energy and they taste good.  But is that the strength
I need to live in today's world.  Of course not.  Nor even the
food I eat.

 Nehemiah gives us the clue as to where their
strength came from.

"... for the joy of the LORD is your strength!"
(Nehemiah 8:10 NLT)

Simple.
Start your day off by spending time with God.
Get yourself happy [joyful] in God before you go out
and face your day and your world.  It will give
you strength to make it through the day.



"My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth!"
(Psalms 121:2 NLT)

"The LORD is my strength and shield.
I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of Thanksgiving.
the LORD gives his people strength.
He is a safe fortress for his anointed king."  
(Psalms 28:7,8 NLT)


Thursday, January 21, 2021

GOD'S HANDY WORK



I was eating my supper tonight looking out
the window at this sky.  I just had to step 
out and snap a photo of it.

It makes me think of the Scripture when it says:

"The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship."
(Psalms 19:1 NLT)

 

TODAY' PROMISE

 


“Surely your goodness and unfailing

love will pursue me all the days of my

life, and I will live in the house of the 

Lord forever.”

(Psalms 23:6 NLT)




Tuesday, January 19, 2021

TODAY'S QUOTE

 


“Throughout the history of mankind

you will find that those who walked

with the living God were often

lonely men.”


- K.P. Yohannan


Sunday, January 17, 2021

JURY DUTY


Last night God reminded me of one of many prayers
he has answered for me over the years.

Possibly thirty years ago I was summoned to jury duty.
At that period of time the family finances was real tight.
I plain and simply could not afford to miss work to be
doing jury duty.  It is true, they would pay a nominal fee
for showing up at the courthouse and pay a minimum
milage fee.  But that would not buy much groceries.

However, God said,

"Then call on me when you are in trouble,
and I will rescue you, and you will give 
me glory." 
(Psalms 50:15 NLT)

Knowing this I so well remember going up into the
field behind the house, getting down on my knees
in an old yellow Ford up there and praying about
the matter.

The outcome.
My employer decided to pay me full salary while 
on jury duty.  

And,
when the money come in to me from the county
for my time on jury duty I tried to give it to my 
employer because he had paid me full salary while
on jury duty.  He would not take it.

Praise God,
rather than being behind finically I came out ahead.






 

Thursday, January 14, 2021

TODAY'S PROMISE

 



"The LORD says, 'I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
I will reward them with long life
and give them my salvation."  
(Psalms 91:14 - 16 NLT)



Tuesday, January 12, 2021

TODAY'S QUOTE



“I’m convinced that the path of every

believer will sooner or later include

suffering.  The Lord gives us these

trials to keep us humble and dependent

on him for our sustenance.”


-Brother Yun in

The heavenly Man.




 

Sunday, January 10, 2021

WHAT IS YOUR CHARACTERISTIC?


What is your characteristic?
What image, or impression  do you portray
to other people whether natural or acquired?
Just what type of person are you?



I knew a woman very well for over twenty five years.
I finally formed the opinion that she was not happy 
unless she was going crazy planning something.

Or, I had a good friend years ago that worried about
everything.


You have seen them all over.  Some of them are real bikers
and most of them are just trying to give the image of being
a biker.

One time I was talking with a customer at work.  I was 
showing her my "leathers". [Yes, I rode year around for
many years.  But you can be sure I did not try to look 
like a biker.]  Anyway, she told me how when her husband
go on his motorcycle he became a completely different man.
You know what kind of characteristic he wanted to portray.



Or perhaps a hot rodder.
You know, every time they pull up to a stop they have to 
race their motors so people will know what a powerful
car or pickup they have.



Smart, intelligent.
You run into this type very often.  You learn that they are
careful how they express themselves about anything so 
that it is not obvious that there might be something 
they don't know.




I am getting to old to worry about making an impression
on other people.  Franky, it is all futile and silly.  I am 
getting too close to that time when I will be standing before
God and giving an account of myself.

But, God gives us some clear instructions through the
Apostle Paul how we are to live and react in this life.
And, I WANT TO BE THAT WAY, I want it to be
the characteristic of my life.

"Don't worry about anything;
instead,
pray about everything.
Tell God what you need,
and thank him for all he has done.
Then you will experience God's peace,
which exceeds anything we can understand.
His peace will guard your hearts and minds
as you live in Christ Jesus." 
(Philippians 4:6,7 NLT)   

I want my characteristics to be:

1.  I don't worry about anything.  I leave it all
in God's hands.

2. I pray about everything and tell God what I need.
["everything".  I cannot get over the magnitude of
that.  You know, even a sore toe, how to comb my
hair, what to think, etc.]

3. I thank God for everything.




Thursday, January 7, 2021

TODAY'S PROMISE

 



"If you make the LORD your refuge,
if you make the MOST High your shelter,
no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
For he will order his angels to 
protect you wherever you go."  
(Psalms 91:9 -11 NLT). 


Tuesday, January 5, 2021

TODAY'S QUOTE

 





“It is not he that reads the most,

but he that meditates the most,

that will prove the choicest,

sweetest, wisest and strongest

Christian.”

 

- T. Brooks




 


Sunday, January 3, 2021

THE REBEL FORGIVEN



I know, you and I are not rebels.
Well, we don't think we are.
But, look at one of the several definitions
of "rebel" from the dictionary.

"2 a person who resists any authority 
or controls"

We don't resist authority or controls do we,
except speed limits and a few other things.

But how about in our relationship to God
Himself???  How many times do we (I) do
things, think things, see things we know God
does not want us to do, think etc?

When we do it, think it or what ever,
and we know that is not what God would
want us to do.  WE ARE REBELLING
AGAINST GOD.

So we are rebels after all.

Consider Hebrews 12:1 (NLT)
"Therefore, since we are surrounded
by such a huge crowd of witnesses to
the life of faith, let us strip off every
weight that slows us down, especially
the sin that so easily trips us up.  And
let us run with endurance the race God
has set before us."

I am not as perfect as you are.  Some times
I mess up, again and again.  Then I know
that I am guilty of rebelling against God.
And as a child of God His Holy Spirit
convicts me of my wrong doing.  And 
that can, and should hurt.  So what should
I do."

"Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
I said to myself, 'I will confess my
rebellion to the LORD.'  And you 
forgave me!  All my guilt is gone." 
(Psalms 32:5 NLT)

Praise God, I confess to Him.
God forgives me.
And my guilt is gone.