October 31
“This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.” (Psalm 34:6 NKJV)
We can only be saved when we realize our poverty and need for God. To God poverty is not a measure of what we have but Who we have.
Your prayer
Give God thanks for what you have.
Praise God for who He is.
Ask for God to use you today.
October 30
“They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed.” (Psalm 34:5 NKJV)
God gives us a glow so others can see and be drawn not to us but to God. To become radiant our sins must be redeemed and we will not need to be ashamed of ourselves or of serving God.
Your prayer
Give God thanks for what you have.
Praise God for who He is.
Ask for God to use you today.
October 29
“I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:4 NKJV)
Seek the glorious God and realize He delights in hearing and delivering us. As we seek God we come to know He can and will deliver us even from our fears!
Your prayer
Give God thanks for what you have.
Praise God for who He is.
Ask for God to use you today.
October 28
“Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.” (Psalm 34:3 NKJV)
The closer we are to God the more we will exalt the glorious God! Most things seem less when magnified but God is best seen and worshiped the closer we get.
Your prayer
Give God thanks for what you have.
Praise God for who He is.
Ask for God to use you today.
October 27
“My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.” (Psalm 34:2 NKJV)
Only a humble person will boast about God and only a humble person can understand. We cannot boast about God with our mouth because it must come from the strong foundation of our soul.
Your prayer
Give God thanks for what you have.
Praise God for who He is.
Ask for God to use you today.
October 26
“«A Psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.» I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” (Psalm 34:1 NKJV)
In a very frightening time David responds by blessing and praising the glorious God. David was so frightened he pretended madness because in his time those who were mad were considered touched by the gods and thus were protected.
Your prayer
Give God thanks for what you have.
Praise God for who He is.
Ask for God to use you today.
October 25
“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”” (Matthew 27:46 NKJV)
Throughout the life and ministry of Jesus Father was His expression of Who He served and loved. As Jesus was cut of from the Father so we would not have to hear our cry to God because of our sin. How can we understand how God could forsake Himself?
Your prayer
Give God thanks for what you have.
Praise God for who He is.
Ask for God to use you today.
October 24
“«To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Deer of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David.» My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning?” (Psalm 22:1 NKJV)
In the New Testament we are given very little description of what it was like to be crucified. Perhaps because the Gospels centered on the result and impact of the crucifixion of Jesus. But in Psalm 22 we can see the gruesome nature of the crucifixion and the personal suffering of Jesus. Does Psalm 22 come before Psalm 23 because Psalm 22 is essential for Psalm 23 to be possible?
Your prayer
Give God thanks for what you have.
Praise God for who He is.
Ask for God to use you today.
October 23
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.” (Psalm 23:6 NKJV)
The glorious God is with us until we come to be with Him! We often ask for God’s blessings not realizing they surround us and fill each day we live. We ask for God’s love when His love surrounds us “all the days of my life”. Often we ask having already received God’s “goodness and mercy”.
Your prayer
Give God thanks for what you have.
Praise God for who He is.
Ask for God to use you today.
October 22
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.” (Psalm 23:5 NKJV)
In the time of David when a person sat at your table you were responsible for their protection. You were to protect them even if you and your family must die. To be anointed is to be set apart, selected for a special calling.
Your prayer
Give God thanks for what you have.
Praise God for who He is.
Ask for God to use you today.
October 21
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4 NKJV)
Our Shepherd overcomes the “shadow of death” by guiding us to the Light. For many death is the ultimate fear but God reveals death is just a shadow, a thin curtain between us and the presence of God. We do not need to live in fear of death!
Your prayer
Give God thanks for what you have.
Praise God for who He is.
Ask for God to use you today.
October 20
“He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:3 NKJV)
God restores us so we can walk in the path chosen and thus bring glory to God. Our soul must be restored for us to be emotionally and physically restored.
Your prayer
Give God thanks for what you have.
Praise God for who He is.
Ask for God to use you today.
October 19
“He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.” (Psalm 23:2 NKJV)
The words makes and leads are hard for us because we want to be our shepherd! But like sheep we wander into bogs, eat unhealthy plants and drink from parasite laden mud holes then get angry The Shepherd “allowed” us to go through this.
Your prayer
Give God thanks for what you have.
Praise God for who He is.
Ask for God to use you today.
Fall Tapestry
Falls colors form amazing tapestry
Many colors blend and new colors be
The reds alight the whole like fire
More of them our hearts desire
The yellows bright places in the sea
Of the wondrous rolling tapestry
The green pockets here and there
Adding poignancy to trees when bare
The browns form the flowing sea
The most plentiful color of falls tree
God has a meaning to this tapestry
Each color God gave us eyes to see
The reds remind us sin and loss
Redeemed by Jesus on the cross
The green are from death set free
And will grow and live eternally
The yellows fro and too do toss
If go too far will grow bare by loss
What of the browns of tapestry
That dim the colors of the sea
They are dead though leaves see
Dead to live now and eternally
But the green trees red must share
For life to spread color everywhere
For only the red of Jesus’ blood
Can stem the browns dying flood
Receive the red and green can be
Set afire the flow of Fall’s Tapestry!
7/19/2018
October 18
“«A Psalm of David.» The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1 NKJV)
Following God is an adventure of living within God’s endless provision! As a shepherd David understood this and declared what he knew and believed. A shepherd must protect the flock from the dangers around them but also from themselves!
Your prayer
Give God thanks for what you have.
Praise God for who He is.
Ask for God to use you today.
October 17
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;” (Philippians 4:6 NKJV)
When we are thankful for what we have it frees us to pray for what we need. The need (often really desire) will be reduced as we are thankful for what we have and have joy in all we have.
Your prayer
Give God thanks for what you have.
Praise God for who He is.
Ask for God to use you today.
October 16
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4 NKJV)
Rejoicing is beyond being happy and is an essential part of living with God. If God had never done anything for us He is still worthy of our praise and our rejoicing!
Your prayer
Give God thanks for what you have.
Praise God for who He is.
Ask for God to use you today.
I pray for those who are fighting so many fires across the west coast. So many fire fighters and citizens have died or been seriously injured. So many have lost all. Those with homes are now homeless. Hundreds of thousands of acres decimated with some of the largest fires in California’s history.
At the same time cities are burning with fire and hatred. The evil one laughs at our stupidity of burning ourselves to hurt others like those who burn themselves with the fire of ignorance. More of those of the darker hue have been killed in the rioting than by police.
At the same time children of the darker hue are killed by gangs of those of the darker hue killing off their future as well as now. The evil one laughs at us! At you!
If we turn from the hatred of the evil one to the forgiveness of God we are lost and all we know will burn. The evil one’s who buy brisks and matches are so stupid to think they will gain power and be safe. Listening to satan they are foolish though they think they are wise. We will burn in fire of our own “wisdom”!
10/13/2020
The last weeks have been a nightmare of pain.
The pain has overcome the tired weariness.
It was not where it hurt but hurting everywhere.
Minutes become hours and hours become days.
I must do anything to get my mind off the pain.
Cheesy old movies and listening to audio books.
They keep part of me from feeling the pain.
I cannot do, I cannot think and I am not here.
The pain will slake soon and I will get rest.
But how long till it comes and strikes again?
I can do nothing but wait to feel it coming on.
Like a large wave it will come smashing in.
But the worst is the undertow ripping me.
Ripping all from me and leaves me – not.
10/13/2020
December 21
““And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.” (Luke 1:31 NKJV)
The humanity of Jesus is revealed by being conceived in Mary’s womb just as every human child is. But Mary realized the danger of being seen as an unmarried mother. She could be stoned to death and her child would be an outsider even among their own people. Why would God ask her to take a risk like this? Because God wanted a good mom for His Son? Is it because of the name of the child she would bear would be Jesus?
Your prayer
Give God thanks for what you have.
Praise God for who He is.
Ask for God to use you today.
December 20
“Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” (Luke 1:30 NKJV)
There is a progression in this call that gives assurance of God’s pleasure and help before the call is revealed. In the most trying and dark times these words could encourage and bring joy to Mary.
Your prayer
Give God thanks for what you have.
Praise God for who He is.
Ask for God to use you today.
December 19
“But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.” (Luke 1:29 NKJV)
Mary was troubled? Look at the many times humans have a visitation by heavenly beings and in most cases the first words are “Fear not”. But Mary is troubled at his saying wondering what this meant. What could all of this mean?
Your prayer
Give God thanks for what you have.
Praise God for who He is.
Ask for God to use you today.
World Wide Communion
Today people around the world
Today they join as one to partake
Today the Body of Christ unites
Today our differences unite
Today they make us stronger
Today we can see their beauty
Today the beauty of Jesus shows
Today the love beyond borders is
Today God’s glory is revealed
Today is World Communion Sunday
10/4/2020
This is the first day of October of 2020 and most of the year has been hatred, rioting and destruction. We will not talk to each other and think we cannot. We believe the lie of satan that we should hate each other, hurt each other and get even first!
How many people of the darker hue have been killed in the rioting? How many white people have been killed in the rioting? How many police officers have been killed? How much has been trashed, destroyed and stolen?
Political leaders have allowed, encouraged and even participated in the rioting until it reached their homes! They have emasculated the police and cut them from their budgets and then complain about their serving!
We have lost our mind but more importantly we have lost our soul! We rejoice when the other side gets caught in a scandal forgetting the harm to our country. We have not just done evil but we have become evil!!
We have come to the result of who we are and have become drunk on the Spirit of Destruction!!! Their are two choices we can make and in reality they are opposite sides of the same coin. We can humbly turn to God and seek the Holy Spirit of God or we can turn away from God and continue in the Spirit of destruction. If we turn away from God we will destroy ourselves through our fear, anger, hatred and violence.
Satan seeks our destruction and is rejoicing at what is going on! Satan is laughing at us for our stupidity. We not only are living in the Spirit of Destruction we have become the Spirit of destruction. Satan laughs! Satan laughs at us! At you!
December 18
“And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”” (Luke 1:28 NKJV)
What an amazing statement about Mary! We are shown the character of Mary and the reason God chose her to be the Mother of Jesus! God seeks to encourage Mary declaring; “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you”. In whatever Mary was called to do or be God with be “with” her!
Your prayer
Give God thanks for what you have.
Praise God for who He is.
Ask for God to use you today.
