The scripture for today, May 13, is 1st John 5:13f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK 6-PROMISE KEEPER-Cover-Createspace“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: That if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”

What a wonderful and comforting promise: The God of the universe, the Creator, the King of all kings hears you!

Of course, it must be “according to his will.” Well, how are you supposed to know God’s will? By a feeling deep in your heart? Feelings are fickle. But can there be another way? Of course. It’s simple. Just read his very words to you in the Bible.

The Bible is full of examples of people who did right and who did wrong, to help you see the consequences of good and bad decisions. The Bible is also full of God’s advice to you. Proverbs is one of the books that is full of such advice. Read the Bible. You do not have to guess what God’s will is.

What about asking God’s will whether you should move to this place or that, whether you marry this person or that, whether you take this job or that? Perhaps all your choices are good. God has also given you free will. Always remember, “ALL things work together for good to those who love the Lord and called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

The scripture for today, May 12, is 1st Kings 5:12 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK 5-FLOOD GATES-Cover-Print“The Lord gave Solomon wisdom, just as he had promised him.”

God makes a promise of wisdom to Christians today. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

Amazing! God doesn’t sit around and tell certain people, “You really messed up. Your life is full of turmoil. Now you come to me expecting me to fix it for you.” No, God does not throw our faults in our face. It’s no use dwelling in the past; that is history. He is ready and willing to provide guidance for the present and future, the now and later.

How do we know God’s wisdom? We surely do not have to guess. He has everything he wants us to know in his word, the Bible ~ examples of people who did and did not mess up their lives, and words of advice. All we have to do is open it, and ask God to help us understand it and apply it.

God promised. And he keeps his promises.

The scripture for today, May 11, is 1st Peter 5:11 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK 4-FOLK HERO-COVER“To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

God has the power to do more for you than you ever dreamed. He can take you in new directions in your life; arrange for you to meet wonderful people; provide the ability to overcome not-so-good things in your life.

All you have to do is ask. Perhaps more than once. Perhaps many times. But he wants you to ask. Why?

Parents sometimes tell their children “no” the first time they ask for something. Maybe it’s because the child needs to find our for him/herself how badly s/he wants it. It’s in the asking that they find out. So God waits for the request. Sometimes the request never comes. And so the blessing never comes.

Remember, God has the power. He may have something special in mind for you. So ask.

The scripture for today, May 10, is 1st Peter 5:10f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK EIGHT-COME FLY WITH ME-Cover

This earth is not meant to be our paradise, to be our eternal home. This earth is just the foyer. God stands at the door to heaven and calls us. But are we too busy watching over things here to look over at his door? Are we too caught up with temporary things of this world to stop and listen for God?

Is there too much noise in our life? The noise of problems with job, our home, our family, our government, our neighbors, our health? Remember, we are only in the foyer. Life is not always easy. Do we have the stamina to not be side tracked? Do we have the fortitude to keep walking toward his door?

God can make us strong and firm and steadfast ~ if we will stop the noise and listen for him. God can make us strong and firm and steadfast ~ if we keep our eyes on his door.

The scripture for today, May 9, is Matthew 5:9 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.”

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Jesus, the only begotten Son of God (Christians are adopted sons) was a peacemaker. He came to earth to help us make peace with God. After all, “all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23). It only takes one sin to be a sinner. And God cannot dwell with sin. What was the solution?

Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death. In Old Testament times, God let people kill a perfect animal in their place. But they kept having to do it. Finally, Jesus came to earth and lived that perfect life that is impossible for us to live ~ the perfect lamb of God ~ then he allowed himself to take our punishment for our (not his) sins and be killed in our place. His was the final sacrifice. Now, by following Jesus, God adopts us and makes us his children. Jesus was a peacemaker between God and man.

You, too, can be peacemakers. You can help people be at peace with themselves. You can help them be at peace with each other. And you can help them be at peace with God. Thereby, you can share in what God’s begotten Son was ~ a peacemaker.

The scripture for today, May 8, is Psalm 5:8 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK EIGHT-COME FLY WITH ME-Cover“Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness, because of my enemies ~ make straight your way before me.”

An enemy would like nothing more than to get into a good fight with the one they resent. Do not let that happen. You have better things to do than that. Set your eyes, not on your enemy, but on the Lord. The path of enemies will take you on all sorts of side trips that lead to dead ends. The path of God rises up before you ~ straight and direct. Do not let your attention stray from that path.

Keep on walking on the path of God.
And keep on walking, and keep walking,
and walking, and walking….

….Until at last you walk right through the gates of heaven.

The scripture for today, May 7, is 1st Peter 5:7 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK 3-HEARTS AFIRE-COVER

How many times in a week are you anxious about something? Your job, your home, your children, your neighbors, your government, your health? How many times in a day are you? Are they heavy? Sometimes almost too heavy to bear?

Name them to God. Tell him all about them. Go into as much detail as you like. Then put them all on his shoulders. That’s what he wants you to do. He will carry those burdens for you. Why? Because he cares for you.

The scripture for today, May 6, is Song of Solomon 5:6 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“I opened [the door] for my lover, but my lover had left; he was gone. My heart sank at his departure. I looked for him but did not find him. I called him but he did not answer.”0-BOOK 4-FOLK HERO-COVER

Jesus is the lover of your soul. He opens the door for you, but perhaps you’re spending all your time thinking about material things. His heart sinks when you run away from him. Oh, how his heart aches with loneliness for you.

So Jesus goes out looking for you. He looks everywhere you go. He calls you by name. But perhaps your life is so full of the noise of doing and going and accomplishing, that you do not hear him.

Stop! Allow some quietness into your life. Then listen. Jesus is calling for you….

The scripture for today, May 4, is 1st Peter 5:4 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

WORSHIP THE FIRST-CENTURY WAY-COVER-KINDLE“And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”

Many denominations appoint someone to be the head of their religion at their world headquarters. He goes by different titles ~ bishop, high priest, father, president. Their headquarters may be a small office or an entire complex. From here the head meets regularly with others to make decisions for their denomination.

Here is a unique thought: Let us set this system aside and let Jesus be the only head, and let the world headquarters be in heaven! We do not have to rely on the decisions of men, but on the decisions of God the Son who loved us so much that he became human for awhile so he could die for us. We don’t even need a creed, because if it is less than the Bible it isn’t enough, if it is more than the Bible it is too
much, and if it is the same as the Bible why have it?

No more divisiveness. No more denominationalism. Just one united church of Christ with its divine founder as our sole leader, and his divine words as our sole creed. This will never fade away. How sublime the thought!

The scripture for today, May 3, is Psalm 5:3 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK 2-DREAM MAKER-COVER“In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. “

Morning. The time of new beginnings. Birth is a morning. Graduating from a school is a morning. Marriage, a new job, birth of a child ~ these are obvious mornings.

We can create our own morning of life in a spiritual way too. We can stop depending on ourselves, and begin following and depending on God. We cannot fix all our problems. Sometimes we get ourselves into our own problems and don’t know how to get ourselves out. But God knows.

Let us lay our requests before God. Then wait. The waiting can create frustration. But wait in peace. God does things in his own timing. He loves us as children and knows when the moment is right. Sometimes when we look back, we are most grateful he did not answer a prayer for us; he had something better in mind. And then, it was morning.

God loves to answer prayer. Therefore, let us wait in peaceful expectation for morning.