I am embarking on reading the book of Psalms. Not necessarily in order. There are 150 chapters; some long and some short.

Here is the first verses in chapter:

"Oh, the joys of those who do not follow evil men's advice, who do not hang around with sinners, scoffing at the things of God. But they delight in doing everything God wants them to, and day and night are always meditating on his laws and thinking about ways to follow him more closely."

~ Psalm 1:1,2 LAB

Bible Commentary:  "God doesn't judge people on the basis of race, sex, or national origin. He judges them on the basis of their faith in him and their response to his revealed will. Those who diligently try to obey God's will are like healthy, fruit-bearing trees with strong roots and God promises to watch over them. God's wisdom guides their lives. In contrast, those who don't obey God have meaningless lives which blow away like dust. There are only two paths of life from which to choose -- God's way of obedience or the way of rebellion and destruction. By choosing our pathway, we choose our eternity."

***

Today's entry in the flip calendar (January 16) by Sarah Young and her "Jesus Calling;  Enjoying Peace in His Presence":

"Come to Me, and rest in My loving Presence.
You know that this day will bring difficulties,
and you are trying to think your way
through those trials.
As you anticipate what is ahead of you,
you forget that I am with you---
now and always.
Rehearsing your troubles
results in experiencing them many times,
whereas you are meant to
go through them only when they actually occur.
Do not multiply your suffering in this way!
Instead, come to Me,
and relax in My Peace.
I will strengthen you
and prepare you for this day,
transforming your fear into confident trust."

~ Taken from Matthew 11:28 - 30; Joshua 1:5 - 9

***

"That is what is meant by the Scriptures which say that no mere man has ever seen, heard or even imagined what wonderful things God has ready for those who love the Lord."

~ 1 Corinthians 2:9 LAB

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Bible Commentary:  "We cannot imagine all that God has in store for us both in this life and for eternity. He will create a hew heaven and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1), and we will live with him forever. Until then, his Holy Spirit comforts and guides us. Knowing the future that awaits us should give us hope and courage to press on in this life, to endure hardship, and to avoid giving in to temptation. This world is not all there is."

*****

Taken from a bookmark I received in the mail yesterday from the Joyce Meyer Ministries:

A Daily Prayer
for Wisdom


"Father, I trust You with all my heart,
not relying on my own understanding,
In all my ways, I acknowledge You,
confident that You'll direct my path.

"Today, fill me with the knowledge of Your will
through all wisdom and understanding
that the Spirit gives,
so I may live a life pleasing to You.

"I lay down my anxieties, presenting every 
need with thanksgiving, trusting that Your peace,
which goes beyond all understanding,
will guard my heart and  mind in Christ Jesus..

"Guide me, Lord, into Your truth,
and strengthen my faith as I seek
Your presence each day. In Jesus' name.

"AMEN."

"This daily prayer is based on Scripture verses from:
Proverbs 3:5-6; Colossians 1:9; Philippians 4:6-7."

****

Your assignment for the day: Read the 23rd Psalm.

Our Sunday School class is embarking on a short study by Louie Giglio; "Don't Give The Enemy A Seat At Your Table".

This is our opening:

"Psalm 23 is a a personal confession
of love and gratitude
from one human soul to God.
It is a portrait of a God
who is astonishingly intimate,
kind, protective and generous with us.
The message it offers,
the golden key it holds out to us is this: 
We are invited to live securely
in God's love and care for us.
We are sheep---
not very strong, not very wise,
very much in need of help and guidance.
God is a good Shepherd.
God tends to us,
cares for us,
plans for us,
provides for us,
protects us,
guides us
and stays close to us.
In life and in death
we can come to know that all is well
because God, our good Shepherd,
 is with us.
Our part is to remember
who we are and who God is.
Our part is to rest in God' unfailing love,
to follow God's faithful guidance
and to allow ourselves
to receive our good Shepherd's
personal care for us.

"The meaning, purpose and satisfaction
we search for in life
does not come from striving
or proving ourselves
or working hard to please others or God.
The simple secret explored in this psalm
is that life becomes
rich, full and deeply satisfying
when we rest in God's unfailing love."

***

Today's Max Lucado in my email inbox:

RUN WITH ENDURANCE

“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.”
(Hebrews 12:1 NLT).

"At every moment you are watched by millions of loving eyes. Listen carefully, and you will hear a vast multitude of God’s family. Noah is among them. So is Mary, the mother of Jesus. Your elementary school teacher shouts your name. Do you hear the support of the first-century believers? Some of us have mom and dad, brother or sister—even a child—in the stands. They are part of the people of Paradise.

"Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us."

***

There is no mail delivery in the United States today.

Post offices across the country are closed in honor of former President Jimmy Carter, as we celebrate the life of the100-year-old, at today's funeral services.

People may debate how good a president he was or wasn't, but four years does not describe Carter's entire life.

Many people probably most identify the ex-president with Habitat for Humanity. "Humanitarian', a person involved with or connected to improving people's lives and reduce suffering, might best describe Carter and his wife Roselynn.

The tax-exempt, non-government group began in Georgia in 1968 and now operates in 70 countries, working to build affordable housing for others. As with any agency, Habitat for Humanity is not without scandal or controversary in its more than 50 years of existence; probably due in part to 'people' being involved.

The Carters became involved in 1984 and Jimmy continued his volunteer work into his 90s. Their efforts, under the name 'Carter Work Project' has built nearly 5,000 homes in 14 countries, using over 100,000 volunteers.

For that alone, Jimmy Carter can be remembered as living "a life, well lived"!

(I have taken my information from the internet,
if someone has read/learned other facts from 
other research, I apologize.)

This is yesterday's email from Anne Graham Lotz and her AnGeL ministry. She is Billy Graham's daughter so she doesn't have a care in the world. Does she?

Life-Giving Power

"Your word has give me life."

~ Psalm 119:50 NKJV

"Sometimes when we are depressed, we feel lifeless. It's hard to get out of bed in the morning. We seem to have no energy to do even the most routine functions. If you are depressed by the greatness of your problems, read God's Word! That's where you find help. That's where you find joy. Let the rushing waters of the living Word drown out all other sounds and voices. There is life-giving power in the Word of God!

"At the most difficult times in my life -- the loss of a baby, the forced removal from a church, the execution of a friend, the robbery of our home -- God's Word has sustained me. There have been times when I have only been capable of reading a few verses at a time, yet the supernatural life-giving power of the Word of God has not only helped me maintain my emotional and mental balance, it has given me strength to go on, even if only one day at at time."

***

Today's 'korner' is taken from "365 Days of Prayer for Women" by Stephanie Sample. It talks a lot about 'abide'. One of the definitions of abide is to 'remain faithful'.

ABIDE IN ME

"Abide in me, and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself,
unless it abides in the vine,
neither can you,
unless you abide in me."

~  John 15:4 ESV


"Lord Jesus, I can't understand why I sometimes try to do things apart from you. Only bitter, unripe fruit comes from those efforts, yet I seem to forget this over and over. And you seem to forgive me just as often. You are so patient with me as I struggle to make my own way, knowing full well that to abide in you is the only way, Jesus, keep me close, Remind me how much I need you when I start to think I can do it on my own. The fruit that comes from a life with you is the sweetest taste I've known, and it's the only way I want to live."


ARE WE ABIDING IN GOD ALONE?

***

"Don't long for
'the good old days,'
for you don't know
whether they were any
better than these!"

~ Ecclesiastes 7:10 LAB

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Bible Commentary:  "The 'good old days' are easy to talk about, but they may never have existed. Sometimes we remember only the good things about the past, forgetting that those days also had problems. Instead of living in the past, we need to decide to live for today; living in such a way that we will look back on today as one of the 'good old days'."

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My commentary:  "The 'good old days' wouldn't have been totally good for our family. Health conditions needing medical attention - surgeries and modern medicines - wouldn't have been possible in those days. 'These days' are better for us than then!

*

Dear God,
Thank You that 
You have everything
under Your control.
Thank You for today,
because You add to 
each of our days 
and make all
of them - Good!
In Jesus' Name.
Amen.