Daily Inspirations

  Good morning. I hope everything is well with you. We are back in the book of Psalms. The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and kind in all His deeds. Sometimes it may not seem like He is kind, but He is. Things may seem bad now, but joy comes in the morning! The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. It's not a long distance call - He is right inside us. But we have to call upon Him in truth. Some only call upon Him to get themselves out of a jam that they themselves created. He will fulfill the desires of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them. Do you have a desire – He will fulfill it! When you are in trouble, cry out to Him and He will save you. The Lord keeps all who love Him. He will keep you. I will praise the Lord while I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. Do not trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation. Even Christians trust in man rather than in God. Man may ge...

  Good morning. We are back in Proverbs. Paraphrasing slightly: A wise son/daughter makes a father/mother glad, but a foolish son/daughter is a grief to his/her mother/father. I'm sure you know that is so true! How many tears have you shed? Ill-gotten gains do not profit. You may think you got away with something, but in the end you will be sorry. It seems like the more people get away with, the prouder they are. And of course you can't keep it to yourself. You have to brag to others. Righteousness delivers from death. The Lord will not allow the righteous to hunger. The hand of the diligent makes rich. Blessings are on the head of the righteous. That means they are on your head. The wise of heart will receive commands. He who walks in integrity walks securely. The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life. That's a lot of good things that we can enjoy. Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions (or as the Bible says elsewhere: love covers a multitude o...

  Good morning. We are back in the book of Psalms. And what should we as Christians be doing? We shall speak of the power of His awesome acts; and I will tell of Your greatness. They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness, and shall shout joyfully of Your righteousness. We are afraid to say anything outside of church about what God has done for us. How will they know that God can do it for them, if we don't tell them about it? The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. Thank God for that! If He weren't, we would be toast. The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works. Your godly ones shall bless You. They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom, and talk of Your power. Again this is so others will know about the greatness of God towards us. Then they will want to become one of His children. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations. He will rule forever. ...

  Good morning. I hope you're feeling well. In proverbs it says heed instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it. Too many people want to do their own thing. They don't want to learn from God's word. They also don't want to listen to spiritual leaders. Speaking of wisdom: for he who finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord. You want life and favor from the Lord - find wisdom. But he who sins against me injures himself. You are not only hurting others; you are hurting yourself when you go against God's wisdom. Reprove a wise man, and he will love you. You don't see a whole lot of love of that kind. Most people get angry. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser. Teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning. How do we go about getting wisdom? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. That's where we start. Remember: and with wisdom get understanding. How do we get understanding? The knowledge of the Holy On...

  Good morning. From Proverbs speaking of wisdom: I love those who love me; and those who diligently seek me will find me. Remember that wisdom is what Solomon asked God for. Of course this wisdom is through God, not through our own abilities. Otherwise we can brag like certain political candidates. Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness. As James talks about - the wisdom from above is not like the wisdom of the world. It is pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. As proverbs says this wisdom from above brings riches and honor. It brings enduring wealth, while the wisdom of the earth brings only temporary wealth. That kind of wealth puffs one up. My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, and my yield than choicest silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice. If it's not righteous, it's not God's wisdom. To endow those who love me with wealth , that ...

  Good morning. Back to Romans: for if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. We were reconciled to God, not the other way around. We are the ones that left. We were reconciled to God through the death of Jesus. That is awesome in itself! But we needed more. We needed Him to rise from the dead so that we could have life in ourselves. It then talks about "through one man, Adam, sin and death came into the world to all men. But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many". In both cases what one man did affected millions. One for bad, the other for good. Judgment arose from the one transgression, but the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. Because of the one, we have death, and wit...

  Good morning. For something much more edifying, let's look again in Proverbs. Speaking of God's Commandments: bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. It's not just for your head, it's for your heart. There's too many Christians who have memorized scripture; but it stays in their head, it never goes to their heart. However you should have them at your fingertips; so that when a situation arises, you have them at hand. You don't have to look them up. Say to wisdom "you are my sister" and call understanding your intimate friend. It's not just knowledge that will bring you the victory; it's wisdom and understanding. Too many times knowledge brings arrogance. I know more than you, so I'm better than you. Does not wisdom call, and understanding lift up her voice? Take my instruction, and not silver. And knowledge rather than choicest gold. For wisdom is better than; and all desirable things cannot compare with her. ...

  Good morning. We are back to the handout sheets. I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine. Our God is BIG and is able to do anything that we need. There is no problem that He cannot overcome. Don't be afraid to ask for the impossible. What is the quote - "we do hard things every day; the impossible takes a little longer". Are you feeling down and out? "I am your greatest encourager". He makes you feel like you are the one that can do the impossible. I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles. He uplifts us no matter what is going on in our lives. When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He will always be there for us. And the final one from the handout sheets: as a shepherd carries a lamb, I carry you close to My heart. As Willie Nelson sings "you are always on my mind". Now that song will be going through your head all day long. But it is true – you are always on God...

  Good morning. Back in Psalms: I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doings; I muse on the works of Your hands. As I have said before – it is good to remember all the good things that God has done for us. If He did it for us before, He will do it for us again. Sometimes when you're not feeling well, it is hard to visualize yourself as being well. It's almost like you cannot remember how it felt to be well. So don't wait until something bad happens to remember what God has done for you. The military and athletes train over and over again for circumstances that might happen to them. Then if they should happen to them, they react instinctively – they don't even have to think about it. We should be the same way with God. We train ourselves to instantly go to Him. My soul longs for You, as a parched land. We should be as desperate for Him as the land is for rain during a drought. Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for I trust in You; teach me the...

  Good morning. I trust everything is going well with you. In Proverbs: when there are many words, transgression is unavoidable. In other words, know when to shut up! Sometimes we just can't let it drop. This is especially true with our loved ones. We have to get in the last word. He who restrains his lips is wise. The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver. Sadly that is not what comes out of our mouths sometimes, especially with family. We are definitely not silver tongued. It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich, and He adds no sorrow to it. When the "blessing" comes from the world, many times there is sorrow that comes with it. God's blessings are those without regret. What the wicked fears will come upon him. Even though he was not wicked, even Job said "what I have feared has come upon me". We should not be fearing what might come upon us. We should trust in God that everything will be OK. Of course that is easier said than done. Been the...

  Good morning. As proverbs says: watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put devious lips far from you. Jesus said from out of your heart comes these deceitful things. Out of the heart the mouth speaks. And James asks: how can good and bad things come out of the same mouth? What our heart dwells on will eventually come out of our mouths and our lives. If you deceive others, you will also be deceived. As we've said before: let your eyes look directly ahead, and your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Watch the path of your feet, and all your ways will be established. Do not turn to the right nor to the left; turn your foot from evil. It's up to us. You can't dance with the devil without getting burned. It's not called the straight and narrow path for nothing. How can we keep on the straight and narrow path and not have devious lips - keep God's words and treasure His commandments...

  Good morning. We are back in the book of Romans. Last time we saw that Abraham was fully assured that what God had promised He was able also to perform. And because of that: "it was reckon to him as righteousness". And it wasn't just for Abraham's sake. It was also for our sake to whom it will be reckoned, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. It talks in another place about Abraham believing while he was still uncircumcised; which meant that salvation was also for the non-Jew. Jesus was "delivered up because of our sins, and was raised because we were justified through His blood". We could not walk in newness of life if Jesus had not been raised from the dead. Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Because He died for us, we have peace with God. But we still needed Him to be raised from the dead so that we could live the Christian life through the Holy Spirit indwell...

  Good morning. We are back in Proverbs. It talks about: do not devise harm against your neighbor – sounds like the pastor's sermon Sunday. Do not contend with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm. As you know some people are just itching for a fight. They are looking for an excuse to get into it. But we are to "not envy a man of violence, and do not choose any of his ways". That's hard to do sometimes when you see them successful. The Lord is intimate with the upright. He blesses the dwelling of the righteous. That means your dwelling is blessed! Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding. Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of My mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is: acquire wisdom; and with all your acquiring, get understanding. Prize her, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. And as if God is talking to you personally: my son, give attention to ...

  Good morning. We are going to look at some things in the book of Romans. Here He is talking about the Jews, but it applies to people of all beliefs or unbelievers today. If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? Nothing can nullify God's faithfulness, no matter what man may say. As the King James would say "let God be true and every man a liar". We know our God will do what He says He will do. Too many people, even Christians, think they are righteous on their own. But there is none righteous, not even one. If you think you have arrived, then as one of my friends used to say "you are cruisin' for a bruisin' ". Too many people, even Christians, believe that they are justified by their works. If we could do it, we would not need God. We are justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. God is the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. If you could work your way i...

  Good morning. We're going to start with a verse that the pastor talked about Sunday. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. The verse before it which was the last one we looked at in Psalms said that He formed my inward parts and weaved us in our mother's womb. So the reason we are fearfully and wonderfully made is that He is the One who made us, and anything that He makes is wonderful. So – good morning wonderful! Your eyes have seen my unformed substance. He saw us when we were only a blob and even before that. And in Your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them. God knew all that would happen to us and how long we would live even before we were created. Of course all of this psalm reminds me of what God told Jeremiah: before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you...

  Good morning. We are back in Proverbs. Speaking of wisdom: she is more precious than jewels; and nothing you desire compares with her. You could have all kinds of money and items, but if you don't have wisdom you are nothing and could lose everything. So what does wisdom have? Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. You want long life – get wisdom. As a bonus, you get riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who hold her fast. Wisdom makes life worth living. Then you will walk in your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. You don't need a hurry cane when you have wisdom. You can walk without fear. Need a sleeping pill – not when you have wisdom. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. You don't have to stay awake at night tossing and turning. Do not be afraid of sudden fear, nor of...

  Good morning. We are back in Psalm 139. Some of these verses were covered in the handout sheets; but they were with a different translation. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol behold, You are there. There is no place that one can go to get away from God. He is always with you to guide and protect you. On the other side of the coin – you can't run away from His justice. You can be sure that your sins will find you out. So no matter where we go "even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me". No matter where - He will be there for us! If I say, surely the darkness will overwhelm me, and the light around me will be night, even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day. No matter how bad things are for us, He can see clearly the path for us to walk on. We may not can see, but He can. You formed my inward parts; You we...

  Good morning. Back in the book of Psalms which is a good place to be in the middle of a storm. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. We don't automatically know and do God's will. We have to be taught to do His will. And how are we taught? Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. It is the Holy Spirit who teaches us. Blessed be the Lord my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle. We are in a war – with the world system; and we have to be trained for this war. Some Christians think that they can do it all on their own without any preparation. God is: my lovingkindness and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliver; my shield and He in whom I take refuge. He is our shelter from the storm. And then a verse that repeats what is in Psalm eight: oh Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the Son of Man, that You think of him? How can the infinite God think about us? And yet we are always on His mind. It may not work out the way we th...

  Good morning. Continuing in the book of Romans. I am going to quickly go through some of this and paraphrase things. Even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, but became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper. And although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them. Of course all of this perfectly describes the world that we live in today. People have become a God unto themselves. Anything you can imagine, it's OK to do. And maybe I would not do what you're doing, but it is super great that you are doing it. One may think that I am only talking about the people of the world. But sadly it is also some Christians. Even though they may not be doing things that are ...

  Good morning. We are back in Proverbs. Honor the Lord from your wealth, and from the first of all your produce. What wealth you ask? Notice that it says to honor the Lord from the first of all your produce. That is what the Law of Moses said to do. I read somewhere that the first fruits are the best. In the book of Genesis it says that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit the ground; while Able brought of the first-lings of his flock. It does not say that Cain first gave the best to the Lord. Perhaps that is one of the reasons that God had no regard for Cain's offering. And what will be the result of honoring God? So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. To paraphrase chief Brody in Jaws: "we're going to need a bigger barn". My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord, or loathe His reproof. It's easy to say that to our children about our discipline – but when it's applied to us, we don't li...

  Good morning. We are back in psalms. I will give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word according to all Your name. The Septuagint has: for You have magnified Your holy name above everything. It is the name of Jesus that conquers all. In His name, we have everything. And now from the beautiful Psalm 139: oh Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thoughts from afar. He knows everything about us and understands us; and still He loves us. Our closest friends do not know us as well as He does. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, oh Lord, You know it all. Ouch! He knew it before we said it. If only we would listen to Him, we wouldn't say some of the things we say. You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. We have a protecting shield all a...

  Good morning. We are in Proverbs. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. It is hard sometimes to trust in God and not go according to our intellect. It doesn't look like the right way to go according to our mind. It reminds me of the story about the tightrope walker. The tightrope was stretched across a canyon. He asked the crowd "do you believe I am able to walk across this tightrope"? Yes they cheered! And so he did. Then he asked "do you believe I can do it pushing a wheelbarrow"? Yes they cheered! And so he did. Then he asked "do you believe I can do it pushing a wheelbarrow with someone inside"? Again they cheered yes! Then he said "if you really believe it, then get in the wheelbarrow". We say we believe God can do something; but too many times we are afraid to get in the wheelbarrow. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. We are the ones that make our paths...

  Good morning. We are back in Psalms. How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways. It's not just that He's going to pour out blessings upon us; it's that the very fact of walking in His ways blesses us. When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, you will be happy and it will be well with you. Of course most people don't grow their own food. You do feel a sense of pleasure that from what you earn working you are able to live. I don't see how anyone could live off of someone else. I would have no self-respect. I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning. Just as the watchmen are eager for the morning so that they know everything has turned out all right on their watch; so we wait for the Lord. Our anticipation should grow as the time approaches for us to be with Him. Surely I have composed and quieted my soul. Notice that David was the one who composed...

  Good morning. I hope everything went well yesterday. From Proverbs: my son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments. Too many Christians forget or ignore God's teachings through His word. His word does not agree with their agenda. They don't want anyone telling them what to do. Why should we keep them? For length of days and years of life, and peace they will add to you. If you want to live long and prosper, like Spock says, then you need to keep God's word. His word is your vitamin pill each day. Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck. We need to carry them wherever we go. If you bind them around your neck, you will remember them – at least for a little while. Other people will see something hung around your neck. Though sometimes like pictures on the wall, we get to the point where we don't even notice that they are there. The pastor temporarily forgot about them on his plane flight to Denver recently. But th...

  Good morning. Today we're going to look in the book of Romans. Talking about Jesus: who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord. There had been many good people before Jesus; but they had all died and remained in the grave. In fact several other times writers had talked about David dying and still being in the grave. Even though Lazarus rose from the dead, he died again later. Only Jesus rose from the dead and remains alive. Through that, God said this is my Son. 1:16– For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. We should not be ashamed of the gospel even when people ridicule us because of it. Remember that we are planting seed – it is up to God to provide the growth. Remember the quote: preach the gospel every day, and if necessary use words. Our lives are preaching the gospel even when o...

  Good morning. Back in Psalms: unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. This is so true about many ministries. They are houses of straw. No matter how successful it may look on the outside, if it's not built by the Lord, it is a failure. One Baptist minister joked that their Sunday school plan was so good it would keep on growing even after the rapture. Of course it is also very true about our own house. You can literally work yourself to death trying to figure out how to make everything work out. But if it doesn't have God, it is a failure. Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchmen keeps awake in vain. That is so true about our nation. It doesn't matter what safeguards the nation has in place, unless God is in it, terrorists can still strike. We just have to make sure that God is guarding us. It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep. If you try to ...

  Good morning. Back to the handout sheets. I desire to establish you with all My heart and all My soul. As I said before, He did not save us and then toss us aside. Just like we want our children to be able to take care of themselves (wouldn't it be nice if they finally could?), He wants us to grow and take care of ourselves. He wants us to be established firmly with roots deep in the ground. And I want to show you great and marvelous things. We couldn't handle all that He wants to show us. All those great and marvelous things are for us. If you seek Me with all your heart, you will find Me. Too often we seek things and not Him. As we seek Him, He will reveal those great and marvelous things that He has for us. Delight in Me and I will give you the desires of your heart; for it is I who gave you those desires. Those deep seated desires are from Him. He wants us to have them even more than we want them. Father help everything turn out great for the reader. Help him/her to hav...

  Good morning. Today we look at a short but powerful Psalm – Psalm 121. I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from whence shall my help come? Get your eyes off your problems and look up. Your help does not come from down here, but from God. My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. If He created the universe, my little problem will be no trouble to Him. He will not allow your foot to slip. As long as we hang onto Him, we will never fall. He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. He is always watching over us; He does not get tired. That reminds me of the story about a little old lady in London during World War II. When the air raid sirens would sound, everyone would run to the shelter. One day when it sounded, she did not show up to the shelter. Everyone figured that she went to the country to stay with her daughter. Next day they saw her in the street. We thought you had gone to the country to stay with your ...

  Good morning. We are back to the handout sheets. Every good gift that you receive comes from My hand. If something is good, it's from God. Of course sometimes we think something is good when it's really not intrinsically good. That's not what He's talking about. For I am your provider and I meet all your needs. There is nothing that we need that He won't provide. My plan for your future has always been filled with hope. If there is no hope, it's not God's plan. He always provides a way of escape. Why does He do this? Because I love you with an everlasting love. People might love you only as long as things are going right between you. He loves you even when things are not going right between you. Of course we know whose fault that is. It's ours. My thoughts toward you are countless as sand on the seashore. How can the infinite awesome God even think about us once in a while? And here it says He thinks about us all the time. I rejoice over you with sin...

  Good morning. Look upon my affliction and rescue me, for I do not forget Your law. Want to get away? Don't forget God's word. For in it He always gives us the way of escape. Revive me according to Your word. Down and out? Depressed? God's word will revive you. The sum of Your word is truth. Each part of God's word is true – the totality of it is truth indeed. And every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting. What is true today, was true yesterday, and will be true tomorrow - forever. That is because God's word, like Jesus Christ, is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Those who love Your law have great peace. Don't have peace? Don't take a pill – take the word. And nothing causes them to stumble. That is the only way we can keep from stumbling, that is, to be filled with God's word. Need deliverance – deliver me according to Your word. His word is like one of those old Western elixirs – it's good for everything that ails you. Let You...

  Good morning. We are back to the handout sheets. I have been misrepresented by those who don't know Me. If you don't personally know God, you cannot represent Him. Sadly there are some even from pulpits who do that. They claim to be speaking for God and giving His will in certain matters. You have to know Him and His word to represent God. Others, not even claiming to be Christians, also spew forth what they claim is God's view on things. Too many people believe what both groups say. They say "if God exists He must not be a loving God". He says "I am not distant and angry, but I am the complete expression of love". He is near those who love Him. There are times though when love has to be tough. He is not only loving, but also just. I desire to lavish My love on you because you are my child, and I am Your father. It's not a little love, but a lavishing love. I offer you more than your earthly father ever could. As Jesus said "no father would ...

  Good morning. Appropriate to the day in Psalm 119: You are my hiding place and my shield; I wait for your word. Even in our worst possible situation He hides us and shields us from harm. So no matter what is going on around you, run to Him, you're hiding place. Sustain me according to Your word, that I may live. Uphold me that I may be safe. I love Your commandments above gold, yes, above fine gold. The things of this world pale in comparison to God's word. The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. Another reference to His word giving light. No matter what education you have God's word can give you understanding of how to live your life and what to do. Make Your face shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes. Your word is very pure, therefore Your servant loves it. There is nothing that taints God's word. He says what He means and He means what He says. Your law is truth. Jesus said that God's word was truth, and th...