God is good

Saturday, May 1, 2021 (4:57 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You that You are good.

(5:21 a.m.)

Thank You that I get to search, read and learn more of what this very simple statement actually means. Circumstances change. You don’t. Thank You.

Thank You for the glorious colors observed in Your early morning sky just now. Yet another example of Your awe and wonder.

Lord God, I love You. Thank You that I get to know You as good. Great. Glorious. Gracious. Kind. Loving.

Thank You for this opportunity to sit with You. Aware that “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17; New International Version).

You provide us opportunity to work. To share. To love. To truly “be still and know” that You alone are God (Psalm 46:10).

Lord I have tears that only You can understand. In my heart and soul, as well as my eyes. Tears representing the joy that only comes from knowing I am loved by You. Thank and praise You Lord!

The Passion Translation tells us, “Everyone look! Come and see the breathtaking wonders of our God. For He brings both ruin and revival. He’s the one who makes conflicts end throughout the earth, breaking and burning every weapon of war. Surrender your anxiety” (Psalm 46:8-10a).

You offer us Your peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:9). Free for the taking. How deeply I thank You Lord!

Father God, I ask You to use me this day in genuinely sharing Your goodness with others. You know Your plans for each of us. “Plans for good and not for evil. Plans to give [us] a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).

I ask You, Lord, to embolden and empower me in every single step I take today. Depending on Your goodness and grace in glorifying and enjoying You.

I love You, God. I thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(340 words ~ 6:20 a.m.)

presence

 Friday, April 30, 2021 (6:30 a.m.)

Holy God,

Yesterday did NOT go as planned! Song wasn't found. The prayer left unfinished. Adjustments were made. And again I thank You Lord.

Thank You for the presence of mind to realize I had choices at every turn. Yes Father. You are working in me in ways of which I’m not even aware.

Take this very moment for example. Psalm 16:11. “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” Yes! Amen to that.

Holy Father God,

(7:30 a.m.)

And just like that, the phone rang as it did yesterday. Lord, thank You that You provide what is needed for us to put people over projects. Continue your work in me I pray.

Back to what I am learning about this morning’s gem. Illustrated Bible Handbook, “Psalm 16. This beautiful psalm expresses satisfaction with personal relationship to God. God alone is the source of all good (1-4), the One who assigns our place in life (5-6), and the One who guides us by His presence (7-8). The final verses (9-11) express David’s expectation of resurrection, and are also messianic references to Christ (cf. Acts. 2:24-31; 13:35-37).”

Oh most Holy God, the more I read, the more I ask You, continue “granting me the joy of Your presence.” Keep my focused on YOUR will and Your way. I long to live this day sharing Your love along the way.

The Passion Translation tells us, “Because of You, I know the path of life, as I taste the fullness of joy in Your presence. At Your right side I experience divine pleasures forevermore!” (Psalm 16:11).

A footnote here explains even more. “b. 16:11 Jesus was pierced in His side with the spear of man’s hatred. Eternal pleasures are found hidden in the wounds of Christ, where Jesus responded to the world’s hatred with sacred blood and water flowing from His side. Forgiveness and grace splashed on the dirt. We are now seated with Christ at His right side.”

Mm. Man’s hatred met with the eternal pleasures of forgiveness and grace. Let me rise to the challenge of meeting all that comes my way today with Your loving forgiveness and grace.

I want very much to represent You well this day. Reflecting Your love. Forgiveness. And grace. Yes please. Make it so. I love You. I thank You. Amen.

(422 words ~ 8:16 a.m.)

My Heart Is Yours

 Thursday, April 29, 2021 (6:05 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

Thank You! I got to go back to sleep. Thank You, Lord.

And here, eight minutes later, I thank You again. Words and music and the name of the song [My Heart Is Yours] I sang to You much earlier this morning.

My heart IS Yours, Blessed God! Truly Yours.

Oh. Not the song I thought.

especially prevalent

 Wednesday, April 28, 2021 (6:18 a.m.)

♪Holy, Holy, Holy!

♪Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee; Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty! God in three Persons, blessed Trinity♪

Dearest, Blessed, Loving God, how truly I thank You. Thinking there would be nothing new for me to learn as I considered finding the Scripture reference in Revelation, how surprised am I! Turning to The Passion Translation, again I get to truly be delighted.

Praise You Lord. Yes. Praise and thank You Lord.

Footnotes for 4:8 send me to many different verses. Especially prevalent are 2 Corinthians 5:19 and 1 Timothy 3:16.

As I read comments for Your Truth in The Life Recovery Bible, Father I honestly can’t begin to ever thank You enough. Other people throughout the ages have experienced Your forgiveness.

And right there begins another song. ♪Your forgiveness is like sweet, sweet honey on my lips Like the sound of a symphony to my ears Like holy water on my skin♪

Because Your Word speaks Your promises and Truth, we get to readily sing of it. Mercy. Grace. Forgiveness. Change. All the things You offer us. In YOUR strength and power. Not ours!

You call us to come (Isaiah 55:1-13; Matthew 11:28-30). You provide us peace for the taking (Philippians 4:9).

Human that I am, I tend to complicate matters. Often. Yet there You are. Faithful as always. Available to do all of which I am unable on my own (Philippians 4:13).

Daddy God, I am asking that You continue Your perfect work in fining [clarifying] and refining [clarifying again] me as You alone know is best. Doing all You must that I will truly come to heed Micah’s warning to Your people.

Presented here from the International Children’s Bible. “The Lord has told you what is good. He has told you what He wants from you: Do what is right to other people. Love being kind to others. And live humbly, trusting your God” (Micah 6:8).

Yes please, Lord. All You must in changing me as only You can. I love You. I need You. I want You. I thank and praise You. Use me. Amen.

(375 words ~ 7:42 a.m.)

work

 Tuesday, April 27, 2021 (5:30 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You for the work You do in our lives. The work You do in our relationships. Mm, yes Lord. Thank You for who You are and all You do.

You change us Lord. Our hearts. Our souls. Our minds. Our strength. With Billy Joel again singing in my head [♪Tell Her About It♪] I turn once more to Paul’s letter to the Philippians (2:13).

You amaze me, Father. The mercy and grace and peace You offer us is free for the taking. So often we complicate it. And right here I consider Lamentations 3:22-23 and start singing ♪Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me… Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me…♪

So many verses. Micah 6:8; Philippians 4:8. So many songs. You just keep speaking [and singing] Your Truth to us. Working in us to ‘desire and do what always pleases You’ (Philippians 2:13).

Blessed God, I’m asking You to continue Your good work in and with us. Changing us to “Do all things without grumbling and complaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves]” (v. 14).

I look to You Father, wanting to listen and hear Your voice. Your direction. And our time together here just keeps getting better. Thank You Lord.

The Passion Translation. Isaiah 30:20-21. “Even though the Lord may allow you to go through a season of hardship and difficulty, He Himself will be there with you. He will not hide Himself from you, for your eyes will constantly see Him as your Teacher. When you turn to the right or turn to the left, you will hear His voice behind you to guide you, saying, ‘This is the right way; follow it.’”

Oh yes Lord. Let me hear Your voice! I love You. Guide me exactly where You would have me go. Do all You must. Your love is perfect. Use me. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(335 words ~ 6:50 a.m.)

cattywampus

 Monday, April 26, 2021 (5:56 a.m.)

Awesome, Blessed, Glorious Father God,

I love You. And I thank You. It’s to You we can come. No matter the circumstances.

(6:44 a.m.)

Like in the middle of the night when my thinking gets all cattywampus [thanks Mom!] and You remind me of Your Truth. Verses come to mind and settle my thoughts.

Psalm 91:4. “He will shield you with his wings. He will shelter you with His feathers. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.” It’s so true Dearest God.

There I was. Thinking of things of which to be afraid. The word cattywampus came to mind and I smiled. Remembering, “Don’t worry about anything. Instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need. And thank Him for all He has done” (Philippians 4:6).

(7:28 a.m.)

The longer I’m here with You the bigger my smile and more peaceful my heart grow. Thank You Father. Each verse adds perfectly to the next. Praise You Lord.

“If you do this [pray, tell, thank], you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus” (v. 7 The Living Bible). It’s so true Lord. Thank You!

Cattywampus thinking one moment. Peace that passes all understanding the next.

“And now, brothers, as I close this letter, let me say this one more thing: Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about” (8). Oh Dearest Lord, continue teaching me to do this. Readily. Without hesitation!

Verse 9. “Keep putting into practice all you learned from me [the apostle Paul] and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you.” Yes, Lord. Do all You must that I will keep practicing Your Truth.

I love You Lord. I thank You. And I ask You to continue changing my cattywampus thinking. Praise You, Father. Amen.

(359 words  ~ 7:54 a.m.)

I'm learning

 Sunday, April 25, 2021 (4:52 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You! There are times I can’t figure something out. I’m learning to leave it alone. Many times it all seems to come together on its own. Thank You God. I credit You!

(8:23 a.m.)

Mm, yes Blessed God. I absolutely credit You with all I continue learning. About You. Myself. And the world around me.

Holy Father, You are so good. And I am incredibly grateful. When I remember to be. Gratitude doesn’t always come naturally to me. Nor does forgiveness.

Because of Your Word of Truth I am learning to practice Your teachings.

Thank You. Praise You. Continue Your work in me Blessed God. I’m aware of Your teachings when my heart quickens and I dig deeper.

Right now I’m looking at “Wise Sayings of Solomon A Manual for Living” (The Message). Proverbs 1:1-6, 7; 12:1; 18:15. As well as “The Making of GOD’s People” Micah 4:1-4. And John 6:43-46.

It’s Galatians 3:2-4 that has my rapt attention. “Let me put this question to you: How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God’s Message to you? Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. If you weren’t smart enough or strong enough to begin it, how do you suppose you could perfect it? Did you go through this whole painful learning process for nothing? It is not yet a total loss, but it certainly will be if you keep this up!”

Taking this Truth to The Life Recovery Bible comment “3:1-14 …We can be sure of the Holy Spirit’s presence when we begin to change. Knowing God and being in a right relationship with Him enables us to know His will and follow it. But trying to follow God’s laws in our human strength will never bring us into right relationship with God.”

Oh, hello! Thank and praise You, Jesus! How often do I slip back over to rule following over trusting and believing Your presence in my life? Continue teaching me I pray. That I will keep learning Your will and Your way for my everyday.

I love You. I want You. I need You. And I ask You. Keep doing all You know is best that I will continue learning. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(425 words ~ 9:22 a.m.)