Our Daily Inspiration

BEING HEALTHY

2010-03-17T12:24:00.000-07:00

"A sound heart is the life of the flesh: But envy the rottenness of the bones." (Proverbs 14:30) - What a wonderfully, powerful Scripture; Allow God to let His peace keep your heart and reap the amazing blessing of a healthy life! Let's look at this Proverb in more detail.

The original Hebrew word for "sound" is "marpe'". "Marpe'" means, "health, healing, cure, sound mind, and also, to heal of personal/individual distresses." That pretty much covers anything, and everything, that concerns our well-being, doesn't it? Thank God for that!

"Heart" originally comes from the Hebrew word, "leb". The definition of "leb" is: Inner man, mind, will, heart, and understanding. It refers to the midst of the inner parts and includes: 1) midst (of things), 2) heart (of man), 3) soul, heart (of man), 4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory, 5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will), 6) conscience,
7) heart (of moral character), 8) as seat of appetites, 9) as seat of emotions and passions, and 10) as seat of courage. Read this paragraph carefully, allow this knowledge to enlighten you, and peace will follow.

"Life" originally comes from the Hebrew word, "chay" and literally means "living thing". As long as there is breath in each of us, there is life!

The original Hebrew meaning of "flesh" is "basar" and means, "the flesh of the human body or animal body; the body itself". Our flesh is our body. Without flesh, we cannot live. It is the protective barrier between our inner parts and the environment. It is a very important part of our body. Skin is our largest organ; adults carry some 8 pounds (3.6 kilograms) and 22 square feet (2 square meters) of it. This fleshy covering does a lot more than make us look presentable. In fact, without it, we'd literally evaporate (since we are mostly made up of water).

"Envy" comes from the Hebrew word, "qin'ah", meaning: ardour, zeal, jealousy. Any of these three things can separate us from God if we allow it to become sin. I am so thankful for God's love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness (See Psalms 103:12)!

The final word for study today is, "Rottenness": It translates from the Hebrew word, "raqab", simply meaning, "decay".

"A sound heart is the life of the flesh: But envy the rottenness of the bones." In a nutshell, our life is in having a sound heart! Is your heart "sound"?

It was just a few weeks ago that I had to re-examine my life, re-prioritize, and beging "renewing my mind". I pray that each of you think on this Scripture and let God lead you!

God bless you!

PRAYER REQUEST

2010-01-28T19:53:00.001-08:00

Attention friends and family! At 7:30 am tomorrow (29th) I am undergoing open-heart surgery in Las Vegas at San Martin Hospital. It's a very complicated surgery; replacement of my aortic and mitral valves with bioprosthetic (part pig/part mechanical) valves. Please keep me and my family in your thoughts and prayers. I'm in for the long haul! Be back on this blog as soon as I can! Keep reading your Bible. :)

January 10 Reading

2010-01-27T11:12:00.000-08:00

Job 15 - 22. Once again, Job's three friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) reprove him. Eliphaz describes the type of life a "wicked man" has. Chapter 15:20 says, "The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.". Then verse 24 goes on to state, "Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid;...", and the last Scriptures I'm citing is 15:29-30, which say, "He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth. He shall not depart out of darkness;..."

Let's focus on verse 24 for a minute. Even as Christians, we are going to experience trouble and anguish in our lives. For the "wicked" this brings about fear. But thankfully, for us Christians, it should cause us to turn to God to seek peace and resolution. Faith and fear don't mix!

Job 19:25 states, "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.". It is my utmost hope that each person reading this blog knows this, as it is just as true today as it was baback then!

January 9 Reading

2010-01-24T22:06:00.000-08:00

Job 8 - 14. In chapter 8, one of Job's friends there for support, Bildad, speaks up. Bildad discusses God's justice to dealing with men according to their works. As he continues, he speaks of how our lives are so short, "because our days upon earth are a shadow" (8:9), we need to be cautious to not become hypocritical (8:13). He ends by offering encouraging words to Job that God would not "cast away a perfect man, neither will He help the evil doers:" (8:20).

Chapter 9 tells how Job acknowledges God's justice and admits that there is no advantage/rightness to contend with God, because of who He is (9:32).

In chapter 10, Job really starts complaining about his afflictions, which, at this point, are many. He complains of life and simply wants a little ease from pain before he dies. I think verses 15-16 noteworthy of quoting, "If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction; For it increaseth...". I am confident in saying that everyone reading this has, at some time, been "full of confusion". But, notice what Job does as he admits his confusion; he immediately asks God to see it, because it's getting almost too hard to bear. Can we honestly say that we do this? If not, we should! It never hurts to beseech God and ask for a little help.

Chapter 11 begins with Job's final friend, Zophar, speaking. He reproves Job for justifying himself; believing he's a good man, that he does what's right, that he's not wicked, that he's done nothing to his knowledge to deserve any of this, etc. Zophar announces that God's wisdom is unsearchable and assures Job that blessings come with repentence. Additionally, just to show how much grace God gives to those of us who believe, in verse 6, Zophar wisely says, "Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.". Verse 13 offers sound advice, "If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward Him...". How true this sage reasoning is for us today! We should pray for God to help us prepare our own hearts and to help us to reach toward Him. Verses 14-20 are just beautiful! Zophar expounds on how much peace can come from repentence.

In chapter 12, Job responds to the messages that Zophar had just given to him. He continues to maintain his innocence and righteousness now agaist all three of his friends. Job acknowledges God's omnipotency. A couple of Scriptures jumped out of me, verses 9 and 10, "Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?". We must take care to not forget that our existence is in God's hands... and our protection.

In chapter 13, Job reproves his friends once again and professes his confidence to God. He yearns to be able to know his own sins and to learn God's purpose for him as He allows him to be afflicted. One of the verses (15) is one of my favorite old hymns, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him". Job asks two things of his friends: 1) Go far away from him at this time, and 2) Don't let their dread make him afraid (verses 20-21). He pleads with himself, them, and God to show him his sins (verse 23).

Job asks God for favor in chapter 14; the favor being the shortness of his life. He seems to be in a hopeless dilemma, having lost everything, but despite his circumstances, he still waits for a change to come his way. Job hangs on by a thread, but he hangs on!

January 8 Reading

2010-01-24T16:58:00.000-08:00

Job 1 - 7. Job is living THE LIFE. He's healthy, wealthy, wise, and has a very strong belief in God. Much like Abraham, remember?

The book of Job begins by recounting the facts surrounding Job; his wealth, his family, and his health. He seems to be living a sweet, sweet life, when suddenly Satan approaches God with his unwarranted, bitter philosophy that no one in the world really loves God for who He is; but rather Satan argues with God that people only love him for the material riches.

At this point, enters Job. The perfect candidate for Satan to prove his ideas to God.

In the beginning of this book, Satan was contually busy: Job 1:7, "From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it". He still does this today. He is always alert to try to find the "holes" in our faith; our weaknesses. Once he finds one, he focuses on trying to destroy our faith. God surrounds us with a "hedge" (1:10) of protection, but occasionally our faith is tested.

Unfortunately, Job's faith was tested to the extreme. He lost his family, wealth, and health, but he held fast to his faith in God. Even his own wife told Job, "Dost thou still retain thy integrity? Curse God and die." She showed her foolishness in her advice, but "In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly".

Three of Jobs friends show up for moral support: Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, "... they made an appointment together to come to mouurn with him and to comfort him" (2:11) for "... his grief was very great" (2:13). Do you have friends that support you? I hope so! They can be such a blessing!

When Eliphaz spoke, he began trying to figure out Job's situation and advise him. He tells Job what he though he should do and reproved him (Chapters 4-5). Job, however, defends himself and reproves Eliphaz of unkindness, "To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend..." (6:14).

Job, in his response to Eliphaz, says, "Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth?..." (7:1). Job's wondering if his time has come!

Sometimes when life overwhelms us, health-wise, and we feel near death, it is a time to consider what the divine purpose of God's will is. Our life, afterall, is in His hands! I am thankful for the life God has given me.

On a very personal note, I am scheduled for a very complicated open-heart surgery on January 29, 2010. I think to myself, what if I don't make it? If not, it's my time to go and I can be very happy with that (24/7 pain for a year is very hard to deal with and has taken a major toll on my physical body). I will join my Father and Christ, along with my loved ones that have already past. But, then, I think to myself, I need to make it! My family has suffered such grief over the past 5 years that it is unimaginable. I have things to do! Relationships to strengthen. My own spirituality to focus on! God has saved me from the clutches of death so many times over the past couple of years, that it is unreal, literally. He obviously has a plan for me and I need to quit messing around and figure out what it is!

I am blessed. I am happy. I am at peace. Like Job, how can I complain about aches and pains when I have my faith to hang on to?

Job

2010-01-21T20:00:00.000-08:00

The author of Job is unknown and was written in the Land of Uz, approximately 2000-1800 B.C. This book discusses suffering and the blessings that can come from it. Bible scholars mostly agree that Job is the oldest book of the Bible and that Job lived in the same era as Abraham. This explains why our reading journey makes a leap from the middle of Genesis over to Job.

Abraham and Job had a couple of things in common; both were wealthy and both possessed a strong faith in God.

Throughout Job, he complains of his afflictions (which include the loss of his family, his wealth, and his health) to his friends. He spends a good amount of time dwelling on his suffering until he finally realizes that it isn't his place to question God. He repents and God immediately restores his health, gives him another family, and makes him more wealthy than he had been before.

Job ends his personal suffering with a simple, yet powerful, message: "I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:6).

Everyone has their own battles to fight, but this book serves to remind me that I, like Job, need to be repentant and just trust God. It is too easy at times to complain about life. My hope is that I pray my way through life and not complain my way through life!

Holy Bible: The Poetic Books

2010-01-21T19:43:00.000-08:00

In an earlier post, I mentioned that the first 17 books of the Bible gave the history of civilization through various authors.

There is also a different set of books in the Old Testament (OT) that are called, "The Poetic Books". These books include: Job, Psalms, Proverrbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon.

The poetical books do not address the history of mankind, but instead they relate life's experiences in matters of the human heart. These books explore such things as suffering, life, love, wisdom, and most importantly, a glimpse into who God is. These books link the history of our past with the prophetic books that were to come in the future.

These books are the most read in the OT. Personally, I find a lot of peace and comfort within these books! I pray that you do also, as we continue our journey through the Bible.

January 7 Reading

2010-01-20T20:58:00.000-08:00

Genesis 21 - 22

Highlighted Scripture:

Genesis 21:12, "And God said unto Abraham, let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called."

Personal Thought: Once you've read the story from which this scripture was taken, it becomes clear that we should acknowledge when we make mistakes and take responsibility for them. In doing so, God turns negative things into positive things!

January 6 Reading

2010-01-20T20:52:00.000-08:00

Genesis 18 - 20

Highlighted Scripture:

Genesis 18:14, "Is any thing too hard for the Lord?"

Personal Thought: All things are possible with God! The first step to receiving is FAITH.

January 5 Reading

2010-01-20T20:49:00.000-08:00

Genesis 15 - 17

Highlighted Scripture:

Genesis 15:1, "After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and hy exceeding great reward."

Personal Thought: Is God your shield reward? He should be our protector, buckler, defence, and hedge!

January 4 Reading

2010-01-20T20:45:00.000-08:00

Genesis 12 - 14

Highlighted Scripture:

Genesis 12:2, "And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing."

Personal Thought: The Lord was speaking to Abram (later named Abraham) about the promises of a bountiful future. Notice that Abram couldn't have done this on his own; it took God's divine intervention!

January 3 Reading

2010-01-20T20:41:00.000-08:00

Genesis 9 - 11

Highlighted Scripture:

Genesis 9:13-14, "I do set my bow in the cloud and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:"

Ever wonder how rainbows came into existance? Read about Noah and it tells the origin!

January 2 Reading

2010-01-20T20:36:00.000-08:00

Genesis 5 - 8

Highlighted Scripture:

Genesis 6:5-6, "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart."

Personal Thought: I can only imagination God grieving at the events happening in the world today; our nation needs to wake up!

January 1 Reading

2010-01-20T20:29:00.000-08:00

Genesis 1 - 4

Highlighted Scripture:

Gen. 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."

Genesis

2010-01-20T20:25:00.000-08:00

Genesis was written approximately 1445 - 1405 B.C., by Moses in the Middle East.

The Hebrew word for "Genesis" means "in the beginning". Genesis lays the foundations for everything that is to follow, including key truths God wants all of us to know and understand in our lives.

Holy Bible: Historical Books

2010-01-20T20:22:00.000-08:00

The first 17 books of the Bible trace the history of man from creation through the inception and destruction of the nation of Israel.

The first five books of the Bible are called the, "Pentateuch". These books record how Israel was chosen, redeemed, and prepared to enter the promised homeland.

The remaining 12 books record the conquest of the lands, a history of the judges that ruled over the nation, the formation of the kingdom, and the division of that kingdom into the northern (Israel) and southern (Judah) kkingdoms, and finally the total destruction and captivity of both kingdoms.

Reading the Bible Chronologically In A Year

2010-01-20T19:33:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wanted to read the entire Bible, but it seems a little overwhelming? Does it sometimes seem confusing when you read the Old Testament(OT)?

There can be several reasons the Bible can seem confusing in the OT:

1) There were many different authors of the entire OT books, and to make it more confusing, some books were written by several different authors.
2) The order of the books in the Bible is NOT the order of events. While some things were happening in Genesis, other things were going on in Job.
3) A lot of the OT is history, history, history. And family ancestry. All of the "begats" can get frustrating.
4) And, let us not forget to even mention the fact that there are many names of people and places that are very difficult to pronounce.

Nonetheless, it is quite possible to read the entire Bible in a year, chronologically (in the order of the events as they happened).

The Bible is unique among books and is the most read book in the world. Our all-powerful God used 40 inspired authors to pen the Scriptures over a period of approximately 1500 years. Even though the Bible is an ancient book, its truths are as real and relevant today as when they were first written. It is a timeless book.

I sincerely hope that this article inspires you to read the Bible... and if you can't make it in a year, then don't stress about it, and just read it with the time that you have.

So, here's how this is going to work. I'll give the date and what you are to read, chronologically as the year progresses. The list will also be available online, so you can print it off periodically and check off your readings. Also, I will try to give a brief summary of the different readings and select a key Scripture that I think needs highlighted.

Since it's already going into the latter part of January, there is a lot of catch-up reading to do!

God bless each and every one of you!
Terry

Pressing Forward!

2010-01-02T14:14:00.001-08:00

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)

In Him

2009-09-20T12:00:00.001-07:00

"For in Him we live, and move, and have our being". (Acts 17:28)

Be Not Afraid

2009-09-19T00:45:00.000-07:00

"Be not afraid of their faces: For I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord." (Jeremiah 1:8)

In this passage, the "I" is defined in the Scripture before, "But the Lord said unto me,...".

Jeremiah is the author of this book, set in Jerusalem sometime about 626 BC. He followed on the heels of Isaiah by about 100 years or so, so he had some tough shoes to fill. The entire book is an autobiography of Jeremiah during the reigns of the last five kings of Judah. He was also the last prophet before the fall of Jerusalem and is called, "the weeping prophet" because of his deep sorrow over the unrepentent nation, their coming destuction, and the inevitable exile of his people.

Jeremiah is a good example of one who not only gave words of warning, but also wonderful words of encouragement during troublesome times. He constantly encourages his people to remember God's promises to them by renewing their hearts.

In verse 8, the original Hebrew word for "faces" is paniym, which has a broad meaning. It not only literally means peoples "faces", it also means their "presence" and "before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before" (Strong's Concordance).

As we travel our paths, we come across obstacles. We can choose to either view these as stumbling blocks or stepping stones. In light of yesterday's passage (Proverbs 4:26), we can rest assured that as we establish our paths with God, He will always be their to deliver us from hindrances to our life.

Are you living in the shadow of things people do, say, or act out?

Be not afraid.

Your Path

2009-09-18T21:11:00.001-07:00

"Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established." (Proverbs 4:26)

Happily Trusting

2009-09-17T17:25:00.001-07:00

"Blessed are they that put their trust in Him." (Psalm 2:12)

Are You Rich?

2009-09-16T16:34:00.000-07:00

"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye though His poverty might be rich." (II Corinthians 8:9)

There are many words to describe "rich". It can mean wealthy and having an abundance of material possessions, but not always. It sometimes refers to something on a different non-materialistic level; having more than enough to gratify spiritual needs.

It is easy to get distracted in today's economy on the almight dollar. The real question is, are you rich spiritually?

God Pleaser? Or Man?

2009-09-15T15:20:00.000-07:00

"For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10) - In a nutshell, are we God pleasers or man pleasers?

"But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts." (I Thessalonians 2:4) - Do our speech please God?

"...the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." (James 4:4) - Who are your friends?

Insomnia

2009-09-14T11:23:00.000-07:00

"I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: For thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety." (Psalm 4:8)

This is one of my favorite Scriptures in the Bible. When I'm worried, stressed, upset, etc., the first thing it negatively impacts is my sleep.

I found this Scripture about two years ago and it has NEVER failed to calm me and allow me to fall into a restful sleep. I have it memorized by now and just begin quoting it when trying to fall asleep.

It is comforting in multiple aspects. It covers not only sleeping, but peace and safety, too.

It is awesome to know that I can lay down and God can give me restful sleep and keep me safe in all areas of my life: Physical, emotional, financial, mental, etc.

Try it!

Christian Food

2009-09-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

... "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)

God's word is our spiritual food!

Conquerors!

2009-09-11T23:17:00.000-07:00

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ... Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35, 37-39)

Very powerful words! There is nothing and no one that can separate us from the love of God. During trying times, it is essential for us to look to God, through Christ, for help.

Notice that in the Scripture it does not say that "we are conquerors"? It says that, "we are more than conquerors"! Enough is not enough. We have MORE than what it takes to walk the walk. We should not settle for less.

Mourning

2009-09-11T03:54:00.000-07:00

"Blessed are they that mourn: For they shall be comforted." (Matthew 5:4)

I chose this Scripture due to the nature of today, September 11th. This article serves as a reminder to myself to depend upon God at all times, especially during trying times. Some think it bad to cry out to God more during the stressful times. Whether it is or isn't becomes mute, because each person has to be held accountable for him/herself only (Philippians 2:12).

The above Scripture has three (3) main focal words: "Blessed", "mourn", and "comforted".

BLESS

The New Testament refers to "bless" quite often, in many grammatical forms, such as: Bless, blessed, blessing, etc. The Scriptures found in Matthew, verses three through 11 (Matt. 5:3-11) are referred to as the "beatitudes". Beatitude simply means "supreme happiness" or "a state of utmost bliss".

Jesus presents the Beatitudes in a positive manner; virtues in life which ultimately lead to reward. Love becomes the motivation for the Christian. There are eight (8) beatitudes found in the gospel of Matthew. The word, "blessed", is referenced using four (4) different Greek words, each with a layer of meaning that varies somewhat from word to word.

"Eneulogeo" means "to confer a benefit on" and is found only twice in the New Testament: Acts 3:25 and Gal. 3:8.

"Eulogeo" means "to speak well of" and is found 44 times in the New Testament, one of which is James 3:9.

"Eulogia" means "eloquent speech" and is used 16 times in the New testament, one of which is Ephesians 1:3.

"Makarios" means "spiritually prosperous". Last, but certainly not least, we have a completely different word translated "blessed", which meant "happy" in the ancient world, but in the New Testament, adds the idea of "spiritual prosperity" to "happy". "Makarios" is used 58 times in the New Testament, in such passages as the "beatitudes" of Matthew 5:3-11.

MOURN

Now that the idea of "blessed" has been discussed, we now turn to "mourn". "Mourn" means to feel or express grief or sorrow. Regret over our sins and the sins of this world is expected. We should humble ourselves before God and take time to appreciate all that He has given us; acknowlege how good and merciful He is. In this Scripture, "mourn" refers to blessing, because mourning our imperfect humanity creates in us a desire to improve ourselves and to do what is right! So what happens when we mourn? Read on!

COMFORTED

The word "comforted" means "to give strength and hope to", "cheer", "to ease the grief or trouble of". On a sidenote, the "Holy Ghost" (John 14:25-6) is often referred to as "the comforter". The Holy Ghost (John 3:33-34), or sometimes called "Holy Spirit", is one part of the trinity: The Father (God), the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit.

SUMMARY

The Scripture again states, "Blessed are they that mourn: For they shall be comforted." Rephrased, it says, "Spiritually happy are those people that regret the fall of mankind and the sin that came into the world: For the people that do so will be given strentgh and hope to ease the grief and trouble".

This is only one of the eight beatitudes. Hopefully, this article has provided some enlightenment to you spiritually.

All comments/suggestions are welcome.

Have a blessed day!

Trusting is Vital!

2009-09-10T13:57:00.000-07:00

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6

The book of Proverbs was written by King Solomon as he tried to enlighten the young people of his day, much like a father would have given advice to his children. He challenges young men and women to treasure wisdom above all else, and he also plainly states how to make sure that each stayed on the "right" path.

These Scriptures plainly give us three (3) simple steps to follow, with an absolute end result.

Step 1: "Trust" is defined as, "assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something and one in which confidence is placed." We are to completely depend upon the Lord with our whole being; not just part of it.

Step 2: Do not try to figure things out for ourselves. Our understanding is based upon what we know and see. Our perceptions are faulty in that we do not see the entire picture, as God does. So, for us to "lean", which means to rely for support or inspiration, upon ourselves is not a good idea. Our judgement is clouded by things of this world, emotions, etc. God's isn't.

Step 3: In everything we do, which includes speaking, we are to acknowledge God. "Acknowledge" means, "to recognize the rights, authority, or status of." We are to recognize for God for WHO He is!

End Result! This is clear: Follow the three (3) steps above, and God will direct our paths. "Direct" means, "to point out, prescribe, or determine a course or procedure". "Paths" means, "a course, a route, or a track specially constructed for a particular use".

In essence, follow three simple guidelines and God will point our, prescribe, and determine our route through life.

The Christian Journey

2009-09-09T17:46:00.000-07:00

"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:14

The Christian journey is not an one, especially in these days and times.

In this passage, the apostle Paul was warning the Philippians that they could expect opposition and trials in their everyday life. He encouraged them to press toward the goal of spiritual growth and maturity and to persevere through their adversities.

In verse 13, Paul states, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before."

This is very sound advice today! When life becomes discouraging here on earth, we need to remember that we are God's creation and this is our "temporary" home. Heaven awaits those of us that keep pressing on.

Long ago, it was very difficult for me to let go of the past. I would replay events in my head over and over, and play the "what if" game. It almost drove me insane and almost always negatively effected my mood. I finally learned that what has happened in the past is just that: IN THE PAST. It cannot be changed. If I made mistakes, then I try to learn from those so as not to repeat them. Our past is over and done with; the present is NOW, so make valuable use of your time NOW. Our future is yet to be done, but place it faithfully into God's gracious hands and it is as secure as it could ever possibly be.

To coin an old adage from the 1970's, "Keep on truckin'"!

Our Source of Strength

2009-09-08T18:17:00.000-07:00

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

How much can we expect from God through Christ? ALL THINGS.

The Greek (Which is the original language of the New Testament, while Hebrew is the original language of the Old Testament) word translated "all" here is "pas", meaning "all types, or all kinds", not "absolutely all" (which is "hopas", as found in Matthew 24:39)things. In this passage of Scripture, Paul is telling how Christ gives him the strength to endure all types (or kinds) of things that may come his way.

"Strengtheneth" means to make or become stronger, according to Merriam-Webster. The Greek interpretation of "strengtheneth" is to "empower". "Empower" means to give official authority or legal power. It also means to "enable" or "to promote the self-actualization or influence" of something.

It is comforting to know that in all types or kinds of things we can go through Christ and He is able to give us the power to overcome!

Enjoy The Day!

2009-09-07T00:47:00.000-07:00

"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." - Psalms 118:24

Merriam-Webster defines "rejoice" as: 1) To give joy to, 2) Gladden, and/or 3) To feel joy or great delight. The definition of "day" is not quite as simple, but is indeed very comprehensive of time. "Day" is defined as: 1) The time of light between one night and the next, 2) The period of a planet or moon on its axis, 3) The mean solar day of 24 hours beginning at mean midnight, 4) A specified day or date, and/or 5) A specified time or period (age) (the remainder of which is not relevant to this article).

The holiday, "Labor Day," is a day set aside for the special recognition of working people. It is the first Monday in September observed in the United States and Canada as a legal holiday, and on May 1st in many other countries.

In approximately 1000 BC, King Solomon wrote, "In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury." (Proverbs 14:23). Diligence and perseverance in our everyday work is echoed throughout the entire Bible as a characteristic that results in success and satisfaction in life. Laziness was viewed as a fault that contributed to poverty, perhaps both financially and spiritually.

So, as we celebrate today, let us bask in the wonder of the day and be thankful that God has been merciful in providing us this marvellous (Psalms 118:23), blessed day!

Find "Our Daily Inspiration" on Facebook and become a fan. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Who Can Be Counted On?

2009-09-06T19:17:00.000-07:00

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." - Genesis 1:1

Do you ever feel alone? Or afraid? Worthless? Defeated? Hurt? In pain? I believe we all experience these feelings at some time or another in our lives. The key thought to remember is our origin: Who made us. And that would be God.

No matter what difficulties life may be hurling at us, God has been here from the beginning. We are His creation (Genesis 1:26) formed in His image and likeness.

He has, and will continue to be, our heavenly Father. He can see every aspect of each of our lives; even the future. While we do have free will, God "nudges" us in the direction He would like us to go. It is when we veer from this path that turmoil occurs, and our peace usually disappears. Aren't you glad that He has taken the responsibility of caring for us? I would hate to entrust my life to another human, including me!

I am so very grateful for all of the blessings God has bestowed upon me. He has been my rock and my salvation (Psalms 18:2) through all adversity and illness. He continues to fill my heart with peace and hope (II Timothy 1:7), even when things look impossible (Philippians 4:13). I am thankful for the many miracles that He has blessed my life with. Miracles have no "limited supply", but are always there for the asking (Matthew 7:7).

It is good to know that I can always count on God!

Welcome!

2009-09-06T18:39:00.000-07:00

Welcome to "Our Daily Inspiration". It is hoped that you find peace and comfort in the words provided in these messages. The quotes are taken directly from the King James Version of the HOLY BIBLE. Your thoughts, prayer requests, and ideas are immensely appreciated!

Each entry found here is highlighted on Facebook. Become a fan today and please feel free to comment!