Tomorrow Will Get Its Day

Worry or Prayer (Photo credit: Leonard John Matthews)

Give your worries to the Lord, 
       and he will take care of you. 
       He will never let good people down. 

Psalm 55:22

New Century Version (NCV)

      Sometimes putting trust in the Lord seems easier said than done.  It would be nice to just go through life like most of us did as children when we had everything taken care of and didn't have to worry about much of anything.  Maybe we had some chores around the house and we were usually expected to do well at school, but we didn't have to think about bills and the bigger headaches of being an adult.  Our parents were there to take care of all of that.

       Later when we had the responsibilities adulthood we were the ones having to think about the bills and the future.  Sometimes it can become stressful as we become absorbed with worry and fear.   Yet what good does it do to let ourselves fall into this unhealthy trap?  It's wise to plan for the future and take care of daily affairs.   But if we worry about things over which we have little or no control, we are not solving any problems and may actually be contributing to new problems.

         Enjoy life.  Do what you can as best you can.   But don't let the unseen things of tomorrow ruin today.

So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. 

Matthew 6:34

New Living Translation (NLT)

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Getting Rid of the Junk

Cover of The Mystery of Picasso

People are only shadows as they go here and there. 
      They rush around, but it doesn't mean anything. 
      They pile up wealth, but they don't know who will get it.

Psalm 39:6

New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

        I keep thinking about simplicity in my life.  Less stuff around me.  Less clutter.  Less to worry about.

        The 1956 documentary film The Mystery of Picasso recorded the famed artist at work as he creates a number of paintings made expressly for the film and then presumably destroyed afterwards so that they can only be seen in the film.  This was an act of intent.

         Each year countless possessions of great value as well as items of common value are lost through disasters or theft.  I have been a victim of a few vehicle break-ins which resulted in the uninsured loss of many thousands of dollars worth of things that belonged to me.  Some of the items were of irreplaceable personal value to me.  

         Even when the losses are covered by insurance, let's face it--someone has to pay for those losses.  Life goes on and we all pay more for the want of acquiring more stuff.   For what purpose?   

         Recently on the news there was a report of riots occurring in Orlando, Florida where people were rushing to buy Nike Galaxy Foamposite shoes.  How far would these people have gone to have gotten a pair of these shoes?  The resale market value for these shoes on places like E-bay was reported to be a thousand or more dollars a pair.  Shoes mind you!

         Elsewhere in the world, including nations of prosperity, there are people in need of basic items like simple clothing, shelter, or even food.  What are we doing?  Why do we think we need fashion designer clothes and accessories, expensive jewelry, and high priced electronics?  There's a lot of vanity at work here.

         In the end what does it all come to?   Some of us will be lucky and recoup our investments in our lifetime or even leave something for our heirs to cash in on, but mostly it's just empty acquisition to fill some temporal void in our lives.  

         There's a lot of junk in my life that I need to get rid of so I don't have to have that distraction pulling me away from what is truly meaningful and valuable.

If we are rich and see others in need, yet close our hearts against them, how can we claim that we love God?   My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action.

1 John 3:17-18

Good News Translation (GNT)

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Watch What You Say

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Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

King James Version (KJV)

         Recently I signed up for Twitter.  Over the past week I've been on that site learning about this style of communication which is for now a novelty to me.  I find it similar to instant messaging except that whoever wants to can see what you're saying.  More than once on sites like Twitter has someone said the wrong thing and that has gotten them in trouble.  
        
          The concept of Twitter is mostly about economy of words, but as typical in much of today's social media circles just about anything goes as far as content.  I get silly sometimes in my words, but I try not to offend too many people.  My standard rule is to try to not say anything that I wouldn't say if my late grandmother (or anyone whose sensitivities I might care about) were listening.  


           Ultimately we should be most concerned about being heard by our Creator who hears all that we say. With God it is not only our words and our thoughts, but also who we are in our hearts.  What we are within will influence how we come across to others.  We may fool people for a while, but there's no fooling God.


Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Colossians 4:6

New International Version (NIV)

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Challenge Accepted

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How precious to me are your thoughts, God! 
   How vast is the sum of them! 
 Were I to count them, 
   they would outnumber the grains of sand— 
   when I awake, I am still with you.

Psalm 139:17-18

New International Version (NIV)

       My mind never stops working, but I am like a tiny cell in the vastness of God's thoughts.  God is thinking about you and me and everyone of us on this Earth.  And His thoughts extend infinitely beyond even that.   I can't even begin to fathom the extent of God and His awesomeness. 

       Just the other day I was thinking about the ideas that enter my mind throughout the day.  As one who writes, I continually look for inspiration to draw upon to transfer to the pages of the blogs that I maintain.   I puzzled over the suggestion that I've heard made by some that they have a difficult time thinking of things to write about.  Are they not tapping into the wellspring of the infinite inspiration that God can provide?

      I feel that God has given me the blessing of bringing the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge to my readers and those in the periphery of my readership.   I don't feel like this statement is a trivialization of God in any way because I truly believe that this Challenge has opened up doors of inspiration, fellowship, and opportunity to bloggers across the world.  It is a time when we can get our messages out to those who may be reading them.

      This blog--A Few Words--has been entered onto the sign-up list for the A to Z Challenge in April.  On Sundays (except for the April 1st Challenge start date) I will continue to present my comments about verses from Psalms.  During the rest of the month I will be reviewing Christian music artists or music and presenting video clips as examples.   

       There are so many ideas I could have used, but since Psalms is so closely tied with the topic of music I thought this would be an appropriate approach to take.  I hope you will be with me during April and enjoy what I have to offer you.

Sing to the LORD, all the earth;
   proclaim his salvation day after day.

1 Chronicles 16:23

New International Version (NIV)

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Onward Christian Soldiers

Onward Christian Soldiers (Photo credit: Spatial Mongrel)

 Praise be to the LORD my Rock, 
   who trains my hands for war, 
   my fingers for battle.

Psalm 144:1

New International Version (NIV)

       Recently I saw an amazing thing.  I had accompanied some visitors to Los Angeles to Hollywood so they could experience Hollywood Boulevard.  As we were exploring those sidewalk stars that memorialize celebrities of the entertainment industry, I heard an approaching clamor of voices.  Looking up I saw a procession of perhaps fifty or more Koreans advancing towards us.  They carried crosses and signs and in loud chants they proclaimed the salvation of Jesus Christ and the victory of almighty God.  Some among them boldly handed religious tracts to whomever would accept them.

       I was simultaneously thrilled and a bit shamed at the audacity of these Christians to invade the sin-ridden streets of Hollywood and thrust Jesus in the faces of all of us--thrilled that they were doing it and shamed that I was not.  They had a fervency and joy in their faces.  They would parade up one side of the busiest part of the boulevard then cross the street to parade back on the other side.  They continued this parade route for as long as we were there and probably continued after we left.  They were like soldiers marching to wage a war to save all sinners from the enemy Satan.  They were Christian soldiers.

       When I was a child we used to sing the hymn "Onward Christian Soldiers" in church.  This rousing song was always one of my favorites.  Then in the late 60s the song seemed to fall out of favor with the advent of the peace movement.  Christians began to accept the mantra of love, peace, and tolerance.  Now, these are beautiful ideals, but the fact remains that we are at war with sin and evil.  Rather than conforming to the inclinations of sinners and accepting all into the fold, we should be standing adamantly against sin.

        For those unfamiliar with the traditional hymn, I'm providing you with the song lyrics so you can decide if the message is acceptable for today's Christians.
     

Onward, Christian soldiers,
Marching as to war.
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before!
Christ, the royal Master,
Leads against the foe;
Forward into battle,
See His banner go!


At the sign of triumph
Satan's host dost flee;
On, then, Christian soldiers,
On to victory!
Hell's foundations quiver
At the shout of praise;
Brothers, lift your voices,
Loud your anthems raise!


Like a mighty army
Moves the church of God;
Brothers, we are treading
Where the saints have trod;
We are not divided;
All one body we,
One in hope and doctrine,
One in charity.


Onward, then ye people,
Join our happyy throng,
Blend with ours your voices
In the triumph song;
Glory, laud, and honor,
Unto Christ the King:
This thro' countless ages
Men and angels sing.


Onward, Christian soldiers,
Marching as to war.
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before!

Let me also leave you with a couple of related passages from the Bible.

Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 2:3

New International Version (NIV)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Ephesians 6:10-17

New International Version (NIV)

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The Ultimate Valentine

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For You, Lord, are kind and ready to forgive, 
rich in faithful love to all who call on You.

Psalm 86:5

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

       This is the time of year when thoughts of love are in the air.  Gifts of candy, flowers, and other tokens of remembrance will pass between friends, lovers, and spouses as the deepest of human feelings are expressed.  But human love is fragile. 

        Misunderstandings may sever relationships.  Love is not always forever for we humans who sometimes have a difficult time with forgiveness.  Our memories are often short as today's love can smolder into tomorrow's distrust and disgust.

        Then there is the One whose love is unfailing and eternal.  He is patient with us and sets the example for the way we should be.  God's love for us never dies.  Tell Him that you love Him.  Let Him know that you want Him in your life.  He is there for you in your times of greatest need.

  Though the mountains be shaken 

   and the hills be removed, 
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken 
   nor my covenant of peace be removed,” 
   says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Isaiah 54:10

New International Version (NIV)

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Look to Him for Help

Worry or Prayer (Photo credit: Leonard John Matthews)

Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy; 
      no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

Psalm 34:5

New Living Translation (NLT)

        Many of us have reason to feel sad, afraid, or disappointed about the state of our lives--or at least we think we do.   There is no reason to feel ashamed of struggling through difficult times.  Perhaps the way things are for us now is the consequence of bad decision making in our past or just plain bad breaks that came our way.  It's all a dark shadowy presence that is behind us.  Now is the time to let what has happened yesterday fall behind us.

         When we are moving ahead we are in the natural order of things.  For us time is a linear progression.  Time does not stand still and what has happened in the past is finished and can't be changed.  We can shape a positive future if we stay focused on the right things.   

So do not fear, for I am with you;
   do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
   I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

New International Version (NIV)

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