“Restore unto me the joy…” - Psalm 51.12

Have you ever felt “FLAT”?  Have you felt spiritually “FLAT” and muddled?  There are times we need to be reminded that the Christian life is a life of JOY!

“Thy word…”  Psalm 199.11

One of the things I like best about the Bible is that it’s “just” simply the Bible.  By “just” I mean that the Bible is not a huge or difficult book. The largest book in the world weighs in at some 1500 kg!  And, some books contain words and technical data that only the experts in those particular fields can interpret.

The Bible is not like that at all!

“And the Philistines took the ark of God”  1 Samuel 5.1

Think about that sometime when you have a few minutes...

“the Philistines took the ark of God”

That is very sad.

The ark of God, where God had chosen to place His presence – it was very holy and very special and now... it was gone!

“...shall attain unto wise counsels:”

Proverbs 1.5

The whole verse says, “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:”.

One of the greatest blessings we have, as born-again Christians, is the access to good information.  By that I mean we have the best counsel and advice available in this world today.

The best in this world, at our fingertips…  The Bible!

“…bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”  - 2 Corinthians 2:5

Thank the Lord for the above verse!

First because it tells us we can keep our minds and imaginations safe by the grace of God!

Secondly it warns us of a dangers that the world, the flesh and the devil try and convince us are OK!

“Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart…” 1 Kings 3.9

Solomon had just become the king of Israel.  He was about 20 years old.

When the LORD told him to ask for whatever he wanted, Solomon prayed, “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?”

So many decisions we have to make in this life, and so many lives that our decisions will impact…

“Then Lot chose…” - Genesis 13.11

“Then Lot chose…”

When we read about this man named Lot in the Old Testament we have to wonder if he even knew the Lord.  His life was certainly filled with some selfish, sad, and shameful episodes – yet the New Testament calls him a saved man in 2 Peter 2.7-8, “just Lot …  vexed his righteous soul…”  The word “just” and “righteous” both mean, “righteous, observing divine laws”.

Saved, but sad… bad… choices “Then Lot chose…”

“Bring me a new cruse...” - 2 Kings 2.20

In the Bible a “cruse” is a container.  It was usually made of clay, and it could be either tall or small.

“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,”  - (2 Timothy 2:24)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

And…

“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men…”

Are we prepared to be the servant of the Lord this year?  Are we preparing to be gentle, and patient, so that we can teach people what God has shown us so graciously, and… patiently from His Word?

“…the righteous are bold…” - Proverbs 28:1

I love this verse more every time I read it and I always have to ask myself the question, “Why are the righteous bold?”

Those who know the Lord, who are serving the Lord as best they know, those who love the Lord - the righteous… “are bold”.  They are not proud, or boastful.  They are not pompous, or assuming, they “are bold”!  Why?

I don’t know about you, but I am not always thinking to myself, “I am bold.  I am bold!  Praise the Lord – I am bold!”