Spurgeon on “Cast Your Burden on the Lord” ~ 2 Minute Devotional

This quote is from Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotional. The code M12-19 means that it is from the Morning reading on December 19.

The sparrow image was chosen to match the quote and really helps to emphasize God’s care for the least of His created creatures and how he truly cares for each of us.

The Spurgeon Quotes iPhone app has quotes for each day of the year with a matching image. The day’s quote is presented when the app is launched, plus you can browse through the other quotes if desired.

I hope you have been blessed by this quote and the accompanying image taken from the Spurgeon Daily Quotes iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.

Hind’s Feet on High Places- Psalm 18 NASB 2 Minute Devotional

Have you ever been in the right place at the right time to see something special? A few weeks ago, after a late afternoon thunderstorm, I looked outside to see the most magnificent rainbow. In fact, there were two rainbows. The colors of the dominant one were so bright and vivid – it was breathtaking. A few minutes later it was gone.

As I think about my life, I can see that God has led me with love and precision. He has placed me at the right time in the right place to accomplish his purposes. One step to the right or the left would not have accomplished his purposes and would have led to disaster.

When I look at the image of the mountain goat perched on a ledge, I think of the precision of each foot placement and how one misstep can lead to disaster. Yet they live and thrive in the high places.

I know it’s not my skill, strength or intelligence that sets me on high places. To God alone be the glory for leading me every moment of every day.

I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 18 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes NASB iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.

I’m Ready to Go. – Psalm 116 NIV 2 Minute Devotional

My grandmother was well into her 90s when we gathered around her. It would be the last time I would see her in this life. She looked up at me, smiling, her blue eyes twinkling, and said: “I’m ready to go.” I’ll never forget that moment.

My uncle told me that the short time she had been in the nursing facility she had been a blessing and encouragement to everyone there, staff and patients. Her confident faith and cheerful attitude were an inspiration to all.

My grandmother had served the Lord all her life. As the Psalmist says in this passage, she had walked “before the Lord in the land of the living,” she had known suffering and affliction in her life, she had fulfilled her vows “to the Lord in the presence of all his people.” She knew the love of her savior, Jesus, and shared that love with her family, friends and all she came into contact with.

The image shows a beautiful, peaceful sunset. May the Lord help me to grow in my faith so that as my life comes to a close, as my sun sets, I will be ready to go, like my grandmother; with confidence and faith.

Dear Lord, It’s never too late to turn to you as savior. Help us to know your love and grow in faith to the end of our days. When we are called home, let us be ready to confidently say, “I’m ready to go.”

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” I love you grandma.

I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 116 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes NIV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or  Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.

EXTRA!

Below is an extra treat! The Sons of Korah have put Psalm 116 to music. Listen to a sample below and purchase your own copy at the iTunes store by clicking on the button.

Psalm 116b – Rain Album

Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit – Psalm 31 NIV 2 Minute Devotional

The first phrase of Psalm 31 is quoted by Jesus on the cross. In fact “Into your hands I commit my spirit,” are the last words Jesus spoke before he died. They were uttered with his last breath. These words are the final act of faith as he leaves his earthly life.

When I was very young, I had complete confidence that my parents would take care of all my needs. They fed me, clothed me, protected me and loved me. If I was sick, they watched over me.

For some reason, it seems difficult to have such complete confidence in God. Probably because God isn’t flesh and blood like my parents. I can’t touch Him or see Him.

But I have God’s word, the Bible. I know that Jesus was flesh and blood. I know about Jesus life, death and resurrection. I know of his love for sinners, like me. I also know of his forgiveness and redemption of sinners. The Psalmist says God knows about my affliction and anguish of my soul.

Can I commit my spirit into God’s hands? Yes! Can I have complete confidence that God will take care of all my needs? Confidence will grow as your faith grows. Your faith will grow as you draw closer to God by reading the Bible, seek fellowship with other believers and listen to the preaching of God’s Word.

Dear Lord, Help my faith to grow so that when the end comes I can say, “Into your hands I commit my spirit. Amen.

I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 31 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes NIV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or  Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.

May His Name Endure Forever – Psalm 72 NIV 2 Minute Devotional

The sun plays a major role in our lives. The sunrise marks a 24 hour cycle we can’t ignore. If the cycle changed in length it would have a profound effect on us, but the sun never changes. It’s there for us every day, constant, unchanging.

The sun has been there since ancient days, it’s here for us now, and will mark time for future generations. The sun is probably one of the few physical things that comes close to representing eternity for us.

In this passage the Psalmist reminds us that God is eternal. “May his name endure forever.” This is a great comfort to us. God is with us, constant, unchanging – as long as the sun rises each day.

Today we see that over the ages God has blessed people from all the nations. Just as he has blessed many of us, God reaches into the remotest areas of the world. From all over the earth, people  “call him blessed.”

Dear Lord, Thank you for your eternal, constant and unchanging word. Just as your love, through your son Jesus, has reached me, so it reaches across the world to all nations. Amen.

I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 72 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes NIV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or  Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.

Heavens are the Work of Your Hands – Psalm 102 ESV 2 Minute Devotional

Day to day, I tend to think of myself as eternal. When I go to sleep, I believe that I will wake to another day, and another, and another. When I look around, I expect the buildings and landscape to be the same day to day, year to year. Certainly, the stars in this beautiful NASA image will remain forever.

Then there are those circumstances that remind me of the transitory nature of life. Things change – a friend passes away, a landmark building is demolished, or we move to a new house.

In Psalm 102, the Psalmist comments on the eternal nature of God. I love the imagery of the Psalms. Those “eternal” stars, the heavens, will “wear out like a garment.” It took me four years to wear out a pair of tennis shoes, but stars take a bit longer.

Dear Lord, You are eternal, I am not. This body will wear out. Lord I want to be with you when that happens. Jesus makes that possible – let me come to know him now. Amen.

I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 102 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes ESV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.

Spurgeon on “No Place for Pride” ~ 2 Minute Devotional

As we grow older we are constantly adding to our resume. Employers, degrees, accomplishments, publications begin to add line after line.

For many of us, such things are a source of pride, but how did we get to where we are? The truth is that each of us is blessed with talents and skills that are gifts from God. Each step of the way God protected, directed and blessed our efforts whether we realize it or not.

As Spurgeon makes his point, “The more thou hast, the more thou art in debt to God,” all glory should go to God. If we truly understand this, there is no room for pride. If we ruffle our feathers to look more important, like our aquatic friend in the picture, we take glory due to God for ourselves.

One of the great illustrations of humility in the Bible is found in the story of Daniel. He was established as a young man of great learning and integrity as we enter chapter 2. When Daniel appears before King Nebuchadnezzar to interpret the king’s dream, he gives all credit to God. He says: “There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries…” in verse 28.

Humility doesn’t happen all at once for most of us. It’s a process of growth and faith. The first step is thanking God for the talents and gifts he has given us.

Dear Lord, I want to thank you for what you have given to me, especially the gift of life through Jesus Christ. May I surrender to you day by day the things that make me proud, that I may serve you in true humility, that you may receive all the glory. Amen.

I hope you have been blessed by this quote and the accompanying image taken from the Spurgeon Daily Quotes iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.

Strengthen Me – Psalm 119 KJV 2 Minute Devotional

I’ve been so sick on occasion that I didn’t feel like doing anything. I didn’t even want to sit up and read because my eyes were sore. Sickness, grief, depression and other afflictions can get us down to where it feels like our soul clings to the dust, and our soul melts from heaviness, as the Psalmist says in Psalm 119:25. We feel like a desert wasteland, as shown in the image. Nothing is growing, nothing is green.

It’s amazing what a little medication can do for the body. A friend can come alongside to share the grief, or offer an encouraging word to help lift the heaviness of our heart. Rain in the desert can bring out beautiful blossoms and colors.

The Psalmist also asks for God’s help.  “Quicken me” he says, “Make me understand the way of Your precepts” he prays. Once we start thinking about it we can begin to meditate on his wondrous works and offer the Lord praise for his grace and kindness toward us.

The passage continues: “Remove from me the way of lying, and grant me thy law graciously.” God’s word or law is our help and comfort.

Dear Lord, when our body is sick or our soul is heavy, please help us to turn to your word. Let it revive us, strengthen us and comfort us. Amen.

I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 119 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes KJV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.

Will Rogers on “Vote against all of ’em”

Will RogersJust like Will Rogers said in 1932, voters seemed to “vote against all of ’em” recently. The funny thing was that the Democrats were the ones that overwhelmingly got voted against. The other funny thing is that the Democrats were the ones that didn’t seem to have a clue what the voters were going to do.

I think it works the other way around as well. No politician is going to do anything a voter thinks he will do. The voters didn’t have a clue what the legislators were going to do as we entered the previous legislative cycle.

Healthcare? We didn’t know congress was going to take over one sixth of the economy. Bailouts? Who ever thought GM would become Government Motors. Stimulus and deficit spending? Congress seems to be fine with the idea that our children will pay for it.

Well, the voters voted against ’em all right. They cleaned house. Next time, politicians might want to take note of how the voters feel when they veer off the road of common sense.

This picture was taken during the Will Rogers-Wiley Post ill-fated Alaska trip in August of 1935. Famous Aviator Wiley Post is pictured standing on the pontoon of the aircraft.

Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.

I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.

Will Rogers

Cover My Sins – Psalm 32 NIV 2 Minute Devotional

Sin is so repulsive to us that we try to cover it any way we can. We rationalize it, hide it, laugh at it, or try to balance it with good works. None of this actually works in the long run because we still have a sense of shame. We know instinctively that something is wrong and needs to be addressed.

If you believe the Bible, the problem of sin is as old as the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve tried to hide from God, and covered themselves with leaves to further mask their shame.

If you don’t believe the Bible, I have a simple question for you. Why do you wear clothes? It’s not just because of the weather, is it? Covering specific parts of your body is as old as the Garden of Eden.

Covering our sin is as important as covering our body. The shame of having no covering is to painful to bear. But, while covering our body is simple, covering our sin is not. In fact, it is impossible to cover our sin without God’s help. There’s simply too much of it, and even if part of it can be hidden, other sins become visible.

The Psalmist says in this passage, “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.” In the Bible, we find that it was Jesus who bore OUR sins upon the cross. The beaten and bloody body of Christ was hung on the cross, naked, for all to see. The ugliness and shame were real, personal, deep, painful. Jesus did that for me, for you, that our sins might be covered if we believe.

Dear Lord, Please cover my sins. I ask for your forgiveness and your help. Take my shame, and give me life. Amen.

I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 32 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes NIV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or  Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.

Will Rogers on “Suggestive Advertising”

Will RogersBack in 1934, Will Rogers indicates that folks were concerned about sensational advertising. Today, they’ve just about run out of sensational things to use. It all seems pretty boring, and nothing is shocking any more.

I have to disagree with Will on his statement that “You can’t make a picture as bad as the ads lead you to believe it is.” How do you explain movies like “Aliens vs. Cowboys?!”

It makes you question the theory of evolution. Are motion pictures evolving to a higher, more noble art form, or are they deteriorating into random collections of moral depravity?

There are some bright spots in the motion picture offerings these days however. Perhaps the viewers will choose the more noble and uplifting movies and leave the “sensational” ones to the dust bin of motion picture history.

Image Info: Will Rogers and Dizzy Dean at the 1934 World Series. Jay Hanna “Dizzy” Dean (January 16, 1910, Lucas, Arkansas – July 17, 1974) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the last National League pitcher to win 30 games in one season. Dean was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953.

The image was taken directly from pictures at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum archive. I apologize for the quality of the image, but this is exactly what the 1930s photo looked like when I scanned it. In the hundreds of images contained in this iPhone application, I wanted to share as many different Will Rogers photos as possible from as wide a variety of times and situations – movies, cowboy, vaudeville, with famous people, and family scenes.

Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.

I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.

Will Rogers

Spurgeon on “Before the Stars Began to Shine” ~ 2 Minute Devotional

“Before the first of the stars began to shine!” We were on God’s mind in eternity past, when the covenant was formed, and Jesus expressed his love for each of us (his elect) as he became party to it. Can we even begin to comprehend ages so vast, or love so deep?

Words and images are simply inadequate in describing concepts such as everlasting and eternity. Spurgeon’s imagery, however is beautifully stated and wonderful to ponder. The background image is from a NASA photograph of deep space, to give further perspective to the long ages of eternity.

But how can I know if I am one of God’s elect? Because of God’s love for his people, he will surely communicate his love and salvation to us. There are several ways He communicates. God has provided his Word to us, the Bible, to communicate the gospel message to us personally. Pastors and christian friends share God’s word with us, and finally God’s Holy Spirit actively works in our lives. We are not alone!

If you are unsure of God’s grace and salvation in your life, pray for His help, and look for His answer. Complete assurance of salvation may not come all at once, but it will grow over time.

Dear Lord, Grant me a deeper understanding of your eternal love. Speak to me through your Word, christian friends and by your Holy Spirit, that I may know your salvation and be counted among your elect. Amen.

I hope you have been blessed by this quote and the accompanying image taken from the Spurgeon Daily Quotes iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.

Wait for the Lord – Psalm 2 Minute Devotional

I love these little penguins because they symbolize patience in the extreme as they care for the eggs. They are also cute. It seemed to beautifully fit Psalm 27:14 as shown in the image.

This verse is from the Psalm Daily Quotes NASB app. Each day of the year the app shows a different daily quote and matched image, plus you can browse the quotes collection.

Will Rogers & “Voters Can’t Remember”

This Will Rogers quote must be true. How else do you explain how legislators get reelected after scandalous behavior or legislating against the will of the people. It’s just astonishing that some of these politicians have any credibility left, but they keep getting elected. It’s as regular and predictable as the milking schedule on a farm.

Strange thing seems to be happening these days however. If the last election is any indication, people do seem to be remembering. People turned out to vote and sent a large number of legislators packing. Several legislators resigned or didn’t run in order to avoid defeat.

I recall that these defeated legislators, along with the current administration passed legislation that was extremely unpopular. Not only that, but people understood that the unpopular legislation was passed through manipulation and trickery, without review and accountability. Anyone remember the Speaker of the House’s famous proclamation that: “We have to pass this bill to find out what is in it.”

Don’t know about you, but I don’t take kindly to being manipulated, tricked or lied to by legislators or the media. I expect something better; something more honest; someone with integrity; someone accountable to the people they serve. People and businesses can’t conduct commerce by lying to each other. We don’t do business with people that lack integrity. So why is politics any different.

There’s a movement underway, where people seem to be remembering more than two months. They are holding politicians accountable. They are looking for some integrity and common sense coming from Washington.

The next election is more than two months away. We’ll see if this Will Rogers quote still holds true.

The image was taken directly from pictures at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum archive. I apologize for the quality of the image, but this is exactly what the 1920s photo looked like when I scanned it. In the hundreds of images contained in this iPhone application, I wanted to share as many different Will Rogers photos as possible from as wide a variety of times and situations – movies, cowboy, vaudeville, with famous people, and family scenes.

Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.

I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.