Daily Psalm ASV iPhone App Upgrade is released

Apple just approved the Daily Psalm ASV (American Standard Version) upgrade.
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Spurgeon on “Bear Fruit” ~ 2 Minute Devotional

These past years have been a financial struggle for us, as it has for many of you. Financial struggles, however, seem to teach us how to depend on God to meet our needs.

One of the things we did was to drop the cable TV expense. Interestingly, my wife and I, and three kids don’t seem to miss it much. We are finding more time to play games, read and be with friends. Let me mention here guys, that we aren’t sports fans, so the withdrawal wasn’t as painful as it could have been.

As we learn to depend on God for our needs, many times there are side blessings and benefits. A little humility or sacrifice isn’t a bad thing in terms of growing in Christ.

Dear Lord, help us to understand that your grace is sufficient for all our needs. Let deeper dependence on you bring forth fruit that will glorify you. Amen.

Charles H. Spurgeon, 1834-1892, was the foremost preacher of the 19th century. His many sermons, devotions, and books bring a unique, inspiring, and spiritual significance to biblical truth. What is most surprising is that Spurgeon had no formal theological training. Even so, he became widely recognized for his insight and prowess in biblical teaching.

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.

Navy Psalm 39:12 ESV on “Hear My Prayer”

Everyday Act of Valor

Until I started looking through the Navy archives, I didn’t realize that burials at sea are routinely done to honor shipmates’ final requests. This image is unique in that a son has the opportunity to honor his own father, as he carries on a proud military tradition. You can see both pain and pride in this sailor’s face.

You may not be able to see it at the bottom of the picture, but the sailor is holding a flag. It is a symbol of the sacrifice and love of country, presented to the family. Passing this heritage from father to son is an act of valor, made up of simple, every day prayers and actions.

Psalm 39:12 came to mind as I thought about this moment in the sailors life. We are sojourner’s moving though life, walking with our God. We pray for peace during the tough times, but have cause to smile as we ponder God’s grace and mercy toward us.

Dear Lord, Hear my prayer, and give ear to my cry. Hold not your peace at my tears! I need your mercy and forgiveness every day so that I may smile again. Amen.

Entire Quote & Image Information

Psalm 39:12 “Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers. 13 Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!”

Image info: PACIFIC OCEAN (June 9, 2009) Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Noel Myers holds a photo of his father, Edmond McKinley Myers Jr., and a flag moments after a burial at sea ceremony aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Commanding Officer Capt. K.J. Norton presented the Flag to Myers. Ronald Reagan is underway on a routine deployment to the western Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Oliver Cole/Released)

iPhone App

I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 39 and the accompanying image taken from the Navy 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.

Will Rogers on “Are we Cuckoo?”

Will RogersHere’s a story for you.

Farmer Jones down the road is a strange bird. Somewhere he got the idea that spending all his money and borrowing like there’s no tomorrow is a way to improve his farm.

Papa always taught me to be thrifty and Mama would tan my hide if I wasted a nickel. I save my money and don’t spend more than I make. Farmer Jones is mighty educated though, so maybe he knows what he’s doin’.

Lately though, there’s been more people gathered at the Jones farm and activity than slopped hogs at the trough. New tools arrive by the truckload, new buildings, electric tractors and animals.

But there seems to be a problem. I’ve loaned him all the money I can and he’s emptied his silos to buy expensive cattle scanners. He’s been begging me for more, but I just don’t have any more to lend. He promised that even if he can’t pay me back his kids and grandkids can handle it.

With all that money you would think the Jones place would be going gangbusters. Funny thing is that half of his farm hands have been laid off, because the shovels weren’t ready. The building projects kept people busy for a short time, but they ran out of money half way through. I also noticed that the people managing his projects were the same ones that ran his campaign for Commissioner of Bug-tussle County. Sometimes I see ’em walkin’ down the road with suitcases full of money.

The other day I asked Farmer Jones if he hoped things would change for the better. He said that he was thinking that this was the new normal. Then he asked me: “Brother, can you spare a dime?”

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

Give Thanks! – Psalm 109 ESV 2 Minute Devotional

I love this picture! Mr. Beaver seems to be talking directly to me, reminding me to “give thanks to the Lord.” Actually, I do need reminding, because I often forget to give thanks.

As in many Psalms, the Psalmist speaks of “the needy one” and of God’s protection and salvation. Normally I think of the “needy one” as some desperately poor person – someone else.

It turns out that that “needy one” is actually me! I need God’s protection. I need God’s salvation, through Jesus. I also need to give thanks with my mouth. I need to give thanks with God’s people in worship.

Dear Lord, bring to my mind often, the need to give you thanks – for your protection, for your salvation through Jesus, for all the blessings you have brought my way. Amen.

I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 109 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.

New Features for SOM iPhone Quote Applications

Systems of Merritt, Inc. has added some great new features to its line of iPhone applications.

The help and tips options give the user lots of information on how to use the program. The splash screen option simply shows the splash screen.

Staying in touch with customers is important to Systems of Merritt, and the contact Frank option allows the user to easily compose and send an email directly to the developer.

The information section has some additional useful options. If you want to know were the images came from touch the credit option. The share option is a great way to share the quote and image to a friend. If  you enjoy the application, please use the rate this app option so that others will know. The option takes you to the iTunes store where you can add your ratings and comments to the app page.

Finally, there is a products option that will list all of the Systems of Merritt products. If you enjoy this product, you might also enjoy on of our other fine products.

Are there some more features you would really like to see? Let us know with a quick note from the email the developer option. We love to hear from our users!

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

The Sheep of his Pasture – Psalm 100 ESV 2 Minute Devotional

These little lambs in the picture are pretty cute! You can almost imagine them speaking and giving thanks and praise to God.

This image fits wonderfully with Psalm 100 – we are the sheep of his pasture. The imagery of the Psalms is amazing and wonderful. Through it, God expresses His love for us with many different word pictures. Because God is our creator, and he cares for our needs, we should give him our praise and thanksgiving, freely and with enthusiasm.

I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 100 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.

The Number of the Stars – Psalm 147 NIV 2 Minute Devotional

Every day, in so many ways, God displays His wonders and power. They are all about us, in nature, in relationships, in events, protection, blessings, etc.

The wonders of nature are always stunning, if we take a moment to ponder them. From atomic structure to distant stars, as pictured in this beautiful NASA photograph. We can touch, smell, see, taste and hear these wonders of God. All our senses can be used to observe and delight in God’s glory.

Scientists spend entire careers examining just one tiny facet of creation. Collecting all the brilliant scientific minds in the world doesn’t even begin to answer all the questions, or explain natural phenomena. Like a drop in the ocean, compared to the vastness of creation.

Yet as insignificant as we may be, “He heals the brokenhearted” according to the Psalmist in this quote. He binds up our wounds. The great creator cares about His people. He even cares about me.

Jesus stepped across His created stars, He entered the realm of time, to become one of us. To feel the joys and suffering of life on earth, he truly understands our needs. As creator, he can truly bind our wounds.

We can only respond with the Psalmist: “Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!”

I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 147 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 Weather & Wall Street

Rogers is right on target as usual with this quote. How many times do we read in the papers that the experts are “surprised” by the latest economic news?

This quote comes from the Will Rogers Daily Quotes iPhone app. Each quote is coupled with an image of Will, and the image information is included after the quote.

The image is from Rogers’ movie Ropin’ Fool. Rogers is twirling his lasso as he talks to the young lady. If you look close you see the lasso is circling both of them.

The movie Ropin’ Fool was produced by Rogers to show is expertise with the lasso. It’s fun to watch. Some of his tricks have never been duplicated, and the movie uses slow motion to allow the viewer to catch the motion of the rope.

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 on “Income Tax, Golf & Liars”

This Will Rogers quote is from 1929, and we are still trying to figure out today if we are crooks or martyrs when it comes to the income tax form. It’s kind of humorous that today we have a Treasury Secretary, in charge of the IRS, that goofed up (in his favor) on his own income tax forms.

If you think that’s funny, try calling the IRS for help on your tax forms. Depending on who you get on the phone, phase of the moon, sunspot cycles and ozone levels, you can get a variety of different answers to the same question.

I have to hire an accountant to do my taxes. I can’t imagine how he keeps up with the tax code. It’s got more patches than a quilt and more loopholes than a handmade rug.

I don’t want to be rich, because then I could’t afford to die. But if I do die, I’ll never know for sure if income tax forms made me a crook or martyr. I just hope the IRS can’t repossess a used casket. (I had to dig deep for that one!)

Can I deduct underwear donated to the Salvation Army? Three out of five IRS representatives said yes. In golf, at least you know if you are a liar or not.

Image Information: This image shows Will Rogers riding with two of his children. Will loved horses and taught his children that same love and respect.

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.

Will Rogers on “Polecat Creek & Lame Ducks”

Will RogersLame ducks have been seen waddling down the halls of Congress lately. Unfortunately for these birds, there isn’t any more loot left in the National Treasury. There’s not even enough for a bridge to nowhere or a new post office building with their name on it. All the quacking and flapping around to raise the roof wouldn’t even be enough to bring home funds to widen Polecat Creek these days.

Without any money left, the hope these days is that there is a minimum amount of damage these poor rejected birds can do before they leave the Congressional pond and return to Polecat Creek back home.

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

Will Rogers on “Rushing to Wisconsin”

Will RogersThere’s a lot of rushing around these days. In Wisconsin, legislators are rushing out and protestors are rushing in where they have no business. Like Will Rogers says, they should have never left the place where they came from.

Normal working folks don’t have time to protest because they are busy earning a living. They do make time to vote, and they elected the Governor to take care of business.

Normal legislators are about the people’s business. Running away from their jobs just doesn’t seem right to most people when there are tough decisions to be made.

It seems kind of odd that the people that don’t pay Wisconsin taxes are coming in to the state to protest, and the people that are responsible for deciding how to best manage the tax money are leaving the state.

I think the good people of Wisconsin can take care of their own business without all the rushing around.

Image Info: Once Will Rogers found out he could get places faster by flying he was constantly in the air. From the early days of open cockpit aircraft, like in this picture, Will Rogers was part of the birth of commercial aviation. He knew all the famous pilots including Billy Mitchell, Wiley Post and Charles Lindberg and passionately promoted aviation.

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.

Will Rogers

Wondrous Deeds & Thoughts – Psalm 40 ESV 2 Minute Devotional

Is God a personal God, or is He only concerned with the big picture as an impersonal force? In Psalm 40 we see that God is very personal! His wondrous deeds and thoughts are multiplied toward us.

Simply pondering the physical world around us would lead us toward God. The wondrous complexity and beauty of the flowers in the picture speak of a creator. Scientists study diligently in the field of botany and continue to discover mysteries beyond comprehension. Pick any field of science and we quickly find there are wondrous features so complex that only a creator God can explain such things.

But there is more! God gives us a book, the Bible, that reveals who He is, and what He has done for us. We find out in the Gospels that Jesus became human, so that He understands us in all our physical and spiritual weaknesses. Where we fail and sin, Jesus provided a wondrous deed. He died on the cross and through his resurrection provides salvation for us, personally, and individually. His thoughts are directed toward us in every circumstance. For this I can only return humble praise and proclaim His wondrous deeds toward me.

Dear Lord, The complexities of this world are beyond comprehension, yet you have revealed your salvation to us through your son Jesus. By pondering your wondrous deeds in the physical world and in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, grant me faith to receive your salvation. Amen.

I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 40 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.