Where is Your God? – Psalm 42 NIV 2 Minute Devotional

In the midst of a difficult trial or physical sickness, I ask the question, along with the Psalmist: “Where is my God.” Unbelievers love to press that same question since they know that God doesn’t exist in this physical realm, in the sense that we don’t see him with our eyes or hear him with our physical ears. Is God my rock, massive, solid, everlasting, as in the image, or is He more like a cloud or vapor, intangible, fleeting, untouchable?

The financial crisis passed, grief has subsided, the body heals, or I learn to deal with the condition, a job decision is finally made clear. As I look back, I can see God’s guiding hand was there all the time, but I don’t have that clarity looking forward. It turns out that God sees our future as we see out past. His purpose will be accomplished in His time, in His way, for His glory.

If I could just have eyes of hope that can trust God with this trial and my future. The Psalmist says we should yet praise Him! As we Praise God it can help us get through the tough time because praise encourages us to trust God.

Dear Lord, Help me to put my hope in you. I will praise you because you are my Savior and my God, and I know you will not forget me. Amen.

Below is a special musical treat for you. The Sons of Korah have put Psalm 42 to music. Check out the sample and pick up your copy at the iTunes store.

I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 42 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!

The Sons of Korah have put Psalm 42 to music. Listen to a sample below and purchase your own copy at the iTunes store by clicking on the button.

Psalm 42b – 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.

Great is the Lord – Psalm 48 ESV 2 Minute Devotional

We use the word “great” to describe people: “He was a great baseball player,” or “She has a great voice.” It is used to describe things like: “That is a great car,” or “We saw a great movie.”

While the word “great” elevates the person or thing above the ordinary, I feel that words fail us when trying to describe the greatness of God. Nor are there words that can fully express praise due to God, as in “greatly to be praised.”

In the Scriptures, mountains are frequently associated with the worship of God, such as Mount Zion in this Psalm. When we look at a mountain, such as the one in this picture, we think about massive, immovable, tall, and “great.”

However, give me the tallest mountain, and God is greater. Give me the greatest man alive today, and God is greater. Let me praise God with all my strength, and I can scarcely express my thanks for the “great” salvation God has given me.

Dear Lord, Help me understand your greatness that I may praise you more and more each day. Amen.

I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 48 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.

Will Rogers on “The Rich get Richer”

Will RogersWill Rogers was a champion of the downtrodden and unfortunate who suffered in the aftermath of economic downturns and hardships. He tirelessly raised money for the Red Cross to help those who had been affected by natural disasters, especially farmers who suffered during the “dust bowl.”

In spite of his fame, Will Rogers was loved as a man of the people. Ironically, Rogers was friends with some of the richest and most influential men in the world, including Henry Ford and John D. Rockefeller. He often praised them for their achievements and generosity. Here’s an example quote: “Hurrah for Mr. Rockefeller, 96 years old today, one of the very few men that knew how to give money away so that every dollar does good. That’s more than our government can do. It’s more than anybody can do.”

I think Will Rogers had little patience with wealthy politicians of the day who bloviate about their concern for the farmer, while proposing programs that do little to help. Here’s a Will Rogers classic quote: “Farmers are learning that the relief they get from the sky beats what they get from Washington.”

Perhaps this explains Rogers’ quote. People who get rich at the expense of their fellow man or show no concern for the well-being of others were pretty low in Rogers’ estimation.

Will Rogers knew what it was like to be poor, and he also achieved a level of financial success. Through it all, Rogers lived a humble life of generosity which should inspire us all.

Image Information: Once Will Rogers discovered he could get places faster by flying, he was constantly in the air. From open cockpit through the dawn of commercial aviation he flew coast-to-coast and everywhere in between.

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

Spurgeon on “Comfort in God’s Choosing” ~ 2 Minute Devotional

Do you remember, as a child, being taken somewhere by your parents? If it was a place you really wanted to go, like the state fair, you were very excited. Additionally, you were absolutely confident in their choice to take  you where they said they would. Not only was it exciting, it was a great comfort as well, that you could trust them at their word.

Now contrast that with being lost in a big city. You never know if the choice you made to turn left or right will be the right choice – the choice that will take you to your destination. There is no comfort, only anxiety as you search for the way home.

Election in the Bible has to do with God choosing us. It’s amazing, that as you read the Scriptures, how many times we come across passages about how God has chosen us.

As Spurgeon says, it is truly humbling to know that we are not chosen because of anything about us, what we have done or even accomplished. For that undeserved grace, gratitude should pour from our hearts. We can take great comfort in that.

Now if my salvation and standing with God is the product of my choice, it would be unsettling, just like being lost in the big city. Did I make the right choice? If I choose God, can I then “unchoose” God? If I ever do find the way, then it would have been done through my effort, my choices.

I’m no theologian, but it just seems that concerning salvation, God choosing me, is much more of a comfort than me choosing God. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Eph 2:8-9 ESV. If we look closely at this passage, we find that even our faith is the gift of God.

Dear Lord, Grant me the gift of faith, that I may believe. Help me to know how perfect your choice is. Help me to take comfort in your election, your choosing of the saints. If there is any uncertainty in me, help me to begin to understand the depth and completeness of your grace, and let my heart bring forth gratitude and praise. 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.

iPhone App! Timeless Wisdom & Daily Inspiration from the Bible by Charles H. Spurgeon

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.

Will Rogers on “Guns and Neighbors”

Will RogersIn Rogers’ day, disarmament was a leading issue. In the period after WWI, there were numerous peace conferences. Rogers would attend and report on the proceedings with his characteristic wit and humor. Rogers saw the futility in nations trying to regulate how many battleships and weapons a country should have, and that it was no guarantee of a peaceful future.

Today the weapons are bigger, nuclear, and more destructive. Today we talk about nuclear disarmament. But the issue gets more complicated. Do we demand Israel exercise restraint when attacked? Do we ignore nuclear Iran’s  threat to wipe Israel off the face of the earth? Should we unilaterally disarm, in hopes that others will follow?

The U.S. is a good country, and a strong U.S. presence around the world tends to be the most effective way to keep peace. Our national interest is served and the world is a better place. A weak U.S. will make the world a more dangerous place where rogue nations think they can dictate international policy that is a threat to the U.S. and our allies. Which way are we headed?

Image Information: The image of Rogers is from his 1921 silent film Guile of Women. Rogers plays a Swede named Yal who travels with a friend to America to seek his fortune. After misfortunes in love and business, his girlfriend finally arrives from Sweden.

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 “Unpredictable Voters”

Will RogersPolitical consultants get paid big bucks to discern the “mind of the voter.” Sometimes it seems that there isn’t much to be found in the “mind of the voter” so the consultants drop back to trying to determine the “feelings” of the voter.

Feelings can be a tricky thing to predict. One single gaffe, or a wrong gesture, or a funny grimace can change the outcome of an election. The main stream media has manipulation of feelings down to a science. If they don’t like a candidate (read conservative), there is a flood of awkward pictures and quotes. In recent years we have found they are not beneath making up stories to make a politician look bad.

In this quote, Will Rogers indicates that voters are unpredictable, and furthermore, a voter would rather vote against a politician rather than for one. Fortunately, since voters can’t vote against “all of ’em” as Will Rogers says, somebody has to win.

The last election was filled with entertainment value. The main stream media was so obviously biased that it was actually humorous. Liberal politicians had no idea what the voters were going to do, and in the end the only post-election party was the tea party.

Image Info: Wiley Post walks along the pontoon of his aircraft during the fateful Alaska trip in August of 1935. Within a few days, Wiley Post and his passenger Will Rogers would die when the plane crashed on take-off near Point Barrow, Alaska.

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

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 “Remember the Sparrow” ~ 2 Minute Devotional

It makes you feel good when someone remembers you. My wife is great about that! She remembers what foods I like and don’t like. She knows the right words to say to encourage me. It’s a great blessing and I try to remember to say “thank you” often.

Spurgeon reminds us that if God remembers the sparrow, can he forget about us. God remembers to  care about the big and small things in our lives – even things we don’t know about. The most important thing is that Jesus remembered us when he went to the cross for our salvation.

If God remembers us then he knows about our burdens, and he can sustain us. For all these remembrances we should try to remember to say “thank you” often!

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.

Will Rogers on “Sons of Wild Jackasses”

Will RogersPoliticians calling each other names isn’t anything new, especially during elections. This season the women were hit pretty hard, being called witch and prostitute.

According to Will Rogers, you can sling mud and call names all day long, but you better beware of slandering wild jackasses.

Can you imagine the Senate chamber full of wild jackasses? Braying, kicking, bucking and being stubborn would be the daily routine. Senator Hoof N. Mouth would be hee-hawing for hours about better oats and mule health. Unfortunately, nobody was listening because lobbyists just delivered sweet hay for lunch.

Actually, there’s not much left to imagine – a Congress full of wild jackasses. A lot of them just got sent away, hee-hawing  all the way back to the farm.

Well, perhaps the slandering will stop now, and oat reform will take place. We can only hope.

Image Information: This image is from a Will Rogers’ silent movie called Jubilo, released in 1919. Rogers plays Jubilo, a tramp, who makes himself useful doing odd jobs in a small farming community while he looks for the wife who deserted him while he was off in the war.

The image was taken directly from movie stills 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

Spurgeon on “Keep me from Sinking” ~ 2 Minute Devotional

My prayers always seem to be most earnest when I’m in the midst of a difficulty, when I’m sinking, or when I’ve gone under. When Peter was distracted by the wind and waves in Matthew 14 he began to sink. At that point Peter cried out for Jesus to save him.

I’m so thankful that even when we get distracted, Jesus is merciful and hears our frantic prayers. May the Lord help us to remain focused on Him!

I chose this picture of the walrus to go with the Spurgeon quote. This strange creature doesn’t look like it should float, yet it is perfectly adapted for the water.

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.

Longing for God – Psalm 143 NASB 2 Minute Devotional

There have been a few times in my life where I’ve been really thirsty. You know how it feels – throat parched, tongue thick, mouth feels like cotton. Fortunately in our modern world, water is usually nearby at a fountain or faucet.

I’ve seen movies and read books about people who have suffered from severe dehydration and thirst. Perhaps the person is lost in the desert, like the one pictured on the left. There’s nothing but barren rock and scrub brush. No streams, no ponds, no springs, no water anywhere.

I think the Psalmist captures the feelings of a thirsty wanderer in Psalm 143. The spirit is overwhelmed with the thought of finding water. All thoughts are consumed with the search. The mind drifts back to times when the glass was full, thirst was quenched, water was flowing in abundance. Then there is the mirage, the pool of water just ahead of us. We stretch out our hands and stumble toward the illusion.

Can I thirst for God, like the body thirst for water? Does it consume me, does it move me to long for Him and meditate on his blessings in my life?

Dear Lord, let me thirst for you and long for you in all I do. Help me to find the water of life in your scriptures and in the preaching of the gospel, in prayer, in worship, and in service to your people. Amen.

I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 143 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.