The Ten Commandments:
Commandment I

So many people today are looking everywhere but where they should for help and guidance. The latest new age thing, feel good book or what ever people look to for guidance, if it is not God, it is a dead end. There is only one God and He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. When we need help in our lives, He is the One to go to. He gave us the Bible for this very thing. The Bible covers all aspects of human life and that is the place we should go to for the answers.

Does this mean that those motivational books and the Tai Chi lessons are worthless? No. If you feel that bettering yourself with literature and exercise is a good idea, I agree with you. Just keep it in perspective and don't ever feel that any plan you can come up with is anywhere near as helpful as the plan your God has for you.

In God we must trust,

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The fact that Moses put himself between an angry God and the people who had forgotten the mercy they were shown is also big. When would another mediator arrive? The only mediator we need is one who came to save us all.

Finally, note the last verse of chapters 105 and 106. In 105, it is noted that Cannaan was given to the people so they might keep his precepts and observe his laws. In 106, the writer is crying out to God to rescue them from themselves again that they may give thanks to His holy name and glory in His praise.

Day 2

Here are some good examples of just what God has done, and continues to do. In each case here, the trouble of the people being discussed is caused either by their own actions or their own inaction and each time God restored them. "Old Testament God" my foot! He showed as much compassion then as he did in the New Testament. Of course, none of this compassion included a way for anybody to accept his ultimate sacrifice, but the patience of this God is unbelievable!

Psalm 112 mentions the blessing of the man who fears God. No bad news can dislodge his faith as long as his trust is in He that has control over all. That's powerful stuff. Is your trust in the rock of ages or in your own efforts? Eventually your efforts will not be enough. His efforts will forevermore be plenty. Trust in Him and your ship will be anchored in the gentle harbor of peace.

Day 3

"To God be the Glory." That is one of my all-time favorite gospel hymns and that is a great way for this reading to start! God is an omnipotent God and that is used as a comparison to the idols of worship used by others. I mentioned yesterday that God is the rock of ages (another favorite hymn) and if your trust is in Him, you will be free. If you put your faith in something as useless as an idol, you will find that your life feels about that useless.

Think about it. A race car driver has to put his/her trust in their pit crew, but what if they have a bad day? The world's greatest driver is nothing without good guys to fuel him up, change his tires, and do all of the other stuff in a matter of seconds. One slip and the race is lost. Do you want to pour your foundation in He that made you or in something else? Give me anything else that someone can base his or her life on with total confidence. There's only One.

Day 4

So what do all of those symbols mean? The 22 symbols on the writings of Psalm 119? I looked for this answer and found it at Stephen Broyles’s Home Page.

The symbols are the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and the words are the names of the letters. They are not actually part of the Hebrew text, and many Bibles do not have them. They have been supplied to show that the psalm is a form of poetry called an acrostic.

Broadly defined, an acrostic is a composition, usually in verse, in which the initial letters of the lines, taken in order, spell a word or phrase or follow the regular order of the alphabet.

This expression of love is to be made public in a way, so nobody doubts the sincerity of the person who is filled with the spirit. Of course, going public in something like this also makes you the best kind of missionary. The kind that preaches by example.

Day 5

Day five is a cry for help. God will help those who need it and are willing to ask His aid, but the numerous crimes if His people were a heavy burden, and they seem to be doing all of the carrying. It begins as a plea to save them from lying and deceit. No mention is made regarding who is the dishonest one, so I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that it all starts with the writer. How can a lyer be a good judge of another's character?

There is also some whining about the contempt Israel has had to endure. I'm sorry, but if they can admit their fault in all of this, how can they whine? Sure, they can call out for help, but whining? I don't feel they had the right. But I'm not God, am I?

Day 6

The pleas to God are a little better here, but the writer of this song seems to think that reminding Him of what He has done is necessary. The forgiveness of the Lord is mentioned as well as victory through Him. Then they turn to prophesy again. God promised to place a descendent of David on the throne and they asked Him not to forget that promise. In hindsight (20/20), it's obvious they were looking for a mortal man to gather them together in their land again and return them to the glory of their earlier years, and if God would be reinstated as the Lord of the land at the same time, that would be fine with them as well.

God doesn't think small, though. They wanted to be able to enjoy what had been taken from them, and little more. God saw the need to include a planet of people under His master plan and that's what the house and lineage of David is all about. Likewise, you can ask for your life to get better, but He wants to shape it into something miraculous! Don't ever underestimate the power of prayer. He wants for you something better than what you could have asked for.

Day 7

Very fitting. We started the week with a recap and we end it here with a call to give thanks. There is absolutely nothing you can look at and not see the hand of God. He created the very fabric of space as well as your ability to ponder it, so I feel very comfortable with that statement. Throughout the history of all, we also are reminded that He is faithful and has aided those who would trust in Him. He helped the people of Israel immensely and continues to help others to this day. Even to those who don't seem to be able to catch a break, He is there with loving handiwork. If this sounds like an odd statement, read again the early chapters of the story of Joseph. From one calamity to another, God was with him every step of the way.

Praise be to God! If you do nothing else today, remember to praise His name. Pray, Praise, Trust, Obey. It's the most empowering plan of action you will ever find.

Weekly Link Surfing the Net with Kids http://www.surfnetkids.com/ Barbara J. Feldman is, in her own words, a syndicated newspaper columnist, mother, wife and Net surfer supreme (not listed in order of importance, of course). Her site is a great resource for anyone looking for family-friendly entertainment online. That means no lewd images and easy site navigation, but not mindless fluff. Her book club is a great idea, and has adult (but still appropriate) selections. Everything in her calendar is clickable, with links to more sites for information about a given historical topic. The games... the jokes... all great for any age. This site belongs in your bookmarked sites, no matter your age!

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