Tag: devotional

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Day 23: The Mercy

“He is ever MERCIFUL, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.” Psalm 37:26

Growing up, I heard the phrase, “Mercy, mercy, Mr. Percy!” Well, I am not sure who Mr. Percy is, but I do know that mercy does not come from a person but from God Himself. Deuteronomy 4:31 “(For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.”

Mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown to another when it is in your power to punish. Ouch! God shows mercy to us every single day, but how much mercy do we show to others?

Let us look today at some times that God has or will show mercy to us:

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” When we are in the need of mercy, let us find ourselves boldly bowing at His throne!

Ephesians 2:4-5 “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved.)” Wow! He showed mercy to us EVEN when we had a life full of sin!

I John 1:9-10 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” So many times, verse 9 is quoted and verse 10 is overlooked. How often do we truly go to God confessing our sins and asking for forgiveness? Not enough, my friend! Why do you think that is? Probably because we do not feel like we have sinned … and therein lies a whole study unto itself! In a nutshell, we do not come often enough before a righteous and holy God to see the obvious difference in our lives. For who can do so and not leave changed?

Micah 6:8 “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Not only does the Lord require in us to love mercy, but He desires for us to do justly and walk humbly with our God.

Lamentations 3:22-23 “It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Thank the Lord His mercies are not just a one-time thing, but EVERY morning as I arise from my bed, His mercies are renewed unto me! GREAT is HIS faithfulness!

Lastly, but definitely not least, let us be left with this reminder today … Luke 6:36 “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.”

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Day 22: The Bread

“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging BREAD.” Psalm 37:25

When I think of bread in the Bible, I think of the spiritual food that is the Word of God. In just a few short days, we will be in the middle of the year 2019. Six months will have passed with six more months to go. At the beginning of a New Year, many find themselves making resolutions to read through the Bible that year. I myself have done so before. But, as I grow older, I have come to realize that although the reading of the Bible is a good thing and something that we need to do more often, I feel that we need to take that a step further and actually study the Bible.

II Timothy 2:15 tells us to “STUDY to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” What does this verse tell us to do? To study, correct? There is a difference between reading and studying. In college, I had a professor for History of Civilization that LOVED to give pop quizzes. If I had not read the required reading for that day, you can imagine the outcome. What if I had only had time to read it? What if I had taken time to actually study it? I guarantee there would be a much more pleasant outcome after studying versus reading!

How much time did you spend yesterday reading God’s Word? What about studying it? We need to not only read God’s Word, my friend, but we need to STUDY it! Most people claim to be Christians yet hardly can find time for church and   never pick up their Bible in between times. It is no wonder that we do not grow for we are not eating our spiritual bread that God has provided for us! We cannot grow physically without food and neither can we spiritually!

You do not have to be a college graduate to be able to study and grow from the Bible. Here are a few basic tips from what I do:

· I read and study from a King James Bible with Scofield notes. I use the cross-reference column a lot.

· I have, in the past, used devotional books to give me a scriptural starting point and thought.

· I use an online dictionary to look up words … even ones that I think that I know already, because I have been surprised a time or two! Defining words makes the verse come to life and get more personal for me.

· I use a notebook. I put down the date, the passage of scripture or verse. Any cross-reference verses that I find and any thoughts that God brings to mind.

· I occasionally use the internet to google certain topics or to look up a book in the online commentaries. I also use a Strong’s concordance app.

· If you are looking for an all-in-one type of book to invest in, I suggest Nelson’s three-in-one Bible Reference Companion, which can be found on Amazon inexpensively.

If you are one of the minority who does read and study your Bible daily, what are some things that you find helpful? Do you like to use a devotional book, write in a journal, use commentaries (book form or online) or even type your thoughts out?

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Day 21: The Steps

“The STEPS of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.” Psalm 37:23

Father’s Day this year has come and gone. If you were on Facebook or the internet for any length of time, I am sure that you saw pictures of fathers holding their son’s hands as they walked along. That seems to be used often during this time of year. They say that “A picture is worth a thousand words.” That is probably most true of this picture. Even though you see it in still life, can you just imagine all the words that have been spoken between the two down through the years as that young lad grew up?

Another popular picture during Father’s Day is a small son trying to follow in the steps of his father. Of course, his legs are shorter and his feet smaller, but he tries none-the-less. Does he fit into each one? No, I am positive that he does not. Yet, that does not stop him from trying. Then an amazing thing happens, that young son begins to grow. His legs get a bit  longer each year. He has new shoes this year because his feet have also grown. Then one day, he becomes that father.

God is our Father and as our Father, he will guide us with His footsteps. David tells us here that “the steps of a good man are ordered [established] by the LORD.” Can you see that here? Our Father has already walked ahead of us paving (establishing) the way, so to speak. We have no reason to question or doubt which path to follow for He already has     established it! How easy is that?

Verse 24 takes our steps a bit further for it says that when “a good man” falls, “he shall not be utterly cast down.” As a child learning to walk, what happens? He will fall. But, when he falls, he does not stay down. No, before you know it, he is back up on his feet trying again. He may not have done it perfectly the first time, but he will not let that hinder him from trying again … and again … and again.

In our Christian walk with God, how many times have we faltered and fallen? We have believed another lie that Satan has told. We have gotten our eyes off of God and onto man. We have let self dictate when and where we will go. There are many stumbling blocks in life, are there not? These are only a few. It only takes one to make us mess up. But, let us not let that one keep us down for the count. Let us rise up and go at it again. One day our legs will be long enough and our feet big enough to fit more comfortably in the pathway that God has established and laid out before us.

Trivia question: How do you know if you are on the right path? There will be joy and delight (verse 23), correct? When we travel, there is no joy or delight when we find that we have taken the wrong path. But, even if we have not reached our destination yet, as long as we stay on the right path, there we find joy and delight. So, let us not forget the truth of that little chorus that we learned as a child in church … “My Lord knows the way through the wilderness. All I have to do is  follow!”

If we follow Him, He will keep us on the right path.

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Day 20: The Blessed

“For such as be BLESSED of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.” Psalm 37:20

I do not know about you, but here we are half way through this chapter and it seems like David is obsessed with the   wicked, the evildoer, and the cursed being cut off. It can be quite easy for you and me also to find ourselves obsessed with all the wicked, the evildoers, and the cursed as well. But, I do not believe that is what David is trying to show us here. I believe that there were just as many in his day as ours, and I believe that he is reminding himself, because they seem to take up his world, how little they matter. In the process, we are also getting that gentle reminder … maybe because we need it as frequently as he did! Hmm?

Putting that aside, today I want to focus on the blessed. I am blessed! Are you blessed as well? A favorite hymn at   Thanksgiving time is “Count Your Blessings (name them one by one).” When was the last time that you sat down and counted all of your blessings? Has it been awhile? Is it a little overdue?

I catch myself being negative a lot. There always has to be at least one pessimist in the group, right? Unfortunately, I take that role too seriously and too often. Instead, I need to get my vision refocused on God’s blessings instead. When our daughter was young and she would say something negative about something, we would tell her to then tell us three    positive things about the thing that she just said something negative about. Boy, that changed the picture in a hurry!  Maybe we need to try this in our lives!

The word blessed is found 290 times in the Bible. Nine of those times are found in one chapter … Matthew 5. Do you recall what this chapter is about? It is the “Sermon on the Mount” and is often referred to as the Beatitudes, am I correct? This section of scripture alone could be its own little mini-series.

What does the word blessed mean?  Blessed means favor or gift bestowed by God; approval. We have already noted that it is mentioned nine times in Matthew 5. Have you noticed something else about the verses in the Sermon on the Mount? There is a pattern there. I had never seen it before, but when I was studying for this devotional, I read a comment that jumped out at me about this. All of these blessings (God’s favor or approval) are bestowed upon the most unlikely people and things, are they not? Is that not just like the God that we love and serve?

This is such a profitable reminder to you and I that we should not pattern our lives after the world and all it has to offer. Instead, we should focus on the qualities that are mentioned right here in Matthew 5 … poor in spirit, mourning, meek, hunger and thirst after righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemaker, persecuted for righteousness’ sake, and when men will revile us and say things against us falsely.

Matthew 5 even goes on to tell us why He has blessed us … to be salt and light. How blessed are you? Now go forth as salt and light and share with the world what God has done for you!

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Day 19: The Satisfaction

“They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be SATISFIED.” Psalm 37:19

David told us in verse 18 that, “The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.” Then here in this verse, he goes on to tell us that the upright will not be ashamed. To be ashamed means to be embarrassed or guilty. When there is evil all around you, you have no need to be ashamed … IF you are living righteously. When children are playing in a group and one does something wrong, who should be ashamed? The one who is guilty, correct? When the parent or adult comes to correct the guilty party, you (the nonguilty one) have nothing to fear.

The latter part of this verse is where I want to actually focus today … on the satisfaction. Who is satisfied in this verse? The upright. The ones who are living and serving their Lord. When the cupboards get low on stock, it is the upright that God will satisfy … that God will provide for. Verse 25 says, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” It is the righteous and the upright who will be satisfied.

Luke 15 tells us the parable of the prodigal son. I always thought a prodigal as a person who had wandered away. But, I just looked up the definition and found out that I need to read the dictionary more often instead of guessing on my own! Because the definition of prodigal (as a noun) means a person who recklessly and extravagantly wastes money. As an   adjective (describing a noun), it means the same thing. Who knew this?

The prodigal here in Luke 15 had it all … he had clothes, he had food, he had a father who loved him, he had protection, he had help … he lacked nothing. But, somehow his mind got that all twisted up and it came up completely dissatisfied. How in the world did that happen? We see it every day in this world, do we not? Not just in our young people, but in our adults. They are not satisfied and they take that dissatisfaction and turned it into an all-out reckless, extravagant wasting of what God has given them. The prodigal was the same way and what happened? He found out the true meaning of   dissatisfaction, did he not? Is his story making the room start to get a little warmer than what is comfortable? Is it because you are finding yourself in the prodigal’s shoes? Have you found yourself, instead of being grateful for what you have, dissatisfied?

Growing up, I remember my dad saying his favorite hymn was “Satisfied.” The words go like this … “V1: All my life long I had panted for a drink from some cool spring, That I hoped would quench the burning of the thirst I felt within. V2:     Feeding on the husks around me, Till my strength was almost gone, Longed my soul for something better, Only still to hunger on. V3: Well of water every springing, Bread of life so rich and free, Untold wealth that never faileth, My            Redeemer is to me. Chorus: Hallelujah! I have found Him, Whom my soul so long has craved! Jesus satisfies my longings, Through His blood I now am saved.”

IF we seek our satisfaction righteously, we will never be dissatisfied again!

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Day 18: The Knowing

“The LORD KNOWETH the days of the upright; and their inheritance shall be for ever.” Psalm 37:18

I searched in my Bible app how many times the phrase “the LORD knoweth” is found. I discovered that those three words appear 22 times in the Bible. What does it mean to know? It means awareness through observation, experience or       information. In other words, it means knowledge that is gained, correct?

Can you imagine being God? Think about it! He is THE Creator of the entire world. As the Creator, does He not know every single thing about us? He does, right? So when David tells us here that He knows … He REALLY knows … all the good, the bad, and the ugly! In case, we may not know what He knows, let us look at some of those 22 passages today.

· He knows how vulnerable and weak that we are as sheep of His pasture. He knows and He protects us. Genesis 33:3 “And he said unto him, my lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.”

· He knows when we walk through the valleys and through those dry, barren places called the wilderness. He knows and He not only walks with us but He holds our hand. He makes sure that we do not lack anything. Deuteronomy 2:7 “For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great    wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.”

· He knows our hearts if there is some sin or rebellion that we are harboring there. He knows and He is waiting for us to come to Him in repentance. Joshua 22:22 “The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the LORD …”

· He knows who is His. He may not have Facebook or Instagram, but He surely does not have any problem following us along. He knows where we are walking, where we are standing and where we are sitting. Psalm 1:6 “For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”

· He knows us by name … what a blessed thought! He does not address me as, “Hey, you over there with your back turned to me!” or “Hey, you are the one who said that you did not have time for me today.” He knows me and He answers when I call. II Timothy 2:19 “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

Let me close with Isaiah 40:28-29 “Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth  power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.”

He knows us … let us know Him!

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Day 17: The Arms

“For the ARMS of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.” Psalm 37:17

In today’s society, what is a symbol of physical strength? Our arms, correct? Or more specifically our biceps. So when David starts speaking of the wicked in this verse, he immediately starts with addressing their arms. I believe this is because that is where the symbolism of the wicked’s strength lies … in their arms … in their human flesh.

David then goes on to share what happens to the arms of the wicked … they will be broken. Do they break themselves? I do not believe so. I believe that they are broken by the Lord Himself. If you have ever broken or injured one of your arms, you find out really quick how important that arm is. It not only holds the strength of your body, but it also plays a major role in the functioning or capabilities of your body. Am I not correct? What are some of those important functions of the arms?

1)  To support the weak — Romans 15:1 “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” There have been many a time when I have been weak physically that I longed for someone to come along and take care of me. I felt too weak to do what I needed to do. There were even times when in my weakness, I did not even know what I needed to do to get out of it. Often my mind was too foggy to make heads or tails out of life in   general. How many others around us are physically or spiritually weak and could use our arm to support them?

2)  To work (labor) — I Timothy 5:8 “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of the his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” God intended for man to take care of and provide for his family by working with his hands. If he fails to do so, what does the Bible call him? An infidel. What does an infidel mean? Basically, he is a traitor. He is a heretic. He has chosen his own path and it is not a good one.

3)  To protect the young — Matthew 23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” I know in this world today we are seeing more and more parents who neglect their children to satisfy their own flesh and their own desires. But, God made parents to take care of and protect their young ones.

How precious is it for us also to care for the young ones of others. How many mothers and fathers have been alone in fighting the devil over their children? As a parent, I loved to see other Christian adults love my child and pray for my child. Ones who I knew would have my child’s back if I was not there. Ones who my child was comfortable enough to trust.

4)  Lastly, to stand in the gap — Ezekiel 22:30 “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” God is looking for men and women who will stand firm on the truth of God’s Word. Ones who will make up a hedge of truth and right. God will uphold our arms … if we use them for righteousness! What is your choice today?

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Day 16: The Peace

“But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of PEACE.” Psalm 37:11

Wednesday night our Pastor preached on peace and so when I got to this verse, guess which word jumped out at me? Peace! One of my absolute favorite hymns is Wonderful Peace by W. D. Cornell. Mr. Cornell was born in Michigan in 1858. The date of his death is unknown, as well as, the date of the writing of this hymn.

Just saying the word peace brings a calmness to my physical and spiritual being. That peace is transcended when I read through the words of this beautiful hymn …

“V1: Far away in the depths of my spirit tonight rolls a melody sweeter than psalm; In celestial-like strains it unceasingly falls, o’er my soul like an infinite calm. V2: What a treasure I have in this wonderful peace, buried deep in the heart of my soul; So secure that no power can mine it away, while the years of eternity roll. V3: I am resting tonight in this wonderful peace, Resting sweetly in Jesus’ control; For I’m kept from all danger by night and by day, And His glory is flooding my soul. V4: O soul are you here without comfort or rest,  marching down the rough pathway of time? Make Jesus your Friend ere the shadows grow dark; O, accept this sweet peace so sublime. Chorus: Peace! Peace! Wonderful peace,     coming down from the Father above; Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray, in fathomless billows of love.”

Where does peace come from? Not from the world, that is for sure! John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.” No, my friend, true peace comes from the Father above. We must put our faith, our trust, and our minds on Him. Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” Below are some more wonderful verses to meditate on about peace.

· Colossians 3:15 “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”

· Galatians 1:3 “Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.”

· John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have          tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

· Psalm 4:8 “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.”

· Psalm29:11 “The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.”

· Psalm 119:165 “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”

Yesterday we spoke about meekness and it being a fruit of the Spirit. Peace is also a fruit of the Spirit. So, it is interesting to see that David referred to both here in this verse … stating that the meek will have an abundance of peace. Is your spirit resting in His peace … the peace that comes from the Spirit within?

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Day 15: The Meek

“But the MEEK shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” Psalm 37:11

There are two times in the Bible that stand out to me when thinking about meekness. The first is in the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:5 “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.” David almost verbatim quotes this passage of      scripture here in Psalm 37. So, I believe it definitely bears taking a closer look at.

First, let us look at the meaning of meek. Meek means quiet or gentle; power under control. This is completely opposite of our anger issues, is it not? Oftentimes, meekness is mistaken for weakness, but this is not true. Isaiah 30:15 says that, “quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” This would make sense when compared to anger because anger is quick to flare up, but meekness stays calm. Which is more powerful? Meekness. It takes more power to control than to let go of that control.

David goes on to say that “the meek shall inherit the earth.” Did you realize that this is a promise from God? It is not a hope so or a maybe so, but a for sure. God’s promises can be counted on as sure as going to the bank and cashing a check. He has never failed one time to provide what He has promised!

The children of Israel struggled so much by not taking God at His word. Do you and I not do the same exact thing? Are you struggling today? Why is it so hard to trust God? Why do we, when difficult times come, draw within ourselves and       forsake God? He has promised! Why do we not trust in Him and instead wing it on our own?

The second verse that speaks of meekness is found in Galatians 5:23 where we see the fruit of the Spirit. Fruit is the part of a tree that provides nourishment. It provides strength. It shows the health of the tree. It is the fruit that shows the true character of the tree, is it not? The leaves and the bark play a role, but it is the fruit that confirms the true character.

Each piece of fruit also contains a seed, correct? Well, that seed is the reproduction of life. Who resides within us at the moment of salvation? The Holy Spirit, correct? So, the Holy Spirit is like that seed living within us to produce fruit. Oftentimes we neglect to keep that seed healthy and alive within us. Instead, we quench the Spirit with our attitudes and with our ungodly lifestyles. James 1:4 says, “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” Patience is another one of the fruit that comes from the Holy Spirit. Live your life after the pattern that the Holy Spirit has set before us. Let Him bear fruit in your life!

I believe that we allow Satan too much room in our lives. I Peter 5:8 clearly tells us that he is our adversary (our opponent; our enemy). What happens when we join sides with the enemy? We will be defeated. We will be discouraged. We will be disillusioned. We will be disappointed. We will be deceived. Who of us truly want to live a life like this? Think about it! Take a step or two backward and take a close look at your life. Is this where you are standing today?

Remember that there is no power in weakness, but there is in meekness!

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Day 14: The Little

“For yet a LITTLE while, and the wicked shall not be …” Psalm 37:10

Our world is overflowing with wickedness and evildoers. It does not take much to see it or hear of it. We surely can see it in our politics. We can find it so prevalently also in our churches today. In this entire chapter, David keeps bringing this topic up. His life must have been just as overflowing with evil and wickedness as ours. But, today I want to invite you to step aside from all of the wickedness and evildoers that reside in your life and focus on the little.

When I hear the word little, I cannot help but think of the lyrics to the hymn, “Little is much when God is in it.” It truly does not take much when God is in it, does it? Think of David fighting the giant, Goliath. He did not need nor desire the attire of the world to protect him. He did not even need the instruments of war that the world tried to offer. No, my friend, instead, he solely needed His God.

Each and every day you and I fight a spiritual warfare. It may take the form of a person, but we are not fighting that      person (that giant) in our lives. Rather, we are fighting a mighty spiritual battle. How are you fairing? Are you seeking for all the accouterments of war in all the wrong places? Are you struggling to keep on your feet in the heat of the battle? Maybe it is time that you stop, remove the world’s thoughts and advice, and instead, solely seek your God.

David, in verse 16, even touches on the monetary or financial aspect of our lives. Who of us works hard at getting more and more trying to satisfy that longing or craving in our lives? Yet, to no avail. This verse tells us that “a little that a      righteous man hath …” You and God make a majority. Can you just imagine the peace and fortitude that comes from   taking sides with God not only in your life but in your finances? Live righteously. Seek righteousness, my friend!

Proverbs 15:16 tells us, “Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.” We all have enough drama in our lives that we do not need to seek out more by desiring more things. Let us be satisfied with the little. A little fear. A little faith. A little hope. A little joy. All of these are great treasures! No price can be put upon them.

In Proverbs 30:24, we find four things that are little, yet are wise beyond their size. Do you know what they are? The first one is the ant who is not only strong beyond its size, but wise in never being left unprepared. The second is the coney. For those of you who do not know what a coney is, it is described as “a hider” because it hides (sets up house) high up in the rocks. Psalm 121:1 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.” The third is a locust. A locust does not have a leader, but knows it’s strength is in        numbers. The last is a spider. How many mighty have fallen from the fear of a spider? Yet, it remains fearless even to the extent of weaving its way into king’s palaces.

Be grateful for the little things in life for in them reside great things … especially when paired with God!