Thought for May 16, 2024

•  1868: Senate fails to impeach Andrew Johnson by one vote
• 1929: First Oscars--"Wings" wins Best Picture
• 1943: Royal Air Force begins Dambuster Raid using bouncing bombs
• 1960: First optical laser operated at Malibu California
• 1985: Michael Jordan wins NBA Rookie of the Year
• 1986: "Top Gun" premiers
• 2013: First successful cloning of human stem cells
• Born: Liberace, Billy Martin, Janet Jackson, Gabriela Sabatini, Megan Fox
• Died: Margaret Hamilton [Wicked Witch of the West], Jim Henson, Sammy Davis Jr., I.M. Pei

A couple of year ago on May 17, I wrote about a Wall Street Journal article from May 16 containing amazing new information:

• During times of crisis, more people pray.
• Scientist have determined that prayer calms nerves, shuts down the fight or flight reflex.
• Scientists say that prayer makes people less reactive to negative emotions and less angry.
• Psychologists report that prayer allows people to move their burdens to someone else.
• Studies show that meditation is less helpful than prayer--prayer seems to make people more stress free, more positive in their outlook and able to tolerate twice as much pain. 

Seems like a simple reading of the Bible could have saved a lot of time for the scientists.

Thought:

Still in Psalm 19 this morning. Today, I am meditating on 19:14. What a way to start every day. What a prayer for me this morning. Just read this one verse. It seems to me it is a verse that summarizes what it means to follow Christ. My goal today and every day--my heart and my words are acceptable to Him.  Here is what I am hearing this morning:

• My goal is to be acceptable, pleasing to my Redeemer. 
• This verse reminds me that everything I think, every attitude of my heart, every word of my mouth and every action of my body are seen by Him. He knows my inner thoughts and He knows my outward actions. He knows everything. What a blessing. The God of the universe knows me and sees and hears everything in my life. He knows my good days and bad. He knows my good thoughts and bad. He knows my hurts, my fears, my doubts. David wanted everything to please God and be acceptable to Him knowing that God sees everything--we hide nothing from Him.
• Verses 7-13 help us understand how to make everything acceptable to God.
• Know and obey His law. Why? Because the law is 
• Perfect. If our goal is to be perfect as He is perfect, His perfect law leads us there.
• Sure. The word of God is firm, stable, steadfast, unchanging. It can be trusted with certainty.
• Right. The word is right and correct because it reflects God who is righteous altogether.
• Pure. No error, no missing parts, complete.
• True. You can depend on the word. It is true and trustworthy.
• Know and obey the law because it has great benefits:
• It restores our souls. When the world drains us, it refills and refreshes us.
• It gives us wisdom and makes us wise. 
• It gives light to our lives, a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. The world is dark, but the word brings light.
• It endures forever. The world will pass away, but the word of the Lord stands forever. 
• It warns us of danger, snares, traps. 
• It rewards those that keep them--all the riches of Christ are ours.
• It shows us hidden faults--it places light on those places in our lives that need transformation, confession, repentance.
• It keeps us humble by reminding us of who we are and who He is.
• Paul covers the same ground in Colossians 3:17--"Whatever you do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus." As I have said before, I often check myself against this standard--is what I am saying or doing something I can say or do in His name? If not, don't say it or do it. 

Today, Lord may all that we do be acceptable to You.

Blessings

Larry

•