Today’s Podcast
Today’s Scriptures
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – Psalms 146
Set – Psalms 146; Luke 24
Go! – Nehemiah 5-6; Psalms 146; Luke 24
Psalms 146
1 Praise the Eternal!
Praise the Eternal, O my soul;
2 I will praise the Eternal for as long as I live.
I will sing praises to my God as long as breath fills my lungs and blood flows through my veins.
3 Do not put your trust in the rulers of this world—kings and princes.
Do not expect any rescue from mortal men.
4 As soon as their breath leaves them, they return to the earth;
on that day, all of them perish—their dreams, their plans, and their memories.
5 Blessed are those whose help comes from the God of Jacob,
whose hope is centered in the Eternal their God—
6 Who created the heavens, the earth,
the seas, and all that lives within them;
Who stays true and remains faithful forever;
7 Who works justice for those who are pressed down by the world,
providing food for those who are hungry.
The Eternal frees those who are imprisoned;
8 He makes the blind see.
He lifts up those whose backs are bent in labor;
He cherishes those who do what is right.
9 The Eternal looks after those who journey in a land not their own;
He takes care of the orphan and the widow,
but He frustrates the wicked along their way.
10 The Eternal will reign today, tomorrow, and forever.
People of Zion, your God will rule forever over all generations.
Praise the Eternal!
Today’s Devotional
From today’s background scripture God might say:
Across the United States, politicians begin to jockey for position. They try to tell you how they will change things because of their leadership, their intellect, their ability to see things the way they really are and make things better for you. As I’m sure you’ve learned over the last several decades, their actions fall very far short of their promises. Campaigns changed recently, though, now politicians make fewer promises because they know they can’t keep them. Instead, they just tear each other down. They let their crews find half-truths about their opponents and blow them out of proportion to enhance their own likelihood for election. I suppose they think it’s best to elect the better of two evils.
Perhaps that strategy works in the world, except that the world belongs to Me. And I don’t particularly want evil of any kind to reign here. The better of two evils still sounds like evil to Me. The psalmist understood that. He recognized the falacy of putting trust in the hope of kings and princes, or in your case, presidents and congressmen. Too often individuals just want power or fame or some kind of legacy. They talk about public service or benefactor of the people, but who among them comes out of office with a smaller bank account than when they entered? How does that benefit or serve others? What have they really done?
On the other hand, My kingdom lasts throughout eternity. It always operates for My glory and your good. No human leader can create the earth or skies or living creatures, but I spoke them all into place. No human can change the course of the stars, but I set each one in motion and at My command can just as easily change their direction, cause them to cease giving their light, or make them explode to engulf their planets. I can cause it to rain or inflict draught across a region. Who among you can do that?
The rhetoric you will hear in the political campaigns over the next several months will encourage you, frustrate you, maybe even make you think you’re going insane because of the pointless arguments the candidates and their cronies shout across your radio and television networks. The elections are important to the operation of your earthly government. Governments remain in place at My pleasure. But they will never solve the real problems of the world, your nation, your state, or city.
Only bowing to the ruler of My kingdom, the triune Godhead, can the problems of the world be solved. I can rid the world of sin and evil and guilt if all people will give their lives to Me. Will it happen? Only each of you can determine that. Because each of you have the choice as to whether you will give Lordship of your life to Me. As you look across the world at the devastation you create each day, the answer is probably no. With more mass murders this year than days this year, it seems you will continue to follow your selfish paths. But the evil can stop. Just turn to Me.
Even in just one country or one state or one city, if you will listen to My words and do My will, I will make such a difference in your community that the world will be astounded by you. My will on earth is not just a few words I taught you to pray. It can be the beginning of a revival that turns the rest of the world around if you will just obey Me and let Me work in your lives. Try Me.
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