DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR THURSDAY JUNE 16:
WORD OF WISDOM
Church Sign: "In the dark? Follow the Son."
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DAILY DEVOTION
Consider the Sparrows
Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is
forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Luke 12:67
George Müller was a man of great faith. For many years, he operated
orphanages that cared for thousands of children. The work was completely
supported by prayer. Müller did not believe in asking people to give
moneyso much so that on more than one occasion when people asked him what
needs the orphanage had, he would tell them, I told God what we need. Ask
Him what you should do. Müller carried a great weight of responsibility,
but he did not bear it alone. On his desk Müller kept a frame with this
declaration: It matters to Him about you.
The devil lies and tells us that God does not care about our situation. When
we stop and think that there are some seven billion people living on earth,
it is easy to feel like our lives may not attract Gods attention. But in
reality, He knows exactly where we are and everything about useven the
number of hairs on our heads. This is the God whose knowledge and wisdom is
so infinite that He even keeps track of the most insignificant birds, and He
loves us far more than the sparrows.
God never loses sight of us, or forgets what we are experiencing in our
lives. When He does allow things to come into our lives that are painful and
difficult, He measures carefully what we are able to bear. There hath no
temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who
will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the
temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (1
Corinthians 10:13).
Rejoice today in Gods knowledge and love for you right where you are.
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DAILY BIBLE READING
-65Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
To the director: With stringed instruments. A song of David.
61 God, hear my cry for help.
Listen to my prayer.
2
From a faraway land I call to you for help.
I feel so weak and helpless!
Carry me to a high rock
where no one can reach me.
3
You are my place of safety,
a strong tower that protects me from my enemies.
4
I want to live in your tent[a] forever.
I want to hide where you can protect me. Selah
5
God, you heard what I promised to give you,
but everything your worshipers have comes from you.
6
Give the king a long life.
Let him live forever!
7
Let him rule in your presence forever.
Protect him with your faithful love.
8
Then I will praise your name forever.
Every day I will do what I promised.
To the director, Jeduthun.[b] A song of David.
62 I must calm down and turn to God;
only he can rescue me.
2
He is my Rock, the only one who can save me.
He is my high place of safety, where no army can defeat me.
3
How long will you people attack me?
Do you all want to kill me?
I am like a leaning wall,
like a fence ready to fall.
4
You want only to destroy me,
to bring me down from my important position.
It makes you happy to tell lies about me.
In public, you say nice things,
but in private, you curse me. Selah
5
I must calm down and turn to God;
he is my only hope.
6
He is my Rock, the only one who can save me.
He is my high place of safety, where no army can defeat me.
7
My victory and honor come from God.
He is the mighty Rock, where I am safe.
8
People, always put your trust in God!
Tell him all your problems.
God is our place of safety. Selah
9
People cannot really help.
You cannot depend on them.
Compared to God, they are nothing
no more than a gentle puff of air!
10
Dont trust in your power to take things by force.
Dont think you will gain anything by stealing.
And if you become wealthy,
dont put your trust in riches.
11
God says there is one thing you can really depend on, and I believe it:
Strength comes from God!
12
My Lord, your love is real.
You reward all people for what they do.
A song of David written when he was in the desert of Judah.
63 God, you are my God.
I am searching so hard to find you.
Body and soul, I thirst for you
in this dry and weary land without water.
2
Yes, I have seen you in your Temple.[c]
I have seen your strength and glory.
3
Your faithful love is better than life,
so my lips praise you.
4
By my life, I will praise you.
In your name, I lift my hands in prayer.
5
When I sit down to satisfy my hunger,
my joyful lips hunger to praise you!
6
I remember you while lying on my bed.
I think about you in the middle of the night.
7
That is because you are the one who helps me.
It makes me happy to be under your protection!
8
I stay close to you,
and you hold me with your powerful arm.
9
Those who are trying to kill me will be destroyed.
They will go down to their graves.
10
They will be killed with swords.
Wild dogs will eat their dead bodies.
11
But the king will be happy with his God,
and those who promised to obey him will praise him when he defeats those
liars.
To the director: A song of David.
64 God, listen to my complaint.
Save me from the terrible threats of my enemies!
2
Protect me from the secret plans of the wicked.
Hide me from that gang of evil people.
3
They sharpen their tongues to use like swords.
They aim their poisonous words like arrows.
4
Suddenly, from their hiding places, they let their arrows fly.
They shoot to kill innocent people.
5
They encourage each other to do wrong.
They talk about setting traps and say, No one will see them here!
6
No one will discover our crime.
We have the perfect plan!
Yes, people can be very tricky and hard to understand.
7
But suddenly, God will shoot his arrows,
and those wicked people will be hit.
8
He will use their own words against them,
and they will be destroyed.
Then everyone who sees them
will shake their heads in amazement.
9
People will see what God has done.
They will tell other people about him.
Then everyone will learn more about God.
They will learn to fear and respect him.
10
Good people are happy to serve the Lord.
They depend on him to protect them.
All those who want to do right will praise him!
To the director: A praise song of David.
65 God in Zion, we praise you
and give you what we promised.
2
Anyone can come to you,
and you will listen to their prayers.
3
When our sins become too heavy for us,
you wipe them away.
4
Oh, how wonderful it is to be the people you chose
to come and stay in your Temple.
And we are so happy to have the wonderful things
that are in your Temple, your holy palace.
5
God, you answer our prayers and do what is right.
You do amazing things to save us.
People all over the world know they can trust in you,
even those who live across the sea.
6
You made the mountains.
We see your power all around us.
7
You can calm the roughest seas
or the nations raging around us.
8
People all around the world are amazed at the wonderful things you do.
You make all people, east and west, sing with joy.
9
You take care of the land.
You water it and make it fertile.
Your streams are always filled with water.
Thats how you make the crops grow.
10
You pour rain on the plowed fields;
you soak the fields with water.
You make the ground soft with rain,
and you make the young plants grow.
11
You start the new year with a good harvest.
You end the year with many crops.[d]
12
The desert and hills are covered with grass.
13
The pastures are covered with sheep.
The valleys are filled with grain.
Everything is singing and shouting for joy.
Footnotes:
a.Psalm 61:4 tent The place where God lives among his people. Here, it is
the Temple in Jerusalem. See Holy Tent and Temple in the Word List.
b.Psalm 62:1 Psalm 62 Jeduthun Or and to Jeduthun, one of the three main
temple musicians. See 1 Chron. 9:16; 16:38-42.
c.Psalm 63:2 your Temple Or your holiness.
d.Psalm 65:11 In ancient Israel there were two calendars. The calendar for
religious festivals began in the spring, at the barley harvest. The other
calendar started in the fall, when they gathered other crops.
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
