The Arkansas Traveler

Psalm 103:11-14, 17-18 (NKJV)
11  For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12  As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father pities his children,
So the LORD pities those who fear Him.
14 For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.
...
17  But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting
On those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children's children,
18 To such as keep His covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do them.

2 Corinthians 4:15-16 (NKJV)
15  For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through
the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is
perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
+++++++++++++
Can we see that all things are for us? So we may experience God's daily
grace! While we may experience difficulties in life, we can look to God
and receive His daily grace. (See Hebrews 4:16)

I Corinthians 15:1-4 (NKJV)
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to
you, which also you received and in which you stand,
2  by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I
preached to you -- unless you believed in vain.
3  For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that
Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4  and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day
according to the Scriptures,
++++++++++
Paul proclaimed the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. He says
here that it was all told in the Old Testament (Scriptures). He goes on
in this chapter to establish the reality of the resurrection.
Salvation is available only through faith in Jesus who died on the cross
to pay the penalty of our sin, and rose again in victory over death, to
live in those who trust in Him.

In all you do!
I Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJV)
19  Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
20  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

Psalm 46:1, 8-10 (NKJV)
1  God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
8  Come, behold the works of the LORD,
Who has made desolations in the earth.
9  He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariot in the fire.
10  Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
++++++++++++
Verse 10 is the key verse here. The psalm describes various troubles in
our life. Verse 10 just tells us to "Be still" and watch God at work.
That could be translated as "quit striving" or "quit trying". How often
do we wear ourselves out in trying to find solutions to our problems,
rather than taking them to the LORD and letting Him deal with them?!?

Psalm 40:4-5 (NKJV)
4 Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust,
And does not respect the proud,
nor such as turn aside to lies.
5 Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works
Which you have done;
And Your thoughts toward us
Cannot be recounted to You in order;
If I would declare and speak of them,
They are more than can be numbered.

Colossians 3:14-17 (NKJV)
14  But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were
called in one body; and be thankful.
16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching
and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord
17  And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
++++++++++++
    Leading up to this passage, Paul talked about things to put off and
things to put on. In short: Repentance.
    When we turn from old habits and put on new ones, God makes us a
new creation, and remember, it is with the power of God that we do such
change!
    Paul then builds on that to add love, peace, word of God and
thanksgiving.
    As we start a new year, it is a good time to start some new habits.
This must be in God's leadership and power and to His glory!