Psalm 62  My God, You are my salvation.  You are my only rock.  You are my stronghold.  You are my hope.  I will wait in silence for You.
"Trust in Him at all times, O people. Pour out your heart before Him." ( v8)
No matter who you are, David tells us, of low degree or high rank, thief or millionaire.... don't trust in yourself or what you possess.  Only God has true power and only He is truly loving. Only He is worthy of our trust.
He judges based on our works, not on our wealth.  Do good; not evil.  That is the most important thing.  Good - according to His standard. Not our own. Conforming to His Word and His righteousness. That can only happen as we receive the righteousness of Jesus Christ and are overwhelmed by His Holy Spirit.
The world wants to redefine good and evil by its own standards.  Our country is being led into an abyss.  Sin is still sin, no matter what the president of the United States, judges, movie stars, or even preachers say to the contrary.  Forgive us and lead us to repentance Holy God!   We wait in silence for You only, for You are our salvation.
Amen.

Matthew 5  The sermon on the mount.
What a fitting way to start out this new year.  This fundamental teaching by Jesus is vital to knowing Him, to knowing God, and to receiving His salvation.  To becoming Kingdom people.

v3. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
To be poor - ptochos -  to crouch, a cringing beggar,  mendicant - so poor that unless someone help us, we will die. Having absolutely nothing to call your own.
And so we are. As Job so soberly noted, we come into this world with nothing and we leave with nothing.  Unless we recognize our poverty, our true poverty of spirit, we will not have the kingdom.
This is the essential foundation of faith.
We have nothing.
We deserve nothing.
We can give nothing to give God.
We are spiritual beggars, dying... dead in our trespasses and sins. Desperate and cringing.
But it is in this understanding and confession that we come into His Kingdom! He is life. He gives life! We live and move and have our being in Him alone!
All praise to God, who loves us!  Who takes us from crouching beggars to favored princes and princesses!

Amazing grace!  Wonderful love!
Amen!!!!