Even Dogs Get Crumbs

Can you imagine what it must have been like to walk and talk with Jesus, or to have been on the planet at the same time as the Master? For me, a Christian, I think about those things a lot and I am not sure how it would have been for me - a Gentile - in those days. Jesus came to the seek and save the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 15:24). So would I have cared to know more about this son of a carpenter who is also the Son of God? I want to say yes, of course I would! He has a way to draw in people like me. Thousands of people just like me, searching for answers and truth, surrounded Him and followed Him, believing Him for the miracles He performed. But would I have accepted Him or would I be one of the many crying out "Crucify Him!" as they attempted to determine His fate.

If you go to church, you seek to do the right things, and you are saved, you may say with complete confidence what you would do, but I don't know. I cannot truthfully give an answer. I have tendencies to be most like Peter in the Bible and even he denied Jesus three times! He ate with the LORD, and Jesus even washed his feet!!! How can I assume I would be different?

The Bible says that Jesus came shining His magnificent light into this dark, vile world and it didn't even understand it! The dark world ignored the best gift God could ever give. They didn't comprehend what was taking place. John 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

What if you were in the days when Jesus was alive and working miracles. Let's say you had a daughter and she was full of the devil. You love your daughter and you cannot stand to see what the enemy is doing to her. You may have tried all kinds of methods to cure her but things get worse instead of better. Then someone tells you about a man named Jesus. Maybe it was the blind man that He healed, or a leper He had cleansed. You start to feel hope well up in your spirit and you look for Him. You want to ask Him to help you. But there is a problem. You are not one of the chosen people. Will He ignore you? Will He make time to listen to you? How will you get close enough to even ask Him what you need? But you are desperate to find help for your daughter that you love so much. You have to try!

Matthew 15:21-28

21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

She is crying out to Him for mercy and deliverance for her daughter. Jesus does not answer her. She has to cry louder. Perhaps He did not hear her. The disciples are blocking her. They want Jesus to send her away. She is getting on their nerves. Sometimes the religious people can be the ones with the least compassion. They don't care what she wants. They are annoyed and want her gone. Jesus however, even though He had remained silent, chooses to speak to her in front of the disciples but He does not immediately banish her from His presence. Watch this:

24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

He tells her that His mission is to save the lost people in Israel. She doesn't belong in a category that He came for. Does she give up? Does she lose heart? Is her hope gone? No! She worships Him! If you do not get the answer you want from the LORD, do you worship Him and ask Him to help you? Do you get mad and gripe and pout and complain? She worshipped Him. That had to get His attention and she needs help for her daughter, so she is going to have no shame in begging Him for help!

26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.

She isn't even upset or offended when Jesus called her a dog! Watch this. He said it wasn't right for Him to take away something meant for the children of Israel and give it to someone like.... someone like ME! Someone like YOU if you are not a Jew. But she still doesn't give up! She still presses on and says, "You're right! I know you are right and that is true, but don't the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the Master's table?" In other words, if there is something that happens to fall by the wayside, can't I just have a little bit? I don't want much...it isn't even for me. Can I just have a crumb of a blessing?

28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Just like that, from her faith in what Jesus can do, that never wavered, but was firm and sure, He was impressed! He told her how much faith she had! Remember how He has said time and time again to the disciples, "Where is your faith? Ye, of little faith." And here He is letting everyone know that He sees her faith and He is going to do what she asked of Him and she doesn't even have to wait for an answer. Immediately the daughter was healed and complete. It was gone!!

The pain and the torment the girl had suffered left her the moment Jesus spoke the words to her mother. He could have walked on and said no. He could have ignored her cries and gave in to the disciples plea that the LORD send her away, but He didn't. He was moved by her faith and persistence and sometimes that is all that you and I have to have.

What are you asking the LORD for? Are you afraid to ask? Just talk to Him. He will do so many wonderful things for you!! We are now engrafted in and we have been adopted so that we are His children and we can have those blessings, too. 

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

SOAP to study the Bible?

I use the S.O.A.P. method to study the Bible. It works wonderful for me and I enjoy it so much! I have a video on how to do the S.O.A.P. method on my YouTube channel. I will include it at the end of this blog post if you want to check it out.

The S.O.A.P. method has been around for a long time. I do not know who came up with it but it is a WONDERFUL way to study God's Word. I highly recommend it to anyone, especially those who want to have a deeper understanding of the scriptures.

S.O.A.P. is an acronym for Scripture(s) Observation Application Prayer. I will explain each letter in detail and then provide an example in this post of what a study might look like using this method. Please let me know if you use this method and what you think about it. My email is on the sidebar or you can leave comments on my YouTube video link. Let's begin.

Scripture

The Bible study starts out with a scripture of your choice. Simply find the passage you want to study and write it out in a notebook. This can be your favorite Bible verse, a passage of scriptures, or even longer. The fewer verses, the better, in my opinion. The fewer scriptures you are looking at, the easier it becomes to truly pull everything you can from those passages, but I have some pretty lengthy studies in my notebook. I highly recommend you start out in prayer over where the Holy Spirit would lead you in the Word of God. If you have trouble knowing where to start, you can always look online at www.biblegateway.com to search a particular topic or phrase and it will find scriptures related to that search. This resource is particularly helpful if you want to cross-reference different versions of the Bible because you can select the version you want and even do side-by-side comparisons. If you follow my Bible studies on my YouTube channel or here on the blog, then you know by now that I truly love the King James Version.

Observation

Observation is the next part of the study. You are looking back at the scriptures you have chosen and you want to pull out the things you are observing that is taking place. Look for things like location, people, scenery, who is talking, who is the audience, what is the main theme. Ask questions here about what you are reading. Is this in the New Testament? Old Testament? Are there words you do not know the meaning of? Look them up and use this section to define those words. Perhaps you have a study Bible or something with a commentary, you might look at what your study resource is saying about that subject and write it down. If anything in particular stands out to you, write it down.

Please do not misunderstand me. The Bible is of no private interpretation. 2 Peter 1:20-21 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. So just like the men who wrote these books of the Bible were not just writing a bunch of their opinions and thoughts on how to live a life that pleases God, we are not to take bits and pieces that we like from the Word of God and twist the scriptures to fit our lifestyle. Rather, we are to conform to the Word of God.

Application

This is a really cool part of the Bible study. This is where you take what you read and have learned and apply it to your daily walk with the LORD. This is where you are making a list of things you can do differently, or change, so that you are lining up with the scriptures. You can write a lot or a little, journal, use bullet points, draw a picture, or whatever you want to do in this area so that you are making a plan to obey what you have observed in the scriptures. This will be different for every single person who does this study. I will show you my Application process in the example that follows, but remember you and I are two totally different individuals. We are not the same. We do not have the same life circumstances, history, or needs. I am only showing how I would apply the scriptures to my life as an example.

Prayer

To wrap up the study, you will write out a prayer. Perhaps you are thanking God for the new knowledge and wisdom He has imparted to you about a particular scripture. Maybe you are asking for guidance to truly apply what you have observed. This is very individualized. I will give an example of a prayer I might use but I do not write the same prayer for any study I do. Each time is a new prayer because I am speaking to my Heavenly Father about a new subject, a new study, a new area, or whatever in my life that I want to share with Him. I highly recommend you do not skip this part. It will be invaluable in your learning process.

I have read back through my Bible study notebook and I look at how much I have learned from the scriptures, what was gleaned from the passages. It's amazing how much the Holy Ghost has revealed to me in these times of study. I also read the applications again and see where I might need to revisit some of those areas and continue working. Other times I see how far I have come. ALWAYS the prayer part is inspiring and encouraging as I see the hand of God moving in ways I had truly forgotten. I look back and see prayer after prayer that He has answered and it encourages me to keep on going for Jesus!

BRIDGETT'S EXAMPLE

Scripture: ROMANS 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Observation: This passage is referring to suffering that we must go through while we are on the earth. I have had a lot of trials and tribulations in my life. Sometimes it felt like it would never end. I am in college right now, in a program that is extremely difficult, and it feels like the struggles consume me at times. Yet, I am reminded here that these troubles and problems will not even be worth comparing to what God has prepared for us after we go Home to be with Him. We will not look back at the trials or hard times and remember them anymore. The reward will be far greater than the sacrifice and hard times we have now. This is true of the career I am in. I know that once the struggles and hard times of studying, testing, showing, proving, and trying of my skills and abilities is all over I will be where I wanted to be in this career path and I will not even dwell on the struggle to get me to that point. I won't forget how hard I worked to get there but I will be so full of joy that I made it through that it will not even be worth comparing to what I had to endure to make it.

Application: I am going to make an effort to look at the joy before me and while I go through the suffering remember that better days and brighter times are coming my way. I will choose to ask God for grace and mercy as I struggle and persevere in this life and continue to thank Him that Heaven is in view and I am going to make it! No struggle on the earth will ever be worth comparing to what He has in store for me. I will remind myself to keep going through the pain, because there are rewards on earth as well when we do not give up.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You! Thank You so much for Your Word. Thank You for instructing me today that I am not alone. These trials and struggles are not new. The men of old in the Bible times and even since sin entered the world have struggled with things to overcome or forge through. Lord, thank You that there are temporary rewards here on earth that make the struggles a little easier to get through. And Father, thank You that You are preparing a great and wonderful, glorious event to celebrate that Your children have made it Home. I am so eager to go Home Lord, but I know I must wait a little while longer. Give me grace, mercy, and compassion for myself and those all around me Lord, as we struggle through the suffering in this present time. Keep our hearts stirred up about the glory which shall be revealed in us so we can continue to long for Home and keep striving to enter in. I bless Your Holy Name Lord JESUS! AMEN

I hope that this has been helpful for someone. I enjoy this method a lot. If you would rather see a video tutorial on this subject, for those who are visual learners, I will share the video below. Thank you so much for sharing the journey with me. God bless you!!

~Bridgett    

Home, Sweet Home

We go through a lot of trials down here on this earth. Some of us will choose to go through this life trying to find our own path, going about solving our problems on our own. It's a miserable existence. I have been there. I thought I could take charge of my own life, forge through life and not worry about anything except what I thought was good and right. Others will rely on God and ask for His help to navigate through this crazy, scary, hard, sometimes good and pleasant life. For those who call upon the name of the Lord and are saved, we have beautiful promises! We have HOPE! We can cling to these beautiful scriptures that fills our hearts with joy and eager anticipation!

Today is Good Friday and it starts off Easter weekend for many of us believers. However, I want to encourage you to look beyond the cruelty of cross. Never forget the supreme sacrifice that was paid for our debts there by the precious blood of Jesus! Thank You Jesus for dying for our sins and raising again to give us eternal life. But, I want us to look at our future and what God has in mind for us when our time on earth is no more.

One of my favorite verses to read is in Isaiah. It's a beautiful picture of the way the Lord promises to take away the pain of death and nullify it forever. We will not cry anymore because there will be no sorrow, no goodbyes, no death, no sickness, and no suffering. That is very special to me! Are you waiting for Him? Are you waiting for Him to wipe away your tears and save you? I know I am!!

Isaiah 25:8-9 

He will swallow up death in victory; and the LORD GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.

I used to be afraid to read Revelations. I was scared of it. I didn't understand it. I would just not even go there! Some ministers had scared me at an early age and I was just too terrified to read it, but then I had someone open up the scriptures to me in a much different way and I am so glad. Turn to the last book of the Bible and take comfort in knowing that in the end God wins! Spoiler alert!! God's people are redeemed and what beautiful promises we are given here.

 

Revelations 7:11-17 

And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.

Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

I love how this illustrates the Church, God's elect, chosen to be a part of this wonderful new beginning that will never end. We are His Bride and look at the promise of no sorrow, all the old things are gone. The trials and tribulations of this life just melt away. They are gone and there is only joy beyond comprehension! I am so eager to go!

Revelation 21:1-4

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

And I John saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Finally, the last part of the Bible, it gives us this glorious good news! If reading this doesn't make you shout for joy, nothing will! This is wonderful!! We are safe. We are home! We made it. There is no need to be shut in the city of God because nothing vile, evil, or sinful can ever enter in! We are finally free!!

Revelation 21:23-27

And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Is your name written in the Lamb's book of life? If not, there is still time. Just call out to Him. Acknowledge that you are a sinner who needs saving and He will do it! He will save you and you will never be the same. Don't miss heaven for the world!!

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Coming Soon!

"Banner by the super awesome dude Matthew Rex Downham"

found on google image search 

 

Why is it we hear that a movie is coming soon to a theater near us and we start making plans to go? Or, how about those signs by a construction site telling us about a new restaurant coming soon, and we begin to research the restaurant's reviews, look at the menu, and ask friends and family if they know anything about it? Maybe it's the announcement of your favorite store coming soon to your hometown. You don't know for sure when it's coming but you start watching and waiting with eager anticipation. Yet when someone says Jesus is coming soon, there is all kinds of scoffing, disbelief, and rejection. Do you know there is a promise in the Bible that the MAIN ATTRACTION is coming soon? Oh yes, this is BIG! It's the announcement that Jesus will return and it's repeated again and again in God's Word.

 

Jesus told us He would come and get us. John 14:3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." He told us to watch and pray. Mark 13:33 "Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is." He even told us to watch for signs that would mean time is running out and He would soon be here. Matthew 24:3-13 And as He sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?" And Jesus answered and said unto them, "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in My name, saying, 'I am Christ'; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for My name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

 

Friends, are you ready? Are you waiting for Christ to return and take His Bride away? Are you ready to go? We do not know the exact day or time, but we can look around discern that it's close! I don't want anyone to go to hell. I don't want anyone to be lost. God doesn't want that either. John 3:16, 17 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.

 

I want to share the good news with you that He is coming back for us! He's coming to get the ones he knows; that is life eternal. John 17:3 "And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou has sent." He said the day would come when he would divide the sheep (the believers) from the goats (those who refuse to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior). Matthew 25:31-34, 46 When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: And these (the goats) shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

 

Be a sheep. Follow the good Shepherd. Follow Jesus. Don't put it off. Don't think you have more time. Don't let it catch you unprepared. Get ready. Jesus is coming soon!

 

God bless you!

 

~Bridgett Owens