Blessings For You | Fuel For The Weekend

God told me to share my faith on Fridays and call it Fuel For The Weekend. It's my desire that the posts I put up on Fridays will give you something to think about, ponder, consider, and reflect on throughout the weekend.

I was always intrigued in the Bible by the formal blessing a father would give his son before dying. It is so special to have those last words engraved in our hearts. Sometimes death parts us from our loved ones and no kind words were last spoken. That is heart-breaking; makes the tragedy even more sad. Regardless of whether we had a good father on earth or not, all God's children have a wonderful Heavenly Father. He is the perfect parent and He blessed the children of Israel with a very special blessing. 

My son recently stood in my bedroom door when we still lived in Alabama and he said, "Mom, I think God wants me to read this to you." I was not expecting that and honestly I was silently battling some things and I really needed the encouragement. "Go ahead. You can read it to me." And so he began:

NUMBERS 6:24-26 (24)The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: (25)The LORD make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: (26)The LORD lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

What a sweet moment. I had tears well up in my eyes. My heart filled to overflowing. I thanked my 13 year old son for being sensitive to Holy Spirit and obeying. I thanked God for giving me such a sweet boy to share that with me. I thanked God for sharing with me the blessing He told Moses to tell Aaron to tell the children of Israel.

Each verse is special and significant. May God bless and keep us. Keep us free from what? Danger, peril, famine, sickness, financial ruin, natural disasters, pestilence, flood.... from anything that would harm us. We know He does those things every single day for every one of His children.

I love the part that reads May the LORD make His face to shine upon us and be gracious to us. What an intimate way to express the love of our Father. He doesn't turn away from us. He looks us straight into our faces and is gracious to us. Instead of justice and judgment, He offers grace and mercy and forgiveness.

The peace of God that transcends all understanding is a part of this precious blessing. As He looks us in the spiritual eyes He is giving us His peace. He promises to do that when we keep our minds stayed upon Him. He is trading our feelings of guilt and shame and turmoil, feelings of fear and dread and He is giving us His sweet peace! What a great and loving Father we have!

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

ISAIAH 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.

I am so thankful that we serve a wonderful risen Savior. He loves us so much He died for our sins. If we have decided to follow Jesus, let's daily take up our cross to follow where He leads us. (Matthew 16:24) Let's gaze into the eyes of the Heavenly Father and thank Him for His precious promise. He has blessed us with so many good and perfect gifts. Take the time this weekend to reflect on where God has taken you this month. What things have you done? What ways has He blessed you unexpectedly? I have enough to fill a large novel just from what He has done for me this month!

Have a wonderful weekend. Whether you have to work or you don't; whether you go out or stay in; keep your eyes on Jesus. You will never regret it and your weekend will be far better with Him than if you leave Him out! I pray something I shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Way Maker | Thankful Thursday

The LORD impressed on my heart to carve out a section of my blog to share what I am thankful for. I started it on a Thursday and decided to call it "Thankful Thursday." Each week I share what I am thankful for. Come back each week so we can count our blessings together.

I am so glad that before I knew God He knew me. In the book of Jeremiah we read a beautiful passage where God speaks to the prophet about His view of Jeremiah. We can read starting in verse 4 that God knew Jeremiah before his mother conceived him. Isn't that a beautiful picture of God's love, purpose, and plan for each one of us? 

We have so much to be thankful for every single day. God knows everything about us. Before we were formed in the womb, He sanctified us and gave us a purpose. 

JEREMIAH 1:4,5 (4)Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, (5)Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. 

My daughter had a very specific plan for her life. She loves to write and she is very good at it. She has always been involved with anything to do with writing. It didn't matter if it was a blog post, something shared on social media, or journaling in her quiet time, she would always share her thoughts in that way. She took classes, workshops, and attended seminars with the goal of becoming a journalist. Her dad and I always encouraged her dream. God had other plans.

Throughout her high school career she worked on yearbooks, newspapers, and other periodicals. It seemed she was headed in the right direction when she was accepted at Alabama State University. It was not long before God showed her and everyone around her that He had very different plans for her life.

She worked as a salesman at a motorsports shop and excelled above her peers who were much older and more experienced than she. She set goals and exceeded them week after week. She enjoyed the friendly banter with her customers. She seemed to have a real gift for closing deals. The commission checks were nice and she thought perhaps she should go to a community college for a business degree. Before she got the chance to pursue that dream, God changed the course of our lives yet again and moved us back to Indiana. 

Kadesia has always been quick to help others. She loves deeply and unconditionally. She can't stand to see others suffer. We had talked many times about the possibility that she might become a nurse like me. She volunteered in the nursing homes and the residents loved her. She became a home health aide and became CPR certified in no time. She felt God calling her into the nursing field and had a strong desire to further her education at a community college here in Indiana. 

I am so thankful that she is independent and strong and desires to do things on her own. She wanted to pay for school herself and while I admire that, God had other plans to help build her faith as she learns to trust in God to supply all her needs. This morning she wanted to pull her hair out when she couldn't get through to the financial department of her school. She had been given some money but it was only a fraction of the down payment. I reminded her that God directed her steps to pursue this degree with this school and He would make the provision. Before 3 o'clock today she had been given the rest of the down payment. It reminds me of what God said to Jeremiah.

JEREMIAH 1:6-10 (6)Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. (7)But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. (8)Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. (9)Then the LORD put forth His hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put   My words in thy mouth. (10)See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant. 

God's Word tells us that our God will supply our every need. He ordained Jeremiah to be a prophet to many nations before he was ever formed in his mother's womb. When Jeremiah gave God his limitations, God gave His provision. He had already equipped Jeremiah with everything he needed to accomplish his purpose on the earth. 

God has a special plan for all of us. We must seek Him for what He wants to do through us to further His Kingdom. Whatever He tells us to do, like Jeremiah, and like Kadesia, we will find that God equips us and furnishes us with everything we need to fulfill His plan for us. 

PHILIPPIANS 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

2 CORINTHIANS 9:8-15 (8)And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (9)(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; He hath given to the poor: His righteousness remaineth for ever. (10)Now He that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seeds sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) (11)Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. (12)For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; (13)Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; (14)And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you (15)Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift. 

This Thankful Thursday I am thankful that God supplied my daughter's financial needs for school this semester. I am thankful to have the reminder that God met Jeremiah's needs too. No matter what you're facing, how bleak it looks, encourage yourself with these scriptures. Remember how many times God has come through before. He didn't bring any of us this far to leave us now.  Take hope in knowing that we can tap into unlimited resources from our Heavenly Father who is ready with arms wide open to bless us with everything we need to do what He has called us to do. 

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

 

PSALM 27 | Wednesday Bible Study

I heard in my spirit "Psalm 27" and I was in a rush to get out the door, and making sure my kids were good to go for the day, and my hubby was home sick and I made sure he had all the things and I looked at my Bible. I knew if God was telling me to read this chapter it was going to be worth slowing down and listening. What a great and encouraging chapter it turned out to be for this very season in my life! Of course it is. After all, God the Father has selected it for me to read. So, let's talk about it! It's only 14 verses but what power and encouragement and hope there is in these verses!

This is a Psalm of David. He begins by magnifying God and in doing so all his problems instantly shrink! The LORD is my light and salvation. Yes He is! He shines light on my path so I can see where to walk. He saves me from trouble when I listen to Him. He saved me from eternal separation, and He also saves us from the snares and traps the devil sets for us! So who should we be afraid of? No one has that kind of power and ability but Almighty God! He alone can light up the darkness and shine hope into our souls. Only God can save and set free. There is nothing anyone can say or do to put fear in our hearts when we focus on how good and awesome and marvelous our God is!

How many of us can testify with David, arms raised and say, "Yes! He is the strength of my life! He is our stronghold, our refuge, a mighty fortress we can run to! He is our protector!"?There is no one we need to be afraid of. When we begin to magnify our God and talk about His light and love and salvation and strength, what is left to fear? Nothing!!!

Are there times you have felt surrounded by people who just want to harm you? Maybe you have been in a situation where people are watching you, just hoping you will fail! David knows what that's like. He knows God is on his side, and he says even when others wanted to devour me and wished harm to me, God caused them to stumble and fall! They couldn't do anything to us! They are powerless against God. They tripped and and tumbled. They were the ones eating dirt! I stood firm as I ran to the Mighty Fortress-- our God!

Even if there were so many people we couldn't number against us, we do not have to fear. Our hearts do not have to be fearful. We can stand firm in God's love. Even if war breaks out and it's all around us, we can be confident in this: "There is one desire we have, one thing of the LORD that we will search for, that we may dwell, live, abide, stay, inhabit the house of the LORD every single day of our lives, to look and see the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in His temple. We can search things out in His house. We can look for answers and behold the beauty that is not comparable to any other thing in life and friends that is what my soul longs after. That is what I want more than anything else anyone can offer me.

You may ask why I have this much confidence in God. It is that every single time trouble comes knocking, God answers the door. He hides me in His pavilion. He hides me in the secret of His tabernacle. It makes me so happy and full of joy that I start to sing. I sacrifice a song of praise and joy because I don't feel like singing in the middle of the turmoil. I don't feel like praising in the middle of the bad news and the bad reports, the new diagnosis, the financial struggles, the sickness, the pain, the worry, the torment. I don't feel like throwing up my hands and praising and singing but my God is so worthy that I will sacrifice it. I will praise Him because He is worth it. My circumstances don't dictate when I praise my Savior. He is always worthy!

Isn't verse 7 our heart's cry so often when things are going wrong? Hear us LORD when we lift our voices and cry and have mercy on us. Answer us God because You alone are the answer! You are what we are searching for. You alone fulfill us! You complete us! Not another person, another job, another car, another home, another degree, another material possession. No, LORD, You, and You alone fill our hearts to overflowing and not another.

God when You said to seek Your face, may our hearts say, "Your face God we will seek!" God may we stop running to see what is in Your hand, and just kneel at Your nail-scarred feet and thank You for what You have already done for us! God may we stop short of asking for something else and just pause to reflect on Your goodness and grace. God instead of looking into Your nail-scarred hands for gifts and answers, may we gaze into Your beautiful face and just lock eyes with You and be content to be welcomed into Your presence! God may we run to seek Your face and not Your hands!!

Please don't hide Your face from us. Don't make me leave in Your anger from when I choose the wrong things! You alone God have been my help! You alone are where my help comes from. God may we stop looking at You as though You are our partner and we somehow help You. May we remember we can do NOTHING apart from You God. Please do not leave us or forsake us. Oh, what a beautiful promise that Your Word says You will never leave us nor forsake us, but You will go with us until the end of the world! What a mighty God we serve! What a loving and gracious Master we have! God You are the source of our salvation!

When my parents throw me away, God, You will take me up! When my family abandons me and calls me crazy, You call me Your own! You pick us up God when we are despised by others and left as an outcast. You brush us off and clean us up and welcome us into Your family. You give us Your name and You wipe away our tears. You pour healing salve into our wounds! Who but God can do such things as these!? There is none, LORD. You, alone.

Oh, Heavenly Father, teach us Your ways. Help us to follow hard after Your example. God show us how to live like You want us to. Show and teach us how to please You Father. Lead us in smooth paths because of our enemies. When the bumps in the road, and the potholes threaten to wreck us, God go before us and make our way smooth so we can follow You closer.

Don't let the enemies win. They that come against us and want us to suffer and crash and burn. God don't let them see us fail. False accusers slander us. They say things that are cruel and untrue, they lie and self-promote, and literally breathe out cruelty. God don't let us fall into their traps.

It's so hard God when the pandemic is all around us. I hear so many say they are weary of it LORD. It's so hard when things are not normal and it seems like it may never be. It is hard God when there is so much evil and wickedness in the world, but I am like David. I would have fainted and fallen out by now God if I had not seen the goodness of You LORD in the land of the living! God if I couldn't find a cloud of witnesses I would have given up! If I had not been encouraged by what I see You doing in our lives every day it would have been too much! 

Teach us to wait upon You Father God. Help us to be strengthened and have good courage. Give us bravery in our hearts to face this world head on. Give strength to Your people Father as we wait upon You.

I cannot tell you all how much God caused my spirit to soar over this Word today! If you read my blog today in conjunction with each of those verses I hope it will spark a fire in your hearts too. God is busy! He is working! He is on the move. He is unstoppable. He is doing amazing new things. He is building. He is causing things to bloom, grow, and flourish. We are not surviving this life...no we are thriving! We are more than conquerors! Hold your head up high! We are sons and daughters of the King of kings and LORD of lords. He is magnificent in all of His ways! Don't you love Him? I just cannot stop thinking about Him. I cannot get enough of His Word. I cannot get my day started without Him and then we commune all day long. He is my everything, my all-in-all.

I pray something I have shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Seeing Father God | Fuel For The Weekend

God told me to share my faith on Fridays and call it Fuel For The Weekend. It's my desire that the posts I put up on Fridays will give you something to think about, ponder, consider, and reflect on throughout the weekend.

I have had an incredible time with God this morning. He has given sweet peace to me. I am full of His love and His Word and His joy! What a beautiful way to end the work week and start on the weekend: in His presence!

In my quiet time the LORD directed me to today's verse. I read it, then read it again, and underlined it. It is so beautiful and this one verse is packed full of insight, encouragement, and hope. If you need any of those things, then I invite you to sit at the table with me as we break the Bread together!

ZEPHANIAH 3:17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty: He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing.

Isn't that a beautiful verse? God is in the midst of us. In the middle of our struggles, in the middle of our pain, in the middle of our loss, in the middle of our sickness, God is in the middle of it and He is mighty! He is powerful. He is not weak. He is not scared. He is not concerned. He is not frantically searching for answers on how to handle our problems. He is in control. He is mighty! He is the solution to every problem we face. He knows what to do! Sit in that knowledge for just a moment.

What are you facing right now? What hardship are you going through? You may be struggling with difficulties and maybe you thought this year would be better. It may have started off worse than last year started. There is hope! If you are a child of God, He is with you in the middle of the suffering and He is mighty! He is powerful! He is extraordinary!

He will save. Are you saved? Are your loved ones? Your friends? Your coworkers? I have a list of people I am asking God to save. It breaks my heart when I think they may leave this world without the Blessed Hope of God in Christ Jesus. So many people think if they are good people and do nice things that they don't have to have a relationship with Jesus and they are still going to heaven. That is a lie! The Bible tells us that if we try to go in any other way than through the door of Jesus Christ we are a thief and a robber. (John 10:1) God wants to save you and your loved ones, your friends, your coworkers...and the whole world. He sent Jesus for that purpose. (John 3:16)

I love this next part. He will rejoice over you with joy. When we line up our thoughts and our lives to reflect His ways He rejoices over us with joy. There is great happiness inside God that wells up and He rejoices over His children when they are walking upright before Him. I have an image in my mind of God, our loving Heavenly Father, sitting on the edge of His throne, looking down below, and seeing the ones who struggle and strive but never lose hope, never lose faith in Him and He begins to rejoice. He is happy! It pleases the Father when we obey and do His will. It makes Him glad to see us walking fully in our purpose. He loves us so much and He rejoices over us with joy! He takes great pleasure in us. Isn't that precious? I am holding this scripture so close to my heart this morning.

He will rest in His love. Some translations say He will quiet you with His love. Just as a parent soothes their child with hushed tones and gentle hands, our loving Heavenly Father rushes to us to quiet us with His love. He soothes us. The pain, the torment, the aggravation, the loss... it melts away when we are enveloped in His love. We are soothed and quieted. The storm that rages around us is not as scary in His arms!

Another translation says He will be quiet in His love [making no mention of your past sins]. And one other translation says In His love He will no longer rebuke you. Isn't that another beautiful illustration? He loves us so much He will not bring up the things we have done wrong in our past. The things He has already forgiven us for, He forgets. He does not drag up past deeds and sling them in our face. He does not condemn us. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1) He loves us so much He would never condemn us for things He has already forgiven us for.

He will joy over us with singing. So many times God brings a song back to my remembrance and Holy Spirit will sing just a few lines from the song to my heart. It comforts me. It blesses me. It encourages me. I have sang over my children silly little songs when they were young and they would giggle. I can imagine God, our Heavenly Father, leaning into His children, getting so close to our faces, and with great happiness and pleasure singing over us. What a beautiful promise!

I don't know what you're going through. I know life is tough and things get tougher by the minute sometimes. I don't know what big obstacles stand in your way, what giants are hovering over you today, but I hope you will read this verse and find hope and strength. I hope you will breathe in this amazing promise God has given us and rest in it today. Let it lift you up. Let it speak to you. May you read this passage today and see our Heavenly Father in a whole new way.

As you get ready for the weekend, take heart! Be encouraged! I hope that something I have shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

21 Day Fast | Thankful Thursday

The LORD impressed on my heart to carve out a section of my blog to share what I am thankful for. I started it on a Thursday and decided to call it "Thankful Thursday." Each week I share what I am thankful for. Come back each week so we can count our blessings together.

I know I say this every week, but I truly have so many things to be thankful for. God is so good to me! I have not shared on my blog that I was on a 21-day fast. I do not like to tell others unless there is a reason they need to know. I want to thank God for getting me through these past 21 days. It was not easy but I have seen the hand of God move in my circumstances and in my life so much! He has answered so many prayers and done so much for my family and me that I just cannot even begin to tell you what all it was in just the past three weeks! It was that much!

Sometimes I look back in my prayer journals and I am amazed at how much He has done for me. Not amazed because I doubt His ability. Amazed because of the sheer volume of things He is able to accomplish in such a short period of time. The incredibly hard things, the big things, the impossible things that only He can do!

This fast was special because my husband, our children, and a very close friend of mine fasted for 21 days. Today is the last day of the fast and we have shared our struggles, prayed for one another, encouraged one another, and just grew closer to one another. I look back to where we all were January 1 and where we are now and my mind is blown! I am so thankful for family and friends to help encourage and strengthen me as I go.

I am thankful for the excitement and creativity He sparked in me just in the past 24 hours. He has been giving me insight and deeper understanding of His Word and that in turn helps me help others. I am learning and growing and gaining strength. There are some BIG things He has asked me to do for Him and it's not going to be easy but I know that I can do them as He strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

I have been getting group texts from my sisters, my niece, my daughter, and my brother. It has been so encouraging and uplifting to receive messages of hope and love and just sweet reminders of how good God is. I am thankful to have this ability to communicate with them because we don't live close to each other and even though it's not far to a couple of their homes, it's not as easy to fellowship with Covid concerns, so it's a true blessing to pick up my phone and get that daily reminder that others are thinking of me and praying for me.

I am also thankful for my blog. It's not a fancy blog. I don't get paid to do this. I don't have a big following. It's not about that for me. I do this because I love God and I love His Word and I love to share with others. I want to be an encourager. I hope this blog is encouraging to all who read it. I am thankful for those who read my blog and send me messages to tell me how the posts I share have helped them in some way. What a blessing and an honor to get to do that! I am truly thankful I have this opportunity and I do hope one day more will read these blog posts but only so they can see Jesus in a whole new way. I just want to share my faith with as many as I can!

I know I will have even more to thank God for next week. Do you keep a gratitude journal? It is such a great tool for when the journey gets hard and strength fails. I look back and see the hand of God all over my life and I thank Him for that and it starts to breathe new life into me. I get uplifted and encouraged to read what God has done for me! Reminds me of my memory verse this week: Psalm 73:28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Thy works. Isn't that so good?

Thank you for joining me this week as I count my blessings! Be sure to visit my blog tomorrow when I give you all a little fuel for the weekend!

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Use What You Have | Wednesday Bible Study

I am fired up for tonight's Bible study! It's an exciting time for Christians! God is on the move and I want to be part of whatever He does!! Let's jump into the New Testament between 2 Thessalonians and 2 Timothy. We are going to read a piece of the letter Paul wrote to Timothy. Timothy is a young pastor and faces a heavy burden of responsibility in the church to erase false doctrine, safeguard public worship, and develop mature leadership. Let's see what Paul has to say!

1 TIMOTHY 4:14-16 (14)Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. (15)Meditate upon these things: give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. (16)Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

These three verses are filled with advice for Timothy. He was young and it is hard to be a pastor. There are many responsibilities and requirements that can be daunting when just starting a ministry. I believe these instructions are advice for you and I today, too. 

First of all, Paul tells Timothy to use his gift. We all need to remember the gift we were given from God is not just for our pleasure and enjoyment. We must share the gift with others in our own unique way. Neglect not the gift within us! It is so important to not just shrug it off, but put it to use. It may be singing, writing, dancing, drawing, speaking, teaching..... but we must not save our gift for special occasions. We need to do something with that gift every single day!

Paul tells Timothy, and essentially us... to think about our gifts and callings. How can we use these things for God's glory? How can we minister to others with the gifts God gave us? We need to think of those things as more than a hobby or part-time ministry. We should devote ourselves completely to work in the area we are gifted in. We need to study it, and study others with the same gifts to see what they are doing and who they are reaching for Christ. Encourage others who are using their gifts in a way that honors God. And Paul shares a secret here in verse 15. He says that when we are consistent in these things, we are going to grow and develop the skills and abilities to do more, reach more, and bless more. Others will actually see the change and growth as we mature in the things God has called us to do.

It's great to do things God calls us to do. If He has called us to play the guitar, it's fun! It is a blessing to others, but even when we are alone, we can find great satisfaction in learning a new lick, or playing a song with ease we once struggled with. But there is so much more than pleasure and entertainment to be gained from using our gifts.

Paul warns Timothy in the letter to be mindful of how he conducts his life. There is a responsibility that comes with any gift or calling. We are told to pay attention to the testimony of our life, our silent witness, and to the message we are portraying to the rest of the world. What message are we sending to our family, friends, coworkers, classmates, employers, prayer partners, and acquaintances? The reason we want to think about this is so we can experience salvation and those who hear us and spend time with us will experience it too.

What is God asking us to do? What gifts did He give us? What is He calling us to do? How can we use the skills and abilities God gave us to bless others and share a message of love, hope, and forgiveness? God wants us to use the things He gave us so we can get better at it. As we develop more skills and abilities we can mentor others who are not as far along in their Christian journey and then when they grow and develop into a deeper level, they are able to take others under their wings. And so it goes. On and on, we can continue to lift others and encourage them to keep going and keep doing their best for God all the while we are moving and striving for the same. Let's just help each other make it Home!

God bless yoU!

~Bridgett Owens

How To Be Sure We Heard From God | Fuel For The Weekend

God told me to share my faith on Fridays and call it Fuel For The Weekend. It's my desire that the posts I put up on Fridays will give you something to think about, ponder, consider, and reflect on throughout the weekend.

I would like to talk about how we can be sure we heard God even when others doubt. God has a plan for our lives. He tells us that repeatedly in the Scriptures. He has a plan for everyone's life, including His only begotten Son, Jesus. Often we think of Jesus as a little baby in a manger. We find it hard to believe that a great and merciful God would plan for Jesus to die the cruel death of crucifixion. If we think in the natural, we can understand someone questioning that. Jesus was more than a good man. He was God's own Son and so we cannot think logically, we have to think about God's plan supernaturally. The Bible is very clear on what God's plan was for Jesus. Let's look:

ISAIAH 9:6-7 (6)For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (7)Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. 

MATTHEW 1:21 And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins. 

ACTS 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 

ACTS 5:30-32 (30)The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. (31)Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. (32)And we are His witnesses of those things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him. 

2 CORINTHIANS 5:20-21 (20)Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead (behalf), be ye reconciled to God. (21)For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. 

JOHN 1:1-4 (1)In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2)The same was in the beginning with God. (3)All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. (4)In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. 

JOHN 3:16-17 (16)For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. (17)For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world: but that the world through Him might be saved. 

JOHN 17:3-5 (3)And this is life eternal that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom Thou hast sent. (4)I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do. (5)And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was. 

REVELATION 22:1-7 (1)And He shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. (2)In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (3)And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him: (4)And they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads. (5)And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun, for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. (6)And He said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the Holy prophets sent His angel to shew unto His servants the things which must shortly be done. (7)Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of this book.

It is clear from today's reading that God's plan was to redeem fallen man by sending His pure and Holy Son Jesus to die for our sins. He has a place prepared for us and He is going to bring His people Home one day. Yes, the crucifixion was an unimaginable horrific sacrifice for you and for me, but it was needed. We would all be lost in sin and would be separated from God for all of eternity if Jesus didn't do that. All we have to do is believe that He did that. He did the very hard part.

The devil hates God and he hates God's people. He hates everyone! There is no love in him. He wants to confuse us of our purpose because he knows if he can get us distracted we can be tempted to go away from God's plan and step into his deception. Please understand it is important to know his tricks so we can be watching. He has no new tricks. He uses the "You sure?" tactic. He used it on Eve in the garden of Eden and he used it on Jesus in the wilderness. He still uses that tactic on us today because often it works. We get confused and discouraged and we give up. Let's look at what happened in Eden and again in the wilderness. We have to follow Jesus's example of how to handle the questions the devil plants in our minds.

GENESIS 2:16-17 (16)And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: (17)But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. 

GENESIS 3:1-6 (1)Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (2)And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: (3)But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (4)And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: (5)For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (6)And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also to her husband with her; and he did eat. 

GENESIS 3:21-24 (21)Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. (22)And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: (23)Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from when he was taken. (24)So He drove out the man; and He placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. 

MATTHEW 4:1-11 (1)Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. (2)And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungered. (3)And when the tempter came to Him, he said, If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. (4)But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (5)Then the devil taketh Him up into the Holy city, and setteth Him on a pinnacle of the temple. (6)And saith unto Him, If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down: for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning Thee: and in their hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at any time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone. (7)Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. (8)Again, the devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; (9)And saith unto Him, All these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me. (10)Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. (11)Then the devil leaveth Him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.

The devil questioned Eve in the garden. He twisted the words of God and asked if God really told her not to eat the fruit of any tree. God was very specific that they could eat of any tree in the garden as much as they desired except they could not eat of the tree in the middle of the garden. She listened to him and got confused and mixed up and then the deception began. He started to lure her in by promising she would have wisdom and be like God. He didn't mention that eating the fruit would be in disobedience to God which is sin which leads to death. He conveniently left that part out.

The devil questioned Jesus. He wanted to make Him question His identity. He kept saying "If you're really the Son of God..." He does the same thing to us. We are not exempt from this tactic. He wants to get in our minds and bind it up so we cannot think clearly. We forget what God told us as we listen to his lies and deceit we are tempted to stray from the path God put us on. We must not listen. Jesus fought the devil with the Word of God every single time. It is written. It is written. It is written. Do you hear the swish of the sword as He hit the devil again and again and again.

The devil will use people you care about to make you doubt. He will use your friends, your family, your pastor! He will use anyone he can to make you question if what you know you heard from God is really what God said. This happened to us when we were moving to Alabama. It sounded crazy to leave everything we knew and leave it behind. We left family and friends, a church we served faithfully in, and jobs we were promoted in. Our children left friends and family and schools. We went to a part of the country we never knew before. It was 16 months of God's plan unfolding before our eyes and He took us on a journey to change us. It's extraordinary what He did in that time frame. Yet, before we left we had people laughing at us, telling us we were crazy, that God doesn't talk to people anymore, and that we didn't hear God say that. They accused us of being irresponsible and selfish. Some even said they were praying against us that God would stop us from moving!

God will use people too. Even though we were fought hard, we knew God had told us to move, because it was definitely NOT our idea! God gave us great friends in the church and some of our family members who were encouraging, quick to pray for us and with us, and even blessed us financially and other ways to make the journey easier. I will never forget them and their kindness and I hold them dear in my heart.

We were questioned by some of those same people who didn't want us to go to Alabama when God lead us back to Indiana. He gave us a purpose of why we were to come back and what we must do. Just like the devil again tried to plant seeds of doubt in our mind through others who asked, "Are you sure you heard God? I thought God told you to go to Alabama. You better ask God what you did to deserve coming back here!" But God uses people, too, and He allowed us to have praying family and friends who were encouraging and kind and supportive; who gave us provision and prayers for the journey back and it was so amazing how much He has done for us since moving back, which was NOT our idea!

So now we know that God had a plan for His own Son, Jesus. We know He has a plan for us. We may even know some of the things God wants to do with our lives right now and maybe like Joseph we share those dreams and we are attacked. We are forsaken by our family and friends. They don't believe God talks to people anymore. They think you are a fanatic or have lost your mind. They question if you are sure you heard from God. So what can we do? How can we be sure we have heard from God?

There are those who desire to do something for God so much that they get ahead of His timing and His plan and then disaster happens! Then they question if God ever told them to do anything. The devil is quick to pour seeds of doubt and confusion into our minds and before long we give up and quit doing anything for God. Please know that there is a perfect time and season for everything. We must wait for God's direction.

We can be sure we heard from God when we read what the Bible says is God's plans and thoughts for us. We pray and ask God to show us what He wants us to do. Then we get quiet as we listen for His voice, read His Word, and obey what we have been told.

God doesn't want us left in the dark, wondering aimlessly through life with no sense of direction. We can find out God's plans and thoughts concerning us by searching the Scriptures.

PSALMS 139:17-18 (17)How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! (18)If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with Thee.

JEREMIAH 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

When we pray to Him, He hears and answers us. He wants to talk to His children. He enjoys hearing from us and He has a lot to say to us, too. Prayer is powerful because it prevents us from being tempted by the enemy. We are to lift our hands in sweet surrender to our Lord and Savior. We have to let go of anger and doubt because it does not please God. Sometimes we have to wait when we pray but we know He listens and hears our prayers.

JEREMIAH 29:12-13 (12)Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. (13)And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.

LUKE 22:46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

1 TIMOTHY 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up Holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

PSALMS 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 

Let's ask God what He wants to do in us and through us. If we need wisdom, all we have to do is ask the giver of wisdom and He will generously give it to us. When we ask, we must have faith and not doubt because we won't get anything from God if we do not trust He will provide. We need to ask Him to check our hearts and motives. Are we lining up our will with God's or are we asking Him to change His plans for us and follow where we lead? It is best to surrender to His will and His plan because He sees the end from the beginning. He wants to bless us and give us good things. He is a wonderful Father and He only wants to give His best to His children. Have we poured His Word into our hearts? Does His Word abide within us? Are we abiding in the True Vine? Are we seeking God's approval, or are we wanting His permission to do our own will? We can ask what we want from God and will get it when we have God's Holy Word in our hearts and allow it to guide our decisions.

JAMES 1:5-7 (5)If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (6)But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. (7)For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.

PSALMS 139:23-24 (23)Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: (24)And see if there by any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

MATTHEW 7:7-11 (7)Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: (8)For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and he that knocketh it shall be opened. (9)Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? (10)Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? (11)If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?

JOHN 15:7 If ye abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

We must listen for God to answer us. Do not believe the lie that God does not talk to His people anymore. Of course He does! He does not change. He communicates with His children and He is our good Shepherd. We know His voice and another we will not follow. He tells us to call upon His name and He will answer us. It is very plain to see that He wants to tell us things, answer our questions, and give us insight for the plans He has for our lives.

ISAIAH 30:21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

JEREMIAH 33:3 Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

In the book of Ephesians we are told that our spiritual sword is the Word of God. If we want to sharpen our swords, we must study God's Word. We cannot let someone else read it for us, or tell us what it says, because they could get it wrong. We need to study ourselves and learn and grow in the Spirit by feasting on God's Word. We cannot survive on natural food in the Spiritual realm. We must feed our Spirit God's Word. Open the book and devour it yourself. It is so good!

JOHN 8:31-32 (31)Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed; (32)And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

2 TIMOTHY 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth.

MATTHEW 4:4 But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

JOSHUA 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 

We can be sure we heard from God when we recognize He has a plan for our lives. He thinks about us and plans things, experiences, and opportunities to help us grow and mature into the man or woman of God He designed us to be. And once we recognize that He has enabled us with gifts and talents that align with His purpose and plan for us, we can then pray and ask God to help us use those gifts in a way to honor Him. It isn't about getting the accolades and the high-fives of this world. We must look to God for His approval. When we become still we can hear His voice, as we remember what His Word says, and we start behaving in a way to obey Him, we will be blessed and walk in the fullness of our purpose.

ROMANS 12:1-2 (1)I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (2)And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

PROVERBS 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

JAMES 1:22-25 (22)But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (23)For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: (24)For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. (25)But who looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Don't listen to anyone tell you that God has stopped talking to His people. It is a shame more of us are not seeking Him and listening for His still, small voice. As we put these things into daily practice we can be sure we heard God's voice and no one can tell us otherwise. No well-meaning friend or family member, no doubting spouse or significant other; and definitely not our enemy can discourage us from following after God if we remain faithful to our King Jesus. I pray that you are encouraged and strengthened as you seek out His purpose for your life. Trust and believe He has big and exciting plans for you and He wants to tell you about it!

I know this was a lot to unpack. I hope it is something you can take the time to study more on your own over the weekend. Take your time looking up these verses and others as Holy Spirit leads you. Do not get discouraged. You can know for sure that Your Heavenly Father is speaking life over you and to you! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

God Said Go Forward | Thankful Thursday

 The LORD impressed on my heart to carve out a section of my blog to share what I am thankful for. I started it on a Thursday and decided to call it "Thankful Thursday." Each week I share what I am thankful for. Come back each week so we can count our blessings together.

I am thankful for many things this year. God has kept our family safe. He has blessed us with jobs and my son likes his new school. I have so much to be thankful for. I never have a shortage of things to thank God for. 

Yesterday after work I drove to a little park outside of town with a creek beside it. It was nice and peaceful for a little while. I sure missed being able to drive to the ocean like I could do anytime in Alabama. It wasn't the same, but it was still a blessing. I am always drawn to the water.

I started reading my Bible and God began to share with me some things to encourage me. I am so thankful for that. Some people say they pick up the Bible and don't know what it means, have trouble with the words, and just don't know where to begin. I am thankful for time in God's Word. It encourages me and helps me... gives me guidance on what to do and how to conduct myself. I miss the mark but God's grace covers me and gently leads me back on the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. If you find reading the Bible difficult, I encourage you to pray and ask God to open the scriptures to you and He will do it!

I cannot look back to my life in Alabama and long for it; I am in the place God wants me. I cannot look back at my mistakes, because God has forgiven me and taught me to do better. I am thankful God urges me to move on with my life, just like He said to Moses and the children of Israel.

Exodus 14:13-15 (13)And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He shall shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. (14)The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. (15)And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto Me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

I am thankful God says to us not to be afraid. We have to do something, stand and watch! We have to stand still and watch God deliver us and He will do it! He told the children of Israel that the enemy that had tormented them so long, would be obliterated and they would never see them again! What an incredible promise!

I am thankful God fights for us and we must hold our peace. It's not easy to remain silent when people say mean things, or falsely accuse us, but God doesn't want us to say anything. When we are silent, God begins to fight for us. He rushes to our defense and we do not have to say a thing. I have seen Him do that for me already this week!

I am thankful that God asked Moses, Why are you crying out to Me? Tell my people to move on, go forward... don't look back, don't cry about it. It's time to move! There's a time for crying and praying and asking God for something, but there's also a time to move! When we have stood in silence and watched Him deliver us and fight for us, then we need to go forward! We have to get out of the place He is setting us free from.

What areas has God been delivering you from? Addiction? Anger? Jealousy? Bitterness? Gossip? Manipulation? What has God fought on your behalf so that you can be victorious? What have you overcome? I am so thankful that He has helped me so much with many, many areas of my life. He still goes before me and fights my battles and He always wins! He never fails. He never loses. He never says, "Sorry, Bridgett! I am almost had that!" No!!! He never fails. He is always victorious and He always delivers me from the bondage I find myself in.

I used to compare myself to others and I didn't want what they had, but I started to feel like I didn't have value or worth. I felt bad about myself and I questioned all the decisions I had made. I started to wonder if God could ever use someone like me. Then I started reading the Bible to help others and it transformed my life. God took away bitter hurt and disappointment, unforgiveness, anger, and fear. He took my low self-esteem and changed the way I looked at myself by telling me what He saw in me. He showed me what I could do through Him and I got confidence. I learned to lean heavily on Him and every day I walk with Him gets sweeter and sweeter. Note, I did not say easier... but it is sweeter.

Yes, week after week, I have so much to be thankful for. I hope you will reflect on the goodness of God and remember what He has done for you. Have you thanked Him? Have you just sat at His feet and told Him how much He means to you and how grateful you are to be His? I don't do it enough. I love Him so much and I am so thankful for every single thing He does for me every moment of every day! He is so good to me!

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Overcomer | Wednesday Bible Study

I have been fought today! In the Spiritual realm, it has been a battle! I am in a spiritual valley, the fight is on, the noise of the battle is in my ears, and everywhere I look I see destruction. It's hard in the valley to remember what it was like on the mountaintop. All I can think about is the daunting task ahead of me to climb another mountain! God reminded me of someone in the Bible who was on the mountaintop but a deep, dark valley was up ahead and he didn't even know it.

Genesis 39:2-6 (2)And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man: and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. (3)And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all the he did to prosper in his hand. (4)And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had put into his hand. (5)And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house, and in the field. (6)And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand: and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly (handsome) person, and well favoured.

Joseph had a special calling on his life. Even though he had been sold into slavery by his brothers, his own flesh and blood, he was now in a prominent place and successful. He may have thought this was what the dreams meant. He was in a place of honor and all that he put his hand to was blessed. He had no idea that very soon everything would change and he would find himself in prison for fictitious rape charges.

God wanted me to remember that Joseph's mountaintop experience helped him in the prison. He knew God placed him in the Egyptian's house. He remembered his success and he remembered his dreams. These memories served him well in prison. He was able to rise in ranks in prison and even was given a place of honor to oversee the other prisoners.

I'm not so much like Joseph. I do remember the promises God gave me and the blessings He bestowed on me, but I have a hard time not looking at the prison cell walls instead of thinking about what I will do when I get out. In this valley it is hard and I don't like feeling so far away from God. I know He is with me and He always will be, but it's hard to hear over the noise of the battle.

This week I am memorizing 1 John 4:4 "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." This verse has been pivotal for me. It forces me to remember that the battle is not won by me or anything I do, but by the God who lives inside me and goes before me and fights on my behalf. I am an overcomer because He has made me so.

You may be facing a difficult situation and things just seem to be getting worse instead of better. Look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. (Luke 21:28) Remember the God inside of you is greater than the devil in the world. You are an overcomer. You will get through this tough time. You will soon be on the mountaintop where the view is amazing. Don't give up. Don't grow weary. (Galatians 6:9) The valley season is not forever. 

Joseph found that he made a connection in the prison. He met someone who worked in the palace. He forgot Joseph once he was back at work in the palace until someone needed the very gift Joseph had. He was brought before Pharaoh and eventually became second in command. His dreams came true and he was promoted by God to save many people. 

Use this dry season, this valley season, this tumultuous season to make connections and use your gifts whether you see any change in circumstances or not. God is moving. Soon everything will come together and you and I will be exalted to a place of honor by God. He never takes His eyes off us. He has us in the palm of His hand. He is going before us and He stands behind us. He is all around us protecting us and helping us. Be encouraged! The battle belongs to the LORD and He wins every single time!

You are made an overcomer by the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony. (Revelation 12:11) Let's take up our cross, with our full armor on, and suit up for battle. If you are not going through a tough season, just rest in His presence and regain strength, because before you know it, you will be back in the valley fighting the good fight of faith. Let's pray for each other and help each other make it Home!

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Pacifier | Fuel For The Weekend

God told me to share my faith on Fridays and call it Fuel For The Weekend. It's my desire that the posts I put up on Fridays will give you something to think about, ponder, consider, and reflect on throughout the weekend. 

My mom told me that when I was a baby I loved my pacifier! She said I would have a fit if I lost it or couldn't find it. She tried to hide it in the cabinet from me but I would just keep crying until she gave it to me. 

Some kids love pacifiers and others don't want them at all. My daughter, Kadesia did not care for a pacifier. She was content without it. I offered it to her because I knew how much my mom said I enjoyed one and was surprised when she would try it and spit it out. It was not for her!

My son, Javan took a pacifier for a while. It was longer than his sister but apparently still not as long as I had one. It was a little hard to wean him off the pacifier because he liked to chew on it more than anything.

According to Merriam-Webster's definition, a pacifier is to soothe the anger or agitation of; to restore to a tranquil state. Babies may enjoy pacifiers, regardless of the various names everyone calls it, but adults do, too. Adult soothers may include drugs, alcohol, sex, overspending, overworking, violence, or overeating. These lead to more problems that require more soothers, but for Christians we have soothers that include prayer, reading the Bible, Bible study with others, attending church, encouraging and uplifting one another, singing, praising, and worshiping God.  Our soothers do not create more problems for us, and are available in abundance! We have hope that this life is not all there is.

What happens when Christians do not use the pacifiers we have, and we instead turn to other things to soothe us? We must be careful because God alone is the source of our peace and hope and joy. We can search but we will not find what we are looking for if we do not seek God.

JEREMIAH 29:12-13 (12)Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. (13)And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.

This is the beginning of a new month in a brand new year. Many people are hopeful that things will turn around and be like they were before March last year. The truth is, it might not. Covid is a terrible problem all around the globe. There's a new president going into office, and whether we like it or not, that will also be a change. We must remember things are never going to be perfect. I hear so many say they will be glad when all this is over. Some trust in the government. Some trust in money. Some trust in the stock market. Some trust in their jobs. Some trust in their spouse. Some trust in themselves. We must put our trust in God. He is the author and finisher of our faith.

PSALMS 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

The news is not going to tell us how to have hope; it is a joy killer. The world is not going to teach how to get closer to God; they hate Him. The economy will let us down. Look at the stock market through all the years. It is up and then it is down. It is good then it is bad. People gain a lot of money. People lose a lot of money. Bright, talented, and incredibly gifted men and women, young and old have taken their own life because of the outcome of the stock market. It is heart-wrenching.

What if things get worse this month? You want to be encouraged and I am going to encourage you; but, for a moment imagine that things don't improve this month? Are we looking at our circumstances? Or are we standing on God's Word and what He said about it? Whose report will we believe?

HEBREWS 4:14-16 (14)Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. (15)For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (16)Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

God loves us! He loves His children. Jesus died for our sins. Jesus paid the price for our healing. He is in control. He sits on the throne and He is not shook or scared about the condition this world is in. He hates the wickedness; He hates the sin; but He is not nervous. He is all-powerful. He is in charge and He told us over and over again in His word to Fear Not! We cannot give up!

PSALMS 118:24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Life may not go as planned. We may have to change course in the middle of what we thought was a good idea. We may have to get creative in finding ways to connect with other believers, but we must not give up or give in. We must refresh at the feet of Jesus. Let's help each other make it Home!

PSALMS 90:14 O satisfy us early with Thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

ISAIAH 58:11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

Take comfort in the Scriptures. God will guide us continually! He satisfies our soul in dry seasons. He makes our bones healthy! We are like a watered garden. We are growing, thriving, and flourishing because the Living Water does not fail. Instead of reaching for the carnal pacifiers that can never satisfy, tap into God's unfailing love and mercy and grace. Read God's Word and find joy in His presence! There is nothing else like it.

In 2020, while the world was in an uproar over Corona Virus, racial tension, politics, and the various storms and natural disasters that occurred, I was in perpetual peace. The Bible promises to keep us in perfect peace as we keep our minds on Christ. I was not always care-free or worry-free but I had peace. I had peace in my soul, peace in my marriage, peace in my home, and there is nothing like the peace God gives.

If our year is not starting out the way we thought it would, or if we find ourselves looking for ways to soothe our fears, let's turn to Jesus. He will return us to a tranquil state. He will soothe the agitation and anger we feel. He pacifies us. He is all we need.

I hope you have a blessed weekend! Be sure to check back next week for more inspiration. As you enter the weekend I hope something I shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

 

 

 

 

Praise A Creative Journaling Bible KJV | Thankful Thursday

The LORD impressed on my heart to carve out a section of my blog to share what I am thankful for. I started it on a Thursday and decided to call it "Thankful Thursday." Each week I share what I am thankful for. Come back each week so we can count our blessings together.

I wanted a journaling Bible for a while now. At first I could only find journaling Bibles in NIV and other versions. My favorite version of the Bible is King James Version but I do use other translations in cross-referencing and studying, but I really wanted a KJV journaling Bible. One day I was on my phone and I saw a message from Bible Journaling Ministries that said that the Praise Creative Journaling Bible was on sale for a really great price. She had an affiliate link and so I shared it with my daughter and husband and told them I really wanted that Bible. My husband told his mom and she bought it for me and gave it to me when I got to Indiana! 

Here are some photos of my new Bible:

I know it's already the end of the first week in January and I haven't touched it but it's because we have moved and we are not in our home yet. We are staying with family so when I get in my new home I will share lots more about this Bible, but probably I will do that on my YouTube channel. I am very thankful for my new Bible and I am so excited to get to use it soon!

Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

I am blessed to have access to God's Word anytime I want. I have the YouVersion Bible app on my phone. This is a free app and it has the entire Bible in one app on my phone. I can read from any version I like and I can also listen as the Bible is read to me. I have study plans and it's wonderful. I have compact Bibles, large Bibles, thin Bibles, and even miniature Bibles. I love God's Word and I am thankful for this new Bible to add to my collection!

Hope you are counting your blessings with me! Let me know what you are thankful for!

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens 

Daily Bread | Wednesday Bible Study

My memory verse for this week is Matthew 6:11 "Give us this day our daily bread." It is simple enough to remember. I have been meditating on this verse to commit it to memory. My goal for 2021 is to memorize 52 memory verses: one per week. This verse has a special meaning for me because of the book I hope to publish this year. I want to unpack this verse today in a brief Bible study.

Jesus is teaching His disciples how to pray. We have access to the Scriptures so we are learning how to pray as well. Jesus cautions in verse seven of the same chapter not to use vain repetitions when we pray. Prayer is a conversation we have with our Heavenly Father. It is not mysterious. It does not have to be a long conversation and we do not need to use big words and Jesus even says don't repeat the same things over and over. No one wants to talk to someone for a half hour and twenty minutes of that time is spent repeating the same phrases. Our Heavenly Father wants a real conversation from our hearts. When we pray to our Abba Father, speak clearly and honestly. He knows our thoughts and the intents of our heart. Nothing we say will shock Him!

Jesus goes through the different parts of prayer and when He gets to verse 11 it really got my attention. We are to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." Why should we pray this specific request? What does it mean? What are we really asking when we say Lord, today give us our daily bread?

We should pray this specifically because it was important enough for Jesus to highlight when He teaches the disciples. We are in a heart posture of recognizing we need something that we cannot obtain without God, our Heavenly Father, providing it for us. It is not a want. It is not a selfish desire. It is a basic human need and we cannot get it without God. What is this need?

We pray, "Give us" because we lack something. "This day" is every single day we pray. The need is repetitive. It is not met in one prayer session one day once in a while. We need this from God every single day we live. "Our daily bread" is not just the food we put in our mouths. Yes He does provide food for His children. David said, "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor His seed begging bread." (Psalms 37:25) God is going to meet your needs for food. He has done it for me time and time and time again. He never fails! But what else could it mean?

Matthew 4:4 reads "But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Our physical bodies require food to live, but we can live a while without food before our bodies are damaged and we waste away and eventually die. People fast all the time. In fact, in January many people begin the year with a 21 day fast, sometimes using methods Daniel used in the Old Testament and it is called the Daniel Fast. Others use those same 21 days to fast things they enjoy the most in an effort to grow closer to God. Fasting food is Biblical and is important for every Christian to do in some form or another. So if we do not need food to eat, why would we pray for daily bread?

Jesus said He is the bread of life. He said it twice in John chapter six. John 6:35 "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and He that believeth on Me shall never thirst." Does that mean that once we become a Christian we never want food or water anymore? No! Of course not. This is spiritual. Jesus is the sustenance we need for life. Without His spiritual food and spiritual drink we will die. We cannot live without Jesus! We need Him every single day. We need the daily bread of life!

Jesus says it again in John 6:51: "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." This was such a hard saying that many of His disciples couldn't take it. They turned back and stopped following Jesus. They had learned so much from Him but when it came down to acknowledging Jesus as their source of life, they decided they wanted selfish desires more than a closer walk with Him. They would rather be comfortable in their unbelief and their religious rituals than to uncover the truth that would give them eternal life.

When we pray "Give us this day our daily bread," we are actually asking for a daily dose of Jesus. We are praying for more of Him. More of the bread of life and the living water that sets us free. We are asking God to give us more of what we need to survive in this spiritual war we are in and without it we will die! We need Him that much!

Jesus included this request in His example of how to pray. It is so important we take time to not only ask for our daily bread, but to take our time enjoying the bread. Take our time getting to know the bread of life. Jesus wants to reveal Himself to us in a special way. He wants to draw us closer to Himself. He wants a deeper relationship. We can communicate with Him every single day, all day long because He taught us how to pray. We do not need to repeat the same thing over and over, but we must ask for a fresh portion of the bread of life every single day we live.

I had a really crazy day! It was a doozie! But God sustained me. He kept fighting for me and reminding me of how to win, how to persevere, and how to overcome. I am ending the day bruised, sore, and a little tattered but I have the joy of the Lord down inside my soul and strength and peace that does not make sense. I am going to bed tonight feasting on the Bread of Life and I never want to go one moment without Him!

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens