We Are Important to God | Thankful Thursday

This is the final week of summer vacation for my son! He has had an eventful summer and did a lot of things on his summer bucket list, but we just couldn't get to everything on there. It's hard to believe we are enjoying the last few days of July. Monday we start August and three days into next month Javan starts high school. Time is just gone! But I had to take some time this evening to count my blessings with all of you. Are you ready?

I wanted to thank God for loving me so much that He thinks about me. I am not an afterthought. I am not forgotten or ignored. God literally thinks about me and has included me in His amazing plan for this world and for His Kingdom. Do you know that you are important to God? You and I are always on our Father's mind! That makes me feel so good to realize I am on His mind.

John 3:16 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.

What a promise! Jesus said this and it is true. We know God loved us so much that Jesus, God's own Son, stood in the gap between us and God and with His precious blood, Jesus paid for our sins. He could have pardoned us and that would have been enough! That was the ultimate sacrifice! But, Jesus did not just come to bail us out of sin. He came to give us life more abundant.

A more abundant life is not the addition of material possessions. It is the addition of peace, love, joy, patience, kindness, meekness, gentleness, goodness, and faith. It is not having the absence of problems, but living in God's presence where there is fullness of joy! What a blessing!

Friends, I am thankful that you and I matter to God. If we will turn our hearts toward Him, we will live an abundant life like we have never known. Trust Him! He is the giver of every good and perfect gift. I hope you will count your blessings with me today. What are you grateful for on this Thankful Thursday?

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 40 | Wednesday Bible Study

Welcome back to Bible Study Wednesday! This year God has pressed upon my heart to study the book of Psalms. Each Wednesday we take a closer look at a new chapter. Today we are going to chapter 40. If you have not done so, please take the time to read through these 17 verses. I will be sharing some thoughts about today's passage and break down this chapter below. Please pray and ask Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes and ears to receive everything He has to teach you in today's passage. Let's begin!

This particular Psalm of David is about how God has answered his prayers in the past and a request for God to be faithful again. It is a testament of God's goodness and mercy. David knows he can trust and rely on God because God has never failed him. God has been faithful and just and Holy all through David's life. He knows that God is with him and helps him. Before we dive in fully to this study today, let's reflect on what we are asking God to do for us, and let's not forget the times He came through for us when we had nothing and no one else.

Verse 1

Are we patiently waiting for God to answer us, or are we impatiently waiting? There is no middle ground here, but one day can vary from the next. Some days I am waiting patiently for God to work everything out so we can have our own home again. I am content in knowing that I am in a temporary situation and it will soon end.

Other times, I am impatiently waiting. I have been guilty of going to God in prayer and in exasperation. I submit a list of good things I have done that should somehow hurry God up to get us to our intended destination. Yet, my works and my good effort has nothing to do with how God is working things out. He is moving things and changing things and rearranging things so that it will all fall into place up to the very smallest and last detail. How could I possibly be of any help to Him?

I have grumbled and complained and tried to change my circumstances on my own. God allowed me to try. He knew the outcome would not be what I wanted but it would show me that He is in control and I am not; and He has a far better plan than I do. He wants me to have a wonderful, blessed, and full life, but it includes storms, pain, suffering, and hardship. That is not what I had in mind at all, and yet the toughest valleys and darkest days were some of the best times of training and learning the character of God.

The last part  of this first verse is God listened and heard David's pleas. He is listening to us. We are His children and He loves us. Of course He is listening to us, but David was patiently waiting. It is something for us to pause and think about. How are we waiting for what we asked God to do?

Verses 2-3

David said God brought him up out of a horrible pit. Sometimes the pits we fall into are despair, suffering, lack, hunger, loneliness, and anger. What horrible pit has God pulled you up out of?

David said the pit he was in had miry clay for the bottom. Mire is deep slushy mud. I do not know about you but I deeply dislike getting dirty, and that includes getting mud on me. I will walk out of my way to avoid mud and dirt. This pit David says he was in is not a physical pit, though it could have been. Think of the situations that felt dirty, chaotic, disorganized, unpleasant, and where you felt like you were on a merry-go-round or roller coaster spinning out of control. Maybe you felt like nothing you did gave you any traction. David said he was there and God took him out of that environment and set his feet upon a rock.

There's something comforting about standing on a solid rock. I was at the ocean in Alabama and I had been on some uneven rocks and sand and it was hard to walk on. I was slowing down my pace so I didn't hurt myself or fall. But once I felt the cold rock beneath my bare feet I felt secure and steady. I smiled and I could hold my head up again and look at the beauty around me. I was no longer so careful to stare at the ground in front of me and watch each step I took.

David said God established his goings once he was on the Rock. The Rock is the revelation of who Jesus Christ is. Jesus asked His disciples who He was. Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Matthew 16:17-19 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Not only did Jesus change Peter's identity and give him a new name, but He gave him the power to bind and loose things on earth and in heaven. David was granted his requests when he went to the Rock of Ages with his petitions.

God never blesses us for us alone. It is always so we can bless others. We can encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ who are struggling along that we can make it with God's help! We can witness to unbelievers and tell them of the goodness of God. Like, David we will have a new song to sing. We will praise God so that many will see it and fear God and come to trust in Him.

Verse 4

David tells us that those who trust in God are blessed. When we do not put the prideful and arrogant on a pedestal, or think highly of dishonest and corrupt leaders, we are blessed. There is no benefit to walking with those who dishonor God. There is no blessing tied to their lifestyle or beliefs. We are to trust in God alone to help us be successful and kind and share the message of His Kingdom with everyone we know.

Verse 5

How many answered prayers have you received from God in your lifetime? How often has God turned bad situations into good for you? How many times has He healed your body or your loved one's body because you prayed and asked? Think of all the times God protected and rescued us from dangers we never saw coming! I love this verse. David says, "MANY are the works of You God and they are WONDERFUL and Your thoughts toward us are so plentiful that if we began to count them and put them in order, they could not be numbered for the bountiful blessings You have given us!"

I used to sing a song at church called I Have Been Blessed and part of the verse says:

If the pen of a writer, could write everyday

Even this world could never contain

How I've been blessed.

The chorus says,

I have been blessed God's so good to me.

Precious are His thoughts of you and me.

No way I could count them.

There's not enough time.

So I'll just thank Him for being so kind.

God has been good, so good, I have been blessed.

Verses 6-8

God is not asking us to sacrifice everything and offer up special gifts to Him. He enjoys when we give and do things for Him, but He wants our heart. He wants our attention and our time. David says, "I delight to do Your will God, and Your Law is within my heart." I want to echo that. May my life be a love story to God about how much I adore Him and serve Him. He is worth loving. He is worth getting to know and to understand His ways as best as we can, David says God has opened his ears. Are your ears open to the voice of Holy Spirit? Are you tuned in to His still small voice? Are you hearing His instructions?

Verses 9-10

David preached Righteousness in the great congregation. King David had BIG influence and the people loved him. He has an opportunity to promote himself but he chooses to promote God and His power and love and goodness. He said, "God You know I have not refrained my lips from speaking the truth." We must ask for boldness to witness to our unsaved coworkers and neighbors. If David can share the Good News with a whole nation, we surely can share the goodness of God with those we come into contact with. David says, "I have not kept Your faithfulness, salvation, lovingkindness, and Your truth a secret. I shared it God." Can we say that? Let's pray that we have a desire to share the Good News of Jesus with everyone!

Verses 11-13

David makes a plea to God for deliverance. The situation he is in feels overwhelming and he feels outnumbered. Have you ever been there? Has the problems seemed to outweigh the good? Run to God. Let your prayer be the same as David's. "God, let it please You to deliver me. Hurry to help me God." Yes, I pray that today.

Verses 14-15

David wants his enemies to be ashamed and confused that try to destroy his soul. We have an enemy who is trying to destroy our souls, but God has placed us in the palm of His hand and we are untouchable from the enemy. The devil can wear us out and beat on us in this world, but he cannot destroy our soul! One day he will be banished forever! Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. One day it will be all over for the devil.

Verse 16

Do you love God? Is Jesus your Savior? If so, then this verse is for you! Let's exalt His Name on high. Let's say, "The LORD be magnified!" I exalt the name of Jesus. I praise Him for what He has done for me. I thank Him that He saved me and chooses to use me. I am nothing apart from Him. He is the reason I am here today. I love Him so much. I praise Him and I could not even get through today's Bible study without a praise and worship session of how wonderful God is to His children. He is wonderful in all of His ways. Even when we are in circumstances we can't see how we will make it through, we can worship Him and love Him because He is worthy of all praise and honor. Our situations don't change God's worth and as we worship Him and thank Him for all He is doing in our lives, we will see the miraculous happen as He begins to turn around all the evil for good in our lives! I have seen it happen over and over again.

Verse 17

I love the way this psalm ends. I am poor and needy, yet You think about me, God. You choose to think about me and love me. You have not forgotten about us. God when the days turn to weeks and the weeks into months, and the months into years, may we never forget that You have Your eyes on us and You are working everything out. Thank You Jesus for thinking about us and being mindful of us. What a wonderful and kind Risen King You are!

Friends, I hope this has been a thought-provoking study. I want us to take away from today's study that God sees us and loves us and is blessing us. He is going to make all things new and sometimes it hurts to go through the pruning process but in the end we will yield so much more fruit. Let me know in the comments if you are enjoying studying the Psalms with me this year. I always appreciate your feedback and love studying with you each week! My prayer is something you have read today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

The Anatomy of Healing the Blind | 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. If it leads to discussions with your family and friends, even better!

Have you ever thought about how miraculous it is for a person blind from birth to see? It is mind-boggling. We have an account in John chapter nine that I want to dissect. I broke this chapter into ten parts and I could do a ten week series on it but since this is in written form, I want to just keep the points only in this post and you can then study it on your own and chew on it a little longer, if you want.

The Healing (verses 1-7)

So to get started, we are going to look at the first seven verses. The text starts out with Jesus seeing a man as He passes by and the man was blind since birth. The disciples, much like many people today, were quick to ask which parent was the sinner that caused him to be born blind. It was a common thought that if a child was born with an infirmity it must be the mom or dad's fault. Jesus was quick to say that it was neither the blind man, nor either of his parents that sinned. This particular man was born blind and grew up in that manner so that God could do a miracle in his life and help others to believe in God. Jesus states that He is the Light of the World and in the next two verses He spits on the ground, making a clay eye mask, and places it on the man's eyes. He then tells the man to go to the pool of Siloam, which is interpreted to mean Sent and the man did that and he came back with eye sight! It is incredible! That could have been the end and that would have been a wonderful account of God's goodness, love, and mercy and miraculous power, but we have so much more to read.

The Doubting (verses 8-9)

Imagine the neighbors the blind man grew up around. Many knew him and could attest that he was blind. Now that he came back seeing, it startled everyone. People started to doubt. Some said, "This is the blind man that sat and begged." Others said, "No, it is not him, but it sure looks like him." There was doubting and people going back and forth. Finally the man said, "Yes, it is me. I once was blind, but now I see!" What an incredible testimony he had!!!

The Questioning (verses 10-15) 

They did not rejoice with the boy. There was no celebration. The interrogation began. Everyone wanted to know how he got his vision when he never had it before. He told them how Jesus made clay, anointed his eyes, sent him to the pool called Sent, and that he went and washed and received his sight!

They demand to know where Jesus is. They were not seeking Him out to thank Him for healing the man. He said he did not know where Jesus went. So they drag the young man to the Pharisees. You see, this was no ordinary day, it was the Sabbath and the Pharisees made up a bunch of impossible-to-follow rules about the Sabbath and even they were not able to avoid breaking the rules.

The Accusing (verses 16-18)

The Pharisees demand to know how he received sight. The young man rehearsed it all over again so they could hear it. They immediately speak lies against Jesus. They said, "He is not of God because He does not keep the Sabbath." But others spoke out and said, "How could he be healed if Jesus is a sinner? Sinners do not have this kind of authority and power." So there was a division among them. They could not even agree whether or not God did this powerful, miraculous deed. Who else opens the eyes of the blind but God?

They want to know what the man thinks about Jesus who has healed him. The man said, "He is a prophet." The Jews heard that and decided the man was making the whole thing up and that he was not even blind until they asked his parents.

The Fearing (verses 19-23)

They asked the parents if this was their son and they confirmed it was. They asked them how the man was able to see now, even though he was born blind. The parents said that he had indeed been born blind but they had no idea how he was able to see now. They said, "Further we do not know the man that did this but our son is of age, so let him answer himself."

We need to understand what is going on here. They were about to be kicked out of the synagogue. They were scared of the religious leaders at that time because they had boasted, "If any man confesses Jesus is the Christ, they will be put out of the synagogue." This was especially meaningful because of the power that came with the religious leaders of that day. They were too scared to answer anything, so they throw their son under the bus and say, "Ask him!"

The Interrogating (verses 24-26

Now they are trying to intimidate the man. They demanded, "Give God the praise! We know that this Man is a sinner." The man spoke up, "I do not know if he is a sinner or not, but one thing I know, that I once was blind and now I see." That should have been cause for jubilee and celebration! No one was moved by the boy's answer.

Now they are applying the pressure. "Who was He? What did He do to you to cause you to see? How did He open your eyes?" They wanted to find something amiss, or shady, that they could say, "See? I told you He was a phony!" But they could not do it. They were speaking despicably of the Son of the Living God.

The Enlightening (verses 27-33)

You can feel the tension in the air as these men demand answers and the former blind man is telling the same thing over and over and over and they refuse to believe it. They want to find a reason to hate Jesus more. They want a reason to kill Jesus and they are not able to find anything against Him because Jesus is the Son of God. 

The healed man said, "I have told you already, and you did not listen. Do you want me to repeat myself? Are you interested in being His disciples?" This man has had enough. Something incredible and marvelous has happened to him and instead of enjoying his sight and being able to look at things he has never seen before, he is being berated by these religious, heartless men.

They countered, "You are His disciple. We are Moses's disciples. We know God talked to Moses, but we do not even know where this Man comes from." They opened their mouth and openly confessed that because they did not know enough about Jesus, they were going to condemn Him. They felt they had the authority to judge King Jesus!

I have no idea what religious teachings this man had heard or studied, but watch his reply to the religious leaders.

"This marvelous thing happened, and you don't know where He comes from, and yet He has opened my eyes. We know that God does not hear sinners: but God does hear from those that worship God and do the will of God. Since the world began it was never heard that any man could open the eyes of one that was born blind. If this Man were not of God, He could do nothing."

I don't know about you, but I want to stand up and start cheering. Yes! This is wisdom. This is truth! But for those who would rather have rules and rituals than a real relationship with Jesus Christ, they will never be convinced.

The Casting Out (verse 34)

Now they look down their nose on this man. They insult him and banish him from their clubhouse. "You were born in sin and you dare teach us?" Such arrogance! They refused to even listen to the man who has been transformed and given the gift of sight. What a shame!

The Saving (verses 35-39)

It's okay if others kick you out of their church, their Bible study, their cliques. Let them! They are doing you a favor. Watch God put you in higher places because of it. He has not forgotten you. Watch how He treats the man who now can see and is an outcast.

The Bible says Jesus heard they kicked him out of the synagogue, and Jesus went looking for him. Jesus did not stop until He found him and this is what He said. "Do you believe on the Son of God?"

The man said, "Who is He, Lord, that I might believe on Him?"

Jesus answered, "You have both seen Him, and it is He that is talking to you."

The man said, "I believe." He worshiped Jesus. He was thankful for the sight; not just the physical sight, but the spiritual sight as well.

Jesus's beautiful reply is, "I came to this world for judgment, so that they that do not see might see, and they that see might be made blind."

What a beautiful expression. He came to open all of our eyes to His wonderful truth. But He knew that some would profess to see truth, and would remain blind. They refuse to hear what Jesus has to say. They failed to trust what they saw Him do. If it did not match their cookie cutter mold of what religion should be, they did not want any part of it.

The Clarifying (verses 40-41)

Of course there were some Pharisees that watched this whole thing. They asked Jesus, "Are we blind, also?" Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you should have no sin: but now you say, 'We see,' therefore your sin remains."

If we go to Jesus and we think we are good enough, kind enough, religious enough, then we are blind to our need of a Savior. We will miss out on having our sins washed clean by His blood. If we can open our eyes to see that we are wicked and inherently evil creatures and left to our own devices we would destroy one another; and if we can see we have flaws and failures only Jesus can fix, then we will go from blinded eyes to seeing clearly.

How is your sight? I hope you are like our friend in today's text: I hope you once was blind but now you see!

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Thankful For My New Job | Thankful Thursday

I am thankful to be a licensed practical nurse. The journey was long and hard, but it was also full of learning and gaining friendships. Many of you may know that in the middle of my nursing program my daddy went home to be with the Lord. He encouraged me so much. I spent many late night/early mornings with my dad because he did not want to be alone. I would stay until he would finally be comfortable again and then I would go home and get ready for my clinicals and do it all again. It was God and God alone that sustained me through that time. I do not regret one moment staying with my dad or any sleep lost.

My dad never introduced me to others as anything other than, "This is Bridgett, my daughter. She is going to be a nurse." Sometimes he would say, "She is a nurse." This was what got me through the times when Dad was gone and every patient I was given had colon cancer and was around my dad's age. I felt like it was a cruel joke. My nursing instructor told me it would make me a better nurse, more compassionate, and that, she told me, was something that could not be taught.

I am going to orientation again tomorrow at my new job. I thank God that I was able to find my nursing notebook and mini happy planner so I could take notes and do all the things tomorrow that I need to do. I am thankful for my new job, the income, and the bonus, and the opportunity to be the best nurse I can be for the families I will work with. What are you thanking God for?

COLOSSIANS 3:22-24 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God; And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 29 | Wednesday Bible Study

Welcome back to Bible Study Wednesday! This year God has pressed upon my heart to study the book of Psalms. Each Wednesday we take a closer look at a new chapter. Today we are going to chapter 29. If you have not done so, please take the time to read through these 11 verses. I will be sharing some thoughts about today's passage and break down this chapter below. Please pray and ask Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes and ears to receive everything He has to teach you in today's passage. Let's begin!

This particular Psalm of David is about the voice of the Lord. Have you heard the voice of the Lord? So many that say they have heard the voice of God describe it as indescribable. I agree. David creates a beautiful ode to the Lord's voice in the powerful thunderstorm. I love thunderstorms!! The streaks of lightning zipping across the sky, lighting it up like noon time; the rolling thunder that seems to go on and on and the shower of rain, it all makes me relaxed and desiring to sleep.

Verses 1-2

David compels "o ye mighty" to give the LORD glory. This is a song of worship and adoration for the Great God Jehovah! What is worship that David is asking be done unto God? Might it be submission to the plan and purpose God has for our lives? He says, Worship the LORD  in the beauty of holiness. There is none holy but God. We can try to be holy and strive to be like God in His holiness, but there is no beauty of holiness apart from God's holiness.

There's a beautiful passage connected to this in the Old Testament book of First Chronicles. It reads:

1 Chronicles 16:23-36

Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day His salvation.

Declare His glory among the heathen; His marvellous works among all nations.

For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: He also is to be feared above all gods.

For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

Glory and honour are in His presence; strength and gladness are in His place.

Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.

Give unto the LORD the glory due unto His name: bring an offering, and come before Him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Fear before Him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations: The LORD reigneth.

Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.

Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because He cometh to judge the earth.

O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever.

And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to Thy Holy Name, and glory in Thy praise.

Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.

I know that was a lot to digest but it pairs beautifully with this particular psalm of David about the beauty of God's holiness and how we ought to worship Him.

Verses 3-9

David says the voice of the LORD is:

*upon the waters

*powerful

*full of majesty

*breaking the cedars of Lebanon

*divides the flames of fire

*shakes the wilderness of Kadesh

*makes hinds to calve

*discovers the forest, strips it bare

Do you remember what the Bible says about the sound of God's voice in the book of John? This is the time of Passover, and there were certain Greeks that wanted to see Jesus. In fact they asked Philip to make the connection. So Philip told Andrew and the two men together told Jesus. This was His response, and watch what God says and how it was described by others.

JOHN 12:23-33 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honour. Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify Thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to Him. Jesus answered and said, This Voice came not because of Me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me. This He said, signifying what death He should die.

Some said the voice was like thunder. Others heard it and said it was an angel speaking. Jesus said the Voice was heard for the people's sake. God did not have to speak to Jesus where others could hear. Jesus was in communication with the Father often, but this was a sign and a wonder that God was speaking directly to Jesus. The people still missed it. David is telling us in these last few verses what the voice of God can do!

Verse 10

David paints a beautiful picture of the King of kings sitting upon the flood. Floods damage homes, crops, create destruction and discord. Floods are disasters. David tells us that God sits on the flood. When the waters rise, God rises higher. When the water surrounds us and it seems like we may go under, our Savior and Lord is sitting high on the flood waters. He is in control of the storms of life. He is lifting us up and out of the deep waters threatening to take us under and He allows us to overcome the stress and the strife. What a beautiful and awesome reminder!

Verse 11

David said there is two things God will do in the storms we are facing. There are two gifts God gives us when the battles are hot and we cannot see which way leads to safety.

*God will strengthen His people!

*God will bless His people with peace!

Friends, no matter how dark the night may be, hold on to this promise! You may think you are on a never-ending roller coaster of emotions and events that are out of your control. Don't worry, it is not more than God can handle. It is not out of His hands. It is not out of His control. Hold on to the hand of the Master and He will give you strength. Hold on to the unchanging hand of God and He will give you His peace. In the middle of the disaster God will be your anchor, your hope, your strength, and your peace. Listen to His voice and follow His instructions. He wants to help you!

I hope you are encouraged by today's Bible study. It is a wonderful picture of God's love and kindness to His children. I know some people dislike storms, the thunder scares them, and the lightning sends them running for the covers. Not everyone will enjoy a good thunderstorm like I do, but regardless of how you feel about natural storms, there are supernatural storms that come and I do not like those! God promises to give us strength and peace as we trust and rely on Him. How about you? Will you trust Him and allow the King of Glory to guide you through the floods of life? He sits on top of the flood. He is not going under. He is in control!

I pray that something I shared on the blog today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Relabel Yourself | 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. If it leads to discussions with your family and friends, even better!

1 CHRONICLES 4:9-10

And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.

And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that Thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thine hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

Many are familiar with this short passage in the Old Testament. It is quoted often, books have been written surrounding this account, but it is worth looking at again. In the middle of the THIS ONE begat THAT ONE and THAT ONE begat THIS ONE.... we see God just carved out a little space to tell us about an honorable and upright man before Him. The man is Jabez.

Jabez literally means He Will Cause Pain. Imagine everyday of your life from birth, when someone called your name, they were literally saying, Hey You That Causes Pain, come here. One Who Will Cause Pain do this or that or the next thing. Everyday of his life was a reminder that he caused his mother pain when she delivered him at birth. Not only did she mark him for life because of the experience she had giving birth to him, but anyone who called him by name was labeling him the same way.

What things has society said about you day after day?

*Not Smart Enough*

*Never Be Tall*

*Least Likely To Succeed*

*Too Tall*

*Too Skinny*

*Clumsy*

*Larger Than Life*

*Broke For Life*

What images do you see that make you think your nose is too big or maybe it seems crooked? Who are you comparing your bank account with? Where are you going for advice when life seems bad and you walk away depressed and discouraged more than before you talked to those people?

Friends, God wants to relabel you. Let's start in the beginning.

GENESIS 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

GENESIS 1:26 And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

GENESIS 1:27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.

GENESIS 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

GENESIS 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

GENESIS 1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

GENESIS 1:31 And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Here is what God said about Jabez in 1 Chronicles, that he was more honorable than all his brothers. The one child his mother named HE WILL CAUSE PAIN is the best child she had. In fact, he probably did everything he could to not live up to his name. Meanwhile, his brothers probably caused a great deal of pain to others but they did not have that title. That tells us that what people think of us, including friends and even our own family, is not definitive of who God says we are. God says he is a man of honor and He chose to answer his prayer!

God made us in His image and in His likeness. We look like our Heavenly Father. We are made like Him. That is why the devil hates us. Satan does not like the constant reminder that we are created in the image of God and His identity is seen throughout His created people. Why would he choose to attack our identity so much? Look at our culture in America? From a small, innocent child to an older adult we are being challenged about our identity! Babies are being slaughtered in the womb because the devil has created confusion and chaos about the identity of what a baby is!

God immediately gave us purpose when He created us. He made us males and females to have dominion over the creatures in the sea, the creatures in the air, and creatures on the earth. God blessed the males and females that He created. He made us, gave us purpose, and blessed us. What else does the text say? God gives us an assignment. He wants us to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. God wants us to have babies and fill the earth with His people.

He wants us to subdue the earth, which means to bring it under control. The devil hates that and wants to fight us in this purpose every single day. He wants to bring chaos and confusion and division to the world. You and I, and all of God's people are to bring peace, love, joy, and hope found only in Jesus to the world.

And I love that God gave us food. He provided things to eat that would benefit our body and keep us strong. And what did God say after He created the sun, moon, stars, the ocean, and land? It was good. When He made light and night He said it was good. But after He made humanity, He said it was very good.

Whatever someone else labeled you, does not have to define you. You are who God says you are. You are not less than that and you are not more than that. Apart from God we are nothing. He is our Maker. He is our Creator. He is our God. He is our Heavenly Father and He has a plan and purpose for every single person on the planet. Who does God say you are? I challenge you to spend time this weekend praying and pondering that question. Read the Bible and ask Holy Spirit to show you in the lens of scripture the way God sees you. Do not let anyone call you anything else.

I hope today's post has challenged you to not conform to the ways of this world. We must not become like the world. ROMANS 12:1-2 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. 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.   

Let's strive to be more like Jesus Christ. He is the Great Example and Pattern for us. It is my prayer that something you have read today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!!

~Bridgett Owens

Other People's Judgment | Thankful Thursday

Today is Thankful Thursday. Time to count our blessings. I am back in my Traveler's Notebook today studying "Famous Last Words" devotional from By The Well 4 God.

This is today's Bible journaling entry. I learned about king Agag's last words.

I remember reading what happened to Saul when he did not kill king Agag and all the livestock and destroy the Amalekites. I did not remember what Agag's last words were, but it is found in 1 Samuel 15:32 Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately (cautiously). And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. It reminds me of the warning in Proverbs 16:19 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

God wanted the king of the Amalekites dead. King Saul was supposed to do it and he disobeyed God. So, king Agag thought he was getting another chance to do battle again. He was thinking he had escaped death but the prophet Samuel did what God wanted done and in verse 33, Samuel cut him to pieces before God.

I am thankful we have these true accounts of history so we can be learn from what others have done. I am sure we have all justified sin in our lives at one time or another. We may have had prideful hearts and thought we had escaped the wrath of God, but I want to be like the prophet Samuel in this situation and do what would please God. King Saul was removed from the kingdom. King Agag was violently murdered in Gilgal. We do not want to be like these wicked men. We want to be like the prophet Samuel who did the will of the LORD.

Thankfully today we do not have physical enemies to slay. We know the devil is our adversary and we can suit up in the full armor of God to defeat him. We must do the harder right than the easier wrong. I thank God for the warning of God's Word. What are you thankful for?

Thank you for joining me today. I hope you count your blessings all day. God is worthy of all praise and honor. Be sure to thank Him for the great things He is doing in your lives. I will do the same. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 28 | Wednesday Bible Study

Welcome back to Bible Study Wednesday! This year God has pressed upon my heart to study the book of Psalms. Each Wednesday we take a closer look at a new chapter. Today we are going to chapter 28. If you have not done so, please take the time to read through these 9 verses. I will be sharing some thoughts about today's passage and break down this chapter below. Please pray and ask Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes and ears to receive everything He has to teach you in today's passage. Let's begin!

Verse 1:

David is praying to God, asking Him to hear his heart's cry. David always begins addressing God. David wants to hear from God. He says if he does not hear from God, he will be like those who have no hope. Today, you and I have hope if we are in Christ Jesus. EPHESIANS 2:11-13 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. David is desiring to be in close fellowship with God. JAMES 4:8 Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts ye doubleminded.

Verse 2:

David wants God to hear his supplications. Supplication means to ask or beg for something in earnest and in humility. David knows God is Sovereign and in charge. He humbly comes to God begging for him to hear and answer his prayers. We see that Daniel did the same thing. DANIEL 6:11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. Sometimes we pray to God with thanksgiving, and other times we ask what we need in humility, and yet other times we come with supplication and thanksgiving because our need is so great. I love that Daniel says it isn't because we are good or holy that we make these supplications, but we ask because You God are so merciful. DANIEL 9:18 O my God, incline Thine ear, and hear; open Thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by Thy name: for we do not present our supplications before Thee for our righteousnesses, but for Thy great mercies. 

Verse 3:

David does not want to be in the same category with the wicked. He has separated himself from those who willfully sin and say one thing but then do another in deceit. David says, "They speak peace to their neighbors but mischief is in their heart. So often in our society we see the same thing coming from political leaders, religious leaders, world leaders, and it needs to stop. God is not pleased with this work and it will not go unpunished. GENESIS 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. You may think that verse could have been written today in 2022. These were the days of Noah. What does the Bible tell us about the days of Noah? LUKE 17:26-30 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

Verse 4:

David wants God to punish the wicked. He is asking that they reap what they have sown. JOB 4:8 Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. GALATIANS 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. This sowing and reaping principle is in God's Word to teach us to not be like the wicked but to sow things in the fertile soil of the Spirit.

Verse 5:

In this verse, David gives the results of disbelief in God. Those that do not care for the things of GOD and do not see His hands at work are going to be destroyed. ROMANS 3:3-4 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. Whether humanity believes in God or not does not change who He is. It does not erase Him from existence. Jesus is still God whether we choose to see it or not, but one day all will see and acknowledge Him for who He is. PHILIPPIANS 2:8-11 And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name; That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth: And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Verse 6:

God heard David's requests and now David honors God. Friends God is listening to our prayers. He hears us and He answers us according to His Will. He has a purpose and plan for all of us. ECCLESIASTES 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: His desire is to save humanity from our sins and to gather as many sons and daughters as are willing to join His family. You and I are here to help with that purpose. If we do not get some things we ask for, it might be because it would hinder our walk with the Lord. We can be assured He does answer us and we ought to be like David and bless God for doing so.

Verse 7:

David says God is his strength and shield. As a man of war, David understood the value of a shield. He knew how important it was to be strong in battle. Our lives are one battlefield after another and we must draw strength from God and allow Him to protect and shield us from the enemy. David says his heart trusts in God. I am sure David did not trust a great deal of people. His children rebelled against him. His father-in-law tried to kill him. He had a lot of enemies but He trusted God because over the course of his life, David could see God's fingerprints all over his life. David said God helps him and that gave him a reason to rejoice and sing praises to God. Have we appreciated the things God does for us, or are we taking it all for granted? 

Verse 8:

God is not just the source of David's strength. Look at this verse again. It says that for those who are anointed, God is our saving strength. What a beautiful promise. Do you remember when Paul said he was going to get the crown of life? He said it was stored up for him, but not just for him only. No, he said we all get one. 2 TIMOTHY 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing. If we are looking for Jesus to come back with expectancy and jubilee, then we have a crown of righteousness waiting for us as well.

Verse 9:

David's ends the prayer with a final request. Save, bless, feed, and forever lift up those that are Yours God. We belong to God if we are a servant of the Most High God. He will save us, redeem us, bless us, care for us, and meet our every need.

I hope that as you studied today's passage with me that you will see how good God is. He is a loving, protective Father and He wants to be in relationship with every single one of His children. If you have been encouraged please let me know. I appreciate all the feedback. I pray that something I have shared on the blog today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Sand Castles | 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. If it leads to discussions with your family and friends, even better!

Have you ever gone to the beach? The ocean is stretched out in front of you all the way to the horizon. The sandy shore is full of sea shells, beach towels, and people basking in the rays of the sun. Have you ever made a sand castle before? They are so pretty, especially when someone sculpts the clay and uses intricate tools to design a wonderful piece of art. The problem with sandcastles is they are unstable.

Sand is washed back and forth on the shore with the water. If you ever stand at the edge of the shore and allow the water to rush past your ankles and legs and sweep back, it will literally pull you toward the ocean. You will feel yourself sliding away from the shore and the sand beneath your feet is like a conveyor belt.

MATTHEW 7:21-27

Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.

Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

And every one that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

You see friends, the rain is coming. The storms of life will blow hard against our vessel. The bills will pile up and the finances will dwindle down. You may try to find a job and yet no one will call you back. You may get a poor report from your doctor, and your world may turn upside down. You may stand at the graveside of a loved one and wonder why they were not healed. Storms are coming. It will not be sunny and beautiful always. What will happen to you when these trials and storms rage?

1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

These three keys will aid you through the battles of life that seem to never end at times:

1. Build upon the firm foundation of the Rock of Jesus. Know who He is and trust Him. Jesus asked His disciples who they say He is and Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," (Matthew 16:16) And Jesus said upon that Rock, or the revelation of who He is, He would build His Church.

Matthew 16:17-19 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

2. Be a hearer AND a doer of the Word of God. It is not enough to go to church and hear a sermon. It is not enough to attend a Bible study. You must think of the Word of God like lotion. Apply it and rub it in. Do not just layer it on top of the skin and hope it will absorb over time. Something will happen and the lotion will be knocked off your arm and then you will have a big mess and your skin will not get the nourishment you need. The same is true of life. If you do not apply the principles of God's Word, then you will get knocked down by the storms of life and it will be a big mess and you will not have what your soul needs to survive. JAMES 1:22 But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

3. Continue to pray and commune with God. In Luke chapter 18 it begins with Jesus giving a parable that men should always pray and not lose heart. We have to talk to God in prayer. It is essential. It is not only how we thank Him and praise Him for everything He has done in our lives, but it is how we obtain forgiveness, how we petition Him for what we need, and friends it is how we hear Him answer us. Jesus said this in Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Storms will come. Trials will never cease. We must not be taken off guard by them. Use these three steps to keep you anchored to Jesus, our Savior and you will be able to overcome any obstacle in your way. I hope you will study these scriptures deeper on your own. Talk to your friends and family about these things and discuss practical ways you can do these things in your daily walk with Jesus. I pray that something you have read on the blog today will give you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens