Where’s the Good Things? | Fuel for the Weekend

JEREMIAH 5:21-25

Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:

Fear ye not Me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at My presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone. 

Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in His season: He reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest. 

Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you. 

My son has a football game tomorrow. Fall has arrived and I am so thankful! The trees are changing colors and it is a sight to behold! As you start your weekend, I want to give you something to ponder and maybe discuss with those around you!

God is speaking in the fifth chapter of the book of Jeremiah. He is talking to those of us who have eyes but we are blind to the truth. We have ears but we are not listening to what God is saying. 

God asks, “Don’t you fear Me?” He is God! He is Holy! He is Sovereign! Will we not tremble at the presence of God? He is all around us? He made a decree that stands year after year that the sand serves for the water to be bound in its’ limits. Even when the waves throw themselves at the boundaries, God said they have to stay in the confines of His borders. Even though the rush and roar of the ocean sounds off, they are limited by God’s design. 

Even though God gives us boundaries and guidelines, the spiritually blind and deaf are rebellious and force their way wherever they want to go! They don’t respect God who blesses them with everything they need to be sustained.

Friends, let’s not be like those rebellious people! In fact, let’s go to them and try to help them!!!

Verse 25 says their sins have turned God’s provisions away, and it has withheld good things from coming to them. 

Perhaps we all need to look around. Are we in turmoil and distress? Are we missing out on the good things of God? Could it be He is near but we are not looking for Him; not seeking His face? Could it be He is speaking but we are so loud in complaining we drown out His still, small voice? Maybe we have slapped away God’s bountiful gifts because it did not look like we thought it should! 

Let’s seek God’s face this weekend! Let’s reach out to Him in love and repentance and watch how He makes all things new. Let’s take the blinders off and remove the earplugs and sit in His presence with reverence and Holy fear. I will. How about you?

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens 

Toughest Trials | Thankful Thursday

When I was younger, not even sure how old I was, I found myself being ridiculed, hatred spewed from an adult’s mouth, and I was hit multiple times. Screaming in my face about how worthless I was and how I would never amount to anything covered my face like a dark cloth. I collapsed to the floor, but refused to stop fighting back as I tried to defend myself. I would fall to the floor in a crumpled ball. Determined to prove my point I got back up. The adult began beating me with a belt and fists balled up. “If you get back up, you’ll get it again!” The threats were made good as I tried again to stand up for myself. God did not spare me that day. I wish that was an isolated case and not a routine part of my childhood. But I never blamed God.

Today I am an adult in my 40’s. For the last three years it feels like I continue to get knocked down and kicked. I try to stand up and just get beaten back down. My family and I have sacrificed so much for God. We have tried doing all the right things and we continue to lose. Others around us who could not care less about God get so many blessings and it seems like it is really unfair. Today I asked God why. I wanted to know why we have to suffer and get attacked every time we turn around. And I actually think He told me. 

One person after another said that this great suffering is for a great testimony. We didn’t ask for a testimony. In the middle of the beating and in the middle of the pain, it just does not feel like a very good answer. 

I do not understand ANYTHING God is doing in our lives. It feels like the very worst timing. Today I tried to remember a happy time and a good thing that happened so we could be encouraged. I even asked my daughter. She couldn’t remember one either. The past 3 years has been the hardest, scariest, most painful season of our lives. 

So what am I thankful for? I am thankful for my husband who is so strong and courageous. I am thankful for my children who are kind and loving and they really want to have hope again. I am thankful they have faith because right now I do not know if I even have mustard seed faith.

Like the traumatic memory I shared earlier, I finally was weak and collapsed in a heap in the floor. Beaten into submission I laid in a ball, sobbing and so confused about why that person would not listen to me. And I feel that way now. I feel like we have no choice about what happens to us right now. We try to do what we believe is best and we suffer dearly for it. I wonder why isn’t God listening to us. I feel defeated and discouraged. 

But Jesus asked God to let the bitter cup of suffering pass from Him in the garden. Jesus said nevertheless not My will but Thine be done. God said No! to Jesus. He had to do the hardest thing in the world. He had to suffer. Jesus asked God, “Why have You forsaken Me?” I feel like asking that, too. 

But unlike Jesus, I have not been asking from a place of submission to His will. I have been asking because I can’t take the pain and suffering any longer. I can’t stand to not have stability or our own home any longer. I do not understand one single thing about this nightmare that never ends. It has actually gotten worse so far and the week isn’t even over. 

I am not thankful for the hardness of this test. I am not thankful for God telling us no when we have a fundamental need that His Word says He will supply. I am grateful that He loves us. I am thankful that there are a lot of examples in the Bible that relate to what we are going through. I am grateful for Job, David, Daniel, Joseph, and Jesus who also endured much on this earth. 

I am choosing to believe it will not always be like this. I really hope it changes soon. My body is filled with physical pain. My husband and our children are battling various physical issues and now another blow. I am thankful that I have my own little family to walk through  the fire with. And I believe God is good and Sovereign and He sees much more than I can. 

This is definitely an unusual Thankful Thursday and I am sorry if it is not encouraging or uplifting today. I know that life sometimes just feels really bad and that will never change on this side. But it’s important to not get it twisted. God loves us, all of His children. He never promised me a life without suffering, sacrifice, and submission. He said He would be there and fight for us. So I am thankful for that. 

What about you? Are you thankful today? Are you struggling? Have you been wounded? Trust God to help you, even when you have no clue what He is doing. You may never know but just trust Him. His track record is perfect. 

Psalm 23:4

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. 

Do you know the next verse?

Psalm 23:5

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 

I am waiting for that part. 

~Bridgett Owens 

Psalm 33 | Wednesday Bible Study

Welcome back to another Bible Study Wednesday! I had a back injury August 13 and I have been down ever since. I have used chiropractic care, physical therapy, medication, rest, ice, relaxation, distraction, a cane, and this Friday I will see a neurosurgeon. I have been unable to sit up for long. My endurance and strength is diminished. So I neglected my blog, my Instagram Reels, and my YouTube channel. It has been a painful journey and I have been out of work with no pay all this time. But, God told me to get back to those things. He wants me to share my faith and His goodness and Holiness and Mercy and Love with the world. So, today we will jump in right where we left off. Today we will look at Psalm 33.

It is no coincidence that we are starting with this particular chapter. It is a song of hope. It is a psalm of encouragement! It is a reminder that God is not finished with us yet!!

If you have not read through these 22 verses, please do. Pray and ask Holy Spirit to lead you and guide you. Ask Him for wisdom, knowledge, and discernment.

VERSES 1-3

I do not know who wrote this particular psalm. The psalmist tells us in these first three verses to rejoice, to praise, to play the harp, to sing, to play stringed instruments. Verse three tells us to be loud. No timid worship. We are glorifying the King of kings and Lord of lords. We are not to make a racket but we are to play with skill. We must give our best effort in praise to God who gave us the gifts and abilities. 

VERSES 4-7

The psalmist tells us about God and His Word. He is right. Nothing in your life may appear to be going right but God’s way is right! All that He does is honest. He loves righteousness and justice. The earth is full of the goodness of God. He breathed and stars appeared. He spoke and He created all that is. He gathers up the deepest oceans in a heap. What a great testament about how great and Mighty our God is. 

VERSES 8-9

Let the whole world stand in awe of how amazing God is. Look at verse nine! God spoke and it was DONE! God commanded and it stood fast!!! What has God spoken over you? Walk in it!

VERSES 10-11

God brings all the wicked plots and schemes to nothing. Their plans are ineffective! Conversely, God’s plans stand forever. The thoughts of His heart for us will last for ALL generations!!

VERSES 12-15

What nation is blessed? The nation whose God is the LORD! Those are the people He chooses for His inheritance! God looks from heaven to all of mankind. Up in glory, God looks way down below to all who dwell on earth. He made our hearts the same. We all have a deep need only Jesus can fill. He considers the work we do. 

VERSES 16-17

There is no royalty, no government official, no rich person saved by many people or by brute strength. It is ridiculous to trust in technology, horsepower, or anything else with great strength. What hope of deliverance do we have? Let’s keep reading!

VERSES 18-21

God’s eye sees those who fear Him and hope in His mercy. He delivers our soul from death and we won’t starve in famine. When life is hard and we think we are done for, God helps us and protects us as we wait on Him. We can rejoice like the psalmist told us to do in the first three verses of this psalm. Why? Because we trust in Jesus! 

VERSE 21

May our prayer be: “Let Your mercy, God, be upon us, according as we hope in You.”

Is your hope in the government, medication, science, research, education, finances, career, other people?? Where do you place your trust, in a spouse, a friend, a pastor? Friends, let us put our hope and trust in the only One able to save and deliver. His name is Jesus Christ. 

I apologize for the delay in keeping up with my blog. I am using my phone to share today’s Bible study. I hope to be settled soon with my computer and physical healing but until then I will do what I can to continue to share God’s message of peace, love, mercy, and salvation in alternate ways.

I hope something you read on the blog today has been strength for your journey and light for your way! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens