Double Miracle | Miracles of Jesus Christ

Up until now we have seen the miracles of Jesus in three of the four Gospels. Today we will read about a double miracle that is only found in the book of Matthew. This account follows on the heels of the two miracles we read about last week: the 12 year old girl raised from the dead and the woman with the issue of blood healed after 12 years of suffering. Let's read the text first.

Matthew 9:27-31 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed Him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us. And when He was come into the house, the blind men came to Him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto Him, Yea, Lord. Then touched He their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. But they, when they were departed, spread abroad His fame in all that country.

After word spread about Jesus healing the woman who had been hemorrhaging for more than a decade and raising Jairus' daughter from the dead, people started seeking Jesus for their own miracles. Much like today, the world was in desperate need for a Savior, a Healer, and a Teacher. Two blind men were in need of one such miracle. The Bible says they beg Jesus to have mercy on them. Jesus went into a house and they followed Him. They wanted to see! Jesus point-blank asked them if they believed He was able to do this. Why was their faith in Him so important?

Imagine for a moment there is a pipe in the ground. The pipe is a conduit for water in our example. Now imagine there is a blockage of some sort in the pipe. The water is not able to flow freely through the pipe. The water cannot come out of the pipe, not because there is no water, but the water is not free to flow. Now think of our lives as that pipe. The blockage to our own miracles is often doubt, or unbelief. We simply do not trust God. The water is the power of God in this example. The problem is not that God does not have the power to perform miracles, but rather, His power does not flow through us when we do not believe.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Jesus wants these blind men to trust Him. He asks them specifically if they believe that He is able to restore their sight. These men said yes! What are you wanting God to do in your life? Do you trust Him to do it? If you want things like power, money, fame, notoriety, etc. you probably will not receive those things. God desires to be in fellowship with you. Often those things will lead to pride and selfishness instead of drawing you closer to Him. This is why we must be careful to check our motives when we are asking God for things.

1 John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.

These men had confidence that Jesus was able to heal them and I believe they were expecting a miracle. Jesus did that for them. Their faith caused the power of God to flow freely in their lives. Others did not get the same flow of healing virtue because of doubt. We read about that just a few chapters later, and Mark's account agrees.

Matthew 13:57-58 And they were offended in Him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. And He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Mark 6:4-6 But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. And He could there do no mighty work, save that He laid His hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And He marvelled because of their unbelief. And He went round about the villages, teaching.

This text tells us that Jesus was amazed at their lack of faith! We must believe God is able to help us and if we do not have faith we cannot expect to receive anything from God. James 1:6-7 reads, 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. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

Once the blind men were healed Jesus sternly warned them not to tell anyone what happened. But as soon as they left they told everyone in the land what Jesus had done for them. Of course they were elated to have the gift of sight. They wanted others to rejoice in what the Lord had done for them. Why would Jesus not want them to tell anyone?

Friends I believe that Jesus did not want the focus to be on the miracles then or even now. Jesus died to save us from our sins. His precious blood was the currency to pay for our sin. The Bible says in Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Luke 22:14-20 And when the hour was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. And He said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God. And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the Kingdom of God shall come. And He took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is My body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of Me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you.

Jesus tells the twelve that He earnestly desired to eat this special meal with them. He is telling them then and us now that the most important thing to remember is not the miracles, the loaves and the fishes, and all the supernatural things He did to help us have better lives. The most important thing to remember is the miracle of the cross! The redemption of His body and blood to save us from eternal separation from Him. 1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? Let's ask God for the things we need but do not seek the miracles, seek Jesus!

I have enjoyed studying the miracles of Jesus Christ with you all. I hope to continue these blog posts on Mondays beginning in November. We will continue to study them throughout the rest of this year. We are to read about these miracles and be encouraged and build our faith, but we must not forget that Jesus never came to perform miracles, but rather we know He came to save us.

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

I hope you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and are walking with Him. If not, please call upon the name of Jesus Christ and be saved today. He loves you so much that He took your punishment and offers you a free gift of eternal life with Him.

If you are saved and seeking a miracle, do not give up! God loves you and wants to help you and heal you. That might be instantaneous or it might be a journey, but the outcome is the same: He wants to draw you closer to Himself. Allow Him to transform your life!

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

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 24 | 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 24. If you have not done so, please take the time to read through these 10 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!

First of all, I want to mention that I realize this post is going up late. I have been unwell and had to start antibiotics but I want to do this week's Bible study. I apologize for those who may have looked for a Bible study post on Wednesday. I appreciate the prayers of those who have been keeping me in their prayers. Thank you so much!

Verses 1-3

David opens up this psalm with declaring who God is. He owns the earth and everything in it. The whole world belongs to God. He created it and established it and it all belongs to Him. We see similar statements in other Psalms as well as in 1 Corinthians and Genesis.

1 Corinthians 10:26 For the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof.

Psalm 89:11 The heavens are Thine, the earth also is Thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, Thou hast founded them.

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

Psalm 8:3-4 When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou visitest him?

David declares the Sovereignty of God and then asks who is able to stand in God's Holy place? Remember when we studied Psalm 15 in April? We see in the verses following what it takes to see God.

Verses 4-6

Psalm 73:1 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean (pure) heart.

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

To receive the blessing from God, and righteousness from the God of our salvation, we must have a pure heart, humbleness, and honesty. Anything else will separate us from God. In verse six, David says this is the generation that is seeking God's face. Often in prayer we seek God's hands. We want Him to do something for us, or give us something, or work something out for us. David says the key here is to seek God's face. Seek relationship.

Psalm 27:4, 8 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in His temple. When Thou saidst, Seek ye My face; my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

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

The key to finding God when we look for Him, is having the right motives. Are we looking for Him because He is our Heavenly Father? Are we desiring to get to know Him better? Are we just desiring to be in His presence? Yes, He wants to answer our prayers, and He wants to bless us, but He also wants fellowship with His children.

Verses 7-10

Verses seven and nine are mirror verses of each other, as are verses eight and ten. Let's look at the first pair. These fraternal twin verses are referring to the ushering in of God's glory. It is a descriptive picture of gates and doors opening and welcoming the King of Glory.

Haggai 2:7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

The last fraternal twin verses ask who is this King of glory? David says, The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle, the LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Amen! He is!!

Revelation 19:13-16 And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Friends the day is coming when we will see Jesus. We may see Him as Righteous Judge and hear the scariest sentence in the world, "Depart from Me, I do not know you." We may see Him as Righteous Judge and Savior as He declares, "Enter in, well done, good and faithful servant." We will see Jesus one way or another. For God's people, this Bible study is exciting and we are ready to hail our King Jesus! We are ready to cast our crowns at His feet in gratitude for all that He has done for us and all the things He brought us through.

If you are not a part of God's family, and do not allow Him to direct your steps, and plan your future, you can change that! Ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior. He will forgive you of your sins and He will seal you to be His child forever! Trust in Him and accept the gift of salvation that cannot be purchased or earned. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins on the cross, so we can go free today. Have you trusted in Jesus? I hope you will!

Thank you all for understanding about the delay in the blog posts. I am trying to get things worked out so the delays will be less frequent. I am thankful for all of you who read my blog and study with me each week. It is a blessing and I appreciate you all so much. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 22 | Wednesday Bible Study

We are in the book of Psalms all this year. I have learned so much from studying each psalm in depth with you all. Today we will look at Psalm 22. This particular psalm of David has 31 verses. We will break the verses down and study them collectively. If you have not read today’s passage, please take the time to do so. Pray and ask Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes and ears to see and hear what He wants to teach you.

Overview

This is considered the great messianic psalm. Jesus Christ fulfilled this psalm on the cross of Calvary. The first 21 verses depict the suffering, and the last verses in this text refer to the triumph of faith. Jesus is recorded quoting Psalm 22:1 in the New Testament.

Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?

Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?

Verses 1-2

We are familiar with the first part of verse one. We remember these words of Jesus as He was on the cross paying the penalty for our sins. I cannot relate to that, but I can relate to the second half of verse one. When David says, "God You are so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring." Have you ever been there? Have you ever been crying out to God and begging Him to turn things around, and in desperation you seem to be roaring to God and He seems so far away? I know I have.

In verse two, it is relatable also, in that David is saying, "O my God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear me. In the night season, I am not silent." He is being raw and honest with God. In essence he is declaring, "God where are You? I am crying out. Nothing is changing. Nothing is getting better. Are You listening to me at all? Day and night I feel so far from You!" I have been there and it is tough.

Verses 3-5

David knows the key to getting God's attention. Yes, God knows our needs, and He hears our cries, but that does not move God. The Bible clearly tells us in order to please God we must have faith, and walk in the Spirit.

Romans 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

We need to remember what God has already done in our lives. Let's focus on what good and perfect gifts He has already given to us. David says, "But You are Holy." He starts to recall God's character. "You dwell in the praises of Your people." Israel is God's chosen people. He lives in those praises. He is in the middle of the praise and worship. He delights in our rejoicing in Him. 

David thinks about the forefathers that trusted in God and were helped. Maybe he was thinking about the miraculous story where God redeemed his great-grandmother Ruth. She was a pagan and abandoned that lifestyle to follow God. She found His favor in the field of Boaz, David's great-grandfather. Maybe he was thinking about Abraham, Moses, and Joshua. "They trusted You, God, and You delivered them." He is building his faith up because he is rehearsing the victories God had brought those that believed in Him. David says, "They cried to You, and were delivered. They trusted in You and were not confused."

Have you ever been confused about what to do? Are you praying for clarity and direction right now? 

James 1:5 If any you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

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.

Verses 6-8

David feels like he is lower than the earth. He says he is a worm, not a man. He feels like everyone is laughing at him and mocking him. They are ridiculing him, saying, "You trusted in God to deliver you, let Him deliver you, since you love Him so much." Maybe you feel like others are laughing at you. I remember when we moved back up to Indiana from Alabama, others mocked us, too. They said things like, "I thought God told you to move to Alabama. What did you do to deserve to come back here?" They had other mean things to say, too, about God not providing for us and doing things for us. Those words and comments hurt, especially when they were from people we loved and once had fellowship with. Yet, Jesus experienced the same ridicule on the cross. The same mockery. If God is Your Father, let Him save You. What a rude awakening they are in for!

Matthew 27:43 He trusted in God, let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him: for He said, I am the Son of God.

Luke 23:35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with Him derided Him, saying, He saved others; let Him save Himself, if He be Christ, the Chosen of God.

The enemy never uses new techniques. These people were being used by Satan to hurl the same insults he used on Jesus in the wilderness in Matthew chapter four. "If He is who He says He is." This is how the devil tries to throw us off, too. He questions our salvation, our relationship with Jesus, and our commitment to Christ. Know Who you belong to and do not let the devil gain a foothold in your mind.

Verses 9-10

David once again turns his attention to God’s goodness. He says, “You are the God from my mother’s womb. You delivered me from the womb and gave me hope as an infant.” David recalls God’s hand always upon his life. God says this beautiful promise in the book of Isaiah.

Isaiah 46:3-5 Hearken unto Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by Me from the belly, which are carried from the womb: And even to your old age I am He; and even to hoar (gray) hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal, and compare Me, that we may be like?

God says He will carry us even after our hair is gray! What a sweet promise. There is no God like our God! No other idol, person, career, amount of money, or anything will ever be able to compare with our great God Jehovah!

Verses 11-18

David requests God to help him. He says, “I have no one to help me.” He goes on to describe the enemy coming against him. The enemy surrounds him, trying to devour him, to destroy him, and his physical strength to fight is gone. He feels like he is nearly dead. David says his enemies pierced his hands and feet. This is a comparison for David, but Jesus actually endured that. After He died and rose from the dead, Jesus said, this:

Luke 24:39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself: handle Me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have.

Matthew 27:35 And they crucified Him, and parted His garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted My garments among them, and upon My vesture did they cast lots. 

David felt vulnerable and like everyone was staring at him. Jesus experienced multitudes staring at Him, too, as He hung on the cross. David foretold what Jesus would experience at Golgotha. 

Luke 23:27 And there followed Him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented Him.

Mark 15:24 And when they had crucified Him, they parted His garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.

John 19:24 They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted My raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.

Verses 19-21

David again asks God to be with him. He needs strength and he asks God to hurry to help. He is begging God to save his precious life from the adversary. I have been guilty of praying similar prayers. "God please hurry. Give us what You said we can have. We want it now. We need it now." Habakkuk wanted to know why God was not quick to punish the wicked for their evil acts. He starts in chapter one and asks God some hard questions. It seems brave to ask such pointed questions to God Almighty. In chapter two he says he will sit and wait for God to answer him. So God does and this what He said.

Habakkuk 2:2-4 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

Many people take verse two out of context. They say it means to make vision boards and basically tell God what our plans are for our life so He can make it happen for us. That is absolutely not what the Bible says to do here at all. The vision is coming to pass at a later time. The vision Habakkuk is to write is coming but it will not come when Habakkuk wants it to. God said, "Though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come." God ends this particular section of Scripture saying, "The just shall live by faith." That means we have to believe God is working things out. We have trust that even when nothing changes in the natural, things are being rearranged and moved around in the spiritual realm. God is working on our behalf to fulfill His plan for us in the earth. We must not be concerned more about what we want God to do for us, but rather what we can do for God while we are here on the earth.

Verses 22-31

David ends this psalm praising God. In verse 24 he says that God has heard the cries of the afflicted. We have hope that He hears us. In Hebrews it says this:

Hebrews 5:5-10 So also Christ glorified not Himself to be made an high priest; but He that said unto Him, Thou art My Son, to day have I begotten Thee. As He saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedec. Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He  feared; Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchizedec.

David says in verse 27, “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD.” In verse 28, he says, “For the Kingdom is the LORD’s: and He is the governor among the nations.” We know that God is in control and one day we all will bow the knee and confess Jesus is LORD! In closing he adds, “They shall come, and shall declare His righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that He hath done this.” We are the people that shall be born and now we have an obligation to share with our children and their children and their children’s children about the goodness and Sovereignty of God!

I hope you have been blessed today. I know it’s actually Thursday when I am sharing this. I was under the weather and unable to post. But today you get two posts! I will share my Thankful Thursday post today as well. 

No matter how bad things seem to be right now, encourage yourself and build your faith on remembering how good God is. He will take you through these rough days and better times are coming. God bless you friend.

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 17 | Bible Study Wednesday

Hello friends. We are continuing right along through the book of Psalms this year in our Bible study each Wednesday. If you have not done so, please take a few moments to pray and ask Holy Spirit to teach you what He wants you to know about today's passage. Read through chapter 17 and reflect on what Holy Spirit is showing you. There are 15 verses and we will look at those together.

This particular psalm is a prayer of David. We can tell from these first handful of psalms that David enjoys communicating with God. He often sings praises to God, our Creator but He also runs to Him as a safe refuge in time of trouble. David is also a prayer warrior. He knows how to get God's attention and get the answer He needs to His prayer. Before battles, David would ask, "Should I go up to the battle?" God would tell him yes, or no, and David would follow God's command. That is why David was so successful because he allowed God to use him to bring about victory over the enemy and not just on a physical battlefield. Let's pause for a moment to reflect on what we do in times of hardship and despair? Do we grumble and complain and get calloused toward God? Do we run to Him in prayer knowing He has all the answers we will ever need in life? What is your response when push comes to shove and you feel your back is against the wall?

Let's turn our attention now to the seventeenth psalm. This is David's plea to God for protection.

Verse 1

David starts out asking God to listen to him. He is crying out. He is not being deceitful; instead he is proclaiming his innocence. He is struggling and he needs God to move on his behalf. Are you there? Can you relate? What are you facing right now and you just need God to bow down His Holy ear and listen to your heart's cry?

Verse 2

David wants to be sentenced in God's presence because He alone can vindicate David. Why? Because God sees what is right. Sometimes we are so broken and injured from the lies of satan and it is so important that we run to the Righteous Judge and allow Him to speak our pardon! We are slaves no longer. We have freedom and liberty in the presence of God. 2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. What do you need God to vindicate you in? He can do it! He wants to do it!

Verse 3

David says to God, "You have proved my heart, visited me in the night, tried me and found me innocent. So I am determined not to let my mouth sin." What an incredible statement! Psalm 66:10 For Thou, O God, hast proved us: Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. The hell and torment we are going through today, friends, is the fire that is refining us. We cannot get refined without the fire. Let's open our hearts and ask for visitation from God in the night, in the dark, in the hard times, and ask Him to find us innocent.

Verse 4

Because of God's Word, His plan, His promises, David declares this is the reason he has not danced with the devil. He is not walking hand in hand with the enemy into the flames of hell. God's wonderful Word will keep us from the paths of the destroyer. Are you reading His Word? Are you living it out? Do you believe every Word of God? Has His wisdom filled your mind so you make better choices?

Verse 5

Look at this request. David wants God to hold up his goings in God's paths so that his footsteps would not slip. He does not want to mess up, to slip into sin, or to go off course. He is asking God to help him walk the straight and narrow. I just see the hand of God on David, helping him to walk steady the path in front of him. God does the same thing for you and me.

Verse 6

Why is David going to God with these requests? In David's words, "For You will hear me, O God." That's confidence. God is not too busy to listen to our heart's cry. He is not too busy to take time to sit with us and hear what we have to say. Have you called on God? Do you believe He will hear you? Psalm 86:7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon Thee: for Thou wilt answer me. If we know that in our trouble we can call upon Him, and He WILL answer us, then we should pray and talk to Him. Psalm 116:2 Because He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live. Will you declare what David says here? I will call upon God as long as I live because He hears me and listens to me and makes a way for me!

Verse 7

David tells God, Show Your marvelous loving kindness as You deliver them with Your right hand, those who put their trust in You, to save them from those who rise up against them. It is in God's loving mercy that He stretches His hand out toward us and delivers us from the enemy. His kindness and goodness is so marvelous that it surrounds us and protects us from those who want to hurt us and destroy us. Have you seen God's mercy show up like that in your life?

Verse 8

The apple of the eye is to say to God, "Lord allow me to be seen as precious in your sight." He asks to be hid beneath the shadow of His wings. Do you know God wants to do that for us? He does see us as precious. Matthew 10:29-31 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. Friends we matter to God. He loves us and He wants to shield us beneath His wings.

Verse 9

Have you ever felt surrounded with worry and guilt and shame? Have you felt like the world was against you? David says in this verse that He wants God to be a fence about Him to protect him from those who surround him and want to harm him. We can run to our Father and He will protect us.

Verse 10

They are proud. God hates pride! It is a sin. It is what caused satan to rebel against God. Psalm 10:4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. They are not running to God because they do not trust Him. They do not even think about God. They think about themselves. 1 Samuel 2:3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed. Do you remember that pride is listed in the New Testament as something that defiles the person? Mark 7:21-23 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Verses 11-12

David feels like his enemies are surrounding him, caught up with him, and desire to throw him to the ground. Like a lion, ready to pounce on the prey, we often feel like the enemy is ready to attack us. Jumping out of the hidden places, it attacks at just the right moment. We have felt that before if we are serving God. The enemy does not want us to live our faith out loud. When we serve God and surrender to His will for our lives, we will be fought by the enemy but the good news is he is no match for God. 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.

Verses 13-14

David asks God to confront the enemy and deliver his soul with God's powerful sword. He will deliver us when we ask. David says the men in this world are full of wickedness. They pass down the hidden treasures to their children but they have no hope of eternal life in God. We know we have hope of eternal life. If this life is all there is then we would have no hope. 1 Corinthians 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 

Verse 15

David ends this prayer with a bold statement. He said, "As for me, I will look into the face of Your righteousness. I will be satisfied, when I wake up, with Your likeness." David was not going to be content with riches on the earth. He was not going to be happy with just knowing God in this life alone. He is saying when He wakes up in heaven after sleeping in death, He will behold the face of God and see Him as He is. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. Psalms 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

David used prayer as a means to tell God what he wanted. He explained his circumstances, described his enemy and what they were doing to him, and then requested God's help and deliverance. In the end, David holds to hope that after all of this suffering and pain in this life, He will one day wake up in heaven to see the face of God, his Redeemer. What a beautiful prayer. I hope that you will spend some time with your Heavenly Father today to let Him know what you are facing. Tell Him all about it and then get your hopes up again. God is in control and He loves each one of His children. He will hear and answer our prayers.

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Carrot Cake | Fuel For The Weekend

Welcome to the weekend friends. It is my desire that today's post will give you something to think about, ponder, consider, and reflect on throughout the weekend. Just as we fuel up for the weekend in our automobiles, let's fuel up in the spirit.

Today is my mother-in-law's birthday. I am making a carrot cake from scratch for her. She loves it and it makes me feel good to make a birthday cake for her. Have you thought about the ingredients though? The finished cake is delicious, but how would you feel if I served you a bowl of flour? What about a cup of oil? Some ingredients by themselves are not too bad, like cream cheese, butter, or powdered sugar. But I would not want to swallow a spoonful of baking soda, would you?

Sometimes life is like that, isn't it? Some moments are like a sweet taste of powdered sugar. Sometimes life is as awful as a spoonful of flour. The ingredients are important and each one must be measured precisely to give you a delicious dessert. God knows how much sweet and how much savory to give us in our lives to create the best outcome for our character and our inner being. If we only get sweet things and nothing of real substance, we will soon see decay in our lives, like the cavities we get on our teeth. Too much of a good thing is not a good thing. Similarly, too much salt can give us hypertension which is bad for our heart.

Friends, we can trust God to know how much of sorrow, grief, pain, loss, or disappointment we need. It may not be a welcomed feeling, but when we suffer with Christ we know that it comes with promise. 1 Peter 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. In other words, if you suffer for the wrong you do, there is no celebration. You should patiently take the punishment for wrong-doing. The real test of character comes from doing good things and suffering for that. If you take that with patience, it pleases God. 1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. We can rejoice in our suffering that is part of Christ's suffering because when His glory is revealed, imagine the joy we will feel in our hearts knowing we are part of that. The world hates us because it hated Him first. We bear His image and so we will not always have a bed of roses as our lot in life. We know that. It is the bitter and the sweet coming together.

We may feel like the temptations we face in life are unbearable, but God has always made a way out for us. Just like we know that eating too much cake or frosting is going to make us sick and we should not do it, facing these temptations is not good for us either. We can choose to have portion control with the cake and enjoy it but not over do it. We also can ask God to help us overcome these issues we face in life. 1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. The things we are tempted with are things everyone faces in life at some point or another. The issue then is how much temptation can you endure? God makes a way for you to say no, to avoid the person/environment, so that you can escape the temptation. God does not tempt us but we do face situations where we can choose to indulge our flesh and sin, or walk away with God's help and stay in right standing with God.

What about that time you ate too much cake and felt bad about it later? Maybe you felt sick or your stomach hurt? That does happen. It tastes so good that we think, "Just one more bite, or one more slice." Sometimes we do things we know we shouldn't do and we think, "It won't hurt just this once." And then later we feel the pain and the regret that comes from giving our flesh what it wanted. We have all been there. Romans 3:21-26 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

I am going to share the Carrot Cake recipe I am using today. If you choose to make the cake, I hope you enjoy it. As we celebrate my mother-in-law on her birthday I hope she finds it delicious! Enjoy the sweet things in life in moderation friends and when the bitterness comes, remember if it is mixed with other ingredients, it will all turn out just fine. Allow God to orchestrate the events of your life and it will end up perfectly! Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.

I hope you enjoy your weekend. My prayer is that something you have read today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Thankful For Wisdom | Thankful Thursday

Hello friends! Today is Thursday and it is time to count our blessings. Do you keep a gratitude log? Sometimes I make a list in my gratitude journal, sometimes I write in a gratitude journal my friend sent me, and other times I simply reflect on things I am grateful for in my prayer time with God. It is so important to take time to remember the goodness of God. It not only encourages us in the moment, but when we have a rough day, we can go back and see how faithful God has been to us when we read through those lists of things the LORD has done.

This week I want to thank God for wisdom. I do not always understand how to do certain things God is calling me to do. I know how to write, but getting all the pieces to fit in the puzzle in regards to publishing my book is sometimes a challenge. I know that God promised to give us wisdom if we ask Him. JEREMIAH 33:3 Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. We must ask God, He promises to answer us, and to reveal great and mighty things we do not know. I am so glad He does that.

Sometimes He sends help through a friend, a book, an acquaintance, a video, or other various forms. What are you needing God to show you? All we must do is ask. JAMES 1:5 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. God promises to give us wisdom generously if we will ask Him. He upbraideth not, which means He is not going to rebuke us or severely scold us. He wants us to have wisdom because the end of that verse says that when we ask, wisdom SHALL be given to us! What is something God has recently taught you to do?

In DANIEL 6:3 it tells us something about Daniel's character: Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.  Why did Daniel have an excellent spirit? He communed with God. He sought God. He prayed and fasted and had a relationship with God. That translated into everything He did. You and I are to do the same thing. 1 CORINTHIANS 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. MATTHEW 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Daniel was not born with this knowledge; he did not study to get this great wisdom; rather he asked God to give him wisdom and God did so. He will do the same thing for us.

Do you remember reading in the second chapter of the book of Daniel, how that the king had a dream and could not recall what he dreamed? It troubled him so much that even though he could not remember the dream, he knew it was significant. So he asks the impossible! DANIEL 2:3 And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. He asks for the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and Chaldeans to come and tell him what he dreamed but they could not do it. They had no power to tell anyone what they dreamed. God alone can do that! He did not call on God first. We must be careful where we seek our wisdom from. The world cannot help us. Social media cannot help us. The government cannot help us. There is no other source to turn to for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding but God. 

PROVERBS 3:13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

PROVERBS 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

PROVERBS 16:16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!

PROVERBS 19:8 He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.

Throughout the book of Proverbs we see the importance of obtaining wisdom.

The king was upset that the magicians and soothsayers could not tell him what he dreamed. He was so angry that he decided he would destroy them all. This dream was so disturbing in his spirit that he was not even willing to think reasonably beyond wanting something no one had ever asked of another human being before. They answered the king, "If you tell us your dream, we will give you the interpretation of it."

DANIEL 2:5,6 (5)The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. (6)But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.

The king told them he cannot remember the dream. He wants them to either tell him what he dreamed and what it meant, or he will cut them in pieces and destroy their households. That is a desperate king! They answer the same way they did before, asking for him to tell them the dream so they could interpret it. He tells them they are just stalling for time and he will kill them if they will not do what he says. They are shocked and perplexed. This does not seem fair to them and they tell him that he is asking something impossible; something no other ruler would dare ask.

DANIEL 2:12, 13 (12)For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. (13)And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain. That escalated pretty quickly! Now the king decides to annihilate all the wise men because those who used witchcraft were unable to do what he asked. Now they are coming for God's chosen man, Daniel and his fellows. Arioch, the king's captain told Daniel why he was in such a hurry to execute all the wise men, so Daniel went to the king and asked for some time and then he would give the interpretation. That is great faith that God will do this. Daniel knew this was something only God could do. The king granted him the time to seek the answer.

Daniel went to other wise and faithful men unto God: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, or as we know them: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. It is important to seek out others with integrity and a heart for God when looking for wisdom and knowledge about a matter. These four men begin to pray and ask God to do the impossible and He showed up in a big way!

DANIEL 2:20-23 (20)Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are His: (21)And He changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: (22)He revealeth the deep and secret things: He knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with Him. (23)I thank Thee, and praise Thee, O Thou God of my fathers, who has given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of Thee: for Thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.

What Daniel did not do was brag about how he figured it out. He did not tell others what God revealed to himself. He asked for wisdom and prayed with other believers and God came through. It is so important that we never take the credit for something God did. He alone gets the honor and glory! Look how Daniel handled the situation.

DANIEL 2:27-30 (27)Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; (28)But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; (29)As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. (30)But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.

Daniel revealed the king's dream and then gave the meaning of the dreams. He gave God all the glory. God gives us wisdom to do things and be successful in life. We must not take credit for things He has done. It is vain and foolish for us to take credit for something only God can do.

I am so thankful for wisdom. I am grateful that I serve a God who cares so much about His children that He wants to help them succeed and do well in life. He wants us to come and ask Him for this wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.

I hope you have been reflecting on how good God has been to you. We are living in a season of uncertainty with so many conflicts around the globe, so much persecution, wars, rumors of wars, and sickness, but God is in control. He is on the throne and He is not upset, nervous, or scared about what He sees taking place. Run to Him and ask Him to give you wisdom if you lack it and He promises to give it to you generously.

Thank you for joining me on this Thankful Thursday to count my blessings with me! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

7 Biblical Reasons To Be Thankful | Thankful Thursday

Has life been beating you up lately? Do you feel like you can't really catch a break? I understand how that feels. I get it! Life is hard sometimes. Sometimes it may feel like there are more problems than solutions and more hardships than good times. In these dry seasons it can be hard to count your blessings. After all, we have to really search for the good sometimes. When we lose a loved one, our job ends, the loan does not go through, or our spouse walks out on us, it can be really difficult to find something to be thankful for.

Research has shown that feeling thankful has positive effects on our health: both mental and physical. It can also improve our spiritual health. Choosing to focus on the positive things is not just about looking at the good in our life. When my dad died I did not immediately feel grateful that he was no longer with me. I did look back on the last couple of years of my dad's life and see God's hands all over it. I remembered the miracles and the relief, the breakthroughs that seemed to indicate Dad would not die. I thought about how I was grateful I had those days and months and two full years to spend with him and cherish those last moments together. My sister's birth father was tragically ripped from her life when a drunk driver hit and killed him. It was not easier to watch our dad slip away but there is a big blessing in the gift of that process.

When financial hard times come, it is not the first thing on our minds to write a list of things we are grateful for. We often begin to brainstorm ideas for how to find the ends in an effort to make them meet. We want solutions and when we are faced with a pile of bills and unmet needs, it can be so discouraging and painful. It is in those times that gratitude is so important. Holding on to God's faithfulness in the past, and any glimpses of God's goodness in the here and now only serve to strengthen our faith and reignite our hope that this too shall pass and we will be stronger for it.

Abandonment and rejection leave us feeling vulnerable and scared. Instead of choosing to see the bright side, it is far easier to see the negative effects. Divorce is unfortunately all too common, but the stigma is still there. The brokenness is still there. The unanswered questions of why this happened and how it could have been prevented leave us feeling isolated and alone. If we can somehow choose to see past that to what good there is left, it can help us not sink into despair and depression. There is hope!

How do we know an attitude of gratitude is powerful enough to plunge us out of the darkness back into a few rays of sunshine? We can look at research of course. We can read the studies of thousands of people who were observed and we can see how things changed in their lives. But, is that really helpful to us in the throws of life's lowest valleys? I don't know about you, but when it felt like I was in the pits I did not really care to read about how someone else turned things around by being thankful. I wanted to know what could help me?

The Bible has always been the one source of hope and strength for me. When others shared the Gospel with me it always encouraged me. It never failed to lift me up, if even for a moment. The more I would read the Word of God, the more I would begin to trust God. I learned of His character and His way of thinking. I saw Him as a source of strength and a refuge to hide in. I realized His love would carry me through the darkest of midnights. I did not have to feel forsaken. So, what does the Bible say about being thankful?

1. It is God's Will for us to be thankful. We read in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." That does not mean to thank God for the divorce, or the death, or the financial hardship, but thank Him that He never abandoned you, He is victorious over death, and He will supply all your needs. This is His will for you because when you look for the good you will find it. When you choose to focus on the reasons you are blessed, you will find more reasons. What you continue to dwell on will get down on the inside of you and it will begin to flourish and grow and it will elevate you out of the dungeon.

2. It is to remember God's holiness. We read in Psalm 30:4 "Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness." When we start shifting our eyes from our problems onto the Solution, Christ Jesus, we start remembering His holiness. We remember His goodness. We remember He has never failed us. We remember He has always done nothing but good for us. It shifts the mindset to stop dwelling on the problem and the negative parts of the puzzle. We begin to get our courage back. We stop feeling fear. We begin to believe again. Our hearts start to mend.

3. It is a good thing. We read in Psalm 92:1-3 "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O Most High: To shew forth Thy lovingkindness in the morning, and Thy faithfulness every night, Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound." The Bible tells us it is a good thing to give thanks. When we begin to sing praises to God we stop feeling sadness. We no longer feel anxiety, worry, fear, doubt, or defeat. We begin to sing praises to God and something good starts to spring forth on the inside of us. We begin to feel that wellspring of life bubbling over. We feel joy take over and nothing can take it away when we have our mind completely on the goodness of God, day or night.

4. It gives us something to share with others. We read in Psalm 105:1 "O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon His name: make known His deeds among the people." The great things God has done for us is not just for our pleasure. It is not just for our enjoyment; but rather to be shared with others who are hurting. We may see others who are mourning, or discouraged, or feeling abandoned, and when we begin to share what God has done for us it edifies us both. We both gain strength from that. We both increase in faith when we hear an actual account of what God has done in times of great distress and pain. When we see His hand upon others and they tell us what God has done in their lives, it gives us hope that He will do the same thing for us.

5. It enables us to live in His presence. We read in Psalm 140:13 "Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto Thy name: the upright shall dwell in Thy presence." When we meditate on the things God has done for us, it causes us to temporarily leave our current situation and we are fully in His presence. When we recall the times God fed us when we had no money and no food, we begin to feel the oil of gladness fill our souls. As we remember the times the money came out of nowhere just before we lost everything, it will spark hope in our hearts that He will come through again. And as we begin to bask in the love of God and all the many times He came through for us, it changes the chemicals in our bodies. Endorphins, a feel-good hormone, begins to be released throughout our bodies. We begin to feel more joy than stress, more peace than chaos, more love than rejection and our whole countenance lights up. Friends, we can choose to live that way.

6. It brings us victory. We read in 1 Corinthians 15:57 "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." We get our hopes up when we remember the times He came through before and when we are filled with faith and not doubt, God begins to work on our behalf. He begins to rearrange some things. He begins to change our circumstances. We begin to have victory over what once held us bound. That is worth praising God for. That is worth thanking Him for. We are victorious when we keep our eye on the prize and not get distracted by the tricks of the enemy.

7. It is what we will do in eternity. We read in Revelation 11:16-17 "And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give Thee thanks, O LORD GOD Almighty, Which art, and was, and art to come; because Thou hast taken to Thee Thy great power, and hast reigned." When we come to eternity we will thank Him for what He did for us. We will be so thankful to have overcome every trial, every tribulation, every hardship, every battle that we faced. We will praise Him because He reigns. We will bow before Him like the 24 elders and we will proclaim that He is King and He is LORD and He is God. We will worship Him. He deserves it. He is worthy. It is His! Praise and thankfulness belong to God. We owe it to Him to tell Him how much we appreciate Him; how wonderful He is to us; and how much He means to us.

Friends, we have more than seven reasons to be thankful to God. Count your blessings today and every single day. Do not worry about the worries of this life, the problems and health concerns that arise. We have hope in Jesus Christ who promises us eternal life. We may not have it easy in this life, and bad things will continue to happen to us from time to time, but we have to remember Jesus Christ is King. He is worth every word of praise and adoration; every thankful and grateful sentiment; every appreciative statement we can think of to let Him know how much He means to us.

I am so thankful for Jesus loving me and never giving up on me. I have so much to praise God for. May you be found today with praise on your lips to King Jesus for all that He has done and is doing and will do in your life! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

 

Appreciation | Thankful Thursday

Sometimes the ones we love the most do not know how we truly feel about them until we tell them. It seems simple enough. Saying things like please, thank you, and you're welcome are good manners. Telling someone you love them is kind and can be reassuring. But, lately it has occurred to me that I do not tell my husband how important he is to me and our family. This week I found out how powerful verbally expressing my appreciation for my husband is.

Paul is my best friend. He is the strength in our marriage. He has muscles and he can lift heavy things. He knows how to fix almost anything. He thinks through things much quicker than I and he has really good ideas. He gets up very early every single morning Monday through Friday and goes to work. He does not ever complain about having to work so hard and drive so far to and from work (1 hour and 15 minutes one way). He is steady, dependable, reliable, and that makes me comfortable. Being a Christian husband is far harder than being a husband in general. He has the responsibility of leading our family in a way that pleases God. I rely on Paul to lead our family. He appreciates my feedback and we discuss things. He is no dictator, but he truly has the final say. In our marriage it is God first, then Paul, then me, and then our children. That is not a popular chain of command but God created it and you know what? It actually works! I tried the other way and it goes left real quick! Not a fun way to live.

Since moving back to Indiana, we have had a lot of fun times, happy times, joyful times. We made new friends, found our HOME church, and witnessed the power of God move so many times. It is incredible the amount of spiritual growth we have all encountered in this season of our life. We have also had a lot of disappointments, grief over loved ones who passed on. We have had people let us down, turn their backs on us, and hurt us in ways they could never know. This can take a toll on us, especially my husband. He is often quiet about things he feels. He hates to see his wife or children hurting and especially when that pain came from another person. So he does his best to keep pointing us back to Jesus and I will be honest here, he has his work cut out for him on this one. Sometimes I just want to be like Peter when he cut off the soldier's ear in an effort to protect Jesus. Paul, like Jesus did in the garden, reminds me we do not war against flesh and blood. He is right.

We had hoped to have our own home by now. That has been the single one thing that we have battled the most. Trusting God's timing when our own calendar flips month after month and nothing happens that we can see, it is frustrating. Stress at work for Kadesia and for Paul and for myself can really add to that frustration. Sickness that won't leave Kadesia's body since June can literally take parents to the brink when we have done all the things and she still has fevers that are above 103 and a heart rate that scares physicians! This is real life and these things can take a toll. And who do I share these feelings with? I tell my husband. I need him. I need his prayers. I need him to hold me and reassure me that someday soon our lives will not feel so out of control and awful! But who holds Paul?

Of course we know God holds us all in the palm of His hands and that will never change. Remember the scripture in Romans 8:35-39 that reads, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, no powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

But in the natural, when we need a hug, or an outlet, a safe place to vent and yell and cry, where can Paul go? If he has to be the pillar in our family: strong, steadfast, and immovable, where can he go? He goes to God first and then he comes to me. He lets me knows what areas he feels weak in. He knows it's a safe place to tell me his insecurities. And it is my duty not only as his wife, but as a Christian, a servant of Jesus, to build my husband up. I am to encourage him and uplift him. I am to pray for him and empower him to continue to lead well.

Ladies, please, make that safe place available to your husbands. I have not always done this and there were times I did not do it well. But do not stop trying to be the help meet you were created to be for that man in your life. Instead of listening to other women complain about their husbands, we must honor ours. Instead of finding fault with the spiritual leaders of our homes, we need to show them respect and love and appreciation. The world will not do this for them. Other women can stroke their ego, but they will not do this for them. It is up to us, to be the women of God we are called to be. God handpicked us for these men to be the helper and friend and companion they need. Let us make a safe haven of rest for our husbands because they need it, too.

I have seen a woman spend a great deal of time on an elaborate meal for their family and then criticize everyone and everything the entire time. It was so bad at one point, my husband and I just looked at one another and exchanged disappointed glances. The atmosphere was uncomfortable to say the least. She continued to point out her husband's flaws and shortcomings and he was getting embarrassed and upset. We need to honor our husbands and lift them up every chance we get.

You may think, "Bridgett you don't know my husband. You don't know his bad habits and his attitude. How can I honor a man like that?" I understand it can be a challenge. I truly do. But, we are to love others more than ourselves. Pray for your husband to see where he is not lining up to God and ask God to work in his heart. But don't say amen and go on with your day. While you are having a conversation with God, ask Him to change your heart, too. Ask Him to show you how to be more loving, more kind, more respectful. Maybe the moment he walks through the door is not the best time to start unloading about your day. Ask how his day was. Talk to him and listen. Take the time to be present in the moment.

Friends we have to stop looking at everything through the lens of "How Does This Make Me Feel" and we need to prefer others above ourselves. Look to the needs of others. Read the book of Romans, chapter 12 and see how we should treat one another. We should never treat total strangers kinder than we do our own flesh and blood. We are the children of God and He told us to love one another and that is how the world will know we belong to Him.

1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-8a (4)Charity [love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, (5)Doth not behave itself unseemly [rudely], seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; (6)Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; (7)Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. (8a) Charity [love] never faileth:

1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-8a {ESV} (4)Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant (5)or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; (6)it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. (7)Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (8a)Love never fails. 

The Bible is very clear what love is. We know God is love and these verses in 1 Corinthians tell us the character of God's love. It is the same way He wants us to operate in love when we engage with others including our spouses. So let's take a quiz. How patient and kind are we? Do we envy other women who we think have better husbands? Are we bragging on ourselves and become arrogant and prideful? Are we rude? Come on now ladies. You know some of this hurts! Do we insist on our own way? Why do we just assume our way is better? And even if his way is not better it can still be good. If it is not good, then can we please give grace and mercy for times our husbands fail? We all need room to make mistakes. It is how we become better. Are we irritable or resentful? A friend of mine would complain about how much work she had to do around the house but she did not want to confront the issue of no one helping. She had set the standard so high that her kids said, "If we did do something to help, it would not be right and she would just do it over anyway." We have to let others help us or we have no reason to resent that they are not helping. What do we rejoice in? Are we encouraging bad behaviors or are we rejoicing in the right choices they make? Or do we ever tell them how proud we are that they are making good choices for the family? We cannot tell them they are wrong and never praise them for being right. Would we want to be talked to like that? Love endures all things and never fails. God loves us like this and we want our husbands to love us like this. So, let's make an effort to love them back like this.

I have never met a happily married couple who said, "Our marriage is awesome and it takes 0% from us!" Paul and I have been married for 21 years and it's tough sometimes. It is hard! Life is hard and so is marriage. There is more responsibility, more accountability, more to navigate and work through, but I love Paul more now than I did 21 years ago. I love Paul more now when I see him on his face at the altar at church asking God how he can be more like Him! I love Paul more when I see him pray about something before he moves on it. It was not always like that. He is more in tune with God now and that translates to everything he does.

I thank God for my husband. I am so thankful that Paul and I made it when others said it would never last. I am thankful that God gave me a wonderful husband and I tell him a lot, but not as much as I should. What are you thankful for this THANKFUL THURSDAY?

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Look What Sin Does | Ezra 10

 

We are wrapping up the last Wednesday in June as we wrap up the book of Ezra. Next month I have something fun in mind to do for the Bible studies. I hope you will enjoy it and even try to participate with me.

If you have not finished reading the last chapter of this book, please take the time to do so now. There are a lot of names listed but please do not skip over them. It is listed for a reason and we can see the big impact those names have on what has happened. As a reminder, I do not do a line by line study in this series. I am sectioning off the chapter in two parts. Let's begin.

Verses 1-11 Israel Repents

Ezra prayed. He confessed. He wept. He threw himself down at the house of God in humility. Something happens. Ezra is no longer the only one aware of the great sin and the consequences. Ezra is not alone. Men, women, and children came out in great numbers, weeping and wailing. Shechaniah confessed, "We have sinned against God." He admits taking the pagan wives was wrong but he announces that hope is not gone. There is still hope for the people of Israel. Shechaniah knew the nature of God and he comes up with a plan to get into a covenant with God and divorce all the wives they took that were not of their own nativity.

Let's sit with that for a moment. It seems cruel to rip families apart just because they were not Israeli women. In our society, we shake our heads and wag our fingers. Yet, remember God had the rule for them to only marry within the community He gave them. His rule was for the protection of His people. His rule was for the protection of His covenant with them. His rule was for the sanctity of their relationship. He is God and we are to serve Him. These women worshipped other gods and did not serve God. It cannot be both.

In today's "if it feels good, do it" society we think we can do whatever we want and live however we want with no consequences. That is simply not true. We are not to mingle with the world, and date just for fun, then get entangled in problems and drama that we could have simply avoided if we would hearken to the voice of God. Learn from the Israeli people in the book of Ezra. God has these mandates in place for a reason. It is not to exclude the world, it is to protect His children.

Divorce is common in our American culture today. In the Old Testament times it was not so. This suggestion for a massive dissolution of marriages was unheard of! This drastic measure gives us a glimpse of what desperation the people must have felt. Not only were the wives sent away, but their children were sent away as well. Sin never impacts one person. What one person does, good or bad, will always impact others. We must think before we act. There is too much at stake. 

For more clarification and education, I am going to quote some notes straight from my study Bible. "The Christian is not to leave an unbelieving spouse but rather to live in a manner that may win that spouse to the faith (1 Cor. 7:12-16; 1 Pet. 3:1-7). At the same time, the Bible warns the believer not to enter marriage with an unbeliever for one of the reasons that the Jews were not to do so--because it can weaken the faith of the believer. What is valuable and essential to a believer cannot be shared with an unbelieving spouse (see Neh. 10, Interfaith Marriage; 2 Cor. 6, Husbands). 

Sin is not pretty. I wish more churches would preach and teach on what sin is, how ugly things get when we choose to sin, and the real consequences of what we jeopardize when we disobey God's law. Jesus did not do away with the law. He came to fulfill the law and so we must not believe that God's law is no longer effective. Christian brothers and sisters, it is time to take sin seriously. Let's find the roots in our own lives and ask God to help us get rid of it. We cannot continue in sin just because God's grace is bountiful. Rather, let's turn away from doing those things that are wrong and sinful. 

Verses 12-44 Putting Away Wives

In verse 12, the congregation is unified in their decision to divorce their wives and send them away with their children. They must have all felt sad and great regret. All of the damage to these women and children would never have happened if they would have obeyed God in the first place. 

As usual with most sinful situations, it is complicated and multi-faceted. Now, the people have another issue to deal with. It's the rainy season and there are so many people that this cannot be done in just a couple of days. They see now how big this sin problem really is. The solution? They appointed officials to represent the people. Anyone who married a foreign wife would come at a set time with the elders and judges of their city and the process would continue until the unholy unions were dissolved and God was no longer angry with the people.

From verse 20-43 we read names of families and see the plural word: sons. Verse 44 says, "All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children." The book ends there.

Let that sink in. Marriages were destroyed. Families were destroyed. Sin caused the destruction. Who do you think enticed them that the grass was greener on the other side? The devil! He is a thief that only comes to steal, kill, and destroy according to John 10:10. We must be careful. The devil is clever, but God did not leave us to fend for ourselves. His Word, the Holy Bible is here for us to learn from. He tells us everything we need to know. Friends, life is an open BOOK test! We are without excuse. Let's be careful moving forward to not let pride, envy, greed, lust, or the love of money to rule our hearts. Instead let's operate in the fruits of the Spirit. Galatians teaches us that when we do so, there is no law to prevent us from being loving, kind, patient, gentle, faithful.... Let's walk with God and be aware of what we are allowing in our lives.

You may say, "Bridgett, I'm not living in sin. I am not married outside of God's will." That's great! But, there may be hidden sins we must ask God to reveal to us. Sin comes in many forms. It can be that we want what others have. FOMO: Fear Of Missing Out has been a driving force for people to go into debt to obtain things they do not need to impress people they do not like. Let's be real! We have enough stuff! What are we watching? If we are watching movies, tv programs, news, infomercials, or follow accounts of people who are always buying more stuff, we will soon want more stuff. Whatever we keep before our eyes, sooner or later will materialize. Trust and believe that!

What kind of music do we listen to? Songs about cheating and people leaving their husbands or wives, destroying other people's property, killing, and worse... those messages get into the minds of those who listen and before you know it, you begin to act out in ways that reflect what you listen to. Where do you go? Are you watching movies that have profanity and sex scenes? How is that honoring God? I am not saying stop up your ears, close your eyes, be a hermit, and never live in the real world. The Bible says in the words of Jesus, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." (John 15:18,19) We are not of the world when we have been blood bought by Jesus. If you accepted Him as your Savior then you do not belong to the world. You won't ever fit in like the rest. You were made to stand out so you can be a light and a witness to the world about how good and wonderful God is.

Jesus loves us so much He died for us. He hated sin so much because He knew what it would do to us. Look what it did to Him when He took our sins upon Himself? The good news is there is not a sin that is too big or too bad for Jesus's blood to cover. He paid it all. He paid a debt that was not His and He does not ask us to pay Him back. He just wants us to love Him and serve Him and be obedient. When we do what He says we are not being restricted; we are being protected! 

David says in Psalms 139: 23-24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." We can pray the same thing. He will do it!

We can learn so much from the men and women in the Old Testament. I did not even do an in-depth study of this book this time and yet there was so much to glean from it. In Romans 15:4 it reads, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." The things we read in the Bible are for us to learn from. When we practice the ways of righteousness, we develop patience and find comfort in the Scriptures. That comfort gives us hope that we, too, can overcome. I know the men that were estranged from their wives were never the same. They may have thought about fun times they had with their ex-wives, favorite meals they cooked, or memories they made with their children. We, like Moses, can choose to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season (Hebrews 11:25). It may seem fun for a while to embrace the world and follow their example, but the end is destruction and we will suffer the consequences.

I hope you have enjoyed this study. It has been a sobering study and honestly I never expected to get this much from one book. It is incredible the encouragement and lessons packed into ten short chapters. I pray that something I have shared today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens