Psalm 30 | Bible Study Wednesday

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 30. If you have not done so, please take the time to read through these 12 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!

It occurred to me that last week I jumped ahead to Psalm 40. I do not know why I did that. I remember thinking that it could not possibly be the 40th week of the year, but I was doing multiple things and ignored the Holy Spirit trying to tell me I was not in the correct Psalm for that week. So, today and each week moving forward I will do my best to stay on track and then we will skip Psalm 40 and move to Psalm 41 through Psalm 52 to finish the year. God works all things together for good to them who love Him and are called according to His purpose. I truly believe that the timing is correct for this particular psalm in my life and I am thankful to be studying it today.

Verse 1

Psalm 30 was a song at the dedication of the house of David. To extol means to enthusiastically praise. This particular psalm is David's excitement and great delight for many things God is doing. In this specific verse David is thankful for the victory God gave him over his enemies. What can we see in our own lives right now that looking back we see God's hands delivering us and uplifting us to victorious places? Can we, like David, extol God?

Verse 2

This verse is underlined in my Bible. As someone who suffers with a chronic illness, it has been a beautiful reminder that God is healing me and helping me with all that I am going through. When we call upon our Heavenly Father, He will hear us and heal us. He is the Great Physician. He is the God who heals us.

EXODUS 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

Today if you need healing in your body, or you know someone that does, listen to God's voice and do what is right in His sight, obey His Laws and Commandments and this promise is for you to claim! He is the God that heals you!

Verse 3

David was critically ill and God healed his body. He was facing death and maybe you have had a bad diagnosis or you may have suffered to the point you thought you might die; trust God to heal you and He will do it! David is enthusiastically praising God because he was facing a life-threatening condition and God healed him. He was about to die and be buried and God healed him and gave him a fresh lease on life.

Verse 4

David wants the saints to join him in thanking God and remembering the times the LORD moved on our behalf before. How many prayers has He answered? How many big and mighty things has our great God Jehovah done for us? Can we recall how God is Holy and is not changed by what is going on in our world today? He sits high and lifted up on His throne and He is Sovereign. He is Holy. He is Mighty and Great in power! Yes, let's pause this Bible study to worship who He is and thank Him for all that He has done on our behalf. He is still working out details and putting plans together. It is incredible and we are blessed to have a Holy and Righteous Heavenly Father that loves us so much He continues to bless us.

PSALM 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation, Selah.

Verse 5

This is a familiar verse, and also underlined in my Bible. This is a character reference of God. He does get angry. He is a Holy God and when we are not living according to His holy Laws and Commands, we make Him angry. He expects us to live in holiness. But His anger does not last a long time. David says it only lasts a moment. He favors His children with love and life and even though we may cry all night and mourn in the dark seasons of life, we are promised a morning of joy. There will be a breakthrough of praise and overflowing joy in our lives as we overcome the hardships and trials in life.

Verses 6-7

This passage reminds me of the proverb about pride coming before the fall. When we are puffed up and think we have it made, we may have our head up so high we fail to see the stumbling block in our path and down we go!

PROVERBS 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

I like the way the Message translation says these two verses, "When things were going great I crowed, "I've got it made. I'm GOD's favorite. He made me king of the mountain." Then You looked the other way and I fell to pieces."

What have we been asking God and believing that He will do something big and mighty for us? What has He done for us that we had no way of ever being able to do for ourselves? Have we taken the credit? Have we had prideful thoughts and like David thought we had it made? It's all smooth sailing from here? Be careful because God does not want us to get puffed up about our blessings. We are to be thankful and grateful but hold them with loose grips. We are loaned these things but they are not ours to keep forever. Vehicles break down. Homes need maintenance. Relationships require effort on your part to continue to flourish. Careers can end. Bodies can become weak or ill. Let's thank God for what we are blessed with but never get puffed up because of where God puts us. He can as easily bring us down low as He can exalt us in due time.

Verses 8-10

David recognizes his mistake. He goes to God, and he cries out in supplication. Remember supplication is humbly and earnestly begging for something. David's plea is for God to redeem him. He asks what good is it if he dies? Can the dust praise God? Will the dust share God's truth? David begs for mercy and asks God sincerely for His help. You see, friends, we are nothing apart from God. He is our Creator. He is our Heavenly Father. He is our friend. He sent us our Redeemer. Jesus loves us so much that He has redeemed us with His precious blood.

If you find yourself puffed up and proud when you should be meek and humble and grateful, turn to God. Repent of the sin of pride and open your heart to His love and mercy and grace. Ask for His help and trust that He will not leave you in the condition you are in. He is too merciful and too loving to do that to His children who truly are sorry.

Verses 11-12

When our change comes, when the times of refreshing wash over our souls, may we be like David. We can say, after He cleanses us, that God has turned my mourning into dancing. I am no longer sad about what I lost because I am back in His presence, dancing before the Lord. Instead of sackcloth and ashes and fasting, God has given me a garment of praise and gladness, so that I may praise You God and not be silent. I will thank You forever!

ISAIAH 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called the trees of Righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified.

Today's Bible study was so precious to me. I hope that you all have a wonderful day. I pray that something shared on my blog today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 26 | 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 26. If you have not done so, please take the time to read through these 12 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 asking for God's judgment. Do we feel confident enough in our walk with our Savior to ask Him to judge us? David did. He said he kept his integrity and has trusted God so he would not slide. The key to not slipping up in our walk with God is to hold on to our integrity and trust God. It is an easy principle but the practice is sometimes hard. Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.

Verse 2

Again, David asks God to examine his heart. We know out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Matthew 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. David is asking God to test him according to what is in his heart. He says, "Try my reins," which means "Test my mind." Romans 8:5-6 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things that are of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. If we have our mind on earthly things, carnal things, we are going to die spiritually. We must have our minds on the things of God and that gives us life and peace. This is how we can do a test to see the condition of our heart: what are we speaking and what are we seeking?

Verse 3

David said he kept God's mercy in front of his eyes and walked in God's truth. Two things here we must do. We have to keep God's Word in front of our face and the good things God is doing. Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He. Everything God does for us is perfect and right. He has no wickedness in Him so He is unable to do us wrong. Let's meditate on that truth today. How can we walk in God's truth? 1 Samuel 12:24 Only fear the LORD and serve Him in truth with all your heart: consider how great things He hath done for you. 

Verse 4

David has kept away from those who serve idols and are hypocrites. Today we are seeing a lot of distorted beliefs in the church. We are seeing a lot of people call themselves Christians and deny Christ by their lifestyle. We must be careful friends. Remember how the Psalms start out? Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in seat of the scornful. Jeremiah refused to have company with such people either. Jeremiah 15:17 I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of Thy hand: for Thou hast filled me with indignation.

Verse 5

David refused to be part of the popular crowd if it meant veering from God's Word. We must make the decision that we are not going to entertain the world either. David would not sit with them, or congregate together. We must draw our lines in the sand. Yes we can love and pray for them. We must do that! But we do not need to wallow in the filth and the mire with them. James 4:4 Ye adulterers, and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship with the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Friends, it does not get more plain than that. We must not join hands with the world, because the moment we do, we have turned our back on God. I did not write that. I did not come up with that. Ask the Author if you disagree.

Verses 6-7

David chooses to wash his hands clean of any wickedness. Instead of gathering in the tents of the wicked, he is choosing to congregate at the altar of God. He is proclaiming the Good News with thanksgiving in his heart of all the wonderful works of God. Psalm 107:8 Oh that men would praise the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! Can we agree that we will stay near the altar, communing with God in our hearts? The altar is not a physical location. This is referring to the solitary place of prayer we can go and find God. Mark 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. Jesus gave us this example of how we should start our day. He got up before He started the day and He went alone to a deserted place. No audience, no followers, no distractions, no noise...just Jesus alone praying. What are we doing?

Verse 8

The key to getting up early to spend quiet time with God is loving His presence that much. Instead of seeking God's hands all the time, we must have times where we just love being in His presence. We need to seek hard after God's heart and to please Him. Next week we will read this, but it is a great place to showcase one of my favorite verses. Psalm 27:4 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. David's desire was to be where the presence of God was.  This is why God said David is a man after His own heart. He was quick to praise, quick to worship, quick to repent, and quick to brag on God. Are we able to say one of our biggest desires is to be in His presence? If not, we need to check our hearts. What takes our time and attention? Social media? Politics? News? Sickness? Gossip? Busy work? Where are we spending most of our day?

I once heard it said if you want to check your heart, look at your bank statements. What do you spend the most money on? That is where your heart is. I do not know if that is true, but I can see their point. I think if you truly want to check your heart, look at your time. Where do you spend it? How much time do you spend facing a screen? How much time do you scroll mindlessly but are secretly interested in what everyone else is doing? What kind of time do you have invested on your knees in prayer? How much time do you spend reading the Bible, picking it up and choosing to read it on your own to learn more?

Verses 9-10

David is asking God to not count him with the wicked. He does not want to be numbered with those who have no part in God. They are doing sinister schemes and evil deeds. David wants nothing to do with that.

You would think the prophet Samuel, who anointed David as king, who heard the voice of God when he was a young child, a man of integrity and walked in God's truth, would have sons who patterned after him, but that is not so. 1 Samuel 8:1-3 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of the firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba. And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. Friends, we have a choice to make. We can follow after God, our Heavenly Father, and obey Him, or we can do what we want to get ahead in this life and enjoy sin for a season, but the eternal punishment that follows will not be worth one second of that "pleasure."

Do you remember when Moses' father-in-law came to see him? Jethro saw that Moses was wearing himself out trying to judge the people and teach them what to do and what not to do. Jethro had a great suggestion. Exodus 18:19-22 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, and rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. It is good to have wise counsel. And as you can see, the criteria for being a good judge, is to fear God, walk in truth, and hate greediness/desiring other people's things.

Verse 11

David made a choice for himself. He chose to walk in integrity. We have the choice in front of us as well. What will we do? Will we choose to please others and compromise so we can get ahead in this life, unconcerned for the eternity that awaits us? Will we be like David and choose to walk in our integrity and to live according to the Truth of God's word? 1 Thessalonians 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth the hearts.

Verse 12

David ends this psalm with stating he is standing in a good place; an even place. His foot is secure. He has made up his mind to bless God in the congregations. 1 Timothy 6:16-19 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

I pray that this Bible study has been fruitful for you. I know I have been strengthened and encouraged by God's Word today. I never know where all He will take me and today we have had a lot of Old and New Testament verses which I love. I pray that something you have read on the blog today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you.

~Bridgett Owens

God Heals | Thankful Thursday

My son had surgery on Friday. I was unable to get a blog post up and I missed yesterday's post, too, so I went ahead today and shared my Bible study post that should have been shared yesterday. Here are some pictures from Friday. The first picture is Javan on the way to the hospital, and then waiting on surgery, and then going home after surgery. 

Big smiles, but he was a little nervous. He was eager to get it over with, he said.

We were thankful to get to spend a lot of time with Javan before he had surgery.

He said the IV was the part he dreaded the most, hurt the worst, and the thing he was glad to get rid of the most.

Javan was pain free when we left the hospital. I am so thankful everything went well. He felt great all evening and the next day he was able to attend his uncle and aunt's family function with lots of singing and food and yummy desserts.

There were many prayers going up for his surgery and recovery. The Bible says, in James 5:14-15 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Javan is blessed with a wonderful youth pastor and his wife who prayed over Javan and encouraged him about the surgery. 

In Exodus 15:26, God said He is the the LORD that heals us. David says in Psalm 30:2 O LORD my God, I cried unto Thee, and Thou hast healed me. I was concerned for Javan. Tears rolled down my face after they wheeled him back to surgery. I was reminded of the scripture, Psalm 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee. It was comforting to know Javan was safe in the hands of Jesus, the Great Physician. God wants us to trust Him. Psalm 148:11 The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in His mercy.

So this week, I am thankful that Javan continues to heal, has had minimal discomfort, and has had an opportunity to rest often. I am also thankful that I am off work during this time and can take care of him. It has been a blessing. What are you thankful for today?

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 15 | Bible Study Wednesday

 

Welcome back to another Wednesday Bible study. Today we are in the book of Psalm chapter 15. This is a psalm of David. David asks a question in verse one and then answers that question in the subsequent verses. It is only 5 verses in length. If you have not done so, I encourage you to take a moment to pray and ask Holy Spirit to lead you and guide you through this passage. Ask Him to open up your spiritual eyes and ears to see and hear what He wants to teach you today. Read through these few verses and then we will study God's Word together.

Verse 1

David asks a question, "LORD, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in Thy holy hill? In other words, what kind of person, what qualities do they possess, who is able to stay in your holy place? Not just any person can do that. There are some requirements for remaining in the tabernacle of God in His holy hill. God has standards and regulations for whom He allows to live within His presence. What are they? Do you and I qualify? What does it look like to measure up to God's standard? Let's find out.

Let's look at Psalm 24:3-5. This is a sneak peek into this chapter that we will be visiting again in June. It says, "Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation." According to this passage, the requirements are clean hands, pure heart, humble, and honest. Do we meet those requirements? Do we always have pure motives? Are we always humble and honest? Do we always do the things that are right and pleasing in His sight?

David is saying that when we seek to honor God with our life, when we choose to sacrifice praise, to honor God with our choices, and to live a life of integrity, aiming to please God we have the invitation to dwell and abide in God's holy tabernacle in His holy hill. Just so we get the full picture David is going to go in detail about what that really looks like.

Verse 2

David says the first thing is to be a person of integrity, good moral character. Walk uprightly means to deliberately, correctly, and faithfully move forward in the paths that God has already carved out for us. What does it mean to work righteousness? It means we do the right thing. What would God want us to do in the situation we find ourselves in? Are we choosing integrity over popularity? Are we conforming to this world or are we being transformed by the renewing of our mind as we read God's Word?

Ephesians 4:20-25 "But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another." This passage tells us that we have to die to our old nature and old habits. The things we did before we came to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ is not the same things we ought to be doing now. We once served self and now we serve King Jesus and we should act in accordance with His ways and His laws.

Verse 3

What else must we do to be worthy of inhabiting God's holy tabernacle in His holy hill? In this verse, David addresses how we treat our neighbor. Our neighbor is not just the person who lives next door. Remember when Jesus talks about the Good Samaritan? That story was told by Jesus in answer to the question of the lawyer, "Who is my neighbor?" So Jesus said a certain man went from Jerusalem to Jericho and was mugged. They robbed him, stripped him of his clothes, violently beat him and left him for dead. After some time a priest came by and saw the man laying in this terrible condition and he passed by him on the other side of the road. Another time a Levite came up to him and looked at him but he passed by him on the other side of the road. Then a certain Samaritan saw the man and had compassion on him. He went to the injured man, cleansed and bandaged his wounds, put him on his animal to transport him to the inn and took care of him. The next day the Samaritan had to leave but he took some money and gave it to the innkeeper with instructions to continue to care for the unnamed injured man. He said if the innkeeper spent more than what was given to care for this man he would return and pay the rest of the money owed. Jesus asks, "Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among thieves?" The lawyer answered, "The one who showed mercy." Jesus said, "Go, and do thou likewise." (Luke 10:25-37)

Anyone in our life is a neighbor: the store clerk, the receptionist, the police officer, the teacher, the CEO, the children, the pastor, the one who lives next door, the friend, the spouse, the stranger. All are our neighbors. David says to abide in God's holy tabernacle we cannot backbite or gossip, nor do evil to our neighbor, or be cruel to them. You may say that is easy, I do not treat people with cruelty or do evil deeds. Gossip is one of the most hurtful things you can do. The wounds that gossip inflicts run so deep and penetrate the heart to the core. It is extremely cruel and evil. 

Leviticus 19:16-18 "Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood (life) of thy neighbour: I am the LORD. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD." God made Himself very clear. Do not go from house to house, or from phone conversation to phone conversation, person to person discussing other people. It can be tempting to just talk about it to pray for the need, but that is a slippery slope and it can lead to gossip and we must be very careful. God takes this so seriously because it has wounded the hearts of many and caused a great number of people to be led astray. Let's pray daily for God to guard our mouths. Psalm 141:3 Set a watch (guard), O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. God will answer that prayer and we will not be a talebearer any longer. 

Exodus 23:1 Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.This happens time and time again in the churches all across America. I have seen it in big churches and small. Someone takes sides and shares their feelings and thoughts instead of actual facts and before long they are an unrighteous witness raising false reports. The enemy wants division and strife in the church because then he can isolate us and make us feel like we are all alone and forsaken. That is lie and we must not fall for it. Do not be part of the reason anyone is lied on. If we pray that prayer in Psalm 141:3 we will not do these things.

Verse 4

The KJV is not the easiest to read at times. What is verse four saying? The Message Bible says it like this, "Don't hurt your friend, don't blame your neighbour; despise the despicable." That is easier for me to comprehend. Remember when Mordecai would not give reverance to Haman in the book of Esther? Esther 3:2 And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence. Haman was an Amalekite and enemy of the Jews. Mordecai did not give reverence to him. When we know someone is in direct violation of God's Word we should not revere them. It is not okay to just go along with the crowd because everyone else says so, or even because a government official says so. God's Word trumps the world's authority. 

Leviticus 5:4-5 NIV "or if anyone thoughtlessly takes an oath to do anything, whether good or evil (in any matter one might carelessly swear about) even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realize their guilt --- when anyone becomes aware that they are guilty in any of these matters, they must confess in what they have sinned." So no matter if you are promising to do something good or something bad, if you have sinned in that without realizing it, God will use Holy Spirit to start convicting you of that wrong doing. And when you realize that you sinned, you must confess what you have done to God and ask for forgiveness. We all mess up but we must be able to admit the wrong we have done and repent, or turn away from that behavior. Jesus will forgive us if we ask Him to.

Let's be careful to not hurt our friends or falsely accuse someone when we do not have all the information. Let's choose to honor others and respect them. We will have a much better world if all would just do those two simple things.

Verse 5

David ends the chapter with one final thought about who will be able to stand in God's holy place. This verse is dealing with finances. If you say you will do something, then do it, even if it cost you money, even if it means you have to do without some things. Do not take incentives, bonuses, kickbacks, if you have to hurt others to get it. Lend to the less fortunate and do not ask for interest on the loan. Be generous and be kind. In Second Peter it tells us to add to our faith virtue and to virtue add knowledge and then to knowledge add temperance which means abstinence or self-control, and to temperance add patience and to patience add godliness and to godliness add brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness add love. Peter said that if we have these things it makes us useful in God's Kingdom. 2 Peter 1:8-11 "For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall never be barren (useless) nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and that forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall (stumble): For so an entrance shall be ministered (supplied) unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

David ends with "He that doeth these things shall never be moved." What an incredible promise. How loving of the Savior to allow us to know these truths today? We can read this, hear this, understand this, and if we obey this, we will never be moved. We will have a place in God's Kingdom. When the Psalmist asks, "God, who will live with You in Your holy tabernacle in Your holy hill?" God will answer with your name if you do these things.

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

God Uses Anyone Anytime | Thankful Thursday

 

When I was growing up, we were daily spending time with extended family. Our house was full of family and friends. My parents had four of us kids, my aunt next door had four girls, and my aunt who visited often had three boys. Most of my cousins and two of my siblings were older than me. I heard this phrase often, "No, Bridgett. You're too young." That was so frustrating because I did not think I was too young to participate in the conversation, the activity, or to watch the tv show or movie. I was one of the youngest granddaughters and so I was constantly told, "Not yet. Someday you will. It's just not time yet. Be patient, Bridgett."

After years of being told things like that, it is easy to start believing it. One day turns into weeks then months and even years. God has asked me to do so many hard things through the years and I might say things like, "I can't God because I am too young, too inexperienced, not educated enough, not popular enough, not (fill in the blank) enough." But God did not ask me to be enough. He is Jehovah Jireh God my Provider! He is the God of more than enough! So, on October 31, 2021 God gave this passage of scripture to me: Jeremiah 1:4-9. We are going to discuss it today and if you feel inadequate maybe you will be strengthened and empowered by the same verses God has given to me.

1. GOD MADE YOU WITH A PURPOSE.

Jeremiah 1:1-2 (1)Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, (2)Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Before you were formed in your mother's womb, God already knew you. Before you were ever on the face of the earth, God knew all about you and sanctified you. He set you apart for His glory and His purpose. He made Jeremiah to be a prophet unto the nations. He has created me for a specific purpose and He has done the very same thing for you. You may be older now and look back and think of all the things you have done for your personal glory or satisfaction. Maybe you have regrets, but there's a Bible verse for that!

Isaiah 49:1-5 (1)Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath He made mention of my name. (2)And He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand hath He hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in His quiver He hath hid me; (3)And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. (4)Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet, surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God. (5)And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob again to Him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength. 

This reminds us that God named us, called us, and equipped us before we were ever born! Everything He has called us to do, He has already made provision for it. No matter if we used our strength for nothing and worked in vain, God is able to turn it around and get the glory. He is the single source of our strength! That is good news!! And when we ask for guidance and direction, He will give that to us like He did Moses.

Exodus 33:11-14 (11)And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle. (12)And Moses said unto the LORD, See, Thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and Thou hast not let me know whom Thou wilt send with me. Yet Thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou also hast found grace in My sight. (13)Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found grace in Thy sight, shew me now Thy way, that I may know Thee, that I may find grace in Thy sight: and consider that this nation is Thy people. (14)And He said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

Isn't this a beautiful glance into a very special moment of Moses and the LORD GOD? They speak together face to face like friends. Moses tells God, "Even though You have not said who You will send with me to do everything You are calling me to do, I will trust You because You know me by name and You said I found grace in Your sight. So if I have found grace in Your sight, please show me Your way. I just need some direction." (I paraphrased here.) God said to Moses, "My presence will go with you and I will give you rest." What a beautiful promise! And we know in Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus promises to give us rest, too! But, just in case you think God only called Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Moses and so it must just be an Old Testament thing for a select few, let's read what Paul has to say about this.

Galatians 1:15-17 (15)But when it pleased God, Who separated me from my mother's womb, and called Me by His grace,  (16)To reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: (17)Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went unto Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

Paul is talking about his track record; how he persecuted the church and then God revealed to him the purpose and plan He had for Paul. Paul realizes it was when he was born and called into God's grace and plans that he had been destined to preach and teach about Jesus Christ. When Paul realized it was his destiny and purpose, he did not ask men their opinions, did not go visit the apostles who walked and talked with Jesus for three and a half years, but went to Arabia and came back to Damascus and if you continue reading this text he will speak about the rest of his journeys and eventually going to see Peter and James, the brother of Jesus. So, when God calls you to do something, do not go ask a bunch of people. In fact, do not even ask your pastor for confirmation. Ask God to bring you confirmation and He will do it, but often flesh and blood will fail you and cause you to miss your destiny and purpose because it often won't make sense to other people. Trust God and His plan for your life.

2. BREAK FREE FROM LIMITATIONS.

Jeremiah 1:6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. (youth) We hear God tell us to do something that seems too big for us to handle, too spectacular for us to be successful, and we say to God, "I can't do that God because I am too young, too old, too quiet, too loud, too (fill in the blank). We have to remember that God is not looking at our credentials, our bank account, our location, our immediate situation. He knows all of that but none of that is influencing His decision to use you for His great purpose. We are not alone in thinking that we are not qualified. Jeremiah did not give God a resume of all the reasons he should be picked, but rather was astonished God wanted to use him and he thought he should remind God he was so young. Moses did the same thing: gave God a reason to not want to use him but it did not work.

Exodus 4:10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O  my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since Thou hast spoken to Thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. The truth is that God already knew Moses was not an eloquent speaker, that he had a speech impediment. That did not disqualify Moses. Think about it, it only gives God more glory and honor and praise when He uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary. Moses would never be able to say he did any of the great feats he accomplished apart from God. So it is with you and I. So, Moses overcame the insecurity about his speech over time right? Uh, not quite.

Exodus 6:12 And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips? 

Exodus 6:28-30 (28)And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt (29)That the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I am the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee. (30) And Moses said before the LORD, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?

Moses questions God, "If the people You sent me to deliver do not listen to me, what should make me think Pharaoh will hear me? I speak slow and I am unskilled and inept." Have you ever thought about the things God is telling you to do and felt unqualified? I know I have. God told me to write books and I thought about it and was not sure I had it in me. Even after writing books, how can I publish them? I did not go to school for journalism, I went to nursing school. I do not have the money to pay someone to do the work for me: to publish my books. How can I do this big, hard thing when I do not know how to navigate these uncharted waters? But like God did for Moses, He will surely give me what I need and bring people beside me to help me do what He has asked of me. What big thing is God stretching you to do?

3. YOU ARE NOT GOING ALONE. GOD PROMISES TO BE WITH YOU.

Jeremiah 1:7-8 (7)But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. (8)Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. 

What a beautiful example of God meeting us right in our fears and insecurities and lovingly promising to not only give us success in all He is calling us to do, but then pledging that He will never leave us or abandon us. We are not out on a journey to do this hard task for God and left to fend for ourselves. No, God meets us where we are and is with us every step of this journey. Remember Jesus saying this in the Great Commission we just talked about?

Matthew 28:19-20 (19)Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (20)Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

It is not God's plan to send us out into the world and then not give us protection or provision. That would be a very unloving thing to do to His children and we have a perfectly wonderful Heavenly Father who loves us way too much to ever do that. But sometimes we are afraid of what God is asking us to do. God was sending Ezekiel to a rebellious house and so the work was going to be tough but God did not require Ezekiel to convert them. It was not Ezekiel's job to make these people repent, it was only Ezekiel's job to tell the people what God wanted them to know. Let's read about that.

Ezekiel 2:6-7 (6)And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. (7)And thou shalt speak My words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious. 

God just wanted Ezekiel to be obedient to Him and to say what He wanted Ezekiel to say. It was not up to Ezekiel to force them to believe what he said, it was only up to him to speak the truth.

Ezekiel 3:10-14 (10)Moreover He said unto me, Son of man, all My words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears. (11)And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the LORD GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear. (12)Then the Spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the LORD from His place. (13)I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing. (14)So the Spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me.

We may not like the situation God is putting us in, or we may be upset about the sins of the people we have to go to, but no matter what God is asking us to do, we are promised that God will be with us and like Ezekiel we can feel God's strong hand upon our lives and know we are in His capable hands.

Exodus 3:12 And He said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou has brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

God is reminding us that we will know He is with us when we accomplish what He has asked us to do. He said to Moses and He says to us today, "Certainly I will be with you." We will know He is with us every step of the way because we will find ourselves saying and doing things we did not even know to say or do otherwise. God will equip us to do everything He is asking us to do. We must only trust and obey. It may not always be easy but Jesus did not have everything easy either and He is the Son of the Living God Most High.

4. GOD PROVIDES WHAT YOU NEED.

Jeremiah 1:9 Then the LORD put forth His hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put My words in thy mouth.

God is putting His words in our mouths, too. He is putting the tools in our hearts and is placing inside of us everything we need to be successful on the mission He is sending us on. Maybe we need to be healed of a speech or hearing issue. God is able to do that. Do you remember how He healed the man in Mark?

Mark 7:31-37 (31)And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, He came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. (32)And they bring unto Him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech (begged) Him to put His hand upon him. (33)And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers into his ears, and He spit, and touched his tongue; (34)And looking up to heaven, He sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. (35)And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue (impediment) was loosed, and he spake plain. (36)And He charged (commanded) them that they should tell no man: but the more He charged them, so much the more a great deal (widely) they published it; (37)And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: He maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb (mute) to speak.

Sometimes God does not do the miraculous to heal, but He will give you someone to help you, like He did Moses. Do you remember that?

Exodus 4:11-16 (11)And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? (12)Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. (13)And he said, O my LORD, send, I pray Thee, by the hand of him whom Thou wilt send. (14)And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and He said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. (15)And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. (16)And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.

God promised Moses He would be with him to help with the speech impediment. Moses had zero confidence in his own ability to do anything that important. He asked God to send someone else. God was angry with Moses because Moses not only had no faith in himself, but he had no faith that God would be able to use him. God knows the purpose and plans He has for Moses and He does not change His mind. He simply gives Aaron to Moses as a spokesman to be in the place of Moses' mouth and Moses is to Aaron in the place of God. In other words, God tells Moses what to say, and then Moses tells Aaron what God wants said and Aaron says it.

Friends, God always asks us to do things out of our comfort zones to bring glory to His name and to build up the Kingdom of God. God knows our limitations and our shortcomings, but He chooses to use us in spite of these issues. He does not throw us away and pick the stronger, the better, the wiser. Why? Because He made us with a specific purpose and whether we will run from it, or embrace it, is up to us. I hope this has helped someone today. It sure has been an encouragement to me. I am learning right along with the rest of you. Today I am thankful that God will use anyone, anytime, including me! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Paul's surgery | Thankful Thursday

 

I am thankful for a lot this week! November 1, my husband Paul had surgery to remove a lipoma on the back of his head. Five years ago he was rear-ended and the trauma from hitting his head in the collision caused a fatty tumor to grow. It started bothering him when he wore his welding hood. He had a consultation with two different surgeons and they both recommended having it removed.

I am thankful that I was able to get off work to be with him at the hospital. I am thankful that even though someone side swiped my car in the parking lot, and won't call me back, I can still drive my vehicle and I can have it fixed without using my insurance because they hit me. I am thankful that my husband is home and healing well. I am thankful that I can use my nursing skills to take care of his drain and change his dressing on his surgical site. I am thankful that the doctor does not think it is cancer. I am thankful that the doctor cut a wide margin around the lipoma so it would have less of a chance to grow back. I am thankful that Paul is resting more and eating well and taking it easy... even if he is forced to.

I know God will heal him completely and without complications. I know he is going to be back to his old self soon and will be able to do all the things he used to do but without the pain and discomfort of the tumor. If you have been praying for him, thank you! We feel the prayers and see God's fingerprints all over this situation. If you have not known about this and feel led to pray for him, we definitely appreciate those prayers and are thankful for them.

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

EXODUS 15:16 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and will give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statues, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

What are you thankful for? God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Truth About Fear | Fuel For The Weekend

When was the last time you read in the Bible that God commanded us to live in fear? Not the reverent fear of God, but when did He ever tell us to be afraid of our circumstances, our health status, our bank balance, our world? Let me help you out. The answer is... NEVER! I have read the Bible all the way through every year, (this is my seventh year) and there is not ever, not even one single time where God ever tells us to be fearful.

I have read so many posts on Instagram today where people are talking about feeling depressed, oppressed, down, discouraged, losing hope, and feeling awful. For many people living in this day and age, they feel despair, desperate, and fearful. I want to share what the Bible says in Isaiah.

ISAIAH 43:1-2 (1)But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine. (2)When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

This is a beautiful passage, isn't it? Imagine God our Father who has created us and He made us, forming and fashioning us in our mothers' wombs (Jeremiah 1:5, Psalm 119:73, Psalm 139:16). He calms us as He says, "Don't be afraid. I have won you back, bought you with a price and I have called you by name. You are Mine. You belong to Me and You have this promise that even though you may feel like You are drowning in your situation, you may feel like the rivers are too deep and too wide for you to cross, I will be with you and they will not take you under. When you walk through the fire in the heat of the battle and all hell comes against you, you will not be burned and the flames will not even touch you." What a promise! And He keeps that promise. As we put our hand in His, He keeps His Word. When the enemy comes in like a flood, He will raise up a standard against it (Isaiah 59:19). When we feel like we are in the fiery furnace of trials, He is walking in the midst of it with us.

The children of Israel saw God keep this promise as He parted the Red Sea and they walked across on dry land, but their enemies were drowned (Exodus 14:22, 28). Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego experienced the truth of this passage when they found themselves walking around in the blazing hot furnace and they were not burned. The fourth Man was in the flames walking with them, it was the very Son of God (Daniel 3:17, 25). They did not even smell of smoke when the king ordered the men to come out of the flames (Daniel 3:27).

Keep reading this chapter in Isaiah. Do you see how much He loves us? We are precious in His sight. He created us for His glory (Isaiah 43:7). He is wooing us to Himself. He loves us (1 John 4:19). He redeemed us. He saved us and He keeps us. What more do we want Him to do?

ISAIAH 43:10-12 (10)Ye are My witnesses, saith the LORD, and My servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He: before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me. (11)I, even I, am the LORD; and beside Me there is no saviour. (12)I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are My witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God. 

We are His witnesses, too. He has chosen us to serve Him, that we may know and believe in Him. We understand who He is. He is God alone. There was no God made before Him and there will never be a God made after Him. He alone is the LORD and He is the Savior of the world. Jesus is the Savior. No other name given among men whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12). He has declared and saved and shown His power. He proved Himself to us over and over. He is powerful and wonderful and mighty to save and there is no other God. We are His witnesses.

Keep reading and you will see that He makes a way in the sea and mighty waters. He causes mighty armies to become extinct. We must look back, reflect on all the times He came through for us, all the times He heard and answered prayers, the miracles He performed, the healing He gave, the times He mended our broken hearts and gave us beauty for ashes. Now He is going to do something new. He is going to take the dry, deserted areas of our life and cause fresh water to flow. He is about to bring healing, hydration, and satisfaction to every burned up, dusty dream He has ever given us. We will show His praise among the nations because of the wonderful ways He has blessed our lives.

Will we do it? Will be live in the freedom and liberty He has given us? Will we turn away from the free gifts He is handing us? Will we ignore His call? Will we try to keep doing life on our own terms? Will we keep sinning and expect Him to turn the other way, to give us a free pass because we are His children? In verse 25 He said, "I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." Are we sorry? Do we have a heart of repentance? Are we ready to turn back to Him?

We do not have to live in fear. In fact, He tells us not to live that way. We are to put our footsteps in His and walk with the Master all of the time (Luke 9:23). When life gets too hard and we do not see clearly the path in front of us, we must walk by faith and trust Him (2 Corinthians 5:7). We have to stop leaning on our own understanding and just trust Him to meet our needs and help us face every difficulty with grace and mercy and peace (Proverbs 3:5-6). Are you ready?

I hope something I have shared this weekend has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you.

~Bridgett Owens

Scriptures For Tough Times | Fuel For The Weekend

We have made it to the end of another week. I don't know about you, but I am ready for the weekend! My daughter has an appointment this morning and she will be getting some results back. We are praying for good results but we know that this is a serious health issue and so we are praying and trusting God. Have you been worried or stressed lately? Do you have a health issue that has you concerned? Are you praying for a loved one? Is there more month than money left over? Are you asking God for something special and it looks like it might not happen? I want to share some scriptures on how to combat fear and stand on the promises of God. These are some of my favorites to stand on and a few I have found that I am going to start standing on. I hope you will join me.

PSALM 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.

1 PETER 5:7 Cast all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.

1 JOHN 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

2 TIMOTHY 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

PHILIPPIANS 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

ISAIAH 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.

DEUTERONOMY 3:22 Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God He shall fight for you.

EXODUS 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

PSALM 30:2 O LORD my God, I cried unto Thee, and Thou hast healed me.

PSALM 43:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

PSALM 107:20 He sent His Word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

PROVERBS 16:24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

ISAIAH 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.

JEREMIAH 17:14 Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for Thou art my praise.

JEREMIAH 33:6 Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.

3 JOHN 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

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

PSALM 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD: and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

PSALM 12:5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.

PSALM 40:17 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: Thou art my helper and deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

ISAIAH 41:17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

HEBREWS 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

What are your favorite scriptures? What helps you the most when life is scary or the unknown is staring you in the face? We do not have to be afraid. As Christians, we have hope and we have Jesus. There is nothing more we need than God on our side. Amen? 

I hope this post has encouraged you and helped you. I am holding on to God's Word to get me through this life, with the highs and the lows. How about you? I pray something I have shared today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

You Have A Royal Job To Do | Fuel For The Weekend

Friends we have made it through another week. This year seems to be zooming by. Tomorrow is the first day of May. I am so thankful that spring is here and it is wonderful to see flowers and trees in bloom. I want to share some things the LORD is showing me in the book of Esther. This is a wonderful book in the Bible and I delight in reading it again and again. Some key passages that stood out to me are in chapter two and chapter four. Let's read it together.

ESTHER 2:8-9 (8)So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women. (9)And the maiden pleased him: and she obtained kindness of him: and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.

More than likely Esther was forced to go to this queen contest. After queen Vashti refused to obey the king's command and he banished her from the kingdom, the royal decree went out that all the virgins in the land were to come to the palace for a time of purification and preparation to be queen. She was orphaned when her parents died. Her cousin Mordecai raised her and he told her what to do and not to do. She listened to him. One thing he told her was never to tell that she was a Jew. Now Esther is in the palace along with all the other virgins in the land. Hegai is the keeper of the women. He is taking care of them and teaching them how to conduct themselves. He immediately liked Esther and she obtained preferential treatment.

Sometimes God wants us to do something and at first it may not look like something we want to do. If we will have a soft, pliable heart and obey God we will soon see we are in a situation where we are favored and given special treatment. God's Word tells us in Proverbs 3:3-4 "Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man." If we act with mercy and according to God's truth, if we keep them with us and in our hearts, we will find favor and good understanding in God's eyes and in man's. We see this is true in Esther as well.

ESTHER 2:17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

We know that Esther had obtained favor in God's eyes as we read the rest of the story. She also obtained favor in the king's eyes. According to the Jewish Talmud, Esther was one of the four most beautiful women who ever lived. Once king Ahasuerus saw Esther he decided he found his queen. She was beautiful and she did all the things she was instructed to do. This beautiful Jewish orphan found herself crowned queen and no one but her cousin knew she was a Jew.

God's people have always been under attack. This time in history is no different. Esther is in danger. All of the Jews are. The enemy is walking the halls of the palace and in a matter of time he strikes! What should Esther do about it? Everyone knows if she goes to the king unannounced he could have her head chopped off. Haman the arch enemy of the Jews has convinced the king to annihilate the Jews from off the planet. The king blindly goes along with this horrific scheme and the plan is put into motion. The royal decree goes out and it's up to Esther to save her people, but the king had not asked to see her in a while and she could not simply go see him on her own without risking her very life. 

ESTHER 4:13-16 (13)Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. (14)For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? (15)Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, (16)Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

Mordecai tells Esther that it's up to her to save her people. If she won't do it, he reminds her that the king's castle is no safe hiding place. The decree is to annihilate all of the Jews and she would not be an exception. He reminds her that she was put in the palace for such a time as this. This is her purpose, her destiny. She is going to save a whole nation if she will be brave and courageous. Esther sends back the message that they must fast for three days and three nights with nothing to eat or drink. I have fasted that way for that length of time before and it is a powerful way to get your body under subjection and to hear from God. The fast began among the Jews and within the palace with Esther and her handmaidens. When you need a miracle from God, fasting and praying is a great way to get things moving!

Esther knew the gravity of what was being asked of her. She was young. She wanted to please her cousin. She wanted to be a good queen. She wanted to use her favor and influence for something meaningful and now is her chance. The last statement she made was powerful. She tells her cousin she trusts that he is guiding her correctly. She knows it is no accident a young orphaned Jewish girl is now in a place of power and honor. She boldly states that she will go to the king even though it is against the law and if she dies, she is willing to die.

What things in your life are you facing that seem to be overwhelming? Maybe there is no decree to annihilate you and your family, but maybe you are looking at something big and scary and you are afraid. God wants to encourage you that you are right where you are supposed to be. He will make the way of escape for you. He will lead you and guide you where you need to go next. He will fill your mouth with what to say. Do you trust Him? What were you placed on the earth, right now in this moment, for?

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.

JOHN 16:13 Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.

EXODUS 4:11-12 (11)And the LORD said unto him, Who made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? (12)Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

As we go through the upcoming weekend, let's look for opportunities to do good. Let's ask Holy Spirit to guide us in the paths to walk in. Let's pray for God to fill our mouths with what He wants us to say. We can do all things as Jesus strengthens us according to Philippians 4:13. Let's think about what we were made to do and let's do it with everything within us. God will give you favor with people. You will get the promotion, the provision, the promise. Don't give up. Stay faithful to the one true, faithful, loving God and lean on Him. He will see us all through.

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

~Bridgett Owens

Exodus 14 Again! | Fuel For The Weekend

 

It's Friday evening and I am not sure what to share. I have been starting at my unopened laptop and nothing has come to mind. I have memorized a lot of scripture, but I just couldn't decide on which verse to share. I feel stuck in my life right now. I feel like I am caught in midair. Have you ever been there?

I have been thinking about our life in Alabama a lot. We had no intentions of ever moving back to Indiana but God had other plans. We prayed about it and God confirmed that we should move back. We still weren't sure, so we talked about it and we believed we heard from God, but we just hated to leave our life, our friends, and our family behind again and move back to...what? What jobs? What school would Javan go to? Where would we live? How can we decide on what doctor to see, or choose a school for our son when we had no idea where we would be living. It felt a lot like moving to Alabama when God told us to do so.

Now we are back in Indiana, still staying with Paul's parents and we are so incredibly grateful, but I have to be honest, we want our own home. We fasted and prayed 21 days for it in January and we really thought we would have a home at the end of the fast, but it didn't happen. Then we prayed and Paul felt God had said by February 14, but then that didn't happen. And so each month that goes by, we are like, "God. What's up? Why do we not have our own home yet?" And we have no answer. So we fall back on the proverbial it's just not time yet. It's all in God's time. That's true, it is all in His time, but He promised us a home and it's so very hard to not have our own space.

So I open up my Bible to find something to share and I open back up to Exodus 14:10-16. I should be able to quote it now, I have read through this passage so much this year. It was encouraging in verse 14 when it says, "The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." Yes! Fight and prevail like only You can, Jesus. But then in this moment I am not seeing that verse jump off the page. Right now I know Holy Spirit wants me to see something else on this page.

You may remember I shared Exodus 14:15 where the children cried out and so Moses cried out to God on their behalf and He said to Moses, (paraphrased) "Why are you crying to Me? Speak to the children of Israel and tell them to GO FORWARD!" And that was encouraging to me. I felt like moving forward included a new house and that was so exciting to me. I was really uplifted by this passage! It was so good. And yet as I read through these verses again tonight, that verse is not highlighted either. So I think okay, what are You trying to tell me God? What am I missing in this passage because You keep bringing it to my attention? So here we are.

In verse 10 the children of Israel saw Pharaoh draw near and they saw the Egyptians marching behind him. It scared them! A lot! And they cried out unto the LORD. I wonder what they said. Did they ask for His protection? Did they just scream in desperation? Because the next verse they cave. They were like, "Why kill us here in the wilderness when we could have died in Egypt?" In verse 12 they are so discouraged and feel so defeated they tell Moses, "We asked you to leave us alone and let us be slaves in Egypt. It was better in Egypt with the torture and poor treatment than to die here in the wilderness." Wow! The religious Bridgett could be so judgmental here. Right? The ones who think they have it all figured out could be so arrogant and proclaim, "The nerve! Listen to the way they spoke to Moses and after all he did to free them from bondage." But broken and wounded Bridgett sees it different.

I am not so different. I am upset that I had to leave my beautiful ocean and my home that I loved and friends I cared about. I miss my church and the hugs and the smiles. I miss teaching the kids and I miss the closeness of being with my husband and our kids. But Alabama was hard. It was hard and it was sad sometimes. We missed our family and friends in Indiana. I missed the fall season. I missed the familiar. I missed knowing where I was going without a GPS all of the time. But I accepted the move didn't I? I'm not so sure now. I moved here but I keep thinking back to Alabama and my home. My bedroom. My bookshelf. My craft cabinet. My kitchen. My pantry. My bathroom. I miss the provision God gave me. Is my heart grieving for the provision when I have the Provider? God forgive me!

I am afraid. Moses tells the scared children of Israel not to fear. I need to remember that God is in control. He promised us a beautiful home and I am going to believe He is a Promise Keeper. He is a Way Maker. It is so hard in the waiting. When the days turn to weeks and the weeks into months, it gets harder and harder to believe the promise is coming, but God is not a man that He should lie. He is going to keep His promise to us. And I need to stop letting fear bring me down. I have to let go of the past. I need to thank Him for the provision He gave us and remember He has always made a way for us and He will do it again. In His perfect time.

Please pray for me this weekend. As you sit in your favorite chair, open your own refrigerator, cook your favorite meal, organize your closet, or relax in your own bed, please say a prayer for me and my family. Please pray that we will hold on to hope and not let go. Pray that we will have the strength to see it through and that God will not delay the promise much longer!

If you are going through something, too, please drop me a comment or email me and let me know. I will pray for you too. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens