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 27 | Wednesday Bible Study

 

Welcome back to Bible Study Wednesday! We are doing our first Bible study this month. God pressed upon my heart to study the book of Psalms this year. Each Wednesday we take a closer look at a new chapter. Today we are going to chapter 27. If you have not done so, please take the time to read through these 14 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's psalm begins with a question he asks in two ways. Whom shall I fear, or whom shall I be afraid of? Those questions are in direct comparison to the characteristics of God.

*God is my light.

*God is my salvation.

*God is my life's strength.

Since God is light, salvation, and strength, there is nothing to fear. David cannot fear darkness when he is walking in the Light. David is never lost when he knows his Salvation is in God alone. David does not fear powerful people, because God has all Power, all Strength and He will never fail or lose.

Verses 2-3

David recalls times past when enemies came at him to kill him, but God caused them to stumble and fall. ISAIAH 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the LORD. David had this promise. We have it, too.

David said even when a multitude of people surround him to harm him, he will not be afraid. He said he will keep his confidence even if war breaks out against him! HEBREWS 10:35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. We can stand firm on the solid rock of Jesus regardless of how many bad things happen to us or come against us. ROMANS 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? That verse alone is one we can stand on and proclaim with confidence knowing God will prevail over all our enemies.

Verse 4

What was David's greatest desire? What was his heart's longing? What is the biggest thing He asked of God? It is in this verse. David didn't just ask God for this, but he sought for it. He longed to dwell in the house of God for the rest of his life. To see God's beauty and to ask for His help. David didn't have God on an emergency hotline, only to be called on when he wanted something. No, God called David a man after His own heart. He loved David and David loved God. They had a relationship. David delighted in God. This is why ten chapters later we see David pen these words, "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart." (PSALM 37:4) What are we delighting in?

Verse5

David had nothing to fear. God will hide him in His pavilion, in the secret place of His tabernacle, and set David upon a rock. He had sure footing. He had protection. He had provision. There was nothing that David would face that God couldn't and wouldn't handle! We can have that same confidence.

Verse 6

David said now he can hold his head up high, give joyful sacrifices to God, and sing praise to the LORD. Why? Because everything David needs is found in relationship with God. Everything you and I face in this life is found in the promises of God's Word. All our hope, strength, protection, provision, and blessings are found in God alone. We have nothing to fear or dread and when we get to the point of recognizing that, we will be no match for satan because then we will walk in confidence of who our Father is and what He is doing in our lives. We will be undefeated because Jesus has already overcome the world. These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Verses 7-8

David says to God, "Hear me when I cry. Have mercy upon me and answer me." Then he says, "When You said to seek Your face God, I did so." Have we been seeking God's face or His hands? Are we more interested in what God can do for us, or are we more concerned about doing something for Him? What does our prayer life look like? Are we using our prayer time to only petition the LORD and never praise or thank Him? What is our heart posture like? Are we like David and we want to seek the face of God? We want to know Him intimately. We want to be in fellowship and communion with God?

Verses 9-10

David understands what it means to be left out and forgotten. He begs God to not hide His face from him. He asks God to not put him away in God's great wrath. Why? Why would David say that? Because God has been His help. He says leave me not, neither forsake me. He needs God. God has always been there for David. When David called, God answered. David could not even get that kind of response from his father and brothers.

When Saul was rejected by God as king over Israel, God sent Samuel to anoint a new king. 1 SAMUEL 16:1 And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, and I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided for me a king among his sons. Samuel tells Jesse to bring all of his sons. Jesse lines up all his children except for David. One by one God rejects each son to be king. Samuel knows what God told him. Something is wrong when none of the sons are the new king. 1 SAMUEL 16:11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. His father was ashamed of David because he was a keeper of the sheep. His dad counted him out because he was the youngest and was ruddy. He was forgotten and forsaken by his own father at one of the most crucial times in his life. 1 SAMUEL 16:12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. Now we can see why David would say when his own father and mother abandoned him, God will choose him. God picked David. God said, "David you are Mine!" at a time when he was being hidden and counted out by his own father. Others will fail us and let us down. Some will be ashamed of us and not want to include us, but God will never forsake us. He will never leave us. He will never abandon us!

Verses 11-12

David is praying that God will show and teach him the way to go. He wants a smooth path when his enemies are against him. Do you know how hard it is to navigate rocky, uneven paths? It slows you down. If you have someone chasing you to kill you, you want the advantage of a smooth path where you can get away faster. David knew he must be taught these things because doing life on our own is a dangerous, foolish adventure that ends in failure. David asks God to protect him from the liars and cruel enemies rushing toward him to harm him. God will give us the protection we need, too.

Verse 13

This is a verse I have outlined in my Bible. It is one of the verses I quote often in 2022 when I look around and see violence, turmoil, division, confusion, chaos, and frustration everywhere I turn. It is on the news, social media, reels, videos, tweets, texts, posts, you name it! Everyone has the freedom online to say and do whatever they please and they take their liberties. It is a wicked, vile world we live in and it is just becoming more wicked and vile as the days go by. I, too, like David would have given up if I had not seen God's goodness all around me. I may see the enemy at work everywhere I turn, but I also see the Mighty hand of God providing, protecting, and uplifting His people. He is our shield, our strength, and our help!

Verse 14

This verse is also underlined in my Bible. This verse is David speaking from experience. He is giving you and me advice. He is telling us what has worked for him over and over again. He is giving us the blueprint to be successful in this journey where it can be discouraging and even depressing to keep going. I want to repeat it here today. This is David's instruction to us; let it bless you.

"Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."

*Wait on God.

*Be of good courage.

*Wait on God.

And the promise? He will strengthen us.

We are not promised He will remove the problem. We are not promised a bed of roses. We are not told we will never have another issue. We are not promised that our loved ones would never die, or our bills would never pile up, or that we would be the most popular person on the planet. We are told God will strengthen our heart.

Why did David say this? Because when our heart is strong, we can keep running. When we get our strength back we can fight. When we have strength we do not have to worry which leads to sickness and disease and sometimes death. God is giving us His power to strengthen us when times are hard. If we feel like we have slowed to a snail's pace, we need to wait on God, be of good courage, and wait! He will get us through!

I hope something in today's study has spoken to you. Feel free to leave a comment below or reach out to me via email, on social media, or text me if you have my phone number. I pray that something I have shared on the blog today has given you strength for your journey and light for you way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Use Your Oil | Fuel for the Weekend

God told me to share my faith on Fridays and call it Fuel for the Weekend. It's my desire that the posts I put up on Fridays will give you something to think about, ponder, consider, and reflect on throughout the weekend. If it leads to discussions with your family and friends, even better!

Today I want to talk about a woman in the Bible who had a God-fearing husband, and two sons. Her husband was one of the sons of a prophet and he went into debt. Many of us can relate to that. Most Americans have a car payment, a house payment/rent, student loans, credit card debt, or medical bills. The Bible does not tell us how much was owed or to whom, but it was time to pay the debt and the widow had no means to do so. The creditor decided to take her sons in order to pay off the debt. She was distraught after losing her husband, her provider, the father of her children, her companion; and now her only two sons were to be taken from her as well. She would be alone and destitute. Her heart simply could not stand the loss of all the men in her life at once.

2 KINGS 4:1 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.

Elisha is a respected man of God, a prophet, and since the widow here could not go to God directly, she had to turn to the prophet for answers. He asks the widow what he could do for her. He wants to know what she has in her home. He is not asking for an inventory. He simply wants to know what is something of value she has in her home. She tells him she has nothing except for a pot of oil.

It makes me wonder, had she already sold everything of value and it was just not enough to cover the debt? Did she feel like she had squeezed every penny and was simply out of options? She could not just go get a job to earn money. Surely she thought I have oil but what good is one pot of oil? She says, "I have nothing." Have you ever been there? I know I have.

2 KINGS 4:2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not anything in the house, save a pot of oil.

The answer may seem strange, but God was telling Elisha how to solve this woman's problem. He told her to go to her neighbors and borrow a lot of empty vessels. Can you imagine what went through this woman's head? What good are empty vessels? Why should I bother my neighbors? I don't want others to know how bad things are. Why can't God just cause the creditors to write off my debt? Why can't God just give me the money I owe? But God has a plan and the widow was desperate. She was willing to obey.

2 KINGS 4:3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

He gives her strict instructions. When she enters her home after gathering all the vessels she can, shut the door, and pour into all those vessels, and set aside the ones that are full. Why close the door? This is pertinent because it keeps the doubt out and the faith in. It is up to her to believe the prophet and trust God to do everything she had been told, or to doubt this would work and let fear and dread overtake her. We have a choice to obey God even when it doesn't make sense, or to sit in the comfort of our fear and dread. Fear can be comfortable. Obeying God can be uncomfortable. But God does not seek to make us comfortable. God is building our faith with every trial and every struggle.

2 KINGS 4:5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.

The faith is in the house. The woman is acting in faith. She has faith with works. Faith without works is dead, according to James 2:20. In faith she gathered the vessels. Now she closes the door. This is a private miracle because if she had left the door open, others may interrupt her. "How long will you have my vessel?" or "What are you doing with all these vessels?" The door is shut to keep faith in and doubt out. Sometimes we have to close ourselves in away from prying eyes and doubting words so God can move on our behalf.

The act of pouring into these vessels is an exercise of faith. She has one pot of oil: just one! She takes what she has and begins to fill up the first vessel. One son carefully takes it away as the other son brings an empty vessel. One by one the vessels are filled. Can you feel her excitement as she watches each vessel fill up? Can you imagine the boys eyes widened with wonder as they watch their mother fill vessel after vessel after vessel? 

2 KINGS 4:6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel, And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed (ceased).

The oil did not stop flowing until there was nothing left to fill. That alone is a miracle! But, now what? She did what she was told to do. The debt was not paid. The only thing she could see that was different was that her empty house was now full of pots of oil. It looks like her oil multiplied but that was all. The instructions she had been given were followed to the letter and now she stood there with her sons and all these jars of oil.

If the widow had stopped here, she would have missed the blessing. If she would have said, "Gosh I am really tired. I poured out all of this oil. I cannot explain how that happened, but I did the work. I did what I was supposed to do. Where is God? The creditor wants his money." She did not do that. She did not give up. She did not become weary in doing well. Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Now is not the time to stop or give up. She knew what she had to do. She needed to talk with the man of God for more instructions. God does not give us all the details at once. He gives us steps to take and when we have taken those steps, we can go back to Him and ask, "What will You have me do next?" God is going to do something wonderful in her life but she has to go back to the man of God and find out what that is. Today, you and I are able to go boldly to the throne and ask God ourselves. 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.

2 KINGS 4:7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.

The widow wanted God to help her pay her debt. God did that and so much more. She not only had enough oil to sell and pay off her debts.; she was able to live with her sons on the rest of what the oil sold for. God made her an entrepreneur for a season so He could set her up to be debt-free and not rely on anyone else for help to feed her family and herself. Isn't God awesome like that? We don't always know how God is going to do it, but He promises to meet our needs. Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

I do not know what needs you have, but take them before the LORD. Lay your hands on your stack of bills, or on your empty wallet. Ask God to meet your needs. He may send money to you unexpectedly. The debt may be canceled and cleared from your name. He may give you a job, a promotion, or make you an entrepreneur for a season. Whatever He is asking you to do, just do it in faith and watch God do the miraculous. He will do it again! He will do it for you!

I hope this gives you something to think about this weekend, something to share with your family and friends. Hopefully it inspires you to pray with faith to God to ask Him to meet your needs. Whatever He puts in your heart to do, do it with joy and watch Him do the rest. 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 21 | Wednesday Bible Study

School is officially out for the summer here and the weather did not get the memo. I am not complaining because it is still spring for another month and I do not particularly care for heat and humidity. It has been in the 60's and very rainy! The bad part about so much rain is that I have heard many of the farmers have not planted crops yet!!! It has been too wet. What is the weather like where you are?

I hope you are ready for another Wednesday Bible study session. We are jumping right in to the twenty-first psalm today. There are only 13 verses in this psalm of David. As usual, if you have not read the text, please do so. Remember to take some time in prayer to ask Holy Spirit for insight, wisdom, and understanding. If you want to take notes, grab a notebook and something to write with. I encourage you to keep your Bible open during our study. Feel free to leave me a comment below sharing your thoughts on today's lesson!

Verses 1-2

This is a psalm of rejoicing. David is taking great joy and pleasure in God's strength and salvation. He is happy that God has given him the desires of his heart and not withheld anything from him that he spoke. 

Psalm 34:10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

Psalm 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.

To fully understand the joy that he feels, we must turn back a few books in 2 Samuel chapter seven. David wants to build God a house of cedar and God said, "Shalt thou build Me an house for Me to dwell in? Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed My people Israel, saying, Why build ye not Me an house of cedar?"

David is in a good place. His enemies are at peace with him and he is in a place of rest. God tells David He took him from shepherding sheep to ruling His people. He says, "I was with you wherever you went, destroyed your enemies, and made you a great name, like other great men known in the earth." He gives David a vision of what He will do for His people, the children of Israel, and even a promise of what is to come after David dies. God said this of David's son, Solomon, "He shall build an house for My name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever." That's a lot to shout about! 

2 Samuel 7:26-29 And let Thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of Thy servant David be established before Thee. For Thou, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to Thy servant, saying, I will build Thee an house: therefore hath Thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto Thee. And now, O Lord GOD, Thou art that God, and Thy words be true, and Thou hast promised this goodness unto Thy servant: Therefore now let it please Thee to bless the house of Thy servant, that it may continue for ever before Thee: for Thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken it: and with Thy blessing let the house of Thy servant be blessed for ever.

Verses 3-7

David is elated and in these next few verses he is honoring God with his praise. He says God met him with the goodness of His blessings and put a gold crown on his head. He asked for life and it was granted him. God established the kingdom of David forever! In verse seven he says, "For the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved." My Bible says the word MOVED means SHAKEN. So, David is saying through God Almighty's mercy nothing will shake David! He is immovable! Can we say that today? Yes!! We can say the world can come against us, surround us and make us feel afraid, but we have a strong and high tower to run into and we are saved. Jesus is our refuge and through His mercy and grace we are unshakable!

Verses 8-12

These verses leading up to the chapter wrap-up is all about God's ability to find, destroy, and annihilate David's enemies. We have an enemy, too. His name is Satan and God is much stronger. He knows where the enemy is and when we call upon God we are helped, saved, and victorious over our foes!

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.

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

These verses are encouraging to us, because like David, we are fighting an enemy of God, and we know God will bring us the victory! 2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, Who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us spreads and makes evident everywhere the sweet fragrance of the knowledge of Him. (Amplified Bible) Isn't that a beautiful picture of what God does for us?

Verse 12

David ends this psalm magnifying God like he does so often in this book. "Be Thou exalted, LORD, in Thine own strength; so will we sing and praise Thy power." Yes, let's exalt the name of Jesus. Let's magnify Him and lift Him up. Let's end this Bible study in praise and worship adoring our King Jesus and all His goodness and love.

I am sure this song pleased God so much. What are we singing to God? Are we lifting our voice in praise and adoration? Will we remember the blessings God has given us and rejoice with David today? We have so much to be thankful for. It's not Thankful Thursday, but we should be counting our blessings every single day. God's mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-24), and He has daily loaded us with benefits (Psalm 68:9), so His praise needs to be continually in our mouths (Psalm 34:1) (Luke 1:64)!

I hope you enjoyed today's Bible study. I enjoy sharing what I have learned and each week I am gleaning new hope, new inspiration, new joy, and new strength as we study together. I hope something you learned today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 20 | Wednesday Bible Study

 

Hello friends. Welcome back to another Wednesday Bible Study. We are continuing our series through the book of Psalms this year and we are in Psalm 20 today. It is a short chapter, only nine verses. This is another psalm of David. If you have not taken the time to read today's passage, please do so. Pray and ask Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes and ears to see and hear what He wants to teach us. Let's allow Him to plant this precious Word in the fertile soil of our hearts. As I typically do, today I will break the verses down and share what God is giving me to share with all of you.

Verses 1-4

David begins this chapter, in the first three verses, telling us about God. He says this:

1. God hears us in times of trouble.

2. By His name He defends us.

3. He will send us help.

4. God will strengthen us.

5. He will remember what we offer Him.

6. He accepts our burnt sacrifices.

7. He will grant our heart's desire.

8. God will fulfill our purpose, or another version says He will make our plans succeed.

In verse three, it tells us to pause and think about that. I think this is a great time to stop and reflect on all of these things. How many of us can honestly say that we have experienced these blessings as we walk with our Savior, Jesus? I know that I can look back over my life and see God doing all of these things for me. I have not offered burnt sacrifices but I have sacrificed as much as He told me to do.

Verse 5

What will we do about this knowledge of what God is doing for us, has done, and will continue to do? David says we will rejoice and set up our banners. We will praise God and lift up the banner proclaiming He is our Savior. Then in this same verse it says, The LORD will answer all our prayers. What a promise! What encouragement! This is awesome!

Verse 6

Now David is convinced and has confidence that God will save His anointed people. He will hear our cries from His Holy heaven and will save us with the strength of His right hand. Isn't this such a rich message today? We know God is listening to us, answering our prayers, helping us and delivering us in the day of our distress and times of trouble! What peace that comes from knowing that!

Verse 7

I was walking last night and I was praying; just asking God for an increase of faith and wisdom about some things He told me. My life was not matching up with what He said and I know that life is crazy and God is never wrong, so I needed Him to help me make sense of some things. It is not something I can understand in the natural with logic and reasoning. I said this as I was walking, "I will not trust in chariots, or horses, because I know You are with me and will deliver me with Your righteous right hand." And when I read this verse I had such joy in my soul because I did not know this verse was going to be in this particular chapter that I would be studying with you all today.

Isaiah 31:1 Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay (rely) on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD! In Isaiah we see that God says woe to them who trust in the strength and force of other humans and things that seem like they are secure. Why? They are not looking to God, the Holy One of Israel to fight their battles and bring them victory.

It may seem scary when we see the enemy in great numbers against us. We may not be popular because of our faith and morals, but God gives us a word of encouragement in Deuteronomy. He tells us not to be afraid of them. Deuteronomy 20:1 When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. We do not need to fear because God is with us and He has delivered us from trouble and distress before.

Verse 8

The things the world puts all their trust in will be brought down and fall. We will rise and stand because God is with us and He cares about us. Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the LORD.

Why would God do this for His children? Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward His name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Keep working for God and keep honoring His name. He will not forget the things we give up, sacrifice, or let go of for the cause of Christ. He will not forget the work we do in love to further His Kingdom on this earth.

Verse 9

David ends the chapter with hope. "Save LORD! May the King answer us when we call." He will absolutely answer us when we call and I am so thankful for that.

I have been strengthened and encouraged with today's Bible study. I hope that you are blessed and encouraged as well. It is my prayer that something you read on this blog today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Heart Construction | Fuel For The Weekend

We have reached the end of the week and almost the end of this month. What a quick month this has been. It is hard to believe that school will soon be out and my son will be looking at high school in the fall. How is that possible?

I am not sure what you might have going on this weekend, but I wanted to share some scriptures with you to give you something to think about, ponder, and maybe start some conversations with those in your circle of influence this weekend.

Today I was driving to pick up my son from school because he had a doctor's appointment. I saw some construction signs on the sides of the road talking about fines for speeding in a work zone and things of that nature but there were no signs of anyone working. It was not clear to me which lane to be in, so I continued in the left lane, the slow lane, here in America. As I continued driving, there was nothing to indicate road work would be ahead. None of the other cars appeared to be bothered by the signs. Finally, after some distance, I saw signs that said right lane closed ahead. I did not see anyone else pulling out of the right lane, but I decided I would go ahead, just in case there really was some work being done up ahead. The signs were out but the trucks were just arriving as I breezed by on the way to pick up my son. No work had been started, they were literally just pulling their work trucks to the side of the road.

In life, sometimes we get these warning signs that we need to slow down, change lanes, or watch for construction ahead. We may think everything is fine, but if Holy Spirit is nudging our hearts to exercise caution, it is best to heed the warning. The Bible says, There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12 and Proverbs 16:25) Sometimes we think we are just fine on our own, doing our own thing, and how can it hurt anyone else? It's my life! Well, if we have sin in our life God wants us to deal with it so we can get on the path that leads to everlasting life.

It does not feel good to be corrected. It just kind of stings a little. It hurts our pride. We do not want others to point out our flaws or when we have messed up, but it is a loving thing for our Heavenly Father to do. Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. So, it does not feel good in the moment, and it may be hard to take but after the correction has come, and we can sit and look at what God is telling us to do or change, we see that His ways are best and when we switch lanes, slow down, and make the necessary changes we will find the peaceable fruit of righteousness in our lives. It is for a reason. It is not just to be mean or to make us feel bad. It is giving us an opportunity to grow and mature in our faith.

Stay pliable in the Potter's hands as He continues to mold us and shape us into the image of Himself. We are to be like Christ. Let's spend some time this weekend sitting with the Holy Spirit and doing some self-reflection to see where we may be missing the mark in some areas of our lives. Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.

I hope you have a blessed weekend and I hope to share another Psalm for our Bible study next Wednesday. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 16 | Wednesday Bible Study

Welcome back to another Wednesday Bible study. We are in the book of Psalms this year. Today we are looking at the sixteenth Psalm. If you have not already done so, I hope that you will take the time to read the eleven verses found in this chapter. Pray and ask Holy Spirit to teach you what He wants you to know about this passage and He will do it. Ask for fresh revelation of God's Word so you can hear and obey what the Scriptures say. Leave your Bibles open and grab something to take notes if you want. I will be sharing what God has given me today.

Psalm 16, Psalm 56, Psalm 57, Psalm 58, Psalm 59, and Psalm 60 are all classified as Michtam. What is a Michtam? I looked at the website Got Questions to learn more. Here is a part of what they shared on their website.

Some scholars see the word michtam as meaning “golden,” a definition that would similarly assign great value to a song so labeled. A michtam could be “a psalm as precious as stamped gold”; if so, today’s top-selling songs that are “certified gold” could be considered “michtams” of a sort.

Sounds like these are very special psalms. We are going to examine each of the eleven verses in today's passage.

Verse 1

David establishes relationship in this first verse. He can ask God to preserve, save, protect, or guard him because he is in relationship with Him. He knows the nature of God is to protect and shield those He loves. David is asking for this security now.

Do you need a safeguard today from what you are facing? Are you in relationship with God? Simply pray this verse back to God and watch Him work in your life.

Verses 2-3

David continues this prayer. My Bible translates the phrase "extendeth not to Thee" as meaning "is nothing apart from Thee." So David is actually saying, "O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness is nothing apart from Thee. David recognizes that God is good and apart from Him there is no good in us.

Verse three is connected to verse two. David is saying the people of God, (the saints), in the earth bring him joy. He is delighted in the excellent people. There are so many people compromising in today's society and it is a welcome change to hear about people who are sold out because of God's love and mercy evident in their lives.

Verse 4

David says that pain and suffering will be multiplied to those who run after idols that have no power. They offer drink offerings of innocent blood shed to these false gods. David takes a stance against this counterfeit worship and says he will not offer these sacrifices up and he refuses to even mention the names of these false deities.

How do you respond to those who chase after fortune, fame, power, popularity, and bow at the altar of sacrilege? Will you say it is their life, let them live it? Will you separate yourself from the detestable practices and only serve the One and True God, Yahweh?

Verse 5

God is David's part of his inheritance. God is the substance in David's cup. Blessings pour into his life because his eyes are on God, the Creator. It says, "Thou maintainest my lot" which literally means God upholds his abundance. Do we think of God like this?

Verse 6

David is bragging on God. He says that his boundaries are in pleasant places. He has a wonderful inheritance. We, who are children of the Most High God, can say the very same things. He has put your soul in a pleasant place and you inherit eternal life. What a beautiful picture of God's love and provision.

Verse 7

David blesses the LORD GOD for wise counsel, sound advice, and sage wisdom, even in the nighttime, to instruct him on what to do and where to go. Do you need God's wisdom? Ask God and He will give it to you according to 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. Ask Him right now and He will give it to you. 

Verse 8

This verse may be the biggest key to this whole chapter. Have you continually put the LORD before you? Is He always on your mind? Are you praying and communicating with God throughout your day? Or is He only on your mind at church? We must make room for Him in our day at the start of the day and then throughout the day. When we have pockets of time to think we must have our minds stayed upon God.

David says God is at his right hand. That is a powerful place to be. Is God your right hand Man? Is He your Advisor, Mentor, Counselor, Redeemer, Protector, Helper, and Healer? God should be so close to us that we can sense Him regardless if we are happy or sad, mad or glad, discouraged or encouraged. 

Because David keeps God in the forefront of His mind, and He's so close to Him that it feels like He is right beside him, David proclaims, "I shall not be moved." David lost a wife, his son (because of his own sin), had heartache over his children who acted all kinds of crazy, and was betrayed by friends. He is saying because of the relationship he had with God it caused him to not be shaken when his world was falling apart. Remember he was drawing closer to God while shepherding sheep. It was before he was known as a giant slayer, a battle warrior, a king of Israel. Will you draw close to God even if it means not getting more likes, follows, or comments? Will you seek God when no one is watching and you won't get a pat on the back? These times of being isolated and hidden is the best time to grow deep roots into God and let Him grow you into the man or woman of God He wants you to be.

Verse 9

Because David has stability in God when the world around is sinking sand, he has a reason to be excited. He says this is the reason my heart feels such joy and gladness. He says his innermost being rejoices in God who has redeemed him. He says his entire body will rest in hope. Can you say that you are stable in God's provision and grace? Or, would you say you are shaken when the winds and storms come? Does your vessel get wrecked by the crashing waves of unforeseen circumstances? Or do you run to the refuge of God and allow Him to protect and preserve you?

Verse 10

David says to God, "You won't leave me in the place of death. You will not suffer the Holy One to see corruption." You see God did not leave Jesus in the tomb. If David could look down the corridors of time to see that, it had to be a great source of encouragement to him. Today we know how the story ends and we know that God did exactly that, resurrected Jesus from the dead, and He promises we won't die either if we trust in Him. 

Acts 2:29-36 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with him an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, He would raise up Christ to sit on His throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that His soul was not left in hell, neither His flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand, Until I make Thy foes Thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Verse 11

Last verse, David acknowledges God as guiding him through this life. (Matthew 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.) In the presence of God is joy full and complete. You will never ever feel more joy in anything else. There is freedom and love and joy and one hundred percent absence of fear in the presence of God. He ends with declaring that pleasures forevermore, no end to the blessings, is at God's right hand. Have you experienced that kind of joy and fulfillment? It was not just for David. That is not just an Old Testament thing. It is a beautiful glimpse into the relationship David had with God.

If you have a real relationship with God aside from church events and services, you will experience these things in your life too. You can add a big, "ME, TOO!!" to this psalm. It is absolutely possible to have these things in the year 2022 (or whenever you read this). God is the same. He does not change (Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, to day, and for ever.) and He wants to offer us the same blessings and benefits. Have you taken Him up on the offer? If not, let today be your day. If you have, then you know exactly what I am talking about.

I hope you have been encouraged with today's study. It has been so beneficial to me. I love the way the LORD teaches me right along with all of you. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Extra! Extra! Read All About It! | Thankful Thursday

These are some of the TOP HEADLINES today on ESPN: 

• Sources: NYC mandate to be rolled back Thu.
• Masvidal booked on battery, mischief charges
• Sources: U.S. snowboard accused of interference

From USA TODAY some news stories include:

• US to accept 100,000 Ukraine refugees; Zelenskyy calls for worldwide peace rally at NATO summit: Live Ukraine updates
• Russian elites, Duma: Updates
• 'Awful senseless mess': Russian journalist killed while filming in Kyiv
• Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State, dies at 84
• Citing neglect, Florida increasingly removes kids from poor families
• Hospitals needed help in COVID crisis. Trump and Biden fell short.
• Latino college students dropped out at highest rates during pandemic
• North Korea test-fired suspected intercontinental ballistic missile, Japan says
• 6 students killed in crash were in car that seats 4, officials say
• See damage after tornadoes hit New Orleans area

The News. This is where we are expected to get our information from. Those who absorb the news think they are well-informed. I get my news from another source: the Bible. It is God's Holy Word. It is anointed and powerful on it's own. I do not need to add to it or take anything away. I am not telling you to never watch the news, but I am also not telling you to watch the news and soak in every word that is spoken. Unfortunately, much of the news we see is propaganda and many times it is false information. Hebrews 4:12 says this about the Bible, For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. That is quite impressive! One book, the Holy Bible, written Word of God is alive and active. It is divisive, slicing between things others cannot separate. It distinguishes between what we think and the motives of our hearts.

Today on this Thankful Thursday, I am excited about the future. I am looking forward to the time that will come to pass that we can read about in Micah chapter four. Let's read this GOOD NEWS together.

MICAH 4:1-5 (1)But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. (2)And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the Word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (3)And He shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn of war any more. (4)But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it. (5)For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of our God for ever and ever.

I don't know about you, but I am looking forward to times of peace and not of war; times of joy and not sorrow; times of healing and not pain. I do not want to bury another loved one. I do not want to part with another friend. I am ready for God to rule and reign forever and ever. He is the Holy One and the Righteous Judge who sits on the throne forever more.

Think of what a wonderful transition that will be: from a life of hardships, sorrow, loss, suffering, and lack to one day living at peace and in harmony. It reminds me of the promise we have in Revelation. That particular passage brings me such comfort and strengthens my faith and hope that one day it will be like the Word of God says.

REVELATION 21:1-7 (1)And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (2)And I John saw the Holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (3)And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. (4)And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes: and there shall be no more death, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (5)And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new, And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (6)And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (7)He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son.

These are the news headlines over my day today. I am choosing to meditate on the Word of God and what He has promised for His children. It is okay to know what is going on in our world, but look at everything through the lens of scripture and do not be deceived. Soon this old world will pass away. We will be facing eternity sometime and there are only two options: You prepared for it and are ready; or you put it off and chose not to believe, and you are not going to inherit the promise of Revelation 21:7. The choice really is ours. What will you do?

I hope you will count your blessings along with me on this Thankful Thursday and enjoy the GOOD NEWS headlines I have discovered among the pages of God's Word. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 11 | Wednesday Bible Study

Welcome back to the blog. I am so glad you are joining me today. We are turning in our Bibles to Psalm chapter 11. This is a Psalm written by David. There are only seven verses in today's passage. If you have not already done so, please take the time to read through the passage and we will jump right in.

Verse 1

David makes a declaration at the opening of this chapter. He proclaims in the LORD God David trusts. Who have we trusted? The expected answer is God, but we must carefully examine our hearts. Do we trust God? Some trust the news, some trust social media, some trust religious leaders. We can trust in our spouse, our friends, our parents, our families, but we should be trusting God. We are told to not lean on our own understanding, but rather we are to trust God. Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. We read later on in Psalms where the psalmist had been taken by the Philistines at Gath and this is what he said: Psalm 56:11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. It's time for us to read our Bibles more than we watch the news; to sit and talk with God in prayer more than we talk to friends and loved ones about our problems. It is time to fill ourselves up with God's Word and God's truth instead of blindly believing everything we hear and not bothering to check the Word for ourselves.

David says in verse 1, "How say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?" Isn't that like the world's message today? If something is uncomfortable, run! Indulge your flesh, follow your heart, and trust that everything will work out in the end. No! We must run to the Rock of Ages, the stone that the builders rejected. We do not run to the mountain; we run to the Mountain Mover!

Verse 2

This verse is saying that the wicked are preparing their bows and arrows to hurt us. They secretly do this, or the Bible says it literally means in darkness. They are not in the light. They are the ones in this world who live for themselves, seek to please themselves, and desire others to tell them how wonderful they are. The Bible says in Ephesians 6:16 "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." The shield of FAITH. That is your trust in God. That's how we put the fire out of the darts and arrows slung at us from the enemy. You may say what is faith? Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Faith is made up of what you are expecting God to do for you. It is not an idea that it might happen. It is a surety, a strong confidence that God is going to come through. It is proof of what you cannot see. You may not see it now, but you are trusting God to come through in His time and in His way and you are not backing down from that. You are trusting God.

Verse 3

David poses a question here. He says, "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" In Psalm 82:5 it reads, "They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course." In other words, the world does not know God, they cannot understand His ways, they walk in darkness, or ignorance. The very foundations are crumbling. We must build on a sure foundation. Do you remember the foolish man and the wise man building houses? Matthew 7:24-25 (24)Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: (25)And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. The rock is Jesus! When we hear His words, read His Words, obey His words, we will no longer be in the darkness. We can suit up in our armor and hold high the shield of faith and quench every fiery dart of the wicked who are in the darkness shooting at us.

Verse 4

David says God is in His holy temple, and God's throne is in heaven. He is watching all of us and he examines the hearts of men and women, boys and girls. He sees it all. Nothing gets by the watchful eyes of God. He is seeing everything that is going on all at once and no one is getting by with anything! Revelation 5:6 in the Amplified Bible says this, "And there between the throne (with the four living creatures) and among the elders I saw a Lamb (Christ) standing, [bearing scars and wounds] as though it had been slain, with seven horns (complete power) and with seven eyes (complete knowledge), which are the seven Spirits of God Who have been sent [on duty] into all the earth." So we know that God's watchful eyes are everywhere. The enemy thinks it is hidden and that it is doing something in secret, but God knows what the devil will do before he even does it.

Verse 5

There are two categories of people: the righteous (those who love God and follow in His statutes) and the wicked (who love violence and revenge and pleasing their flesh). God tests the righteous. We face circumstances we do not like but it is to show whether we trust in God or not. Remember how God had tested the children of Israel in the wilderness? There was purpose in the journey. Deuteronomy 8:1-2 (1)All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers. (2)And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep His commandments, or no. If you continue to read this passage, it is a beautiful recounting of God's faithfulness to this rebellious group of people. God made them a promise and He planned on keeping it. God has made us a promise too, and when we do what He instructs us to do in His Word, we will receive all the promises of God.

The second part of this verse is that the God hates the wicked. He hates the violent and those who enjoy hurting other people. This goes against the nature of God. God is love. He loved us first. He loved us in our sin but He hated what we did. The same is true here. God hates the wicked ones. The book of Ephesians reminds us we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against these evil forces and that is who God despises. They will receive their reward: hell. God loves all of the people He created, but some choose to live for the devil and allow him to influence their lives. It was never God's will for anyone to die lost and undone, according to John 3:16.

Verse 6

This verse tells of what will happen to the wicked. They will not always slide by like they think they are doing. No, one day the judgment of God will fall on the earth and the wicked will receive the judgment coming to them. Matthew 25:41 Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

The devil was kicked out of heaven when he tried to be like God. He wanted to overthrow God's Kingdom and power. That is impossible and he lost! We know he goes around the entire world trying to block God's message of love, freedom, and forgiveness. The devil wants everyone to be separated from God because he knows he has lost his chance. He will suffer greatly one day and all his minions with him. We do not want to find ourselves on the left hand hearing Jesus tell us to depart from Him and cursing us to the pit and everlasting fire. Friends, we want everlasting life with Jesus our Savior. But we know the wicked will have their judgment in that awful place. 

Verse 7

What a sweet picture of God in this verse. It is a wonderful way to end this chapter. "For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; His countenance doth behold the upright." God is righteous and He loves righteousness. Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines righteousness as, "acting in accord with divine or moral law: free from guilt or sin." We know Jesus was without sin according to, 1 Peter 2:21-25 (21)For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps: (22)Who did no sin, neither was guile (deceit) found in His mouth: (23)Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again: when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously: (24)Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by Whose stripes ye were healed. (25)For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop (overseer) of your souls.

If you are going through a valley right now, it can be so hard and feel so lonely, but remember God promised to never leave us or forsake us and He will keep His promise. He is walking beside us. We are never alone. Ask God to reveal Himself to you and He will do it. James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Draw close to God and He will draw close to you. Let's ask Him to cleanse us and purify us and then let's make up our mind to trust God, regardless of what the circumstances look like. Circumstances can change, God does not. Put your hand in His and never let go!

I hope you have enjoyed today's Bible study. He has truly encouraged my heart and helped me with some things I have been facing lately. God is so wonderful and I love serving my King. He has blessed me so much and lifted the heaviness from me. I hope something I shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens