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

Hard Assignment | Fuel For The Weekend

Welcome back to another Fuel For the Weekend blog post. I am excited about today! My husband is off work. He is not feeling the best. Javan and I are under the weather, as well, but we are still getting things done and that feels good. What are you doing this weekend?

Today I want to give you something to think about, talk about, and dig deeper in this weekend. It is in the book of Ezekiel. We are going to discuss five verses in the second chapter. But first, I would like to give a brief overview and background of where we studying. Ezekiel is a prophet of God. He is also a priest and he is ministering during the darkest days of the tribe of Judah's history. They are in captivity in Babylon and he will use parables, signs, and symbols, along with prophecies to get God's message across to His people in exile. Ezekiel has a very tough mission because God's chosen people are rebellious and hard-headed. This is why they are in exile; they would not respond appropriately to God nor would they observe His laws and commands. Now, they are in a place they do not want to be, severe oppression and depression overtake them, and it is up to Ezekiel to share God's message with them. What an incredible quest. Has God given you a task that you did not ask for, maybe one you do not want, but you have to do it? Has He called you to help others who seem like they could care less about God or anything He has to say? Ezekiel has been so commissioned.

Today's text is Ezekiel 2:1-5 but I want to start with chapter one verse 28 for a clear picture of why Ezekiel is no longer standing. So if we back up one verse, Ezekiel describes seeing something like a rainbow after the rain. This rainbow and it's brightness was how the likeness of the glory of God appeared to this prophet. When he saw this image he dropped to the ground. He fell on his face and then he heard "a voice of one that spake." Let's pick up our text in Ezekiel 2:1-5 and I promise there will be some hope and encouragement at the end of today's blog post for you!

Ezekiel 2:1 And He said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.

In this verse, when it says "son of man" it says in the expanded Bible that it means "human being" and it is used 93 times in this book to address the prophet. It is a title that refers to Ezekiel's frailty as a human in comparison to the great Sovereignty of God. God, the Creator, the LORD of all the earth, is speaking to Ezekiel and wants him to stand up so they can have a conversation. He recognizes that Ezekiel is flabbergasted and has hit the floor in overwhelm. He needs Ezekiel's attention, because He has to give him some instructions and He wants Ezekiel to hear everything He is saying.

In the book of Acts, Saul is on the way to Damascus so he can persecute God's people. He thinks he is doing God a favor by consenting to the death of Christians in the early church. But as he goes to Damascus a light surrounded him and it was so bright he fell to the earth. Let's read it. Acts 9:4-6 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?  And he said, Who are Thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks (goads). And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

God will get your attention when He needs you to step into your destiny. He has a specific call on your life and He knows what language to speak to get your attention. You will find yourself humbled and feeling very small in contrast to the vastness of God.

Ezekiel 2:2 And the spirit entered into me when He spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard Him that spake unto me.

In the book of Daniel, we see a similar situation. Daniel 8:17-18 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision. Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep, on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.

The supernatural is scary. It is overwhelming to experience God in that way, and yet there is great significance for it. God will help you when you are in that situation. He picked up Ezekiel and Daniel and he helped Saul who later became Paul and wrote a huge portion of the New Testament. Do not be afraid to seek God and experience His Sovereignty and power. You may not have the same experiences as these prophets but when God puts something in your heart that scares you, it's your big purpose and it can be frightening to think about. The good news is you are not alone.

Ezekiel 2:3 And He said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation, that hath rebelled against Me: they and their fathers have transgressed against Me, even unto this very day.

Would you be excited about this assignment? If God tells you to witness to people who are too hard-hearted to listen to the voice of God, would you want to go? Would you be excited about talking to them and telling them what God had to say? I know I have had to speak to people who were so prideful and haughty they would hardly listen. They wanted things to be all about them and had no room for the correction of God's Word. Through much prayer and exhortation I was able to share what God wanted them to know. I was in awe as I watched Him chip away at their ego and their carnal nature. It was amazing to see Him work in ways I never knew were possible.

Remember they are not rejecting you if you speak God's Word, they reject Him. It is imperative that we share the Gospel and allow Holy Spirit to do the rest.

1 Samuel 8:7,8 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken Me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

Ezekiel 2:4 For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD.

I love that God does not expect us to come up with our own speech when we go where He sends us. He does not leave everything up to us. He just asks that we be willing vessels to be used by Him to reach the ones who have gone astray. This is pivotal because we are not in the control chair, He is! That is the key to all of this!

Psalm 95:6-11 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God; and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. To day if ye will hear His voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted Me, proved Me, and saw My work. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known My ways; Unto whom I sware in My wrath that they should not enter into My rest.

Jeremiah 5:3 O LORD, are not Thine eyes upon the truth? Thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; Thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction; they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

Jeremiah 6:15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.

If you have time, read Isaiah chapter 58. It is another instance of the stiff-necked, rebellious people that God loves and wants to redeem but they refuse. These are not accounts of the heathen, pagan nations. This is God speaking directly to and about the children of Israel that He rescued and delivered and provided for. He blessed them and helped them and they rejected Him and disobeyed Him over and over and over again.

Ezekiel 2:5 And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.

Why would God send Ezekiel to such a people? Why bother with them at all? So they will know that God loves them enough to send a prophet to be His mouthpiece. They can never say He did not try to show them the right way. They will be without excuse. He comes in love and mercy but the choice is theirs. It is up to them whether or not they receive it. They cannot receive the message from God without the messenger so God chose Ezekiel. Did He choose you? Do you have unsaved loved ones and friends who are doing life on their terms? Do you have family or friends who think they are enough, and that by doing good things, or donating to charities they will somehow squeeze into heaven? Friends, it is up to you and me to tell them!

One final thought and it is in Romans, the first chapter. We can read it together:

Romans 1:16-21 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold (suppress) the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Friends, we must take our assignment seriously. God is calling all of us to specific people in our lives. It may be a neighbor, a coworker, a friend, a family member, or even a stranger. Be sensitive to Holy Spirit and allow Him to use you to lead others to Christ. Yes, it may seem hard, because it is hard. It may seem impossible and hopeless, but it isn't. God is with us and we can do all things as He strengthens us according to Philippians 4:13. Remember with God nothing is impossible according to Luke 1:37. God bless you friends!

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 24 | Wednesday Bible Study

Welcome back to Bible Study Wednesday! This year God has pressed upon my heart to study the book of Psalms. Each Wednesday we take a closer look at a new chapter. Today we are going to chapter 24. If you have not done so, please take the time to read through these 10 verses. I will be sharing some thoughts about today's passage and break down this chapter below. Please pray and ask Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes and ears to receive everything He has to teach you in today's passage. Let's begin!

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

Verses 1-3

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

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

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

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

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

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

Verses 4-6

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

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

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

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

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

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

Verses 7-10

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

~Bridgett Owens

Not Too Hard | Fuel For The Weekend

In the book of Jeremiah, we pick up the story close to the middle of chapter thirty-two. Jeremiah is in prison for prophesying, "Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it; And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes; And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the LORD: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper."

Jeremiah could have been discouraged about being in prison for obeying the voice of God, but he was not alone. God spoke to him while he was in prison and told him that his cousin would be visiting him. God said that Jeremiah's cousin would ask him to buy his field in Anathoth because it was his legal right to purchase it. Hanameel came to visit him just like God told him and offered the land. Jeremiah said, "Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD." So Jeremiah purchased the land and went through the customary ritual of doing so.

God has said, "Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land." So after Jeremiah delivered the evidence to Baruch, this was Jeremiah's prayer to God.

JEREMIAH 32:17-18 Ah Lord GOD! behold, Thou hast made the heaven and the earth by Thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for Thee: Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is His name.

Jeremiah continues for several verses talking about the good things of God. And then God answered Jeremiah and said, "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for Me?"

He begins to tell what He will do in His anger. God is furious with the children of Israel and children of Judah. God said, "For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before Me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked Me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the LORD." He is angry because they have disobeyed Him and followed after false idols and gods.

God continues, "Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke Me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And they have turned unto Me their back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction."

I know that God is talking about the children of Israel, but could He be talking about me? I just think how often have I provoked God to anger when I did not believe what He said, or I questioned Him because things do not look like He said they would. Have I been so careless as to think that God is unfair and unjust and has abandoned us? How many times has He told me how much He loves me and is with me and to not be afraid?

God is merciful and loving, though. Remember what Jeremiah said? His mercy is shown to thousands. He is great in counsel and mighty in all He does and He sees everything we all do. He knows our thoughts, our intentions, our attitudes, and our motives. He is not taken off guard by anything we say or do. Yes, we disappoint God, but how often do we make Him angry? I am so thankful He is a loving and merciful God. He is slow to get angry and He asks the same of us.

God has a redemption plan. "And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in Mine anger, and in My fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: And they shall be My people, and I will be their God: And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear Me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from Me."

God will use the situations we are in to shape us into His image. He will correct our course and change our thought patterns at the same time. Transformation begins when we change the way we think. We may be on the other side of God's discipline and love but it is for our good. The hard times make us stronger because we are forced to rely solely on Him. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. 

2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

The trials are for our good. The hard times are for us to draw closer to God. Can we, like Paul, say that we will glory in our infirmities? Maybe we are not quite there yet, some may be, but when we get to the point where we say I would rather glory in my mental or physical weaknesses so the power of Jesus Christ may rest on me, then we will begin to see the victory in our life. We will no longer be bound with chains of heaviness, loneliness, depression, and isolation. We will be free to realize these trials only serve to make me stronger.

How can this happen? Who, but God, could turn failures into fantastic testaments of His grace and love? Who, but God, can take us through fiery trials and transform us into pure gold? It is God alone. No one else can do it. It is impossible with man. It is impossible with life and all the disappointments and frustrations that come with it. We could never accomplish the same outcomes but when God gets involved He starts turning things around.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.

Right now you may be facing some impossible circumstances. It might feel like there is absolutely no way out, and you are drowning in a sea of despair. But just remember you are not alone. God is in control and He knows the plans He has for you. He says so in Jeremiah 29:11-13. Take some time to pray and ask God for direction. When we face a situation that seems impossible to get through, remember there is nothing too hard for God. He sees the whole picture and we see in part. He will navigate us through this crazy, scary world if we will only trust Him and believe.

Luke 1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and will think about what I have shared today. What hardships are you facing? What mountains are standing in your way? God may not move the mountain but He will teach you how to climb. Hang on! Help is on the way!! I hope something I have shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Reprobate Silver | Fuel For The Weekend

God told me to share my faith on Fridays and call it Fuel For The Weekend. It is 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.

During my Bible study time this morning, God led me to Jeremiah chapter six. What a timely passage of scripture for this day and age we are living in. The word reprobate means rejected by God and beyond hope of salvation. It is crucial that we understand that those who are called reprobate silver is a terrifying title that none of us should ever hope to have. I have created a video about this today. I usually do not share a lot of videos here because I enjoy the writing process, but the anointing of God was upon me on this video and I felt compelled to share it here.

Please watch this video, open up your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter six and read along with me. Share this blog post, the video, or scripture reference with those you think might need to hear this message. Allow this video to start a dialogue with you and those around you this weekend. May it create a desire inside you all to pray for this nation we live in and for the world. It is a wake up call for the wicked and a word of encouragement for God's people. I hope and pray that something you heard me say will be strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 19 | 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 19. 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!

Verses 1-6

The heavens declare God's glory. What is glory? It is the Hebrew word kabod and it literally means "heavy" indicating a weightiness. It is His signature on our world. Like any artist that signs their work, God's glory is His name on all He created. When we see God's magnificent creation, we should pause and praise God our Creator. We should not worship idols, carved figures or nature itself. Why worship the creation when the Creator deserves the credit?

ROMANS 1:20-25 (20)For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: (21)Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (22)Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, (23)And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. (24)Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: (25)Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

JOB 12:7-9 (7)But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: (8)Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee: (9)Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?

JEREMIAH 5:20-25 (20)Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish (proclaim) it in Judah, saying, (21)Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not: (22)Fear ye not Me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at My presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it? (23)But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone (departed). (24)Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in His season: He reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest. (25)Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.

It is very clear throughout the Bible that God deserves praise, honor, and glory. He alone is our Creator. We know that when we read the first book of the Bible. Genesis begins with God as our Creator. We must not forget that He made us and fashioned us to be like Him and to serve Him. We should appreciate the beautiful things He made but we are not to worship the sun, moon, and stars, or the planets and all that dwell therein. Let's remember God is Holy and worthy of all adoration and praise.

Verses 7-11

God's Law is perfect. It provides protection and help to us when we heed the warnings. God is a loving Father and He wants to protect us, so He gave us rules and mandates to tell us how we should conduct ourselves, interact with others, and fellowship with Him. When we veer off the path He has placed us on, we will get into trouble. There is danger and evil lurking on the sidelines and when we stray away from the road God wants us to walk on, we are vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy.

DEUTERONONMY 29:14-29 (14)Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath; (15)But with him that standeth here with us this day before the LORD our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day; (16)(For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which ye passed by; (17)And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:) (18)Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; (19)And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: (20)The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and His jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven. (21)And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the Law: (22)So that the generation to come of your children that shall rise up after you, and the stranger that shall come from a far land, shall say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses which the LORD hath laid upon it; (23)And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in His anger, and in His wrath: (24)Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger? (25)Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their father, which He made with them when He brought them forth out of the land of Egypt: (26)For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom He had not given unto them: (27)And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book: (28)And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day. (29)The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this Law.

David says this about the Law: it is perfect, restoring the soul; sure, making wise the simple; right and makes the heart rejoice, pure and enlightens the eyes; clean, endures forever, true and righteous; more to be desired than fine gold, and sweeter than a honeycomb. By these laws we are warned and when we keep the law we are rewarded.

The psalmist says in chapter 119 verse 72, "The law of Thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver." Wow! What a great verse. The statutes and ordinances found in God's Word is worth more than all the wealth in the world. Why? Because it brings life and blessings and promises. In the same chapter, verse 127 he says he loves God's commandments more than fine gold. Do we love God's Law that much?

Verses 12-14

David ends this chapter with a prayer. It is something I believe we all should pray. He says:

Cleanse me from secret faults.

Keep back Thy servant from presumptuous sins.

Don't let sin have dominion over me.

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight God.

You are my strength, my rock, my redeemer.

Secret faults are those things hidden away. We may have forgotten about them or maybe we did not think they were that serious. They are secret faults that can separate us from God. David said, "Cleanse me from them." Lord cleanse me today from these secret faults as well.

Presumptuous sins are arrogant, bold, brazen wrongdoings that will most certainly send us to hell if we are not forgiven of them. These are things done intentionally and most likely driven by emotions. David said, "Don't let these sins have control over me."

Lastly, David wants God to look at his words, his thoughts, and his heart. His desire is that it would be acceptable in God's eyes. He recognizes God is his source of strength and the One who delivers from sin and frees from captivity.

Sin is a suffocating cocoon. It wraps around us and holds us hostage. We are no longer free to come and go as we please. We are enslaved to sin and must serve it until we are freed by the power of God. It leads to spiritual death and eternal separation from God. John 8:24 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant (slave) of sin. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

I hope that as you joined me in diving deeper into this spectacular chapter of Psalms, you would be encouraged, enlightened, and empowered to live a life that honors God. I hope something you have read on my 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

Thankful For Wisdom | Thankful Thursday

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

~Bridgett Owens

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

Time For Healing | Fuel For The Weekend

 

Time for healing?

It is no secret that our nation is suffering. The whole world is suffering. There is a major sickness traveling the globe and causing many to suffer and it is called sin. The one thing most people avoid talking about in our culture is holiness unto God. The Bible says in Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." We are in a global pandemic and it started back in the Garden of Eden when Eve and Adam sinned first. Yes, we need a physical healing in this nation and internationally as well, but the need is so great for a spiritual healing, too.

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

John said he was praying that in every area of our lives we would be successful, have all our needs met, and have health, in relation to our soul prospering. You see, there are many anorexic Christians. Many Christians are snacking on God's Word, breaking off a piece here and there as it suits them, but never getting satiated on the meat! Churches are full of members who have been faithful in giving of their time and money, but they are still on the milk. You would not give an infant a steak dinner because it would strangle on something it is not ready to consume. What do you do? You give the baby milk and you control how often you give them a bottle, or nurse them. As they grow stronger, they can try baby food which has a little more consistency than milk but it is still gentle enough the baby will not choke. As the fine motor skills develop, the child can pick up finger foods and often these are biscuits that turn to mush in the mouth. Again, it is taking one step closer to the meat and potatoes, but not forcing things too fast. One day you will look across the table at your child who may be taller than you, stronger than you, and they effortlessly chew up vegetables, fruits, and meats. We must continue to feed our inner man spiritual food. We must consume the Gospel and as we learn and grow, we can understand more and take in more and then we are sharing our "lunch" with others as we share the Good News.

John's prayer was not that all who follow Jesus would be wealthy, possess material goods, and be popular. John's prayer was that he wants all Christians to prosper and be healthy just like he wants the same thing for our souls.

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

Do you remember what the Centurion told Jesus? He impressed Jesus with his great faith. He asked Jesus to heal his servant. Jesus said, "I will come and heal him." (Matthew8:7) The centurion said he was not worthy for Jesus to come to his house. He respected Jesus. He had been observing the things Jesus did and how he had power over sickness, mental illness, and physical infirmities. He tells Jesus in Matthew 8:8 & 9, "Lord I am not worthy that Thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it."

The centurion understood more than all the religious leaders of that time. He had great faith and he fully understood that Jesus's words were able to speak healing to his servant, though they were not in the same area together, and he would be made whole. It was exactly what Jesus did. He sent the word and the servant was healed. Do we fully understand that concept? We have been trained to believe that if we are good enough, or do enough good things, then God will be happy with us and give us what we want, but if we don't measure up then God is not going to bless us. That is a lie from the enemy. Our own righteousness is not in this equation. God is a healer and when we ask in the name of Jesus for it to be done, it will be done according to our faith. What happens is we often do not have faith. We have a wait and see kind of mindset and then wonder why God is not moving on our behalf. Where is our faith? Where is our confidence in what God can do?

2 CHRONICLES 7:14 If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

We have some things to do if we want God to forgive our sin and heal our land. What are we supposed to do? First of all we need to humble ourselves. James 4:10 says, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up." We must remember we are not the Creator, we are His creation. We need to step off the pedestal others may have placed us on, or the high places we have lifted ourselves to, and remember who we are. We are nothing without God. He gives us hope, joy, purpose, love, and peace. We have to become humble servants. We are not teachable if we think more of ourselves than we should. We are not able to be molded and shaped into the image of Christ if we think we are good enough on our own.

We have to pray. James 5:16 tells us the fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. If we want to get things done, strongholds to break, unsaved loved ones to be converted, and healing our physical bodies and our nation from our sins, we have to pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) We must be in communication with God. He tells us to pray and ask Him for things and to have faith that He will do it. Do not think it could happen, or it might happen. Know that it will happen if you have the faith to believe it.

Finally, we are to seek His face. We often seek God's hands. We want Him to give us more money, give us a better job, give us a spouse, give, give, give... but that kind of relationship is one-sided and it is not fair to God who is our faithful partner. We are not faithful. We fail Him every single day. That may not be what you want to hear, and you may think you don't, but we do. We are flawed human beings and that is why in His great love and mercy, He extends grace to cover us. He wants us to desire His face. He wants us to seek His presence and to be with Him, near Him, intimately acquainted with Him. He wants us to look into His eyes and see the love and mercy of a wonderful Heavenly Father. He wants us to see His expression as He smiles at us. He loves us so much. He has accepted us as we are and then loves us way too much to leave us like He found us. Jeremiah 29:12 & 13 says, "Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart." Does He have your whole heart? He does not want parts and pieces; He wants the whole thing. 

God is so patient with us. He was patient with the children of Israel, even when they were disobedient and hard-headed. He still fed them, gave them a pillar of fire for protection, was in the cloud to lead them, and always watching over them. In Psalm 78:40 & 41 it says, "How oft did they provoke Him in the wilderness, and grieve Him in the desert! Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel." When we follow our own path, and seek out our own desires for our future, and want to be adored by the masses, we are provoking Him and grieving Him. We are limiting God on what He can do for us. Let's take God out of the box we put Him in, and let Him be God like only He can do! He is a BIG God and He desires to give us good things, perfect gifts, and grace. We have to turn from evil thinking and idolatry. 

If we do these things, He promises to forgive our sins and heal our land. We need God now more than ever before. Things are getting worse in the world instead of better, but we knew that it would. These are just signs for the Christians. Jesus told us what to watch for. These are the days of healing and restoration if we will let Him. Are we standing in His way? Have we been treating God like a spiritual Santa Claus? We have our lists and we want Him to check all the boxes and then we run off to do whatever we want with little to no gratitude for the things we are blessed with. Our Heavenly Father wants regular visits with His children. He wants your time, your focus, your passion. He wants you to love Him and serve Him. He is a wonderful Father and He has promised us amazing things if we will follow Him and allow Him to lead us.

I hope that you have a wonderful weekend. Some of you may be working, and others may be about to enjoy a three day weekend with Martin Luther King, Jr Day on Monday. Spend some time with God this weekend. Give Him the firstfruits of your day. Give Him your very best and watch what He will do. I hope that something I have shared today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens