Psalm Chapter Two | Bible Study Wednesday

PSALM CHAPTER TWO BIBLE STUDY

Verse one begins with a question. "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?" That is a question that we can ask today. Why are the nations so angry and come up with malicious plans? It goes on in verse two and three to say the rulers of the world get together and they come up with an evil plan to come against God's anointed people. They want to break off the bands that hold us together. These evil kings and rulers are against God. They want to separate themselves from God and anything to do with following His commands and rules. They would rather be slaves to sin and darkness than to be bound to God and His light and His love.

These first three verses are so timely for the age in which we live. There is evil all around us and it seems like the kingdom of darkness will push their agenda at any cost. How far will they go? I shudder to think of how far they will push their wicked schemes. We see death celebrated: it is glamorized and sensationalized by television shows and movies where death scenes are gruesome and chaos is embraced. Confusion and senseless violence fill the screens and draw many away from the plans God has for us and down a wide, overly crowded road to destruction. We must wake up and take notice of what is happening all around us.

Verse four says God will laugh at these people. He will have them in derision. What is derision? It means He will mock them and ridicule them. They think they are coming up with a plan that God knows nothing about, to destroy the very ones He has redeemed unto Himself. God thinks that is funny! It is laughable to the Creator of all that His own creation should think they can outsmart Him, or overpower Him. It did not go well for satan when he tried that in heaven and it will not work now. 

In verses five through eight, He speaks in anger and distresses them in His fierce fury. God says, "I have installed My King on My holy hill of Zion." The Lord tells us we belong to Him. We are His Sons, His children, and He has begotten us today. He is our Father. He tells us to ask Him for the nations and it will be ours. We are given power to break them with a rod of iron and destroy them like a potter's vessel.

The final three verses is a warning and a blessing. Verses 10 through 12 warn the kings, the judges, the rulers of this world to act with wisdom. They are to serve God with fear in reverence and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Embrace Him and love Him so that God's anger is not kindled against the people and everyone is destroyed. Blessed, we are called, who put their trust in God.

It is not popular with the world right now to say this, but I am going to say it anyway. If we have not put our trust in God and what He can and will do for us, then we are like the rulers in the beginning of this chapter. We are blessed when we run to God, our Father, and put our trust in Him. The world is losing their minds over what to do. Listen to the mandates and rules they keep trying to put into place. It confuses everyone. Some say get out and don't let fear keep you from living your life. Others say stay isolated and you will not get sick. Some say they trust in medication and unknown treatments. Others say they need more information, and yet others say, "Not on your life!!" Cloth masks are okay in some places, but banned in others. Some say wear N95 and others say surgical masks are okay, and yet others say a thin, plastic face shield will suffice. Keep your distance? No, mingle. No, do both! It is back and forth. Right and wrong. Division, division, division and it equals great loss. We need something to cling to, something to hold on to when times get rough. We need an anchor and we have One. His name is Jesus Christ.

There is always a major issue to deal with. Sickness, disease, racism, abortion, suicide bombers, earthquakes, locusts, wildfires, drought, famine, wars, rumors of wars.... sound familiar? Did the Bible say we would live in dangerous times when the end is near? It does! So, when we see these warning signs it is time to put our hope and trust in Jesus as our Savior. When He comes back, He is looking for His Bride. The spotless Lamb is looking to take His people Home and the only decisions that will matter is how you prepared for eternity. Please do not skip over this second Psalm and think it is just ancient writings and obsolete. This is such a timely message. If you do not know Jesus, then please do not wait. Do not put it off any longer. I am begging you to trust Jesus and accept Him as your Lord and Savior. He is waiting for you. He loves you. He wants you in His family. He died to save you and He is waiting on you to let Him in your heart.

I hope that you have learned something new in this second chapter of Psalms. I plan to stay in the book of Psalms until God tells me to do something else, or until we reach the end of the book. These psalms are so important to read and study and dig into. There is so much treasure to be gained by taking the time to read your Bible. Pray and ask God to reveal to you what He wants you to know. Let Holy Spirit teach you like only He can. I pray that something I have shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Revelation | Fuel For The Weekend

Sometimes I am so thankful that I am not on social media as much. I try to post on Twitter a verse or two of Scripture, share my blog posts there, and for the most part that had been it. I upload a YouTube video now and then, though I am trying to be better at sharing a video a week to encourage others through God's Word. The past few days I went back to InstaGram. I tried to engage with some accounts I follow and the people have been so kind to just draw me into their communities. It's a wonderful thing. But, in branching out to see what others are sharing on Twitter and InstaGram, I have noticed a lot more world views that do not reflect my Biblical world view as I gaze through the lens of Scripture. It is disturbing to me because it is those who claim to be Christian and they are slandering one another and slinging each other through the mud. The world is watching this horrific show and the devil must be so amused. Instead of praying about these needs, the threads are so long and filled with hatred spewing from their lips. I just saw on InstaGram a church, A CHURCH!!, stating that the Holy Bible is NOT the Word of God! And I just want to scream, WAKE UP! Wake up, church! Take up your cross and follow Jesus. We do not have time for this nonsense. We need to be about our Father's business. Whose agenda are we pushing? How can anyone, especially anyone professing to be in the body of Christ, say that the Holy Bible is not the Word of God? They said the Bible is not infallible or inherent. I am shaking my head thinking what imbeciles we must seem to God our Creator if we believe such things! By the foolishness of preaching we are saved! 

1 Corinthians 1:18-21 (18)For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. (19)For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. (20)Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? (21)For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

1 Corinthians 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

As a culture, we have pulled God down to make Him our Lord and personal Savior for so many years, that somehow we shoved Him in a box and decided He is our personal assistant. Instead of letting Him lead us, we order Him around. Instead of asking what He wants to do through us, we tell Him what He can do for us. We have got to stop! God is Sovereign. He is Lord over all. He is the Creator of Heaven and Earth and all that dwells therein. We cannot make God our size. He is so big and so powerful and so mighty that we cannot contain Him. He is not a miniature God. He is not a tiny being that we command like a genie in a bottle. We need to pull our Bibles back out and dust off the covers. We need to start reading what the Bible says for ourselves so we are not deceived. You have a whole congregation on Sunday saying Amen to a message given by a minister and how many of those people even bothered to check if the Scriptures were correct? That is assuming anything was even read from the Bible! We get two poems, a joke, and three bullet points and many of us think that takes too long! What happened to our spiritual appetite? When did we lose our hunger and thirst for the things of God?

There is a remnant that God has kept for Himself. He is coming back for a people who have made themselves ready. They are waiting for Him and His swift return. Many will stop believing because the Bible says that Jesus is coming back quickly and it's been thousands of years and so they have decided it's never going to happen. I understand that we are far closer to His triumphant return now than when those words were first spoken or penned. We must not fall asleep now. It is harvest time and we need to get ready. There is a beautiful passage in Revelations that is for the true Bride of Christ. The people of God, the men and women from every nation, every tribe, and every tongue that is honoring God with their lips and with their lives, can grab this passage and cling to it, because it is ours! It is Truth and it is Life!

For those of you that look at the signs of the times all around us and shake your heads in disbelief that the Church has grown so close to the world, which is the enemy of God, you will take comfort in the passage I am about to share. For those who are expecting Jesus to return, looking and waiting and believing He is coming back, you will rejoice in what I am about to share. It is a beautiful picture of God's love for His children. For those that think life is to be lived on their own terms and they seek man's approval and applause over the approval of God, this is not going to mean much. I am sharing it anyway in hopes that something I say will help us all reflect on the status of our heart. Where do we stand with God? If your life was required tonight, where would you stand with God? Is there anything you want to change? Do it now! The time is now! There is so many wonderful things in store for God's people and I want us all to be ready to receive it!

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 sorrow, nor crying, 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.

What an incredible vision John must have saw. It is so magnificent that I cannot imagine what it would have been like to witness those things and hear those words and experience that amazing display. What a gift to share it with us! Even though we cannot fully comprehend or take it all in what everything means, we can understand that it is going to be a glorious time! We get to dwell with God! We will live with Him. He will wipe away all our tears and there will never be another separation, another funeral, another hospital, another pain medication because it will never be required of us again. It will all be brand new. Satan and his hounds of hell will be banished for ever in the pit! Those who refused to accept God and the sacrifice Jesus made to cover their sins, will be in the lake of fire for eternity. But for those who have had their garments washed in the blood of the Lamb will stand in victory with God and we will never be apart from Him again. Our joy will be full because we will be in His presence for ever and ever and ever. It will never end. The good feelings and pleasures He gives will be ours without end. No time. No schedules, No agendas. No rush. No hustle and bustle and frustration and stress and anxiety and oppression. The tormenter will be gone and we will be in constant peace, love, joy, and kindness for ever!

The beautiful verse seven in this chapter is so precious. It tells us to keep fighting. Keep the armor of God on. Keep shunning evil and doing the harder right instead of the easier wrong. Keep obeying the commands God gave us. Keep praying and keep reading the Word of God. Keep fighting sin and keep trusting in Jesus to see you through and when you overcome, you inherit all the blessings and all the treasures of God. ALL of them! And you will be His children. We are His sons and daughters and we will be with Him forever and ever!

That's what I am living for! That is what I am hoping for! That is why I keep warring with the devil and won't let him have my marriage, my children, my finances, my peace, my health, my heart, my mind, my emotions, my time! It's too precious. It wouldn't be worth it to trade all of heaven's splendor for a temporary pleasure on earth. It is not worth compromising my faith to have a small moment of fortune or fame. Friends, we have everything to gain .. to inherit when we overcome this life. Keep marching on! Like good soldiers in the Army of God, keep moving and keep your eyes on God. He is what will get us through anything we face! He is faithful!

I hope you enjoy your weekend. It looks like it's a snowy one here in Indiana this weekend and more snow is predicted for Monday. I am not a fan of the snow, but thank goodness this too shall pass. I hope whatever you are doing this weekend, you will remember to keep God first and foremost in your life. Let Him take the reins and guide you in the path toward Home. Only He knows the way and we would just go off course if left to our own devices. Give Jesus your whole heart, not just part of it, and let Him rule and reign in your life. Let Him have complete control and I promise you will never be the same. It is so good to trust in Jesus. I hope something I have shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Hurry! | Bible Study

There has been a shift in the church in recent years, but not a good one. Many compromise and water down the message; offering entertainment and pleasures while removing altars and canceling prayer meetings. I remember growing up and there were people lining the walls and back of the church standing just to hear the Word of God and the power of God would fall: people would be healed, delivered, and set free. It was not long ago that at the altars people would be three or four deep and testimonies would go forth the next week of cancer being healed, inoperable tumors shrinking, and financial miracles that only God could do. Fast-forward to today's churches. Tell someone that God spoke to you and gave you instructions and see what happens. They will think you belong in a psychiatric facility. Doubt and unbelief fill the hearts of many in leadership. It crept in the door behind compromise and tolerance of sin.

I need every single person who is reading this message right now to hear me well. Please take a moment right now and pray; ask God to give you ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Ask God to give you wisdom and knowledge and believe that He will. I have an important announcement to make and if it wakes up just one snoozing believer then I will be thankful that I could help even one. Jude verses 22-23 says, "And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh."

Do you hate sin? Do you really hate sin? I am tired of the wickedness going on in this world and timid Christians are too scared to speak up! What if it were you dying and going to hell? Wouldn't you want someone to tell you? If I see you sitting on your couch through your window and there are flames coming out of the house, should I politely walk away? Should I be more concerned about your right to privacy, or should I alert you to the danger coming for you? I am going to tell you to run, to get out of there and not look back! If we see our brothers, sisters, neighbors, friends, family, coworkers, or anyone doing things that will cause them to go to hell, we better speak up! If we don't we will have to give an account for that.

God has been shaking me! He has been telling me to cry out for the people in my city and my own family members who are lost. I have been doing that. I am praying that God would wake the people up before it is too late. We have a real enemy and the Bible tells us in Revelation that he is an accuser of the brethren. He goes to God day and night tattling on the people who are trying to live as Holy as they can. He is reminding God of something from the past, an unkind thought they had that he planted, or some mistake they made. He is constantly complaining about us to God. He was in a fight with Michael and his angels. The devil and his goons lost big time and were kicked out of heaven! The Bible says woe to us that live on the earth! Why? The devil is deceiving the whole world and they don't realize he has lulled them to sleep with his fairy tales and twisted scriptures. Those in heaven who have made it can rejoice, but those on the earth woe to us! He is so angry and he is attacking the people of God every single time he gets an opportunity because he knows that he does not have much time left.

REVELATION 12:7-12 (7)And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, (8)And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. (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. (10)And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the Kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. (11)And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. (12)Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

God is coming back for people who have prepared themselves, gotten ready, and waiting for Him to return. Ask someone if they believe Jesus is coming back soon and let me know how many people think so. I am sounding the alarm so all can hear that Jesus is on His way back. Believe me or not but God told me a couple of years ago that Jesus is standing at the door with His hand on the doorknob and the door is ajar! If that was true when He told me then imagine how quickly that door is going to swing open wide and whooosh! His bride is swept away!

Are you ready? When you look at your five year plan and ten year plan, where are you? Are you closer to God, winning souls, learning how to be more like Jesus? There's nothing wrong with having goals and plans to be successful and do something with your life, but the main thing needs to the MAIN THING! We have forgotten the relationship. We would rather have the religion like the Pharisees. We would rather have the rituals and the routines. We want the order and form of godliness and deny the power thereof. We need to get back to the Bible. We need the basics. We need to know that God has a plan for our lives and we need to find out what that plan is so ours can conform to His and not the other way around.

I know that time is short on this earth. God is wrapping things up. He has done signs and wonders in my life this year and some of which I have shared on this blog; many others I have pondered in my heart. Please do not wait until later. Do not put off until later drawing closer to God. We can watch for Black Friday sales and we can check off our wish lists and we can put our nose to the grind and hustle to earn money and save it up, but what good is it if you gain the whole world and lose your soul? Please understand that time is short. If the devil knows the time is short, we need to know it, too!

Saints of God, suit up! Stay in prayer for your wayward children, your lost loved ones, and those who deny God. Stay in your prayer closets. Be vigilant. Get on the battlefield for our LORD and fight the good fight of faith. Look in Ephesians for the whole armor of God and suit up. The fight is on! The war is waging and the battle is hot. God is leading the fight and we are winning! We are on the winning side. 

My daughter sent me this picture and I think it needs to be the top of our goal. Let's make heaven crowded with our family members, our coworkers, our neighbors, our friends, and those we sit by at church. Let's take everybody we can! Get laser-focused on winning souls. The Bible says that is what the wise do.

Time is ticking! Let's get busy. I am praying for you and please pray for me. Let's help each other make it Home! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens