The Anatomy of Healing the Blind | Fuel for the Weekend

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

Have you ever thought about how miraculous it is for a person blind from birth to see? It is mind-boggling. We have an account in John chapter nine that I want to dissect. I broke this chapter into ten parts and I could do a ten week series on it but since this is in written form, I want to just keep the points only in this post and you can then study it on your own and chew on it a little longer, if you want.

The Healing (verses 1-7)

So to get started, we are going to look at the first seven verses. The text starts out with Jesus seeing a man as He passes by and the man was blind since birth. The disciples, much like many people today, were quick to ask which parent was the sinner that caused him to be born blind. It was a common thought that if a child was born with an infirmity it must be the mom or dad's fault. Jesus was quick to say that it was neither the blind man, nor either of his parents that sinned. This particular man was born blind and grew up in that manner so that God could do a miracle in his life and help others to believe in God. Jesus states that He is the Light of the World and in the next two verses He spits on the ground, making a clay eye mask, and places it on the man's eyes. He then tells the man to go to the pool of Siloam, which is interpreted to mean Sent and the man did that and he came back with eye sight! It is incredible! That could have been the end and that would have been a wonderful account of God's goodness, love, and mercy and miraculous power, but we have so much more to read.

The Doubting (verses 8-9)

Imagine the neighbors the blind man grew up around. Many knew him and could attest that he was blind. Now that he came back seeing, it startled everyone. People started to doubt. Some said, "This is the blind man that sat and begged." Others said, "No, it is not him, but it sure looks like him." There was doubting and people going back and forth. Finally the man said, "Yes, it is me. I once was blind, but now I see!" What an incredible testimony he had!!!

The Questioning (verses 10-15) 

They did not rejoice with the boy. There was no celebration. The interrogation began. Everyone wanted to know how he got his vision when he never had it before. He told them how Jesus made clay, anointed his eyes, sent him to the pool called Sent, and that he went and washed and received his sight!

They demand to know where Jesus is. They were not seeking Him out to thank Him for healing the man. He said he did not know where Jesus went. So they drag the young man to the Pharisees. You see, this was no ordinary day, it was the Sabbath and the Pharisees made up a bunch of impossible-to-follow rules about the Sabbath and even they were not able to avoid breaking the rules.

The Accusing (verses 16-18)

The Pharisees demand to know how he received sight. The young man rehearsed it all over again so they could hear it. They immediately speak lies against Jesus. They said, "He is not of God because He does not keep the Sabbath." But others spoke out and said, "How could he be healed if Jesus is a sinner? Sinners do not have this kind of authority and power." So there was a division among them. They could not even agree whether or not God did this powerful, miraculous deed. Who else opens the eyes of the blind but God?

They want to know what the man thinks about Jesus who has healed him. The man said, "He is a prophet." The Jews heard that and decided the man was making the whole thing up and that he was not even blind until they asked his parents.

The Fearing (verses 19-23)

They asked the parents if this was their son and they confirmed it was. They asked them how the man was able to see now, even though he was born blind. The parents said that he had indeed been born blind but they had no idea how he was able to see now. They said, "Further we do not know the man that did this but our son is of age, so let him answer himself."

We need to understand what is going on here. They were about to be kicked out of the synagogue. They were scared of the religious leaders at that time because they had boasted, "If any man confesses Jesus is the Christ, they will be put out of the synagogue." This was especially meaningful because of the power that came with the religious leaders of that day. They were too scared to answer anything, so they throw their son under the bus and say, "Ask him!"

The Interrogating (verses 24-26

Now they are trying to intimidate the man. They demanded, "Give God the praise! We know that this Man is a sinner." The man spoke up, "I do not know if he is a sinner or not, but one thing I know, that I once was blind and now I see." That should have been cause for jubilee and celebration! No one was moved by the boy's answer.

Now they are applying the pressure. "Who was He? What did He do to you to cause you to see? How did He open your eyes?" They wanted to find something amiss, or shady, that they could say, "See? I told you He was a phony!" But they could not do it. They were speaking despicably of the Son of the Living God.

The Enlightening (verses 27-33)

You can feel the tension in the air as these men demand answers and the former blind man is telling the same thing over and over and over and they refuse to believe it. They want to find a reason to hate Jesus more. They want a reason to kill Jesus and they are not able to find anything against Him because Jesus is the Son of God. 

The healed man said, "I have told you already, and you did not listen. Do you want me to repeat myself? Are you interested in being His disciples?" This man has had enough. Something incredible and marvelous has happened to him and instead of enjoying his sight and being able to look at things he has never seen before, he is being berated by these religious, heartless men.

They countered, "You are His disciple. We are Moses's disciples. We know God talked to Moses, but we do not even know where this Man comes from." They opened their mouth and openly confessed that because they did not know enough about Jesus, they were going to condemn Him. They felt they had the authority to judge King Jesus!

I have no idea what religious teachings this man had heard or studied, but watch his reply to the religious leaders.

"This marvelous thing happened, and you don't know where He comes from, and yet He has opened my eyes. We know that God does not hear sinners: but God does hear from those that worship God and do the will of God. Since the world began it was never heard that any man could open the eyes of one that was born blind. If this Man were not of God, He could do nothing."

I don't know about you, but I want to stand up and start cheering. Yes! This is wisdom. This is truth! But for those who would rather have rules and rituals than a real relationship with Jesus Christ, they will never be convinced.

The Casting Out (verse 34)

Now they look down their nose on this man. They insult him and banish him from their clubhouse. "You were born in sin and you dare teach us?" Such arrogance! They refused to even listen to the man who has been transformed and given the gift of sight. What a shame!

The Saving (verses 35-39)

It's okay if others kick you out of their church, their Bible study, their cliques. Let them! They are doing you a favor. Watch God put you in higher places because of it. He has not forgotten you. Watch how He treats the man who now can see and is an outcast.

The Bible says Jesus heard they kicked him out of the synagogue, and Jesus went looking for him. Jesus did not stop until He found him and this is what He said. "Do you believe on the Son of God?"

The man said, "Who is He, Lord, that I might believe on Him?"

Jesus answered, "You have both seen Him, and it is He that is talking to you."

The man said, "I believe." He worshiped Jesus. He was thankful for the sight; not just the physical sight, but the spiritual sight as well.

Jesus's beautiful reply is, "I came to this world for judgment, so that they that do not see might see, and they that see might be made blind."

What a beautiful expression. He came to open all of our eyes to His wonderful truth. But He knew that some would profess to see truth, and would remain blind. They refuse to hear what Jesus has to say. They failed to trust what they saw Him do. If it did not match their cookie cutter mold of what religion should be, they did not want any part of it.

The Clarifying (verses 40-41)

Of course there were some Pharisees that watched this whole thing. They asked Jesus, "Are we blind, also?" Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you should have no sin: but now you say, 'We see,' therefore your sin remains."

If we go to Jesus and we think we are good enough, kind enough, religious enough, then we are blind to our need of a Savior. We will miss out on having our sins washed clean by His blood. If we can open our eyes to see that we are wicked and inherently evil creatures and left to our own devices we would destroy one another; and if we can see we have flaws and failures only Jesus can fix, then we will go from blinded eyes to seeing clearly.

How is your sight? I hope you are like our friend in today's text: I hope you once was blind but now you see!

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Relabel Yourself | Fuel for the Weekend

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

1 CHRONICLES 4:9-10

And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.

And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that Thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thine hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

Many are familiar with this short passage in the Old Testament. It is quoted often, books have been written surrounding this account, but it is worth looking at again. In the middle of the THIS ONE begat THAT ONE and THAT ONE begat THIS ONE.... we see God just carved out a little space to tell us about an honorable and upright man before Him. The man is Jabez.

Jabez literally means He Will Cause Pain. Imagine everyday of your life from birth, when someone called your name, they were literally saying, Hey You That Causes Pain, come here. One Who Will Cause Pain do this or that or the next thing. Everyday of his life was a reminder that he caused his mother pain when she delivered him at birth. Not only did she mark him for life because of the experience she had giving birth to him, but anyone who called him by name was labeling him the same way.

What things has society said about you day after day?

*Not Smart Enough*

*Never Be Tall*

*Least Likely To Succeed*

*Too Tall*

*Too Skinny*

*Clumsy*

*Larger Than Life*

*Broke For Life*

What images do you see that make you think your nose is too big or maybe it seems crooked? Who are you comparing your bank account with? Where are you going for advice when life seems bad and you walk away depressed and discouraged more than before you talked to those people?

Friends, God wants to relabel you. Let's start in the beginning.

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

GENESIS 1:26 And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

GENESIS 1:27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.

GENESIS 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

GENESIS 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

GENESIS 1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

GENESIS 1:31 And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Here is what God said about Jabez in 1 Chronicles, that he was more honorable than all his brothers. The one child his mother named HE WILL CAUSE PAIN is the best child she had. In fact, he probably did everything he could to not live up to his name. Meanwhile, his brothers probably caused a great deal of pain to others but they did not have that title. That tells us that what people think of us, including friends and even our own family, is not definitive of who God says we are. God says he is a man of honor and He chose to answer his prayer!

God made us in His image and in His likeness. We look like our Heavenly Father. We are made like Him. That is why the devil hates us. Satan does not like the constant reminder that we are created in the image of God and His identity is seen throughout His created people. Why would he choose to attack our identity so much? Look at our culture in America? From a small, innocent child to an older adult we are being challenged about our identity! Babies are being slaughtered in the womb because the devil has created confusion and chaos about the identity of what a baby is!

God immediately gave us purpose when He created us. He made us males and females to have dominion over the creatures in the sea, the creatures in the air, and creatures on the earth. God blessed the males and females that He created. He made us, gave us purpose, and blessed us. What else does the text say? God gives us an assignment. He wants us to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. God wants us to have babies and fill the earth with His people.

He wants us to subdue the earth, which means to bring it under control. The devil hates that and wants to fight us in this purpose every single day. He wants to bring chaos and confusion and division to the world. You and I, and all of God's people are to bring peace, love, joy, and hope found only in Jesus to the world.

And I love that God gave us food. He provided things to eat that would benefit our body and keep us strong. And what did God say after He created the sun, moon, stars, the ocean, and land? It was good. When He made light and night He said it was good. But after He made humanity, He said it was very good.

Whatever someone else labeled you, does not have to define you. You are who God says you are. You are not less than that and you are not more than that. Apart from God we are nothing. He is our Maker. He is our Creator. He is our God. He is our Heavenly Father and He has a plan and purpose for every single person on the planet. Who does God say you are? I challenge you to spend time this weekend praying and pondering that question. Read the Bible and ask Holy Spirit to show you in the lens of scripture the way God sees you. Do not let anyone call you anything else.

I hope today's post has challenged you to not conform to the ways of this world. We must not become like the world. ROMANS 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.   

Let's strive to be more like Jesus Christ. He is the Great Example and Pattern for us. It is my prayer that something you have read today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!!

~Bridgett Owens

Sand Castles | Fuel for the Weekend

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

Have you ever gone to the beach? The ocean is stretched out in front of you all the way to the horizon. The sandy shore is full of sea shells, beach towels, and people basking in the rays of the sun. Have you ever made a sand castle before? They are so pretty, especially when someone sculpts the clay and uses intricate tools to design a wonderful piece of art. The problem with sandcastles is they are unstable.

Sand is washed back and forth on the shore with the water. If you ever stand at the edge of the shore and allow the water to rush past your ankles and legs and sweep back, it will literally pull you toward the ocean. You will feel yourself sliding away from the shore and the sand beneath your feet is like a conveyor belt.

MATTHEW 7:21-27

Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.

Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

And every one that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

You see friends, the rain is coming. The storms of life will blow hard against our vessel. The bills will pile up and the finances will dwindle down. You may try to find a job and yet no one will call you back. You may get a poor report from your doctor, and your world may turn upside down. You may stand at the graveside of a loved one and wonder why they were not healed. Storms are coming. It will not be sunny and beautiful always. What will happen to you when these trials and storms rage?

1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

These three keys will aid you through the battles of life that seem to never end at times:

1. Build upon the firm foundation of the Rock of Jesus. Know who He is and trust Him. Jesus asked His disciples who they say He is and Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," (Matthew 16:16) And Jesus said upon that Rock, or the revelation of who He is, He would build His Church.

Matthew 16:17-19 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

2. Be a hearer AND a doer of the Word of God. It is not enough to go to church and hear a sermon. It is not enough to attend a Bible study. You must think of the Word of God like lotion. Apply it and rub it in. Do not just layer it on top of the skin and hope it will absorb over time. Something will happen and the lotion will be knocked off your arm and then you will have a big mess and your skin will not get the nourishment you need. The same is true of life. If you do not apply the principles of God's Word, then you will get knocked down by the storms of life and it will be a big mess and you will not have what your soul needs to survive. JAMES 1:22 But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

3. Continue to pray and commune with God. In Luke chapter 18 it begins with Jesus giving a parable that men should always pray and not lose heart. We have to talk to God in prayer. It is essential. It is not only how we thank Him and praise Him for everything He has done in our lives, but it is how we obtain forgiveness, how we petition Him for what we need, and friends it is how we hear Him answer us. Jesus said this in Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Storms will come. Trials will never cease. We must not be taken off guard by them. Use these three steps to keep you anchored to Jesus, our Savior and you will be able to overcome any obstacle in your way. I hope you will study these scriptures deeper on your own. Talk to your friends and family about these things and discuss practical ways you can do these things in your daily walk with Jesus. I pray that something you have read on the blog today will give you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Use Your Oil | Fuel for the Weekend

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now is not the time to stop or give up. She knew what she had to do. She needed to talk with the man of God for more instructions. God does not give us all the details at once. He gives us steps to take and when we have taken those steps, we can go back to Him and ask, "What will You have me do next?" God is going to do something wonderful in her life but she has to go back to the man of God and find out what that is. Today, you and I are able to go boldly to the throne and ask God ourselves. Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

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

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

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

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

~Bridgett Owens

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

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

3 Ships | Fuel For The Weekend

Sometimes God gives me a word, a phrase, or a concept and I will write it down, but then it may be a while before God gives me the full download. On May 4, 2022, God gave me three words: Relationship, Friendship, Kinship. Today, I want to share three SHIPS God wants us to join Him in, what can hinder us from being in each SHIP, and what our responsibility is if we say yes.

RELATIONSHIP -the way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected, or the state of being connected; the state of being connected by blood or marriage; the way in which two or more people or groups regard and behave toward each other.

God wants a relationship with us. We are connected to God by His Son Jesus. It is through the blood of Jesus that we are redeemed to God, and it paid for the sins that separated us from God. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. We have all sinned and so we are all separated from God until we are cleansed in His blood. Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 

If we will not choose Jesus to be our Lord, and if we refuse to admit our sins or turn from them, then we will not be in relationship with God. John 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. John 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. Jesus is the only Way to get to God. If we try to get to God any other way than a real relationship with Jesus Christ, we will not make it to heaven. That will hinder us from joining Jesus in the ship.

What is our responsibility to have a relationship with Jesus? Matthew 10:32-33 Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven. We must confess Jesus Christ is Lord and admit we have sinned. He will forgive us and cleanse us. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  When we do these things we will have a relationship with Jesus.

FRIENDSHIP -the emotions or conduct of friends; the state of being friends; a relationship between friends; a state of mutual trust and support between allied nations.

Jesus showed us what it is to be a friend. He said this in John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Jesus loved us so much that He laid down His life for all of us, His friends and His foes. Abraham was the friend of God. What did he do to get that title? James 2:23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

It sounds great to be called the Friend of God, doesn't it? So what are some things that hinder us from being His friend? James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adultresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. In today's culture, that is some strong statements, isn't it? To be a friend of the world is to be the enemy of God. What is friendship with the world? What does that look like? It looks like living for yourself, pleasing others, looking for fulfillment apart from God; in a career or relationship or being famous. Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? What good is it to be rich and famous in this life and have the entire world applaud you but in the life to come you are tormented for eternity because you never made room for God? You never put Him first. How can we prevent being friends with the world and instead be the Friend of God? 1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Our responsibility to have a friendship with God is found in the book of John. John 15:14-15 Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you. We are to do what Jesus commands. We are to love one another. We are to love our enemies. We are to love God. We must keep His commandments and they are not hard. 1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous. When we choose to obey Christ and follow Him instead of dancing to the piper of this world, we will have friendship with God.

KINSHIP -blood relationship; a sharing of characteristics or origins.

God granted our pardon through the blood of Jesus. 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. Our relationship with God is secured by the blood of Jesus Christ.

We were without salvation before we had a relationship with Jesus Christ. Now we are family of God when we are born again. Ephesians 2:11-13 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at the time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. The blood of Jesus washed us clean and it allows us to draw near to Him. In Revelation chapter one, verse five it says that Jesus loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood. That is such a perfect picture of how He cleansed us.

What can hinder this kind of kinship with Jesus? John 3:16-21 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world: but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. To hinder kinship with Jesus is to reject Him. To hear the truth of God's Word and refuse to believe it. To want the darkness and evil deeds more than to walk in the light and revelation of Jesus Christ. This will not only keep you out of the family of God, but it will give you permanent residence in hell for all of eternity.

It is through the love of Jesus that we are free and in kinship with Him. We are in His family. 1 John 3:1-2 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. How do we become the children of God? We must accept Jesus Christ. John 1:11-13 He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Our responsibility in being in the family of God is to accept Jesus Christ, be washed in His blood, have our sins forgiven, and live our lives to please Him. And the greatest responsibility is to tell others about Jesus so they can be in the family of God, too. Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 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. 

I hope that you will be in relationship with God, enjoy friendship with God, and become a family member in kinship with God. You have the choice right now. If you are a part of God's family, have you invited your family and friends to be a part of God's family, too? Remember the Great Commission Jesus gave us in Matthew 28:18-20. We must tell them all. This weekend, as you encounter friends, family, acquaintances, and strangers, be sure to invite them to join Jesus in these three ships today! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

An Abundance of Great Rain | Fuel For The Weekend

Here in southern Indiana, where I live, it has been raining a lot! I was thinking about how much I love rain and thunderstorms. To me, it makes perfect napping or sleeping weather. I love the relaxing sound of the rain falling and I like to watch as the buckets of rain pour over the vehicles and soak into the ground. We can get encouraged about the rain! Remember when Elijah had caused it to not rain on the earth for 3 1/2 years? JAMES 5:17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. Imagine how much the people on the earth at that time wanted rain! Their crops could not grow, water holes dried up, and just think of the impact of a three and a half year drought.

When there was no rain in sight, ground dry and dusty, Elijah said he heard the abundance of rain. In his spirit, he could sense the rain was coming. 1 KINGS 18:41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. Elijah is a prophet and Ahab is a wicked king. He knew what God had done through Elijah and so he obeyed. He got up to eat and drink. Elijah went to the top of Mount Caramel and he prayed. Just like it took earnest prayer to stop the rain, it was going to take a fervent prayer to bring the rain!

JAMES 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

He told his servant to look toward the sea and the servant said, "Nothing is there." He told him, "Go, look again!" seven times. Six times there was no sign of a cloud in the sky, a drop of rain in the air, or even the darkening of the sky. Elijah knew what he heard and he did not give up.

1 KINGS 18:44-46 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, and say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

The seventh time the servant saw a cloud so tiny coming from the horizon. It looked like the size of a man's hand. That was all it took. Elijah said, "Go tell the king to prepare his chariot and get out because the rains are coming." Elijah was not expecting a sprinkle or tiny rain shower. He was expecting abundant rain! Once the man of God spoke it out of his mouth, then it was materializing in the natural. All of a sudden the sky turned dark with clouds and the wind started to pick up, and the Bible says there was a great rain! Not a little rain storm, not just enough to wet the ground, but a great rain! And God was with Elijah so much that he literally outran the chariot taking Ahab to Jezreel. This is the king's ride. It would have been pulled by the fastest horses they could find. Yet, God has His hand on Elijah and he outruns the king's best attempt to get back to the city before the rains washed out roads and made travel impossible.

What are you praying for? What are you expecting God to do for you? Do not ask for a rain shower, ask for the abundance of rain. Speak it out of your mouth that it is coming and the abundance of rain is here! Even when the circumstances do not seem like it. Six times the servant came back with a negative report. "There is nothing!" Sometimes we look at our situation and we say, "There is nothing there!" But we must not give up or lose heart. Let's remember the God we serve is more than enough to meet any need we have! He can answer any prayer we pray. We must believe it and speak it out. If friends say they don't see a change and begin doubting, just say to them, "Go look again!" God is up to something and He wants to move for those who will not stop believing even when it looks like there is still a drought, remember the abundance of rain is on the way! In fact, it is here! Let's start speaking it into the here and now. The great rain is here and soon friends, we will see it to be so!

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

Show Up Anyway | Fuel For The Weekend

Each Friday God wants me to share my faith in such a way that it causes you to think, ponder, consider, and reflect on all weekend long. My desire is that each Fuel For The Weekend post is so thought-provoking that you begin a dialogue with your family and friends and discuss the ideas further. I may never know on this side of heaven if I am making a difference in anyone else's lives, but these blog posts strengthen me, stretch me, and encourage me to keep going in this race.

A friend asked me to do something for them recently. At first, I hesitated. I have not been feeling the best and did not want to do it, but I did not say no. I thought about it and was just not sure how to politely decline. I did not have any good reason not to do what was asked of me. So, I finally said I would do it. I was fasting at the time and that really takes a lot out of me physically. It is really draining and I already was not feeling well. I knew agreeing to do what was asked of me would be a good thing to do, but I did not fully understand the impact I would make.

I was able to minister to my friend, share about something deeply personal, and watch as tears filled their eyes. They found hope again and a different perspective than they had before. Sometimes it helps when someone who has walked in your shoes before gives you a glimpse of how your story could end.

2 CORINTHIANS 1:1-7 (1)Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia: (2)Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. (3)Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; (4)Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. (5)For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. (6)And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. (7)And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

Paul, Javan, and I went out to look at some land. We thought it might be a good option for us and we were full of hope and excitement. We saw the property and it was nothing like we saw in the photos online. It was a disaster and even though our hopes were dashed for that particular property, we knew it was a definite "No" from God. That is encouraging because we got our answer immediately. We continue to believe there is something coming for us very soon. Until God answers, we will keep trusting and hoping.

PSALM 31:24 Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

PSALM 71:5 For Thou art my hope, O LORD God, Thou art my trust from my youth.

What do you plan to do this weekend? Who do you hope to bless? Whose situation can you speak life into? What encouragement can you give? Have you asked God to make plans for you this weekend? It is Mother's Day weekend. Some have lost their mothers, others are estranged, and some have toxic relationships with their mother. Not everyone has a Hallmark experience and I understand that. I hope that you will celebrate this weekend, thankful for a good mother, or a good mother figure, in your life. Was there a neighbor, friend, grandparent, or elder at your church you looked up to? If you are a mother, I want to wish you a very happy Mother's Day. Some have wayward sons and daughters. This Sunday may be hard for a lot of mothers who mourn their children in one way or another. I pray that God allows you to feel honored and loved like you deserve. Remember Jesus loves you so much. He will be your anchor, strength, refuge, Mighty Fortress to run to when times are overwhelming and hard. Don't miss the chance to bless someone else this weekend. You never know when your words can speak life into a dead situation and cause someone to hold a little tighter to God's unchanging hand.

EPHESIANS 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens