Fuel Up For Free | Fuel For The Weekend

Happy Friday, friends. We have made it to the one day of the week most of us long for. I am working today and will be busy but I wanted to hop on here and share a little Fuel For The Weekend. Do you

have plans this weekend? Our family has a very important meeting scheduled tomorrow and it's exciting and scary all at the same time. We are looking forward to church on Sunday, too. Whatever you are doing and however you spend your weekend, I pray that it is a blessed time and productive in advancing God's Kingdom on the earth!

Have you ever been in a situation where you know you did something you shouldn't have, or said something that you should have just been silent about? Was someone upset with you? It does not feel good to have someone angry with me and especially when I have done something I knew I should not have done. The relationship changes a little and distance creeps in. The same is true when we sin and God is upset about the intentional sin we have committed and we start to feel distance in our relationship. It feels like God is not as close. Why? There is now something between us and God...it is the sin that we have in our lives.

Now going back to the original question where a friend or family member or coworker is upset with us for what we have said or done in error; doesn't it just feel so good to apologize to that person and get back in right standing with them? When I am willing to humble myself, acknowledge I messed up, and vow to do my best to not repeat that same mistake, the other person often softens, too. The wall comes down and we are able to fellowship again. How much more wonderful is it when our Heavenly Father hears our repentant prayer, accepts our apology, cleanses us from all unrighteousness, and we are now free to commune with God intimately that we were unable to before? I am so thankful that He is so loving, kind, and forgiving.

I want to give you some fuel for the weekend. There is a really short chapter in the book of Isaiah and it really speaks to me about the benefits that follow reconciling with God. I do not know if you have ever read this before but it is so beautiful and I want to share it here today.

ISAIAH 12:1-6 (1)And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise Thee: though Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away, and Thou comfortedst me. (2)Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation. (3)Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. (4)And in that day ye shall say, Praise the LORD, call upon His name, declare His doings among the people, make mention that His name is exalted. (5)Sing unto the LORD; for He hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. (6)Cry out and shout, Thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

I absolutely love this passage. "I will praise You God, and though You were angry with me before, now Your anger has turned away from me and You comfort me!" This is such a beautiful illustration of the way our Heavenly Father lovingly holds us and comforts us after a time of separation. He longs to be in fellowship with us, too. He misses the closeness we once shared when I strayed from Him. The same is true with how He feels about you.

I will trust You God and not be afraid. No matter what my situation looks like, no matter how bleak things may appear, I am trusting You God and I will not let fear have a place in my heart. JEHOVAH is my salvation, my strength, and my song. Psalm 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.

With joy we shall draw water out of the wells of salvation. We will gladly go to the Living Water and enjoy times of refreshing. Amen? What an exciting idea that we can freely receive a cup of fresh life anytime we desire! This life can leave us dry, depleted, and disappointed but we have the opportunity to come anytime and draw water from the wells of salvation. When we come with joy we can receive the thirst-quenching, life-renewing water that will never run dry. We have an unlimited resource in our Heavenly Father! Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Let's praise Him today. Let's tell others what He is doing in our lives. Let's be encouragers to those around us and make mention that His name is to be exalted. We must decrease so that He can increase. John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease. All the praise, honor, and glory are due Him. He is worthy of it all! He is great and greatly to be praised. Psalm 145:3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable. I magnify His great name and honor my King Jesus. He is daily working on our behalf, working all things together for our good and blessing us in ways we cannot even imagine. 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. Ephesians 3:20-21 Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Whether you can sing well or not, it does not matter. Lift your voice and start thanking God for all the wonderful things in your life. Thank You Jesus for waking me up this morning, clothing me in my right mind. Thank You Jesus for refreshing me at the wells of Your salvation. Thank You for the breath in my lungs and that I can use my arms and legs without assistance. I thank You that my body is no longer racked with pain. I thank You Jesus for giving me joy down in my soul bubbling over and the peace that does not even make sense with the things I am facing and going through. You have done excellent things my King and it is known in all the earth! I adore You Jesus! Psalm 100:1-2 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before His presence with singing. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

We are to be loud about it! That may be out of some people's comfort zones but it is okay to be excited about our relationship with Jesus. The scriptures say, "Cry out and shout!" Why? For great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of where? In the midst of thee! He is in our midst. He is in our presence. He is going through the fire with us. He is in the lion's den with us. He is in the court room, the board room, the class room, the bedroom, the vehicle....wherever we are, He is there! He is Holy. He is Righteous. He is to be glorified and praised. Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.

No matter what plans you have this weekend, and no matter if they happen or not, let's not get caught up in the trivial matters of this life. Let's choose to magnify the good and not the bad. Let's choose to honor our King Jesus with our time and efforts and actions this weekend. Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him. Let's use these six verses to navigate the upcoming weekend. Fill your tank up for free! Gas prices here in southern Indiana where I live are $4.25 and it seems that they increase toward the weekends. This fuel is FREE! It has been paid for by the precious blood of Jesus and it was PAID IN FULL. So, come to the wells of salvation and take your fill. Get satisfied. Let it quench your thirst. John 4:13-14 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

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

~Bridgett Owens

Empty Cups | Fuel For The Weekend

I have been talking to a couple of my dearest friends. Both of my friends live in the western part of the United States, quite a ways from me. These friends have been sharing with me issues and situations they are dealing with in their corners of the world. They do not know each other, but if the three of us sat down in a room and had a good chat, we would realize we are very similar. It has been a dry season, spiritually speaking. One friend said, "My cup is empty and my plate is full." And I felt that in my very soul.

The world is still reeling with the pandemic. So much sickness and loss has been felt by many. Increased responsibility for loved ones who need more help and sometimes it feels like they are leaning too heavily on us. In some settings it seems like the distance is more than what is "socially" required. We can feel isolated and forgotten. As we continue to pour love, hope, encouragement, and strength into others around us, our cups become empty. We have to find our way back to the refreshing wellspring of life and His name is Jesus.

Do you remember the woman at the well? She went out to draw water when no one else would be around. She knew she had a bad reputation. She knew others would talk about her and ignore her or worse, make fun of her. She had been in one broken marriage after another and the one she was intimate with at the moment was not even her husband. I can imagine her cup had been dry for a while.

I love that Jesus does not leave us dry and discarded. He comes to give us life and hope and love and peace and joy and.... all the good things. He gives us living water that will never run dry but we have to stay connected to the water source.

Jesus knew the woman would be coming to the well. His disciples went into town, but Jesus hung around, waiting for her. I want to encourage you today that Jesus is waiting for you. He is not waiting for you in some distant place. He is waiting on you in the mundane chores you do every single day.

JOHN 4:7-15 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give Me to drink. (For His disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto Him, How is it that Thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and Who it is that saith to thee, Give Me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto Him, Sir, Thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast Thou that living water? Art Thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman saith unto Him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

The first key to getting your cup filled is to recognize that you are not the water source. Jesus is the giver of the unending water. Have you taken the time to lay your water pitcher down and talk to the Jewish stranger? Have you encountered His presence in your home among the piles of laundry and dirty dishes? Have you actually had a moment to give Him your time? He is waiting for you on purpose. He is wanting to give you a cool, refreshing drink.

The second key to a having a full cup is to realize Jesus has time for you. He wants to talk to you. You matter to Him. You are important and cherished by Him. He is not too busy for you. He is making time for you so take the time to spend with Him. It will not take up the whole day. You will still have time to do all the things. He is seeking you out.

The third key is to ask for the water. Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well if she had known Who she was talking to she would ask Him for a drink. Have you asked Him for a drink? He is able and willing. He has an endless supply and there is plenty of refreshing, renewing water just for you. He has a full cup with your name on it. He wants you to ask Him for it.

This water is going to carry us and sustain us through all the trials and hardships of this life. We have to stay connected to the source of the water. Otherwise cares of this life and tough circumstances will rip you away from the spigot. It is time to hold tight to the well of living water and His name is Jesus.

Practical ways you can stay connected to Jesus is having quiet time in His presence. Speak to Him. Do not ask Him for anything, just begin to praise Him for Who He is. Thank Him for the goodness and the mercy He gives. Tell Him how much you appreciate Him and how you cannot make it without Him. And the water begins to flow. Invite Him into your day and ask Him to take charge. Ask Him to order your steps and use you as His mouthpiece to your family and friends. Ask Him for a drink of the water and as you experience His presence, you will feel the sweet water rising inside of you. Do not let anyone or anything distract you from just being present with the King of kings and Lord of lords. Allow Him to have your entire focus. You will feel hydrated and strengthened.

It is easy to get away from the life-giving water source. It is easy to rush through Bible reading or to push back time you could have spent in prayer. We cannot be too busy to sit at His feet a while and learn about Him. Take the time to read the Bible and find out what He is really like. Read the red letters and you will discover the truth about who Jesus Christ is. Let Him give you a refreshing drink. You will never regret it.

God bless you friends.

~Bridgett Owens