Veterans | Thankful Thursday

I appreciate all the military men and women in our great nation. I know many fought hard and gave their life for our freedom and I am so thankful. I am equally thankful for the men and women in uniform who gave it their all and got to come back home to American soil. History tells us that America has not been kind to our heroes very often. After Vietnam those who were sent overseas and saw things most of us never even see in our worst nightmare, and they returned to a country who turned them into villains and despised them. It is so wrong and for that I am so sorry. I was not alive during that war but my heart breaks to read about the things that was said and done to our war heroes.

Today is Thankful Thursday, and I am so grateful for all our soldiers in every branch of the armed forces. My pastor recognized our veterans today and I got choked up. Tears filled my eyes as I looked into the faces of these brave men and women who fought for our freedom and served in any capacity! I enjoy my freedom in this country because of those who have gone before and those who continue to serve today! God bless you all!!

I have family members who are veterans and I appreciate them so much. I am glad they were allowed to serve and come back home to us when many others were not. I cannot imagine the courage it would take to enlist even in times of peace, knowing how volatile this world is right now. I pray for them and thank God for them.

JOHN 15:13 Greater love hath no man this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

I do not know anyone who laid down their life for friends. Do you know who did lay down His life for His friends, for the whole wide world? Jesus Christ did that. Not just for the Jews. Not just for His disciples. He died for the entire world. I am so thankful that He gave His life for mine! What a Redeemer! What a loving God we serve!

Are you a friend of God? Jesus goes on in verse 14 to say, "Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." That's it! That is the requirement to be a friend of Jesus. Do what He says. Obey Him. Listen to Him. Love Him!

If you are thankful for salvation in Jesus Christ today, why not tell someone? Share your testimony. You never know who needs that kind of encouragement and hope, especially in the troubled times we live in. If you do not know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, make today the day you say yes to the Master. Put your hand in His nail scarred one and you will never regret it. Do it today!

What are you thankful for on this Thankful Thursday? Let God know it!

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Jesus wants to. Jesus will. | Cleansing A Leper Miracle

Matthew, Mark, and Luke each share a glimpse into what happened when Jesus changed one man's life forever. Mark gives the most details on the background story. Let's look at it together.

Mark 1:35-39 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. And Simon and they that were with Him followed after Him. And when they had found Him, they said unto Him, All men seek for Thee. And He said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth. And He preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.

    Matthew confirms Jesus comes down from the mountain where a huge following of people are gathered.

Matthew 8:1 When He was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him.

    Before doing great miracles or ministering to the masses, Jesus got up early in the morning a long time before the sun was coming up. While others slept, Jesus rose early to be alone and pray.

    There are so many amazing things we can do for the Kingdom of God. It is important to share our testimony, offer words of encouragement, and do great things to honor Jesus, but we must first begin our day with Him. How often do we scramble to the kitchen for a quick breakfast as we rush kids off to school and run through the morning routines without first stopping to talk with the Master?

    The disciples went looking for Jesus and when they found Him, they let Him know everyone wants to see Him. They did not ask about His solitary prayer time. Jesus did not ask how many followers there were, sign autographs and take photos with "fans." He is clear on His mission to preach the Gospel. We cannot let followers sway us from keeping our shoulder to the plow. This is not the time to get caught up in the numbers. Instead, let's remember why we are here and allow God to work through us.

    Luke's account begins with one man's story. Let's read it.

Luke 5:12 And it came to pass, when He was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought Him, saying, Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.

    Mark shares how this man is so desperate for Jesus to heal him, he begs Him.

Mark 1:40 And there came a leper to Him, beseeching Him, and kneeling down to Him, and saying unto Him, If Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.

    It is repeated in Matthew's account:

Matthew 8:2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped Him, saying, Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.

     We do not know this man's name or how he knew Jesus and the power of His touch, but it is clear in all accounts this man has faith. He tells Jesus, "If You want to, You can heal me." Have there been times you have had such tremendous faith? Do you believe that if Jesus wants to, He can heal you, save you, forgive you, restore you, deliver you, or love you? If you ever wondered if Jesus wants to do those things, we will see what Jesus' response always is to those who have faith in Him.

Luke 5:13 And He put forth His hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

Mark 1:41-42 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth His hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will: be thou clean. And as soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.

Matthew 8:3 And Jesus put forth His hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

  “I will.”

  “I will.”

  “I will.”

  Each account, Jesus tells the man, "I want to heal you," and immediately the leprosy is gone. Jesus is saying the same thing to each one of us today. If we have faith that Jesus has the power to heal, save, forgive, restore, deliver, and love, His response is, “I want to. I will.”

  Jesus gives the man specific instructions on what to do according to the Old Testament law, then He tells the healed man to tell no one else. That may seem strange to us. Wouldn’t Jesus want others to know what the power of God can do? Wouldn’t the man’s family and friends, coworkers, others in his life who knew he was once a leper, wouldn’t they all know something miraculous happened? How could he keep this to Himself?

 Matthew 8:4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Mark 1:43-45 And He straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to Him from every quarter.

Luke 5:14-16 And He charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. But so much the more went there a fame abroad of Him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. And He withdrew Himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

  Jesus no longer had the freedom to walk into a city and preach the Gospel. Now people sought Him for miracles. Yes, it is wonderful when Jesus performed miracles and helped so many people, but salvation is not in physical healing alone. The most important thing Jesus wanted to share was the free gift of salvation for whosoever will.

Sometimes we get so caught up in wanting to experience something supernatural and miraculous that we forget about the most miraculous thing…salvation. We can pray for others to be healed, delivered, set free from addictions or perhaps get a financial miracle. Those are great things to pray for. How often do we pray for their salvation? How often are we asking our friends and family about their walk with God? How concerned are we about where our loved ones will end up in eternity?

I have had a lot of prayer requests this year from others about specific needs being met and just like Jesus said to the leper, He is saying to us, “I want to. I will.” How about we pray just as much for our lost loved ones and acquaintances because His answer is the same. He wants to. He will.

I pray this blog post has been Strength for your journey & Light for your way. God bless you!

Bridgett Owens

Thankful For Salvation in Jesus | Thankful Thursday

John the Baptist had a special connection with Jesus. While in their mothers' wombs they had an encounter and John leaped inside his mother according to Luke 1:41 and Luke 1:44. Now John is a man and has been paving the way for Jesus, the Messiah, and as his eyes lock on Jesus this is what he said. John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. Can you imagine standing there with John and hearing him say this? Finally the man he has been preaching about and teaching about and baptizing people who have repented and believed on this man! Jesus is here in the flesh! What an introduction!! I do not know what I would have done.

When Jesus was doing miracles, the crowds loved Him. When He fed the multitudes they followed Him. On what we now celebrate as Palm Sunday, Jesus is riding a donkey descending the mount of Olives and look at what the Scripture says. Luke 19:37-38 And when He was come nigh (near), even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. They rejoiced for all the wonderful things He had done. Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, caused the lame to walk again, and saved multitudes. He cast out demons. He challenged humanity to think about religion in a whole new way: and He desired for those who listened to Him to have a relationship with His Heavenly Father Yahweh.

Fast forward toward the end of the week. Now Judas has betrayed Jesus. Jesus is arrested and alone. The disciples are hiding. Peter denied He knew Jesus THREE TIMES just as Jesus told him he would do. Every man, woman, and child that ate the loaves and fishes were gone! The blind that can now see turned their eyes away from Him. The deaf that can now hear, were no where to be found. What about the demon possessed and those who heard Him preaching daily in the temple? Where were those who supported Jesus just a few days ago?

Mark 15:6-25 Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired (requested). And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as had ever done unto them. But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for (because of) envy. But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. And Pilate answered and said unto them again, What will ye then that I shall do unto Him whom ye call the King of the Jews? And they cried out again, Crucify Him. Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath He done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify Him. And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged Him, to be crucified. And the soldiers led Him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band (cohort). And they clothed Him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about His head. And began to salute Him, Hail, King of the Jews! And they smote Him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon Him, and bowing their knees worshipped Him. And when they had mocked Him, they took off the purple from Him, and put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him. And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear His cross. And they bring Him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull. And they gave Him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but He received it not. And when they had crucified Him, they parted His garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. And it was the third hour, and they crucified Him.

Do you want to know what I am thankful for this Thankful Thursday? Friends, I am so thankful that Jesus loves us so much that He did that for us. He went through torture and pain and suffering like we will never know. The crowds that wanted Him to heal them, save them, help them, and feed them were the very ones crying out CRUCIFY HIM! And not one person could ever say why they wanted it done. No one could give an accurate account of anything wrong Jesus had done. He was sinless! He was the Supreme Sacrifice for our sins. We could never pay for it. I am so thankful that He loved me so much that He looked beyond my sin and shame and thought I was worth saving.

My precious Jesus took the nails in His hands and in His feet for me! He wore the crown of thorns that were driven deep into His head with a heavy reed for me! He bled and died to pay for MY sins! That makes me sick to think about. My selfishness, my greed, my sins, my unforgiveness, my bitterness, my shame was all laid upon His shoulders along with yours and the whole world and He SUFFERED for it! He willingly laid down His life for us! The Shepherd laying down His very life for the sheep. That breaks my heart! My God!!! What a love that no one else can give!

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. We did not deserve it. We were not good enough. We did NOTHING to earn this! Jesus loved us so much He did it willingly. God loves us that much that He sacrificed His only Son for us! John 3:16 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.

Sin is the worst thing we can do because it separates us from the very God who loves us! Forgiveness is free and no strings attached. Our Heavenly Father loves us so much He sent Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son to die for us in the cruelest death in history. Sin cost Jesus His life's blood. Sin DOES hurt other people. It hurt Jesus so much and you know what He said? He looked out at the angry mob who wanted Him to hang on the cross and this is what He said: Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted His raiment, and cast lots.

No one will ever care for you as much as Jesus; not your mother, not your father, not your grandparents, not your spouse, NOBODY! You are loved unconditionally! Is Jesus your Savior? If He is not, please make Him the Lord and Savior of your life right now. Today! Just tell Him that you believe that He is the Son of God. You recognize you are a sinner and need a Savior. Repent of your sins and ask Him to forgive you and He will do it! Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. It is that simple and that easy. It is a free gift from God.

I pray that you have been born again. If you have not, let today be your day of salvation. Jesus is the best friend you will ever have. He is all you need to guide you and govern your life. Trust Him. He is so worthy of love, trust, majesty, and honor.

I am thankful that Jesus Christ saved my soul and He is with me every single day. Jesus is alive. He rose from the dead and is alive forever more. He is seated at the right hand of the Father and one day He is coming back for you and me and all those that love His appearing. What a day that will be!

God bless you friends!

~Bridgett Owens

APRIL FOOL'S | Fuel For The Weekend

Welcome to the end of another week. We have entered a new month as well. The first quarter of this year has literally flown by and if you blinked, you just might have missed it!! Today is a holiday, though it does not get a lot of attention. No candy is marketed for the holiday, no rush to buy gifts and exchange them, and no party will be planned around it. Rather, it is a day of practical jokes and pranks. I am talking about April Fool's Day. I once heard that atheists complained that they had no holiday to celebrate and so this day is made for them. PSALM 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

I was taught in school about the Big Bang Theory and how the world in all its beauty and splendor came from gas explosions in the atmosphere. When I challenged what made the gases no one could answer me. It seems they are content in believing that gases always were, atoms have no beginning or ending. It sounds like they are confused. God has no beginning and no ending. He is infinite. Our finite minds cannot wrap around a God who always was, who is, and always will be. We live in the realm of time. It takes a great deal of faith to believe the human body just came to be because of some cosmic blast. Our minds are such complicated things that even science has yet to tap into all the intricacies of it. We are intelligent beings, able to reason, to think, to choose, and you will never be able to convince me that we are some miracle of the elements. There is absolutely no way!

GENESIS 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. It takes faith to believe that God created the heaven and the earth and all that is in it. If you read the first few chapters of Genesis the Word of God declares that God made everything. He speaks to the Word, which is Jesus, and they created man in their image. 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. The devil did not like that and so he tricked Adam and Eve into sinning and we were separated from God. Sin entered in. The good news is that Jesus' blood atoned us. ROMANS 5:10-12, 19 (10)For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. (11)And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom we have now received the atonement. (12)Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. (19)For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous.

PSALM 24:1 The earth is the LORD's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell in therein. This is very clear to me. The message is that God owns the earth and everything in it; the world and those that live in it. Many choose to believe that universe is a power in and of itself. They have such great faith in something like that but cannot wrap their head around the Truth that God created all that we see, every man, woman, boy, girl, bird, animal, plant, tree, everything! It definitely takes a lot more faith to believe that deception than it is to put your trust in God our Creator.

JOHN 1:1-5, 10-14 (1)In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2)The same was in the beginning with God. (3)All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. (4)In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. (5)And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (10)He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. (11)He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. (12)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; (13)Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (14)And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. Jesus is the Word made flesh. He was with God in the beginning when God created the world. We know this because of verse ten. He was in the world, and the world was made by HIM! The world He created did not know Him and His chosen people did not receive Him. From the moment He was born, the enemy tried to kill Jesus. They had no room for Him in the Inn and they had no room for Him in their hearts.

There are two camps of people in God's eyes: the righteous, and the ungodly. The ones who trust in God and put their faith in Him are the righteous. They that look to God's Word as a guide for their thoughts and behavior. The ungodly are the fools who say there is no God. PSALM 1:1-6 (1)Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. (2)But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law doth he meditate day and night. (3)And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (4)The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. (5)Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. (6)For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. I did an entire Bible study on this first chapter of Psalms and you can read that by clicking HERE.

In closing, I will share the words of Joshua in the Old Testament. The people were facing a choice. Today we face the same choice. We must make up our minds and settle it in our hearts whom we will serve. JOSHUA 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. The choice is the same today: You can choose the idols your ancestors worshiped. You can choose the god of money, fortune, and fame that are in the land we live in today. Or you can choose the God of heaven who made all of creation. You must decide for yourself. No one can make up your mind for you. As for the Owens' household; Paul, Bridgett, Kadesia, and Javan will serve the LORD.

I pray you choose Life. Jesus is Life. There is no other way to get to God. JOHN 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me. As you embark on another weekend, I pray that you will make the decision to follow Jesus. If you already are a servant of the LORD MOST HIGH then I pray you will share the Gospel with others and use this silly holiday as an opportunity to share your faith. God is a loving, good Father and He wants all of His children to be with Him for eternity. Let's not miss heaven for the world!

May something I shared on this blog today be strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Broken | Thankful Thursday

 

Hey everyone! Today I am going to tell you why I am thankful for the broken things. Thank you for joining me on this Thankful Thursday.

I have a broken windshield. It started with a small crack in the glass. You can see it here:

That was in Alabama. It was like that when I purchased my vehicle. It was just the one little place, not the cracks to the left and to the right. In Alabama, it rarely got cold enough to require defrost to thaw out a window, so it never became an issue. It was just there as a constant reminder that the windshield was not perfect, but it did not obstruct my view and I did not see a reason to purchase a new windshield for one small flaw.

The Holy Spirit started ministering to me. This is how we are in our spiritual walk with God. We may see a sign of decay but we choose to ignore it. We say things like, "It's not hurting anyone else," or "It's just a small flaw, we all have issues." And when we are in certain seasons of life we can get by without checking our heart. It is dangerous to do this, but many of us, including Christians, will choose to go about their business without dealing with the issue that is in front of them. It is a constant reminder that there is something in your life you have not dealt with and we can choose to shift our eyes to the clear parts of our lives and ignore the flawed parts.

Something interesting happened. God told Paul that it was time to move back to Indiana. He had already told me but I had to wait for Paul to let me know what God had told him. He did not know God had put the same idea in my heart at the very same time he put it in Paul's. We are one flesh, so of course God would do that, but we do not always think of that at the time. I did not want to move back. None of us really wanted to uproot and do the whole moving and trusting God thing again. It is hard. If you have never done it, it is very hard, but we knew God is faithful and He would take care of us. So we moved back on Kadesia's birthday 12/27/20.

In Indiana it is winter and trust and believe it does not play with cold temperatures. We were having a true winter with snow and everything. (All the things I dislike.) So I had to go to work and I put on my defrost like I had done oodles of times in my life living in Hoosier winters. One morning my windshield cracked from the center flaw to the left and to the right a few inches either way. I did not know what to do. My jaw dropped!

Holy Spirit said in the right conditions that is the same thing that happens to us in the spiritual realm. We are just going about our business, doing what we know we have to do to survive, and then the small flaw becomes an even bigger one. My windshield cracked down low, which you can see in the picture below. Since it was below my line of vision to drive, I ignored it. It was okay. I still did not want to address the cracked windshield right in front of my face, but it was always a source of stress for me. 

Each time I got into the car I was reminded that my windshield needed to be fixed. The crack that shoots off to the right was not there at this time. So I just kept ignoring it. I did not have the extra money to buy a windshield. I was not sure my insurance would cover it (they didn't). So I simply ignored the fact that I had a busted windshield and needed a new one. Sometimes it was like I forgot it was even there.

Holy Spirit said we can be so comfortable in our sin that after a while we just forget it's there. We are losing close fellowship with Jesus and we do not even realize it because it is so gradual and we are so aloof about it. This is dangerous! We have to be more sensitive to the Holy Spirit's nudges for us to check our hearts.

Well a year passed and guess what. I am still in Indiana. I am in the winter season and this time my windshield cracked and it shot off to the right and then it curved and each day I saw it getting worse. I remember hearing the crunchy sound and as I looked up the line of cracked glass ran across the windshield another three inches. I was scared the windshield would shatter. 

Holy Spirit again said this is when people will finally wake up. There will come a time when you will be shook and you decide, "Okay! This is enough for me!" Now I prayed for God to help me with the windshield. I prayed He would provide the money for me to get my windshield fixed and praise God He has done exactly that! I received 4 brand new tires for my vehicle and a brand new windshield and it cost me absolutely nothing! That is God!

Sometimes we have to be broken in the Spirit and then we come to God with sorrow and repentance. He loves us and will forgive us. David said God does not want a sacrifice or burnt offering. We can sacrifice things, we can give tithes and offerings and not be in right standing with God. He does not want those things from us. Yes He wants us to tithe and give, but not in an effort to sweep everything else under the rug. He does not want us to go through the motions of religious protocol when our hearts are burdened with sin. This is why David writes these words:

PSALM 51:15-17 (15)O Lord, open Thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise. (16)For Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou delightest not in burnt offering. (17)The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.

My mouth is showing forth God's praise. He receives us in our brokenness. He mends us and helps us and loves us. He puts us back together. My mother is a resourceful woman. If something is broken, she carefully gathers the pieces, glues them all back like they were, and many times you cannot even tell where the flaw was. God does that for us. And if there are holes in our hearts where we have had gaping wounds, then just remember, it is just another area for God's light and love to shine through us onto others who have had similar circumstances.

If you are broken, caught up in sin, disobedient to the things He is calling you to do because you are scared, or maybe you have just allowed compromise to weaken your relationship with Jesus, please come to Him. God sees you broken and busted like my windshield. He will mend your heart for free! It will cost you nothing but you will enjoy freedom and joy like you have never known. Do not let your heart be troubled. Do not worry! Believe in Jesus Christ and His power to free you from sin.

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.

I hope something I shared today has been encouraging for you. I hope it has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 9 | Wednesday Bible Study

 

Friends, we are studying the Psalms this year. Today we are in chapter nine. If you have missed the other posts, you can go back and read them. God has been teaching me so much through these Psalms each week. Have you read today's passage of Scripture? If not, please take a few moments to read through this chapter. What are your thoughts? Please leave a comment below and share how God has been speaking to you in today's reading.

Verses 1-12 Psalm chapter nine is another Psalm of David. It is no wonder it is a song of praise and rejoicing. David says he is going to hold nothing back, he is praising God with his whole heart. He is praising God Most High. He praises God for His judgment, for defending David's cause as He sat on His throne of judgment. David rejoices in triumphing over the enemy. In verse eight David says God will judge the world in righteousness, and minister judgment to His people. 

In verse nine and ten David reminds us we can seek refuge in the LORD and trust Him. He is our refuge when we are oppressed and in times of trouble. When we know God we can trust God will not forsake us. "To know" implies personal, intimate knowledge. We have to spend time with Him in the darkest valleys in order to fully appreciate the mountain top experience with Him. 

In verse 11 David invites us to sing praises to the LORD and talk about what God has done for us with other people. Praising God in the middle of a war, an outbreak, a financial crisis, natural disaster, or any circumstance beyond our control, is unusual. It's uncommon to focus our eyes on Jesus instead of the situation we find ourselves in. Yet David encourages us to sing praises and share with others what God has done for us and ways He has been found faithful. Praise is the key to overcoming adversity and feeling the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. 

Verses 13-20 The last half of this chapter David is rejoicing in God's salvation. He begins by asking for mercy from God. He wants God to consider the trouble he has suffered through because of his enemies. He rejoices in God's salvation. In verse 16 he says God is known by the judgment He executes to the wicked. He says the wicked is trapped by the snares they made with their own hands. The word Higgaion means to meditate on this forever and Selah means to pause and calmly think of that. This is an important verse to reflect on because it shows the true nature of God and that we are ultimately responsible for our choices and the consequences that follow. 

Verse 18 reminds us that the needy will not always be forgotten and the hope of the poor will not perish forever. God has a plan and He has not forgotten any of us, no matter what our circumstances might look like. There is hope in the hereafter that if we have suffered much in this life, we will enter eternal rest and peace with our LORD. 

I love the way David ends this chapter/song. "Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah." It is time for us to remember God is sovereign and we are not. He is holy and we are not. We have an opportunity to reflect on the notion we are but human. Reflect on that in relation to how great God is. He is high and lifted up. He is perfect in all of His ways. What an honor that He thinks so much of us that He fights for us, He defends us, He offers us refuge in Him, and we are never forsaken, abandoned, or alone. 

I hope you have enjoyed this study. It has been a real pleasure to break the Bread with my friends today. I would love to hear what your thoughts are. I know some of you read other translations than I do. I use KJV but I love to study from other translations and see what other nuggets of wisdom I can glean. It's a joyful time to be a child of God. May God bless you and encourage you today!

~Bridgett Owens

Celebrating Freedom | Fuel For The Weekend

 

I am looking forward to a long weekend! It is going to be so nice to catch up on some rest, work on some projects, do some writing, and enjoy the holiday weekend. Here in America, we are celebrating Independence Day. I am so thankful for the men and women who have served, died serving, serve now, and will serve in the future. I do not take my freedom for granted. I know how quickly our rights can be taken away. But I am also thankful for freedom from sin. I am thankful for the sacrifice Jesus made for us, to cleanse us and wash us in His precious blood so we can live with Him for eternity.

In Galatians 5:1, it reads, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." This is a great word for a time like this. We are to stand fast in the liberty that Jesus made us free. We don't have to work for it, try to earn it, be good enough or popular enough. When we accept Jesus as our Savior and choose to live for Him, we simply must stand firm on the Rock of our salvation, the foundation we build on, and that rock is Jesus. The next part of that verse is telling us what not to do. Don't pick up bad habits you laid down when Jesus set you free. Don't get messed up by running with the same crowd of people who you were pulled away from. If there are people who bring you down, tempt you to do things you shouldn't, and try to make you spend less time on your relationship with Christ, it is time to separate yourself from them and don't get tangled up with them again. That old behavior, those old lusts, that old way of thinking and doing things will get you snagged in a trap planted by the enemy so you become a servant of sin again. Don't do it. Hold on to the freedom you have. 

John 8:36 says, "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." That's pretty clear! If Jesus Christ has set you free from sin, you are free. You can celebrate your liberty in the act of love demonstrated on the cross at Calvary. Look at your life. Examine your thoughts and motives. Are they pure? Do you seek to honor Christ? Are you living in a way that would please the Father? Are you listening to Holy Spirit as He leads and guides and directs you?

Galatians 5:13 says "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another." In other words, we have been called to liberty, freedom in Christ, but we should not take advantage of our liberty and start indulging our flesh. We are to come away from that old sinful nature and walk in liberty. We are to lovingly serve one another. There are so many needs all around us. Let's take the time this weekend to look for ways to serve and love others. Let's remember why we celebrate 4th of July in America and then remember why everyday should be a celebration of our freedom from sin. Jesus saved us and by His grace and mercy He keeps us. Let's love each other and help one another Home.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend whether you celebrate or not. If you are working, I pray you are safe and have a great work day. I hope you get some time to rest and relax. I am glad to have a long weekend to recuperate from all the sleepless nights and around the clock care I gladly gave to my baby girl. I am wishing you all a wonderful weekend as we kick it off together. May something I have shared today be strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Remembering the Sacrifice | Fuel For The Weekend

The last Monday every May is a federal holiday in the United States of America. Each year, on Memorial Day many Americans gather with family and friends to have cook outs and events as they enjoy the day off from work. Flags flying and graves decorated with red, white, and blue flowers remind us of why we should honor this special federal holiday. We honor the brave men and women who courageously gave their lives for our freedom while actively serving in the United States Armed Forces. May we never take our freedom for granted, nor forget the great cost that was paid on our behalf.

Romans 12:15 says, "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep." Today, let's say a prayer for the families left behind. Let's weep with those who weep and mourn the loss of their loved ones who died in battle. Matthew 5:4 says, "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." Jesus promised us this when He walked on the earth, and the promise is still good for us today. His Word will never fade away.

When I think of the sacrifice these incredible heroes of war made for me, I get choked up. It moves me! I feel so much gratitude in my heart and I am so thankful for the freedom I have. I am thankful for what the flag stands for. I appreciate all the blood, sweat, and tears shed for me. And it reminds me of what Jesus did so long ago for all of us. It was the supreme sacrifice.

ROMANS 5:7-8 (7)For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. (8)But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16 is a familiar verse to so many of us. I have heard some quote it so fast I hardly heard the words. But it is a wonderful verse that sums up who God is and what He has given to us. It says that God loved the world so much that He freely gave up His very own Son: His one and only Son. Jesus came to save us. He came to love us. He came to free us. He came to forgive us. And the offer still stands. The offer is to whosoever will. Let's read that verse again, slower this time, and ask Holy Spirit to show you what He has truly done for us through the redemption of the cross of Calvary.

JOHN 3:16 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.

It is a free gift. You cannot earn it. You will never be good enough to obtain it. You do not have the power to save yourself. You cannot free yourself from the bondage of sin. You need a Savior if You do not know Jesus. God loves you so much that He sent His Son Jesus to die for your sins. You just have to believe in Him. He will save you when you call upon His name. This is the greatest decision you will ever make in your life and if you choose Jesus it will be the best decision you will ever make.

I hope you have a safe, happy, healthy, and blessed Memorial Day weekend. Let's honor the fallen men and women who bravely gave their lives for our freedom! Hold up the families left behind in prayer. Thank God for the sacrifice He made through Jesus, His Son, and love one another! Jesus is coming back very soon! We want to be ready!!!

I hope something I shared today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Seeing Father God | 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.

I have had an incredible time with God this morning. He has given sweet peace to me. I am full of His love and His Word and His joy! What a beautiful way to end the work week and start on the weekend: in His presence!

In my quiet time the LORD directed me to today's verse. I read it, then read it again, and underlined it. It is so beautiful and this one verse is packed full of insight, encouragement, and hope. If you need any of those things, then I invite you to sit at the table with me as we break the Bread together!

ZEPHANIAH 3:17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty: He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing.

Isn't that a beautiful verse? God is in the midst of us. In the middle of our struggles, in the middle of our pain, in the middle of our loss, in the middle of our sickness, God is in the middle of it and He is mighty! He is powerful. He is not weak. He is not scared. He is not concerned. He is not frantically searching for answers on how to handle our problems. He is in control. He is mighty! He is the solution to every problem we face. He knows what to do! Sit in that knowledge for just a moment.

What are you facing right now? What hardship are you going through? You may be struggling with difficulties and maybe you thought this year would be better. It may have started off worse than last year started. There is hope! If you are a child of God, He is with you in the middle of the suffering and He is mighty! He is powerful! He is extraordinary!

He will save. Are you saved? Are your loved ones? Your friends? Your coworkers? I have a list of people I am asking God to save. It breaks my heart when I think they may leave this world without the Blessed Hope of God in Christ Jesus. So many people think if they are good people and do nice things that they don't have to have a relationship with Jesus and they are still going to heaven. That is a lie! The Bible tells us that if we try to go in any other way than through the door of Jesus Christ we are a thief and a robber. (John 10:1) God wants to save you and your loved ones, your friends, your coworkers...and the whole world. He sent Jesus for that purpose. (John 3:16)

I love this next part. He will rejoice over you with joy. When we line up our thoughts and our lives to reflect His ways He rejoices over us with joy. There is great happiness inside God that wells up and He rejoices over His children when they are walking upright before Him. I have an image in my mind of God, our loving Heavenly Father, sitting on the edge of His throne, looking down below, and seeing the ones who struggle and strive but never lose hope, never lose faith in Him and He begins to rejoice. He is happy! It pleases the Father when we obey and do His will. It makes Him glad to see us walking fully in our purpose. He loves us so much and He rejoices over us with joy! He takes great pleasure in us. Isn't that precious? I am holding this scripture so close to my heart this morning.

He will rest in His love. Some translations say He will quiet you with His love. Just as a parent soothes their child with hushed tones and gentle hands, our loving Heavenly Father rushes to us to quiet us with His love. He soothes us. The pain, the torment, the aggravation, the loss... it melts away when we are enveloped in His love. We are soothed and quieted. The storm that rages around us is not as scary in His arms!

Another translation says He will be quiet in His love [making no mention of your past sins]. And one other translation says In His love He will no longer rebuke you. Isn't that another beautiful illustration? He loves us so much He will not bring up the things we have done wrong in our past. The things He has already forgiven us for, He forgets. He does not drag up past deeds and sling them in our face. He does not condemn us. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1) He loves us so much He would never condemn us for things He has already forgiven us for.

He will joy over us with singing. So many times God brings a song back to my remembrance and Holy Spirit will sing just a few lines from the song to my heart. It comforts me. It blesses me. It encourages me. I have sang over my children silly little songs when they were young and they would giggle. I can imagine God, our Heavenly Father, leaning into His children, getting so close to our faces, and with great happiness and pleasure singing over us. What a beautiful promise!

I don't know what you're going through. I know life is tough and things get tougher by the minute sometimes. I don't know what big obstacles stand in your way, what giants are hovering over you today, but I hope you will read this verse and find hope and strength. I hope you will breathe in this amazing promise God has given us and rest in it today. Let it lift you up. Let it speak to you. May you read this passage today and see our Heavenly Father in a whole new way.

As you get ready for the weekend, take heart! Be encouraged! I hope that something I have shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Our Gift | Thankful Thursday

The LORD impressed on my heart to carve out a section of my blog to share what I am thankful for. I started it on a Thursday and decided to call it "Thankful Thursday." Each week I share what I am thankful for. Come back each week so we can count our blessings together.

Merry Christmas Eve!

I have no shortage of things to thank God for. He has given us so much to enjoy. We are in a busy season of our lives... no, not the Christmas season, moving season. As we transition from one home to another, one state to another, one climate to another it is not easy. We have a limited time to finalize packing the remainder of our belongings and then next week we will not be living here in Alabama. Yet, we know that moving is not our idea, not in our plans, but God is ordering our steps and we humbly say, "Yes, Lord."

MATTHEW 2:10-11 (10)When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. (11)And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshipped Him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

I am not endorsing December 25 as the day the Lord Jesus was born. He was sent from God and He was born of a virgin, and there were wise men who sought Him to worship Him. So I am sharing this story in this season to be thankful that God so loved the world, (that is you and me), that He gave His only begotten Son, (that is Jesus), to be born, live, love, heal, forgive, and set free and die on an old rugged cross for our sins and to give us life everlasting. He is not dead. He was dead. He is not a baby. He was a baby. He is not physically on the earth, he was physically on the earth. He is alive! He is seated at the right hand of the Father! I am thankful for that!

The wise men looked for Him and found Him. If we look for Him the Scriptures says we will find Him. Jeremiah 29:12-13 Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart. Wise men still seek Him and still find Him.

The wise men gave Him gifts. What gifts can we give our King? What talents, skills, abilities, or callings on our lives can we offer back to Him? What can we do? How can we serve? Let's give the best gifts to our risen Savior. He is worthy and He honors us when we serve Him. 

What gifts did the wise men give Jesus? They gave gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The gold was given to symbolize royalty. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Revelation 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful. The gold paid for travel costs to Egypt when Jesus had to be hidden. They gave Him frankincense which served multiple purposes. He was anointed with it just as any king's son would be. It also has healing properties, which Mary could use to keep Jesus healthy, and again is symbolic in that Jesus was able to heal the sick. Isaiah 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. The myrrh is an ointment used for one who would die. Myrrh means bitter. This gift symbolized the bitter cup that Jesus had to drink to save the world! Remember when Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane just before He was crucified? Matthew 26:39 And He went a little further, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.

I am thankful for Jesus! He is my King. He is my Passover Lamb. He is my supreme sacrifice! I am thankful for salvation, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life. He is my Great Physician. He is my Healer. He heals me of all my diseases! He restores my soul! He renews my mind. He purchased my healing with the stripes on His precious back! I am thankful that He died for me and yet I hate that I caused Him to die. It was my sins, my attitudes of unforgiveness, my pride, my selfish desires, and my wayward heart that caused Jesus to die on that old tree. He took the thorns for me! He took the nails in His hands and feet for me! It was my punishment and He took it. I am so thankful and humbled. I don't know why He thought enough of me to do that but I am so thankful that He did.

What are you thankful for today? It doesn't matter if you have presents or not, a tree or not, celebrate or not. The Lord Jesus came to this earth, lived and served, then died in a sacrificial gift to free the world from the slavery of sin and bondage and offer us eternal life. If you have not received that free gift today, please do! Ask God to forgive you of your sins and be the Lord of your life! Psalms 145:18 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth. Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens