How Great Is Our God | Thankful Thursday

Have you ever been to the ocean? I am surprised to learn that many people have never seen the ocean. It is so beautiful and one of my favorite places to be. I am sharing a photo today that I love. I don't like having my picture taken very often but my daughter took this picture as I was staring over the ocean in Biloxi, Mississippi. The sky was breathtaking and looked like cotton candy. The ocean, so vast - with white caps and small waves rising and crashing. The ebb and flow of the water at the edge of the white sand was so relaxing I could have easily been lulled to sleep. The salt in the air and the beauty around me filled my heart with gratitude and thankfulness. What a joy it was to be surrounded by God's beautiful creation.

As I sit in Indiana, surrounded by white SNOW and not white sand, I long for the warmer temperatures. I do not like winter, and I never have. Far from the beautiful place God sent us for 16 months, I am reminded that I can no longer just take a short walk to see the beautiful water. Instead of longing for what I cannot have, I am thankful for the memories. I am grateful for the experience. I am happy that I had those opportunities to grow exponentially in my faith and our little family of four connected like never before.

What about you? Is there something that you want? Something you miss? Something you may not be able to get back but you long for it? Friends, don't get discouraged. If God has removed something from your life, rest assured He has something better to give you. It may not feel like it, and maybe if you are mourning the loss of a beloved pet or family member maybe it is not going to be replaced, but I know that God gives beauty for ashes and strength for fear, gladness for mourning, and hope for despair.

PSALM 33:6-12, 18-22 (6)By the Word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. (7)He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: He layeth up the depth in storehouses. (8)Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. (9)For He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast. (10)The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: He maketh the devices of the people of none effect. (11)The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations. (12)Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance. (18)Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy; (19)To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. (20)Our soul waiteth for the LORD: He is our help and our shield. (21)For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His Holy name. (22)Let Thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in Thee.

What an incredible passage. I encourage you to go back and read all of Psalm 33. It is SO good. It is refreshing to the soul. The words make a huge impact on me in this season of waiting and not seeing anything around me change. I am staring at the horizon, much like in this picture, and I am waiting, hoping, expecting, and sometimes doubting but I repent and try harder to believe and wait and hope and expect again. Verse seven says He gathers the water together in a heap. The ocean is so big and so deep and so wide and yet God who is far greater and bigger than the ocean He created, just gathers it in a heap! Verse eight says let all the people in the world stand in awe of God. 

I was in awe at the ocean. I feel so small, so minuscule next to the ocean, but I don't feel insignificant. And I think that is part of what draws me to the water. It is so incredible to see that the very one who knows how many drops are in the ocean, is the very same God who loves me so much He sent His Son Jesus to die for my sins and then rise on the third day. How can we not feel loved and cared for by the Master of the wind when we feel the breeze blow into our face? How can we wonder if God is real when proof is painted in every sunset of every single day.

This passage reminds us that everything was made at the voice command of God, Elohim, our Creator. And if we are going through a situation where we need to see and experience a move of God, we can ask the star-breather to speak life into our hopeless situation and He will do it. We will be amazed at the way He comes through for us. Just stand still and know that He is God. Verse 20 says our soul waits for the LORD because He is our help and our shield. He is everything we need. He is the giver and protector. He sustains us and lifts up our heads. We can rejoice in our hearts because we trust Him. He is always faithful.

I am thankful for many things this week. I am thankful for the heat, and the water, electricity, and reliable transportation to get my husband to work safely and back home safely, too. I want to tell my family and friends in Tennessee and Texas that I am praying for you all. I am praying you get your water and power back. I am praying you stay warm and safe. I am praying the ice melts soon and that warmer temperatures can come and thaw out the frozen pipes and things that have plagued so many families. I am praying for the safety of the emergency workers who are risking their own lives to save others. And as David says in verse 22, Let Your mercy LORD be upon Your children according as we hope in You. Keep hoping in Jesus. Let's keep Him first. Keep a praise and a grateful heart toward God. Let's love one another and help encourage each other. Jesus is coming back so soon and we want to be ready!

I pray that something I have shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Revelation | Fuel For The Weekend

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

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

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

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

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

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

Revelation 21:1-7 (1)And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (2)And I John saw the Holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (3)And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. (4)And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes: and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (5)And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (6)And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (7)He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son.

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

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

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

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

~Bridgett Owens

Blessed Mourning | Thankful Thursday

Jesus said in Matthew 5:4, "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." What an incredible statement. When you have lost nothing, and nothing has been taken from you recently, it sounds so beautiful and encouraging. It seems like it is a wonderful promise that maybe when someone you love dies it won't hurt as bad. But that is not the promise. Maybe it makes us think that we, as believers, get a pass on the grieving process, but that simply is not true. It is not what Jesus is saying at all.

Jesus said the people that grieve, no matter what that loss looks like, regardless of what the object is, be it a loved one, a beloved pet, a job, an opportunity, finances, physical health, mental health, it could be anything at all, --those people are blessed. Blessed?? It sure doesn't feel like I'm blessed when I lose something or someone. But if we just stop at Blessed are they that mourn and we don't read the rest of the sentence we miss the whole point. It sounds kind of cruel almost to bless someone because they are grieving. Why are we blessed? Why did Jesus call us blessed when we mourn?

The promise is not that we will never hurt, or that we won't ever have hard times. Jesus told us in the Gospels that in this world we would have trouble. In John 16:33, in the red letters, Jesus again speaking says, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

The reason we are blessed when we mourn is because we have Hope, the Blessed Hope. We have Jesus and He has given us a promise from His own mouth in Matthew that promises we SHALL be comforted. We will be consoled. We will be cared for in the lowest moments, in the lowest valleys. Jesus told us a couple chapters back in John 14:16-18 "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."

Now do you see where the mourners are blessed with Comfort? Jesus is coming to each and every one of us that serve Him and He through the Holy Spirit comforts us. He is the Comforter! That is why we can face the uncertainty of tomorrow and all fear can be gone because Jesus lives. He lives inside each of His children and He is comforting those that mourn.

This Thankful Thursday I am thankful for my cousin, Tim. I am thankful that I knew him and that he loved me and cared for me and gave me some wonderful memories. He nicknamed me, "Bridgett the Midget" when I was a little kid. I understand the term "midget" is not politically correct but he just called me that because I was a short kid and it rhymed. It was just in jest. I am thankful for the privilege to be able to hold his hand and pray over him and I know God moved on Tim's behalf. I am thankful for the power of prayer and for what God can do. I am thankful that Jesus is alive and that means we have HOPE because Tim placed his faith in God. He received his license to minister and preached last Sunday. Now he is Home. Everything he lived for in these last days of his life... the message he shared with his whole heart... he gets to see the fruit of his labor as he now is in the presence of the Lord. the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:8, We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

It may seem strange that on this Thankful Thursday I am grateful for this topic, but I am thankful that I do not mourn like the world who is without hope. I have the blessed assurance that Tim is in a far better place than I am. He is with God and he has no more cancer, no more sickness, no more pain, no more suffering, no more swelling, no more torment. He saw through a glass darkly but now face to face. It just encourages me to draw nearer to God. Lord, help us all be ready when You call our name. We must labor while we have the chance, friends. Work now while you can. We are not promised tomorrow and one day it will be over. Our fighting and striving for the good fight we are battling in this life will be over and we will have Jesus welcome us in to His paradise. What a day that will be!

I am 42 years old and most of my family has died now, the majority of them through some type of cancer. It has swept through our family swiftly and there are very few of us left, many are not in good health that remain. I do not take my days on earth lightly. If I could have one wish, one desire, one goal it would be to reach the whole world for Jesus Christ. It would be that I would tell everyone about the goodness of God. His mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness. He is loving and kind and quick to forgive. Jesus already paid for your salvation. It is free. It is yours just by putting your trust in Him. Have you done that? If you have, I am so thankful! Let's help encourage one another, pray for and uplift each other on our journey we have left. If you haven't, please don't wait. You never know when time is up. Please do not put off making the best decision you could ever make. Ask Jesus to be your Savior. Tell Him that you believe Jesus is the Son of God and that He died for your sins. Confess with your mouth that you believe Jesus rose from the dead on the third day and now is alive forevermore. If you ask Him to forgive you of your sins and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, you are saved. It is that easy! It is that free! But don't stop there.

Find a church that is teaching from the Holy Bible and get yourself a Bible. Tell me if you need a Bible and I will make sure you have one. Read it every single day. Pray and ask Holy Spirit to help you understand what it means. It is spiritually discerned so that means you cannot read it like a regular book. You need Him to give you wisdom and knowledge to help you understand it. Surround yourself with other believers and if you have the opportunity to get baptized in Jesus' name then do that! Give your life to Jesus and you will soon see that your life changes. You will make better choices and you may have to change who you spend time with. You will lose your desire for the things you once craved in this world but you will get a hunger and a thirst for His righteousness and the Bible says you will be filled! You will never regret making Jesus the Lord of your life. You will never be the same.

I am thankful Jesus saved me with His merciful grace. He loves me and He has never given up on me. I would have given up on me by now but Jesus never does. He loves us all so much He gave His life for us. Do not wait another minute to ask Him into your heart.

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

~Bridgett Owens

Armor Up | Wednesday Bible Study

When I was growing up, we used to sing a song at church that went like this:

Ain't gonna lay my armor down

Ain't gonna lay my armor down

Ain't gonna lay my armor down 'til He comes.

Ain't gonna lay my armor down

Ain't gonna lay my armor down

Ain't gonna lay my armor down 'til He comes.

I remember singing that song and really listening to the words. The armor is the full armor of God. It was a catchy, upbeat chorus. I believe now that God was using that song to sow seeds into my heart that I should not lay my armor down. Now in this season of my life I can understand that much better.

God has always enabled His people to fight to win. In the Old Testament there are numerous passages of where God told the men in charge to go forward and He would fight for them. When they obeyed Him they were victorious. In the New Testament we are given instructions on how to apply the full armor of God so we can stand against the schemes of the devil. When we are in the full armor we are victorious.

The one thing the Bible does not tell us is when it is okay to take the armor off. From Genesis to Revelation you will never find a time that tells us it is okay to lay our armor down. In the natural, after a battle, the men would take their armor off and put it away until they needed it again. In the supernatural, we have to put on the full armor of God, not just one or two pieces, but fully suit up for battle and we are never to take it off. We have to be ready because the devil knows his time is short so he is not going to take a break from trying to discourage us from serving God.

REVELATION 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

We read Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus and we are warned in chapter five to walk cautiously as wise men and women taking back our time because the time we live in is evil. It was true then and it is even more true today. We have to take back our time because we are allowing the enemy to distract us and cause us to watch videos, movies, news programs, and social media posts that are taking our eyes off of Jesus and onto the state of the world around us. We can get so discouraged and frustrated, and even become fearful when we look at what is going on around us. It's time we take back our time and we use it to further the Kingdom of God. It's time we start using our gifts and talents to help encourage one another and lift each other up. Let's stop looking at what is happening around us and feeling defeated. We can see the evil and pray for God to shine bright in the darkness through you and me.

EPHESIANS 5:15-17 (15)See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, (16)Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (17)Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Paul finishes his letter in Ephesians chapter six with detailed instructions of how to fight the good fight of faith. We are given the instruction, the reason, and detailed instructions of what piece of armor goes where. Today we are going to take a closer look at the full armor of God because it is so important to know why we have each piece. None of the armor is outdated or obsolete. We need every single piece as much today, if not more than they did in the time Paul penned this letter.

EPHESIANS 6:10-20 (10)Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. (11)Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (12)For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (13)Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (14)Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (15)And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16)Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (17)And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God: (18)Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (19)And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, (20)For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

As we break this passage down, let's first start out with drawing strength from God. He is the source of our strength. In Nehemiah 8:10 it says the joy of the LORD is our strength. We get joy of the LORD when we are in His presence. The Bible says in Psalm 16:11 in the presence of God is fullness of joy! We draw strength from God when we are in His presence. That is the first part of suiting up is being in His presence. The first part of getting prepared for the battle is laying at the feet of Jesus and growing strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. It is not our own strength. Remember how God told Gideon to go in his own strength? He did not say that Gideon would be successful in his own strength, but he had to go. He had to start doing the thing God wanted him to do. He had to be obedient and then Gideon found strength in God alone. The same is true for you and me. We are to say yes to the call and willingly go where He tells us to go but we can never do it alone. God doesn't expect us to. That is why lesson #1 in how to suit up for battle is drawing strength from God when we are submerged in His presence.

In verse 11, Paul explains why we need to wear the entire armor of God. He tells us that in order to be successful, we have to know why we are suiting up in the first place. So that we may be able to stand against everything the devil throws at us. He is going to sling discouragement, slander, hatred, jealousy, envy, wrath, strife, mistrust, anxiety, and fear at us to prevent us from reaching toward the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14) There is a God and there is a devil. There is a heaven and there is a hell. If someone does not believe that, nothing changes. There is still a God and there is still a devil. There is still a heaven and there is still a hell. We will be fought hard if we are in the Lord's Army, but we will win every single battle. We will be victorious every single time. Why? Because God fights our battles. We must be obedient, standing firm in the full armor, and trusting God completely.

Sometimes we find ourselves at war with one another. In our culture today you have different camps. Some are liberal, some conservative, others somewhere in the middle. Some vote for one party, another for another party, and yet others for independent. There are those who believe all humans are created equal in the image of God and others who believe they are superior because of what color they are, where they were born, if they have money, and other ridiculous reasons. We do not war with one another. It is not black vs white; rich vs poor; skinny vs fat; nerdy vs athletic. We do not fight against flesh and blood. The person who makes us so angry we could spit nails is not really the problem! The enemy at work in their life is the problem. We are in a spiritual battle and that will never change until Jesus comes back in His glory to wage war against the prince of darkness and Jesus will prevail! Whose side are you on? I am on the Lord's side.

Verse 12 explains the enemy is at work in principalities. What is that? Rulers of the darkness. This is not some sci-fi movie script. These are real forces at work and according to Darby's Bible Synopsis they possess an evil energy that has mastery over those who do not know how to resist it. Brothers and sisters this is why it is imperative that we take this seriously. We can be deceived and enslaved if we are not aware of who the real enemy is.

The powers and spiritual wickedness in high places refers to the heavenly realm in which they reside. God does permit these evil forces to be at work at times, but remember God is good all the way through. There is no evil in Him (Psalm 92:15) and so He will work all these bad things for our good for His children according to Romans 8:28. But we have to be suited up and ready for these wicked attacks.

God wants us to do everything we can to stand in the evil time. He says after you have done all you can, stand! Standing is not a light assignment. Have you ever stood for a long time? It is physically fatiguing to stand for a long period of time. Your legs start aching. You get tired. Your back can start to hurt as your posture changes and shoulders slump. It is not easy to stand. But God gives us the strength we need! (Psalm 121:2, 7-8)

To have your loins girt about with truth is to wear truth like a belt. The loins are on the right and left sides of spinal column, below the "false" ribs and the hip bones. The belt is symbolic because when a belt is secured, in our society today it holds up clothing. So there is security in having truth surrounding us, but it's more than just that. In the Roman soldier's attire it was a place to hang their sword. We haven't talked about the sword yet, but the belt of truth is a place to hold up the truth of God's Word. It needs to be secure around the waist, not hanging loosely. We cannot grab hold of any version of truth the world throws at us. We must be like those in Berea. Acts 17:11 says they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily, They were taking everything they heard and holding it up to the reflection of God's Word to see if there was truth in what they heard. We have to do that! We must do that!

Before verse 14 ends we see that we need the breastplate of righteousness to go with our belt. Why is a breastplate important and what is the righteousness we need to cover ourselves with? A breastplate covers the chest. It is protecting a vital organ, the heart. When we cover our chest we protect our source of life; we protect our emotions; we protect our feelings. It is multifaceted and not to be discarded. Do not think the breastplate is of no value. We must wear the righteousness of God over our heart. We are to protect our heart because out of it flow the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23) As we follow after righteousness we find life (Proverbs 21:21). When we believe in God it is accounted to us as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6) (2 Corinthians 5:21) (Romans 10:10) When we believe in God, and trust Him to be our Redeemer, our Lord, our Savior, we are guarding our hearts. This is a place the devil loves to attack us. We get hurt feelings. The seat of our emotions, where we can hold a grudge, harbor unforgiveness, lose courage, feel defeated, is the one area the devil targets us every single time. If we are not covered by our identity in Christ Jesus we are an open target! Satan's lies have no effect on a heart set on God's truth.

Next verse says to put on our spiritual shoes prepared with the gospel of peace. We are called to be peacemakers. The Bible tells us in Romans 12:18, "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men." If it is possible, we must take the characteristics of God and live at peace with everyone. That is hard but it is possible. We need to wear shoes in battle. We have to protect our feet that will carry us to the mission field God has prepared for us. If our feet are unprotected we will get blisters and sores and cuts. We will not be able to walk far, then we will start hobbling along, and before we know it we are sitting on the sidelines nursing wounds we would never have been subject to if we were prepared with feet coverings. When we expose ourselves to the culture of our times and we are not under the protective armor of God we will get hurt and wounded and damaged. We will be sitting on the sidelines wondering why we ever tried in the first place. Daughters and sons of God get up! This is no time to quit. Get your fire back. Bandage the wounds, let the Holy Spirit pour His healing salve into the wounds and put your shoes on! The fight is on! How do we get those shoes on? Isaiah 26:3 says, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee." Jesus said in John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." We are kept in perfect peace when our minds are on God. I can't stop thinking about God. He is always on my mind. We commune throughout the day. I walk in perfect peace. I have troubles and trials but I am at peace. The armor is not to prevent the battles, it is to prepare you for the battles.

Verse 16 says above all the other pieces of armor, you really need to take the shield of faith with you. It is with faith that we are protected from fiery darts of the wicked one. Fiery darts sounds painful and they are! You will know when you have been hit with a fiery dart of the devil. If you have no faith and you are not holding up the shield, you will get hit hard and it will be felt! Those darts are painful because they are meant to keep you from ever having faith in God. The fiery darts are memories of how your childhood was; reminders of how it felt to be reprimanded in front of others in the office; the shame of the area you compromised. On and on it goes, friends, to discourage us and defeat us. It is the painful regrets and bitter memories of the past that haunts us and holds us back. The chains clamp tight around our wrists and we are limited in what we can do. Don't doubt God. Don't look at the situation. Look at what God said about it. Walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7)

The shield of faith will quench ALL of the fiery darts of the wicked one. It does not say it will extinguish the big ones, or the small ones, or a few of them....it clearly says, "wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." That is why no weapon formed against us shall prosper. (Isaiah 54:17) Faith is the shield because we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). The salvation of God protects us. How do we get faith? Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Read the Word of God. Let that Word come alive in your heart. Let the Word guide your steps. Let it lead you and direct you in the way you should go. Allow it to empower you to make good decisions. It is God's Word that changes us.

Verse 17 gives us the helmet of salvation. The helmet is protecting your brain, your thought process, your mind, your way of thinking, your judgment, your decisions, your ideas, your creativity. Do you see how important this is? Do not leave the helmet off. Do not think you can go a day without it. It is too important to miss. This is the devil's favorite playground...the mind. He can start twisting your thoughts, messing with your imagination, magnifying problems that are not that serious, and causing you to doubt the things you have learned about God. If the devil sees us without our helmet on, we are in trouble! He is coming hard for us because if he can control our minds he can control our destiny. He will change our direction and we will follow him straight into the flames of hell. Do not be deceived. The helmet of salvation is truly that. It is the protection of your mind reminding you that you are redeemed, you are blood-bought, purchased of God, and you are victorious in Christ Jesus. When we slip off our helmet for a moment, we are at risk of being hit with a bullet from the enemy. Now you can see why we must never take off the armor of God. Safeguard your thoughts. Romans 12:2 says, "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. 

In the same verse, we get our only defensive weapon. Now we are introduced to the sword of the Spirit. This is the drop-kick to the devil that we have at our disposal 24/7. It is effective 100% of the time to defeat the enemy. It is the Word of God. In the wilderness, after Jesus had fasted 40 days and 40 nights he was tempted of the devil. He was told of all the things He could get if He would compromise, bow down, give in, lower His standards. Three times He was tempted, and three times Jesus answered: IT IS WRITTEN! IT IS WRITTEN! IT IS WRITTEN! (Matthew 4:1-11) We have the same weapon. It is irreplaceable. It is indestructible. It never fails. It never loses power. It is a sure-fire way to win against the powers of darkness every single time, in every single battle you face. We can grab our spiritual sword, which is the Word of God, and defeat the devil every time!!!!

As we bring this Bible study to a close, we finish Paul's letter in verses 18-20 telling us to pray in the Spirit and watch without giving up. We must be praying and asking God to help us and to help others and then with expectancy be looking for the answer. We must believe God can do the BIG, the HARD, and the IMPOSSIBLE things for us. Nothing is too hard for God! (Jeremiah 32:27) (Mark 10:27)

We are to boldly speak the truth of God's Word. We will offend some. The goal is not to be offensive, but God's Word is going to offend some people. God's Word holds us to a much higher standard than the world has and when others see what we are doing, it makes them uncomfortable to be around us. When we choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong, it creates an atmosphere where others look at their own lives and if they are not hitting the mark, they can get upset with us for doing the right thing. How often has someone watched us politely decline something that does not align with our values and their response is, "Well, it's not that bad." "There's not that much cussing." "It's not going to hurt anything." We need to ask ourselves, "What does God's Word say about it? What would Jesus think? Can this hurt my witness and my testimony?" Let's start standing up for what we know is right and true and good. We do not need to feel bad for making righteous choices.

Verse 20 says we are ambassadors for God. We are the lights, the living testimonies of God's truth. We are to light up the darkness and shine bright so others may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16) That is our mission! That is our goal. We should be unashamed in our walk with the Master. We are not cast-aways. We are not disposable. We have great worth. We are children of the Most High God. We are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and we are sanctified by Him. Our sanctification is a life-long process. We won't get it right every day, but we can keep trying. God offers grace and mercy and His wonderful love and forgiveness. We can strive to be perfect but we know we will fall short. Everyone does! (Romans 3:23)

Friends, rejoice in knowing that we are in a winning battle! We have God on our side. He has given us perfect armor and God recently reminded my friend that His armor does not fail! We can see that when we have the full armor of God on us, we will live a life of victory and not defeat. We can hold our heads up high. We cannot ever take off the armor of God until we are in the presence of our Savior and King and it is no longer required. I'm singing it now:

Ain't gonna lay my armor down

Ain't gonna lay my armor down,

Ain't gonna lay my armor down 'til He comes! 

Ain't gonna lay my armor down

Ain't gonna lay my armor down

Ain't gonna lay my armor down 'til He comes! 

I'm gonna keep on fighting sin!

I'm gonna keep on fighting sin!

I'm gonna keep on fighting sin 'til He comes!

I'm gonna keep on fighting sin! 

I'm gonna keep on fighting sin! 

I'm gonna keep on fighting sin 'til He comes!"

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Are You A People Pleaser? | 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 hope everyone's weekend has started well. I am late sharing my Fuel For The Weekend post. We all have times we want to do something and have the best intentions but it just simply can't be done and that was what I experienced yesterday. I do apologize for that. I want to jump right in to what I am going to share this week because it is so good! God keeps blessing me and teaching me so many new things and I love sharing it with you all. I appreciate the text messages and emails and comments. It means so much to me to hear what God is doing in your hearts and lives through this blog.

When I was growing up and through most of my 20's I had a strong desire to please others. I wanted their approval. I did not have confidence in who I was as a person, let alone as a follower of Christ. I always needed affirmation that I was enough. The truth is, I never got it because I never studied the Word to discover what God thought about me.

Don't get me wrong. People told me nice things. I was loved. I was appreciated. It was just that the approval I was seeking from people could never satisfy my desire to feel complete. That can only come from God. I did not understand that God loved me unconditionally. I always thought I was one bad deed/word/thought from slipping into hell's flames. The truth is God loves me and God loves you so much that He sent His only Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins and in so doing He gave us an opportunity to be the sons and daughters of God!

GALATIANS 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

This was eye-opening when I first read it. The first question this verse poses is whose approval are we wanting: people's or God's? We need to really think about that. Our quick response is God's approval, but if we look at our lives and the way we speak, act, react, respond, think, and behave it may not be God's approval that we are truly after. Let's ask God to shine His light of love into our hearts and expose any hidden agendas we may not realize we have. If we are trying to please our parents, our spouse, our kids, our boss, our pastor, our government officials we are not a servant of Christ. When we seek to please Christ we honor others in our life because He calls us to a life of Holiness that cannot be found apart from Him.

GALATIANS 1:15-16 (15)But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by His grace, (16)To reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

Paul shares with the Galatians, and now with us, that when God called him to minister to the unbelieving, he didn't check with his family and friends to see if they thought it was a good idea. He didn't look for confirmation in his small group leader or his neighbors. When God puts a calling on our lives, we don't need to ask anyone else if they think we should do it. This goes back to not trying to please people. Many times when God gives us something specific to do, we don't have a tribe following us and cheering us on. We don't have a lot of support and encouragement. In fact, often the opposite is true. We need to seek God's approval and His direction for our life and when we follow Him and do what He says to do when He says to do it, we will see an amazing transformation in our lives.

Sometimes we start out on fire for God and we are doing great. We may experience great faith and see our prayers answered quickly. We get excited and we want to do so much for God. We are hungry for the Word. We have drifted away from certain people who were holding us back. We stopped doing things that displeased the LORD and then a trial comes at us and we get knocked off course. We have two choices: get back up and go stronger for God, or stay down and think of old solutions to get through the tough times and slowly slide back into the old way of living and thinking.

GALATIANS 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Paul warns us that we need to stand fast, don't move, don't look back at how things used to be. We are made free in Christ Jesus. When we start listening to family or friends who advise us to handle our problems in ways other than on our knees before God, we can easily get trapped into sin. If we are looking to anything or anyone other than God to help us we are not trusting God is able to help us through. We may not say that but our actions indicate we trust more in other solutions than we do in God's ability to do the impossible! If we stand strong and hold onto our liberty, we won't get trapped into slavery to sin again.

GALATIANS 5:7-9 (7)Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? (8)This persuasion cometh not of Him that calleth you. (9)A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

Paul says to the Galatians then, and now to us, "You did run well, so who hindered you? Someone has persuaded you to do things that you shouldn't do and it wasn't God." Who are we talking to? Who do we take advice from? When trials come and we are running along, keeping our eyes on Jesus, we may trip over a stumbling block in our path we didn't see. As our foot catches the edge of the stumbling block, we fall face first into the dirt. We can stand back up, brush ourselves off, and then start running again. Let's warn others as they approach the same obstacles to use the stumbling block as a stepping stone. We can remember for ourselves to jump over those hurdles. God will give us the strength to overcome these trials and tests in life. When Paul says a little leaven leavens the whole lump, it means that it's the small things that can get us. A little bad advice, a couple twisted scriptures, or a slight compromise here or there causes your heart to grow cold and indifferent to God's Word. Seeds of doubt are planted where seeds of faith should grow. We have to be careful that no matter who we get advice from, we need to hold that information up to the reflection of God's Word and if it doesn't match, we need to discard the information. God's Word is true. God's Word will stand. If it does not match exactly what God's Word says to do, it is not good advice and it will take you off course quickly.

GALATIANS 6:9-10 (9)And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (10)As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

I want to close this post with some encouragement. Brothers and sisters, I understand what it feels like to have a heavy yoke around my neck, always desiring to please others and make them happy. I was miserable inside. I was worn out. I could never do enough good things to help others because that is not how I could find fulfillment. It was exhausting. Sometimes it feels like we do these good things for nothing, and perhaps in some ways we do. What is our true motive? If we are trying to please God it is not in vain. If we are trying to win over others, we will never succeed and it is a tiring process.

Let's not get tired of trying to please Jesus. Let's work hard to do things that honors Him. If we do not faint, and if we will not give up, we will see a great harvest of blessings. We must hold on and stay on track. Keep our eyes on Jesus and He will guide us. He will help us overcome every obstacle in our way. His plans are best.

As we get a chance to help someone else, let's do it! Encourage your family and friends and coworkers to keep going strong for Jesus. Remind them that God is for them and not against them. If they are in a low spot, pray for them, encourage them, and lift them up! That is what we are to do for everyone, especially fellow Christians. We all need strengthened and uplifted from time to time. It feels good to know someone is whispering your name in prayer. I certainly appreciate all the prayers that are prayed for me. If you need some encouragement, please reach out to fellow believers and ask them. God can give them the words to say that bless and encourage you.

I am thankful for all those who read my blog. I do not take it for granted that you share a part of your day with me here. I pray something you have read today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

 

Hope Resource Center | 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.

Hope

Resource Center

and Medical Clinic

I am thankful for Hope Resource Center and Medical Clinic. You can find them on Facebook and I encourage you to check them out and follow them. They are a non-profit pregnancy care center and medical clinic that serves men and women in Lawrence county and surrounding areas with free and confidential services. Hardworking volunteers and staff provide quality care. In life's toughest situations you can turn to Hope.

At Hope Resource Center, they believe everyone is entitled to factual information about their pregnancy and their options, regardless of economic status. This is a safe place to learn and ask questions as you navigate through what could be a scary or stressful time in your life.

In addition to pregnancy services, Hope Resource Center offers STI screenings and Earn & Learn Parenting Programs. The pandemic has caused many organizations to restructure how they offer services, and Hope is no exception. Zoom online classes allow new parents to take advantage of these wonderful resources in the comfort of their own home. It is a wonderful resource to have and rewarding in more ways than one. To contact the Hope Resource Center click here now.

You may wonder how you can help. Perhaps you do not need these services yourself, but you may want to know how to get involved. First of all, you can pray for this organization. There are so many things they offer, even a free ultrasound, and it takes a lot of revenue to keep the center going. Pray for provision and protection for the staff and those who use these services. If you follow them on Facebook you can like and share their page. Sign up to receive their free newsletter delivered right to your inbox to stay up-to-date on what they are doing! You can do all of those things and still have a desire to do more. Regardless of your skill level, Hope Resource Center welcomes you to inquire about their volunteer services. You can find out more here. You may not be able to give your time to help Hope but there are still other ways to be a blessing to this wonderful organization. You can learn how to host a supply drive in your church, school, or business. The Baby Bottle Boomerang is not only the easiest fundraiser you ever have participated in, but it can be fun with a little friendly competition among your family, friends, youth group, small group, coworkers, or challenge your friends on Facebook! They have a current list of supplies they need and I think it would make a great service day project for your family and friends or business to take on!

If you enjoy shopping and saving money and supporting a good cause, you can do all three by stopping by Hope's Kids Closet. This second-hand store has a variety of new and gently used items such as clothes, toys, diapers, bedding, and much more. The prices are unbeatable and you are helping others as you help yourself! 

We are to be good stewards of all we are given, and the Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. God has blessed many of us beyond meeting our needs. Out of the abundance we have, let's support this wonderful organization. You can give a generous one-time gift, or you can click the recurring gift option. It's safe and easy to do online. You can also mail a check if you prefer and the information is all on their website. 

1 John 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? Powerful words to the church in Corinth and powerful words for you and I today. I am thankful on this Thankful Thursday that Hope Resource Center exists. It is awesome that God has given our community an amazing resource of hope in the exact location of Planned Parenthood. I encourage you to give back to the community by supporting this amazing organization. Check out their website to learn more. Call or message them on Facebook to learn more about classes and services they provide. If you host a supply drive let me know and I am definitely thinking of ways I can do the Baby Bottle Boomerang with my family and friends.

During this pandemic, we all have more time to sit and reflect on what is most important. Some of the things we did for pleasure are no longer an option. Some of the travel plans we have made or wanted to make are put on hold until further notice. This can allow us to give more generously in many cases. Find an organization that supports things you believe in. Research local businesses and find out how you can be a part of their success. Partner with others that are doing things you want to see more of. Together we are truly better!

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Guaranteed Success | Wednesday Bible Study

Today's Bible study topic is on trust. We may remember Gideon as a mighty man of valor. We may remember he was the head of the army that God used, only 300 men, to defeat a mighty army that waged war against them. We remember the triumph and the favor, but Gideon was not always a champion. When God called him from under an oak tree, Gideon was insecure and doubtful that God could ever use a man like him. We may not be able to understand what it looks like to have success and favor on our lives like Gideon, but can we relate to feeling like we are not smart enough, strong enough, or good enough to be used to do mighty things for God? I certainly can. I have battled insecurities for years, but God has been teaching me that I don't need to have confidence in myself and my abilities. I need to have confidence in God and what He can do through me. Let's read the text.

JUDGES 6:11-24 (11)And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. (12)And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valor. (13)And Gideon said unto Him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all His miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD has forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. (14)And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? (15)And he said unto Him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. (16)And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man. (17)And he said unto Him, If now I have found grace in Thy sight, then shew me a sign that Thou talkest with me. (18)Depart not hence, I pray Thee, until I come unto Thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before Thee. And He said, I will tarry until thou come again. (19)And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto Him under the oak, and presented it. (20)And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. (21)Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in His hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight. (22)And when Gideon perceived that He was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face. (23)And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die. (24)Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezerites.

The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD. This chapter opens up telling us that the children of Israel were not concerned about God, but now that they are suffering the consequences of turning their back on God and they do not like it. Now they need Him! The Bible tells us in verse six of that same chapter that Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites. Because of their circumstances, they cried unto the LORD to deliver them from the bondage. 

The first thing we see in this passage is the angel of the LORD sits under an oak tree. He sees Gideon. He does not announce His presence with a trumpet or loud fanfare. He sits beneath the oak and observes Gideon hiding out by the wine press, trying not to be noticed by the enemy: the Midianites. He has a job to do, but he cannot do it in the open. He is hiding. 

The angel of the LORD appears to Gideon. Note the greeting Gideon gets. "The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!" He was greeted in the way God saw him. Gideon had no medals, no shiny armor, no big following. God called him a mighty man of valor. The salutation is that "God is with you, Gideon." I am here to tell you that God is with you today, mighty man or woman of valor! It does not matter who you think you are, God is with you and with me. He calls us men and women of valor.

What is valor? It means to have great courage in the face of danger, especially in battle. Gideon did not feel like a brave man in the face of adversity. We may not feel brave either, but God called Joshua to be strong in the LORD and in the power of His might and He put the same call on Gideon and on you and me. (Joshua 1:9)

Gideon's jaw must have hit the ground! He no doubt turned and looked behind him. He couldn't believe that he was the one being addressed. He was no war hero. He was no one special. At least those are the lies the enemy planted in his mind.  And immediately insecurity rears its ugly head and makes him doubt. Friends, do not doubt your worth and potential inside of you. If you are a child of the Most High God you are a child of THEE CHAMPION and you have no other choice but to be victorious! It's in your bloodline!

God gives a declaration of power and truth to Gideon and he is so beat down by the enemy, so oppressed by his circumstances, he cannot receive it. He says the same thing many ask today when things get hard. "Where is God?" He says, "If God is really with us then why are we suffering?" Are you looking at your situation and your circumstances and asking, "Where is God in all of this? If God is with us why are we in this pandemic? If God is really with me then why am I sick? Why did he let my loved ones die?" Gideon said, "Our parents and grandparents told us that God performed miracles and freed us from slavery before when we were in Egypt. But now God has forsaken us and we are at the mercy of these awful Midianites."

Do you remember what God has done for you in the past? What about in January this year? What did God do for you in January? Can you look back and see God's hands all over your life and how He delivered you from addiction and bondage and slavery to sin? Maybe like Gideon you can see great in the rear-view mirror but when you look out the windshield of your life you don't see Him anywhere. You see the roadblocks, the dead-ends, the danger and the despair. God already answered this question when He greeted Gideon. He said, "The LORD is with thee." That is the same answer He is telling you and me today. God is with us!

God did not repeat that phrase to Gideon. He did not put His arm around Gideon's shoulder and tell him how important and special he was to Him. No, God gives him a job to do. He reveals Gideon's mission. We do not need a pep talk. We need to know what our assignment is. What are we here for? God tells Gideon to "go in your own strength and save Israel. Am I not sending you?" He is telling us the same thing. Use the strength and the energy you have and you will be successful in the thing I am calling you to do because I AM sending you! I AM is sending you and I AM is sending me. We have been told to go and do the thing that God has put in our hearts to do. What is He telling you to do?

Gideon did not grab his weapons of war and rush off to the battle. He did not stand a bit taller and throw his shoulders back, ready to face the Midian army. He did what you and I often do when we are asked to do something we don't think we can handle. He made excuses. He talked about his flaws and shortcomings. He asked God, "How can I save Israel? I am from a poor family and even in my family I am the weakest, the youngest, the least important person. Why would You choose me to do something so important? I will fail." Don't we do that too? Our first reaction is to check our toolbox and see if we have what it takes to do the job. When we see the toolbox is empty or full of things we don't see value in, we shrink back in fear. We tell God, the creator of heaven and earth, that He is wrong! He picked the wrong person. We have the audacity to argue with the King of kings and Lord of lords and tell His Majesty that He is asking the wrong person to do this job.

God is telling each of us to do something right now. It might be to talk with a friend or neighbor. Maybe it's to forgive someone who hurt us a long time ago and we are still hanging on to and nursing old wounds because we cannot forget. God might be asking us to use our skills and abilities to help someone else. Maybe it's to go on a mission trip, or give some money to an organization that desperately needs it. Maybe it's to help someone by writing a book, creating a video, starting a blog, doing the podcast, hosting a Zoom meeting. What is God telling you to do? Do not look at what you have and think you are inadequate. He told Gideon to go in his own strength and if he goes in obedience then God is going to give him the victory. It is guaranteed success. The same powerful promise is ours if we will just pick up the pen, dial the number, drive to the house, write the check, turn on the mic! God will guarantee us success. We will reach who He wants us to reach and we will not fail!

God responds to Gideon's list of Reasons I Cannot Do It by reminding Gideon that he is not alone. He promises him success. God said, "Surely I will go with you. I am not sending you alone. You are not doing this by yourself." He is telling us the same thing. "Go but do not think I am saying go alone!" God said, "Without question I am going with you!" Do you hear the heart of the Father in this? He wants to partner with us on a major undertaking to further His Kingdom on this earth. He says to us that He is going with us. We are not going to face this by ourselves.

He tells Gideon that he will defeat the massive army as if it were only one man, one opponent. God is telling us that the spirit of fear we face is our opponent and we are going to overcome fear because God did not give us that spirit. He gave us power, love, and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) We have everything we need to succeed. God just wants us to be willing and obedient.

Let's recap for just a moment. God came down to talk to Gideon and He manifests His presence to him. He declares who He sees Gideon as. He gives him a big task that Gideon would never have thought of doing. After listening to Gideon's fears and excuses of why God should find someone else to do the job, He encourages Gideon. He promises to be with him and to give him success. Now Gideon says to God, "Show me a sign You really are talking to me." He actually said that to God. He said in essence, "This is all too incredible for me to believe. Can You please show me a sign that this is really from You God? Can You please just give me proof that You are actually picking me?"

It's easy to pick on Gideon for doing that, but don't we have tendencies to do the same thing? Holy Spirit drops an idea into our heart and we think about it and we dream about it and it seems impossible and scary but exciting at the same time. Then we start asking God to prove that He really is the author of this big idea. When in reality we could never think it up for ourselves. So then Gideon tells God not to leave so he can give Him a gift and our Heavenly Father is so patient with His children that He says to Gideon, and to us, "I will wait."

Gideon comes back with some meat and unleavened bread and broth and takes it to God under the oak tree. God tells Gideon what to do and he immediately obeys. God tells Gideon to set the gifts on the rock. That is so important. When we are bringing our gifts we need to display them on the Rock - that is Jesus. We need to make sure our gifts are on that sure foundation! And when the LORD touched the gift with the staff in His hand, on the sure foundation of the Rock, the fire was ignited! Fire out of the rock! It consumed the gift. We need to make sure the Holy Ghost fire of God consumes our gift. We must do exactly what He tells us to do with our gift. If we drop the gift on the ground it is no good. If we forget the broth or spill it before we can pour it, we are missing the mark. We must carefully follow God's leading with our gifts and that will ignite His power within us and  consume us!

Now Gideon's supernatural eyes are open! He sees that it is God. And then instead of remembering this is the sign he asked for, fear grips his heart again. He thinks he will now die because he has seen an angel of the LORD face to face. But God has not come to kill Gideon. God has called him to do a mighty, valiant work for Him. In the love of our Heavenly Father, He says to Gideon, "Peace be unto you. Do not be afraid. You will not die." God gave Gideon peace and He gives us that peace, too. He is saying to us, "Do not be afraid. Here is My peace. I am giving it to you. You will not die. You will not fail. I am going to do big things through you!"

Gideon named the place Jehovah-shalom. Literally it means The LORD Is Peace. That is true, too. God is love. God is light. God is peace. I cry out to Jehovah-Shalom when I need peace and He has NEVER failed to give it to me. Friends, let's go back to where we first felt our inferiority, our anxiety, our fear, our failures. Let's go back to that awful place and let's rename it, THE LORD IS PEACE. Let's receive the gift of Jehovah-Shalom as He offers us His peace and quiets our fears. And instead of listing all our flaws, let's rename ourselves a mighty man or woman of valor. Declare today, "I have great courage in the face of danger, especially in battle!" Then suit up according to the Armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-20. God is with us. We will not fail. He is going with us. We will not go alone. We must go in our own strength and trust God to give us the victory because we know we cannot do it alone. We cannot succeed in our own strength, but when we have done all we know to do, we must stand and see God work!

I pray that something I have shared in this week's Bible study post today, has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens