Time For Healing | Fuel For The Weekend

 

Time for healing?

It is no secret that our nation is suffering. The whole world is suffering. There is a major sickness traveling the globe and causing many to suffer and it is called sin. The one thing most people avoid talking about in our culture is holiness unto God. The Bible says in Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." We are in a global pandemic and it started back in the Garden of Eden when Eve and Adam sinned first. Yes, we need a physical healing in this nation and internationally as well, but the need is so great for a spiritual healing, too.

3 JOHN 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things (pray that in all things) that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

John said he was praying that in every area of our lives we would be successful, have all our needs met, and have health, in relation to our soul prospering. You see, there are many anorexic Christians. Many Christians are snacking on God's Word, breaking off a piece here and there as it suits them, but never getting satiated on the meat! Churches are full of members who have been faithful in giving of their time and money, but they are still on the milk. You would not give an infant a steak dinner because it would strangle on something it is not ready to consume. What do you do? You give the baby milk and you control how often you give them a bottle, or nurse them. As they grow stronger, they can try baby food which has a little more consistency than milk but it is still gentle enough the baby will not choke. As the fine motor skills develop, the child can pick up finger foods and often these are biscuits that turn to mush in the mouth. Again, it is taking one step closer to the meat and potatoes, but not forcing things too fast. One day you will look across the table at your child who may be taller than you, stronger than you, and they effortlessly chew up vegetables, fruits, and meats. We must continue to feed our inner man spiritual food. We must consume the Gospel and as we learn and grow, we can understand more and take in more and then we are sharing our "lunch" with others as we share the Good News.

John's prayer was not that all who follow Jesus would be wealthy, possess material goods, and be popular. John's prayer was that he wants all Christians to prosper and be healthy just like he wants the same thing for our souls.

PSALM 107:20 He sent His Word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

Do you remember what the Centurion told Jesus? He impressed Jesus with his great faith. He asked Jesus to heal his servant. Jesus said, "I will come and heal him." (Matthew8:7) The centurion said he was not worthy for Jesus to come to his house. He respected Jesus. He had been observing the things Jesus did and how he had power over sickness, mental illness, and physical infirmities. He tells Jesus in Matthew 8:8 & 9, "Lord I am not worthy that Thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it."

The centurion understood more than all the religious leaders of that time. He had great faith and he fully understood that Jesus's words were able to speak healing to his servant, though they were not in the same area together, and he would be made whole. It was exactly what Jesus did. He sent the word and the servant was healed. Do we fully understand that concept? We have been trained to believe that if we are good enough, or do enough good things, then God will be happy with us and give us what we want, but if we don't measure up then God is not going to bless us. That is a lie from the enemy. Our own righteousness is not in this equation. God is a healer and when we ask in the name of Jesus for it to be done, it will be done according to our faith. What happens is we often do not have faith. We have a wait and see kind of mindset and then wonder why God is not moving on our behalf. Where is our faith? Where is our confidence in what God can do?

2 CHRONICLES 7:14 If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

We have some things to do if we want God to forgive our sin and heal our land. What are we supposed to do? First of all we need to humble ourselves. James 4:10 says, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up." We must remember we are not the Creator, we are His creation. We need to step off the pedestal others may have placed us on, or the high places we have lifted ourselves to, and remember who we are. We are nothing without God. He gives us hope, joy, purpose, love, and peace. We have to become humble servants. We are not teachable if we think more of ourselves than we should. We are not able to be molded and shaped into the image of Christ if we think we are good enough on our own.

We have to pray. James 5:16 tells us the fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. If we want to get things done, strongholds to break, unsaved loved ones to be converted, and healing our physical bodies and our nation from our sins, we have to pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) We must be in communication with God. He tells us to pray and ask Him for things and to have faith that He will do it. Do not think it could happen, or it might happen. Know that it will happen if you have the faith to believe it.

Finally, we are to seek His face. We often seek God's hands. We want Him to give us more money, give us a better job, give us a spouse, give, give, give... but that kind of relationship is one-sided and it is not fair to God who is our faithful partner. We are not faithful. We fail Him every single day. That may not be what you want to hear, and you may think you don't, but we do. We are flawed human beings and that is why in His great love and mercy, He extends grace to cover us. He wants us to desire His face. He wants us to seek His presence and to be with Him, near Him, intimately acquainted with Him. He wants us to look into His eyes and see the love and mercy of a wonderful Heavenly Father. He wants us to see His expression as He smiles at us. He loves us so much. He has accepted us as we are and then loves us way too much to leave us like He found us. Jeremiah 29:12 & 13 says, "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." Does He have your whole heart? He does not want parts and pieces; He wants the whole thing. 

God is so patient with us. He was patient with the children of Israel, even when they were disobedient and hard-headed. He still fed them, gave them a pillar of fire for protection, was in the cloud to lead them, and always watching over them. In Psalm 78:40 & 41 it says, "How oft did they provoke Him in the wilderness, and grieve Him in the desert! Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel." When we follow our own path, and seek out our own desires for our future, and want to be adored by the masses, we are provoking Him and grieving Him. We are limiting God on what He can do for us. Let's take God out of the box we put Him in, and let Him be God like only He can do! He is a BIG God and He desires to give us good things, perfect gifts, and grace. We have to turn from evil thinking and idolatry. 

If we do these things, He promises to forgive our sins and heal our land. We need God now more than ever before. Things are getting worse in the world instead of better, but we knew that it would. These are just signs for the Christians. Jesus told us what to watch for. These are the days of healing and restoration if we will let Him. Are we standing in His way? Have we been treating God like a spiritual Santa Claus? We have our lists and we want Him to check all the boxes and then we run off to do whatever we want with little to no gratitude for the things we are blessed with. Our Heavenly Father wants regular visits with His children. He wants your time, your focus, your passion. He wants you to love Him and serve Him. He is a wonderful Father and He has promised us amazing things if we will follow Him and allow Him to lead us.

I hope that you have a wonderful weekend. Some of you may be working, and others may be about to enjoy a three day weekend with Martin Luther King, Jr Day on Monday. Spend some time with God this weekend. Give Him the firstfruits of your day. Give Him your very best and watch what He will do. I hope that something I have shared today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Clarity | Thankful Thursday

Thankful for clarity?

I have been fasting this month. I do not say that to boast, because I could not do that if it wasn't for the Lord helping me. I am on a 21 day fast where I have chosen to give up one of the biggest conveniences in my life: fast food. I am on the road a lot. I travel a lot for work. My schedule is such that I can be pretty flexible with my schedule so if I want to run through a drive-thru and grab something to eat I am able. Giving up fast food has turned out to be a bigger sacrifice that I first thought it would be. But something happens when we fast and pray. God always hears and answers our prayers, but when we add fasting to our prayer life, it takes things to a deeper level. God starts revealing things to us. I have been seeking clarity in some areas of my life and He is definitely bringing it.

My word for the year is FOCUS. This is quite interesting, because I thought it was PLANS at first. Turns out as I was seeking God at the altar that God spoke to my heart that I am to FOCUS on Him. He said He has great PLANS for my life this year. He will bring it all to pass as long as I remain laser-focused on His Word, His love, His goodness, His grace, and His mercy.

One of the things I got clarity on was my writing. I am to stay on task for writing three blog posts a week. I am also supposed to finish the last portion of edits so my book, "Who Wants The Bread," can be published and made available to anyone who wants a copy. I have had multiple people ask about the Youth Prayer Journals and so I am excited about getting those uploaded as well. The Youth Prayer Journals turned out even better than I expected. I give God all the glory and honor. It was absolutely His ideas and design.

If you need clarity today for something you are going through, turn to God. He will give you wisdom and help you make your decisions. He is for you and not against you. He wants us to ask Him for things we lack in our lives. He is there to strengthen us, settle us, and surprise us with His wonderful blessings.

HABAKKUK 2:2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

It is important to write down the vision we have for our future, including what God's plan is for our future. If we keep it simple and read it often, we can focus on where we are headed. God has done miraculous, wonderful, supernatural things in 2021 for us, but we are now in 2022. He is going to do big things this year, too. He has already done some wonder-working, awe-inspiring things this month. We have to keep the vision in front of us so we can run! We need to move forward rapidly to be a part of all that God is doing around us.

HEBREWS 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

We have to focus on Jesus and not take our eyes off Him. He is the author of our faith; it originated with Him. He is the perfecter of our faith. He finishes the work He has begun in us just like He said He would in Philippians 1:6. He endured the cross, so if we think this year is going to be all pleasant and delightful with no pain or discomfort, we are missing the work Jesus did on the cross. This year began with laying to rest my husband's uncle. We have had some fun times and happy moments so far this year, but it has not been without its share of disappointments and sad times, too. If we focus on Jesus, the rough times will be smoother and the good times will be even better.

COLOSSIANS 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

The more we keep our eyes on Jesus and focus on heavenly things we will be content with where we are now. Storms may rage around us and threaten to destroy our vessels but God is with us and we will survive. This verse is one I am memorizing this month. It is important to set the things we care about the most in heavenly storage. The key to getting clarity is to stop looking around at the circumstances, or checking bank statements over and over, and to avoid letting these trials get us down. I once read a quote that says, "Ships don't sink because of the water around them; ships sink because of the water that gets in them. Don't let what's happening around you get inside you and weigh you down." I love that quote. It is so true.

JAMES 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

What a great verse to encourage and uplift us. If any of us lack wisdom, we can ask our Heavenly Father, and He will generously give it to us without ridiculing us or putting us down for not knowing. I always disliked asking someone to tell me what something meant and then they end up making fun of me for not knowing. God never does that to us. He is willing and able to give us all the wisdom we need to navigate through this life.

I thank God for the clarity He has given me on many things already this month. What are some of the things you are thankful for today?

Stay thankful! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm Chapter Two | Bible Study Wednesday

PSALM CHAPTER TWO BIBLE STUDY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

~Bridgett Owens

Working It Out This Weekend | Fuel For The Weekend

What are you working on this weekend?

I do not have to work this weekend and I am really thankful. I have a lot to do and it seems like I just get going good on a project and then I have to stop and get ready for bed. There never seems to be enough time to tackle everything on my to-do list. I save a lot of things for the weekend but it would be really nice to have a break and not really have any special plans for the days I am off. What are you planning on doing this weekend?

The Bible tells us some things we need to be doing, not just this weekend, but each and everyday. There are a few verses over in Colossians chapter three that I want to cover. I hope this gives you some insight on what God expects from us. I will be working on these things and I will be praying God strengthens you for the work He is calling you to do. Please say a prayer for me, too.

COLOSSIANS 3:12-25 (12)Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; (13)Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. (14)And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. (15)And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. (16) Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (17)And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him. (18)Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. (19)Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. (20)Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. (21)Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. (22)Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God. (23)And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily; as to the Lord, and not unto men; (24)Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. (25)But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

That's a lot to take in all at once. We will begin in verse 12 and dissect each verse to see what it is that we should be doing according to the Word of God. We may think we know what is expected and we may know in part, but it is always good to read it for ourselves and then ask God to help us get in line with His plans for us. That truly is the best way!

Verse 12 tells us to put on bowels of mercies. What does that even mean? This is a place of tender and sympathetic feelings. The world needs more kind, sympathetic people to meet them where they are, especially in the world crisis we are living in. It says to put on kindness. Just like putting a coat on before we go into the cold weather, we should be putting on kindness. We need to be kind to one another. It is a cruel world we live in and everyone we meet is fighting some kind of battle, whether we know it or not. We are to be kind to others, whether they are kind to us or not. What does it mean for us to put on humbleness of mind? It goes along with being meek. It is not thinking more of ourselves than we ought to; realizing we are all flawed human beings and we all need grace, love, and mercy. Do I have to tell you about longsuffering? It is having patience, suffering long with others. We may get frustrated or upset when others do not respond the way we want them to, or as quick as we want them to, but friends may I remind you that you and I are still on the Potter's Wheel. We are still being shaped and formed into the men and women God wants us to be, to reflect His image. We must be quick to help with loving kindness just like Jesus does for us.

In verse 13 it continues the list of things for us to do. It tells us to forbear one another. That means to not punish someone when you have the right to do so. It is being merciful just like God is to us. He does not hold our sins against us after they have been nailed to the cross of Calvary and cleansed by the blood of Jesus. He could have made us all suffer death but instead He gave us eternal life. We are to forgive one another. It does not matter who is right and who is wrong. Choose to forgive those who have wounded you. It is not worth it to hold grudges and harbor unforgiveness in your heart. It clearly says we are to forgive others as Jesus Christ forgave us. And verse 14 tells us above all of the other things we put on, we must not neglect to put on charity. Charity, or love, is the bond of completeness. When you love others you will want to show them mercy and kindness and think more about them than you do yourself. You will quickly forgive because you know what it is like to be forgiven.

We get a benefit if we are doing these things. Verse 15 says the peace of God will rule in our hearts. We are called to live in peace and harmony with other believers in the body of Christ, and we are to be thankful. I keep a gratitude journal and I found it changed my whole outlook on life. I journal at the end of the day what I am thankful for. I have a little journal I like to write my top three things in. I have another journal that I just write a few sentences. It caused me to focus more on the good things in my life than on the bad. It changed how I looked at things I once perceived as negative. Now I can see good in nearly any situation. It is wonderful how many benefits come from having a thankful heart.

None of these things come naturally to us. We only know to do good things from reading God's Word every single day. In verse 16 we are urged to let the Word of Christ live in us richly in all wisdom. When we fill our minds with the things God wants us to know, to learn, and to do we will respond in a way that pleases Him when troubles and trials come our way. We are to teach and encourage one another, warning each other of danger that comes from living apart from God. We do that in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. We are to sing with grace in our hearts to the Lord. We do not sing to one another, but our audience is One: Christ Jesus. 

You may already know what you plan on doing tomorrow and all weekend long. You may have everything planned and ready to go. So verse 17 applies to you, too. It says no matter what you do or say, do it all in Jesus's name and give thanks to Father God by Jesus. No matter what we say or do, it should always honor our Heavenly Father and glorify the work Jesus did on the cross. Whether we are going on a trip, spending time with others, or doing routine housework, we should make sure we are loving others and following the principles found in God's Word.

Verses 18 through 21 are directed to the family unit. We wives are supposed to honor our husbands and respect them as the spiritual leaders of our home. We are to respect their authority and place as head of the home. We should be praying for our husbands who have a great responsibility to lead us and the children. Husbands should love their wives and not be bitter against them. If they come home to someone who is constantly complaining, ignoring them, saying unkind things about them to the children or others, it could be hard to want to come home. We need to make sure our home is a safe place for them. We want them to find refuge in our home from the unkind, cruel world. They shoulder much responsibility and will have to answer for the way they led their families and we must not hinder them. Children are reminded to be obedient to their parents because this pleases the Lord. It makes Him happy to see the family unit working properly. It will not be perfect but if we follow God's guidelines it can be close. Fathers are instructed not to provoke the children because it can discourage them. A child who is picked on and teased mercilessly will tend to rebel and withdraw. We have to be so careful to love our children and rear them in the fear and admonition of the Lord. They will get enough provocation from the world.

When we work for someone we are to do our best, not in order to please them or get a promotion or self-gain, but so we can honor God with all we do. We do not earn salvation by doing good works, but when we know what a tremendous sacrifice Jesus made for us, it will cause us to want to do whatever we can to honor Him and please Him. We may get a paycheck from that employer but our provision comes from God and He will choose any company or organization He desires to meet our needs, so we need to work enthusiastically and sincerely for God when we go to work. If we are doing yard work, we need to do it to the best of our ability, thankful for the opportunity to do things that others may not be able to do. If we have the mindset that we want to honor God with our words and actions, we will find the day goes better and we have that peace ruling in our hearts. We know from verses 24 and 25 that God rewards our efforts. We will either be blessed because we have done the things that please God, or we will be punished for doing wrong. God does not play favorites. He does not bless one person and harm another. He daily loads us with benefits. He loves us so much that He has ransomed us from our sinful ways and redeemed us to be a part of God's family. We have eternal life to look forward to.

I hope that if you have any bitterness in your heart toward others that you will take it to God and ask Him to help you forgive and forget. Let Him help you mend the breach so that you will be surrounded by peace and joy and love. I am going to work on these things today and all weekend and not just for a few days. I want to make this a way of life. I have been working on it for years now and I know God continues to help me learn and grow as He continues to shape and mold me into His image. I hope and pray something I shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

What Is Love? How Should We Love? | Thankful Thursday

 

Thankful for love???

Love is a word that is thrown around all of the time. It is one of the most overused words in the English vocabulary. We love ice cream. We love sunny days. We love weekends. We love paydays. We may enjoy those things and really like them, but to emphasize how much we care for those things we say we love them. I did an experiment a few years ago. I intentionally listened to times I said I love something. I would immediately correct it. I might have said, "Oh I love this show!" I heard myself say that and I was like, wait a minute, I do not love this show. I like it and enjoy watching it, but I do not love this show. So then I said, "I mean, I really like this show." And whoever I was talking to would kind of laugh it off and probably thought I was crazy because we are so accustomed to hearing love be thrown around like confetti at a New Year's party.

I want to share some scriptures on what the Bible says love is and a few verses about how the Bible says we should love. Valentine's Day will be coming up in mid-February. In stores now you will find Valentine's Day themed cards, mugs, kitchen towels, fuzzy throw blankets and more. Our culture will try to insist that it is a day of love and encourage us to spend as much money we can on candy, flowers, cards, and decorations. It is insinuated that if one does not participate in purchasing this plethora of loveliness, then our love may not be sincere. I do not care to discuss the practices of our modern age. I want to go to the Ancient of Days and hear what He has to say about it; after all, God is love. He loves us and it is something He does well. It is a part of His character. God is love. You cannot have love apart from Him. If you are curious about what the Bible has to say about the subject of love, you will enjoy today's blog post.

PROVERBS 10:12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

In Proverbs, King Solomon shares his wisdom about love and hate. He says that hatred stirs up strife. When a person hates another person, it is difficult for the two to have a civil conversation. Instead of listening with an open mind, they are tainted by their feelings for one another and a simple statement can lead to an argument. One might say, "I didn't mean it like that." The other person may reply, "It sounded that way to me. You are always saying things like that." And on and on it goes. Hatred is the opposite of love. You take two people in love with one another and mention a flaw the one has and listen for the comment they make. "Oh, I don't know. I think he is cute when he's angry." And say something to him about her, "That's just something I love about her." They overlook one another's flaws because they love one another. This happens a lot after someone dies. Many times you would think the deceased was the perfect person to walk the face of the earth. No one but Jesus is perfect but when we love someone, we tend to focus on their good features and we overlook their faults. The Bible says love covers all sin. There is no record keeping. It is just loving each other and realizing we are all human.

PROVERBS 15:17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox (fatted calf) and hatred therewith.

What a picture this proverb is! It is better to have a nice salad with love in the home than eat a juicy steak dinner where you are hated. The food will taste better when you are enjoying a meal with someone you love than if you are elbow to elbow with someone who hates you. Think of that concept. Have you ever been somewhere and you could cut the tension with a knife? The meal is just not as enjoyable and I have been known to lose my appetite in the middle of conflict. If I am on a date with my wonderful husband and we are eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches it would be far tastier than a meal mixed with strife.

MATTHEW 24:12 And because iniquity (lawlessness) shall abound, the love of many shall wax (grow) cold.

In the New Testament, the disciples privately approached Jesus to ask Him to give them some things to look for signifying the end of the world. Jesus wanted them to know what to watch for, and He wanted us to know, so that we were not deceived. He wanted it to be crystal clear what would happen as time marched on and our world's end was nearing. We are in the end times. I am not saying the world will end tomorrow, but we are in the final chapters of this world's existence and just like you can see the book pages getting fewer and fewer as you approach the end of the novel, Jesus gave us some things to watch for, too. 

How interesting that we find a correlation to lawlessness and a decrease in love. Jesus said that because iniquity would increase and things would get worse instead of better, many people would love less. This is so evident today. People who once would smile and wave, even though you were strangers, today are fearful and do not even make eye contact. No one wants to be in close proximity to others because of sickness abounding in our world. I held the door for an elderly couple and they stood there looking at me, not sure if they should slide past me holding the door for them. I grew up doing this and it's second nature to me, to hold the door for someone who is older or disabled. People commit crimes and instead of knowing whether the person arrested is actually guilty or not, we have already sentenced them to life with no parole. Look at this country right now, the UNITED States of America has been the disjointed and disconnected States of America. There is division about nearly every topic on anyone's minds and it is ripping this country apart at the seams. The love of many is definitely growing cold.

JOHN 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if he have love one to another.

Jesus taught us that the world is watching us. They are looking at how we treat one another. The moment we start acting like the world, passing judgment instead of offering grace, we lose our witness. Jesus said the world will know we belong to Him if we love one another. The world may lose their minds and treat each other with malice and unforgiveness but it should not be done in the Church. The Body of Christ, God's chosen people, should not be named among those who are disrespectful, unthankful, and unholy. It should not be! It is our biggest witness that we love Jesus and that He loves them! If I am verbally wounding others who have not yet come to Christ because I think my righteousness will get me somewhere, I will never win anyone to Christ. My righteousness is as filthy rags according to Isaiah 64:6. If I hear of someone struggling with addiction and I come alongside them, offer them some hope, help, and grace, then they are more willing to listen to me speak about Jesus. They do not care what I have to say until they realize they are not in danger of venomous words. We have to love others!

JOHN 15:10-14 If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love. These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

Jesus once again tells us what to do to love like He did. He was willing to lay down His life for us and if we are willing to do the same, then we are going to honor Him. You may not actually have to take a bullet for someone. You may not have to die for a neighbor or someone, but then again, you may. Look at the firefighters who run in to burning buildings when everyone else is running out. Look at the courageous men and women in the military willing to leave home, family, friends, and all they own to die for their country if it is required. Think of the incredibly brave men and women and children all over the globe who will die with Jesus on their lips instead of denying Him and living a longer life. This is the greatest form of love. To love others more than your own life.

I am so thankful that Jesus loves me so much that He died for me. He died for all of us. He chose obedience which meant death on a cruel cross, for sins He never committed. His motivation, the driving force behind His decision, was love for the Father and love for us. He was the only One able to redeem us. So He did. I am so thankful for the times He explained what love is and how to love and how to live in a loving way to honor Him. I barely scratched the surface of what all the Bible says about love. I will end with one last scripture on love. It sums it all up and it is for every single human on the face of the planet. No discrimination. No rules. No regulations. No money required nor accepted. It is a free gift of grace and mercy and love.

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.

What a beautiful promise He offers all of us. Do not let the day end like it began. Trust the Savior. Put your hand in His nail scarred hands and let Him lead you Home. He loves you so much. Accept Him as Lord and Savior. Pray earnestly from your heart and allow Him to set you free. You will never regret it and you will truly never be the same again.

I hope that something I shared about love today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way.

God bless you,

Bridgett Owens

Psalm Chapter One | Bible Study Wednesday

PSALM CHAPTER ONE BIBLE STUDY

Verse one says those are blessed who choose not to live their lives after ungodly advise. Blessed are those who choose not to spend time with the ungodly. Blessed are the ones who do not sit and fellowship with scorners. The book of Proverbs tells us in chapter four, verse 14, "Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men."

The Psalms are written by David, Moses, and others. My Bible does not say who wrote this first Psalm but it is one of my favorite passages to read. It is packed with wisdom; real-life, timeless knowledge that has remained true through the ages.

So if the blessed person is one who does not do those things, what should they be doing? Verse two tells us that they delight in the law of the LORD and think about it day and night. These people are actively pursuing the things of God. They check in with Him before they make decisions or go about their day. These are the ones who have focused on putting God first in their lives and the Bible calls them BLESSED. In Joshua chapter one, verse eight it reads, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make they way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." Staying in the Word of God is key to being successful in 2022.

The promise of God to those blessed people, (which includes you and me if we are doing those things), is found in verse three. You and I will be like a tree planted by a water source like a river. The roots go deep and are watered by the river. We can plant ourselves in the center of God's Will. He is the Water of Life and we are to drink freely. He sustains us. He nourishes us. He refreshes us. In time, in the right season, we will produce fruit that shows we are rooted and grounded in Christ Jesus. The things we say, the way we do anything, the way we treat others will all reflect back on our relationship with Jesus and we will bear much fruit. 

The Bible says our leaves won't even wither. This is huge!!! The scorching sun beats down on the plants and when it hasn't rained and it has not been watered, the leaves dehydrate and shrivel up. If we get away from the source of life-giving water, which is Jesus Christ, then we will dehydrate. We will become sick, and dry and we will collapse. The Christians who crawl through troubles and tribulations are those who have been disconnected from the water source. They need refreshing from the well that won't run dry! If you can relate and you say, "2021 drained me dry," then I have great news for you, get up, crawl if you must, but go to the source of the living water. His name is Jesus and call upon Him. Ask Him for a refreshing and watch Him do it.

We get disconnected from the life-sustaining water source when we take our eyes off Jesus as the author and perfecter of our faith. When we grow weary in the waiting, we look at the circumstances and temporary situation we are in. This distraction has now caused us to worry, doubt, fear the future, and lose hope. We start to dehydrate. The situation God placed us in for a time, but not forever, has now become a source of despair and with the disconnection to the well of Living Water, we are now collapsing beneath the weight of the worry and sorrow we have allowed to take up residence in our hearts. If we had remained connected to the Living Water, we would have been unmovable. Have you ever seen a tree near a river? Those things are huge! They are strong and you cannot budge them an inch! They are steady and unmovable. That is the way God wants us to be: strong and unmovable regardless of what is going on around us. Snow and bitter cold may be near the icy stream but you cannot knock that tree down! Extreme heat and dry ground may be around the tree but the roots are down into that river and it is not going anywhere!

Jeremiah chapter 17, verses 7 & 8 read, "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green: and shall not be careful (or anxious) in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit." The key to producing fruit when others are not, when the circumstances around you says you should be failing, too, is remaining connected to the God who can never fail. How do we do that? We look to God, hope in His Word, and trust Him to see us through. We understand that things are tough and less than ideal, and maybe even scary, but we know our God is bigger and capable of bringing us out better than when we entered.

What about those who choose to live life on their own terms? We were given the choice to follow God or to say no and do our own thing. God will never force anyone to serve Him or love Him. He does not desire robots to do His bidding, but rather desires a relationship with His children that He loves so much. The Bible has a promise for them, too. Verse four says that these promises are not for the ungodly. They are life chaff, not much substance to them, and when the wind blows it scatters them. They are not steady, they are not secure. They are blown away and separated from the familiar and what once held them together. Job 21:18 says it like this, "They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away." Isaiah paints a vivid picture of what this look like. In Isaiah 17:13 it reads, "The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind." Chaff is the unusable part of wheat. It gets discarded. We are to be like the wheat and not the chaff. Let's remain rooted in Christ so we can be useful to Him and not blown away when life's storms threaten us.

One day God will return for His people. We all face the judgment seat of Christ. Some will see that they have been washed in the blood of the Lamb and are wearing the righteousness of Christ. They will receive the crown of life that has been promised to them. Others will stand before God as judge and jury. He will have Jesus sitting right by His side and they will be without excuse. The perfect Lamb of God offered them the gift of eternal life and they refused. Verse five says this, "Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment." Remember the way the leaves collapse without water? These trees were never rooted and grounded. Their leaves always dried up and withered and were unable to stand erect. These people are unable to stand in the day of judgment. There is nothing they can do but bow the knee and confess Jesus Christ is Lord, though they will forever be separated from Him. Verse five goes on to say, "Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous." God will separate the sheep from the goats. There will be no sinners among the congregation of the righteous. The righteous made a choice to follow Jesus and live for Him. There is no fellowship with sinners because they do not want to hear about the things of God. They do not want to praise God or talk about His goodness or read His Word. So they will not be found in the congregation of the righteous. Why would they be? They do not desire to be among God's people.

The sixth and final verse says that the LORD knows the way of the righteous. In Psalm 37:18 & 19 we read, "The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied." What an incredible illustration of how good God is. When the rest of the world is starving, God's people will be not only filled, but satisfied. They will have more than enough! The end of verse six is this, "but the way of the ungodly shall perish."

Today is the day of salvation. If we are rooted and grounded in Christ, we have promises to be: sustained, satisfied, helped, refreshed, renewed, and bear fruit. If we are not, we have a chance today to get connected to the life-giving Living Water of Jesus Christ. If you once were rooted and grounded but you feel yourself slipping away, leaves withering, collapsing beneath the load of care, it's not too late for you. Plant yourself in the Word of God and allow the fertile soil to give you nutrients you are longing for. Stay by the River of Life and allow your roots to be hydrated by the source that will never run out. Come back to the refreshing stream.

I want to pray with you all before we end our Bible Study session today,

Heavenly Father,

I thank You for my friends and family that read my blog. I do not know every single person You lead here but I am thankful for them just the same. Lord I am asking that You bless my brothers and sisters in Christ who are planted by the streams of Living Water. I ask that You continue to bless them and nourish them like only You can. Father God, I am asking that You would show my brothers and sisters who were once deeply rooted and grounded in You, how to make their way back to You. Your arms are always open and You love them so much. Help them plant themselves in Your perfect will and help them to heal and refresh and renew at Your healing waters. Raise them up God so their leaves never wither or dry up. And God I am asking that You would save those who do not know You. You love them so much You sent Your Son Jesus to die on the cross of Calvary to give them eternal life. He died but You raised Him from the dead and I ask that Your resurrection power would quicken the spirits of those who do not know You. LORD I pray that they would forever be changed and would begin to grow roots that will ground them to You and Your Word in the precious name of Jesus. Amen

I hope something you have read today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way.

God bless you,

Bridgett Owens

Finish Strong & Start Over | Fuel For The Weekend

This is our very last post for 2021! What a year it has been. I think back to a year ago when we moved back to Indiana and I see His hands all over our lives this year, but it has been none of what we expected it to be. We had hoped we would have a home and that hope is still alive in our hearts. Perhaps 2022 will be our year to see that happen. I have had different jobs this year and that has been interesting to say the least. I have lost an important friendship because the person was just not in a good mental state and it is so hard to see that dissolve, but God has given me richer and deeper friendships this year that has helped heal those old wounds. I think my best friend, Heather, and I have grown even closer as we have been one another's prayer warrior, advisor, confidante, listening ear, and source of laughter and joy. She has blessed my life so much this year and I have loved staying in touch with her, though the miles may be keeping us apart, technology has cemented our friendship all the more. Lots of sickness and illness in our family, several family members have lost their battle with cancer and our hearts mourn them. My mom moved back to Indiana, Paul and I flew to Florida to get her and drive back to Indiana with all her stuff. That was my first flight ever and I am glad I got to experience it but it was super scary for me. I am so thankful I had Paul with me for my first flight. Blue's Blessings, my small business, had some great success. We published a women's prayer journal and a men's prayer journal. I am going to launch a youth prayer journal that I am so excited about, and it will be available on Amazon. I am also going to make the men's and women's prayer journals available on Amazon, so the customization feature will no longer be available, but whomever purchases a journal can write their name in book on the blessings page if they choose to. I also have finished my book edits and ready to get it published in the new year. I am so excited for that!

Sometimes when we reflect back on a time in our lives we see great difficulties and struggles, and other times we look back and see celebrations and victories. Our lives will always be like that as long as we are pilgrims in this world. We do not belong here. We look for a city whose builder and maker is God. (Hebrews 11:10) Right? We may have goals and dreams for 2022 and that is fine to make plans and to hope for good things, but we must remember that God has numbered our days and we must keep checking in to see if we are still in His Will and walking the paths He has designed for us to walk on. James says that our lives are like vapors and we shouldn't brag about going to do anything. Instead, we should say Lord willing we will do this thing or that. 

JAMES 4:14-16 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

We can make plans, but we must be sure to include God in them and then wait for His approval to make them happen. Proverbs 16:9 says, "A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps." We can make plans and goals but when we put God as the head of our lives, the director of our days, then things may not work out like we want them to. We have confidence in knowing that He only wants what is best for us. Remember in the Bible where it says in Luke 11:11-13, "If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask?" The Holy Spirit leads, guides, instructs, comforts, and helps. What a precious gift He is.

God has made plans for us according to Jeremiah 29:11-13. We must be seeking Him with all of our heart to find out what He wants to do for us. What dreams has God dreamed for your life? What does 2022 look like for you through God's eyes?

My family and I are going to do a 21 day fast to start the new year. I do not share that to brag or to do my alms before men. I am not looking for applause or acceptance. I am mentioning it only to share that we are choosing to give God the first fruits of our year. We are choosing to crucify the flesh of things it wants in order to savor the things of God. We will taste and see that the Lord is good when we go hard after the things of God. (Psalm 34:8)

This year may have been a banner year for you and your family. If so, that is awesome! It may not have been though, and for all of us, I say let's finish the year out strong. Let's keep our hand in the Master's and never let go. Let's step out of the old year and into a fresh new year with Jesus leading the way! We can finish the year strong in faith, hope, love, kindness, and mercy. We can begin fresh with forgiveness, gratitude, and hope for a brighter year. With God all things are possible.

My new word for 2022 is going to be PLANS. I looked up the definition, because I thought I might be just thinking of the word plans. After all I have multiple planners and I love making planners and writing in them and changing them out over and over. I read the definition and I am sure that PLANS is what He has given me for this new year. I know He has big PLANS for our family and for me and for Blue's Blessings and for this blog and my YouTube channel and my books and prayer journals. I am so excited to see what all He has planned for me.

Thank you all for joining me on this journey. I appreciate the comments, messages, texts, and phone calls letting me know how much these posts mean to you. It blesses me to know I have made even a small difference in anyone's lives. Ram Dass said, "We are all just walking each other home." I often quote that statement. It is very true. We are all supposed to uplift and encourage one another, sharing our love for Jesus with everyone, and telling them about the ultimate plan of God's, the plan of salvation. We are truly just supposed to be helping each other make it to our Heavenly Home. When I was younger, my brother and sisters and I would go visit my grandparents next door. They lived down the hill from us and their home was surrounded by big, mature trees and even with the moon out, it was dark to walk up the hill sometimes. I was terrified of the dark and my grandmother would often walk me to the top of the hill and then I would proceed to run the rest of the way home. There was something incredibly comforting about the walk up the hill with my grandmother and her flashlight in the dark. She let me hold her hand and she would remind me that the angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear Him (Psalm 34:7) and it would bring me peace. I knew she loved Jesus and would never lie to me. I had read that scripture many times at her house. She had underlined it in her Bible and would quickly flip the worn pages to that familiar passage when I was afraid. 

I hope that in some way my blog can serve as a beacon of light, pointing others to the foot of the Cross of Christ. I do not know everything. I am definitely always learning. I just hope that something I have shared in my blog posts on any given day has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you and Happy New Year!

~Bridgett Owens