Thankful For Death? | Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for God taking my loved ones, even though I prayed He wouldn't.

That statement sure does sound funny, doesn't it? Why would I be happy my loved ones died? I am not happy, but I can rejoice in knowing where they went and have hope I can one day join them. I did not want my dad to die. I was very clear in my prayers I wanted God to give my dad a miraculous healing. I did not want my dad to have cancer anymore or the paralyzing effects of the stroke. I wanted a divine miracle where my dad was restored to health. It was a tall order and God is very capable of answering my prayer in a supernatural, extraordinary way. But I also prayed for God to have His way. And so I was at peace when the initial shock and extreme grief left.

Do you remember in the Bible when David saw Bathsheba naked? He desired to have her, it consumed him, but there was one problem; she was another man's wife. David had more than one wife. He could have chosen any number of women to add to his collection, but he was fixated on someone else's woman. He had someone bring her to his bedchamber. Scripture does not tell us if she was willing to commit adultery with King David or if she felt like she had to because of David's power and position. Regardless the two were intimate and she conceived.

Now David has a real problem. He not only slept with another man's wife; he got her pregnant. Now David tried to be clever and have her husband come home from war and sleep with his wife, but Uriah was too noble to do that. He knew his comrades were missing their families too and if they were out in battle, he wanted to be, too. So Uriah did not take advantage of some alone time with his wife. David's plan to cover things up backfired. He knew in time it would be obvious that his wife was pregnant and the math was just not going to add up, so he has Uriah sent to the front lines and killed. Now that Uriah is out of the way, David can marry her and raise his own child. But there is another issue that David did not consider in the heat of his passion.

God saw the whole thing! God was upset. David was a man after God's own heart, but this is not something God would ever go for. So God sends a messenger, Nathan the prophet. Nathan pays David a visit in 2 Samuel chapter 12. Nathan knows that David is mostly an upstanding guy, an ethical man. So he tells David a story. He tells David that there are two men in a city, one is rich and the other is poor. The poor man had nothing except one little lamb. The poor man had raised the little lamb and it was like a member of his own family. The rich man had all kinds of lambs to choose from, but when he needed to kill a lamb to have a dinner party, he chose the poor man's lamb. The rich man stole that poor man's lamb and fed it to his dinner guest. 

David was so upset about what Nathan had told him. David demanded that whoever did such a thing would pay dearly for that lamb. He was outraged that anyone would be so cruel to do so. In fact, David went so far as to say that the rich man would die for doing this because he had no pity. Nathan looked at David and said, "You are the man."

Whoa! What a blow that must have been. He could have reacted a lot of different ways but David immediately confessed that he had sinned. He did not try to deny it, cover it up, excuse it away; he simply admitted that he was wrong. God did not make David pay for this transgression with his life, but God did say He would take David's son away from him. What a terrible feeling that must have been. David knew the baby was innocent but God had made His decision.

2 SAMUEL 12:16-23 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house, and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and I wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

I think about when Dad was so sick and the cancer was everywhere. The doctors gave us zero hope. They assumed Dad would die any day. They told us to cherish every MOMENT because they did not expect many MOMENTS to come. Mom, my brother, my sister and her husband and their children, my husband, our children, and I all joined together. We started meeting for church services in my dad's music studio. We met each week and we rallied around Dad. We prayed and fasted and we believed. We had faith and we had hope and we were expecting great things.

God gave us many miracles with Dad. But one day God told me that Dad would not see the New Year. I was so upset. I cried. I begged God to not let Dad go on Kadesia's birthday, so He honored that request. He took Daddy home the evening of Kadesia's birthday party, December 29, 2013. 

I am glad my Dad is no longer in pain, not suffering, not miserable and disabled. My dad served God his whole life. He made mistakes, and chose to run after other things and away from his calling for a while, but in the end he came back to God with everything in him. It seems that facing eternity will make a person take stock of their life. Dad was given the gift of time and he had a lot of it to reflect on his life and the way he raised us and the things he taught us intentionally and unintentionally. He had the opportunity to repent of some stuff, to ask forgiveness from some people, and to make things right between him and God. 

When Dad went to be with God, I did not pray or fast for him anymore. There was no bringing him back. There was no trying to bargain with God for a Lazarus-type resurrection. Dad got what he wanted, to be with God. So I did something similar to David. I worshiped God for being good and faithful. I thanked God for the Comforter who will comfort like none other. I thanked God for the good times and the laughter and the new memories of a wonderful earthly father. I knew that I could not bring Dad back, but I have confidence that one day I will go to him.

We do not always understand God's ways or His timing. Why did God punish David by killing his baby? Why did God not let things happen differently for Dad? We can worry ourselves sick over the questions, or we can embrace the truth that God's timing is not our own and His ways are higher than ours and we cannot figure them out. (Isaiah 55:8-9 and Romans 11:33)

Death is not easy. We have lost a lot of wonderful people recently. Last year cancer took many of my relatives' lives and spilled over into the first few days of this year. We do not know everything God is doing. We do not always understand, but He promised to never leave us or forsake us, but will go with us all the way to the end of the world if we allow Him to. (Matthew 28:20 and Hebrews 13:5)

If you are suffering loss or enduring sickness, hardship, or despair please remember that Jesus loves you. He is walking through this with you and He is near to you. Do not allow the grief to consume you. Stay close to Jesus. His Word says He is near to the brokenhearted. (Luke 4:18, Isaiah 61:1, Matthew 5:4) He promises we will be comforted and I can attest that is the truth.

I pray healing, comfort, peace, and love be yours today in the name of Jesus. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 4 | Wednesday Bible Study

This week we are in Psalms chapter 4. The eight verses are a prayer of David to God. If you have not taken the time to read today's passage, do that now and then we will continue with today's study. 

Verse one begins with David addressing the God of his righteousness. He is asking God to hear his prayer. He praises God by recalling that it was God who relieved David when he was distressed. He asks God for mercy and again to hear his prayer. Have we been there? Have we ever wanted God to hear us and we even throw in some praises about how God has met our needs before? It is sort of like we are encouraging ourselves, or maybe convincing ourselves that our problem is really not too big for God to solve. Here David is asking for mercy and to be heard. We all just want to be acknowledged, don't we? We just need to know that our concerns matter.

Verse two David addresses his enemies. He wants to know how long they will dishonor him. He wants to know how long they will love vain words and seek after lies. Have you ever been there? Sometimes we are doing the things that are right and pleasing in God's sight and we meet opposition on every side. Someone is always trying to tear us down and wound us. If we have a good reputation, others seek to tarnish it.

Verse three David continues to address his enemies. He tells them God has set apart a people who are holy. David informs them that God in heaven hears when he calls. I think we miss this part a lot. We do not want to offend anyone, or make ourselves a bigger target, so we just "mind our own business" and do not call out the wrong. David clearly has boldness when he tells them that God has set apart a people who follow after Him. David includes himself in that and says that he has a relationship with God. How often do we see others doing wrong and we just remain silent? This verse encourages me to share my faith with others, especially unbelievers. How else will they know?

Verse four David is still talking to his foes. Here he is imploring them to search out their own hearts, to not sin, and then adds Selah at the end of this verse, which means to pause in His presence. He is asking for the unrepentant to take a close look at their actions and intentions; to search their heart and turn from it. Again, how often are we asking others to change their behavior to a way that honors God? It is hard to get into people's personal space like that, but it is so important! There are people who are kind and good and gentle and they are going to hell because they never accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. There are people who are rude, obnoxious, self-serving and they are going to hell if they do not repent and turn from their wicked ways. We have the answer and it is so important to share the secret of salvation, Jesus Christ!

Verse five David tells them plainly to offer sacrifices of righteousness and put their trust in the Lord. Before Jesus came to the earth, sacrifices had to be made for sin. David is essentially asking them to put faith in a God they cannot see. This was a time of idol worship and David is clearly trying to show them that there is a God in heaven and He is the only One who can help them. Since Jesus died for our sins we can put our faith in Him because we know He died for our sins. We no longer need to kill an animal to sacrifice it to cover our sins. Jesus' blood covers and cleanses us from all filthiness of the flesh and makes us whole. (2 Corinthians 7:1)

Verse six David said there are so many who want to see GOOD in the world, so then He addresses God and asks Him to light up the world with the glory of His countenance. It is a beautiful illustration. Our world is dark and lonely and seeking good but they cannot find it apart from God. David asks God to show the world how good He is. Are we praying this? Our world today is dark and gloomy and dismayed and everyone is searching for life beyond the pandemic, and ease in circumstances. The truth is we don't have to wait for better days. We can experience all the fruits of the Spirit every day that we serve Jesus. We need to be praying, God shine the light of Your face on us again!

Verse seven David is doing a comparison in this verse. He says the people are ecstatic when their harvest yields abundantly and produces wine. There is great joy in seeing the fruition of their hard work and they enjoyed drinking wine. David said that God put so much gladness in in his heart that it was even more joy than they could ever experience over a good harvest. In today's terms, someone may be happy to win the lottery or come into a great sum of money, but God's goodness and joy far surpasses even those feelings. There is nothing like the joy of the Lord that He puts down into the hearts of those who trust in Him.

Verse eight Sometimes we see the hardships, the negativity, and the pain and it keeps us up at night. Sleep is hard to come by. We may toss and turn, worry, complain, and we just don't rest well. David found the solution to insomnia. He has acknowledged God, requested to be heard by Him, and recalls how faithful God is. He faces the problem head on and realizes it is God alone that can solve it, so he asks those who are lost to follow God and repent. He remembers the joy God brings him and now he is content. He is no longer upset or worried. He is at peace knowing God will take care of everything. Now David says he can lay down in peace and sleep because God alone makes him live in safety.

What a wonderful example of how to pray for others. It is a timely illustration of how to witness to those who are unsaved. It is also a beautiful reminder of how we can truly have joy, peace, and rest when we hand over all of our troubles to God. Isn't He so wonderful? If you have not experience the love, peace, and joy of knowing Jesus Christ as your Savior, I hope that today is your day of salvation. Do not put it off. You do not want to miss heaven for the world!

I hope you have been encouraged by today's message. It has been a real pleasure to break the bread with you all today. I hope something I have shared with you has been strength for your journey and light for your way. Have a wonderful Wednesday and may God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Racing | Fuel For The Weekend

 

Racing?

My husband was a race car driver when we met. He drove a bomber on dirt tracks here in southern Indiana. I spent a lot of time at Brownstown Speedway and Bloomington Speedway while we were dating. As Paul has been hanging out in the bedroom, we have been watching racing videos. As I am typing this blog post, the excited announcer is giving play by play details of every turn. And I think how much this is like our lives going through this world.

I imagine an announcer looking down on David and Goliath, and the excited monologue may have gone something like this:

Goliath, the great Philistine warrior is in the center of the valley smack talking the army of Israel. They are shaking in their armor! Who is brave enough to face this 9 foot giant? No one is making a move on the side of Israel, but wait --- Who is this kid on the field? There is a young boy approaching the giant. There is some verbal exchange and what is that? The boy just accepted the challenge! This is crazy! He has no armor on. Has he even seen a battle before? What is he thinking? Look at the young boy. The giant is laughing! What is that in the boy's hand? Is that a sling? It is! It is a sling! He has a sling in his hand, waving it in the air as he runs toward Goliath. What is he doing? Oh wow! He launched a stone. What? Oh my gosh! I cannot believe it! The giant has fallen. He is down! What an upset! If I didn't see it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it! They say his name is David and he is a shepherd, visiting his brothers in the Israeli army. Wow! What an upset. The Israeli army chases down the Philistines. What a victory!

Sometimes we are in the heat of the battle, just like the Israeli army. None of the men of war had the courage to face the Philistine giant. Goliath was known for slaughtering his opponents. None of the men were willing to go down and fight him. David did not plan to kill a giant when he set out to give his brothers some food from their father. He was checking in on them so he could report back to his father. David was a young boy. He was not in the army. So why did he get involved?

David heard the Philistine slandering God. David was not going to sit by and let that continue. He had been a good shepherd to the sheep he was given. He fought a bear and a lion and he knew God had delivered these dangerous, wild beasts into his hands. So he knew God would protect him from a loud-mouth giant.

Have we got to that point yet? Have we decided that God has seen us through these trials and hardships before and He is not going to fail us now? We need to get our hope back. We need to get our courage up and tell the enemy we are not going to be backed into a corner. We are children of the Most High God and He is our buckler and shield. He is our protector. He is our triumphant champion and He will win every battle for us.

1 SAMUEL 17:45-46 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, Whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air; and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

Some of the talk of the talented race car drivers are how at a young age they showed real potential and ability. Each race hones their skills and enhances their performance. They have to beat and bang their way to the front but the ones who want it most will be hyper-focused on getting the lead and keeping it. Sometimes it seems like we go around and around the same situations and the same problems. Each time we go around we learn something new and if we hold tight to faith, we will eventually get the victory. The stakes will get higher and the payout more but the battles do not get easier. The victors will be those who keep showing up when they get their cars torn up, make mistakes and learn from them, and never lose focus of getting the checkered flag.

What battles are you facing? When it rained, what made it pour? Do you feel beaten and battered by the enemy? Do not lose focus. Do not give up. Do not let the times you spin out or run off the top of the track sideline you. Get back in the race! Keep going! Stay strong and finish well.

I know this illustration is a little silly to some, but if you think about it, it makes sense. What is the announcer saying about the race of your life? Are they saying, "Coming from the rear is (insert your name here). What an upset! No one saw them coming! They are headed to the top spot! Look at them go. God is with them and they are getting the checkered flag. We will catch them in Victory Lane!"

I encourage you to read 1 Samuel chapter 17. It is an awesome account of what happened the day that the giant fell! What giants do you need to slay in your life? Let this chapter be some fuel for your weekend. I hope it is a great one. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

God In Charge | Thankful Thursday

God in charge?

I have been intentionally giving God my day. I start out reading my devotional and have some quiet time with God. I pray and ask Him to take charge over the day ahead of me. I want Him to order my steps, lead me and guide me. He never fails to show up for me. He always takes over and the difference is huge compared to days I take life on by myself. I am so thankful He is in charge of my day.

Things do not always go easy, or smooth, when I place my day in His capable hands, but the stress level is diminished to nearly nothing. If I get worked up when things don't go my way, Holy Spirit reminds me that God is working all things for my good and it brings calm to the chaos and I feel relieved. Have you ever tried that? Have you asked God to take over your day?

It's Biblical to do this. I have four scriptures to share with you that not only encourage us to do this, but gives us a promise. Check it out:

PSALM 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and He delights in his way.

The steps of a good man are what? Ordered by the LORD. That sounds like God is in charge. It delights Him when we walk in the way of holiness, in the way that God has outlined in His Word. This particular verse reminds us that if we give God our day, He will set us on the path He wants us to walk in and it will make God happy!

PSALM 119:133 Order my steps in Thy Word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

I have to be honest. I do not remember reading this verse. I know Psalm 119 is a long chapter, but what a gold nugget nestled in this lengthy portion of Scripture. The common denominator in this concept of giving God our day is that we are walking in the ways of God. We are living what we read. Remember we are called to be a hearer of the Word and a DOER! (James 1:22) If we are walking according to God's plans and purposes for our lives then sin will not have dominion over us. We will not be overpowered by sin, even though temptation is all around.

JAMES 1:2-3 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

Usually this passage is quoted when we go through trials to encourage us. It can also be used when talking about giving God our day. We can be in the perfect will of God and still be tempted. We are human. We live in a fallen world and the enemy wants to tempt us at every turn. But if we hold fast to faith we will be grow in patience. Our spiritual fruit will grow and become evident in other areas of our life.

PROVERBS 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.

If we admit God is who He says He is in every area of our life, we will be directed by Him through this life. Is He Jehovah Jireh, God our provider in our finances when the bills are due and the money is gone? Is God Jehovah Shalom, God our peace when we feel anxiety or depression? Is God Jehovah Rophe, God our healer when the doctors give up hope and have no more answers? Is God Jehovah Nissi, God our battle fighter? We do not have to fight these battles, God fights for us and He always causes us to triumph according to 2 Corinthians 2:14.

Friends, it is not only a good idea to give God our day, it is vital for our spiritual survival. The times I rush ahead and go about my day without God leading me has been hard and frustrating and I always think to myself, What is this, Pick-On-Bridgett-Day? But the then the Spirit of Truth reminds me that I have not handed the day over to God. The good news it is not too late. When I realize what I have done, I can quickly ask God to forgive me for not making time for Him and ask Him to help me. You know what He does? He doesn't pout, scold me, ignore me, or abandon me. He lovingly comes alongside me, scoots me back on the path He wants me to walk on and leads me gently on. He will do the same for you.

This Thankful Thursday I am thankful God is in charge. He knows what is best for each one of us. He sees the beginning, middle, and ending. He knows what roads we need to travel to build our character, draw us closer to Him, and increase our endurance. I hope this has been encouraging for you. I hope that something I shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 3 | Bible Study Wednesday

 

This week we are going to study Psalm chapter three. It is a Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom, his son. You can read 2 Samuel 15:1-18:18 the story of how Absalom deceived the people and was able to win them over with his craftiness. David ran away for his life and devised a plan for how to overcome this treason. Let's read today's passage in light of what we know has taken place.

Verse one David calls upon God. Notice when David needed strength, help, healing, or anything he always turned to God. He knew that God would help him because He had done so over and over throughout his life. He tells God the problem right away. David is overwhelmed by the amount of people coming against him. Have you ever been there? Have you ever felt like you were outnumbered and you didn't even know why everything seemed to be against you?

Verse two David told God what others were saying about him. Have you ever told God what others were saying about you? I have experienced people being cruel and lying on me. I told God what they said and how it made me feel. It is better to take these issues to God in prayer, than to retaliate and tell others what is going on, broadcast it on social media, or gossip.

Verse three David begins to brag on God. The reason it is best to go straight to God with our burdens is because of who God is. He is a shield for us. He is our glory and He lifts up our heads. We get beat up by the enemy and like a good, good Father, He steps in between us and the ammunition of the enemy. He protects us and He picks our chin up. He encourages us.

Verse four David is rejoicing. He was so overwhelmed and dismayed when he first started this prayer, but now God has already begun to turn things around. David is jubilant because he knows that God heard his prayer. We do not have to worry when circumstances weigh heavy on our minds and we feel defeated. God hears our prayers and He is on the move. He is shielding us and lifting us up.

Verse five David got rest! When problems are many and solutions are few, we often find ourselves unable to sleep. We toss and turn and often sleep eludes us. However, when we give our burdens to God and leave them there, He will take care of it. We can then sleep and be well rested. David gives God the credit. He said he laid down and slept and was awakened only because God sustained him. In Proverbs 3:24 it reads, "When thou liest down, thou shall not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet." Isn't that a wonderful promise?

Verse six David gets his courage back. He said he will not be afraid of 10,000 or more people that have surrounded him. David started remembering how God spared him with the lion and the bear when he was shepherding sheep. David remembered how God kept him alive when Saul tried to kill him over and over again. David remembered the many battles he fought and won because God had His Mighty hand on him. We need to get our courage back, too. How many times has God paid the bill with money we never saw coming? How many times have we found favor we knew we didn't deserve? How often has God come through for us to deliver us in our times of great need? Over and over God has proven Himself faithful.

Verse seven David calls on God for help. He says God has struck his enemies in the face and knocked their teeth out. In other words, God has disarmed the enemy. He has helped David by cutting the enemy off at the knees and rendering them helpless. God will do the same thing for you and me. He is fighting on our behalf and the good news is God has never lost a battle and He never will.

Verse eight David ends in praise. He proclaims salvation is God's to give and He acknowledges that God has blessed His people. We can go to God in tears and anguish over the trials and tribulations of this life. We should go to Him. He wants us to. Then we need to remember how good God is and we can go to sleep and rest well knowing God is taking care of it. Finally we can step back and watch God shield us and lift us up all while knocking the enemy out and winning the battle for us. He is a good and faithful Father and friend. He loves us and He will help us. He helped David and He will help you and me and like He has over and over again.

Friends I have enjoyed taking a look at Psalm 3 with you all. I hope this has encouraged you. I pray that this Bible study today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

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