Psalm 24 | Wednesday Bible Study

Welcome back to Bible Study Wednesday! This year God has pressed upon my heart to study the book of Psalms. Each Wednesday we take a closer look at a new chapter. Today we are going to chapter 24. If you have not done so, please take the time to read through these 10 verses. I will be sharing some thoughts about today's passage and break down this chapter below. Please pray and ask Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes and ears to receive everything He has to teach you in today's passage. Let's begin!

First of all, I want to mention that I realize this post is going up late. I have been unwell and had to start antibiotics but I want to do this week's Bible study. I apologize for those who may have looked for a Bible study post on Wednesday. I appreciate the prayers of those who have been keeping me in their prayers. Thank you so much!

Verses 1-3

David opens up this psalm with declaring who God is. He owns the earth and everything in it. The whole world belongs to God. He created it and established it and it all belongs to Him. We see similar statements in other Psalms as well as in 1 Corinthians and Genesis.

1 Corinthians 10:26 For the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof.

Psalm 89:11 The heavens are Thine, the earth also is Thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, Thou hast founded them.

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Psalm 8:3-4 When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou visitest him?

David declares the Sovereignty of God and then asks who is able to stand in God's Holy place? Remember when we studied Psalm 15 in April? We see in the verses following what it takes to see God.

Verses 4-6

Psalm 73:1 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean (pure) heart.

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

To receive the blessing from God, and righteousness from the God of our salvation, we must have a pure heart, humbleness, and honesty. Anything else will separate us from God. In verse six, David says this is the generation that is seeking God's face. Often in prayer we seek God's hands. We want Him to do something for us, or give us something, or work something out for us. David says the key here is to seek God's face. Seek relationship.

Psalm 27:4, 8 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in His temple. When Thou saidst, Seek ye My face; my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

Jeremiah 29:12-13 Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.

The key to finding God when we look for Him, is having the right motives. Are we looking for Him because He is our Heavenly Father? Are we desiring to get to know Him better? Are we just desiring to be in His presence? Yes, He wants to answer our prayers, and He wants to bless us, but He also wants fellowship with His children.

Verses 7-10

Verses seven and nine are mirror verses of each other, as are verses eight and ten. Let's look at the first pair. These fraternal twin verses are referring to the ushering in of God's glory. It is a descriptive picture of gates and doors opening and welcoming the King of Glory.

Haggai 2:7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

The last fraternal twin verses ask who is this King of glory? David says, The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle, the LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Amen! He is!!

Revelation 19:13-16 And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Friends the day is coming when we will see Jesus. We may see Him as Righteous Judge and hear the scariest sentence in the world, "Depart from Me, I do not know you." We may see Him as Righteous Judge and Savior as He declares, "Enter in, well done, good and faithful servant." We will see Jesus one way or another. For God's people, this Bible study is exciting and we are ready to hail our King Jesus! We are ready to cast our crowns at His feet in gratitude for all that He has done for us and all the things He brought us through.

If you are not a part of God's family, and do not allow Him to direct your steps, and plan your future, you can change that! Ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior. He will forgive you of your sins and He will seal you to be His child forever! Trust in Him and accept the gift of salvation that cannot be purchased or earned. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins on the cross, so we can go free today. Have you trusted in Jesus? I hope you will!

Thank you all for understanding about the delay in the blog posts. I am trying to get things worked out so the delays will be less frequent. I am thankful for all of you who read my blog and study with me each week. It is a blessing and I appreciate you all so much. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Not Too Hard | Fuel For The Weekend

In the book of Jeremiah, we pick up the story close to the middle of chapter thirty-two. Jeremiah is in prison for prophesying, "Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it; And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes; And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the LORD: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper."

Jeremiah could have been discouraged about being in prison for obeying the voice of God, but he was not alone. God spoke to him while he was in prison and told him that his cousin would be visiting him. God said that Jeremiah's cousin would ask him to buy his field in Anathoth because it was his legal right to purchase it. Hanameel came to visit him just like God told him and offered the land. Jeremiah said, "Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD." So Jeremiah purchased the land and went through the customary ritual of doing so.

God has said, "Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land." So after Jeremiah delivered the evidence to Baruch, this was Jeremiah's prayer to God.

JEREMIAH 32:17-18 Ah Lord GOD! behold, Thou hast made the heaven and the earth by Thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for Thee: Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is His name.

Jeremiah continues for several verses talking about the good things of God. And then God answered Jeremiah and said, "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for Me?"

He begins to tell what He will do in His anger. God is furious with the children of Israel and children of Judah. God said, "For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before Me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked Me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the LORD." He is angry because they have disobeyed Him and followed after false idols and gods.

God continues, "Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke Me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And they have turned unto Me their back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction."

I know that God is talking about the children of Israel, but could He be talking about me? I just think how often have I provoked God to anger when I did not believe what He said, or I questioned Him because things do not look like He said they would. Have I been so careless as to think that God is unfair and unjust and has abandoned us? How many times has He told me how much He loves me and is with me and to not be afraid?

God is merciful and loving, though. Remember what Jeremiah said? His mercy is shown to thousands. He is great in counsel and mighty in all He does and He sees everything we all do. He knows our thoughts, our intentions, our attitudes, and our motives. He is not taken off guard by anything we say or do. Yes, we disappoint God, but how often do we make Him angry? I am so thankful He is a loving and merciful God. He is slow to get angry and He asks the same of us.

God has a redemption plan. "And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in Mine anger, and in My fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: And they shall be My people, and I will be their God: And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear Me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from Me."

God will use the situations we are in to shape us into His image. He will correct our course and change our thought patterns at the same time. Transformation begins when we change the way we think. We may be on the other side of God's discipline and love but it is for our good. The hard times make us stronger because we are forced to rely solely on Him. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. 

2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

The trials are for our good. The hard times are for us to draw closer to God. Can we, like Paul, say that we will glory in our infirmities? Maybe we are not quite there yet, some may be, but when we get to the point where we say I would rather glory in my mental or physical weaknesses so the power of Jesus Christ may rest on me, then we will begin to see the victory in our life. We will no longer be bound with chains of heaviness, loneliness, depression, and isolation. We will be free to realize these trials only serve to make me stronger.

How can this happen? Who, but God, could turn failures into fantastic testaments of His grace and love? Who, but God, can take us through fiery trials and transform us into pure gold? It is God alone. No one else can do it. It is impossible with man. It is impossible with life and all the disappointments and frustrations that come with it. We could never accomplish the same outcomes but when God gets involved He starts turning things around.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.

Right now you may be facing some impossible circumstances. It might feel like there is absolutely no way out, and you are drowning in a sea of despair. But just remember you are not alone. God is in control and He knows the plans He has for you. He says so in Jeremiah 29:11-13. Take some time to pray and ask God for direction. When we face a situation that seems impossible to get through, remember there is nothing too hard for God. He sees the whole picture and we see in part. He will navigate us through this crazy, scary world if we will only trust Him and believe.

Luke 1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and will think about what I have shared today. What hardships are you facing? What mountains are standing in your way? God may not move the mountain but He will teach you how to climb. Hang on! Help is on the way!! I hope something I have shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Good Report | Thankful Thursday

I am so thankful that Javan got his stitches out today. He did really well. The doctor packed the wound and I will continue that in the time increments he told me. The wound is expected to close in 6-8 weeks. Everything is going right along the time frame we were originally given. He still cannot swim in a pool, lake, or ocean, but he can watch a dirt track race in person with some extra precautions. I know this is not going to be the best summer of his life, but it is the perfect time to have the procedure and heal. We do not have any sports or school schedules to contend with, so it worked out. I am thankful for a good report at the doctor. God is so good!

ISAIAH 12:4-5

And in that day shall ye say,

Praise the LORD,

call upon His name,

declare His doings among the people,

make mention that His name is exalted.

Sing unto the LORD;

for He hath done excellent things:

this is known in all the earth.

I am declaring TODAY that I will praise His Holy name. I have called upon Him this morning and now I am declaring His good deeds to all of you. This Thankful Thursday, I am mentioning God's goodness and exalting His name. I am singing to God because He had done excellent things. What God has done: the good things and wonderful things and excellent things is known throughout the entire earth. We can see what blessings and answered prayers He has given us. What are you thankful for this Thankful Thursday? Exalt His name with me today and praise Him, sing to Him, for all the wonderful ways He has blessed your life.

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 23 | Bible Study Wednesday

Welcome back to Bible Study Wednesday! This year God has pressed upon my heart to study the book of Psalms. Each Wednesday we take a closer look at a new chapter. Today we are going to chapter 23. I know it is a familiar passage, but if you have not done so, please take the time to read through these 6 verses. I will be sharing some thoughts about today's passage and break down this chapter below. Please pray and ask Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes and ears to receive everything He has to teach you in today's passage. Let's begin!

Verse 1

David begins this psalm declaring the LORD is his shepherd. We all know David was a shepherd boy. He was tending sheep when they called him to meet the prophet Samuel and was anointed king over Israel. He was looking after sheep when his father told him to take some food to his brothers and check on them, not realizing David would slay the giant Goliath. This is a special picture of God through David's eyes. He knows the commitment and the dedication it takes to be a good shepherd. A good shepherd will take care of the sheep's needs. They will not desire food, water, or shelter because the shepherd will provide. In Psalm 80:1, it says this, "Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that leadest Jospeh like a flock; Thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth." Another reference to God being the Shepherd of our souls. Jesus even called Himself the Good Shepherd. John 10:11 I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. We know that Jesus did give His life for the entire world, for whosoever will accept the gift of salvation.

David declares that since God is his Shepherd, he will not want. That does not mean he will get everything he wants. It means that God will meet David's needs. David does not have to go without necessities in life. It may seem like some of our needs do not get met as quickly as we like, or in the way we would like, but God is our Shepherd and He will take care of us.

Verse 2

This verse has two parts. The first statement is that God provides green pastures. This is indicative of blessings and abundance. If you think like a sheep, a pasture full of lush, green grass would be delicious. You could eat to your heart's content and still have plenty. This is again, David referring to the providential hand of God. Psalm 65:11-13 Thou crownest the year with Thy goodness; and Thy paths drop fatness (abundance). They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing. What a picture! The overflow of God's goodness. He is saying the low spots, the valleys, are covered over with corn. There is goodness even in the low spots. There is rejoicing and singing. It is a time of blessing and provision. Isaiah 55:11-13 So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing wherto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn, shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. Instead of thorns you get pine cones and instead of briers you get dainty leaves that are green year round, and in summer you get star-like blossoms and the fragrance fills the air. Instead of receiving painful things, we receive useful and beautiful things. Wow! I love that!!

Part two of that verse says God leads us beside still waters. Sheep do not trust fast-flowing water. They will die of dehydration before they put their face in rushing water. They know they cannot swim well and it is a source of danger to them. The wool becomes heavy when soaked and the water bed is usually rocky and uneven. It would be easy for a sheep to topple over and drown. A good shepherd would never lead a thirsty flock to such a stream for the sake of letting them drink. Instead, they will take the sheep to calm waters.

This is the same for us. God leads us as the Good Shepherd. He does not intentionally take us into dangerous situations. Sometimes we have to cross rushing water, or tread along unsteady rock beds, but we know if He takes us through such circumstances it is for our protection and for our good. He will lead us beside the still waters as often as possible. We know that if He is leading, the path is safe as long as we follow where He leads.

 

Verse 3

Again, this verse contains two different parts. First, He restores our soul. When we are weary, and we have done everything we knew to do, we can become fatigued. The journey is long and hard when we choose Jesus as the Shepherd we follow. It is worth it, because of the benefits. Jesus restores our soul, which means He rebuilds it back to the original condition. Think of how one might restore an old car. There is a lot of work that goes into putting it back like it was. Sometimes the hard roads we travel seem nothing like the peaceful streams we read about in the Shepherd's psalm, but we have to remember, God is fixing some things in our lives. He is putting us back together. When we veer off the right path, He restores us back to where we belong.

Part two of this verse says, "He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake." He does not force us back into the right path, He leads us there. He leads by example. He goes ahead of us and leads the way. He shows us what choices to make and gives us wisdom. David says in Psalm 5:8 "Lead me, O LORD, in Thy righteousness because of mine enemies: make Thy way straight before my face." Have you prayed that prayer? I know I have. I wanted God to put me in right standing with Him so that others who mocked me and ridiculed me would know God was ordering my steps. When God leads us onto paths of righteousness it is for His name's sake. The world will take notice that we are going in a different direction. We do not accept the same invitations. We do not partake in the same activities. We are different because we are on the righteous path of God.

Verse 4

This verse has been used in songs, movies, spoken at funerals and in times of great distress. There is a lot of comfort in this verse. Even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we do not have to be afraid. Yes, the Good Shepherd will lead us through this valley many times through the course of our lives, but we do not need to fear. Why? For You, God, are with me. You comfort me with Your rod and staff. But what are those things, the rod and the staff?

The rod is for protection. The rod would be used on predators trying to devour the sheep. God gives us protection from our enemy as well. It has been said that shepherds used it to count sheep. The rod would be extended and the sheep would go underneath it one by one. It reminds me that the Good Shepherd will leave the 99 to go after the one lost sheep. How would it know there were any missing if it did not count the sheep? Each one mattered to the shepherd. We can be assured each one of us matter to our Good Shepherd as well. Matthew 18:12-13 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Such a beautiful picture of God's love and protection to us.

In Psalm 16:8, David says, "I have set the LORD always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. And in Isaiah, what a loving promise we find. Isaiah 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. We can say that is all metaphorically speaking, but if we turn to Daniel 3:25, we read, "He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. God will literally be with you and with me in each and every circumstance of our lives. He will lead us and guide us and protect us.

The staff is for guiding the sheep along the path the shepherd would take them on. He would use the curved top of the staff to rescue a sheep gone astray. Perhaps David recalled the times he would lean on the staff as he tended sheep. It was a great source to steady oneself on rough terrain and it would serve to support the shepherd. God is that staff for us. He guides us and pulls us back to safety. He also supports us and gives us a steady gait when navigating rough roads.

Verse 5

This particular verse has three main points. First, the LORD prepares a table before David in the midst of his enemies. God will spread a banquet table out for us to eat and enjoy while those who tried to discourage us and destroy us watch. He will give us the blessings and provision we have already read about in this passage so far. We will not eat and partake of these blessings in a prideful way, but we will humbly thank God for the blessings and He will lift us up when the time is right. 1 Peter 5:5-7 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the Mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.

The second part of this verse is He will anoint your head with oil. What is the significance of that? To honor a guest, one would anoint their head with oil. We read in Luke 7:44-47, Jesus had just been anointed with oil by Mary and her perfume in the alabaster box. The guests at the dinner party Jesus was invited to were all treating the woman with disdain and disrespect. Jesus had something to say to defend her and to let Simon and the others know they were wrong. "And He turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for My feet: but she hath washed My feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss My feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed My feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. David says his head is anointed with oil, indicating he feels like an honored guest at the table of God.

The third part of this verse is David's cup running over. If you have ever watched a young child pour a glass of milk, they are sort of unsteady and are learning when to stop pouring. Sometimes the child pours too much and the milk runs over spilling out onto the table or floor. David feels so rich with God's blessings and provision, he says his cup is running over. Today we enjoy the same treatment by our Heavenly Father. He sits us at His table and feeds us all the good and healthy things in front of the enemy who works against us. He anoints our head letting the devil know we are His chosen and anointed vessels. Then God fills our lives to overflowing with good things so it can spill over onto those around us. Isaiah 25:1 O LORD, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will praise Thy Name; for Thou hast done wonderful things; Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. In Psalm 16:11, David says, "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Jesus said, in John 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. David's joy was running over it was so full.

Verse 6

David has confidence in God as His Good Shepherd. He knows that goodness and mercy, or loving kindness, will be David's traveling companions the rest of his life. What do you feel are your traveling companions? Sometimes it may feel like pain and suffering, or hardship and strife, maybe even loss and grief are constant companions to us in this life. We know that hard times do not last always when we serve the Risen King Jesus. David decided no matter what the circumstances of his life looked like, he would choose God's goodness and mercy to follow him.

In this life we have suffering and trials, but the good news is this life is not all there is. In fact, this life is fleeting. Remember what James said? James 4:14 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. David knew he would dwell in the house of the LORD forever! We have the same assurance if Jesus is our Savior. Revelation 21:1-5 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

We all have the promise that we will live with King Jesus forever more one of these days! We may endure hardship in this life now, but soon it will all be forgotten when we behold the glory of God and His majesty. We will know it was all worth it to look upon His face. To know that Jesus has paid the ultimate price for us to live with Him in eternity, will cause us to forget the toil and strife of this life. What a day that will be!

I hope you have enjoyed studying the Shepherd's Psalm with me today. What is your favorite part? God bless you!!

~Bridgett Owens

3 Ships | Fuel For The Weekend

Sometimes God gives me a word, a phrase, or a concept and I will write it down, but then it may be a while before God gives me the full download. On May 4, 2022, God gave me three words: Relationship, Friendship, Kinship. Today, I want to share three SHIPS God wants us to join Him in, what can hinder us from being in each SHIP, and what our responsibility is if we say yes.

RELATIONSHIP -the way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected, or the state of being connected; the state of being connected by blood or marriage; the way in which two or more people or groups regard and behave toward each other.

God wants a relationship with us. We are connected to God by His Son Jesus. It is through the blood of Jesus that we are redeemed to God, and it paid for the sins that separated us from God. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. We have all sinned and so we are all separated from God until we are cleansed in His blood. Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 

If we will not choose Jesus to be our Lord, and if we refuse to admit our sins or turn from them, then we will not be in relationship with God. John 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. John 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. Jesus is the only Way to get to God. If we try to get to God any other way than a real relationship with Jesus Christ, we will not make it to heaven. That will hinder us from joining Jesus in the ship.

What is our responsibility to have a relationship with Jesus? Matthew 10:32-33 Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven. We must confess Jesus Christ is Lord and admit we have sinned. He will forgive us and cleanse us. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  When we do these things we will have a relationship with Jesus.

FRIENDSHIP -the emotions or conduct of friends; the state of being friends; a relationship between friends; a state of mutual trust and support between allied nations.

Jesus showed us what it is to be a friend. He said this in John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Jesus loved us so much that He laid down His life for all of us, His friends and His foes. Abraham was the friend of God. What did he do to get that title? James 2:23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

It sounds great to be called the Friend of God, doesn't it? So what are some things that hinder us from being His friend? James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adultresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. In today's culture, that is some strong statements, isn't it? To be a friend of the world is to be the enemy of God. What is friendship with the world? What does that look like? It looks like living for yourself, pleasing others, looking for fulfillment apart from God; in a career or relationship or being famous. Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? What good is it to be rich and famous in this life and have the entire world applaud you but in the life to come you are tormented for eternity because you never made room for God? You never put Him first. How can we prevent being friends with the world and instead be the Friend of God? 1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Our responsibility to have a friendship with God is found in the book of John. John 15:14-15 Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you. We are to do what Jesus commands. We are to love one another. We are to love our enemies. We are to love God. We must keep His commandments and they are not hard. 1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous. When we choose to obey Christ and follow Him instead of dancing to the piper of this world, we will have friendship with God.

KINSHIP -blood relationship; a sharing of characteristics or origins.

God granted our pardon through the blood of Jesus. 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. Our relationship with God is secured by the blood of Jesus Christ.

We were without salvation before we had a relationship with Jesus Christ. Now we are family of God when we are born again. Ephesians 2:11-13 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at the time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. The blood of Jesus washed us clean and it allows us to draw near to Him. In Revelation chapter one, verse five it says that Jesus loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood. That is such a perfect picture of how He cleansed us.

What can hinder this kind of kinship with Jesus? John 3:16-21 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. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world: but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. To hinder kinship with Jesus is to reject Him. To hear the truth of God's Word and refuse to believe it. To want the darkness and evil deeds more than to walk in the light and revelation of Jesus Christ. This will not only keep you out of the family of God, but it will give you permanent residence in hell for all of eternity.

It is through the love of Jesus that we are free and in kinship with Him. We are in His family. 1 John 3:1-2 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. How do we become the children of God? We must accept Jesus Christ. John 1:11-13 He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Our responsibility in being in the family of God is to accept Jesus Christ, be washed in His blood, have our sins forgiven, and live our lives to please Him. And the greatest responsibility is to tell others about Jesus so they can be in the family of God, too. Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. 

I hope that you will be in relationship with God, enjoy friendship with God, and become a family member in kinship with God. You have the choice right now. If you are a part of God's family, have you invited your family and friends to be a part of God's family, too? Remember the Great Commission Jesus gave us in Matthew 28:18-20. We must tell them all. This weekend, as you encounter friends, family, acquaintances, and strangers, be sure to invite them to join Jesus in these three ships today! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

God Heals | Thankful Thursday

My son had surgery on Friday. I was unable to get a blog post up and I missed yesterday's post, too, so I went ahead today and shared my Bible study post that should have been shared yesterday. Here are some pictures from Friday. The first picture is Javan on the way to the hospital, and then waiting on surgery, and then going home after surgery. 

Big smiles, but he was a little nervous. He was eager to get it over with, he said.

We were thankful to get to spend a lot of time with Javan before he had surgery.

He said the IV was the part he dreaded the most, hurt the worst, and the thing he was glad to get rid of the most.

Javan was pain free when we left the hospital. I am so thankful everything went well. He felt great all evening and the next day he was able to attend his uncle and aunt's family function with lots of singing and food and yummy desserts.

There were many prayers going up for his surgery and recovery. The Bible says, in James 5:14-15 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Javan is blessed with a wonderful youth pastor and his wife who prayed over Javan and encouraged him about the surgery. 

In Exodus 15:26, God said He is the the LORD that heals us. David says in Psalm 30:2 O LORD my God, I cried unto Thee, and Thou hast healed me. I was concerned for Javan. Tears rolled down my face after they wheeled him back to surgery. I was reminded of the scripture, Psalm 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee. It was comforting to know Javan was safe in the hands of Jesus, the Great Physician. God wants us to trust Him. Psalm 148:11 The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in His mercy.

So this week, I am thankful that Javan continues to heal, has had minimal discomfort, and has had an opportunity to rest often. I am also thankful that I am off work during this time and can take care of him. It has been a blessing. What are you thankful for today?

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 22 | Wednesday Bible Study

We are in the book of Psalms all this year. I have learned so much from studying each psalm in depth with you all. Today we will look at Psalm 22. This particular psalm of David has 31 verses. We will break the verses down and study them collectively. If you have not read today’s passage, please take the time to do so. Pray and ask Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes and ears to see and hear what He wants to teach you.

Overview

This is considered the great messianic psalm. Jesus Christ fulfilled this psalm on the cross of Calvary. The first 21 verses depict the suffering, and the last verses in this text refer to the triumph of faith. Jesus is recorded quoting Psalm 22:1 in the New Testament.

Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?

Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?

Verses 1-2

We are familiar with the first part of verse one. We remember these words of Jesus as He was on the cross paying the penalty for our sins. I cannot relate to that, but I can relate to the second half of verse one. When David says, "God You are so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring." Have you ever been there? Have you ever been crying out to God and begging Him to turn things around, and in desperation you seem to be roaring to God and He seems so far away? I know I have.

In verse two, it is relatable also, in that David is saying, "O my God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear me. In the night season, I am not silent." He is being raw and honest with God. In essence he is declaring, "God where are You? I am crying out. Nothing is changing. Nothing is getting better. Are You listening to me at all? Day and night I feel so far from You!" I have been there and it is tough.

Verses 3-5

David knows the key to getting God's attention. Yes, God knows our needs, and He hears our cries, but that does not move God. The Bible clearly tells us in order to please God we must have faith, and walk in the Spirit.

Romans 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

We need to remember what God has already done in our lives. Let's focus on what good and perfect gifts He has already given to us. David says, "But You are Holy." He starts to recall God's character. "You dwell in the praises of Your people." Israel is God's chosen people. He lives in those praises. He is in the middle of the praise and worship. He delights in our rejoicing in Him. 

David thinks about the forefathers that trusted in God and were helped. Maybe he was thinking about the miraculous story where God redeemed his great-grandmother Ruth. She was a pagan and abandoned that lifestyle to follow God. She found His favor in the field of Boaz, David's great-grandfather. Maybe he was thinking about Abraham, Moses, and Joshua. "They trusted You, God, and You delivered them." He is building his faith up because he is rehearsing the victories God had brought those that believed in Him. David says, "They cried to You, and were delivered. They trusted in You and were not confused."

Have you ever been confused about what to do? Are you praying for clarity and direction right now? 

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

1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Isaiah 30:21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Verses 6-8

David feels like he is lower than the earth. He says he is a worm, not a man. He feels like everyone is laughing at him and mocking him. They are ridiculing him, saying, "You trusted in God to deliver you, let Him deliver you, since you love Him so much." Maybe you feel like others are laughing at you. I remember when we moved back up to Indiana from Alabama, others mocked us, too. They said things like, "I thought God told you to move to Alabama. What did you do to deserve to come back here?" They had other mean things to say, too, about God not providing for us and doing things for us. Those words and comments hurt, especially when they were from people we loved and once had fellowship with. Yet, Jesus experienced the same ridicule on the cross. The same mockery. If God is Your Father, let Him save You. What a rude awakening they are in for!

Matthew 27:43 He trusted in God, let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him: for He said, I am the Son of God.

Luke 23:35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with Him derided Him, saying, He saved others; let Him save Himself, if He be Christ, the Chosen of God.

The enemy never uses new techniques. These people were being used by Satan to hurl the same insults he used on Jesus in the wilderness in Matthew chapter four. "If He is who He says He is." This is how the devil tries to throw us off, too. He questions our salvation, our relationship with Jesus, and our commitment to Christ. Know Who you belong to and do not let the devil gain a foothold in your mind.

Verses 9-10

David once again turns his attention to God’s goodness. He says, “You are the God from my mother’s womb. You delivered me from the womb and gave me hope as an infant.” David recalls God’s hand always upon his life. God says this beautiful promise in the book of Isaiah.

Isaiah 46:3-5 Hearken unto Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by Me from the belly, which are carried from the womb: And even to your old age I am He; and even to hoar (gray) hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal, and compare Me, that we may be like?

God says He will carry us even after our hair is gray! What a sweet promise. There is no God like our God! No other idol, person, career, amount of money, or anything will ever be able to compare with our great God Jehovah!

Verses 11-18

David requests God to help him. He says, “I have no one to help me.” He goes on to describe the enemy coming against him. The enemy surrounds him, trying to devour him, to destroy him, and his physical strength to fight is gone. He feels like he is nearly dead. David says his enemies pierced his hands and feet. This is a comparison for David, but Jesus actually endured that. After He died and rose from the dead, Jesus said, this:

Luke 24:39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself: handle Me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have.

Matthew 27:35 And they crucified Him, and parted His garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted My garments among them, and upon My vesture did they cast lots. 

David felt vulnerable and like everyone was staring at him. Jesus experienced multitudes staring at Him, too, as He hung on the cross. David foretold what Jesus would experience at Golgotha. 

Luke 23:27 And there followed Him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented Him.

Mark 15:24 And when they had crucified Him, they parted His garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.

John 19:24 They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted My raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.

Verses 19-21

David again asks God to be with him. He needs strength and he asks God to hurry to help. He is begging God to save his precious life from the adversary. I have been guilty of praying similar prayers. "God please hurry. Give us what You said we can have. We want it now. We need it now." Habakkuk wanted to know why God was not quick to punish the wicked for their evil acts. He starts in chapter one and asks God some hard questions. It seems brave to ask such pointed questions to God Almighty. In chapter two he says he will sit and wait for God to answer him. So God does and this what He said.

Habakkuk 2:2-4 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

Many people take verse two out of context. They say it means to make vision boards and basically tell God what our plans are for our life so He can make it happen for us. That is absolutely not what the Bible says to do here at all. The vision is coming to pass at a later time. The vision Habakkuk is to write is coming but it will not come when Habakkuk wants it to. God said, "Though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come." God ends this particular section of Scripture saying, "The just shall live by faith." That means we have to believe God is working things out. We have trust that even when nothing changes in the natural, things are being rearranged and moved around in the spiritual realm. God is working on our behalf to fulfill His plan for us in the earth. We must not be concerned more about what we want God to do for us, but rather what we can do for God while we are here on the earth.

Verses 22-31

David ends this psalm praising God. In verse 24 he says that God has heard the cries of the afflicted. We have hope that He hears us. In Hebrews it says this:

Hebrews 5:5-10 So also Christ glorified not Himself to be made an high priest; but He that said unto Him, Thou art My Son, to day have I begotten Thee. As He saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedec. Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He  feared; Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchizedec.

David says in verse 27, “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD.” In verse 28, he says, “For the Kingdom is the LORD’s: and He is the governor among the nations.” We know that God is in control and one day we all will bow the knee and confess Jesus is LORD! In closing he adds, “They shall come, and shall declare His righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that He hath done this.” We are the people that shall be born and now we have an obligation to share with our children and their children and their children’s children about the goodness and Sovereignty of God!

I hope you have been blessed today. I know it’s actually Thursday when I am sharing this. I was under the weather and unable to post. But today you get two posts! I will share my Thankful Thursday post today as well. 

No matter how bad things seem to be right now, encourage yourself and build your faith on remembering how good God is. He will take you through these rough days and better times are coming. God bless you friend.

~Bridgett Owens