Author: Judy Glasser

Life is a journey. Sometimes I'm coasting downhill and, other times, its a tough road uphill. My journey has been straight uphill since May 19, 2016 when my son, David Glasser, who was a Phoenix Police Officer was killed in the line of duty. When my life and dreams blew apart, I only had one option - to hold on tightly to my Rock, my Father God. I have a new understanding of just how short life is and how important it is to take loving each other seriously. God is love and all love comes from him. I have seen love do supernatural things since my son was killed. I have published a book, "Then I Looked Up: Losing a Child, Finding His Legacy of Love." about my tough and painful journey since my son was killed. You can order it from Amazon or you can get an autographed copy by contacting me on messenger. I am sharing some of my experiences as a survivor of a line of duty death in MYFAMILYBLEEDSBLUE.COM. Please feel free to share these blogs with anyone you know who might find them helpful. My other blog - JOURNEYTOWARDSTHETRUTH.COM - has been a work of love for many years as I read through the Chronological Daily Bible each year and share what I hear from God when he stops me. I am inviting you to come along on one or both of my journeys. Please share as often as you'd like. Thanks so much for reading!

So Fragile

On By Judy GlasserIn July2 Comments

Our existence here on earth is short.

Our bodies are very fragile.

I just had a front row seat in seeing just how temporary our time on earth is – no matter how strong, how big or young we may think we are.

In his 40th chapter, Isaiah compares us to grass that withers and flowers that fall.

Very temporary.July 12 2016 so fragile

Very fragile.

So where is our hope?

“But the word of our God endures forever” (vs 8)

God is the opposite of us – he is not fragile and he is not temporary.  He is strong, he is enduring and he never changes.

He is our hope.

And he has given each of us a purpose here on earth.

What is my purpose?  Why am I here?  How can I make my fragile life count for something?

God knows the answer to all of these questions.  We are still here on this earth because our assignments are not completed yet.

When our purpose is fulfilled, our light on this planet will go out.  Our fragile existence will end and, when we are believers, our eternal existence in heaven begins.

Have you figured out God’s purpose for your life here?  Are you busy fulfilling your assignment?

Open our eyes, Abba Father.

 

What Do We Do?

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

What do we do when we receive really bad news?

Do we worry?

We can’t sleep?

Our thoughts become consumed by our concerns?

We are filled with dread?

We often react to bad news with some combination of these actions.

In 2 Kings 19, King Hezekiah received a letter from the mighty King of Assyria filled with the really bad news that he was going to attack Jerusalem.July 10 2016 Where do we go

How did Hezekiah react?

He took the letter to the temple, spread it out before the Lord and prayed.

What a great example for us!  Instead of worrying, fretting and then worrying some more,  we need to lay it all at God’s feet.  We need to let the Creator of the Universe take care of it.

God took care of Hezekiah’s bad news.  The angel of the Lord killed a large number of the Assyrian solders and the rest of them retreated.

God always answers our prayers.  Sometimes its a ‘yes’ like with Hezekiah.  Sometimes he says ‘no’ because it’s not his will for us.  Other times he says ‘wait’ and he grows our patience when we wait faithfully for his answer.

Because he always answers.

Thank you, Abba Father.

Meaningless

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

How often are we on ‘auto-pilot’ when it comes to our relationship with God?

Going through the motions?

In Isaiah 29, God tells his people that their worship is meaningless because it is based on human rules while their hearts stay far away from him.  They are saying the right words but they don’t mean it.July 6 2016 meaningless

God can tell the difference.  He knows when our hearts are engaged.  He knows our thoughts and our intentions.

Our love for God shines bright when its authentic.

Real.

And when its based on a personal relationship, not just traditions that we have been taught by others.

God sees right into our hearts and knows if we are sincere.  He knows if we’re serious about our faith.

There is no ‘faking it’ with God.

Please help us worship you and love you like you want us to, Abba Father.

The Light Has Dawned

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

No one has to walk in darkness any longer.

No one has to live in the land of deep darkness.June 29 a light has dawned

Because a light has dawned.

And his name is Jesus.

Wonderful counselor.

Mighty God.

Everlasting Father.

Prince of Peace.

Savior.

A child was born.  God gave us his son.June 29 2016 b a light has dawned

And there is no end to the greatness of his kingdom.

He reigns with justice and righteousness  – now and forever.

God said it.

So it’s the truth.

Thank you, Abba Father.

We are Walking

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

Each day we are walking with God.

And he is taking us somewhere.  We don’t know where….we’re following.

He has a plan for every believer.

A purpose.

There’s a reason – many reasons – why we are still here on this earth.

We have an assignment to fulfill.

And, so…..we walk each day with God.June 26 2016 we are walking

Listening.

Learning.

Obeying.

We’re following him until our mission on earth is fulfilled.

Then we will walk into eternity next to our loving Father…..

forever.

We love you, Abba Father.

Call It What It Is

On By Judy GlasserIn JuneLeave a comment

We get in trouble every time we make excuses for our behavior.

Everytime we try to rationalize away our sin.

Sometimes we do or say something wrong and then we try to make it ok by blaming someone else or telling ourselves everyone does the same thing so it’s not so bad.

“They started it.”

“I’m not as bad as ……………” (fill in the blank).

Isaiah speaks to this sin of rationalization in his 5th chapter:June 23 2016 call it what it is

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,

who put darkness for light and light for darkness.”

Rationalizing does not help us be better people.  The first step of turning away from sin is to see it for what it is.

Recognize the truth.

Be able to identify the truth and admit when we have not done the right thing.

No excuses.

No blame pointed at others.

When we are able to consistently call light ‘light’ and darkness ‘darkness’, we are letting the truth of God transform us.

This is the road of faith that God has called each of us to walk here on earth.  And God never leaves us on this road alone.  He walks beside us – guiding us and loving us.

Thank you, Abba Father.

It’s Time to Flourish

On By Judy GlasserIn JuneLeave a comment

Such a great word – flourish!

It means to develop in a healthy way as a result of a particularly favorable environment.

This is a great goal for us – to flourish.

So what’s our next step?

How about finding a particularly favorable environment to put ourselves in?  A healthy environment where we are supported and surrounded by people who also want to flourish.

I don’t know of any place better to find an environment like this than participating in a Bible-based, healthy church family.

“Who is wise?” God asks us in Hosea 14.  “Let them realize these things.  Who is discerning?  Let them understand.  The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.”June 19 2016 its time to flourish

Are we walking or stumbling?

In the same passage, God promises to help us flourish.  He promises to help us blossom.

The Creator of the Universe always keeps his promises.

It’s clear which particularly favorable environment we need to be participating in so we can flourish.

That’s our next step.

Thank you, Abba Father.

On the Inside

On By Judy GlasserIn JuneLeave a comment

It’s whats on the inside that counts.

We can make ourselves look good and nice and religious on the outside.

But that doesn’t count unless we are letting God mold us and change us on the inside.

When we submit our hearts and minds to God, he will transform them.  Eventually, his redeeming power working in our lives will start to show on the outside.  What people see will be different.

Because we’re becoming more like Him on the inside.

This is why, in Joel 2, the Prophet Joel told the lukewarm people of Judah to ‘rend your heart and not your garments.’June 13 2016 on the inside

They needed to genuinely give their hearts back to God – not just make a big show of tearing their clothes and weeping loudly in the temple.

God called them to rend their hearts – break open their hearts – and let him back in.

Then the transformation can happen.

God asks us to do the same today.  He wants us to open up our hearts to him and let his light shine in our lives.  To mold us.  To change us.

And we can choose to do this.

Today.

What are you going to choose?

We love you, Abba Father.

Open Our Eyes

On By Judy GlasserIn JuneLeave a comment

Sometimes we can be very blind.

Blind to other perspectives that don’t match ours.

Blind to the truth because we don’t want to believe it….or we don’t agree with it.

Blind because we’re so focused on ourselves that we don’t see what’s really happening around us.

In 2 Kings 6, Elisha prayed that several different people’s eyes would be opened.June 10 2016 open our eyes

The first person he prayed for was his servant.  They were surrounded by their enemies and hugely outnumbered.  But when the servant’s eyes were opened, he could see that the hills around him were filled with horses and chariots of fire.  God’s heavenly army.  And God’s army won the battle for them that day.

This is one of my favorite passages in the Bible.

Because we can be so very blind if our eyes aren’t opened.

Dear Father, Thank you for the truth you give us in your word.  Please open our eyes so we can see and understand it.  Please open our hearts so we can live out your truth in our everyday lives.  Please open our minds so you can write your truth in our thoughts – replacing any lies that we may have believed in the past.

Please open our eyes to your perfect will, Abba Father, so we can do our part in growing your kingdom here on earth. In the awesome name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

In a Whisper

On By Judy GlasserIn JuneLeave a comment

We need to be in a quiet place to hear a whisper.

There can’t be a lot of noise around us.  We have to be able to focus on what’s being said when someone is whispering otherwise we’ll miss the whole thing.

We have to tune out all of the other things going on in order to hear what the whisperer is telling us.

This is the best way to hear God.

And this is what God revealed to Elijah in 1 Kings 19.  God told Elijah that he would not find him in the powerful wind or in the earthquake or the fire.  After the fire would come a gentle whisper – straight from God.June 5 2016 in the whisper

And straight to us when we quiet our surroundings and minimize distractions.  We want to be able to hear his whispers as he guides us through our days.

It takes focus.

It takes time.

And it takes making some space in our lives and in our minds…..

to hear his whispers.

Thank you, Abba Father.