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!

Great Love!

On By Judy GlasserIn December1 Comment

Do you feel it?

I do.

I see it in the gorgeous sunrise as God once again declares his faithfulness to me with the start of a new day.

I feel it in my 5 year-old grandson’s hug.Dec 26 2015 great love

I see it in the smiles of my friends.

I feel it in the gentle touch of my husband of 34 years.

It’s the great love God has lavished upon me.

God tells me in John’s first letter that I am a precious child and he proves that by lavishing his love upon me in a multitude of ways.

It’s very encouraging to realize that the closer I get to God, the more love I feel pouring out from him.

As I’ve been consistently memorizing God’s scripture, I also feel his wisdom pouring out from his Word.  And understanding.  And knowledge.

We are his children!  How much more love and wisdom and knowledge and understanding does he have available for us?

There is no limit!

No end!

So let’s decide to live our lives in 2016 as children well-loved by our heavenly Father.

Let’s make a committment to grow closer to God so that its evident to everyone who knows us that his Spirit is alive within us.

And His love.

His patience.

His wisdom.

Thank you, Abba Father.

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

On By Judy GlasserIn December1 Comment

Good news!

Great joy for all the people!

Christmas 2015On this day, in the city of David, a Savior was born to us.

He is our Messiah!

The Lord!

We have nothing to be afraid of.

The angels proclaimed this truth thousands of years ago and it is still news that brings us great joy today!

God so loved the world – that’s you and me.

And my little grand darlings (picture) who like blowing out the candles on Jesus’ birthday cake.

And our families, friends, neighbors and co-workers.

He sent his only Son to pay the price for all of our sin for all time.

It’s done.

We can do nothing to earn God’s grace.

It’s a free gift.

The most important gift we will ever receive.

We just need to accept it and believe.

And be reconciled to God.

And be changed from the inside out as God renews our thoughts with his truth.

With his light.

We celebrate the Light of the World today!

Thank you for your very best gift, Abba Father!

A Great Cloud of Witnesses

On By Judy GlasserIn December2 Comments

It’s an awesome mental picture!

A cloud of witnesses standing at the gates of heaven cheering us on as we run this race of faith with perseverance here on earth.

My parents are in that cloud.dec 25 2015 great cloud of witnesses

Along with my grandparents.

And many more of my ancestors who all lived by faith here on earth, passing their love of God on from generation to generation.

That’s what my cloud looks like!  What a blessing!

When I read this passage, I can hear the faint cheers from heaven…

encouraging me to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus.

Encouraging me to throw off everything that hinders me from running this marathon of faith strong and sure here on earth.

Encouraging me to avoid the sin that so easily entangles.

Entangles is such a great description of what sin does in our lives, isn’t it?

God has marked out a race for each one of us.  One step at a time.

Sometimes its baby steps.

And other times we slow down to a crawl.

But it’s very important to keep moving forward.

To persevere.

To keep focused on Jesus and let the Holy Spirit transform us.

God also tells us in Hebrews 12 about the value of the struggle.

Our perfect Father in heaven disciplines us, his children, perfectly.  When we sin and rebel, he lets us experience the consequences.  He does not spoil us.  As we persevere with faith through these hardships we grow, we mature.

James tells us that we can become wise through our trials when we ask God for wisdom.  God gives a generous amount of wisdom to everyone who asks and then believes they have received it.  Too often we ask for wisdom but then don’t believe we have received it.  So we don’t use it.  We don’t accept that we can now make a wiser choice.  We ignore the wisdom God wants to give us and continue to make the wrong decisions, going down the crooked path which brought us these trials in the first place.

This is not the race of faith God has marked out for us.

The cloud of witnesses are ready to cheer us on as we take our next steps toward a deeper love relationship with God.

I know one of my next steps in 2016 is to continue to memorize scripture.  I memorized James 1 and Proverbs 2 and 3 this last year – I hope some of you memorized them with me.  We are finishing up Proverbs 3 and then going on to Romans 8.

What is your next step?

Do you hear the cheers?

Thank you for the encouragement, Mom and Dad!

 

Alive and Active

On By Judy GlasserIn DecemberLeave a comment

New today.

Different tomorrow.

And then new again the next day.Dec 23 2015 alive and active

God’s Word is living.

God-breathed.

And God speaks through it with the message we need to hear today.

Tomorrow he will say something different.

It’s the same physical words on the page – but a new personal meaning.

Providing guidance for me today.

Providing wisdom for the situation I’m in right now.

Providing comfort or confidence – depending on what I need.

Right now.

God’s word is active.

His truth dives into my mind and cuts out the lies.

Through his words, he wraps his arms around me when I need to feel  his love for me.

He also shakes me out of my comfort zone as his words jump off of the page to challenge me.

His words are reaching out to change us,

remold us,

transform us into the people he created us to be.

In 2 weeks, we will be flipping back to ‘In the beginning’.

To read it all again – but it won’t be the same message we received last year.

God has new things to say to us in 2016.  Revealing old truths that have always been there but God will use them in our lives in a new way this time.  As we listen, He will speak more wisdom into our lives as we continue to mature in our spiritual walk.

His word is alive!

New!

Straight from our Heavenly Father.

Thank you, Abba.

Sword Fighting Class – Confidence

On By Judy GlasserIn Sword Fighting ClassLeave a comment

As we memorize Proverbs 3 together, we are internalizing a lot of wisdom right from God.  Do you hear him talking with you through these verses?

“My child, do not forget my teachings but keep my commands in your heart for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you, bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the site of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruit of all your crops. Then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will brim over with new wine. My child, do not despise the Lords discipline and do no resent his rebuke because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father, the daughter he delights in.Proverbs 2 -13-3-11

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, who gains understanding. For she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies, nothing you desire compares with her. Long life is in her right hand, in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways and all of her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her – those who lay hold of her will be blessed.

By wisdom, the Lord laid the earth’s foundations. By understanding, he set the heavens in place. And by his knowledge, the deeps are divided and the clouds drop their dew. My child, preserve sound judgement and discernment, do not let them out of your sight. For they will be life to you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid. When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

Awesome!  Thank you, God, for writing these on our minds!  Here is the next verse –Proverbs 3 to verse 25

‘Have no fear of sudden disaster or the ruin that overtakes the wicked. For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your feet from being snared.”

Have no fear because the Lord is our confidence!

What a great promise!

Do not be afraid.  Have no fear.  Why does God say something like this to us so often in his Word?

Fear is a weapon of Satan.  He keeps us busy with our worries.  He focuses us on the negative.  He uses fear to weaken our faith.

Fear of the unknown swirls around in our heads all day and fills our minds in the darkest part of the night.

Unless we let our trust in God conquer those fears.  God is omnipotent – he can do anything.  He promises us that he wants the best for us.  We are his children.  He is at work all the time around us.

We have nothing to fear……when we trust.

Yes, bad things still happen to us.  But God will be there.  He will guide us through.  He loves us.

I really like the promise about the Lord keeping my foot from being snared.  Yes, bad things still happen to me but, at least, the Lord is helping me to avoid making choices and decisions that are bringing even more bad consequences my way.

We can have no fear.

When we trust.

Thank you, Abba Father.

 

Living Stones

On By Judy GlasserIn DecemberLeave a comment

We aren’t strong enough.

We aren’t smart enough.Dec 21 2015 living stones

We don’t have the power we need to live a Godly life – on our own.

But – with God – all things are possible.

In Peter’s first letter, he calls Jesus the Living Stone who was ‘rejected by man but chosen by God and precious to him.” (2:4)

And then Peter says that we, as believers, are also living stones who are being “built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (vs 5).

Together, with Christ as the Cornerstone, we become something spiritually significant.

Holy.

God’s special possession.

God gave the best he had for us – his own Son – in order to save us from eternal separation from him.

This is one of the reasons we need to be an active part of a spiritual family – a church.  Because that is our spiritual house of holy priesthood.

We find God in those relationships.

We worship God by praising him together and giving our tithes and service.

Together, we bring glory to our Father God.

For God to loved the world!

Thank you, Abba Father.

The Good Deposit

On By Judy GlasserIn DecemberLeave a comment

My memories are full of good, faithful people who invested a lot of time and effort into teaching me about God.Dec 19 2015 the good deposit.

Sunday School teachers.

Vacation Bible School teachers.

Camp counselors.

Pastors and Laymen.

They all contributed to the invaluable Christian upbringing that God gave me through them.

The most impactful deposit was made by my Godly parents whose faithfulness never wavered through all of the struggles and trials that life brings.  Witnessing my mother’s joy as she walked closely with God for 84 years is the most precious gift she ever gave me.

And I am very grateful.

Paul tells Timothy in his second letter to ‘guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you.’   (vs 1:14)

All of us have received this good deposit – the truth in God’s Word – and we are called to guard it.

Whether we have been surround by the truth our whole lives like I have or we have just accepted the gift of salvation last week, good deposits have been made in us.

Good deposits of sound teaching with faith and love in Christ Jesus have been entrusted to us.

Paul tells us to guard them with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Because they are precious.

So very valuable.

Thank you, Abba Father.

What Is Your Favorite?

On By Judy GlasserIn DecemberLeave a comment

Is it the breastplate of righteousness?

The sandals of peace?Decem 15 2015 what's your favorite

The shield of faith?

God tells us in Ephesians to prepare each day for the spiritual battles that are raging around us by putting on his full armor.

Our struggles are not against the people and problems that we can see.  It seems like it is.  But God tells us that the battle is much bigger and much darker than what we can see.   The evil schemes of Satan fill the spiritual world swirling around us.

This makes a lot of sense to me.  When I see the addictions and sinful, painful choices people make everyday that blow up their families and their lives, it’s clear that Satan is working very hard and he is winning some of the battles.

Each of us are called to fight against this evil every day.  And the wise soldier comes prepared with a full set of armor:

The belt of truth.

The breastplate of righteousness.

The sandals of peace.

The shield of faith.

The helmet of salvation.

And the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

My favorite piece of armor has always been the shield of faith.  I can sometimes see the flaming arrows of the evil one coming at me.  But my faith protects me.

As I’ve been more committed to memorizing God’s word this last year, I am discovering a new understanding of the immense power the Sword of the Spirit has when we are well-prepared.  When it’s etched on our minds and hearts, God’s word is powerful.  It’s transforming.

It is an extremely effective offensive weapon to use in pushing back the darkness.

To shine the light of truth where sin has extinguished all hope.

To get rid of the lies that confuse us.

To help us get our eyes off of ourselves and focus on the One who has all the answers.

And to remind us that God has already won the war.  In him, we have victory.  Today and everyday.

Thank you, Abba Father.

Sword Fighting Class – Sweet Sleep

On By Judy GlasserIn Sword Fighting Class1 Comment

We are memorizing Proverbs 3 together.  There is so much wisdom in this chapter and it’s empowering to get this all in our heart and mind.  God speaks often and clearly through these words –

“My child, do not forget my teachings but keep my commands in your heart for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you, bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the site of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.Proverbs 2 -13-3-11

Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruit of all your crops. Then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will brim over with new wine. My child, do not despise the Lords discipline and do no resent his rebuke because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father, the daughter he delights in.

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, who gains understanding. For she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies, nothing you desire compares with her. Long life is in her right hand, in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways and all of her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her – those who lay hold of her will be blessed.Proverbs 3 to verse 25

By wisdom, the Lord laid the earth’s foundations. By understanding, he set the heavens in place. And by his knowledge, the deeps are divided and the clouds drop their dew.

My child, preserve sound judgement and discernment, do not let them out of your sight. For they will be life to you, an ornament to grace your neck.”

Awesome!  Here are the next verses, finishing this thought –

“Then you will go on your way in safety and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid. When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.”

Being safe as I go along my way – that is a huge promise to me.  I’m on the freeway for a 60-mile round trip every day to work and sometimes it feels like a war zone with cars piled up on both sides as people crash into each other.

And I really want to avoid stumbling.  Stumbling of any kind can often be painful, embarrassing and time-consuming.

I also want to avoid those fears in the middle of the night.  Fears about everything…anything….and nothing.

Sweet sleep – this promise is an awesome one!  How great it feels to sleep well all night!

God is telling us that the sound judgement and discernment that he gives us will bring all of these good things into our lives.  When we seek him first and obey, we are on the straight path which brings all of these great things our way.

That’s what wisdom and knowledge and understanding can do for us.

Thank you, Abba Father!

 

 

He Chose Us

On By Judy GlasserIn DecemberLeave a comment

We are loved by God.

And his desire is for us to be compassionate,

to be kind,December 14 2015 he chose us

to be humble,

and gentle,

and patient.

Paul tells us in Colossians 3 to bear with each other.

To forgive each other.

And, above all , to love one another in perfect unity.

We are called to be lovers of peace – to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts.

What does that look like for me?

What does that look like for you?

To be ruled by peace.

Just imagining it lowers my blood pressure 🙂

What would our lives be like if we lived each day filled with gratitude?

What thoughts would fill our minds if the message of Christ ‘richly dwelt’ in us?

What if we could say that everything we do is done out of thankfulness for  what Jesus has done for us?

This is what growing more like Jesus looks like.

How are we doing?

We thank you for the power of your spirit living within us, Abba Father.