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!

Be Appalled

On By Judy GlasserIn July2 Comments

Jeremiah tells the people of Judah to compare their faithfulness to that of the pagans.July 25 2014 more faithful first one

The pagans had false, worthless gods who had never done anything for them.  Yet, the pagans were extremely faithful to their gods – to the point of sacrificing their sons and daughters.

Meanwhile, Judah had exchanged their glorious, loving God for worthless idols.

” Be appalled at this’, Jeremiah says.  “Shudder with great horror!”

Do we ever do this?  Do we ever show more faithfulness to one our idols that we do to our Father God?

It’s easy to get caught up in spending our time and energy serving the god of money.  How many hours a week do we work?  How does that compare to the time we spend reading God’s word, praying, worshipping and serving?  Yes, most of us have to work to support ourselves.  Balancing that in order to make sure our top priority also gets an appropriate amount of time and energy is difficult….not impossible.

Our Glorious God who provides everything for us – including our next breath – is calling us today to be faithful.

Yes, dear Father.

The Journey

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

“My thoughts and my ways are different from yours.”July 18 2014 The Journey

God points this out to us in Isaiah 55.

What does this mean?

That my first reaction to a situation may not be how God wants me to react?

That my first solution to a problem may not be the wise one God would like me to choose?

That the lens which I view the world needs to be adjusted according to God’s word?

Isaiah says ‘yes’ to all of those questions.

God sees the world and our lives so much differently than we do.  As we read and meditate on God’s word, he gradually changes our thinking, one scripture at a time.

As we hear and obey his directions, he changes our behavior, one day at a time.

That’s what this journey towards the Truth is all about.

Dear Father, we thank you for your awesome word to us.  We ask that you continue to transform our thoughts and our behaviors as we experience your truth on our journey towards you.  We love you!  You are our final destination.  Thank you for the certainty we have about how this journey ends because of what your son, Jesus, did for us on the cross.  In his redeeming name we pray, Amen.

In His Peace

On By Judy GlasserIn July1 Comment

Several members of my immediate family are already in heaven – my father, my mother, my oldest brother and my step-father.  With tears streaming down my face, I read Isaiah 57 as he tells us why the righteous die:

When those devoted to God die, it’s not the end.July 19 2014 In his Peace

Those left behind don’t understand that the righteous are taken out of this world so they don’t have to experience the ‘evils’ here any longer.

They go to a place of rest.  We call it ‘death’, but God calls it peace.

Thank you, dear Father.

By His Wounds, We Are Healed

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

Over 700 years before Jesus’ birth, Isaiah prophesized that:

* He would not come like a majestic king.ftdDSC_0523

* He would be rejected by people.

*  He would be a man who knew suffering.

*  Others would look down on him, they would despise him.

*  Yet, he would bear our sins.

*  He would be crushed because of our lies and rebellion.

*  He would be wounded for us so that we could find peace and healing.ftdDSC_0505

* He would not open his mouth as he was led to his own slaughter.

*  No one would protest.

* After the Messiah suffered, he would come back to life bringing salvation to many.

Isaiah was so right.

And we are so blessed!

Thank you, dear Jesus!ftdDSC_0549

Isaiah 51, 2014

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

Listen everyone!July 17b 2014 Isaiah 2014

God has given us directions.

His justice is a light to the world!

His salvation has come!

Everyone who looks to God can find hope through his son.

Lift up your eyes to heaven.

The earth is going to wear out.  All of its inhabitants will die.

But God’s salvation will last forever.  He will never fail!

Those who are wise, know this is right.  They have learned what God has taught them.

Don’t worry about what others say or do to you.  They will also pass away.

But God’s salvation will last forever, through all generations to come.

Thank you, dear God!

 

Lay it Down

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

When our burden is heavy, we need to lay it down in front of God – just like Hezekiah did with his letter in 2 Kings.July 10 2014 Lay it down

This letter was filled with very real threats of impending destruction for Hezekiah and his people.

So Hezekiah spread it out before God and talked to God about it.

How wise!  The battle that was coming was way too large for Hezekiah to fight on his own.

He didn’t panic.

He didn’t get all wrapped up in his own worries and anxiety.

He didn’t do any of those things.

He prayed.

And God answered.

That night the angel of the Lord went to the camp of Hezekiah’s enemies and annihilated all of the Assyrian fighting men and officers.

When the Assyrian king realized what had happened, he withdrew in disgrace.  He never touched Jerusalem.

God can and will do the same thing for us.

We just need to lay our burdens down at the feet of our Omnipotent and Loving Father.

Thank you, dear God.

Worthless

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

Do I have a meaningful purpose for living?July 8 2014 worthless

Am I worth something?

When  I get up in the morning, am I going to accomplish anything of value?

2 Kings tells us that the Israelites chose to follow worthless idols and so….

they became worthless.

Following worthless idols caused their lives to be worthless.

Hmmmm….

What are the idols that surround us today?  Which ones lure us away from the one true God?

Success?

Money?

Fun?

Sports?

Relationships?

What we look like?

What our kids look like?

What our house looks like?

Fill the blank in this sentence and you might find your idol.

“I haven’t been to church lately because __________.”

It’s time to take a critical look at our calendar and bank account.

What do we spend most of our time doing?  Do we have time for Bible study?  Do we have time for serving God?

What are we spending our money on?  Does God get his portion?  Or have we already spent it on our various idols and there are too many bills to be paid?

Hard questions.  And possibly some even harder answers.

Dear Father, please help us find our worth in you.

The Highway of Holiness

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

Isaiah 35, 2014:

The blind will see and the deaf will hear.

The broken will become whole and shout for joy.

The earth will rejoice –July 5 Highway of Holiness

*water will gush in the wilderness.

* streams will appear in the desert.

* hot sand will become cool pools of water.

* bubbling springs will feed the thirsty ground.

* grass and plants will grow on the once barren ground.

And the Highway to Holiness will be there for all who are saved.

The unsaved won’t walk on it – the fools won’t go.

There will be no danger there.

Only the redeemed- those who have been rescued by God – will walk there.

They will enter their destination with singing.

Joy will never leave them.

All sorrow and sighing will disappear as gladness overwhelms them.

Thank you, dear Father, for the Highway of Holiness.

 

Pass It On

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

“It only takes a spark to get a fire burning.”July 4 Pass it on

Anyone remember this old camp song?

The words echo through my mind as I read in 2 Chronicles about the ‘spark’ provided by King Hezekiah.

He cleansed the temple, assembled the Levites, reestablished service in the temple and invited everyone to Passover – even his estranged brothers in Israel.  The holy festival had not been observed for quite a while.

Because of Hezekiah’s efforts, a large crowd gathered to celebrate Passover.  Many people in the crowd couldn’t participate because they hadn’t consecrated themselves.  They weren’t prepared – they had gotten out of the habit.

Hezekiah prayed that God would pardon all of them even though they could not participate.  And God answered his prayer.

The crowd celebrated and rejoiced for 7 days.  Hezekiah encouraged the Levites by telling them what a great job they were doing in leading the people in worship.

Everything went so well that they decided to celebrate for another week.  There was great joy in Jerusalem and all were blessed by God.

It only takes a spark and Hezekiah provided it.  He organized an opportunity for people to put themselves into the presence of God.   And they found joy.  They found forgiveness.  They found love.

The same is true for us.  Whenever we seek God, we find him – he promises us that.  And we find joy.  And forgiveness.  And love.

Could you use a little more of any of those things today?

Draw us nearer, dear Father.

Where Do We Find It?

On By Judy GlasserIn July, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Peace.

Do we find it when our To-Do lists are done?

When we have some extra money in our bank account?

Do we really ever find peace from the thoughts….. Bethlehem sign

the plans….

the fears….

the regrets….

swirling around in our heads?

The prophet Micah tells us that Jesus is our peace.

I always find it amazing that, over 700 years before Jesus was born, Micah and Isaiah prophesied so clearly and so accurately with so many details about the Messiah.

In Micah 5, we read that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.  There is very little peace in Bethlehem these days.  On my recent visit to Israel, one of the shopkeepers in Bethlehem asked us to pray for freedom for Bethlehem.  It is a very depressed and oppressed city.

Micah also told us that the Messiah would be a shepherd who would care for his flock with his strength and majesty.  The Messiah’s flock would be secure because of his great power over all the earth.

And Micah tells us the Messiah would bring us peace.

Please give us your peace, dear Jesus.