Category: July

He’s Got This

On By Judy GlasserIn July6 Comments

I’m on a separate path.  Not the same as everyone else.

God is telling me in Isaiah 8 to look at what everyone else is afraid of and……

don’t be afraid.

If you’re a believer, he’s telling you that, too.

“Don’t fear what they fear.”

We have so much we could be afraid of –

disease,

accidents,

rejection,

betrayal,

failure,

loneliness,

and so much more.

When we are trusting in Jesus as our Savior, we don’t need to be afraid of those things.  Jesus is walking right next to us, guiding us through everything that happens to us – working it out for our good.

Dying can be a constant fear hanging over our heads like a big, black thundercloud.  This ominous cloud sends down lighting which strikes us – often by surprise and  without reason.

But those of us who trust in God don’t need to fear our own deaths.  In God’s eyes, death on earth is life is heaven.  His son or daughter comes home – leaving behind all of the pain and sin in this world.

No more tears.

No more trials.

God tells us we have nothing to fear – not even death.  He’s got this.

Thank you, Abba Father.

I Have Seen It

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

He has modeled for me what my life should be like – what is required of me.

Micah tells me this in the Old Testament and its one of the main reasons I study the New Testament so intently.

Jesus showed me how I should live –

To act justly,

To love mercy,

and to walk humbly with my God.

How can I act justly?

Today that looks like living a life of integrity – doing the right thing even when no one is watching and no will ever know.  I need to use God as my compass as I navigate the treacherous and ever-changing waves of life which often try to sweep over me and draw me away from him.

How do I love mercy?

Mercy is undeserved compassion. My world is full of confused and broken people who don’t need my judgement, they need my compassion and help.  It’s not my job to help everyone.  But God has given me passions – things I really care about – in order to find the places where I need to help and serve and make a difference.   If everyone would give $20 and a couple of hours of their time in the area of their passion, we would all be surprised how much things could change.

And I am called to walk humbly with my God.

Each day.

Submitting to his direction for my life.

Staying strong in my belief that God is good.

Sharing my journey with others who haven’t accepted the Great News yet.

Covered by his grace.

Held steady through the storms by his loving hands.

My eyes fixed on him.

He has shown me what is good.

Thank you, Abba Father.

Looking For It……

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

but peace is hard to find.

The world rushes around us.  We’re always in a hurry.

I retired 6 months ago and I’m still trying to re-train myself to stop rushing from thing to thing. It’s not easy – everyone is doing it.  And it’s especially hard to find peace and calm with ‘screens’ screaming and blinking everywhere I go.

I’ve discovered that real peace can’t be found in my environment.

It’s just not there.

True peace only comes from God.

Thousands of years ago, Micah prophesied that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem and he would shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD.  Micah said the Messiah would give us security because his greatness would reach to the ends of the earth.

“And he will be our peace”.

Jesus is our peace.  The Holy Spirit who lives inside every believer brings us peace.

I will not find true peace anywhere else.  Everything else is fleeting – here today, gone tomorrow.  Unpredictable.

Peace can’t be found with money – although its easy to get lost in that direction.

And it won’t be found in any other relationship other than my relationship with God.

Jesus has come to world.

And he offers us the only true place to find peace – in a close relationship with him.

Thank you, dear Jesus.

Where do we go?

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

Where do we go when we’re in trouble?

Who do we turn to when something bad happens to us?

Most of us will turn to God at these times.  Even if we’ve never prayed before, we will often give it a try when the situation is bad enough.

When we’re in big trouble, we find it’s worth a couple of minutes to float up a prayer or 2, asking God to save us.

God tells us in Jeremiah 2 that the Israelites were doing the same thing.  The people had turned their backs on God – until they got into trouble.  Then they would ask God to save them from their terrible situation.July 25 2016 who do we go to

Why do people do this?

Because underneath all the lies that have been fed into our brains, we recognize our Creator.

We sense his power and activity in our world.

Even when we know nothing else about him, we hear his voice in our heads.  We call it our ‘conscience’.  But our conscience has a name – God.

And, it’s true that his voice gets more and more faint the farther we get from God.

Even so, when we’re in trouble, when we’re in a situation where we have no control, we know who does.

And we naturally turn to him.

If that’s the only time we go to God, we are really missing it!

We are missing the strength he can give us to live our lives with purpose everyday.

We miss the love God can shower on us each day as he walks closely beside us.

We miss the grace God has for us as we make mistakes, learn from them and grow.

We miss the joy God can give us as he fills our lives with his truth and light.

We miss the wisdom God can give us so can make good decisions – choosing the best path for our lives.

If you are missing any of these things in your life, today is a good day to turn your face towards God and grow your daily personal relationship with him.

He will still be there when you’re in trouble.  He will actually be closer and you’ll be able to hear him better.

And you won’t be missing all of the blessings he has for you each day.

Today is a great day to make that decision.

You have nothing to lose.

We love you, Abba Father.

 

We Are Becoming

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

We are all ‘becoming’ something.

We are all on the path to ‘somewhere’.

We are deciding what to become and where to go by our choices each day.

We are going one way or another – we aren’t standing still.  If we’re not doing anything new, not making any changes, then we are becoming ‘more’ of what we have been.

Isaiah compares us to clay in his 64th chapter.Potter-at-Work1

When we put our lives in God’s hands, he becomes our potter – molding us into the people he created us to be.

When we let God change us and transform us, we become the work of his hands.

If we let him, he continues to refine us throughout our lives – creating a unique masterpiece.

Our life.

Created by God.

Will we be molded  and shaped by the master’s hands?

Our choice.

We choose you, Abba Father.

What are we doing?

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

It’s hard to avoid all of the craziness going on in our world today.

Hatred, greed and immorality are plagues sweeping across our country.

As a culture, we are busy doing the total opposite of what God tells us to do in Isaiah 58.July 19 aa 2016 what are we doing

God tells us our days should be filled with:

– feeding the hungry.

– providing shelter for those who don’t have any.

– clothing the naked.

– taking care of our families.

– righteously fighting injustice and oppression.

When we do these things, God promises that our light will shine and we will be healed.  He promises to bless us and hear us when we call.July 19 2016 this one b

God tells us to stop finger-pointing and malicious talk.  When we ‘spend ourselves’ on the needs of the hungry and oppressed, our light will shine out of the darkness around us.  When we line up our lives with God’s purposes, he satisfies our needs and gives us strength.

” You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” (vs 11 ).

I want to be one of God’s well-watered gardens.

Do you?

Please guide our actions so we are in line with you, Abba Father.

Rain Has a Purpose

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

Rain comes down from the heavens and waters the earth.July 18 2016 the rain has a purpose

The rain makes the earth bud and flourish – feeding the hungry and providing seed for continued growth.

The rain storm itself can be a dangerous place to get stuck.

It’s dark.

It’s cold.

The waters rise as the storm continues.

But eventually the storm ends, the waters recede and the storm has fulfilled it’s purpose –

just like the storms in our lives will fulfill their purpose when we let God guide us through the dark, cold rain.

God tells us in Isaiah 55 that his ways are not like our ways.July 18 2016 b rain has a purpose

His thoughts are not like our thoughts.

He will accomplish his will and achieve his purposes.

He is God.

And we are not.

When we understand this and live it out, we find the joy and peace that only God can give.

Thank you, Abba Father.

 

We Are Healed

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

700 years before Jesus was born here in earth, Isaiah described Jesus’ life, death and purpose for coming.

This is one of my favorite scriptures in God’s word because it so clearly explains the eternal healing and peace we receive through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.July 17 2016 We are Healed

He took our pain and sorrows upon himself.  God transferred all of our sins onto Jesus – past, present and future.

Jesus was pierced.

He was crushed.

By his wounds we are healed…..

so now our sins no longer separate us from the love and grace of our Father God.

Now we can walk each day in a personal relationship with the Creator of the Universe.

All of us have sinned and rebelled against God.

God laid all of that – for all time – on Jesus.

When we accept the gift of his grace, we are adopted by God as his child for all of eternity.

Thank you, Abba Father.

I am Passing Through

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

I am passing through the waters of grief…

*of disappointment…July 14 a I'm passing through

*of disillusionment…

*of pain….

and God is with me.

I am passing through a river of tears…

*pierced by the shattered pieces of my broken heart.

*trying to figure out how to live with a huge hole in my life…

but they do not sweep over me.  God is with me.

I am walking through the fire of anger… July 14 b I'm passing through

* filled with ‘whys’…..

* trying to understand….

but I am not burned.  God is with me.

I am passing through.

I’m not staying here.

The Lord my God has a purpose for this.

He has a plan.

So I will trust him as I pass through the waters, the river and the fire.

I love you, Abba Father.

 

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.