Category: July

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.

Know How to Blush

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

Conflict.

Unresolved issues.

Things that are going on that are just plain wrong.July 28 2015 Know how to blush

God tells us in Jeremiah 8 to not ignore these things.   There were many issues at this time that the leaders needed to address.

But they looked the other way and acted like these were not serious problems.  They called it ‘peace’ when there really was no peace.

This way they could avoid having to confront any of the behaviors going on.  They ignored it all, acting like it wasn’t anything big.  As a result, they didn’t have to face the shame they should have been feeling.

Do we ever do this?

Avoid the issue?

Act like it isn’t a big thing?

Say something is ok when it really isn’t ok?

Ignore the problem so we don’t have to deal with the shame of our behavior?

God said, “They do not even know how to blush.” (vs 12)

There was no shame.

No turning to God for help in getting their problems solved.

No repentance.

As a result, no renewal.

No fresh wind of God’s spirit.

Only a false peace which was leading them down a path to punishment for their sins.

And they didn’t even know how to blush.

Please open our eyes, Abba Father.

We Are Vulnerable

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

When our lives are not anchored daily on the Rock who is the God of our salvation, we are vulnerable….

to anything and everything.July 22 2015 we are vulnerable

I love how Nahum describes this in his 3rd chapter – “The gates of your land are wide open to your enemies.” (vs 13).

If we don’t have God protecting us and shielding us every day, we are wide open to whatever the Evil One wants to throw at us.

Whatever we think will keep us secure – if it’s not God – it will fail when it is shaken.

Whatever we put our trust in – if it’s not God – we’re in trouble.

Our jobs can disappear tomorrow.

Our bank accounts can disappear tomorrow.

Our health can disappear tomorrow.

Our possessions can disappear tomorrow.

Nahum tells us to ‘Look at your troops – they are all weaklings,” (vs 13).

We are weak and vulnerable when we aren’t walking hand in hand with God.

So Nahum challenges us – ‘get your act together’. (my version of vs 14).

Draw close to the Living Water.

Strengthen your spiritual disciplines of reading and meditating on God’s Word, regular participation in worship and prayers.

Do the hard work of forgiving others and repairing relationships.

Or “the fire will consume you; the sword will cut you down – they will devour you like a swarm of locusts.” (vs 15).

Nahum reminds us that our security is in God – nothing else.

Nahum tells us the truth – that all of the ‘things’ we put our security in will ‘fly away’ someday.

Only our relationship with God is secure.

Thank you, Abba Father.

People the Lord Has Blessed

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

They will be called Oaks of Righteousness.July 20 2015 oaks 1

A planting of the Lord.

A display of his splendor. (vs 3)

I want to be an Oak of Righteousness.  A planting of the Lord.

May my life display even a tiny portion of his splendor!

God points out to us in Isaiah 61 the things that are keeping his Oaks of Righteousness busy.  As I read this, it relates directly to our culture today.

Have you noticed the ruins of our moral structure?

It’s hard to miss the devastation of healthy, strong family foundations.

God’s Oaks of Righteousness are leading the way in rebuilding these ruins within their own sphere of influence.  They are so dedicated to God’s work that they have taken their focus off of a lot of things that distract us every day so they pay more attention to the work God has given them.

God is calling each one of us to rise up and be this Oak within our piece of the ruins.July 20 2015 oaks 2

Yes – we can point fingers at politicians and lawmakers.  That’s the easy way out.

Sure – we can get upset.  We can say all kinds of things about how bad our culture has become.

But what part of this do we own?

And what are we doing about it?

How often are we praying about it?

As we obey, we become this solid planting of the Lord with our roots sunk deep into His truth.  God hates wrong-doing and injustice.  He righteously fights these battles using us when we are in line with him.

God promises that our obedience will bring us double portions of his blessing and everlasting joy.    He extends these blessings to our children (awesome) and tells us that we will be acknowledged as ‘the people the Lord has blessed’. (vs 9).

Amen, let it be so, Abba Father.

Look UP!

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

He is omnipotent.

He is the creator of all things.

He is the only uncreated One.

He is more glorious than our eyes can envision.July 18 b 2015 look up 1

He is perfect.

In Isaiah 55, God tells us “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.”

For some people, the fact that they can’t totally understand God stops them from taking the next step into a relationship with him.  But I’m glad I can’t understand everything about God.  We only have 3.5 pound brains.  If we could understand everything about God, he wouldn’t be God.

The fact that we discuss and we wonder and we debate and we change our minds about God is reassuring to me.  Because he is bigger than anything we can imagine.

He is unfathomable.

And that makes him Holy, Holy, Holy God!

God tells us ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’

Look up!

Where does the sky stop?

Our God is a huge, fantastic God who has chosen, for some reason, to have a personal relationship with us…

with me….

with you.

God tells us, “My word that goes out from my mouth; it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”July 18 2 2015 look up

Do you  feel it?

As we read and meditate on God’s word, the power of the Holy Spirit grows within us.  He interprets these words for us so we can better understand God.  As we come to know God better, we can hear him and follow him more closely.  As we diligently read and memorize and cherish God’s word to us, more of God’s wisdom becomes etched upon our hearts, renewing our minds and fulfilling the purpose God had went he said them.

So look up!  A huge and holy God is reaching out his hand full of love and grace and truth.

Thank you, Abba Father, for how incomprehensible you are!  We don’t need to understand everything about you because you are God, we are not.  We believe that your son, Jesus, paid the price for our sins so that, when we accept his grace, we are saved from being separated from you forever by our sin and rebellion.  Now we are in an eternal relationship with you which has already started and will continue on after we leave this earth.  We love you!  In the redeeming name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

What Are You Looking For?

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

Are you looking for peace in your life?

Are you searching for a purpose?July 18 a 2015 what are you looking for

Are you wanting more joy in your life?

Do you desire to make a difference in this world?

Do you have a broken part of you that needs fixing?

Do you have a piece of you that is lost and needs to be found?

Are you  desperately looking for someone who will love you?  Real love?  Not the kind that fades away and is gone?

A genuine relationship with God can give us all of these things.

In Isaiah 55, God tells us to come to him when we are thirsty for anything.  He can give it all to us at no charge.

God points out that we spend a lot of money  buying things that don’t fill our needs.  We work very hard in order to get these things but they don’t satisfy us.

If we listen to God, we will not only have what is good for us but we will ‘delight in the richest of fare’. (vs 2)

‘The richest of fare’ – unconditional love, God’s purpose for creating us, joy, peace, wholeness and grace.

When we go to God with our wants and desires, we will find everything we’re looking for – and much more.

We will be delighted!   🙂

Thank you, Abba Father.

 

A New Thing….

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

It springs up!

Don’t you see it?July 14 2015 a new thing

I like doing new things.

Going new places.

New experiences.

New thoughts.

One of the zillion things I love about our God is he is always doing something new.

Isaiah tells us in his 43rd chapter to forget the former things.  Don’t dwell on the past.

I find it interesting this comes right after he reminds us how God divided the mighty Red Sea so the Israelites could escape slavery.   Then God ‘extinguished’ the Egyptian army by releasing the waters over them.

Now Isaiah tells us not to dwell on the past but to look forward to the new things God is doing.

It’s good for us to remember God’s faithfulness in the past but we shouldn’t stay there.  God is here today.  And he’s doing something new.

He is making a way in the wilderness.

Does our current culture ever feel like a wilderness to you?

When you’re out in the world, away from your church family and your Christian friends, do you ever feel like you’re in a wasteland?  A place devoid of truth?  Lacking light?  Kind of gray?

I do.

But wait!

God says he is doing a new thing!

He is making a way for us in the wilderness.

He is providing living water for our souls.

And streams of refreshment and purpose for his chosen people –  Us!

We praise you, dear Father!

You are our living water!

Thank you for the new people, the new thoughts, and new opportunities you bring into our lives each day!

We love you!