Category: June

Be Still and Watch

On By Judy GlasserIn JuneLeave a comment

It’s hard for me to be still and watch.  I’m a doer.  I’m an achiever.  I spent over 34 years of my career “making things happen”.

So I tend to skim over all the situations in the Bible where God tells us to “be still and watch”.  And God says this often.  You probably don’t notice how often he says this unless you’re trying to ignore him when he says this – like me.

In 2 Chronicles, King Jehoshaphat tells his people not to be discouraged by the huge, combined army that is marching toward them. “You will not even need to fight.  Take your positions; then stand still and watch the LORD’s victory.” 2 Chronicles 20:17.

After saying this, the king and all the people bowed before God with their faces to the ground and they worshipped God. This creates a great visual picture in my brain because they were acting like they had already won!

Because they had.

Early the next morning, they marched out to their positions singing praises to God.  They were not afraid – God was going to fight for them.

And he did.  While King Jehoshaphat was marching out with his men singing praises to God, God caused the enemy army to become confused and they started fighting each other – killing everybody in their own army.

When God’s people arrived, all the of the enemy soldiers were dead. They won and the only weapon they raised was their trust in God.  It took them three days to gather up all of the supplies and valuables left behind by the dead army.

Wow!  They didn’t even have to use their weapons.

God showed me how this works several years ago when I was concerned about a family situation so I was going to do something about it but I kept forgetting to do it. This was very unlike me – I make lists and it gets done. I realized God was trying to stop me from getting involved. So I stopped and watched and prayed. And prayed some more.

A couple of weeks later I discovered that the issue had been totally resolved. God fixed it. And he accomplished something that I could have never done. I had no idea what he was doing until I found out it was all taken care of.

God is saying to me and you today that there are battles coming our way that he wants to fight for us.  We just need to trust and be still and watch.

Thank you for fighting my battles, Abba Father.

He Whispers

On By Judy GlasserIn JuneLeave a comment

If I’m not careful, I’ll miss it.

I’ve missed it before – God speaking to me.

Just like with Elijah, God doesn’t speak to me in a terrible blast of flying rocks or in an earthquake or in a fire. “After the fire came a gentle whisper.” 1 Kings 19:12

God often speaks to me in what feels like a whisper – a faint breeze of truth and light that flits through my mind.  I have to stop, concentrate and reach out to catch it.

If I’m not careful, it’s gone.

If I’m not purposefully opening up my spiritual eyes and mind, the spark moves on.  And I’m left wandering, ‘When God is going to answer my prayer?   When will I see him move?’

When I am quiet,

when I am focused,

when I don’t let distractions derail my time with God, I hear him loud and clear.

God’s Word is alive – he will underline passages in my Bible (you wouldn’t see it but I do), he will point out a sentence to me by making it bold print (again – in my mind) and sometimes his voice will start reading a passage in my head when he wants me to really stop and hear. This is especially true when he is talking about how much he loves me. Yes, I know my Father God’s voice. It makes it easy to discern his truth from all the other voices surrounding me, including mine.

There are situations where God simply opens up my eyes to how he has already answered my prayer.  He has taken care of the issue and moved on.  Keep up!

That’s when I realize how much I miss when I’m not quiet,

when I’m not ‘zoned in” enough to hear the whispers and feel his breeze of truth ruffling the pages of my Bible.

Please open my eyes, open my ears, Abba Father.

He Is Not Like Us

On By Judy GlasserIn June2 Comments

God is never tired, he is never impatient, he is never distracted, he is never busy.

We are made in God’s image – little glimpses of him show up in each of us.

But he is not like us.

This fact brings me a lot of peace and confidence. I desire to be more like Jesus. I am eternally grateful that he is not like me.  He has none of my weaknesses or failings.

Sometimes God tell us about his emotions in the Bible – anger, sadness, and joy.  All of his emotions are perfect – for the right reason.  They are not like our emotions which are self-centered and can often cause us to say and do wrong things.

When Elijah mocked the priests of Baal in 1 Kings, he was trying to point out the godlessness of their gods.   When Baal didn’t respond to their requests,  Elijah said, “Shout louder! Surely he is a god. Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” 1 Kings 18: 27. This kicked the Baal prophets into a frenzy of shouting louder and slashing themselves with swords and spears.  They often did this trying to get a response from Baal.

I grimace when I imagine this scene of four hundred and fifty bleeding prophets of Baal – crying out to a manmade wooden statue.  Looking for answers. Looking for hope.

How futile!

How wrong!

How lost.

When I take a look at the world which surrounds me today with overwhelming violence and lies and confusion, I can say the same thing –

How futile!

How wrong!

How lost.

Jesus came to bring his light of truth, grace and salvation to everyone who would believe. He is the only answer.

He lives within each believer and he has commissioned each of us to be his light in our part of this dark and broken world.

Dear Father, Please help us shine your light brightly right where we live, work and play

It’s Not Working

On By Judy GlasserIn JuneLeave a comment

I’m an achiever. I like to get things done. I’m also a planner and organizer so I can get them done.

There have been situations in my life in the past where I have struggled and worked and persevered to make something happen only to discover that it wasn’t the right thing. It didn’t work out.

So dissappointing.

As my faith in God has grown, I have realized that I want God’s plans for my life to become reality, not my own plans. The truth is he knows everything, he has the power to do anything and his plans are perfect.

Mine aren’t.

So now I talk to God about what he wants, watch to see where he is moving and then join him in what he is doing. Does it surprise you that great things happen when I do this?

I’m not surprised.

Does it surprise you that sometimes I forget to do this?

I’m not surprised.

As I’m reading King Jeroboam’s story in 1 Kings, I am reminded of some of the disappointments I had when I was trying to do things my own way. Jeroboam was setting up his own kingdom in Israel without asking God what he wanted and Jeroboam was making a lot of bad decisions. But he persevered and made everything happen just like he wanted it.

Then, one day, the king stretched out his hand to command to his men to seize the prophet of God (another bad decision) and his hand shriveled up.

Wow! That got Jeroboam’s attention!

Jeroboam knew exactly who shriveled up his hand so he said to the prophet of God , ” Intercede with the LORD our God and pray for me that my hand may be restored.” 1 Kings 13: 6. This was a good decision – God instantly restored the king’s hand.

God doesn’t usually make hands shrivel up today but he is constantly trying to guide us down the right paths so we make good decisions. Since I’m a planner and organizer and doer, I have to be careful to listen to God and not just use my own skills to make stuff happen. When the road I’m on gets tough and things just aren’t working, I’ve learned to stop and look to God – is he trying to stop me? – before I just push through to make it happen. Years ago I decided before I put the big effort into climbing a wall, I’m going to make sure it’s the right wall.

When I am keeping my eyes on God, studying his Word and spending time with him, he shows me when I’m getting off track. I ask him to open doors or close doors – somehow show me if I’m going down the right path or not.

And he does. There are times when he opens my eyes to a different next step than I was planning. In other situations, he encourages me and I know I’m supposed to keep moving forward.

By focusing on what God wants – not what I want, God doesn’t have to try hard to get my attention. It’s a great way to avoid climbing the wrong wall and experiencing nasty consequences.

No shriveled hands here.

Thank you for your truth and guidance, Abba Father.

Too Easy

On By Judy GlasserIn June1 Comment

It’s just too easy to wander away from God.

I know because I wandered away for several years when I was a young adult.    I moved away from home and gradually filled my calendar with activities I knew were not the best for me.  The people I met while doing these activities weren’t interested in a relationship with God so we never talked about him.  My whole lifestyle changed to ‘looking for love (and fun) in all the wrong places.”

It was easy.

Several years later, I woke up (with a lot of nudging from the Holy Spirit) and realized I was not where I wanted to be.  Don’t get me wrong – I had worked hard and gotten the degree, the husband, the career, the house, the kids and the cars that I thought I wanted – everything I thought would make me happy.

But I wasn’t happy.  I was empty.  I had a huge hole in my life.  I needed a meaningful purpose for getting up every morning beyond feeding the kids, paying the bills and getting my ‘to-do’ lists done.

It took me awhile to figure out that the aching hole in my life was where God was supposed to be.  I’m sure the Holy Spirit had to work very hard on me to get me to see that.  My relationship with God at this point had melted into nonexistence.

I realized I missed God.  I missed my spiritual family.

I’m extremely grateful that the Holy Spirit helped me identify my real need and desire so I could get back on track.  My relationship with God has given me all the purpose and joy and success that I was looking for.

Huge numbers of Christians have wandered away this last year because of the pandemic:

  • their Bible started gathering dust on a shelf.
  • with churches closed, other things used up the time they used to spend with God and their church families.
  • it got so easy to tune in to church on line when it was convenient. It’s so much easier than going back to church in person.
  • their week became too busy with other things and they didn’t like zooming so they dropped out of small group Bible studies, leaving their Christian friends behind.

Do any of these describe you? I’ve got to admit the ease and convenience of on-line church had a hold of me for awhile….especially since I moved out of state at the start of the pandemic and I needed to find a new church home. But then the Holy Spirit gave me a significant nudge, reminding me of the importance of having a spiritual family full of people who I can worship with, serve with and grow with. So my husband and I searched and prayed and God is blessing us through our new church family.

I am reminded that wandering can happen to anyone when I read about the end of King Solomon’s life.  He was the wisest man who ever lived and yet his pagan wives influenced him to such a degree that he turned his heart away from the One True God and started worshipping manmade idols.  Unbelievable! Such a sad end to an awesome life.

God had warned all the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them (foreign wives), because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” 1 Kings 11:2.

I feel like God is warning me today through his Word.   I must be diligent about keeping my priorities straight.  If attitudes and activities start to draw me away from God, I need to adjust my focus.

I wandered away once when I was young.  I’m determined not to do it again.

Please keep me close to your side, Abba Father

What Does He Want?

On By Judy GlasserIn JuneLeave a comment

Have you heard anyone say something like, ” I just can’t figure  out what God wants from me?” or ” I really don’t know what God wants me to do?”

Statements like these confuse me because I think God is amazingly clear and to the point about the ‘main things’ that need to be a focus in my life.

The first and second commandments are love God with my whole heart and love others.  Jesus tells us that obeying these 2 commandments fulfills ‘all the law and the prophets’.  That includes the original 10 commandments from the Old Testament.

Used to be 10 commandments – now it’s 2.  God knows we need simple and clear directions.

As I read the 6th chapter of Micah, I am again amazed at how direct God is as he tells me what he expects from me. ” And what does the LORD require from you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Which part of that is unclear?

Act justly – do the right things and God tells us what is right in his Word.

Love Mercy – forgive others.  Give people a break especially when they don’t deserve it.  Help others.

Walk Humbly with God – develop a close relationship with God understanding that he is a supernatural combination of Creator of the Universe, the Holy and Perfect One and my Abba Father.

Micah told us this thousands of years ago.  It’s time to stop asking God what he wants us to do and start doing it.

Thank you for how clearly you guide me through your Word, Abba Father.

It’s Bad

On By Judy GlasserIn JuneLeave a comment

I’m surprised when I find myself doing it – rationalizing.  I start to make excuses for making not great choices.

I find myself thinking it’s ‘not really bad’.

Do you do this, too?

Do you tell yourself “everyone’s doing it” or “no one will ever know” when you think about doing something that’s not right?

God’s words through Isaiah are very clear about our tendency to rationalize away bad decisions.  “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter”.

Woe to me when I call evil good…..or call evil okay.  These words echo through my head as I recommit to stop rationalizing things.

I need to be discerning – don’t accept evil as good, don’t call shades of darkness light.

I need to be wise.  This doesn’t mean I go around judging other people.  God is their judge.  I’m focusing on my behavior and my values and my choices.  I’m focusing on calling good good and calling evil evil in my life.

And stop the excuses, stop the rationalizing.

Please open my eyes, Abba Father.

 

Jonah’s Prayer, 2020

On By Judy GlasserIn JuneLeave a comment

When it all hit the fan, I decided to call out to you, God….

and you answered me.

My choices took me to a deep, dark place in my life,  far from you.  But you still heard me when I prayed.

I tried to run from you – a very bad decision.  And now you’re letting me pay the consequences as waves of darkness and regret wash over me.  I feel like you are very far away, dear God.

Even so, I am going to look for you, watch for you, call out to you.

I keep sinking….

down,

into the cold,

deep,

sadness.   This is where my choices have taken me.

But I know you are here, Lord God.  And you will lift me back up into your arms.

When I was lost, I remembered you and I turned back to you, God.  I’m not like those other people who idolize money, success or fame.  I praise you with a joyful heart, my God!

I am here to do your will.  I will do what you have asked me to do.

I’m listening, Abba Father.

He is Doing It

On By Judy GlasserIn JuneLeave a comment

You call them coincidences.  Situations come together and there’s an unexpected check or a conflict resolves itself without you doing anything or you get an awesome yet much needed surprise at just the right time.  How great!  Wow!  What a coincidence!

But it’s not a coincidence.  It’s a God-incidence.  It didn’t just happen – God made it happen.  Every day God goes ahead of me, working things out for my good.  When I get to tomorrow, he has already been there, taking care of the details and organizing blessings for me.

So I relate to Jehoshaphat’s story in 2 Chronicles.  The people of Judah were being attacked by a huge combined army made up of several of their enemies.  King Jehoshaphat told his people to “have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld.”  Then he appointed a group of men to go in front of his army singing praises to the LORD.

This creates a vivid picture in my mind of this army of tough, armor-clad soldiers carrying their swords and shields while men lifting praises to God marched in front of them, leading the way.

While the army of Judah was marching toward battle, God set ambushes against the enemy army.  The individual armies within that enormous army started fighting amongst themselves and totally destroyed each other.

When the army of Judah got to the top of the hill that overlooked the desert where they were going to fight, all they saw were dead bodies.  The battle was over and they were victorious!

A God-incident.  He took care of it before they ever got there.

God often does this in my life.  When I’m aware, I see God-incidences happening all through my life.  I have learned that, when I am unsure of my next step in a situation, I need to pray to God.  I trust that he’s going ahead of me – either taking care of the situation or creating an opportunity for me to say or do what I’m thinking about.  So I pray….and watch…and wait…. until he moves.  It’s amazing!  He either works it all out for my good without me doing anything or he opens up a door for me to do or say what he’s prompting me to say.   Sometimes it takes a while for it all to come together but timing is everything.

God-incidences are always the perfect thing at the perfect time.

Thank you, Abba Father.

 

How Many Jars?

On By Judy GlasserIn JuneLeave a comment

How big is my God?  How much does he want to bless me?

God stopped me today as I read the story of the widow whose son was going be taken as a slave because her husband had debts he didn’t pay before he died.  She asked Elisha for help saying she had nothing left except a small jar of  olive oil.

Elisha replied, ” Go around and ask your neighbors for empty jars.  Don’t ask for just a few.  Then go inside…and pour oil into all the jars…”  She did exactly what Elisha said and she just kept filling the jars until they were all full. The oil stopped flowing when her last jar was full.  Then she sold the oil to pay her debts and had enough money left over to live on.

Now that I know the end of the story, my automatic response is – too bad she didn’t get more jars!

Did you go there?

And then I wonder how many times God was willing to bless me abundantly but I didn’t bring enough jars?  I didn’t bring enough faith?  Enough trust?

How often do I short-cut God’s attempts to lavish love and care on my life because I don’t ask?

The message I’ve been consistently receiving lately from God is that there are some mountains he will move if I will boldly ask.  He’s stirring up a wind of his Spirit that he is inviting me to take part in if I will ‘bring enough jars’.

Nothing is impossible for my Father God so I will acknowledge that by boldly asking and watching expectantly for his answer.

I’m getting a lot of jars lined up, Abba Father.