Category: May

How Happy!

On By Judy GlasserIn MayLeave a comment

The Queen of Sheba travelled over 1200 miles on camels through a hot desert that was inhabited by roving groups of bandits just to check out King Solomon.  She had heard about his enormous wisdom and wealth.  Now she need to see it for herself.May 15b 2014

After spending a considerable amount of time with Solomon, she told him that he was even more wise than the reports she had heard.  ‘How happy your people must be!” she exclaimed and then she praised the God of Israel who had delighted in Solomon and made him king.

Whenever I read in the Bible about people who are wise, I am reminded of James 1 where God tells us that we only need to ask for wisdom and he will give it to us.

That’s what Solomon did – he asked for wisdom and God gave it to him.  God gave his so much wisdom that King Solomon is still acknowledged as the wisest man who ever lived.

Our Dear Heavenly Father.  Thank you for your word to us.  When we seek you, we always find you. 

Today we ask for wisdom, dear God. 

Wisdom to make the right choices.

Wisdom to say the right things.

Wisdom to set our priorities right so that our lives are about the things that you care about.

And we ask for an extra measure of your wisdom.  We ask that the people around us be positively affected by our wisdom.  We’d like them to be happy because of our influence in their lives just like the people who lived with Solomon and experienced his wisdom.

You have promised you will give us wisdom if we ask, so we are asking expectantly today. 

We know that you train us when you give us gifts like wisdom.  We are anticipating that you will put us in more situations where we need wisdom so that we can turn to you and learn. 

Please help us always to turn to you and learn, dear Father!

Thank you for your transforming power in our lives!

In the awesome name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

The Temple of God

On By Judy GlasserIn MayLeave a comment

King Solomon was very diligent in building the Temple of the Lord just like God has asked him to.  Much of what we read in 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles is about all of the hard work and dedication it took to fulfill Solomon’s obligation.

During the dedication of the temple, Solomon knelt down before the altar in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands, and prayed for his people.  He prayed that, in every situation –

when anyone wronged their neighbor,May 15 2014

were in defeat,

in drought,

in famine,

in captivity,

in battle.

a stranger in a strange land,

that they would turn to God and that God would hear them.

Then Solomon asked God to arrive and come to his resting place.

When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven to consume the offerings and sacrifices laid on the altar in front of Solomon.  And the Glory of the Lord filled the Temple.

When Jesus came to earth, he told us that the temple was being moved.  The temple is now the heart of every believer.  Our body is the Temple of the Lord.  God dwells within us.

When we ask God to come and dwell inside of us, he does.  And his glory can fill our hearts as we learn to give him more and more room, more and more control.  All we need to do is ask.  We need to seek him.

Whenever we ask, he answers.  Whenever we seek him, we find him.

Come fill our hearts today with your glory, dear God!

He Wasn’t There

On By Judy GlasserIn May2 Comments

eeeeeecDSC_0443On my recent trip to Israel, we visited King David’s Tomb.

There were women there, praying as they leaned on the cover of his tomb.  The atmosphere was very quiet and respectful.  It was a dark, somber place.

Men covered their heads aseeeeeecDSC_0446 they went down the other side of the hall which led to the tomb and the women walked down the other side behind the divider.

Whatever remains of King David after these thousands of years was there.

ftdDSC_0558What a sharp contrast our visit to the Garden Tomb which is believed to be where Jesus was buried.  We saw the beautiful garden which is mentioned in John 19 and we saw the empty tomb.

The garden was sunny. The flowers bloomed. It was an oasis of peace and calm in the center of noisy, crowded, tension-filled Jerusalem.

And there were no remains of Jesus there – because he didn’t stay there.  He arose!  And he lives today!  He lives in the heart of each believer.

ftdDSC_0564There was no tomb that could hold him.  He had final victory over sin and death – forever – for each one of us!

Hallelujah!

 

 

Psalm 146, 2014

On By Judy GlasserIn May, UncategorizedLeave a comment

May 9 2014I praise the Lord!

I praise him with all that I am!

I will praise the Lord until the day I die.

I’ll be singing praises to him for as long as I live….here and in heaven.

We can’t put our trust in people – they can’t save us.  When they die, their lives are over, all of their plans are done.

When we trust in God, we are blessed.  He is our only hope.

God is the creator of everything and he will be faithful to us forever.

He cares about those who are held down and held back by others.  He feeds the hungry.

The Lord sets us free.

He helps us to recognize what is true.

The Lord helps those who are weighed down by problems and sadness.

The Lord loves those who live their lives according to his directions.

The Lord cares for those who don’t belong anywhere.  He is a father to the fatherless and a husband to widows.

He purposely messes up the plans of those who listen to the whispers of the Evil One.

The Lord will be our King forever!  For all generations!

I praise the Lord!

 

 

 

Psalm 42, 2014

On By Judy GlasserIn MayLeave a comment

May 7 a 2014I need you, dear God.

I am so empty when don’t feel you near me.

How can I get closer to you?

I am blinded by tears running down my face – day and night.

People say to me, ” What good is your God now?”

I remember how I used to run to you so easily and feel your protection.

I had so much joy!  I felt very blessed!  I loved being surrounded by people who love you!

Why am I so depressed?May 7b

I know what to do.  I need to turn back to you.  I need to revive the hope that I have because you have saved me and you are my God!

When I am most miserable, I need to remind myself of how you have always taken care of me.  You have always been faithful to me.

I need to feel your deep, endless love sweeping over me and through me again.

I know you love me.  I feel you near me at night.  When it’s dark…..and I’m praying.

But I still lose focus and I start complaining and whining.

When I focus on negative things, I start thinking that you have forgotten me.

I feel like the entire world is against me.  I am so sick and tired.  So helpless.  So useless……..

The taunts of the Evil One echo in my head – where is your God now?

I need to stop letting my mind take me there.  I need to focus on you, God, and spend as much time as possible with you.

You are my hope and salvation.

You will deliver me again!

Psalm 20, 2014

On By Judy GlasserIn MayLeave a comment

May the Lord always answer you when you call on him.May 6 2014

May he protect you.

May he send his mighty army of angels down from heaven to help you and support you.

May he remember all of the things you have done in his name and to his glory.

May he give you what you desire and make all of your plans succeed.

We all want to celebrate with you as God helps you succeed and have victory in the most important areas of your life.

May the Lord answer your prayers.

And this I know:

The Lord gives success to those who love him.

He answers them by using the mighty power in his hands.

Some people trust in themselves or in their bank account or in the stuff they own.

Not us!  We trust in God alone.

Others may fail, but not us.  Because God lives inside of us and we can stand firm!

Lord, give us victory in you when we call!  We’re watching for your answer!

Psalm 103, 2014

On By Judy GlasserIn May2 Comments

I praise the Lord with all that I am.May 2 a 2014

I can never forget all he has done for me –

he has forgiven all of my sins and healed my brokenness.

He has redeemed me from a life filled with darkness and emptiness.

He fills up my heart with his love and compassion.

He only gives me things that are good for me and renews my strength so I can face each day.

Have I mentioned how compassionate and gracious he is?May 2 b 2014

And he is so patient with me.

I feel his love pouring down over me and overflowing onto those around me.

He doesn’t treat me like a sinner.  His love for me is bigger than the sky.

He has made my sin disappear from his eyes through the sacrifice of his son, Jesus.

God is a compassionate father to all of us who love him.  He knew us before we were born.

We are like flowers in the field which bloom and  then are gone – blown over by the wind and gone.

But God’s love is never-ending for those who love him.  His promises extend out to the children of the faithful.

Thank you, dear God!

Psalm 119, 2014

On By Judy GlasserIn MayLeave a comment

Teach me, Lord, the right way to live my life so I can live like that the rest of my life.May 3 2014

I want to understand so that I can follow you with all of my heart.

Help me do the things you want me to do because you and I know those are the things that are going to make me really happy.

Focus my mind on things that are good for me.

Help me to stop my habit of getting all wrapped up in me and what I want.

Please help me use my time and energy on those things that matter most to you.  I want my life to be about the things you care about.

I know you always keep your promises and you desire respect and honor from me.

Please take away the guilt and shame that my sins have brought into my life.

I desire to live like you want me to live…each day, in every way…all of the way to the end.

Thank you, dear God.

 

 

Psalm 13, 2014

On By Judy GlasserIn MayLeave a comment

Why is this happening to me, Lord?April 20 2014

Even more important – why are you letting this happen me?

How long will I be overwhelmed with sorrow and defeat?

Why am I such a loser?

Answer me, God!

Are you answering me?

If you are, I’m not seeing it.

I am at the end of my rope.  I am barely  hanging on.  Everybody is fighting against me…and they are winning!

BUT I know that I need to remind myself that I just have to trust in you.

Your love has never failed me….ever.

You have saved me and my relationship with you gives me joy.  You give me joy deep inside of my heart.

I will always praise you, Lord.

You have been very good to me.

Thank you, dear God.

 

Do Not Go Near

On By Judy GlasserIn MayLeave a comment

Self-discipline.  Most of us cringe a little when we hear those two words.  There always seems to be a place or 2…. or 3 or 4 in my life where I could use more self-discipline.

God tells us in Proverbs 5 to keep to a path that is far from adultery.  He tells us to not go near her house.

I have found that this is a strategy that will work in all of areas of our lives.  We will never explode our lives with something like adultery if we never think about it.  If we don’t think about it, we’ll never get to the point where we will actually do it.

We will be kinder to a ‘difficult’ person in our life if we don’t think bad thoughts about them.   Years ago I realized at work that I needed to get rid of my ‘jerk file’ because, once someone got into my jerk file, I automatically treated them like a jerk – whether they were acting like a jerk now or not.   When I got rid of my jerk file, it was easier to give people a second and third chance.  All of us are jerks once in a while :).

We’ll spend less money if we stop thinking about things we want to buy.  It’s interesting how thinking about something we want long enough can turn it into a ‘need’. 

It all begins in our minds.  Our thoughts become our attitudes and our attitudes become our actions.  If we stop the thinking, we stop the behaviors.

By controlling our thoughts, we are staying as far away from the temptations as we can possibly get – and it works.  Just like God tells us in Proverbs 5.

Dear Father, please help us discipline our minds.