Tag: Bible

Greater Glory

On By Judy GlasserIn OctoberLeave a comment

The new temple of the Lord was completed……

but the older Israelites were saddened by how much ‘less’ this temple was compared to the past glory of Solomon’s temple.Sept 26 2015 b greater glory

God told Haggai to assure them that this new temple would be greater than the old one.

Because Jesus, the Son of God, was going to walk through this temple one day.

The Lord Almighty told the Israelites that in a little while he was going to “shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry lands.  I will shake all the nations and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory.” (vs 2:6,7)

Yes, God definitely shook up the whole earth when he sent his son to save it. Thank you, Father.  Jesus turned the entire religious community upside down when he spoke of unconditional love, unearned grace and life forever with God in heaven.  Thank you, Father.

Jesus offers a peace that passes all understanding to those who believe.  Thank, Father.

And he brought a greater glory to the temple and into the whole world than we have ever seen before or will ever see again….

until he returns.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Sword Fighting Class – A Favorite Truth

On By Judy GlasserIn Sword Fighting ClassLeave a comment

Its truly supernatural.  We are memorizing Proverbs 3 together and, as we faithfully review these scriptures everyday, God is writing them on our minds.  Such a great way to experience him working in our lives!

“ My child, do not forget my teachings but keep my commands in your heart for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.Proverbs 2 -13-3-11

Let love and faithfulness never leave you, bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.”

Today we add some very popular verses that you may have already memorized at one time.  One of the blessings I am experiencing by memorizing whole chapters is really seeing the context of verses like this – what God is saying in the verses before it and after it:

“Trust in the Lord with all of your might and lean not on your own undertanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”

This is such an awesome verse.  So much wisdom!

Trust with all my might!  What does that look like in my life?

Don’t make decisions based just on what I already know, my own wisdom and knowledge – what does that look like?

Always acknowledge him – I think that answers my last question 🙂

If I always check in with God, trusting him in all situations, constantly keeping my eyes on what he has told me and where he is leading me, I will be walking down the right path.

Thank you for how clear your directions are in your Word, Abba Father.

Audio file of my memorization of Proverbs 3 so far:

A Purse With a Hole in It…

On By Judy GlasserIn SeptemberLeave a comment

won’t hold anything.

Your money will slip right through.Sept 26 a a purse with holes 2015

And you won’t have any money left in your purse.

Because you didn’t take care of the hole.

God told the Israelites through Haggai that it was time to give ‘careful thought to their ways.’ (vs 1:5 ).

They had planted a lot but had harvested little.  They ate but it was never enough.  They drank but were never full.  They put on clothes but were never warm.

They made money but it slipped through their hands like a purse with a hole in it.

Never enough.

Whenever we look to anything other than a relationship with God to make us happy, it will never be enough.

We will not be content.

We will always be looking for the next thing – maybe that will make us happy?  I call this worshipping the god of More.

God is telling us today that it is time to give careful thought to our ways.

If we are caught in the vicious cycle of worshipping the god of More, now is the time to turn back to the One True God and find true joy.

True peace.

True purpose.

The Israelites needed to be woken up because they had ignored the work God had given them of rebuilding his temple.  They had wandered down the crooked and dark path of focusing on themselves and their own agenda.

But it wasn’t enough.

It was never enough.

Their purse had a hole in it and nothing but turning back to God and obeying him was going to fix that.

Is God giving us a wake up call as we read this?  Have we wandered?  Have we lost the peace and contentment only God can give?

If so, he is waiting for us with open arms.

Today.

It’s time to jump off the merry-go-round of serving the god of More and plan our feet once again on the Rock.

Thank you, Abba Father.

Mysterious Ways

On By Judy GlasserIn SeptemberLeave a comment

Not one but two pagan Persian rulers decreed that the Temple of God in Jerusalem should be rebuilt.  And the second one also decreed that the Persian government was going to pay for it!  And – amazingly – they also paid for the sacrifices that were going to be made in the temple to celebration its completion!Sept 25 2015 mysterious ways

What was up?

This is hard to believe.

It doesn’t make sense!

It was God.  He was using pagan kings to rebuild his temple.

He is the same today.

He can use anybody anywhere to do his will.  And he does.

They don’t have to be believers and they don’t have to be listening to him.

God is in total control of all creation.  Of all creatures.

He will accomplish his purposes perfectly, using whatever and whoever he wants.

When we are in tune with God, we will see what he’s doing and be able to join him even when his activity shows up in the most unlikely places…in the most unusual circumstances….in the most mysterious ways.

We’re listening and watching, Abba Father.

Daniel’s Prayer, 2015

On By Judy GlasserIn SeptemberLeave a comment

Lord,

the great and awesome God,Sept 21 2015 Daniels prayer

who keeps all of the promises he has made to those who love him and obey him.

We have sinned.

We have rebelled

and we have not listened to you as you speak to us through your word.

Lord, you are righteous

and this day we are ashamed.

Ashamed of our sin.

You forgive us even when we rebel and refuse to obey.

We have sinned

and we pay the painful consequences of those choices.

But we still don’t turn to you….we don’t listen to your truth.

We don’t follow your guidance.

We don’t obey.

You, our Lord, have shown your faithfulness from generation to generation.

We have not been faithful.

We have made wrong choices over and over and over.

Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servants.

We ask that you forgive us and look upon us with your favor.

We are not asking this because we deserve it – we don’t.

We ask because we know you are a merciful God.

We know you are listening.

And you have promised that you have already forgiven us through the power of Jesus’ death on the cross.

Thank you, Abba Father.

The Writing On The Wall

On By Judy GlasserIn September2 Comments

The decisions we make.

What we choose to do.

How we live our lives.

All of these choices cause other things to happen to us.

Consequences.

The decisions we make set off a chain of events – good or bad.

It’s the ‘handwriting on the wall’.

God gave me a strategic – thinking brain which means that my brain connects everything.  I can connect events and decisions backwards to understand how I got where I’m at today.  And I can connect the dots forward to the future based on decisions that I’m making today.  It’s very clear to me where these choices are going to take me.

I can also do this as I watch others make decisions and choices.  It all connects in my brain.  Sometimes it almost feels like I can predict the future because each action leads to the next action and it’s moving in an obvious (to me) direction.

I can see the ‘writing on the wall.”

I enjoy reading again the historical account in Daniel when King Belshazzar  decided to hold a big party and he brought out the gold goblets that had been taken from the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem.  Not a smart move, Belshazzar!

A human hand appeared and wrote something on the wall while the king watched.  His knees were knocking and his legs became weak as he watched the hand move across the wall.

None of the king’s wise men could interpret what the hand had written so Daniel was called into the party.  Daniel had a reputation for being able to interpret dreams when no one else could.

Daniel told the king the words said that, because of the king’s actions and behavior, God had decided to end his reign and his kingdom would be split up.  Belshazzar lacked the humbleness and wisdom that his father had when God put him in his position of being king.  His sacrilegious use of the temple goblets while praising false gods was the last straw.

The king died that night.

It was the writing on the wall.

The king’s actions and behavior had led to this.

Just like our choices and decisions determine our direction.

It all connects.

Please give us wisdom to make decisions that help us go in the right direction, Abba Father.

 

Sword Fighting Class – Love and Faithfulness

On By Judy GlasserIn Sword Fighting ClassLeave a comment

We are just beginning our journey of memorizing Proverbs 3.  More wisdom, more understanding, more insight – thank you, dear Father!  We are counting on God to etch these words on our hearts as we review them daily.  He has commanded this so it’s in his will and he will make it happen if we do our part.  We started with the first verses last week:Proverbs 2 -13-3-11

“My child, do not forget my teachings but keep my commands in your heart for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.”

And we’re adding the next verses:

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you, bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.  Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.”

Let love and faithfulness never leave you……..

These words reverberate through my mind.

What a great life we will have when our thoughts and our actions are full of love and faithfulness!  Awesome!

God is telling us how to do this – we need to bind his words onto our lives and write them on your hearts.  As we do this, he is transforming our thinking which changes our behaviors.   He is promising that this will bring us a life full of love and faithfulness along with approval from others and from him.

Wow! These verses are jam-packed with fabulous promises!

Thank you, Father God!

Audio file of my verses.  I am working ahead so this is through verse 16:

Great Love – Psalm 89a, 2015

On By Judy GlasserIn SeptemberLeave a comment

We will sing about the Lord’s great love forever!

We are witnesses to your faithfulness in our lives, dear God. Sept 18 a 2015 psalm 89 great love

Long ago you established a covenant with David which you fulfilled by sending your own son to save a lost and broken world.  Jesus now sits on your right hand in heaven.

We join with all creation in praising your wisdom and your faithfulness, Oh Lord!  No one compares with you.

You are more awesome and respected than any one else!

You are in control of all creation – the surging waves, all of the heavens and all of the earth.

You created north and south.

We praise you!

All power is in your hands.Sept 18 b psalm 89b, 2015 great love

You are all righteousness, justice, love and faithfulness.

We are blessed as we praise you and walk in your light, oh Lord.

We rejoice in your truth all day long, Father God.

You are everything good in our lives.  You are our strength.

You are our shield and our king.

You are the Holy One.

We praise your name, Abba Father!

Where Is It?

On By Judy GlasserIn SeptemberLeave a comment

‘Where does wisdom come from?’ Job asked. (28:12 )

It is hidden from our eyes.Sept 15 2015 where is it

God alone knows where wisdom is.  God established the wind and measured the waters.  He made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm.  He looked at wisdom, tested it and confirmed it.

And he says to us today, “The fear of the Lord – that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.” (vs 28 ).

How many times do we hear this exact same truth in the Bible?

Those of us who have memorized Proverbs 2 repeat this several times a day. “For the Lord gives wisdom, from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6)

In Proverbs 3 we are told, ” Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and shun evil.”(vs 7).

Over and over we hear these same words.

God is telling us where to find true wisdom.

How to get it.

Who gives it.

Only from you, Abba Father.

Sword Fighting Class – The Best is Yet to Come

On By Judy GlasserIn Sword Fighting ClassLeave a comment

In our Sword Fighting Classes, we are memorizing God’s word together.  God commands us over and over in his Word to store his commands in our hearts, to write his words on our minds, to never forget his teachings.  We are being obedient as we review our verses daily and God does the hard part of engraving them on our minds.

With God’s help,  we have memorized James 1 and Proverbs 2 so far.  Isn’t that amazing!  God is now pointing us to Proverbs 3….more wisdom.  Let’s get started with verse 1 and 2:

“My child, do not forget my teachings but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.”Proverbs 2 -13-3-11

How appropriate that God starts out again with his command about not forgetting his teachings.  It’s really hard to forget his teaching when it’s etched on our brains.  Its part of how we think, how we feel.

God tells us that his teaching will prolong our lives many years.  I have been reading a lot about God’s teaching about food this last year and I believe, if we follow his guidance on this, it really will prolong our lives.  Lower our blood pressure.  Take us out of the danger zone for other diseases.  Help our heart to be more healthy.

God promises us that his teachings will bring us prosperity.  His form of prosperity is not the empty prosperity taught by the world where we never have enough…never content.

God’s prosperity comes in the form of things money can’t buy – peace, and purpose and love and completeness and more.

Much more.

You are more than enough, Abba Father.

Audio file of me sharing the verses I’ve memorized so far in Proverbs 3: