Tag: Bible

We Make It Too Hard

On By Judy GlasserIn November1 Comment

We get lost in the details and we lose sight of the big picture.

We want to follow God but we let obstacles get in our way.

We say we get confused because God doesn’t give us step-by-step instructions.

Do we really want to devote our lives to a god who gives us step-by-step instructions?

To a god who doesn’t work through each of us uniquely?  Personally?  Supernaturally?

We say we don’t have time.

Don’t get me started!  If I started listed all of the ways we waste time, there would be no end to the list.  Time is only an obstacle to our relationship with God if we let it be an obstacle.

“I don’t know how to follow God.”

Seriously?  There are buildings called Christian Book Stores that are filled with resources on how to follow God.  Amazon has a ton of resources that can be at your front door tomorrow.  Churches and Bible study groups are everywhere.

My Bible is my most valuable resource in learning to know and love God.  Today it is open to John 15, “I am the vine, you are the November 15 2015 we make it too hardbranches.  If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.”

Remain.

Be still.

Be consistent.

Persevere.

Store up his words within us.

Call out for insight.

Cry aloud for understanding.

Search for God’s wisdom like it is hidden treasure.

When we commit to a serious relationship with God, he grows his fruit through us.  A lot of fruit.

Or, we can choose to do ‘nothing’ of value to God on our own.

God has made it very clear.

We have a choice to make every day.

We choose you, Abba Father.

Its Not Complicated

On By Judy GlasserIn NovemberLeave a comment

The night of his betrayal, Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands.” John 14:15.

How often do we say we love Jesus?

How often do we show that by keeping his commands?

It’s not complicated.

But it’s not easy.

Because we get in the way.November 14 2014 If you love me

What we want.

What we think.

When we truly put God first in our lives, it’s not nearly as hard.

Because he helps us.

And he keeps us on track.

He keeps our thoughts focused on where they need to be.

He helps us submit our desires and thinking to him.

And it all works.

The seven simple words of this verse changed my life.

I realized that, if I wanted to truly love Jesus, there were strings.

And I’m accountable to my Father God for those strings.

He wants me to obey him because that is the best thing for me.

It’s not complicated….

but it’s impossible without God in the middle.

Thank you, Abba Father.

Sword Fighting Class – Pleasant peace

On By Judy GlasserIn Sword Fighting ClassLeave a comment

What an awesome thing God is doing as we memorize his word!  There is no way I could do this if God wasn’t helping me.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. 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 site of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruit of all your crops. Then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will brim over with new wine. My child, do not despise the Lords discipline and do no resent his rebuke because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father, the daughter he delights in.Proverbs 3 to verse 25

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, who gains understanding. For she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies, nothing you desire compares with her.

This section describing wisdom as a woman is really interesting to memorize.   It is easy to picture her in my mind.  Here’s the next verses:

‘Long life is in her right hand, in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways and all of her paths are peace.’

Long life…

riches and honor as defined by God…..

pleasant ways…..

peace.

All very good things that I want in my life.

And I know where I can get wisdom.

From God.

Thank you, Abba Father.

 

 

Waste of Time

On By Judy GlasserIn NovemberLeave a comment

It’s a waste of time to try to figure out when Jesus is coming back.  Jesus tells us several times in the gospels to be prepared each day because no one knows the date and time he will return except for the Father.November 12 2015 a waste of time

Jesus directs us to keep watch.

To be ready.

There are no commands to try to interpret Revelations so we can point it out when all of the events are lining up.  He doesn’t tell us to critically watch world events so we can identify the third seal and the fourth seal.

I have actually had more than one person say to me that Jesus can’t come back yet because something they are interpreting in Revelations hasn’t happened yet.

Oh, really?!

I think Jesus meant it when he said it was not for us to know that date and time the Father has determined he will come back.

Our misinterpretations will not stop him from coming back today if that is what the Father has planned.

Jesus tells us not to focus on predicting when he will return.  He clearly commands us to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul and mind.  And love our neighbors as ourselves.

These are our priorities today.

We should always be prepared for Jesus’ return.  We do this by listening and obeying.

Everyday.

Because today could be the day.

Come, Lord Jesus.

 

Sword Fighting Class- Nothing Compares

On By Judy GlasserIn Sword Fighting ClassLeave a comment

We are memorizing Proverbs 3 together.  Yes, it’s a long chapter.  But that’s ok, we have this discipline of memorizing scripture going in our lives and we’re not going to stop.  So we have time 🙂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. 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 site of God and man.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.Proverbs 3 to verse 25

Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruit of all your crops. Then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will brim over with new wine. My child, do not despise the Lords discipline and do no resent his rebuke because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father, the daughter he delights in.

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, who gains understanding. For she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. ”

Such awesome wisdom from God!  As we soak in your word, dear Father, please change us, renew us, make us wise.

“Nothing you desire compares with her. Long life is in her right hand, in her left hand are riches and honor.”

Nothing we desire compares to having wisdom.

And we get it for free from God who gives generously to all who ask .

This is the nugget of truth that just keeps repeating within God’s word.

Over and over.

And we’re soaking this in as we memorize his word.

We’re asking for your wisdom, Father.

We only want a long life if it’s lived well with you at the center.

We only want riches and honor if they are the right ones for us because they come from you.

You have promised in James 1 that you generously give wisdom to us when we ask.  But when we ask, we must believe and not doubt.  We believe it, please help us live it out.

In the precious name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Audio file:

Set Free

On By Judy GlasserIn NovemberLeave a comment

” Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31.

Set free to love.November 5 2015 set free

Set free to live with purpose.

Set free because we know how this story ends.

Jesus is the Truth.

When we know the Truth, he sets us free.

Free from the lies.

Free from brokenness.

Free from emptiness.

Free from hopelessness.

We are free when we live in the truth of God the Father.

And he has written it out for us in his Word.

This is the truth he wants us to know and to meditate on and soak in.

His word is his revelation of himself to us.

So we can know him.

Because when we know him, we can hear him.

When we hear him, he can help us navigate through the land mines around us.

He can help us walk the good and straight paths that keep us close to him.

Because he loves us and desires a relationship with us.

“For God so loved the world.”

Thank you, Abba Father.

The Wind Was Against Them

On By Judy GlasserIn NovemberLeave a comment

Sometimes it feels like everything is going against us, doesn’t it?

Our kids get sick.

Then the car breaks down.

Our boss starts driving us crazy.

And our bank balance gets down to a single digit.

We worry.

We struggle.

We stress.

We forget.

We forget that we have the Spirit of the Lord of the Universe living inside of us.  He has the power to handle all of our problems.  When we turn to him, he can help us stop worrying, stop struggling and stop stressing.gdtDSC_0639

This truth became more real to me last year when I had the chance to visit the Sea of Galilee.  As we sailed through the water, I thought about the stormy night when the disciples were straining at the oars of their boat while the winds of a storm battled against them.  I could visualize Jesus walking out to the boat.

The reality of the power of Jesus became even more evident to me that day.  Jesus really is in control of everything.  He really does command the sea and the winds and everything around me.gdtDSC_0632

I have nothing to fear.

I have nothing to worry about.

There is no wind blowing against me that he does not control.

And he loves me enough to sacrifice himself for me.

That says it all.

I just need to believe and obey.

Thank you, dear Jesus.

So Much More

On By Judy GlasserIn NovemberLeave a comment

They were looking for an earthly king.

With armies and chariots.Oct 30 2015 king of kings

With palaces and thrones.

With lots of banquets and women.

Instead of an earthly king, God sent the King of all Kings.

This King of Kings had no use for earthly palaces or thrones.  His place was at the right hand of his father in heaven so he didn’t even need a foxhole on earth.

He had no use for banquets or women.  All of his needs were met by his father.  The responsibility of the eternal future of all people was laid upon him.  He had much more important things to do with his time….

like touching a young boy bringing him back to life.

like speaking a word so a blind man could see, a deaf man could hear, and a sick woman would be healed.

He had armies of angels at his command.

He controlled the sun and the wind and the sea.  The storms calmed with one word from this King.

The people were expecting an earthly king,

but God send so much more.

His own son….

to save us,

to redeem us,

to love us.

Thank you, Abba Father.

 

 

Where is my Healing Place?

On By Judy GlasserIn NovemberLeave a comment

Physically.

Emotionally.

Spiritually.

We all need healing of some type.

And where do we go for that healing?

A large number of people during Jesus’ lifetime went to a pool called Bethesda in Jerusalem.

I had the chance to spend some time at this pool last year when I visited Jerusalem. It’s no longer a pool but the exterior is still there along with some remains of the colonnades around it which are mentioned in the Bible.fDSC_0489

It is beautiful.  A feeling of peace and healing are still there.  It was a quiet and calm oasis in the middle of tension-filled Jerusalem.

Where is our pool at Bethesda today?

Where we do find peace and healing?

The answer is always Jesus.  He tells us to come to him when we are weak and broken and lost.  He will give us rest and wholeness and a place to belong.

I have discovered that my healing place is right where I am now – in a quiet spot with my Bible open on my lap.  As I listen and read and think and discuss things with God, he once again sets my feet on solid ground.  He opens my eyes to the truth while he covers me with his love and grace.fDSC_0490

Two weeks ago I spent a cloudy day on the beach in San Diego with my Bible open on my lap – that was a healing place.

A couple of months ago I spent a day alone up in the mountains with my Bible on my lap.  That was a healing place.

Where is your healing place?

If you haven’t found it, why are you still looking?

You are our healing place, Abba Father.

No Doubts

On By Judy GlasserIn NovemberLeave a comment

Satan and his team had no doubts about who Jesus was when he walked on the earth.

They knew exactly who he was.Oct 24b 2015 No doubts

In Mark 1, the evil spirit said to Jesus, “I know who you are  – the Holy One of God.” ( vs 24).

Why were so many other people blind to the true identity of Jesus?  Satan’s army proclaimed it but people still didn’t get it.

Unfortunately,  we can still be extremely blind to the presence of Jesus and his Holy Spirit in our lives today.

Jesus is alive.

His Spirit lives within all believers.

This is the same power that brought Lazarus back to life!

In us.

Today.

Dear Jesus, we know you are the Holy One of God.  Thank you for filling our lives with your power and love and peace.  Amen. Hallelujah!