Tag: blessings

Blessed

On By Judy GlasserIn February1 Comment

We are blessed.

You, Oh God, watch over us.

You provide.feb 24 2016 blessed

You protect.

You teach.

And you show your love for us.

We feel you smiling down on our lives every day.

You shower your grace upon us.

We always have your attention – it never wanders.

You bless us with your peace.

And your peace is not like the fleeting feelings of peace we may experience here on earth.

Your peace quiets our souls and dispels our worry.

You remove our anxiety.

You place our feet once again on the Solid Rock of our Salvation.

And we are blessed.

Thank you, Abba Father, for the blessing of this benediction you gave to Aaron centuries ago.  

 

Who is Coming to Dinner?

On By Judy GlasserIn FebruaryLeave a comment

One of my favorite hobbies is reading.

And I read a lot.feb 22 2016 fellowship with God

But I’ve never read a book more than once because, when I know the ending, there is no motivation for me to read the book.

The only exception to this is the Bible.  I am on my 6th time of completely reading the Bible, cover to cover and I am amazed at all of the new things God is still teaching me.  I love how God speaks so clearly through his Word.  The fact that I know the end of the Bible gives me peace and joy and confidence.  I love getting to the end where Jesus says he is coming again and then starting over “In the beginning”.

I am excited about the things God has to show me in 2016.  And I love sharing some of those thoughts with you.

Let’s face it.  If you’re like me, I like the historical accounts of the people in the Bible – Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and especially Joseph’s interesting relationship with God.

Numbers and Leviticus are much harder to read and try get something from.

But God always reveals tidbits about himself to me when I persevere through these chapters.

Like today – Leviticus tells us all about the various festivals the Israelites were supposed to celebrate and their required offerings.

Honestly, I used to skip a bunch of these chapters the first couple of times I read through the Bible because all the splashing of blood stuff and directions for animal parts turned me off.

Now, God points out to me pieces of his relationship with the Israelites that increase my understanding of him and what he desires from me.

Today, he pointed out the Fellowship offerings that the Israelites were to give him.  These offerings were given to praise God and to show their gratitude for what he had done for them.

They would all eat the meat and bread of their offering together like they were eating a meal with God.

A meal with God.

How would something like that work for us?

Instead of just praying grace over our food at the beginning of the meal, what would our meal be like if we dedicated the food to God in thankfulness for what he has done for us and then we eat the meal with him?

Maybe we should try it?

Dear Abba Father, Would you like to come to dinner?

 

What is Your Offering?

On By Judy GlasserIn FebruaryLeave a comment

What are we giving to God that goes beyond just a tithe?

Goes beyond money?

Feb 4 b what is your offeringGoes beyond attending worship every week?

In Numbers 7 & 8 we read about the Israelites leaders bringing their offering to God’s altar as it is being dedicated.  Each person is listed by name in the Bible.

What would my list look like if God did this today?

Judy, from the Glasser clan, brought this offering.  Her offering was….

Are we just giving God a minimum amount of our time?

A minimum amount of our money?

A minimum amount of our attention?

God has gotten more of my attention this last year as he has challenged me with memorizing chapters of his Word.

And he has poured out his blessings on me as he has etched his Word upon my heart and mind.  This amount of memorizing has caused me to go to a whole new level of devotion to God and his Word.

And it’s all good.

Every day we bring our offering plate of attention, love, service and resources to God.

How full is your  plate?

We love you, Abba Father.

 

 

We Live in the Light

On By Judy GlasserIn JanuaryLeave a comment

As believers, we don’t walk in the darkness.Jan 25 2015we live in the light

God’s light of love, grace and peace shines on us day and night.

Unless we make a choice to move into the darkness.

It’s always our choice.

Yet, even in the darkness, God is waiting for us to choose to move back into his light.

We are never separated from his love.

But it can feel like it.

It can feel like we’re all alone in the darkness.

It can feel like God’s not there when we are paying the consequences for things we’ve done when we’ve strayed.

That’s how it feels, but it’s not the truth.

As we read through the plagues God brought upon Egypt, I start feeling a little sick.

Boils.

Hoards of bugs.

Fields of dead animals.

A river of blood.

And then there was the plague of darkness.  A darkness so deep that it was ‘felt’.

Have you ever ‘felt’ darkness like that?

The closest I ever got to that feeling was camping out on a side of a road on the top of a mountain in a forest outside of Flagstaff.  After we turned off our lanterns and put out the campfire, the trees and clouds covered the moon and it was hard to see my hand in front of my face.

I ‘felt’ the deep darkness.

It makes me question the popular view that hell is full of fire and heat.  That night I wondered if hell could be more like this….. black…. cold….nothing.  Complete separation from the Light.

Total darkness covered all of Egypt for 3 days.

But then we read that God shown his light down on where the Israelites lived!

The Egyptians were living in this deepest darkness while the Israelites living next to them had light.

How awesome!

I imagine giant spotlights shining down from heaven just where the Israelites lived.

And that is how we, as believers, live today.  God’s spotlight of love and grace and truth shines down on us each day.

When we choose God, we choose to live in his light.

Thank you for the wonderful gift of your light, Abba Father.

 

Bad Intentions

On By Judy GlasserIn JanuaryLeave a comment

Other people with bad intentions often cause us harm.

It happens to all of us.Jan 21 2015 bad intentions.

But wait!

God has promised us that he has plans for a great future for us.

He is omnipotent.

Everything that touches our lives has gone through his hands.

He can stop anything.  But sometimes he doesn’t.

Is it possible that, like with Joseph, God can use the bad things that happen in our lives to accomplish good?

Do we believe that?

Do we trust him enough to face every bad situation in our lives with the certainty that God will use it for good?

Can we wait patiently for the good outcome?

Can we walk through the dark times with our eyes focused on the Light?

Joseph’s brothers intended to kill Joseph.

And God transformed that situation by making Joseph a blessing to all of Egypt.

What people intended for bad, God used for good to accomplish what he wanted.

I believe God can and already has done this in the dark times of my life.

What do you believe?

Please help us trust you, Abba Father.

Sword Fighting Class – Humble Wisdom

On By Judy GlasserIn Sword Fighting Class1 Comment

We are finishing memorizing Proverbs 3 today!  What an accomplishment!  I don’t have a good memory so this an awesome testament to the activity of God in my life.  And he uses the verses I’ve memorized constantly as he talks with me and guides me.

“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 fruits of all of your crops.  Then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will brim over with new wine.Proverbs 2 -13-3-11

Do not detest the Lord’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke for the Lord disciplines those as 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.  She is more precious than rubies.  Nothing you desire compares with her.

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.  She is the tree of life to those who embrace her.  Those who lay hold of her will be blessed.

By wisdom, the Lord laid the earth’s foundations.  By understanding, he set the heavens in place.  And by his knowledge, the deeps are divided and the clouds let drop their dew.Proverbs 3 to verse 25

My child, preserve sound judgement and discernment.  Do not let them out of your sight.  They will be life to you, an ornament to grace your neck.  Then you will go on your way in safety and your foot will not stumble.  When you lie down, you will not be afraid.  When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.  Have no fear of the sudden disaster or ruin that overtakes the wicked for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.

Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it is in your power to act.

Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back later, I will have it tomorrow” when you now have it with you.

Do not plot harm against your neighbor who lives trustfully next to you.

Do not accuse a man for no reason when he has done you no harm.

Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways for the Lord detests a perverse man but keeps the upright in his confidence.

Thank you, God!  Here are our last couple of verses of Proverbs 3.  We have memorized the whole thing!

The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked but he blesses the home of the righteous.  He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble.  The wise inherit honor but fools he holds up to shame.

We are done with this chapter!  If you have been memorizing this with me, then I’m sure you share my amazement at what God can do when we do our part.

These last couple of verses repeat the reoccurring theme of Proverbs 2 and 3.  If we want to be blessed by God, we need to be in a right relationship with him.  Our lives need to be defined by humble wisdom.  God is very clear about this.

Please help us obey, dear Father.

Treachery and Deceit

On By Judy GlasserIn JanuaryLeave a comment

Lies.

Conspiracies.Jan 14 2015 treachery and deceit.

Spite.

Threats.

As we read the historical account of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in Genesis, we have a clear view of man’s sin and weaknesses.  Over and over, this family lies to each other and  steals from each other.  Even members of the extended family are liars and cheaters.

We also see how patient and merciful God is.  He blessed Abraham’s family even while they were cheating and lying to each other.Jan 14 2016 b treachery and deciet

One notable exception to God’s mercy in this story are Sodom and Gomorrah.  Words must not do justice to how evil these cities were to warrant God sending down fire and brimstone upon them.  They obviously just needed to be gone so God took take of it.

But God showed mercy to Abraham’s family in spite of their legacy of treachery and deceit.

This is good news for us.

Because we mess up.  We sin.

And God sent his son, Jesus, to pay the price that needed to be paid for all of our sin for all time.

We live each day in God’s mercy.

We live each day in God’s love.  In his blessing.

Not because we have every done anything to deserve it.  We will never deserve it.

Salvation is a free gift to anyone who will believe.

And it’s the very best gift our loving Father could ever give us.

Thank you, Abba.

 

Great Love!

On By Judy GlasserIn December1 Comment

Do you feel it?

I do.

I see it in the gorgeous sunrise as God once again declares his faithfulness to me with the start of a new day.

I feel it in my 5 year-old grandson’s hug.Dec 26 2015 great love

I see it in the smiles of my friends.

I feel it in the gentle touch of my husband of 34 years.

It’s the great love God has lavished upon me.

God tells me in John’s first letter that I am a precious child and he proves that by lavishing his love upon me in a multitude of ways.

It’s very encouraging to realize that the closer I get to God, the more love I feel pouring out from him.

As I’ve been consistently memorizing God’s scripture, I also feel his wisdom pouring out from his Word.  And understanding.  And knowledge.

We are his children!  How much more love and wisdom and knowledge and understanding does he have available for us?

There is no limit!

No end!

So let’s decide to live our lives in 2016 as children well-loved by our heavenly Father.

Let’s make a committment to grow closer to God so that its evident to everyone who knows us that his Spirit is alive within us.

And His love.

His patience.

His wisdom.

Thank you, Abba Father.

The Good Deposit

On By Judy GlasserIn DecemberLeave a comment

My memories are full of good, faithful people who invested a lot of time and effort into teaching me about God.Dec 19 2015 the good deposit.

Sunday School teachers.

Vacation Bible School teachers.

Camp counselors.

Pastors and Laymen.

They all contributed to the invaluable Christian upbringing that God gave me through them.

The most impactful deposit was made by my Godly parents whose faithfulness never wavered through all of the struggles and trials that life brings.  Witnessing my mother’s joy as she walked closely with God for 84 years is the most precious gift she ever gave me.

And I am very grateful.

Paul tells Timothy in his second letter to ‘guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you.’   (vs 1:14)

All of us have received this good deposit – the truth in God’s Word – and we are called to guard it.

Whether we have been surround by the truth our whole lives like I have or we have just accepted the gift of salvation last week, good deposits have been made in us.

Good deposits of sound teaching with faith and love in Christ Jesus have been entrusted to us.

Paul tells us to guard them with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Because they are precious.

So very valuable.

Thank you, Abba Father.

Sword Fighting Class – Sweet Sleep

On By Judy GlasserIn Sword Fighting Class1 Comment

We are memorizing Proverbs 3 together.  There is so much wisdom in this chapter and it’s empowering to get this all in our heart and mind.  God speaks often and clearly through these words –

“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 2 -13-3-11

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.

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. 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. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her – those who lay hold of her will be blessed.Proverbs 3 to verse 25

By wisdom, the Lord laid the earth’s foundations. By understanding, he set the heavens in place. And by his knowledge, the deeps are divided and the clouds drop their dew.

My child, preserve sound judgement and discernment, do not let them out of your sight. For they will be life to you, an ornament to grace your neck.”

Awesome!  Here are the next verses, finishing this thought –

“Then you will go on your way in safety and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid. When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.”

Being safe as I go along my way – that is a huge promise to me.  I’m on the freeway for a 60-mile round trip every day to work and sometimes it feels like a war zone with cars piled up on both sides as people crash into each other.

And I really want to avoid stumbling.  Stumbling of any kind can often be painful, embarrassing and time-consuming.

I also want to avoid those fears in the middle of the night.  Fears about everything…anything….and nothing.

Sweet sleep – this promise is an awesome one!  How great it feels to sleep well all night!

God is telling us that the sound judgement and discernment that he gives us will bring all of these good things into our lives.  When we seek him first and obey, we are on the straight path which brings all of these great things our way.

That’s what wisdom and knowledge and understanding can do for us.

Thank you, Abba Father!