Tag: blessings

Flooded With Blessings

On By Judy GlasserIn OctoberLeave a comment

“Test me in this.”

God only says this once in his Word to us.Oct 5 2015 floodgates of blessing

He tells us to bring the whole tithe into his house.  When we do this, he promises to “throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” (Malachi 3:10).

Wow!  Such a great promise!

Don’t we want that to be true in all of our lives?

Those of us who have tested God in this have experienced these blessings.  When we are faithful with our wealth, God truly does throw open the floodgate of blessings upon our lives.

Sometimes these blessings take the shape of actual money with raises, promotions or even unexpected checks showing up in the mail. (This just happened again to me).

But the greatest blessings God pours abundantly upon our lives are from the things that money can’t buy.  Like joy.  Purpose.

Peace.

Oh, the peace that comes from knowing that God is providing exactly what I need is priceless.  The peace that comes from knowing that God is in charge of our bank account is supernatural.  The prosperity that comes from God is perfect – the right kind, the right time.

God wants us to be faithful with our wealth…

because it’s good for us.  It’s right for us.

And he will open the floodgates.

He has promised.

Thank you, Abba Father.

For Such a Time as This

On By Judy GlasserIn OctoberLeave a comment

Oct 3 2015 For such a time as thisWe wonder….

we get confused….

we worry……

we stumble down the wrong path and end up somewhere we don’t want to be.

Meanwhile, God has it all figured out.  He has promised that his master plan is to prosper us and give us a purpose.  He wants to shower us with his blessings.

If we ask.

If we seek his wisdom and insight for our lives.

If we listen and obey.

Queen Esther faced the possibility of being killed if she stood up for her people, the Jews.  Mordecai, her uncle, told her, “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (vs 4:14)

I believe that we all have many moments every day where God has planned for us to intersect each other’s lives ‘for such a time as this”.  He has something specific he wants me to say when I go to lunch with a certain person.  He has something he wants me to do when I’m going through the check-out at the grocery store.  He has something else he wants me to text to a friend – right now.

He has a purpose for my day today.

He has a purpose for your day today.

To know that purpose, we need to be in line with him.  We need to be listening,

and ready,

and willing.

For such a time as this.

We love you, Abba Father.

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:

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:

Climbing a Tall Ladder

On By Judy GlasserIn September2 Comments

“Picture in your mind a tall ladder leaning against a wall.  Now think about your life as a process of climbing that ladder.  Wouldn’t it be a tragedy to ascend to the top and find you had placed the ladder against the wrong wall?  One life to live, and you missed it!”

When I first read this paragraph from Experiencing God many years ago, it startled me.  I’m a very goal oriented person so I was definitely climbing a ladder.  The thought that I could be climbing the wrong ladder caused me a lot of concern.  The fact that I could work so hard to get somewhere I didn’t want to be caused me to stop.  And seriously reconsider my priorities.Sept 15 2015 climbing a tall ladder

“Your walk with God (Father, Son, and Spirit) is the single most important aspect of your life.  If it is not as it should be, nothing else will function properly.”

“Scripture leads us to understand that God is saying, ‘ I want you to love Me above everything else.   When you are in a relationship of love with Me, you have everything there is.’  To be loved by God is the highest relationship, the greatest achievement,and the noblest position in life.”

God used these words from Experiencing God to help redirect my life onto the right ladder.  At that time I thought my success was going to come from my career.  God helped me understand that any success I would ever have – then and now –  would come through my relationship with him.

With him, everything else happens as it should, according to his will and his plan.

Without him, I was just working very hard and sacrificing too much as I climbed up the wrong ladder.

I am going through the Experiencing God study again – for the 4th time, many years later –  with my small group and I am filled with gratitude to my Father God.  He got my attention and brought his truth into my life at just the right time so I could switch ladders.  I am 100% confident that I’m now on the right ladder, the right path.

And this path going to take me all the way home, where my heart is.

Thank you, Abba Father.

Sword Fighting Class – Walk in the Light

On By Judy GlasserIn Sword Fighting ClassLeave a comment

As we go over and over the words of Proverbs 2, we are realizing that a supernatural thing is happening.  God is writing his words onto our minds and into our hearts!

We used to say that the reason we didn’t memorize scripture was that we didn’t have a very good memory.  Well, we still don’t have a great memory – except when it comes to scripture.  We’ve got whole chapters of the Bible memorized!  Because God is faithfully doing it. We’re doing our part and he is doing the amazing part that we can’t do.Proverbs 2 1st page - this one

God is blessing our obedience to the words he used as he started out Proverbs 2:

My child, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and you will find the knowledge of God.

For the Lord gives wisdom, from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.  He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless.  He guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.  Then you will understand what is right and just and fair, every good path.  For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.  Discretion will protect you and understanding will guard you.  Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose ways are perverse.”

Great job!  Here’s the next verse:

“Who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways,”

Jesus is the light of the world.  He brought light into a dark and broken world.

When we choose to think and act like Jesus wants us to, we are walking in the light.

When we choose to rebel and disobey, we are choosing to walk a dark and crooked path.Proverbs 2 -13-3-11

This path just leads us farther and farther away from the light.

The Good News is Jesus will always accept us back.  We just need to repent and turn  around.  We must choose to come back into the light.  Get back on the straight path.

This is the path God has prepared in advance for us through his love and grace.

Thank you, Abba Father.

 

Audio file of Proverbs 2:

 

Blessed

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

You are an everlasting God!

We praise you!  You created the earth and everything on it.

We know you don’t get tired, dear Father.

We know that we can never understand everything about you.July 12 2015 hope in the Lord

We know that you give us strength when we are weary.

We feel your power moving inside of us when we are weak.

Sometimes, we get worn out and we stumble and then we fall.

But our faith in you, Lord, gives us the ability to look forward to tomorrow – it’s going to be good because you are already there.

You give us the power to dream big dreams because everything is possible with you.

You give us the self-discipline to obey you even when it doesn’t make sense because we know you always want the best for us.

Blessed by you, we will run this race of faith with perseverence, not getting tired, never giving up.

Blessed by you, we will take our next step of faith and then the next one and then the next, into the future you have prepared for us.

Blessed by you.

Thank you, Abba Father.

Sword Fighting Class – Wisdom and Knowledge

On By Judy GlasserIn Sword Fighting ClassLeave a comment

We are memorizing Proverbs 2 and we are experiencing the blessing of God as he writes these promises and truth on our hearts and minds.  We practice saying these several times a day but God is actually doing the etching.  Thank you, Father!Proverbs 2 1st page - this one

“My Child, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and you will find the knowledge of God.

For the Lord gives wisdom, from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.  He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless.  He guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.  Then you know what is right and just and fair – every good path.”

We will know every good path because – the next verse:

‘For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.’

Do you feel wisdom entering your heart as we recite God’s words over and over every day?

There’s this supernatural thing happening as I say these words aloud several times a day.  They become part of my thinking.  They change how I feel.  As I’m memorizing, I meditate over these words so much more than I did when I just read them and went on.  God speaks to me all of the time through these words as I’m saying them over and over and adding on the next verse.

Is this happening to you as you memorize God’s words?

I also love the anticipation of what the next verse is going to bring up.  Where is this search for wisdom going to take my thoughts?

And the knowledge that has come along with memorizing God’s word is very pleasant to my soul.  As his words reverberate through my head during the day, he gives me a peace that doesn’t come from anything else in this world.  He is renewing my mind….one verse at a time.

I’m glad you’re on this journey with me!

Audio file of our verses so far:

Open My Eyes

On By Judy GlasserIn JuneLeave a comment

We can be so blind!

Blinded by the immediate.

Blinded by what everyone else thinks.June 10 2015 Open my eyes

Blinded by what we want or what we think is right.

Blinded by our routines or traditions.

Blinded by worry.

Blinded by trying to control everything and everyone around us.

Sometimes we’re so blind!

Unable to open our eyes…

open our minds….

open our hearts….

To the truth….

to a new reality…

to uncomfortable yet very real feelings.

We need God’s help to heal our blindness.

Sometimes we can be just like Elisha’s servant in 2 Kings 6 who was afraid of the huge enemy army which surrounded the city they were in.  Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, Lord, so he may see.”

And when the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, he looked up and saw the hills around Elisha full of horses and chariots of fire.

God’s army.

Elisha was not worried – he knew the truth.  God had his back and there was no cause for alarm.

Elisha’s eyes were already opened to the omnipotence and faithfulness of his Father God.

He knew the truth.

Please open our eyes, Dear Father.