Tag: faith

Revealer of Mysteries

On By Judy GlasserIn AugustLeave a comment

I don’t understand everything I read in the Bible.  I will never understand everything I read in the Bible.  So it’s very interesting to watch God point out different truths to me each time I read it.

Daniel calls God the Revealer of Mysteries.  He tells the king that God unveils the mysteries when we need to know something.

Mysteries like –

why am I here?

why is this happening?

what am I supposed to do?

should I go through this door?

When we trust that God has all of these answers and will reveal them when we need to know, we are focused in the right direction.

I’m moving down the right path for me when I’m heading towards God.  I’m on the right road when I’m trusting that he will explain what I need to know when I need to know it.

As my trust in God grows, I have found that the number of mysteries in my life shrinks.  He is always speaking to me – loving me, guiding me and pointing out my next step just at the right time – not a day early.

The Revealer of Mysteries proves over and over that he has it all under control.

Thank you, Abba Father.

Hearing the Truth….

On By Judy GlasserIn August2 Comments

And responding to the truth.

Both of these actions are equally important.

I need to know the truth.  And I’m not going to know the truth by listening or reading the national news or reading ‘news’ on line.  The idea of objectively reporting the facts has disappeared – there is always an underlying message that the media is supporting.  They actually leave out facts that don’t support their message.

I can’t believe pictures anymore – faces are changed, locations are changed and they are used out of context.  Again – to support the message.   We’ve heard that a picture is worth a thousand words.  Now a picture can be worth a thousand lies.

I don’t want to hear and respond to the half-truths and lies of our culture.

So how do I know what is true?

One of the reasons I love reading God’s word is I know its the truth.  As God speaks to me through his word, I know its right and good.

So I can respond.  I can open my heart and let God transform my mind with his truth.

I am encouraged by the story of King Josiah in 2 Kings.  Josiah reigned in the middle of a string of very evil kings.  When he heard the truth, he turned away from the bad example of the other kings and led his people in a huge spiritual revival.  His people got rid of all of their idols and tore down the high places where they worshipped other gods.

A whole nation turned back to God because Josiah heard the truth and responded.

Now it’s our turn to hear the truth and respond.

Thank you for the truth, Abba Father.

Circumcism of the Heart

On By Judy GlasserIn AugustLeave a comment

God is not impressed by what I look like on the outside.

He looks inside – at my heart.

What do I really care about?

What are the things that break my heart?  Do I get upset over petty things other people say and do?  Do I spend my time worrying and fretting over all the things I have no control over?

Or is my heart broken for the poor and lost people in my world?

Is my heart concerned about injustice and the mass confusion which defines our culture?  Is my heart focused on God’s direct command to care for orphans and widows?

Do I care about the things God cares about?

That’s what he’s hoping to see when he looks at my heart.

When my heart is circumcised like God describes in Jeremiah 9, I can turn away from my self-centered existence and live out God’s calling on my life.  God cuts away the part of my heart that is hard and stubborn and rebellious – the part that separates me from having a heart like his.

When my heart is circumcised, the change begins on the inside and eventually shows on the outside.  The transformation of my heart is a miracle that only God can perform.

How does it happen?

Loving God and loving others.  The two great commandments.

I want these to be my top two priorities.

What are your top two priorities?

We love you, Abba Father.

Which Way?

On By Judy GlasserIn AugustLeave a comment

Standing at the crossroads – looking in each direction, wondering which way to go.

I’ve been there.

You’ve been there.

Sometimes these are small decisions that will not having a lasting affect on my life.

Other times, I am standing at the crossroads of 2 very different journeys and my decision on which road to take will determine the main direction of my life for many years to come.

What should I do?

God tells me in Jeremiah 6 to ask him for direction, listen to him, and then walk in the path he chooses for me.

Then I will find rest for my soul.

Thinking about this, I realize that I often ask……

I can walk around for days asking and asking and asking….

but then I forget to listen for the answer.

All the voices and noises of the world around me make it very hard to focus,

it’s very hard to be still long enough to hear.

Do you have this same issue?

If I’m not careful, the loudest voice in my head is my own –

what I think,

what I want.

My will be done.

And then I find myself on the same road as the Israelites who didn’t listen to God.  As a result, they couldn’t please God.  They stumbled around in the darkness of their own making.  They refused to listen.

That’s not the path I want to choose.

Please help me hear and obey, Abba Father.

It’s So Easy…

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

to forget about turning to God.

I start doing my own thing –

making my own plans –

filling up my calendar –

acting like I’m in control.

But – when something bad happens – I immediately turn to God.

Does this sound familiar to you?

When bad things happen, I  am instantly reminded that I am not in control.   I know who is in control – God.

I turn to God because I am also instantly reminded that my plans are foolish when they are not directed by God.

I turn to God because he is my Rock,

my Shelter,

my Strength,

my Peace.

Turning to God – its my automatic response when something goes wrong.  I just need to get better at living out these truths every day – with every thing – good and bad.

This isn’t a new issue with any of us.

God tells us in Jeremiah that his people “have turned their backs to me and not their faces; yet when they are in trouble they say, ‘Come and save us!’.

God’s people – fickle, hard-hearted, unfaithful.

I don’t want to treat God like that.  Do you?

Please help us turn our faces towards you every hour of our day, Abba Father.

Get Ready!

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

Be prepared!

Know that it’s coming.

Stand up and do what needs to be done!

God gives these directions to Jeremiah as he begins his prophetic ministry.  God also gives these directions to us each day as we go about our lives – loving others and speaking truth into their lives whenever God gives us the opportunity.

God tells us that he will give us strength for the things he asks us to do.

I can’t do it on my own.  You can’t do it on your own.

Sometimes we feel powerless, don’t we?  I know I do.

Then I realize I feel that way because I am forgetting to plug into my power source –  God.  I forget to ask for and receive his help.  No wonder I feel powerless!

I need to remember each day to ask for his strength..

for his wisdom….

for his peace.

“For I am with you.” declares my LORD.

Please help me remember to ask, Abba Father.

Isaiah 58, 2017

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

Stop pointing fingers.  Stop the malicious talk that doesn’t build up or encourage others.

Spend your time and energy on actually trying to meet the needs of the hungry and oppressed.

Then your light will shine in everything you do.

The LORD will go with you to guide you.  When you think you have used all your resources and have nothing more to give, he will give you strength for the rest of the journey.

When you are connected to the source of Living Water, you become like a beautiful garden – always blooming, continually growing and constantly bearing fruit.

When you are connected, you and the people you bring with you can use God’s power to rebuild the broken.  You can use God’s truth to help others build a foundation for their lives that will last.

When you are connected, God will work through you to repair and restore the people whose lives you touch.

Amen, Abba Father.  Let it be so.

Lay It Down

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

Spread it out.

Leave it there –

at the feet of the Creator of the Universe.

That’s what I visualize myself doing when I pray.

I take my praises, my concerns, my dreams and my questions….

and I raise them up before my loving Father in Heaven.

I lay them at his feet.

And I really try to leave my concerns and my worries there.  I try not to pick them back up.

Because he is in control…

and he wants the best for me.

I trust him.

I love reading about King Hezekiah in 2 Kings.   He received a letter telling him that the huge enemy army of Assyria was coming his way.

To crush him.

To crush all of his people.

And Hezekiah didn’t have enough fighting men or resources to stop them on his own.  So he went to God and he spread the letter out before him.  He begged for God to deliver his people.

God answered with ‘yes’.  He saved the city – the King of Assyria left in disgrace.

How hard that must have been for Hezekiah!  Facing annihilation, he gave it all to God and left it there – even as the huge army advanced towards him.

He knew that God was his only answer so he stayed focus, he remained faithful.

How good am I at staying focused?  Remaining faithful?

I’m pretty good at spreading my concerns out before God but it’s really hard to leave them there.  Not to worry.  Not to fret.  Not to let a million concerns roll around in my head in the middle of the night.

How good are you at giving your worries to God and leaving them, trusting that he’s taking care of them?  Or do you take them back?

Please help us grow our trust, Abba Father.

 

2 Chronicles 30, 2017

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

People of the United States of America, return to the LORD, the God of our Founding Fathers,

and he will return to you.

Do not be like those all around who have been unfaithful to the LORD.

Don’t be stubborn, as many people are.  Submit to the LORD.

Seek him out.

Serve him.

Live in the light of his love.

If you return to the LORD, you will discover how gracious and compassionate he is.

He is always ready and willing – just turn back to him.

Thank you, Abba Father.