Tag: peace

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.

Looking For It……

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

but peace is hard to find.

The world rushes around us.  We’re always in a hurry.

I retired 6 months ago and I’m still trying to re-train myself to stop rushing from thing to thing. It’s not easy – everyone is doing it.  And it’s especially hard to find peace and calm with ‘screens’ screaming and blinking everywhere I go.

I’ve discovered that real peace can’t be found in my environment.

It’s just not there.

True peace only comes from God.

Thousands of years ago, Micah prophesied that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem and he would shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD.  Micah said the Messiah would give us security because his greatness would reach to the ends of the earth.

“And he will be our peace”.

Jesus is our peace.  The Holy Spirit who lives inside every believer brings us peace.

I will not find true peace anywhere else.  Everything else is fleeting – here today, gone tomorrow.  Unpredictable.

Peace can’t be found with money – although its easy to get lost in that direction.

And it won’t be found in any other relationship other than my relationship with God.

Jesus has come to world.

And he offers us the only true place to find peace – in a close relationship with him.

Thank you, dear Jesus.

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.  

 

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.

Great Joy!

On By Judy GlasserIn OctoberLeave a comment

The angels had such good news to tell the world on the night Baby Jesus was born!

They told the shepherds to not be afraid – their news as going to create great joy for all people.Oct 20 2015 great joy

Great Joy!

For all people!

For all time!

The shepherds found Baby Jesus in the stable right where the angels said he would be.  And they praised God!

Simeon realized that his wait for a Messiah was over when he saw the Baby Jesus in the temple.  And he praised God!

Anna also recognized the Baby Jesus as the one who would redeem Jerusalem.  And she praised God!

We have great joy today because the Baby Jesus was born!

The Messiah!

He came to save all of us from our sin!

He brought peace into our world of chaos and anger.

He brought grace so he could replace our guilt and shame with his love.

He brought wholeness for our broken and empty souls.

He brought light into our dark and lost lives!

Today we join with the shepherds and Simeon and Anna in praising God for sending his son for us!

Thank you, Abba Father, for such Great Joy!

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.

No More Dry Bones

On By Judy GlasserIn SeptemberLeave a comment

You have breathed life into us, dear Father.Sept 2 2015 no more dry bones

Your breath of love has filled our empty and hurting hearts.

Your breath of forgiveness has removed our burden of guilt and shame.

Your breath of redemption has given us a new hope…a new purpose.

You give us strength.  Your power lives in us through the gift of your Holy Spirit who guides us and speaks truth into our hearts and minds.

You have clothed us in new robes of righteousness which we did not earn.

You have released us from our slavery to sin.  We celebrate our freedom to gladly serve you!

You have given us joy.  You have given us peace.

Through you, we have been reborn!  Thank you, Abba Father!

We are no longer dry bones.

What Are You Looking For?

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

Are you looking for peace in your life?

Are you searching for a purpose?July 18 a 2015 what are you looking for

Are you wanting more joy in your life?

Do you desire to make a difference in this world?

Do you have a broken part of you that needs fixing?

Do you have a piece of you that is lost and needs to be found?

Are you  desperately looking for someone who will love you?  Real love?  Not the kind that fades away and is gone?

A genuine relationship with God can give us all of these things.

In Isaiah 55, God tells us to come to him when we are thirsty for anything.  He can give it all to us at no charge.

God points out that we spend a lot of money  buying things that don’t fill our needs.  We work very hard in order to get these things but they don’t satisfy us.

If we listen to God, we will not only have what is good for us but we will ‘delight in the richest of fare’. (vs 2)

‘The richest of fare’ – unconditional love, God’s purpose for creating us, joy, peace, wholeness and grace.

When we go to God with our wants and desires, we will find everything we’re looking for – and much more.

We will be delighted!   🙂

Thank you, Abba Father.

 

From That Time On and Forever

On By Judy GlasserIn JulyLeave a comment

We are living in Forever.

I love reading Isaiah as he prophesies about Jesus 700 years before Jesus was born.June 29 2015 From that time on and forever

Because all of his prophecies came true:

For unto us a child was born,

Unto us, God’s son was given.

He is called Wonderful,

Counselor,

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace.

There is no end to the greatness of his governing of the world.

There is no end to the peace he freely offers us.

He is King!

He reigns over his kingdom today.

He established his kingdom with justice and righteousness.

From now and on into Forever.

Dear Father,  We are your light for the people who are walking in darkness today.  Please open their eyes to your light of love.  Your light of joy.  Your light of forgiveness.  Your light of redemption and restoration.  May your light shine out through us.  Please help grow our faith and our witness so that your kingdom on earth will be enlarged.  We know we are free when we accept the salvation that your son, Jesus, brought to earth.  Help us share that freedom, dear Father.  Shatter the yokes of sin that are holding our friends, family and neighbors captive.  In the redeeming name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

 

He is Faithful

On By Judy GlasserIn AprilLeave a comment

Do you have days where it feels like there are problems and challenges coming at you from all sides?

I do.March 31 2015 he is faithful

Issues come up at work.

Difficulties arise in my personal life.

These are also the times where I get a tooth ache or a cold.

Or I get a flat tire on my car.

And the washing machine stops working.

And the dog starts having a weird cough.

I know you’ve been there, too.

One of the blessings of being adopted by God as his child is knowing that we can reach out to God in the middle of all of this mess and he will give us peace.

He will give us strength.

We know from etchingJames 1 onto our minds that, when we persevere under trials by asking God for wisdom, he will always give us in a generous amount and we grow and mature.  We become complete.

God is always faithful.  David knew this.  We read in 1 Samuel that God had rescued David from the paw of a lion and the paw of a bear so David was confident that God would give him victory over Goliath.

What are the Goliaths that we’re facing today?

Dear Father, we ask for the bold confidence David had as we face our own Goliaths.  We know you are faithful.  You have always taken care of us in the past.  You will always love and care for us in the future.  Please help us live each day with that confidence – with that attitude – knowing you are helping us fight our lions, our bears and our Goliaths.  We love you, dear Father.  In the awesome name of Jesus we pray, Amen.