spiritualsnippets.com

Seeing life's events in the light of God's Word.

Apr 29

Scientific Benefits of Friendship

by Brenda Poulos

 

40280078521_159a4b8e7d

 

I Samuel 20:42- Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.’”

 

Watching the news this past week, I saw a piece entitled: The Power of Friendship. For ten minutes the newscaster talked about the health benefits of having friends.

It all boiled down to new scientific evidence that if a person does not connect to others, they end up with too much belly fat and/or other health problems equivalent to smoking sixteen cigarettes a day!

Wow. Relationships are important.

The Bible gives us examples of beautiful friendships, but one of the most tender is that of the friendship between David and Jonathan. Each would readily have given up their life for the other.

Abraham was called God’s friend. 

Jesus wept when his friend, Lazarus, died.

Although the value of friends here on earth is important for many reasons (even our physical health, it seems) God tells us that our spiritual health is dependent on being connected to Him.

The story of the vine and the branches definitely depicts this necessary connection.

More important than our relationship with our earthly friends, is our relationship with God. We don’t want to end up like a branch that withers and dies when it is no longer connected to the vine!

So, be a true friend to others. Care for their spiritual health by encouraging their relationship with Jesus—“a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”

 

Biblical lessons Encouraging words Uncategorized

Leave a comment »
Apr 26

Now Available On Audible

by Brenda Poulos

 

mockup2

The Choice: Will’s Last Testament is now available on Audible. In a few days, it will also be available on iTunes and Amazon. The amazing C.J. Stephens produced it for me. His exciting voice makes the words come alive in this emotion-filled Christian Fiction book. Be sure to listen to the audio sample on Audible.     Brenda Poulos

Uncategorized

Leave a comment »
Apr 22

Perfect Peace

by Brenda Poulos

 

27014484070_94a0d5b45e

 

Ezra 8:23- “So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.”

 

My friend was recently hospitalized. It became apparent at one point, that we might lose her. However, many days (and prayers) later, she rallied. 

She is now on the road to recovery.

But, what if God had not chosen to heal her? Would that have still been an answer to those hundreds, if not thousands, of prayers?

It would not have been the answer we wanted but, yes. It still would have meant that God answered according to His will. Which, as a matter of fact, is how we all prayed. 

We asked for healing, while at the same time, asking for God’s will to be done in her life.

It’s not easy when we pray for God’s will to be done because we are not always going to get the answer that we want. 

Believers in the verse in Ezra were praying for a safe journey for themselves and their children. You may be praying that a loved one would come to know the Lord or that a job offer might be received.

Whether with a “yes,” “no,” or “wait,” we can be assured that God will answer according to His good, pleasing, and perfect will.

And, because of that, we can experience His perfect peace. 

Biblical lessons Encouraging words Uncategorized

Leave a comment »
Apr 15

Light in the Darkness

by Brenda Poulos

38450951756_eee26aaa51

2 Samuel 22:29– “You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light.”

 

A couple of weeks ago, 13-yr-old Jesse Hernandez fell into a drainage pipe in L.A.’s Griffith Park.

Eleven feet down, in a six thousand foot search area, Jesse was in total darkness.

He may have not been able to see, but Jesse knew what to do. He prayed.

“I was praying for God to help me and not to die,” he said. “It was all quiet. You could just hear the water running through and you couldn’t see anything.”

Jesse kept praying and twelve hours later, he was rescued. 

The Bible says that Jesus is light and that in him there is no darkness at all.

He lights our path. He guides our way. 

Jesse’s physical eyes may have seen darkness, but his spiritual eyes gave him the confidence that his Savior was with him.

And Jesse gave God the glory.

Biblical lessons Encouraging words Uncategorized

Leave a comment »
Apr 8

Treasure Hunt

by Brenda Poulos

30661934920_628f19120e

 

Proverbs 2:3-5  “…indeed, 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 find the knowledge of God.”

 

My husband did a lot of driving this past week. While he’s behind the wheel, I enjoy reading vanity license plates, signs, billboards, and the names of various businesses as we travel from state to state.

This trip, I noticed a commonality among many different businesses. Some of their names were: JUNKYARD TREASURES, GARDEN TREASURES, ANTIQUE TREASURES, and JEWELS AND OTHER TREASURES.

Why have so many used the word Treasures?

Treasures is one of those words, much like secrets. It taps into a human emotion which focuses on the promise of getting privileged information—tapping into what was previously unknown—what was once hidden.

As an author, I recognize the power in those words.  After all, who doesn’t like a good mystery?

But, a mystery is only as good as its promise that, in the end, the mystery will be revealed.

There are more than 80 verses in the Bible referring to treasure, mystery, hidden treasure, and hidden understanding. As I read through them, I realized just how much more I need to learn…just how much more I want to know.

Silver and gold? 

Look again.

The hidden treasure is insight…the understanding… and knowledge of God.

We are to LOOK for it. CALL ALOUD FOR IT.

As fervently as we would for silver or gold. 

 

Biblical lessons Encouraging words Uncategorized

Leave a comment »
Apr 1

It’s Not About the Bunny

by Brenda Poulos

34914303001_910bd07ae0

Isaiah 53: 3-6~ “He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet, it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And, we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But, he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.”

 

I heard a story this week of a man who was recently exonerated of three murders after spending 27 years on death row.

On a talk show, he said there was nothing more horrible about the whole ordeal than hearing the word, “guilty” when he knew he hadn’t committed those crimes.

Jesus heard those words and He, too, was innocent. He was also called names, treated cruelly, and even put to death for the sins of mankind.

Following His resurrection, he was called pure and blameless by Almighty God; then exalted to sit at the right hand of the Father in Heaven.

As a Christian society, we have set aside Easter as a time to remember what Jesus did for us.

Let’s not make today about “The Bunny” or the eggs…not about a fancy ham dinner or sack races in the park.

Just as at Christmas we celebrate His birth, today let’s celebrate His death and resurrection.

Once again, let’s remember that Jesus is the Reason for the Season.

 

Biblical lessons Encouraging words Uncategorized

Leave a comment »
Blog at WordPress.com.