spiritualsnippets.com

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

Feb 19

The Ultimate “Like”

by Brenda Poulos

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John 5:44- “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?”

I get several emails per day, saying that a Facebook Friend is requesting that I “LIKE” their Facebook Page.

As an author, I sometimes send out these requests, too. It promotes activity, boosts awareness, and all kinds of things related to the internet that I don’t even begin to understand.

These “Likes” remind me of my days teaching school. A simple sticker on a paper would make a child smile, a positive comment written in a yearbook would be cherished.

As an author or entertainer, we are happy to receive rave reviews.

As a sportsman, we are thrilled when we sell tickets…when we are recognized on the street or in a restaurant.

It’s not a new idea. We want to be liked.

But, have you ever been faced with the dilemma of whether to say or do something to receive accolades from your peers rather than act in a way that pleases God?

When that happens, I remind myself that how others feel about me may change due to circumstances, but that I am God’s child and what I do for Him has lasting effects.

It is then that I realize that I don’t want to trade what is temporary for what is permanent.

I know that I cannot be truly happy unless what I do and say brings glory my Heavenly Father.

Someday, I hope to hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

That will be the ultimate “Like.”

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Feb 12

How Deep? How High?

by Brenda Poulos

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Romans 3:39- “Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 

Wow! There’s nothing so high or so deep that it could keep God’s love from reaching us.

If we would try to contain God’s love, we’d need quite a container.

How tall would it be?

The heavens are calculated to be 46 billion light years higher than earth.

How deep?

The average depth of the ocean is about 12,100 feet, or 2.3 miles. The deepest part of the ocean, called the Challenger Deep, is located beneath the western Pacific Ocean. It is approximately 36,200 feet deep.

It’s impossible for us to even begin to understand just how vast an area that is!

But, we can be assured that

God loves us.

He’s got more than enough love to go around.

He’ll never run out of love.

Even if we wanted to avoid His love, we couldn’t.

Nothing can separate us from God’s love.

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Feb 6

Trumpet Lessons

by Brenda Poulos

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I Thessalonians 4:16- “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.”

We live in a condominium with other families on both sides of us and one living overhead.

On Sunday evenings, the boy upstairs practices playing his trumpet.

When he first started trumpet lessons, I admit his practice sessions were a bit annoying. However, he has either improved a lot or or we’ve just gotten used to the sounds. In either case, practice doesn’t last more than 10-15 minutes.

We used to cringe when we heard the first blast, but now I actually look forward to hearing him play around 7 p.m.

More than that, of course, I anticipate hearing the trumpet of God because it will signal the return of Jesus to earth and call together both living Christians and those who have died prior to that time.

It will be an unbelievably glorious celebration. The event of all time.

The trumpet call of God.

Now that’s something to look forward to.

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Jan 29

What Do You Think He Wrote?

by Brenda Poulos

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My husband and I recently went to a Christian movie. In it, a local church puts on a play. One of the Bible stories it portrays is the story of a woman who is brought to Jesus with the allegation that she has committed adultery.

Punishable by stoning, Jesus directs that anyone who was sinless should cast the first stone.

When the story started, however, we read that Jesus was writing with his finger on the ground (in dirt, or sand, I am not sure).

Since scripture doesn’t reveal just what it was that Jesus was writing, it has been the subject of many debates over the years.

In the movie, the character of Jesus writes the word “GRACE.”

In reality, he may have been writing something quite different. He might have been simply doodling. We just don’t know.

However, because in the verses that follow Jesus offers the woman forgiveness, the word “grace” aptly fits this situation.

It is the same unmerited favor…the same undeserved pardon he offers us.

Grace.

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Jan 22

Where Do You Get Your Strength?

by Brenda Poulos

Philippians 4:12, 13- “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

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A friend of mine was raised by her grandparents. They had lived through the Great Depression when times were hard and resources scarce.

They told her many stories of how difficult life had been for them and reminded her how fortunate she was to never to have known what real hunger felt like.

They came to know, as did the Apostle Paul, that they could be content in every situation if they would tap into the strength of the Lord Jesus.

As a child, my friend grew tired of hearing stories of the struggles of her grandparents. After all, she was a young girl with no idea of the plight of others around the world.

Then, tragedy struck her own family when she was in her thirties. She almost gave up when they were reduced to begging on a street corner.

It was then that she remembered the words of her grandparents decades before, and the scripture from Philippians.

She turned to God, finding joy in the midst of poverty.

She learned the secret of contentment when she allowed

Him to become her strength.

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Jan 15

Blessings in Imperfections

by Brenda Poulos

 

Exodus 4:11– “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?”

 

 

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One of my early assignments was teaching severe and profound disabled children.

People used to ask me how I did it. All I can say is that those kids blessed me in ways that no average students ever could.

 

If you’re the parent of, know, or teach this type of child, you know what I mean.

Even so, have you ever asked yourself if God sometimes creates people to be less than perfect, physically or mentally?

Or, perhaps, permits disabilities, and imperfections?

And what about life’s tragedies? Does God have a hand in those?

Difficult questions. Difficult answers.

Let’s start with what we know:

*Psalm 139 tells us that God is personally—and intentionally—involved in the creation of each and every person in utero.

*Proverbs 13:33 says He is even behind what we may view as random acts of creation, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.”

*In Exodus 4:11, He says that He is sovereign in creating people with disabilities.

*And let’s not forget the story in John, chapter 9. In it, Jesus talks about a man’s blindness as having a divine purpose, “…so that the work of God would be displayed in his life.”

This side of Heaven, we will never fully understand the ways of God. For now, however, we must exercise faith and trust because of the things we are sure of, like His unfailing love for us and His attributes of goodness, mercy, and grace.

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Jan 8

Snow Plows, Garmins, and Jesus

by Brenda Poulos

14974697723_a035b2d5b2Psalm 85:13– “Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.”

 

Winter.

For a large portion of our country, that means snow, ice, and powerful storms.

It also means travel slowdowns, flights cancelled and roads closed.

Let’s suppose we fly back east to be with relatives for Christmas.

Our plane lands. We get our luggage from baggage claims and follow the signs toward the rental car counter.

Keys in hand, suitcases in the trunk, and Starbucks Grandes nestled into the console, we punch Aunt Emma’s address into our Garmin.

A quarter of a mile down the road, we come to a screeching halt.

As snow falls and wind howls around us, we are helpless as we watch snow plows work to clear the highway filled with miles of ice covered vehicles ahead of us.

We shake our heads. After hours in the sky and additional time at the rental car kiosk, it will be glistening white snow that stands between us and a long-awaited time of family reunion.

It is now that thoughts of God push through the hustle and bustle of the day.

So, we conclude, this is how it is with God:

We may try to get to Him. At times, it even seems that we are making progress as we go about our lives. But, the truth is, just like the snow and ice on the road, our sin stands between us and God.

As I observe snow plows doing their work, I am reminded that JESUS has done the work of redemption for us.

There is nothing we can do to pave our way to eternal life and God. There is only one way: Jesus.

As we let Him take control, we are able to see the path clearing ahead.

As we follow His directions, it isn’t long until we are home

celebrating with the Father.

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Jan 2

Seize Every Opportunity

by Brenda Poulos

 

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Psalm 107:2- “Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story.”

 

You may be an author, a song writer, or a painter with special gifts at storytelling. Or, you may be a teacher, a carpenter, or baker with completely different talents.

No matter what your profession, if you are “redeemed of the Lord” scripture says we need to tell our story.

Sharing our story of salvation with others is not just reserved for the pulpit; not just for Sunday mornings.

We can tell others about the love of Christ at the mall, on the beach, in line at the grocery store deli.

Wherever we are…whenever the opportunity arises…

Remember that commercial where a guy hits his forehead with the heel of his hand and proclaims: “I could have had a V-8?”

I don’t say that to be funny.

I say it because it’s a missed opportunity and I confess that too many times, I have failed to advantage of the sharable moments when they have clearly been there.

As the New Year unfolds, how about making a spiritual resolution?

Let’s seize every opportunity to tell our stories.

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Dec 27

365 Days A Year

by Brenda Poulos

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Psalm 22:27-“All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations Shall worship before You.”

 

J.J. holds his mother’s hand as she leads him out of the candle lit sanctuary. “I liked the baby Jesus, and the angels. The sheep were funny,” he said excitedly. “Can we come again next week?”

“This is Christmas, honey. It’s special for this holiday. We can come, again, next year, if you’d like.”

Across town, Sarah and her family take the ornaments off the tree, pack them away and place them back into the attic. “The tree was so pretty. When can we decorate again?”

“Next Christmas.”

Yes, Christmas is over. Everything goes back in its box…put away until

Next year.

And, along with the songs, the lights, and the ornaments, much too often, is the Lord Jesus.

Placed back in the manger.

Back on the shelf in the attic.

Until next year.

Unfortunately, there are many are willing to worship the babe in the manger at Christmas, but don’t recognize that it was He who grew up to the be Savior of the world…their Savior.

Are you someone who finds it’s acceptable to worship the occupant of the manger, but that’s where it ends with you? Is it somehow frightening to worship the Savior of The Cross?

To do this would mean that you somehow bear some responsibility to give Him his rightful place in your life all year long, wouldn’t it?  It would require a commitment…a change of course.

No longer would Christmas be just a ritual or an event.

It would become a life of worship and service in which your heart would be turned toward Him every day.

A heart living out the promise of Christmas 365 days a year.

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Dec 25

No Tree This Year

by Brenda Poulos

Galatians 4:4- “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.”

 

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For several reasons, we decided not to put up a Christmas Tree this year.

Instead, the focal point in our living room is a lovely pottery Nativity which was painted by my sister-in-law more than three decades ago. We have displayed it for many, many Christmases.

The cow no longer has one of his horns. The saddle on one of the camels, one ear of the donkey, and the face of the shepherd boy have been chipped over the years.

The nativity may not look quite as beautiful as it once did, but I am enjoying it more than ever before.

I guess it was only natural to spend so much time and effort on our trees in the past. After all, it takes hours to place the lights and ornaments on it just so. Then there’s arrangement of the tree skirt and the placement of the packages underneath…

But, as I said, this year our focus is on the Nativity: Mary, Joseph, the babe in the manger, the Wise Men and the Shepherds, the livestock, and the Angel which appears to be hovering overhead.

God planned the redemption of humankind and, at just the right time, he sent his son, Jesus, into the world. God in the flesh, born in a stable and lying in a manger.

The story gets more beautiful with time. Nothing chipped, cracked, or missing.

The birth of our Lord in the fulness of time.

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