spiritualsnippets.com

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

May 21

Think About These Things

by Brenda Poulos

21301349719_cc1da6691e

Philippians 4:8- “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Counseling his son as what to do about a recent break-up with a girlfriend, a father tells his son to “just forget about her.”

A concerned mother’s answer to her daughter’s sad demeanor is to tell her to “just think happy thoughts.”

 

When things aren’t going as planned or when someone disappoints us, we can turn to God’s Word, go to our Heavenly Father in prayer and seek the counsel of Christian friends because harboring ill feelings, taking revenge, or wallowing in self-pity steals our joy.

Forgiving others, extending grace and mercy to those we feel have wronged us, will keep our thoughts from wandering back to the negative and dwelling on what happened, rather than looking forward and restoring our relationships.

We need to keep our hearts—and minds—on Christ Jesus and those things that are pleasing to Him.

When we do, our burdens are lifted and the future looks brighter—

A future filled with hope and restoration.

Biblical lessons Encouraging words Uncategorized

2 Comments »
May 14

A Proverbs 31 Mother

by Brenda Poulos

34104810420_914eb8d655

 

Proverbs 31: 25-28- “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.”

 

When I think of a good mother, I think of mine. That’s how it should be.

As I remember my mother’s good qualities, I think of Proverbs 31.

Although these verses are written about wives, they are just as applicable to mothers. A good wife and a good mother share many—if not all—of the same qualities.

An amazing mother inspires those around her.

Why?

Because she walks with honesty and dignity.

She laughs and enjoys life.

She is wise and shares her knowledge with her family.

She runs her household well. She is industrious—a hard worker.

No wonder her husband and children are thankful for her!

It’s a blessing to be a mother—to provide a home that is secure and welcoming for family and friends.

On this special day, I thank God for Proverbs 31 Mothers everywhere.

Biblical lessons Encouraging words Uncategorized

2 Comments »
May 7

Jump Start Your Heart

by Brenda Poulos

 

30214966523_15e2117cdf

Psalm 5:3- “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”

 

“I’ll be with you in just a couple of minutes. Let me just get a half a cup of coffee down and I’ll be good to go,” the bleary-eyed lady said from behind the customer service window. “Gotta jump start the heart, you know.”

So what do you do to get a jump start in the morning?

A brisk walk?

A series of Jumping Jacks?

A good-morning text to your sweetheart?

A cup of Joe?

How about reading a Psalm, today’s Daily Bread, or a devotional book?

How about a prayer of Thanksgiving?

There’s nothing that will get your day off to a better start than an encouraging word from God.

And, remember, He loves to hear our voices, too.

Biblical lessons Encouraging words Uncategorized

Leave a comment »
Apr 30

No Robots in Heaven

by Brenda Poulos

30981576265_80354717d4

I Peter 1:9- “…for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

For as long as I can remember, people have been fascinated by robots. And, every so many years, a new generation of robots is introduced, capable of so much more than their predecessors.

This week, on television, I was astounded to see a female robot with a modern haircut and wearing a stylish skirt and blouse.

The robot was so lifelike, it was incredible. It was one of the new line of “social robots” that are said to have personalities and emotions of their own. They show, and react to, facial expressions, engage in conversations, and even make eye contact. One such robot is actually “working” behind a Welcome Desk at a Singapore university!

While technology may produce lifelike robots that are difficult to tell from real persons, be assured that we will never see them in heaven.

Man may be capable of creating a lot of amazing things, but he cannot create a living soul.

Only God can do that.

And, only human beings with souls can experience what it’s like to have faith in God and receive the gift of salvation, the “end result of our faith.”

Biblical lessons Encouraging words Uncategorized

Leave a comment »
Apr 23

Unmeasurable

by Brenda Poulos

30977839481_cac9487f3d

Psalm 145: 3- “Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure His greatness.”

 

My husband, a jack-of-all-trades, loves tools. He says it is important to have the right tool for the right job. He has lots of them—even duplicates of most.

He has several tape measures, varying in overall lengths, colors, and materials. Some have belt clips. Others even have a laser. He should be able to measure just about anything.

King David had experience in building, too. No wonder, then, that some of the songs he wrote referenced measurement.

In the Bible, he paints a picture in song of the vastness of God’s greatness. He says it cannot be measured.

He refers to the magnitude of God’s love, in Psalm 103:11. “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.”

I like this verse in 2 Chronicles 2:6a- “But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him?”

What a picture we are painted of His immensity!

All of our collective praise falls short, in comparison.

In times when we fail to believe in His ability to heal, provide, or answer our prayers, we need only to meditate on verses such as these.

Oh, God, how great thou art!!  Great beyond all measure.

Biblical lessons Encouraging words Uncategorized

1 Comment »
Apr 16

Be That One out of Ten

by Brenda Poulos

 

16086525109_f7b99f7715

Luke 17:17- Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?”

 

On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus healed ten men who had leprosy. Only one of them came back and thanked Him.

We often forget to thank God, too, even though we have so much to praise Him for—the healing of a physical ailment, provision of a necessity, an unexpected blessing.

The Easter season is often one in which we overlook the purpose, and get caught up in the secular aspects of the day—coloring eggs, putting together the family dinner, buying a new dress…

Let’s not take for granted His Mercy and Grace, His forgiveness of sins and His gift of salvation.

Praise to our Most High God. The author and finisher of our faith.

Thank you, Jesus, for your work on the Cross.

Thank you for the Resurrection and the empty tomb.

Biblical lessons Encouraging words Uncategorized

3 Comments »
Apr 9

Just A Little Talk

by Brenda Poulos

 

25045780746_e412de3f10Psalm 142: 2,3– “I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles. When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn.”

King David, who wrote most of the Psalms, was bold—even sometimes confrontational—as he prayed. He didn’t hold back. He laid it all on the line. As a result, he experienced forgiveness and direction.

When I was a kid, I liked a popular spiritual song on the radio, called, “Just a Little Talk With Jesus.” The last four lines are:

I may have doubts and fears, my eyes be filled with tears,                                                        But Jesus is a friend who watches day day and night.                                                                     I go to him in prayer, he knows my every care,                                                                           And just a little talk with Jesus makes it right.

I often find myself talking to God while I am driving or doing mundane tasks like folding laundry. Talking it out, leaning on Him, sharing my concerns—these are all aspects of prayer.

Just like David, I find that just a little talk with Jesus makes it right.

Biblical lessons Encouraging words Uncategorized

Leave a comment »
Apr 3

Paying It Forward

by Brenda Poulos

26789073961_94ccec4e83

2 Samuel 10:2- “David thought, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.”

 

I placed my order and pulled forward to pay for my meal at the fast food drive thru. Imagine my surprise when the teenager at the window said, “No charge. The lady in the car in front of you paid your bill.”

I honked, waived, and told the kind stranger thank you as I stuck my head out of the car window. “Have a good day,” she said as she drove down the busy street and out of sight.

What a nice—and totally unexpected blessing. It made my day. There was still some goodness left in our world, after all.

The idea called, “pay it forward,” leaves it up to me to perform a nice gesture for someone else.

Repaying kindness with kindness.

The phrase “paying it forward” may have originated after a movie featured it some years ago, but the Bible records many instances of similar acts done in Biblical times—David paying respects to Hanun at the death of his father, King of the Ammonites; Rahab’s life being spared because she hid Israelite spies on her rooftop to protect them from attacking soldiers, and so on.

When someone repays kindness with kindness, we all remark about how nice it was…how thoughtful…even unusual in our world today. It is almost unheard of, however, for someone to repay with kindness those who hurt them.

Repaying unkindness with kindness?

Jesus was flogged, beaten, spit upon, denied, ridiculed. Yet, he repaid those unkindnesses by dying on the cross for the sins of those people, as well as our own.

Only unconditional love would do that.

Only by the grace of God.

Biblical lessons Encouraging words Uncategorized

Leave a comment »
Mar 26

The Secret of Contentment

by Brenda Poulos

32299630073_fe4570f964

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.”

 

As a child, he wanted each new toy.

As a teenager, she bought a new outfit for every occasion.

As a young adult, she constantly redecorated her first home.

As an executive, he purchased a luxury car every year.

Boats, vacations, jewelry.

Would they ever be satisfied? Would happiness always elude them?

Would they someday learn the secret to being content with what they had in the “here and now?”

The apostle Paul knew the secret.

True joy—real contentment—wasn’t based on things.

Paul was content because of his faith in God. That one relationship was what gave him the strength to persevere no matter what his life circumstances.

The truth is, contentment is a state of being. It is a way of life that is not acquired and lost, based on life’s circumstances.

It can be who you are because you know whose you are.

You can be content if, above all else, you first seek a relationship with your Heavenly Father.

Then, as the Bible says in Matthew 6:33, “all these things will be given to you as well.”

Biblical lessons Encouraging words Uncategorized

Leave a comment »
Mar 19

The New Normal

by Brenda Poulos

8479540406_1a89fe4025Acts 22:14,15- “Then he (Ananias) said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard.”

Things are forever changing in our world.

Foods we were told that were good for us in the past, are now reported to actually harm us. So, we change our diet.

A friend or relative requires our care. We rearrange our daily schedule to accommodate the added responsibilities.

Retirement, divorce, catastrophic illness.

All of these changes create what we now call the “new normal.”

A wedding, a new job, the birth of a baby, the purchase of our dream home—even these bring changes in routines—and we adapt to them by assimilating the “new normal” into our lives.

Paul had a life-changing experience on the road to Damascus. As a result of meeting God, his life of persecuting Christians was transformed to one of preaching and defending other Christians. As a result, he often lived for months and years in prison—the Apostle Paul’s “new normal.”

When we meet Christ, our lives…relationships…desires…past habits—our very focus changes as he calls us to live a new life in Christ—our “new normal.”

But, we are not alone. The The Holy Spirit guides us through each adjustment on our way to our eternal home and the

ULTIMATE NEW NORMAL.

Biblical lessons Encouraging words Uncategorized

1 Comment »
«Older Entries
Newer Entries »
Blog at WordPress.com.