spiritualsnippets.com

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

Jun 12

Do You Know the Good You Ought to Do?

by Brenda Poulos

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James 4:17– “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”

 

 

SIN.

Boiled down into simplest terms it is doing something wrong.

But what about those times when the Holy Spirit speaks to us, prompting us to do something good for someone—but we don’t do it.

That is SIN, too.

We might shrug it off and say, “I’ll do it, later.”

Or, “How do I know that’s really The Holy Spirit speaking?”

Or, we rationalize why doing the “good thing” may not really be a good thing at all. (If I give money to that beggar, he might squander it! )

So, let’s get this straight. We know the right thing to do. We just don’t respond.

The Bible says it is SIN.

Am I sure about that?

I read it a second time.

That verse from James convicts me right where it hurts.

The good I should do

—could involve the spending of my time…my energy…my money…

—could mean a change of plans…a change of perspective…a change of heart…

Doing the good I know I should do requires responding to His prodding all day long…and it just may involve opportunities to minister to others in ways we might never imagine.

It just might lead to an opportunity to share the gospel.

It means seeing others needs through HIS eyes…the very eyes that one day saw me 

and sent Someone to meet my need.

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Jun 5

BELIEVE

by Brenda Poulos

Mark 11:23 For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain,’Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but Believes that what he says is happening; he shall have whatever he says.

 

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Believe.

I see this word on bumper stickers, jewelry, greeting cards, wall decor, and T-shirts.

It seems society has embraced it.

But, what does it really mean?

Believe in who?

Believe in what?

Believe in oneself?

Believe in the power within?

Believe in God?

I have a picture hanging in my home office, with simply “Believe” written in script.

It tells me that I can do it…achieve it…

But, I realize it is not me alone that makes anything happen in my personal life or my career.

It is God who leads me.

It is God who empowers me.

It is God who gives me the skills necessary to achieve.

But, it means still more.

To me, it is a reminder that I believe that Jesus is God’s Son and that I have eternal life through Him.

John 20:31 but these are written, that you may Believe

that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing

you may have life in his name.

It IS important to have confidence in oneself…if that confidence comes from God.

It IS important to have a “can do” attitude…if one realizes that their giftedness comes from our Creator.

It IS important to have faith…if it is in God.

We can have every confidence in Him.

For it  is in Him WHO IS TRUTH that we have the power to BELIEVE.

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May 30

Free, Indeed!

by Brenda Poulos

Romans 8:2- “…because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”

It is Memorial Weekend. A time to remember those who have fought for America’s freedom. Thank you, brave soldiers!

Freedom of worship.               19497274363_d56953ddd0

Freedom of choice.

Freedom of speech.

I won’t list them all. If you live in America, you realize the many freedoms we enjoy.

But what about freedom from sin?

We are all human. We all sin.

Can there be freedom from sin?

The Bible says, that believers will experience freedom from the law of sin and death. That is, because of Christ’s death for us, we will no longer face the penalty for sin—death.

Christ bore the penalty for us, setting us free.

And, “… if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

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May 23

Do You Know What Will Happen Tomorrow?

by Brenda Poulos

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James 4:14- “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

A friend of ours passed out while driving last week. His car hit a transformer and went up in flames. He was pulled out of the vehicle just in time. Praise God, he didn’t have a scratch on him!

As I thought about this miracle, the verse above came to mind. Even though we may say, “See you tomorrow” to our friends and family, none of us knows if that will be true or if a tragedy might claim our life.

That’s why it is so important that each of us is prepared to meet God. One day, we will either stand before Him, forgiven by the blood of Jesus, or guilty and without excuse.

Now is the time to get right with God.

Choose Jesus. We “…do not even know what will happen tomorrow.”

Choose Eternal Life in Heaven. We “…are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

Choose the miracle of forgiveness.

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May 16

No Sour Grapes

by Brenda Poulos

Habakkuk 3:17,18-    Though the fig tree does not bud

and there are no grapes on the vines,

though the olive crop fails

and the fields produce no food,             4734900182_b15ffd1ce0

though there are no sheep in the pen

and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

I will be joyful in God my Savior.

 

 

We recently moved into a new home. Due to time constraints on all sides, we moved in before our renovations had been completed.

Nearly three weeks later, we still have no master bath or kitchen.

I fell off a ladder; our dining room light crashed in the middle of the night; a hammer fell off the top of a ladder when my husband was moving it, hitting him in the head. And so the saga, began…

Some days I am stressed out and ask God, “Why?” and other days I remember that He has blessed us with a beautiful desert home that is tranquil and serene—or will be!!

This verse from Habakkuk has encouraged me, in the past, when financial times were hard. Now, it speaks to the difficulties of our move. (Who says the Bible isn’t applicable to modern day circumstances?)

So, though I have no master bathtub or shower, though the kitchen granite doesn’t match at the seam lines and needs to be redone, though our king size bed didn’t fit in the new bedroom and we’ve slept on a mattress on the floor for several weeks, though the plumber suspended his work in the bathroom to go on vacation, and the tile guy is in the hospital with kidney stones, though I am washing dishes in the bathroom sink and have no stove or water in the kitchen, I will rejoice in God my Savior who protects us and blesses us with many good restaurants nearby, kind friends to help, and the promise of a vacation for ourselves some time this summer…

 

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May 10

Can You Keep A Secret?

by Brenda Poulos

Ecclesiastes 12:14– For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.

 

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He hedged when she asked him where he’d been.

He passed by the cubicle next to his own, hesitating when he saw a twenty dollar bill laying on the desk. He looked to see if anyone was around before he slipped it into his pocket.

She pulled up to the drive-in window at the fast food restaurant, ordering two meals. One for herself, and one for the man at the corner with a sign stating, “HUNGRY. PLEASE HELP.”

Things done in secret.

No one might ever know…

But, the Bible tells us that God sees everything. He punishes the wicked and rewards the good.

It may seem to you that the small gestures you make in the behalf of others goes unnoticed, but God’s Word says he will reward those kindnesses when you stand before His throne.

Likewise, those who think they have gotten away with certain behaviors on earth, will find that is not the case.

God sees everything.

For those serving others, sometimes to the point of exhaustion, be of good cheer. Your God sees and He is pleased with you. There will come a day when He will openly reward what you have done for others.

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Apr 24

The Gate

by Brenda Poulos

John 14:6- “I (Jesus) am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

I rummage around in the console of my car for the remote control. One push of the button and the gate slowly opens, admitting me to the neighborhood.  Whether operating by a gate code, a special sticker on the car’s front window, or a “clicker”, I’m sure those of you living in gated communities understand if I confess that I still sigh with relief when the gate “recognizes” me and swings wide, granting access to my home.

I am speaking about my earthly home, of course.

But, what about my heavenly home? 25529773694_403d73b5bd

Is it true that some will be admitted to heaven, while others will be turned away?

According to this verse from the book of John, the only access to God and heaven comes through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Christians find peace for their souls and reassurance of eternal life in heaven as they trust Jesus as Savior.

My heart aches for those who have not put their trust in Christ—those who will be turned away at the gate.

Don’t read this and think, “I’m a good person. Surely, God isn’t speaking about me.”

The Bible says that God is not a “respecter of persons.”  His laws apply to everyone, no matter their age, nationality, or earthly notoriety.

You may be beautiful in the eyes of the world. You may be smart, generous, and kind to others. You may be a hard worker, a good son or daughter, but if God cannot look at you and see his Son, then you will be left standing alone outside the gate.

YOU are the very reason I write this blog each week.

I pray that you will consider John 14:6 and that, in Christ, you will find the way to your eternal home.

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Apr 18

Tie A String Around Your Finger

by Brenda Poulos

Revelation 2:4– Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

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Last week, my grandson told me about an upcoming baseball game he’d like me to attend. He said to make sure I didn’t forget.  In response, I found myself answering, “I guess I’ll just have to tie a string around my finger.”

He had a good laugh at that one, but there really was a time—back in the “olden days” when we actually did use that as a method of reminding ourselves about important commitments.

Nowadays, we have alarm clocks, daily planners, smart watches, and computers that are capable of reminding us of everything from dental appointments to the expiration dates on coupons.

To be sure, there are a lot of things we need to remember. And, with so many of them competing with each other, we often put off doing the things that should be the most important to us.

Nothing is more important to me than my relationship with Jesus Christ. Yet, spending time in reading God’s Word and in prayer are sometimes pushed aside to make room for things that have no eternal value—things that seem so important at the time, but really are nothing more than meaningless clutter in an already-busy life.

Jesus asks us to remember (along with the church at Ephesus to which the letter, above, was written) that He is to be our “first love.” And, because of that, it is only fitting that we “…remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” (Exodus 20:8); “…remember His marvelous works…His wonders…” (Psalm 105:5); “…Remember(ing) without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ…” (I Thessalonians 1:30); and “Remember that Jesus Christ the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to (the) gospel (2 Timothy 2:8).

In order to nurture a relationship with Christ, we need to spend time with Him. Some Christians receive emails containing daily devotions. A long-time friend of mine blocks off an hour in her planner each day for prayer and Bible Study. Still another, sets the alarm on his watch for the last ten minutes of every hour to be spent in prayer for others.

Do you desire to spend more time with The Lord?

Try tying a string around your finger…

 

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Apr 11

Frustration or Blessing?

by Brenda Poulos

Matthew 22:17-21

17 Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? 19 Show Me the tax money.” So they brought Him a denarius.20 And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”21 They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

 

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Taxes.

Hard to believe it is almost time to file.

After an appointment with our accountant, we learned that we owe—again.

How can that be?

Every year?

Seriously?

My husband relates that his coworkers get refunds…repeatedly… tax season after tax season.

Do they know something we don’t?

“Make quarterly payments,” our accountant replies.

It’s not like we don’t have mortgage and charitable deductions.

It’s not like we rely on our own expertise in filing.

Even in Jesus’s time, questions regarding taxes were front and foremost.

This year, instead of shaking our heads in disbelief or giving into the frustrations associated with taxes, we have chosen to count our blessings and be thankful for the abundance with which God has blessed us…

April 15…

A day to count our blessings.

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Apr 3

There’s Got to be a Word…

by Brenda Poulos

I John 4:9- “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”

 

When I was a young girl growing up, Saturday mornings at our house were designated for cleaning. My favorite chore was dusting. I was able to close my bedroom door and put my favorite 45’s on the record player while tidying up.

One of my favorite songs was “There’s Got To Be A Word” (that means more than “love”). This was a romantic tune that tugged at the heart of every teenage girl in the 60’s. But, as I reminisce of days gone by, I wonder if there might really be a word that does mean more than love, or deepens its meaning, shows love in action…

Babe in a Manger  (oops, more than one)

Cross

Immanuel

Nails

Messiah

Resurrection

Savior

Forgiveness

Adoption as Sons (sometimes just one word won’t do)

Mercy

Grace

Jesus

 

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