spiritualsnippets.com

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

Jan 12

Sing!

by Brenda Poulos

Psalm 100:1-2   “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.”

Yesterday afternoon, Legacy Quartet performed at our church. They are a tremendous group of singers out of Colorado. They travel all over the world in their ministry of song. We are so blessed that they were able to come to our church for the second year and we’re already booking them for next January!

Like it is when you hear a tune you just can’t get out of your head, I “sang” myself to sleep last night. It probably won’t surprise you if I confess that I woke up this morning reliving their performance as I readied myself for church.

No, I don’t sing in the choir. I’m one of those people who limit myself to singing in the shower. Although one of my long time secret dreams has been to one day possess a voice worthy of the stage, that hasn’t happened—yet.

No, I wasn’t blessed with an outstanding singing voice, but I was blessed with other areas of giftedness. And so were you.

I have come to realize that the light-hearted, exuberant feeling associated with singing can be found in other ways, or styles, if you will. Some people “sing” as they push the book cart at a local nursing home. Others “sing” as they take a meal to a grieving family. It’s possible to “sing” as you pen a note to a friend, watch a neighbor’s child so they can have a couple of uninterrupted hours, or as you place a can of vegetables in the collection box at the local supermarket.

You see, for some of us, the stage will not be Carnegie Hall. For us, it may be a kitchen table, a writing desk, a one-to-one experience on a much smaller scale. Even though our area of giftedness may not be vocal, it is still just as important to share with others.

Because singing is an attitude of the heart.

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Jan 5

Shhhh

by Brenda Poulos

Matthew 6: 1-4:  Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven…do not sound a trumpet before thee…that (you) may have the glory of men…let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who sees in secret…shall reward thee openly.

My parents are in their late eighties and, as is typical for that age group, memory problems are becoming more and more prevalent. Case in point: New Year’s Eve.

For the past 23 years, my husband and I have joined my sister and her husband in spending New Year’s Eve playing board games with Mom and Dad. This year, as we were enjoying dessert, my sister asked my parents if they had enjoyed the pot of homemade soup that she had brought them the week before. I could see the hurt in my sister’s eyes when they had trouble recalling that she had even visited them the week prior!

As my family laughed and enjoyed being with one another that evening, my mind wandered back to an incident, in my own life, when I felt like I didn’t get “credit” for something I had done for someone. Like me, maybe you can relate to the frustration of not receiving the recognition you think you should get for achievements, good things done for others in the community, monetary contributions, kindnesses shown to strangers, and so on.

Although it is perhaps disappointing not to receive a simple “thank you”, the Bible tells us that it is God who will one day give each of us rewards for our actions. In fact, He says to do these things, secretly, and He will one day reward them openly.

I am humbled by the words of our Lord, today. I give Thanks to God for his Word and his promise that He sees every action. I seek His forgiveness for my wrong attitude—my selfish attempts, at times, to glorify myself—even in the small things of this life.

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Dec 28

Is All That Glitters Really Gold?

by Brenda Poulos

Revelation 22:13 and 16b: “I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last…I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”

The young woman at the restaurant flashed her engagement ring to the five other young ladies seated at her table.

“It’s so HUGE! Is it real?” one girl asked.

“I didn’t know Dave had that much money,” another chimed in.

“I’d get it appraised, and then insured. In that order,” offered yet another guest.

In a world full of fake jewels, furs, purses—even flowers—conversations like this are not uncommon. The quest for what is real is an ongoing one. No one wants to be outwitted or fall for a counterfeit, a reproduction, a copy.

We all want the “real deal”, don’t we? We have an aversion to being duped.

So it is with people. We want to know that our friends are really our friends. That they don’t pretend to be our friends to our faces, and then talk about us behind our backs. We want to be able to depend on the fact that they are who they say they are.

The Bible tells us that we can be sure that Jesus is who He claims to be. That He cannot—and does not—ever lie. His Word assures us of who He is and that we can truly depend on Him to do what He says He will do. He keeps His promises. He never fails. He never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

One day, believers will meet Him in Heaven. We will see Him “face-to-face.”

We are not waiting to see a phony. We are looking forward to seeing our God, our Savior, our Lord. The true and Living Word…in all His Glory…our Bright and Morning Star!

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Dec 21

King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

by Brenda Poulos

Philippians 2: 9-11  Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father.

 

In the popular movie, “Titanic”, Leonardo DiCaprio stands on the bow of the ship and shouts with outstretched arms, “I’m the King of the World!” If you’ve seen the movie, you can picture the huge smile on his face and relive those moments with him.

Of course, Leo wasn’t really “King of the World” any more than my husband was when he and his friends used to play “King of the Hill” in their neighborhood. However, one can imagine what a wonderful “mountaintop” experience it would be!

Let’s remember, in this season, the one true “King of the World”—Jesus. He came as a lowly babe, son of a carpenter. Yet, this beloved of the Father was given a name above all names. All hail, King Jesus!

The Bible tells us that some day in the future, every knee will bow before Him. He will ultimately be recognized by all human beings as “King Above All Kings and Lord Above All Lords.”

Isn’t it a miracle—above all miracles— that Jesus has taken up His abode in us? That we don’t have to wait for that “someday” in future, but can experience His presence in our lives today?

Let’s bow before Him. Crown Him “King of Our Lives.” Give Him the recognition He deserves.

Relive with the angels that exhilarating experience in the skies over the stable in Bethlehem. Along with the heavenly host, proclaim the birth of “The King of Kings!”

Brenda

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Dec 15

What Do You Give the Man Who Has Everything?

by Brenda Poulos

Luke 2:13- “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!’”

It waits under the Christmas tree wrapped in delicate paper and adorned by a large bow trimmed in gold. The gift is mesmerizing.

What could be inside? You shake it, hoping its sound will give a clue as to the contents. You consider its size and shape, narrowing the possibilities.

You think of the things you included on your “Christmas List” and try to judge whether or not each item could possibly fit into a box of that size or shape. Still, you won’t be sure until you actually remove the paper and ribbon.

Yes, the giving and receiving of gifts is exciting.

I saw a television ad a few days ago, which asked, “What do you give the man who has everything?” I immediately thought of Jesus. Isn’t He the epitome of one who has everything? What kind of gift would He want? Another galaxy? A trillion more stars?

Some 2,000 years ago, Jesus left Heaven where He, literally had everything, to be born in a stable to earthly parents who had very little resources. What He wanted then—and what He still wants in the 21st Century—is a relationship with US.

He wants our love, our trust, and our praise! He wants to hear our voices lifted in adoration, or softly making petitions in prayer. He want us to hear His voice, too, as we wait on His answers, as we read His Word.

In this “Season of Giving”, remember along with me the ultimate gift—Jesus—the Savior wrapped not in a gold-trimmed bow, but in swaddling clothes. The Lord of All who gave it all—for you and me!

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Dec 8

Are You Looking For Him, Too?

by Brenda Poulos

Revelation 3:20–  “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”

At nearly 90 years old, our friend, Paul, actually climbed a ladder to trim a large palm tree in his front yard! He slowly made his way to the top, one rung at a time. He stopped to rest, occasionally, peering out and over the ladder’s top, looking down at neighboring houses, and surveying nearby yards.

Comparatively, the sycamore tree Zacchaeus climbed in order to see Jesus as he traveled down the Jericho road, was not nearly as tall. But, it was high enough to give a man of ‘short stature’ a better view.

You most likely know the story. Jesus invited himself to dinner that night at Zacchaeus’s home and both he and his household were saved.

Zacchaeus had been looking for Jesus. Could it be perhaps, that you are looking for Him, too?

You won’t need to climb a tree to meet him, but like Zacchaeus, Jesus welcomes your invitation to let Him into your heart. In fact, scripture tells us that He stands at your heart’s door and knocks, and that if you open the door, He will come in!

His spirit will take up residence inside you. He will never leave you, nor forsake you. He’ll become your constant companion—your truest friend.

How about taking a look—upward?

Brenda

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Dec 1

Can You Really “Cheat Death?”

by Brenda Poulos

Psalm 68:20– “God is the God of victories. The Almighty Lord is our escape from death.”

I saw an internet article last week about a celebrity who received a devastating cancer diagnosis two years ago, but is still alive, today! The headline said that she had “cheated death.”

Although I am certain that this person feels extremely grateful for an extended life, I am not sure that the reporter quite understood that people don’t really have any control over death. Sure, some things may prolong life, from our human viewpoint. Diet, exercise, prudence when operating machinery, driving a car, crossing a street, playing sports— all are examples of good judgment.

But, isn’t it true that only God knows the number of our days? Isn’t it God who determines when this earthly life is over for each of us? Can any of us really escape death?

The Bible says we can! To be specific, we all will die the death of the body at some point. But, God’s Word tells us that Jesus has swallowed up death in victory. When we put our trust in the salvation that Jesus offers, He promises that we will live with him for all eternity in Heaven.

So, in a very real sense, we can escape death—by putting our faith in the giver of life!

Brenda

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Nov 24

The Sunrise–God’s Reminder

by Brenda Poulos

Colossions 4:2– Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.

Our youngest grandson turned nine years old this month. I looked at the envelope in my hand. It was his thank you note for the “big” gift from us—new rollerblades.

Saying thank you is important, whether it’s in person, a phone call, or a written note, like Owen sent. So, how and when do we thank our Heavenly Father for His many gifts?

Hopefully, we don’t wait until a designated holiday rolls around to remind us to thank God for His blessings and for answered prayer. We have so much to be thankful for, on a daily basis, that we need to remember to thank Him every day.

I have been as guilty as anyone for praying petitions—asking for things—but failing to acknowledge Him in words of thanks when my prayers are answered. The Bible reminds us that His mercies are new every morning, so I have started using the sunrise to remind me, daily, to praise and thank God for His abiding love, His provision, and for answered prayer.

Beginning each day with a thankful heart helps me keep the rest of my day in perspective. It doesn’t require stationary, a stamp, or the U.S. Postal Service. I simply need to bow my head each morning to acknowledge my Creator, my Savior, my Lord.

How and when do you thank God? Please leave a comment.

Brenda

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Nov 17

Lost and Found

by Brenda Poulos

Luke 15:8– “What woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost’.”

Last week, I lost the cross necklace I had just written about in my blog. I reached up to straighten it’s chain and it was gone. I checked in our bed, the shower, the car, and on the floor of every room in the house. It just wasn’t there. I was devastated!

Yes, I did have another cross I could wear, but I had worn the “lost” cross for more than 15 years. It was precious to me.

“Please God, let me find it!” I asked, fervently. I prayed for Him to shine his light on it…to guide us to wherever it was. Two days later, I rejoiced with a friend when my husband found it atop a roll of carpet we had pulled up in our renovation, glistening as the late morning sun shined on it through a dusty window.

I thought of the lady in the Bible who went around her house looking everywhere for a lost coin. She had other coins, too, but she lit her lamp and rejoiced when she found her lost silver coin. She even called her friends to let them know.

The verse following Luke15:8, above, reminds us that “…there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” You and I were the reason for their rejoicing at one time. When we tell others of His love and forgiveness of sins, and they come to Christ, the angels will rejoice with us in their salvation, too!

What better day, than today, to ask God to shine His light onto the heart of a relative or friend? We can all rejoice together that the one that was once lost is, now, “found”!

Brenda

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Nov 10

I Didn’t Know That You Were A Christian!

by Brenda Poulos

2 Corinthians 3:2- “You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all.”

Many years ago, a fellow teacher at my school noticed the cross that I wear as a daily reminder to myself of what Christ did for me when He died on the cross. She looked at me and said words I will never forget, “I didn’t know that you were a Christian!”

That was one of the saddest comments I had ever heard, but it changed my life, profoundly. I didn’t want people to only know that I was a Christian because of a piece of jewelry. I wanted them to see Christ in me!

Immediately, I asked God to show me ways in which I needed to change so that other’s might know that I was His child. I didn’t want to be a fake. I wanted my life to be representative of a daily walk with my Savior.

Like the King’s messengers in Bible times, that took his communications bearing his signet ring embossed in the seal of wax, I want my life to show my commitment to Christ and be an outward sign of what He has done in my heart. As His representative here on earth, I want to glorify Him through my life and actions.

Do I mess up? Of course I do! But, because He forgives his children, I am able to start over again. He knows my heart, and He sends the Holy Spirit to help me move forward so that, hopefully, I will never have to hear another person say that they weren’t aware that I am a Christian.

Brenda

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