spiritualsnippets.com

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

Jan 26

No More Chains

by Brenda Poulos

Lamentations 3: 22,23– “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (NRSV)

When cleaning out a long-forgotten box filled with old books, I came across a copy of Ripley’s Believe it or Not from 1978. As I thumbed through it, I was captivated by a picture of “The Man of Chains” from Lahore, Pakistan.

In the photo, Mohammedan Sahib Allah Shah was dressed in over 670 pounds of chains which he reportedly wore for the last thirteen years of his life, as a penance for his sins. The article told of many similar acts of penance practiced by religious groups around the world.

The Bible tells us that, while we should hate sin and refrain from sinful acts, we can be assured of forgiveness because of the great love and mercy of our Lord. Jesus bore the punishment for our sins when He went to the Cross. Nothing beyond our acceptance of this precious gift from Him is necessary on our part in order to obtain salvation.

No more can the chains of sin bind you and keep you apart from the Father. No more can guilt burden your life. No more need for penance because God’s mercies are new every morning!

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Jan 19

A Simple Act of Faith

by Brenda Poulos

Revelation 21:27 – Nothing impure will ever enter it (Heaven)… but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

I watch on television as a news report shows guests arriving at the entrance to a resort hotel for the wedding of two Hollywood celebrities. Each name is checked against an official guest list before they are admitted to the gala affair.

I guess wedding crashing is a common occurrence, as I see a beautifully-dressed couple denied entry. They are escorted off the property by two security guards . Their tears and protests get no sympathy. Their names are simply not on “the list.”

The Bible tells of the Book of Life which contains the names of all of us on earth that have put our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. If our names are written there, we will gain entrance to Heaven; if not, we will be turned away.

It is a simple act of faith on our part. It was a huge act of love on His part.

Jesus is the only perfect substitute for payment of our sin. As God’s sacrificial Lamb, He shed His blood on the cross for each of us. The Bible says that if we believe in our hearts that Jesus died on the cross for us and confess that He is Lord, to the glory of God the Father, we will be saved.

Be sure that your name is in the Book of Life. If you are unsure, start reading in the book of John…and keep going. Ask God to give you understanding of His Word so that you, too, will someday be able to profess your faith in Christ.

It’s a simple act of faith.

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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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