spiritualsnippets.com

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

Feb 9

A Cord of Three Strands

by Brenda Poulos
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Ecclesiastes 4:12- “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

In elementary school, I had two best friends. We did everything together. We defended and protected one another. We were a living example of a cord of three strands.

I have two sisters. We have always been close. When my parents passed away, we were able to support and comfort one another. Another example of a cord of three strands.

I am married to a good Christian man. We take care of, encourage, comfort, and uphold one another. Together, we are a cord of two strands. However, because we share a common faith, God forms the third cord in our relationship. 

When hard times come, when sorrow invades our lives, when physical ailments might otherwise tear us apart, the strong bond of three strands preserves us because…

A CORD OF THREE STRANDS IS NOT EASILY BROKEN.

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Oct 6

An Encouraging Word

by Brenda Poulos

Psalm 10:17,18- “You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed.”

With the devastation of the recent tropical storm, Helene, and the prediction of a “new” one, Milton, threatening Florida, my heart goes out to those affected.

Fires, pestilence, winds, flooding. So many causes for concern in our world.

What do people do if they don’t have the calming influence of God in their lives?

I can only imagine the overwhelming fear, disappointment, and sorrow associated with the loss of lives and property.

Where do non-believers turn for encouragement?

They just might turn to you.

Christians, be ready with a message of hope for a hurting world.

Psalm is packed full of verses which can be easily shared with those who need assurance that God cares and is in control. I’ve written a dozen or so on notecards that easily fit in my purse and can be given away at a moment’s notice. My heart was blessed as I copied them down, knowing they are ready to bless someone in need.

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Jul 14

He’s Got This

by Brenda Poulos

Isaiah 46:10- “Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.”

We are being bombarded with newscasts, talk shows, and all sorts of political ads this summer.

They get my heart rate up and make me cranky.

Those two factors can mean a recipe for WORRY.

I find peace and contentment by remembering the phrase, “HE’S GOT THIS.”

We need to keep our eyes focused on THE WORD. God has a purpose and a plan to all He ALLOWS to happen in our world. He knows where all this chaos is leading and like little children, we need to trust our Heavenly Father to take care of it.

We need to stay informed so that we can pray and vote. But, we need to TRUST that He will accomplish HIS PURPOSE.

I wrote the lines above prior to hearing about yesterday’s tragic events. Let’s encourage ourselves by remembering God knows the “intents and purposes” of every heart. He will judge the evil that takes place in our world.

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Aug 20

Keep the Faith

by Brenda Poulos

2 Timothy 3:13-15~ “But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

“What a week,” my friend said. “I knew things were getting bad, but I didn’t realize they’d get this bad.”

Sharon was referring to something she read this morning on the internet and later was reported on the midday news report.

Christians, especially, shouldn’t be surprised to hear such comments because we have been warned in the Bible that the “last days” will be filled with all kinds of things that we have never heard of before– language and behaviors opposite of the way we were taught.

The encouragement in 2 Timothy is a reminder for us to keep following the words recorded in scripture—to remember what we learned as children and stay true to the Biblical Truths.

While we may be appalled by things we see and hear, now more than ever we need to pray for those who might be influenced by social media and those around them.

Prayers of righteous men “availeth much.”

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May 21

Even in the Little Things

by Brenda Poulos

Romans 12:12- “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

Here we sit. Our kitchen remodel still not completed.

We have been waiting since January for cabinets, countertops, and appliances. We make our calls to vendors every week, hear many creative excuses, but still nothing gets done.

We either go out for dinner, eat frozen dinners (we do have a microwave), or eat with our son and his family (which we actually love doing).

I have heard, “Just be patient a little while longer” a thousand too many times.

Maybe God is trying to teach us something.

Over the years, one of the most common prayer requests I’ve received has been for patience. It really is a virtue, I think. And, it is a common problem for many people, including Christians.

I decided to see what the Bible has to say on the subject.

I quickly turned to Romans and found the verse above to offer us encouragement.

The Lord says to be joyful as we hope, patient when hard times come, and faithful to pray. 

We have found all three of these references to be key in helping us “endure” our situation.

Many times we have heard that God cares—even about the little things?

If we believe that, why do we hesitate to pray for them boldly? And without ceasing?

No matter how small a matter may seem to be, take it to the Lord’s throne in prayer.

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Apr 30

Don’t Regret; Reconcile

by Brenda Poulos

Psalm 73: 25, 26- “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Paula experienced a disagreement with her siblings. After the big “blow up” (her words), she hadn’t heard from them for weeks.

She felt alone, disappointed, misunderstood, and abandoned.

A friend reminded her about a sermon they’d heard on Psalm 73. These were the words which brought Paula comfort. If you’re feeling like she did, I pray that they will offer you encouragement and peace, too.

Remember, God says his strength is made perfect in our weakness.

I’d like to say Paula and her brothers have reconciled, but that is not yet the case. However, I can say that she is putting her trust in the Lord for that to happen in his timing.

Trust God to work in the hearts of those with which you long to reconcile. He will bring it to pass, because he is the God of reconciliation and restoration.

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Feb 19

Who Is Watching?

by Brenda Poulos

Luke 14:27- “And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

It seems that at every turn lately, I hear of a friend or family member who is facing health, financial, or relationship difficulties. The death of a spouse, disrespectful children, disappointments at work.

Each one of us has a cross to bear. And Christians and non-Christians alike are watching to see how we are going to handle our problems.

When we find our strength in the Lord, we are an encouragement to others.

And, we discover our joy in following Christ.

Biblical lessons Encouraging words

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Feb 28

Googling It, Spiritual Style

by Brenda Poulos

Shorter and more concise seems to be best for most of our reading these days, so I am going to run back thru my past blog posts in the next weeks ahead, shortening them up a bit. Here’s the first one. I hope you like this shortened version.

Psalm 119:105- “Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” 

I was visiting with my parents when a question about plant fertilizers came up. Dad, of course, touted the benefits of steer manure.

Mother brought up the effectiveness her own “compost.”

I suggested that we “GOOGLE IT”. After all, just about everything we need to know, is right there at our fingertips. Isn’t it?

But, what about questions of a spiritual nature? 

How should we respond to those who hurt us? What should we do with feelings of inadequacy, sadness, betrayal?

Proverbs 14:12 says, “there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” 

It is God’s Word that provides the answers for all of our concerns and problems.

So, whether you seek an answer to a Biblical truth or just need encouragement, try “Googling It Spiritual Style” and turn to our ultimate source, The Bible.

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Mar 29

Shine!

by Brenda Poulos

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Matthew 5: 14-16. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

 

God is light.

In HIM there is no darkness at all.

When we become a child of God, we bear witness to that light. We also become heirs to that light through Jesus Christ.

At this difficult time for all of us on this planet, it’s more important than ever to let our light shine before men.

That can mean serving in our communities, praying for people in all countries and giving our time and resources.

There are millions of people that need our prayers, our words of encouragement.

Because of technology, we are able to stay in our homes and still connect with others around the world.

Being proactive may bring a harvest of souls to Christ as we have never known before.

May our prayers be many and our lights shine brightly!

 

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Feb 23

Is Your Heart Troubled?

by Brenda Poulos

 

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                                          John 14:1a- “Let not your hearts be troubled…”

 

One of the talk shows I watch regularly ends with this encouragement from the scriptures: “Let not your hearts be troubled.” 

The need for solace and peace is abundantly clear as each day’s news is presented and analyzed.

Couple that with our own personal problems and no wonder more people suffer from anxiety.

A mound of bills to pay, family relationships falling apart, health issues.

So how do we find true peace in these uncertain times?

First, rely on the Holy Spirit to bring us peace…the deep peace within that knows God is in control; not the peace that we feel we can create ourselves because that peace doesn’t last.

Second, rely on the encouragement of the scriptures and other believers. Renew our thoughts and minds, speaking the words aloud in moments of apprehension.

Thirdly, pray right away when the need arises. And keep praying throughout the day. Pour out your fears to Jesus. Lay your burdens at his feet. And, once you feel your anxieties lift, resist the desire to take them back up again and worry about them. 

Claim victory over them in the name of Jesus Christ.

 

 

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