spiritualsnippets.com

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

Jul 24

Life Is Too Short

by Brenda Poulos

James 4:14- “yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

Life’s Too Short. Eat Dessert First.

Remember hearing that and laughing?

Life’s too Short. Live every day as if it was going to be your last. (Harry Morant)

Or, today is the first day of the rest of your life. (Unknown)

These quotes give pause, don’t they?  

Most of the time, we go throughout life without giving a thought that today might be our last.

Until…

We’re asked what’s on our bucket list.

Until…

We’re given a dreaded diagnosis.

And what is our reaction?

I would guess that Christians react somewhat differently than the rest of the world. Because we know the rest of our story.

We are all eternal beings. 

The difference between those who know Jesus as their Savior— and those who don’t—will determine where they will spend rest of eternity.

I don’t just write this blog for Christians, I write for those who haven’t yet accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

If that applies to YOU, please ask a Christian friend to explain the way to salvation to you; contact the pastor of a Christian church; attend a church service; talk with your parents (if they are Christians, they have been praying for you). 

Learn what it means to be assured of a life—after this one—where you can spend eternity in Heaven.

I invite you to read my bestseller, The Choice by Brenda C. Poulos. (Available in audio, paperback, hardcover, and e-book on Amazon/Books.)

Because the alternative is too alarming.

And this life is too short.

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Feb 13

The Biggest Super Bowl of All Time

by Brenda Poulos

Revelation 19:6b-7a~ “Hallelujah! For our Lord God reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!”

Since the beginning of football season back in September, fans have been gearing up to watch the Super Bowl.                       

It’s finally here and millions of folks will be cheering for their favorite team. But at game’s end, only one will be declared the victor.

Just as it will be one day in the future.

Now, I’m not a football enthusiast. I’m also just a layman when it comes to scripture. So if the comparison I draw here is not exactly accurate, please forgive me.

I am thinking ahead to events in the book of Revelation. More precisely, to the battle between the forces of good and evil, Christ and Satan. 

We don’t know exactly when this will take place. But we do know who wins.

The Bible tells us that Satan will be destroyed, along with his dark angels, ridding the earth once and for all of sin and evil. 

It will be the Super Bowl of all Super Bowls.

The winner: Jesus Christ!

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Jul 26

The Torn Veil

by Brenda Poulos

 

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

 

With movie theaters closed, many of us are watching movies at home on our televisions. Some are new releases. Some are old classics.

One such well-known movie is The Godfather.

The screenwriter used a number of ways to build the character’s (Vito Corleone, the crime boss and head of the “family”) importance.

One of them was to show that Vito was inaccessible but to only a few select people. Those who wanted to talk with him,  had to go through an enforcer, first—each and every time.

I thought about this as I read my morning devotional and spent time in prayer with God.

Amazing as it is, The God of the universe is totally accessible to Christians.

There is no title we must have. No secret knock. No certain time of day that He is to be approached.

When Jesus died on the cross, the veil of the Temple was torn. Access to the Holy of Holies was given to believers.

We don’t need to go through an intercessor, or enforcer. We can talk with Him anytime we’d like. 

Because once we come to the Father through Jesus Christ, His forgiveness of our sins makes a relationship with Him possible.

 

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Apr 26

No Substitute

by Brenda Poulos

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Acts 4:12- “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

 

A friend of mine is a substitute teacher.

I have used riced cauliflower as a substitute for potatoes. 

I often use a sugar substitute in my cooking.

“Off brands” of cologne don’t often have fragrances that “last,” but they cost far less.

Substitutes.

Not the “real thing,” but since they often serve the same function as the “original,” many of us find them acceptable.

However, the verse above tells us that there is no substitute for Jesus Christ. The Bible says that it is only through Him that we find salvation.

We cannot earn our way to heaven through “good works” or by following any other human being or god.

It’s not a matter of religious affiliation. 

It is relying on Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

There simply is no substitute! 

 

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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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Apr 22

The Cross Was No Accident

by Brenda Poulos

Night view of Antigua, Guatemala from "Cerro de la Cruz"

John 3:16- “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

 

The Cross.

For Christians, the symbol of hope.

The death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation through the forgiveness of sins for all who believe.

The cross was no accident. 

His great love motivated the Creator to sacrifice His Son.

We have painted them, gold-plated them, encrusted them with jewels, decorated our walls with them, worn them around our necks…

What is it that draws our hearts to the cross?

The Bible says that we love Him because He first loved us.

I think we are drawn to the cross because it is there that He showed us the extent of His pure, unconditional, unending, indescribable love.

No, the cross of Christ wasn’t lovely. It was “rugged” as the old hymn describes it. Built with rough, splintered wood that was held together by crude nails.

Christ was nailed to it and died the death of a common criminal. How unbelievable He would do this for you and for me.

Yet, Jesus welcomed the cross. He had planned this moment from the beginning. It had all come down to this.

But the cross was no more the end for Jesus than it is for us. 

Coming to the cross with Thanksgiving for the love that put Him there, rejoicing at the open tomb announcing His resurrection, leaving our sin there and following Christ.

That’s just the beginning. 

Let’s celebrate it today. 

He is worthy of all praise. Crown Him with many crowns. Lord of Lords. King of Kings.

The precious  Lamb of God. 

 

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May 21

Happily Ever After

by Brenda Poulos

 

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Romans 6:23- “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 

Although I always enjoy the process of beginning to write a new book, there is nothing more satisfying than the moment I type, “THE END.”

After months of writing, weeks of editing, cover selection, formatting—everything that is involved in producing a book—when it all finally comes together, it is a joy—and a relief!

Actually, we don’t type the words “THE END” anymore, but I remember the “olden” days when books and movies did bear those very words.

I also remember a variation in which the words “HAPPILY EVER AFTER” were just as prevalent—especially in children’s books.

I even recall Porky Pig stuttering at the end of his cartoons, “THAT’S ALL, FOLKS!”

But, in the real world, there is no “END.”

Many people think that death is the final goodbye. However, the Bible teaches that humans beings have eternal souls. It even says that it is totally up to each of us where we would like to spend eternity.

Putting our faith in Jesus Christ as our savior assures us that we can spend eternity in heaven, rather than hell. According to God’s Holy Word, those are our only two options.

If you have made the choice for Jesus, then I rejoice with you!

If not, I urge you to get a Bible and open to the book of John. Begin reading there. 

You will no doubt have questions, so please seek out a Christian friend or pastor. They will be able to lead you to faith in Christ. 

Recognizing that we are all sinners, each of us need to put our faith in Jesus Christ for forgiveness. His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead gives us the assurance of an eternity in heaven with Him and other believers.

Your final breath here on earth—will be swallowed up in victory!

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Nov 12

The Master of “Fake” News

by Brenda Poulos

 

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“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

Every time I turn on the television, I am bombarded with what we have come to call “fake news”: The President did this or that, a famous person died, someone was secretly married, and so on. Often, we find out the story was totally fabricated.

Some of the lies are fairly easy to spot, but others are more difficult to discern.

Satan is the master of lies, the Bible tells us. And, the lies he wants us to believe are those that affect our eternal lives.

Here are just two examples of his lies that mean the difference between life and death:

The first lie is that there are many ways to get to Heaven.

Oh, it sounds good to some people who want to believe that no one religion or group has all the answers. It may sound plausible to them that as long as we are sincere and do our best, it will turn out well for us in the end.

But, the Bible says that Jesus is the only way to salvation.

Secondly, Satan wants you to think that as long as you believe in something, it’s okay. 

But, God’s word says in Acts 4:12- “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” And, in 1 Timothy 2:5. it says “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

The Bible is not fake news, a scam or a lie.

THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD AND ONE WAY TO GET TO HIM. It is THROUGH JESUS CHRIST ALONE. 

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