spiritualsnippets.com

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

Sep 3

A Glimpse of Heaven

by Brenda Poulos

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1 Corinthians 2:9-  “…What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived—the things God has prepared for those who love him.”

 

 

Mom’s eyes were filled with tears when she recounted last’s night’s dream.

“I didn’t want to come back,” she sobbed.

“What do you mean? Come back from where?” I held her hand and brushed the soft gray hair away from her face.

“From Heaven. It was so beautiful. I just wanted to stay there forever.”

I slid my chair closer. “What was it like?”

“Oh. I-I-I don’t know how to explain it.” She paused, a faraway look in her eyes. “It was all laid out before me. It went on forever. And, all the colors. I’ve never seen colors like that before. The jewels—they sparkled like… Oh, it was so wonderful. I want to go back.”

I thanked God for the little glimpse of Heaven given to my dear mother who is now experiencing the last stages of Alzheimer’s—and for the reassurance given to me as she spoke those words just a few days ago.

Not that we necessarily want this life to end, but most Christians would say that they, too, look forward to Heaven.

Streets of gold, colors beyond description…

Although we may imagine what it will be like, our human brains cannot even conceive of its magnificence.

Jesus will be there and I cannot even begin to understand what it will be like to be in His presence, to sit at His table, and talk with Him face to face.

For now, though, I’ll just have to be content to dream along with Mom.

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Aug 13

The Healing

by Brenda Poulos

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Luke 4:5-7   “The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.”

 

I read a horrific story about a young man who was desperate to save his dying child. He had spent all of his money, borrowed from his mortgage, and sold all of his belongings in order to pay for the boy’s medical treatments.

Now, at the end of his resources and without another hope, he had an idea. He would bargain with Satan. He would offer to give his own soul to the devil if only his son’s life would be spared.

One day, he told his plan to an older man in the hospital waiting room. That man was able to share the scripture from Luke with the distraught father. He told him that in Jesus there is life. That all things were given to Him by God. That all authority is His, to the glory of the Father.

He convinced the young man that although Satan often tempted people with money, position, or power, the very idea that Satan had any authority to give these things was all lies. The older man persuaded the young father to put the life of his boy in the hands of the great healer—the author of life.

Just as Jesus wasn’t fooled by Satan’s offer of power and authority as they stood atop a mountain in Jerusalem, neither was the young father in this story.

Sadly, the little boy in this story did die. However, the young father’s faith was not shaken because he understood that his child was now with Jesus and that he would see him again one day.

He realized that it was he, himself, that had experienced healing—the healing of his own soul.

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Jul 10

ALL POWERFUL

by Brenda Poulos

 

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Ephesians 1:19-21 “…and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.”

 

 

I watched as the President of the United States was sworn into office.

A split second beforehand, he was an American citizen, like the rest of us, except perhaps for his great wealth.

But, after the oath of office was taken, reporters referred to him as the “most powerful man in all the world.”

What a difference a moment in time made in his status among the nations.

But, his power is nothing compared to the power of God in raising Jesus from the dead or the power conferred on Jesus who now sits at His right hand:

The power to heal, to create and destroy, to forgive sin.

He can do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

We cannot cleanse ourselves from sin or its influence in our lives.

We cannot work hard or long enough.

We cannot achieve enough or perform enough “works.”

On our own, we cannot defeat sin and Satan.

All power is HIS and HIS ALONE.

We have only to put our faith in His great strength—put ourselves in His capable hands and allow Him to do the work only He can do

by His GREAT POWER.

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Apr 16

Be That One out of Ten

by Brenda Poulos

 

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Luke 17:17- Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?”

 

On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus healed ten men who had leprosy. Only one of them came back and thanked Him.

We often forget to thank God, too, even though we have so much to praise Him for—the healing of a physical ailment, provision of a necessity, an unexpected blessing.

The Easter season is often one in which we overlook the purpose, and get caught up in the secular aspects of the day—coloring eggs, putting together the family dinner, buying a new dress…

Let’s not take for granted His Mercy and Grace, His forgiveness of sins and His gift of salvation.

Praise to our Most High God. The author and finisher of our faith.

Thank you, Jesus, for your work on the Cross.

Thank you for the Resurrection and the empty tomb.

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Feb 6

Trumpet Lessons

by Brenda Poulos

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I Thessalonians 4:16- “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.”

We live in a condominium with other families on both sides of us and one living overhead.

On Sunday evenings, the boy upstairs practices playing his trumpet.

When he first started trumpet lessons, I admit his practice sessions were a bit annoying. However, he has either improved a lot or or we’ve just gotten used to the sounds. In either case, practice doesn’t last more than 10-15 minutes.

We used to cringe when we heard the first blast, but now I actually look forward to hearing him play around 7 p.m.

More than that, of course, I anticipate hearing the trumpet of God because it will signal the return of Jesus to earth and call together both living Christians and those who have died prior to that time.

It will be an unbelievably glorious celebration. The event of all time.

The trumpet call of God.

Now that’s something to look forward to.

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Jan 29

What Do You Think He Wrote?

by Brenda Poulos

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My husband and I recently went to a Christian movie. In it, a local church puts on a play. One of the Bible stories it portrays is the story of a woman who is brought to Jesus with the allegation that she has committed adultery.

Punishable by stoning, Jesus directs that anyone who was sinless should cast the first stone.

When the story started, however, we read that Jesus was writing with his finger on the ground (in dirt, or sand, I am not sure).

Since scripture doesn’t reveal just what it was that Jesus was writing, it has been the subject of many debates over the years.

In the movie, the character of Jesus writes the word “GRACE.”

In reality, he may have been writing something quite different. He might have been simply doodling. We just don’t know.

However, because in the verses that follow Jesus offers the woman forgiveness, the word “grace” aptly fits this situation.

It is the same unmerited favor…the same undeserved pardon he offers us.

Grace.

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Dec 27

365 Days A Year

by Brenda Poulos

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Psalm 22:27-“All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations Shall worship before You.”

 

J.J. holds his mother’s hand as she leads him out of the candle lit sanctuary. “I liked the baby Jesus, and the angels. The sheep were funny,” he said excitedly. “Can we come again next week?”

“This is Christmas, honey. It’s special for this holiday. We can come, again, next year, if you’d like.”

Across town, Sarah and her family take the ornaments off the tree, pack them away and place them back into the attic. “The tree was so pretty. When can we decorate again?”

“Next Christmas.”

Yes, Christmas is over. Everything goes back in its box…put away until

Next year.

And, along with the songs, the lights, and the ornaments, much too often, is the Lord Jesus.

Placed back in the manger.

Back on the shelf in the attic.

Until next year.

Unfortunately, there are many are willing to worship the babe in the manger at Christmas, but don’t recognize that it was He who grew up to the be Savior of the world…their Savior.

Are you someone who finds it’s acceptable to worship the occupant of the manger, but that’s where it ends with you? Is it somehow frightening to worship the Savior of The Cross?

To do this would mean that you somehow bear some responsibility to give Him his rightful place in your life all year long, wouldn’t it?  It would require a commitment…a change of course.

No longer would Christmas be just a ritual or an event.

It would become a life of worship and service in which your heart would be turned toward Him every day.

A heart living out the promise of Christmas 365 days a year.

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Dec 25

No Tree This Year

by Brenda Poulos

Galatians 4:4- “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.”

 

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For several reasons, we decided not to put up a Christmas Tree this year.

Instead, the focal point in our living room is a lovely pottery Nativity which was painted by my sister-in-law more than three decades ago. We have displayed it for many, many Christmases.

The cow no longer has one of his horns. The saddle on one of the camels, one ear of the donkey, and the face of the shepherd boy have been chipped over the years.

The nativity may not look quite as beautiful as it once did, but I am enjoying it more than ever before.

I guess it was only natural to spend so much time and effort on our trees in the past. After all, it takes hours to place the lights and ornaments on it just so. Then there’s arrangement of the tree skirt and the placement of the packages underneath…

But, as I said, this year our focus is on the Nativity: Mary, Joseph, the babe in the manger, the Wise Men and the Shepherds, the livestock, and the Angel which appears to be hovering overhead.

God planned the redemption of humankind and, at just the right time, he sent his son, Jesus, into the world. God in the flesh, born in a stable and lying in a manger.

The story gets more beautiful with time. Nothing chipped, cracked, or missing.

The birth of our Lord in the fulness of time.

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Nov 7

Need Help Doing What is Right?

by Brenda Poulos

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Romans 7:15-  “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate I do.”

 

Have you ever felt like Paul in this verse from Romans?

Does it seem the more you try not to do something you know is wrong, the more you find yourself doing it?

It could be lying.

Perhaps speaking your spouse with sharp words.

Maybe it’s being critical of someone else’s actions.

Or watching something inappropriate.

You try not to do it. You really make an effort. You pray to God for help.

We all have similar stories, don’t we?

So, what gives?

The Apostle Paul wrote the words in Romans 7:15. Even though he was a mature christian, but he admitted to doing the very things he didn’t want to do!

Perhaps one of the marks of a mature Christian is the awareness of this struggle with evil in our lives.

So, like Paul, we find ourselves saying, “What is wrong with me? How come? The very good that I want to do, I do not do. That which I don’t want to do, is precisely what I do?”

If we read on to the end of Chapter 7, a verse pops out at us: “Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ our Lord.” And, if we proceed into Chapter 8, Paul talks about the power of the Holy Spirit to give us strength to conquer our sins…our destructive behaviors that hurt us, those we love, and strain our relationships.

One of the reasons He gave us the Holy Spirit was to help us do what is right.

If we are forgiven through the death of Christ on the cross, why do we still live with the truth from chapter seven?

The truth is, we are both saint and sinner. And, as long as we live here on earth, we will experience this struggle.

So, take hold of the power of the Holy Spirit to help you conquer your weaknesses as they show up in your daily life.

Then, thank God for victory over the very things that keep you from a deep and satisfying relationship with Him and those you love.

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Oct 16

What Do Wine, Fish, and Clay Have in Common?

by Brenda Poulos

Jeremiah 18:4– “But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.”

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Great cooks put unusual ingredients together on national television and end up with mouth-watering meals and desserts.

I thought I’d try it.

I opened the refrigerator and took out a little of this and a little of that.

Everything went into the skillet. Fifteen minutes later I dished it onto plates and set them on the table.

“Not half bad,” my husband remarked as he reached for a second glass of water.

I smiled.

It was nothing like the account of Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding, or when He took five loaves and two fishes and fed 5,000 people, but still…

What about Jesus completely changing a person?

You may know someone who had a hardened heart, unwholesome habits, spoke unkindly to others, made life miserable for his family. Then, after responding to the gospel, he changed completely.

His outward smile now gave evidence of his changed heart.

His speech, his habits, his attitude—all of it changed when he met the Lord.

Jesus says He’s the potter and we are the clay.

If we let Him, He is willing to make something beautiful out of us—

a vessel He can use for His good purpose.

 

 

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