spiritualsnippets.com

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

Sep 29

It’s A Gift

by Brenda Poulos

John 14:27- “I leave you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. Don’t be troubled or afraid.”

I am going to be honest with you. I have felt the stress of the upcoming elections. And the nightly news is filled with accounts of unrest in our world.

While cause for concern, when I feel overwhelmed, I pray for wisdom for our voting citizens, peace and safety for our candidates and world leaders.

Scripture tells us that God not only wants these same things for us, He is the only one who can supply them. 

So, don’t be worried or upset. Take hold of the gift God has given to us, and enjoy a renewed peace of mind and heart.

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Aug 27

Popular Choices

by Brenda Poulos

Two songs, Amazing Grace and I’ll Fly Away are said to be the most chosen music for memorial services (and many other public events) for decades.

Besides the wonderful music, what is it about these two songs that make them so popular among Christians and non-christians, alike?

I believe both songs show the composers’ great faith in God and their belief in heaven as the final abode for believers. In fact, 80-90% of their lyrics speak directly to that point. 

It may be the remaining percentage, 10-20%, coupled with the uplifting music, that makes them popular to thousands.

Consider this portion of the lyrics from Amazing Grace, written by Englishman, John Newton:

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

And this, from I’ll Fly Away by Hezekiah Walker:

One glad morning
When this life is over
I’ll fly away

I surmise from these, that the heart yearns for peace and joy at life’s end—the hearts of all human beings, even those who have not professed faith in Jesus Christ.

Today, let our prayer be for salvation for everyone who will believe. May they indeed experience an eternal life of joy and peace.

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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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Jan 8

A Beautiful Year Ahead

by Brenda Poulos

2 Corinthians 13:11b- “…Encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.”

Since my mother’s passing, I have spent quite a bit of time going through hundreds of newspaper clippings she saved over the years. If she kept them, they must have impacted her in one way or another—and reading them gives me more insight into the unique woman that she was.

One of the ones I was reading today was a poem about what would be a beautiful year ahead. As I read through it, here are a few phrases that stood out:

The breeze in my hair.

Nights filled with stars.

Running barefoot in the grass.

Clouds of yellow butterflies.

A talk with a friend.

The touch of a hand.

A robin’s sweet song.

A year of peace and love.

I can’t help but think that a year—and a world—of peace and love, is just what Jesus would like for each of us to have, too. So, I join with my sweet mother, in prayer for a world which, in 2023, will experience unprecedented love and peace.

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Jun 12

A Sympathy Card

by Brenda Poulos

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.”

Mia stood before the rack of greeting cards, shaking her head. She read card after card, unable to find a Sympathy card which accurately conveyed just what she wanted to say to her friend, Danielle, whose father had passed away over the weekend.

The cards reminded her of those she’d received when her own father died two years earlier—and of the comments friends and family had made at the funeral.

“He’s in a better place.”

“He was such a great guy.”

“He’d lived a nice, long life.”

“He’s no longer in pain.”

She knew they were meant to console and bring comfort, but instead they only emphasized the fact that her father didn’t know the Lord.

She walked over to the Christian/religious section. These were the kind of cards believers sent to each other. They brought real peace from the scriptures, each one telling of the hope of eternal life in Christ and the assurance that their loved one was in Heaven.

Mia took a moment right then and there to pray for her mother and oldest brother. She wanted them to know Jesus as their Savior and the Peace of God that passes all human understanding.

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May 22

He’s Got This

by Brenda Poulos

Job 22:21- “Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you.”

I don’t look forward to the two roundabouts I must maneuver every day on my way home. Even for those of us driving on them frequently, they can be tricky.

Each roadway leading into and out of the roundabout, posts a large YIELD sign. And, guess what? Frequent accidents are the norm.

The human animal doesn’t like to YIELD to others.

So consumed with “self,” we want to “go first.”

We Christians understand we are to YIELD to God, but are often stubborn and take things into our own hands. 

We forget that He already knows the outcome of every situation! There is no one more worthy of our trust.

When we YIELD to God, we will be at peace with Him and we will prosper.

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Nov 22

Additions to “Thankful” List

by Brenda Poulos

Romans 12:10- “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. As a child, do you remember your classroom teacher or Sunday school teacher asking you what you were thankful for?

I always answered, “Mom and Dad.”

My parents are 94 and 95 years old. If you asked me the same question today, I would answer the same—but with an addition.

Mom and Dad just tested positive for Covid-19. They live in an assisted living facility where all of a sudden others are testing positive, too. Some have symptoms. Some do not. But, none of them will be able to be with their families/friends on Thanksgiving Day again this year.

I continue to thank God for them and for those who faithfully care for them when I cannot. To put the health and safety of others before oneself is acting from a Biblical perspective.

This ties in with “It is more blessed to give than to receive” of Acts 20:25. It may go against our human instinct to put others first, but it truly means walking according to Jesus’s command to be his hands and feet here on earth.

Of course, it is the Lord Jesus who should get our ultimate praise for the salvation He brought to each of us. As Christians, we are also thankful for his peace, his healing, and his provision.

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Mar 3

A Benediction for You

by Brenda Poulos

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Numbers 6:24-26  “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His face upon you, and give you peace.”

 

The pastor in the church I attended as a child always ended the Sunday service by proclaiming a benediction.

It was my favorite part of the worship hour. I would close my eyes and let the scripture wash over my soul. I felt so close to God!

There are many benedictions in the Bible. I’ve included two, here, that are especially meaningful to me.

If you have had a hard week…if you are facing difficulties…if you need encouragement, meditate on these words and let the peace of God flood into every corner of your life, bringing you the full knowledge of His love and grace.

Ephesians 3:20,21– “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

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Dec 25

The Single, Most Important Gift

by Brenda Poulos

 

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“…Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you… Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”                                                                                                Luke 6:27-31; 36-37

 

I love giving gifts—especially surprising someone with something they have been wanting or something they’d never buy for themselves (but would really like, of course).

One year, it was buying my parents new towels and matching shower curtain. They loved the gift—something they would not have thought of purchasing for themselves.

By the way, there is a gift that would be appreciated by almost anyone. A gift you can give any time of the year.

Whether it is a family member, a friend, or just a “crazy driver” on the road, the gift of forgiveness—even though difficult—is always appropriate.

God forgives us of our sins in order to restore a right relationship with Him. Forgiveness will do the same for us and those we love and care about. It clears the air. It says, “I care about you. I want to reconnect with you. I want you to be a part of my life.”

Forgiveness is as much about the one doing the forgiving as it is about the one receiving the forgiveness.

For the one being forgiven, it is like getting a gift you don’t deserve—a gift called grace.

But, for the one giving the gift of forgiveness it means the opportunity to restore the relationship.

Is there someone in your life who needs to be forgiven?

It could be the single most-important gift you give this season—bringing joy, peace, and restoration—a gift of grace.

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Aug 6

Jesus, Others, and You

by Brenda Poulos

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Romans 12:10- “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

 

A young man, appearing to be in his early twenties, sat on a wooden crate on a street corner in Bellingham. He strummed his guitar and crooned a song about love. The point of the song was that one could not completely love another, unless he first learned to love himself.

A handful of young people clapped to the beat, nodding to each other in agreement.

I’d heard the song before. In fact, there have been quite a number written which echo that same theme. I shook my head as I continued to walk down the street.

When I was a child, I learned the song, “J.O.Y.” in Sunday School. It’s a simple song with an enduring message: true joy can only be found when we live by the biblical principal of putting Jesus, first. That is followed by loving others; and finally by putting ourselves last.

In the world we live in today, this world of I Phones and I Pads—this life filled with television commercials enticing us to buy whatever looks good to our eyes—it’s hard for us to comprehend that true joy and peace are only achieved by acting in a way which is contrary to our love of self.

But, that’s just what Jesus asks us to do. Because, like the song says, putting Him first in our lives, followed by love for others is the way to a “peace that passes understanding.”

Jesus, Others,—and You.

 

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