spiritualsnippets.com

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

Dec 31

The Year of Preparation

by Brenda Poulos

1 Peter 3:15- “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect”

NBC put together a tribute to fifty-three celebrities and public figures who died in 2023. Complete with music by famous singers and songwriters, the video lasted about five minutes.

There were hundreds who lost their lives in combat, car wrecks, shootings, accidents, and disease this year, also.

In 2023, suicides were the highest they’ve ever been.

A new television commercial came out just last week, asking viewers if they were sure they’d go to Heaven when they died. It offered a phone number to call if they’d like to talk to someone.

As Christians, we need to ask ourselves how we would answer that question if someone asked us why we have the assurance of going to Heaven when we die. Can we confidently lead someone to the Lord? Can we explain why we place our belief in God’s Holy Word? Can we help someone pray the Sinner’s Prayer? 

As the “End Times” loom closer on the horizon, I feel the urgency of leading others to Christ. The Bible tells us to be ready when the Lord returns. I believe part of that is helping ready our friends and neighbors.

Will you join me and make 2024 the year of preparation?

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Nov 26

The Five P’s

by Brenda Poulos

John 6:63- “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

Thanksgiving is a time when I look to the past and thank God for the many blessings he has given me.

This year, as I thanked Him for His Word, I thought back to one way I was taught to appreciate its truths.

PRAY over the Word of God. Ask God to teach you… to open your eyes to the truth of the Word. 

PONDER the Word of God. Study. Expect insights. Learn.

PRESERVE the Word of God. Memorize verses. Hide them in your heart.

PRACTICE the Word of God. Put what you’ve learned into action. Show it in your life.

PROCLAIM the Word of God. Tell others. Uplift and Uphold.

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Jan 24

Exemplifying Faith During the Pandemic

by Brenda Poulos

Philippians 2:4- “Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”

Christians, here are some principles to keep you grounded in the midst of the Covid-19 Pandemic:

Do Not Live In Fear.

God promises to be with us. He will strengthen us and uphold us with “His righteous right hand.”

Be Compassionate.

Show the love of Jesus to those who are hurting.

Donate.

Be generous and give to families in need, your neighbors, and your church family. 

The apostle John said, “if anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?”

Be The Hands and Feet of Jesus.

The greatest testimony of Christ’s love is for Christians to love the world the way Christ does.

Take Comfort in the Company of Fellow Believers.

Even if we cannot be with fellow believers, we can pray for them, call them, email them, send them a card. 

Pray.

For the sick.

For provision.

For wisdom for those in authority and unity with other believers. 

Trust in the Lord.

We serve a God who is bigger and stronger than any sickness, darkness, or weapon of the enemy. Our God is our healer and provider.

Trust in the Lord and shine the light and love of Jesus Christ in a fearful and shaken world.

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Jan 10

The Enemy Within

by Brenda Poulos

Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous …”

My book, Simon Says, tells the story of a boy who is taunted by bullies—enemies on the outside.

A 1994 movie, The Enemy Within, is about a military officer who uncovers a sinister plot perpetrated by his own superior officer.

Enemies within and without.

Political unrest and the worldwide pandemic have left people skeptical, frustrated, and anxious.

But the Bible tells us not to worry. 

Worry is the enemy within. 

And, when taken to the extreme, worry becomes hate.

Christians, if ever there was a time for us to pray for our enemies, it has to be now. 

Only when we let the spirit of forgiveness rule in our hearts can we truly heal.

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Jul 12

If We Only Ask

by Brenda Poulos

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I Timothy 2:8- “Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.”

 

With a deep sigh, I turn off the television and head down the dark hall to the bedroom. I drop into my comfortable reading chair, place my elbows on my knees, and rest my head in my hands.

“Lord, so many people are hungry and out of work. So many are protesting…rioting…looting. Violence is all around. And, then there’s the virus. Thousands are ill… dying. What do you want to happen? What do you want Christians to do?”

PRAY

“Sure. Okay. But—”

PRAY

I pick up my Bible and turn to I Timothy.

There it is, confirmed by the scriptures. 

God doesn’t want us to be angry or get frustrated or depressed.

He simply wants us to do the obvious…

What he has taught us to do.

He will take care of us… the world…

He will show His might and power.

If we only but ask.

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Apr 19

Pray for Healing

by Brenda Poulos

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2 Chronicles 7:14- “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

One night after King Solomon had finished building the temple, The Lord appeared to him. The words He spoke are just as relevant today as they were then.

This verse is often quoted in times of disaster.

The pandemic we are experiencing is reason enough for all of us to daily reach out to God for help… for mercy.

Could we have any more reason to compel us to pray for our country and our world?  

There is no doubt that He loves us. He promises to hear our prayers.

More than that, He promises to bring healing to our world.

If we only will humble ourselves and

PRAY.

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Jul 1

Pray for Our Country

by Brenda Poulos

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Proverbs 29:2- “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked rule, the people mourn.”

 

As more and more newscasts are filled with biographical information about candidates and their stands on the issues concerning citizens of our great country, need we even ask if God cares about politics?

There is a lot of talk in the Bible about Kings. There are details regarding lineage, how they came to be Kings, their performance, and so on. Scripture tells us some did what pleased God. Some did “evil in the sight of the Lord.”

As we read, we learn how certain actions led to peace, while others started wars. We learn the difference in how Godly leadership and unholy leadership affected the lives of ordinary people.

Leaders who are humble and submissive to God can bring great blessings upon citizens. If we want our nation to truly have peace and prosperity, we must seek leadership that follows Christian principles.

I cannot imagine God devoting so much of the Old Testament to this subject if it wasn’t important to Him. I think God cares immensely about leaders around the world.

It’s not that long until Americans will again exercise their right to vote. In the days and nights leading up to casting our ballots, we need to pray as never before that God will guide us and that HIS choices for all of the offices will be elected. And, afterward? We need to continue to pray that their decisions and actions will be wise and honorable.

We cannot let up. 

Our prayers are important because our leadership matters… because God will act on behalf of His people if we earnestly seek His will in every circumstance.

Complacency or defeatist attitudes have no place in the lives of Christians. (Remember God’s warning to the church of Laodicea in Revelation that He would rather they would be hot or cold than to be lukewarm? That if they didn’t change, He would spew them out of his mouth?) 

May our pillows be hard and our beds uncomfortable from this day forward if we go to bed without praying for our country. 

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Apr 22

Perfect Peace

by Brenda Poulos

 

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Ezra 8:23- “So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.”

 

My friend was recently hospitalized. It became apparent at one point, that we might lose her. However, many days (and prayers) later, she rallied. 

She is now on the road to recovery.

But, what if God had not chosen to heal her? Would that have still been an answer to those hundreds, if not thousands, of prayers?

It would not have been the answer we wanted but, yes. It still would have meant that God answered according to His will. Which, as a matter of fact, is how we all prayed. 

We asked for healing, while at the same time, asking for God’s will to be done in her life.

It’s not easy when we pray for God’s will to be done because we are not always going to get the answer that we want. 

Believers in the verse in Ezra were praying for a safe journey for themselves and their children. You may be praying that a loved one would come to know the Lord or that a job offer might be received.

Whether with a “yes,” “no,” or “wait,” we can be assured that God will answer according to His good, pleasing, and perfect will.

And, because of that, we can experience His perfect peace. 

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Dec 13

Join The Army

by Brenda Poulos

Genesis 21:22– And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech and Phichol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, “God is with you in all that you do.”

 

Bells ringing. Red kettles.

It’s that time of year, isn’t it?

Salvation Army volunteers—outside stores and malls. Rain or shine. Warm or cold.

Whether ignored or embraced, there they are. Faithful to their cause.

I knew little more than the fact that they are a Christian-based organization.

This year, I was determined to find out more.

Here is just a fraction of what I discovered:

  • Founded by William Booth in 1852 in England.
  • Began as a ministry to win the lost multitudes to Christ.
  • Booth started by preaching in the streets of London to the poor, homeless, and hungry.
  • In 1865, he began tent meetings to preach the message of hope and salvation.
  • In 1879, Lt. Eliza Shirley held the first meeting of the Salvation Army in America.
  • Today, the Salvation Army is active in virtually every corner of the world.
  • Most centers hold weekly worship services.
  • Areas of ministry include: prison ministries, adult rehab, veterans services, elderly, combatting human trafficking, and missing persons via international social service.

I had no idea they did all of this, as well as offering residential housing and work opportunities to various individuals and groups.

They are literally an army of individuals whose main goal is GIVING SPIRITUAL DIRECTION TOWARD A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AS PROVIDED BY JESUS CHRIST.

I remember, as a child, singing a song in Sunday School about being in the “Lord’s Army”. (I may never ride in the infantry, shoot in the cavalry, shoot the artillery,  but I’m in the Lord’s Army.) These words were followed with a salute.

It wasn’t until years later, when guys I knew were drafted into the U.S. Army, that the concept of God’s Army started coming into focus for me.

Now, more than ever, a vast army of God’s people needs to rise up in prayer and step out in faith. We need to join with other Christians around the world in serving those less fortunate and in proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel to a hurting world.

Fear and unrest dominate newscasts. Violence abounds.

Time is short.

We may not ring a bell.

We may not stand outside the mall beside a donation kettle.

But, we can pray, donate, serve, share the message of hope.

Because, when we do, like Abraham,

God will be with us.

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Mar 16

Lost and Found

by Brenda Poulos

Jeremiah 29:13- You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Some years ago, a friend of mine told me a heartbreaking story. Her daughter and boyfriend had put an ad in the paper, hoping to sell a car. A person from a city about two hours away from them answered the ad, asking that they deliver the car to him, personally, the following weekend. The young couple drove to meet with the prospective buyer, never to be heard from again.

I could hear the anguish in my friend’s voice and I saw the pain on her face as she told of the many years of searching that followed, the sleepless nights, the tears shed. Where could they be? What could have happened?

Finally, a few weeks ago—after thirteen years—the police notified my friends that they believe they have found the person(s) responsible for this crime. As parents, their pain is still overwhelming but they are relieved to have some answers and a measure of closure.

What must it be like to search for a missing child or family member? What happens when hope wains? What is it like to expend energy day after day handing out flyers, searching the streets—the countryside—with no real guarantee of finding a loved one?

Fortunately, God’s Word promises that everyone who seeks Him will find Him. Prayer and reading the scriptures—the Bible—are the places to start. Begin with the book of John. Ask God to help you understand the meaning of His words. Ask a Christian friend to walk alongside you as you begin your search. Find a church that teaches the Word of God and begin attending regularly. Let God speak to you through the songs and the teaching. Talk to the Pastor.

Seek God. You won’t spend years and years of searching, ending in disappointment. You can know God today.

I’m praying for you!

Brenda

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