spiritualsnippets.com

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

Nov 16

Is This Really Possible?

by Brenda Poulos
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I Thessalonians 5:17- “…be unceasing and persistent in prayer.”

As I was reading this week, I thought about the verse referenced above. I focused on the words persistent and unceasing.

As a child, I couldn’t fathom how keeping such a command could be possible. 

Having grown in years—and in knowledge of scripture—I see that the command has more to do with our daily walk with God. That our relationship would be such that we maintain an ongoing conversation with Him…relying on Him all day long.

“From the rising to the setting of the sun” we are to share a sweet bond with our Savior, considering Him in all we do, relying on Him through prayer and the Holy Spirit.

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May 4

The Blind Man

by Brenda Poulos
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John 9: 6.7- “After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.”

A couple of years ago, I was diagnosed with Macular Degeneration. My father also had it, so I knew first hand that this could lead to blindness. 

On the way home from my doctor’s office, I thought ahead to what this might mean for my future. Not being able to see colors, sunrises/sunsets, my children’s faces, read/write books, and so on.

Later, during Bible reading, I came across the passage about the blind man that Jesus heals. As I pray daily for healing for my own disease, I imagine Jesus applying cooling mud to my eyes and restoring my sight to what it once was.

Will my eyes be healed or does God have a different plan for me? That I don’t know.

What I do know is that the blind man’s faith healed him. So, each day I pray for increased faith, too.

If you have a physical or mental ailment and are in need of healing, read the many stories of miracles in the scriptures. I pray that your faith will be increased and you, too, experience Jesus’s healing touch.

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Feb 4

“Come, Follow Me”

by Brenda Poulos

Matthew 19-20: “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.”

I thought of my grandson when I read this verse. He graduated mid-year from high school and was struggling to know what to pursue in his life. (As you know, some kids follow their dreams from grade school on up. Others don’t have a clear idea of what they’d like to do until they are in college!)

When talking to his coach, he was encouraged to pray about a direction for his life. In addition, he gave my grandson some pamphlets about Christian colleges, and so on.

One of them caught his eye. It was WYAM and The University of Nations. Within less than a month, he’d signed up and flown to a training base in Kona. Now, he is preparing his heart, mind, and soul for service to others.

Our grandson is becoming a modern day “fisher of men.” 

His communications with us tell of learning from scripture and drawing close to the Lord. His joy is overflowing and we couldn’t be happier that he is following God’s leading for his life.

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Jan 28

The Meanings of 666 and 777

by Brenda Poulos

Revelation 13:16-18. “It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.”

Recently, someone asked me the significance of the numbers 666 and 777.

If you’ve ever wondered about these, keep reading.

The number 666, commonly known as the Mark of the Beast, serves as a warning about the consequences of rejecting God and following a path of sin and rebellion.

It is a reference to the end times (and many Bible scholars believe we are now living in that period of time) and the coming of the Antichrist who will lead a rebellion against God before the final judgment. He will require all people to take his mark. Those who don’t will not be able to buy or sell goods, among other things. 

Remember, 666 is man-centered… God-denying. It means  “never God, never God, never God,” whereas 777 is the divine number of God.

Triple sevens in scripture show something that has been divinely ordained is being perfectly fulfilled.

The number 7 has been significant throughout the Bible: God rested on the 7th day; the apostle John describes seven churches and seven spirits before God’s throne in Revelation 1:4; 777 is the number of the perfect Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; the number emphasizes the importance of God’s work being completed perfectly in our world.

The message? Refuse the mark and stand up for God. Heaven is your reward.

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Dec 17

Do You Know Where You’re Going?

by Brenda Poulos

John 8:12- “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

As my husband and I shopped at the mall, I lingered at an eye-catching display in one store window while he kept walking.

Once I realized he wasn’t with me, I rushed to find him in the crowd. As we reconnected—at our car in the parking lot—I told him that I’d been looking for him for the last thirty minutes.

And his reply? “If you’d kept up with me, you would have known where I was going.”

So it is when we are seeking Jesus. Have you wandered away?

Being a Christ Follower means staying close to Him. Daily prayer and scripture reading are essential as we seek to follow His will.

We can’t hear His voice, if we don’t stay close. Fortunately, He is our light and helps us find our way back to Him. 

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Nov 20

Anxiety or Peace?

by Brenda Poulos

Philippians 4:5-7- “Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

A girls’ lunch get-together is usually filled with laughter and lots of chatter. However, a few months ago, it was anything but.

Claire, the hostess for that month, told the group of four that she was again facing cancer, having been in remission for almost three years.

Sally confided that her husband was having an affair with someone at work.

Beth’s daughter had experienced a miscarriage and Ellen had to put down Charlie, her faithful Cocker Spaniel.

So many sad stories. So many reasons to be downhearted and fearful of the future.

But instead, Sally pulled out a recent Bible Study and read the scripture from Philippians to the women at the table. Then, she led her friends in prayer. That was followed by an opportunity for each woman to share a reason to praise God.

By the time Claire served lunch, there was a smile on each face and hope in each heart.

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Dec 5

It’s Not the End of the Story

by Brenda Poulos

John 11:25, 26a:  “… I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die….”

Are you in the throes of watching a loved one experience the final days/hours of life on earth, as I am?

What comforts you?

Memories? Sure.

The presence of friends and family? Of course.

But I have found my biggest comfort in the words of scripture.

Yesterday, I read the words of Jesus in John 11. I cling to the promise that Christians need not mourn as the world mourns because we know through faith that this life is not the end. 

To be absent in body will mean eternal life in the presence of our Lord.

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Sep 19

Don’t Be Afraid

by Brenda Poulos

Matthew 10:26- “So do not be afraid (of them), for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made known.”

Did you notice there was no blog post from me last week?

That’s because my computer died. It was sudden. I’m sure it felt no pain.

But I sure did.

In Matthew, Jesus is giving directions to his disciples as they are being sent out “into the world.” But, as I prayed for my computer’s memory to be restored, the last part of the verse kept coming to mind. So I prayed that all of my data would be disclosed and made known.

After a week of repeated disappointments from those I went to for repair help and data recovery—along with much prayer, God directed me to just the right young man to tackle the problem.

As of last night, my computer is up and running.

Knowing that all perfect gifts/blessings come from the Father above, my praise is to Him for restoring my computer to good health and for providing skill and wisdom to the troubleshooter who helped me here on earth.

If I ever doubted that God cared about the little trials in our lives, I will never do so again! 

God’s love is eternal and all-encompassing.

No matter the circumstance, we need not be afraid.

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Jun 6

A Nourishing Spiritual Diet

by Brenda Poulos

Colossians 3:1 6a- “Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly…

How many times are we told to eat foods that are good for our bodies? Lean meats, vegetables, fruits, whole grains… 

When given the choice, do we often grab a handful of chips or a couple of chocolate chip cookies instead?

Sometimes it takes a lab report or a visit to the doctor to set us straight and help motivate us into making healthier choices. And when we do, we feel better and have more energy.

While there is nothing inherently wrong with reading a good mystery novel now and then, we need to be on a regular diet of good spiritual food.

We are able to grow in our walk with the Lord through daily reading of the scriptures and application of the principles from God’s Word.

Look at that word, “richly” in the verse from Colossians. Spiritual food isn’t diet food, where we don’t feel satisfied. Spiritual food has substance. It nourishes our souls.

As with healthy eating, spiritual food gives us the energy to face whatever the day may bring. We won’t feel depleted by day’s end, but rather we will find ourselves energized and encouraged as our day unfolds.

Keeping a New Testament or small Bible with you at work or in your car or purse will also make it possible for you to get a spiritually-healthy “snack” in the middle of the afternoon. 

A spiritual diet of truths from God’s Word will guide you, and grow you in your faith.

Let God’s Word dwell in you richly.

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May 19

Finding Strength in Promises

by Brenda Poulos

 

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Romans 4:20– “He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God.”

 

 

I live in the desert southwest. One of my favorite plants is the Ocotillo cactus. But, they can be very finicky. If the soil or sunlight is not to their liking, they simply won’t grow.

We have planted several in the past and while our neighbors boast leafy ones with bright red flowers, we have never had one to leaf out. Ours look like dry… gray… dead.

We decided to try again. We planted one  prominently out front.

We followed the directions from the nursery salesman and waited.

I even prayed over the five-foot “sticks” and we continued our vigil.

As I passed by our living room window last week, I stopped dead in my tracks. Could it be a tiny red bud at the top of one of the arms? I rushed outside to get a better look.

Yes. There it was!

And, then this morning… behold, a second.

Now, Ocotillos leaf out, first, and then flower. But, not ours. We now have two flowers atop our non-leafy plant, which I call our “flowers of promise—our assurance of a healthy plant that will someday leaf out!

The Bible is full of God’s promises for those who love Him. In fact, my research shows that there are 7,487 promises that God has made to humans. Among them are: wisdom to Solomon; a son for Sarah and Abraham, eternal life for those who believe; the indwelling of the Holy Spirit for believers; and thousands more have been given and thousands already fulfilled!

The verse above refers to Abraham. I like it because it says he didn’t waiver through unbelief. He was strengthened when he received God’s promise.

The Bible is full of promises for us who love HIM. So, when we are discouraged or feel like giving up, we can turn to the scriptures and be refreshed by claiming His promises for ourselves and our situations.

Don’t waiver. Be strengthened!

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