spiritualsnippets.com

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

Do You Know Where You’re Going?

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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Anxiety or Peace?

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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It’s Not the End of the Story

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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Don’t Be Afraid

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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A Nourishing Spiritual Diet

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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Finding Strength in Promises

 

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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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God Working Through You

Psalm 128:6a – May you live to see your children’s children—

I attended a Christian conference this week and was blessed by every speaker. I basked in a lush oasis of truth and love from God during that time. It is no secret that one way Christians hear from God is through other Christians.

One of the speakers talked about the time a friend sent him the words to a song. It was the perfect one for him to hear that day. He played it over and over again, letting it minister to his parched soul until he was refreshed and overflowing with joy.

Yesterday, I talked with a friend who shared a struggle their family is currently going through regarding visitation of her baby granddaughter. My heart broke, hearing that the baby’s father and grandparents had not seen this precious one for more than three months!

How can my friend possibly be smiling—finding peace—amid struggles like that? How can she sleep at night when her days are filled with law enforcement and legal issues?

After three months of prayer, God spoke to her through His written Word. She read His promise from Psalm 128 (above). Her heart leapt for joy with the assurance that she would see her granddaughter!

Moments after reading this verse, she received a telephone call from a relative, directing her to look at a specific Facebook page. Imagine her unspeakable joy when she saw the beautiful face of her granddaughter smiling back. The child’s mother had posted the picture and God used it to fulfill His words to her grandmother, my friend.

Her granddaughter is safe and healthy. God had not only heard her prayer, but blessed the reading of His Word by supplying tangible evidence of His love.

God can use our words of encouragement, our prayers, His Word, His people—in any way and any form—to bring hope, healing, and peace to those around us.

Pray for someone today, share a scripture, remind them that we worship a God who cares.

The encouragement they need, today, just may come from God, working through you.

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Bringing Things Into Focus

2 Corinthians 5:7- “for we walk by faith, not by sight.”

 

For months my vision had become progressively worse until my world had taken on a hazy glow. Nothing was clear anymore. I consulted my ophthalmologist. Cataract surgery was in order.

I actually looked forward to it. The thought of a brighter world—maybe even a world free of the glasses I had worn since the sixth grade—was very appealing.

The process was streamlined, painless, and went off without complications. Within a few minutes, I was released from my foggy world. I was amazed—and thankful.

I think about the times when I fail to see clearly the actions I should take, the decisions I should make, when I wrestle with the “whys”. Those are the times I know that I must go to God’s Word. I need His healing for my “spiritual eyes”, bringing purpose and direction—a clear focus on what is important.

Some day, God has promised to reveal all things to us. But, in the present time, it is His Word that encourages and gives us insight into the future. Based on it, we can come before God with confidence in prayer, knowing that what we ask for aligns with His will as outlined in scripture.

So, go to His Word when you are having trouble seeing the path ahead, when you need someone to lead the way, when you are willing to surrender your own will to His, and just follow—when you’re willing to “…walk by faith, not by sight.”

Brenda

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