Have you ever been so scared you were hiding? Hiding so people wouldn't find you? Imagine feeling that way and being found by a messenger from God. And not only that but being called by a name you do not identify with, one that doesn't fit your actions.
This happened to a man in the Bible. In the book of Judges chapter 6, we are in the land of Israel but were being ruled by the Midians. The Israelites had done evil in the sight of the Lord. After seven years of Midian rule, the Israelites cried unto God. God, being a loving God, sent a prophet unto the children of Israel. He reminded them of when God brought them out of the land of Egypt and He will deliver them again.
And then the angel of the Lord appeared. To whom? Where? To Gideon as he was threshing wheat. He wanted to hide the wheat from the Midianites.
The first thing the angle of the Lord said to Gideon? "The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour."
Wow! Here is what I find amazing. God saw in Gideon what he did not see himself. He even says in verse 15 "Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I see Isreal? Behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house." Gideon did not see himself as a mighty man of valour. But God did. God knew what Gideon was capable of. God knew what He created Gideon to do. He saw past the present into the future.
Gideon would eventually take 300 men to the battle. All they had to do was blow the trumpet and break the pitchers and cry aloud "The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon." They didn't even have to lift a sword to defeat the Mideonites. The Mideonites destroyed themselves.
He was a mighty man of valour. He proved God right.
What has God called you? Not how do you see yourself, not how do others see you. But how does God see you? Pray and ask God what name He has for you. You are not identified by your struggles, addictions, problems, or weaknesses. You are not identified by your worst days or weakest moments. But God sees you for what He has created you to be. In a world where identity is in question, allow God to identify you. You are His. Let Him name you.
Many times people say that the Bible is outdated. It was written in a different time and place. We have changed and the Bible does not apply to us today. Well, I beg to differ. I believe the Bible was written just for me. And for you for that matter.
In the most famous verse in the Bible, I find my name. You don't believe me? Let's read it. For God so loved Brandy that He gave His only begotten Son that if she believes in Him, she will not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16. See! I'm right there in the Bible!
But that is not all. There are many verses in the Bible that were written just for me!
Genesis 1:27-28 says So God created Brandy in His own image, in the image of God created He her...and God blessed her!
Man! God created ME in HIS image! Isn't that powerful!
And this theme is continued in Psalm 139:14. The psalmist wrote about me! Brandy will praise Thee; for she is fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Thy works; and that she knoweth right well.
He said I was fearfully and wonderfully made!
Jeremiah continued this theme! He says in chapter 1 verse 5 that before I formed Brandy in the belly I knew her! He knew me before He made me! How amazing is that!
A verse that means a lot to me was also written by the psalmist. It is written with the definitions as well. For God has possessed or created Brandy's reins, her desires of the heart, God has covered or protected Brandy in her mother's womb. Anyone who knows my story knows why this verse is important.
Paul wrote about me to the Romans. Chapter 5 verse 8 says that God commendeth His love towards Brandy, in that, while Brandy was yet a sinner, Christ died for her! I am so thankful that God died for me knowing my sinful nature. And even more, John wrote about me on this very same topic in 1 John 4:9-10. In this was manifested the love of God towards Brandy, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that Brandy might live through Hi. Herein is love, not that Brandy loved God; but that He loved Brandy, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for her sins. Praise the Lord!
In Deuteronomy chapter 7, verses 6-9, Moses wrote about me. He said Brandy is a holy person unto the Lord thy God; the Lord thy God has chosen her to be a special person unto Himself, about all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set His love on Brandy, nor choose Brandy, because of anything she has done. But because the Lord loved Brandy, and because He would keep the oath which He had sworn unto Brandy's ancestors...know therefore that the Lord thy God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with Brandy who loves Him and keeps His commandments to a thousand generations.
I didn't do anything for Him to chose me. He has set me apart. How amazing is that?
God called me His daughter in 1 John 3:1, Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on Brandy that she should be called a daughter of God; therefore the world knoweth Brandy, not because it knew Him not.
In Romans 8:38-39, I found my name! For Brandy is persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate Brandy from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus her Lord! Nothing will separate me from the love of God!
I could go on and on and on. I am written about throughout the Bible. The Bible is relevant today, yesterday, and tomorrow. But the Bible was not written just for me! It was written for you as well. Read it! Find your name! You are in the Bible, too! Jeremiah wrote a verse about you. In chapter 29, verses 11 and 13 it says For I know the thoughts that I think toward (insert your name here), saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end...and you shall seek me and find me when you search for with all your heart. You are there.
Read God's promises. Insert your name in those verses because they were written for YOU! God loves you. Behold, I have graven Brandy, Susan, Cheryl, Abbi, Gary, Donna, Steven, your name here, upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. You are on the palm of God's hands. You have been etched in. Read the Bible today. Find that verse. Leave your verse with your name down in the comments. I'd like to see where you are in the Bible. You will find it.
The Bible is still relevant. God loves you. You will find your name, your verse. It is possible only By God's Amazing Grace.
The Hubs, Little Bit, and I went to grab a bite to eat. That is usually an adventure with all my allergies. We get seated and await our waitress. I glance over the menu trying to find anything I am able to eat. When the waitress arrives, I explain my dilemma. Usually I get a weird look or even an audible “poor girl”. But this lady was amazing. She got me an allergen menu, which few places offer me. After perusing this menu, I finally decide on something and basically piece things together. She was extremely nice and accommodating about it all.
When our food arrived, Little Bit raised her hand. The Hubs and I looked at each other. We knew what she wanted. A spoon. She prefers to eat with a spoon. We encourage her to ask for it herself. We were sure she was going to look at one of us and ask us to ask for a spoon. The waitress looked at Little Bit. Little Bit then as confident as ever asked, “may I have a spoon?” The Hubs and I had to pick up our jaws off the table. The waitress said sure and went to grab the spoon.
Ow, Little Bit doesn’t talk to just anyone. She still has moments where she will not speak to anyone or around certain people. We were shook to say the least.
But it didn’t stop there.
Throughout the rest of the meal, Little Bit started conversations with our waitress. The waitress was so patient. She answered the questions Little Bit asked.
Since Little Bit was a baby, we have taught her about Jesus and His love for everyone. We have taught her that we love her, but Jesus loves her so much more. This night, Little Bit decided the waitress needed to know this as well.
Little Bit began asking her if she went to church, if she believed in God, and other questions along this line. I can’t remember all the questions she asked or all the answers that were given. But she became our little evangelist. Unashamedly speaking to our waitress about the love of God.
I believe we are truly blessed. We have so much to learn from our daughter. She will gladly hand a trac to a person without saying a word. Just a sweet smile. And people readily take it from her and actually look at it. Is it because she is just a cute kid? Maybe, I don’t know. But I do know God is using her. Little Bit will go people and tell them about Jesus.
We were at her chiropractor one day and she began telling him about church and why he should go. She isn’t embarrassed of Jesus. She isn’t shy with her love of God. She is very open to speaking about Jesus.
We all can learn from Little Bit. Relationships are important. She built a relationship with our waitress that night and she built one with her chiropractor. Jesus built relationships in His ministry. He had His close friends/disciples...Peter, James, and John. He was also friends with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. In Matthew 8, Jesus put forth His hand and touched the leper and cleansed him from his leprosy. Jesus met the relationship need of this individual before He ministered to Him. Having leprosy makes you an outcast and Jesus touched him. We have no idea how long it had been since he has last received touch.
Something else we learn from Little Bit about spreading the love of God is to not be ashamed, not to be embarrassed. 2 Timothy 1 says that God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, it of power, love, and a sound mind. Do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. Ask God to give you courage to talk to others. He will give you what you need to talk to others about God’s love.
The third, and final, thing I can learn from Little Bit is to be simple. When she tells others about Jesus, she doesn’t use highfalutin words. She doesn’t give a research paper. She doesn’t give them a thesis paper. She is plain and simple. Jesus loves you. Jesus died on the cross for you. Many times when Jesus spoke to people, He spoke in a language they could understand. That is why He spoke in parables. The people could understand what He was talking about because they could relate to His words, His stories. When Jesus told the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15, there were shepherds there that understood what it was like to lose a sheep and how it felt to find it again. The people understood. You don’t have to give a sermon to express the love of God.
I think Little Bit is a reason why Jesus said “Except you be converted, and become as little children, he shall not enter the kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 18:3. I want to be like Little Bit in this aspect. Have the courage to build those relationships and tell others about Jesus in the simplest way possible so they can understand. This is possible only By God’s Amazing Grace.
As a family unit, we all have chores to do around the house. Little Bit is in charge of dishes, the kitty litter, her room, and her laundry. We pretty much do everything else around the house. Why do we give her chores? Well, one, it teaches responsibility. Two, we love her and she loves us, so we should help each other out around the house.
Usually, Little Bit will do her chores without too much issue. The problem comes when we have to remind her. We usually get the response, "Boring! That's no fun!" followed by some grumbling and complaining. We remind her that if she did her chores in a timely manner, she could do the things she wanted to do.
We also talk about how our attitude affects how we feel about something. None of us LIKE doing chores. But we do them anyway. Mommy and Daddy don't grumble and complain when we do our chores. And we find ways to make them fun! How?
I like to listen to music and sing while I am doing my chores. I like to make a game out of them. If Little Bit and I are doing chores together, we play with each other while working. I explain to her that chores can be fun if we make them that way. But we should do all things without grumbling and complaining. Philippians 2:14.
I also remind Little Bit that whatever she does, she needs to do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 Even chores can be done to the glory of God.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as for the Lord. Colossians 3:23
We remind her of this all the time. I know we will have to repeat the lesson multiple times. And that is ok. We love Little Bit and we want her to want to help us.
But Little Bit isn't the only one who needs to learn this lesson. This does not just apply to chores. It applies to our daily lives. Maybe your boss gave you a task that needs to be completed. Do the job as if you are doing it for God, not for man.
Maybe your wife asks you to pick up something from the store...maybe chocolate? Go to the store without grumbling or complaining.
Maybe you just have to go to work, but you really need a day off. Whatever you do, do it to the glory of God. You can honor Him even when you do things you don't want to do.
And find ways to make your tasks enjoyable. It doesn't have to be boring.
There are many things we have to do in life that we do not want to do. There are things that we want to complain about. But think about how your task could be so different if we approach it with an attitude of praise and glory to God instead. It really would make a difference.
Today, whatever tasks are on your list, do them for God, not for your boss, parents, spouse, friends. When you glorify God, you will uplift our fellow man. This is possible only By God's Amazing Grace.
On the fourth day of creation, my true love gave to me the sun, moon, and stars. The sun to rule the day the moon to rule the night.
It is amazing to be outside during the day and see the sun lighting up the sky, creating shadows, causing flowers to grow. Even when the day is completely overcast, the sun is still able to peak through creating light. Even on the darkest days, light is still shines.
Have you ever been outside at night when the moon seems to be right in your backyard? The color a brilliant orange. But as the moon gets higher in the sky, it gets smaller and the light whiter? A beautiful sight. I enjoy observing the moon.
The moon goes through different phases. This is caused by the rotation and position of the moon in the sky. we have the New, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, waning crescent. This pattern continues throughout the month, 29 and a half days. One of my favorite ways to teach the phases or the moon is through oreos. Take an oreo apart and each one will lose a certain amount of icing. Then of course, you eat all the oreos when you are done! Only at times of a full moon is the whole moon lit up. The moon only shines where it has collected light from the sun. The moon does not reflect its own light. It can only give what it has been given. So when there is a new moon, the moon has not collected any light from the sun, so it has none to give.
When you go out at night, look up at the sky. If there is light coming from the moon, know that it absorbed it from the reflection of the sun and is now reflecting it back to you.
The moon also affects the tides. There are high tides and low tides. The gravitational pull of the moon generates tidal force. Wherever the moon is, the water and the earth bulge toward the moon. This creates a high tide. The low tide is on the opposite side of the earth where the bulge and gravitational pull are not present.
The moon is very interesting and fun to learn about. Phases, tides, light, oh my. The lessons are out of this world!
But there are lessons we can learn about the moon that apply to us as well. First, we can only reflect the light we are given. Meaning, we can only share the knowledge we have gained. Sometimes we learn this knowledge through other people and sometimes we learn it through personal experience. But we are not able to share knowledge if we never gained that knowledge. There is a lot of knowledge in this world. But I believe the most important knowledge is knowledge of Jesus. Paul even said, "For I am determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." 1 Corinthians 2:2. Am I saying book knowledge, street knowledge, common sense are not important? NO, not at all. I don't even think Paul was saying that. But Jesus is the most important knowledge to have. It is life changing knowledge. If we don't read the Bible, if we don't have a personal relationship with Jesus, the other knowledge means nothing. I can solve any math problem in my head, but if I don't know Jesus, that knowledge is worthless. I can have every important date in history memorized, but if I don't know Jesus, who cares. And I can't share the knowledge of the Gospel if I don't have the knowledge of the Gospel. I can only reflect the knowledge I have been given.
There are times in our life where we know more. We are in a better place. We go through phases. Sometimes we have so much light to share while others, we find it hard to have any light. But God is so good! He works with us where we are. He gives us understanding when we ask for it. "The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting; give me understanding, and I shall live." Psalm 119:144. "Let my cry come near before there, O Lord; give me understanding according to thy word." Psalm 119:169. He will give us understanding if we ask of Him. Shine the light you have in the phase of life you are in and God will bless that knowledge. If you don't like a phase you are in, you can change it.
The last lesson, do you want to draw people closer to you by drawing them closer to God? Or are you pushing them away? Are you turning people away from the Light? Or are you pulling them closer. God can use you to draw all people unto God. John 12:32 says, "And I, when I am lifted up from teh earth, will draw all people to myself." We must lift Jesus up, not ourselves. But we must be approachable. We don't want to turn others away with our pride, arrogance, self-righteous spirit. We want them to see Jesus. We shine His light. Not our own.
Think of the moon. It is nothing without the sun. We are nothing without the SON of God. Share His light. This is possible only By God's Amazing Grace.
Let's taco bout Jesus! The King of kings is He. The Lord of Lords supreme. Through all eternity. The Great I am, The Way, the Truth, the Life, the Door. Let's taco bout Jesus more and more.
Everytime I wear this shirt, This song is in my head. I usually end up singing it all day long. Which I'm sure starts to annoy those around me. But I enjoy singing and especially about Jesus.
But I have to do more than sing about Jesus. I have to actually do what the song says. I need to actually talk about Jesus.
They say it is not just about talking the talking, but also walking the walk. But in this instance, it needs to be both. People need to know about Jesus. But for people to know about Jesus, we must talk about Him.
When I am around people, the words that come out of my mouth usually include "my husband this and my husband that." I like to talk about my husband. He is the love of my life. I want others to know about the amazing husband of mine.
I love my husband beyond words. But you know, I love Jesus even more. If I love Jesus more than my husband, than shouldn't the words that come out of my mouth include "my Jesus this and my Jesus that?"
Have you ever thought about your relationship with Jesus? Why you follow Him? What you would tell others about Him?
Jesus was there at creation. Everything we see is because of Him. In John 1, we read that In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made." The flowers, the trees, the animals, us...we are part of His creation.
Jesus was with Abraham when he was tested with his faith. Would Abraham sacrifice his son just as Jesus would be sacrificed centuries later? When Isaac asked his father, "Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the Lamb for a burnt offering? ...Abraham said, My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering." Genesis 22:7 and 8. Abraham knew that God would provide His one sacrifice. He would provide Jesus.
Jesus was with David when he faced Goliath. In 1 Samuel 17, David offers to fight Goliath. He chooses to fight without armor and uses only a sling and five stones. When he approaches Goliath, he said, "Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand;...that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands." Jesus was with David on the battlefield.
Jesus came as a child to live a life like ours. He had the same nature as you and I. He had opportunity to sin yet chose not to. And His whole purpose of coming to the earth was twofold. One--to sacrifice His life for you and me so we can have eternal life. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. Two--to show the character of His Father, God. In John 1verse 14, "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we sw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." And then chapter 7 verse 18, "He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him." Jesus even tells the disciples in John 14 verse 10, "the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, He doeth the works."
Jesus will come back again. In John 14 verses 1-3, Jesus tells us to not let our hearts be troubled. "in my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." There will be a second coming. Jesus will come back for us. We will not have to live in this sinfilled world forever. He promised we would be with Him. And that second coming isn't too far away. Praise the Lord! We will live eternally with Him. And it will be soon!
And that is only from the Bible. That is not even from my personal experience with Him. So others about Jesus. Your actions do speak louder than words. But your words do need to speak as well. You can do it! We can do it! But only By God's Amazing Grace!
