Is Your Confidence Imprisoned by Your Captivity?

June 24, 2021June 25, 20211 Comment

The Israelites Were in Captivity

When I see this scripture reference, my mind goes immediately to,

“For I know the plans I have for you,… plans to prosper you and not to harm you…”
Jeremiah 29:11

Maybe that is your thought, as well. It IS a wonderful scripture!

New Thoughts Captured my Attention

This morning, as I was enjoying quiet time in Jeremiah 29:1-14, some phrases captured my attention in a startling way. I was blown away at the revelation that came to me as I read Jeremiah 29:5-7 (NLT).

“Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens and eat the fruit you produce. Marry, and have children. Then find spouses for them, and have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! And work for the peace and prosperity of Babylon. Pray to the Lord for that city where you are held captive, for if Babylon has peace, so will you.”
Jeremiah 29:5-7

Suddenly, this thought hit me:

“What is your Babylon?”

And then, these questions:

What holds us in captivity?
How do we get out of it?
What can we do?

Held Captive

Sometimes, we come to a difficult place in life and we feel as if we are held captive in it. A serious illness, the death of a spouse, the end of a job, a career change, relocation, . . . the list is vast. Life happens. Many times what happens is out of our control, but it is NEVER out of God’s hands!

Handling Captivity

When life throws a curveball, it is too easy to become paralyzed, bitter, depressed, even frantic. God, however, says “Live life!” Re-read those verses. The Lord told His people to carry on with life, not to just sit or dwindle away. Keep reading, because the Lord also said,

“Pray to the Lord for that city where you are held captive.”

Hmmmm……. PRAY?

Pray for the company, the school, the country, the family…. whatever your “Babylon” is. When we offer up whatever has us down to the Lord, He can take that situation into His hands and deliver us from it.
Remember this, though: God moves in His time and way. The solution to your dilemma may take time, but He does have the solution.

That familiar promise will come to fruition:

“For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not harm you…”
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

This is the clincher:

“Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,…and will bring you back from captivity.”
Jeremiah 29:12-14 NIV

Take every thought captive. Seek the Lord and His direction. Pray for the place where you are, that place that has you stuck. Know that the Lord has a plan, and he will bring you out better than before!

THAT is your confidence!

– Glenae Atchison

Last Chance to Link-up in the Legacy Link-upin June

Give Thanks to the Lord

November 2, 2020November 2, 20206 Comments

“Give thanks to the Lord,
call on His name;
make known among the nations
what He has done.
Sing to Him, sing praise to Him;
tell of His wonderful acts.

Glory in His holy name;
let the hearts of those
who seek the Lord rejoice.

Look to the Lord and His strength;
seek His face always.”
– I Chronicles 16:8-11

Let’s face it:

2020 has been a ridiculously unpredictable year. It’s been frightening, depressing, and sometimes exciting. Some of the things that have happened so far in 2020 probably would have never entered our minds last year.

We would have said, “Whaaat?!”

Even so,

if you stop and think about it, there have also been many blessings.

Stop and be silent.

Think on the blessings that the Lord bestows on each of us daily.

In the words of the old hymn,

“Count your many blessings,
name them one by one.”
Count Your Many Blessings

Good health.
The joy of helping others.
A surprise visit or phone call from a friend.
A beautiful day.
A hug.
Comfort in sorrow.
Help with struggles.
A good report from your doctor.
Completing a task. Graduating.
The birth of a grandchild.
The purchase of a forever home.
A much-needed vacation.
An impromptu picnic or date with your sweetheart.
The comfort of home.
The love and support of friends and family.

Those are just a few that have come to mind.

Make your own list.

The Lord blesses us in SO many ways. Even if the world seems to have lost its ever-living mind, our Lord remains constant.

Give thanks to Him.
Call on His name.
Make His name known everywhere.
Look to Him. Seek Him always.

God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Give Thanks Along With Me!

Glenae Atchison

Mandy is sharing her thankfulness on Instagram this month. We would love for you to join us there!

It’s Your Turn!

Living Love in a Surprising Twist

May 3, 2020November 2, 2020Leave a comment

by Glenae Atchison

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.
And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
Colossians 3:12-17

Things are Different Now

Things are certainly different these days. Covid-19 has drastically changed life as we know it. School is different. Work is different. Doctor appointments are different. Holy Week and Easter were different. Life is just radically different from what we are all accustomed to. Suddenly, an illness, flu unlike any other, has brought the majority of all humanity to a screeching halt. Just like a traffic jam, we wait. We creep. We proceed with caution. Oh, what an enormous change this is from our fast-paced lives!

Surprising Twist

Devotions for the Seasons of Life
Living Love

It is weird. It is scary. But in a surprising twist, in an odd way, it seems to have brought about a calm leisurely pace that industrialized countries have not experienced for a long, long time.

It seems that families are having meals together, playing games together, working in the yeard together. I’ve seen and read stories of the very fortunate doing what they can to help those who are very financially strapped because of the situation. I have heard and seen stories of neighbors checking on and doing for neighbors that they have never met.

I know of teachers who go the extra mile to make sure that their students and their parents are able to tackle online learning and classes. Worship services are being broadcast over social media, enabling thousands upon thousands of people to worship even though we are socially distanced. The word of God is reaching some people who have not been listening for quite a while.

Is God Trying to Get our Attention?

I’m inclined to believe that the Lord has been trying to get our attention for a very long time. It appears that, as in the old testament times, a plague of sorts has caused mere humanity to stop and take notice. Suddenly, the bubble above our heads reads,

“Hello! You are not in charge! Almighty God is!”

And so, we are suddenly seeing more love, more compassion, more humility, more gentleness, and more patience displayed in our lives. In many ways, life is more peaceful and quiet. People seem to be more thankful for the little things in life.

Since we have no choice but to slow down, to assess everything we do carefully, to be mindful of others, now is our opportunity to live love. Now is our opportunity to let those around us see Christ more vividly than ever before. Why? Because now, everyone has slowed down enough to notice! Live love. Live Jesus. Show Him to others, and let God do the rest!

Blessings!

Glenae Atchison

Holy Attitudes for Living the Blessed Christian Life

February 25, 2020November 2, 20201 Comment

BLESSED

Matthew 5:3-12

When Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, he launched into the longest sermon ever recorded. At the beginning of that sermon are what we know as The Beatitudes. My husband recently preached a sermon from Matthew 5:3-12, and he stated,

The Beatitudes are “holy attitudes for living the Christian life.”
Rev. Skip Atchison

The Beatitudes are "holy attitudes for living the Christian life." #thebeatitudes #attitudes #holiness Click To Tweet

v. 3: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Poor in spirit: humble. A servant knows that they are reliant on God. The desire to serve God by serving others comes from the love that God pours into our hearts. The more we allow, the more he bestows!

v. 4: Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

We tend to link this verse with earthly sorrow and mourning for a loved one who has died. But consider the sorrow that comes because of separation from God because of our sin? Sorrow for our sin brings us into the comforting arms of Jesus.

v.5: Blessed are the meed, for they shall inherit the earth.

Jesus was meek, but not weak. Meekness is not spinelessness. It’s humility. Meekness is knowing that you need God.

v. 6: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

How intense is our hunger and thirst for God? How much do we desire to be more like Jesus, to have more and more of His love filling us? Until we know that what we are seeking is God himself, we will not be satisfied.

v. 7: Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Where would we be without God’s love, mercy and grace? Where would we be? When Jesus taught what we know as “The Golden Rule, (love your neighbor as yourself), He was teaching simple mercy.

v. 8: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

A pure heart is an unselfish heart, a heart with pure motives, a heart like Christ. The more we can truly be like Christ, the more likely we are to bring others to Him.

v. 9: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.

The only way to truly have peace is through Christ. Even when we get that peace, Satan will try to steal it or disturb it. We should seek peace in Jesus, and we should let Him be our peace.

v. 10: Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

v. 11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

We read, hear and see stories of Christians persecuted for their faith. These persecutions range from “no public prayer” to execution for your faith (depending on where you are in the world.) We must stay strong in our faith. Jesus told His disciples that this would happen, and sure enough, it does!

But Jesus also said, “I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2)

v. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Being persecuted for our faith is nothing new. It has happened since the old testament prophets were proclaiming their faith in God.

Finally, Our hope is in Christ.

My point in all of this is a simple one:

BLESSED.

If we live according to God’s Holy Word,

… follow the teachings of Christ,

… accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior,

then WE ARE BLESSED.

No matter what each day of life brings,

joy or sorrow,
good or bad,
in abundance or in want,

we are so blessed because of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Count your blessings, and have a great day!

Glenae Atchison

It’s Your Turn!

Add a link to your post about Leaving a Legacy. We’re looking forward to reading it.

What is Man That You Should Think of Us?

December 17, 2018November 2, 20202 Comments

Why Does He?

“When I look at the night sky and see the work of Your fingers–the moon and the stars You have set in place–what are mortals that You should think of us, mere humans that You care for us?
You made us only a little lower than the angels, … You put us in charge of everything You made, … the sheep and the cattle and all the wild animals… O Lord, our Lord, the majesty of Your name fills the earth!” – Psalm 8:3-9

As I read this passage, I think of the shepherds in that field near Bethlehem so long ago. They probably had an amazing view of God’s creation day and night. They may have even taken it for granted, perhaps complaining when nature didn’t cooperate with what they planned.

Yet God, in all His wisdom and majesty, chose these mere humans to share the good news of great joy. The lowly shepherds were the first to tell everyone about the Savior, baby Jesus, born to save us.

What are mere humans, that God should think of us?

He loved us enough to send Jesus!

Glenae

If you would like to know more about following Jesus, click here