Posts

Unshakeable Hope

Image
  UNSHAKEABLE HOPE By: Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” - Psalms ‭139:23  ‬NIV As the times we are in are heating up, our eyes search for HOPE and comfort.  We look longingly over our shoulder at the “Good Old Days”—simpler times, old relationships and habits—people and things that, in the past, brought momentary relief.  But, more often than not, we find that the fleeting well of comfort found there has since dried up. ‬ We have not been abandoned to fend for ourselves, however. God, Himself, will be our refuge!‬ When everything else is shaking, we have been given a glorious hope.  God is immovable, and when we put our trust in Him, so are we!  ‬ “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore.” – Psalm 125:1-2 NIV Beloved, let’s not until the world around us lies in ruins bef
Post a Comment
Read more

Contagious Joy

Image
  CONTAGIOUS JOY By: Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” — Hebrews 10:35-36 Have you ever been in a season of prolonged testing, and gotten to the point that it all feels like too much and you give up?  Have you ever allowed pressure and exhaustion to lead you to an emotional explosion —an indulgent bad attitude of anger or self pity?  I have. In retrospect, it is always frustrating to see how short the time is from the moment I give up or explode, and the moment the test comes to an end.  And when it finally does come to an end, the exuberant joy I had been praying for is replaced by regret that either I didn’t finish, or my reward was diminished by a bad attitude.   I am not talking about salvation.  Salvation isn’t something to earn, but rather, it is a gift that comes by way of the cross.  I am talking about fulfilling my p
Post a Comment
Read more

Kissing Boo-Boos

Image
  KISSING BOO-BOOS By:  Julie Souza Bradley Lilly Oh, the miracle of a kiss on a boo-boo!  I remember being little and getting a cut on my finger.  I’d raise that chubby finger and go running to my mom.  She always knew what to do.  She would gently clean it, put on a bandaid and give it a kiss.  We weren’t done until my hurt had been kissed.  There was magic in that application of compassion and love.  It made the pain go away. We have all seen that toddler with a boo-boo.  They run to their mom or dad to clean it, put on a bandaid and give it a kiss.  If the wound isn’t treated, the tiny nick can continue to hurt and bleed. Each time it is touched or bumped they are reminded of the pain.  And an untreated wound can become infected and grow. There are people all around us with unkissed boo-boos today.  They are hurt, afraid or sad.  They go through life fearful of being hurt again, and looking for someone they can trust to love them and help heal their wounds. Difficult people often
Post a Comment
Read more

Enduring The Permissive Will of God

Image
  ENDURING THE PERMISSIVE WILL OF GOD By: Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” – Matthew‬ ‭10:22‬ ‭NIV‬‬ Nothing going on on this planet escapes God’s awareness.  Many of us have read what is prophesied about the end times, so we should not be taken by surprise.  If you haven’t read it, I recommend you do.  These things that are happening around us— the chaotic, hateful, deceptive and raging insanities of hell are obviously not God’s “perfect” will, but they are within His “permissive” will, meaning He is allowing it.   We could say, “How could a loving God allow these things to happen?”  But the question reveals our shortsightedness. God works these things together for ultimate good.   His plan is as it has been since Adam and Eve fell in the Garden.  God SO loved the world that, in His compassion, He sacrificed the life of His own Son, that “none should perish.”  He paid the highest price to ma
Post a Comment
Read more

The Secret of The Birds

Image
 THE SECRET OF THE BIRDS By:  Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “Praise the Lord from the earth, Sea monsters and all deep sea creatures; Beasts and all cattle; Creeping things and winged birds.” - Psalm 148:7, 10.   Morning has broken and the choir of birds outside my window is singing their hearts out.  Birds may not be considered to be intelligent, yet their response to God in hardship could teach us a few things.  We humans grumble to God about so much, but the birds praise their creator in severe heat and bitter cold.  They may have nests and the shade of trees, but they don’t have the many comforts we enjoy, yet they praise Him.  They know a secret:  God is enthroned upon our praises.  When our hearts are full of worship, He takes His rightful place and brings with Him joy and peace. Let’s take a lesson from the birds.  Their trust in their maker to provide for their needs, even in the face of harsh seasons, calls out to our faith.  It encourages us to trust in, and worship Almighty G
Post a Comment
Read more

When Silence Is Golden

Image
WHEN SILENCE IS GOLDEN By:  Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.” – Matthew‬ ‭27:13-14‬ ‭NIV Have you every wondered why Jesus was silent when He went before Pilate and the charges were read against Him?‬‬ For the longest time it perplexed me why the sinless Son of God wouldn’t stand up for Himself, call down His angels and put these puny humans in their places.  But He didn’t.   The silence of Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy: “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” – Isaiah‬ ‭53:7‬ ‭NIV It wasn’t weakness that kept Jesus silent.  On the contrary, His silence displayed meekness —a powerful display of controlled strength.  We make a great mistake to confuse meekness with weakness.
Post a Comment
Read more

Seeds of Promise

Image
SEEDS OF PROMISE By: Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “See how farmers wait for their precious crops to grow. They wait patiently for fall and spring rains. You, too, must be patient. Don’t give up hope.” – James‬ ‭5:7-8‬ ‭GW‬‬ Have you ever been to Butchart Gardens in British Columbia?  They are the most spectacular gardens I have ever seen.  After one visit, I excitedly brought home several packets of flower seeds.  I pictured our yard bursting with the same colorful blooms that were pictured on the seed packets. Years went by, but not a single flower ever bloomed.  You might think I had purchased bad seeds, or that the seeds were incompatible with our climate.  But the truth is the seeds never made it into the ground. They remained full of promise, but I hadn’t done the work of planting and tending to them. God makes promises, too.  His seeds of promise are pregnant with life and beauty.  We may receive them with joy, but sometimes our preoccupation with life prevents us from ever planting
Post a Comment
Read more