Tis the season?

Hey there BCU Fam!

I typically record our content in an informal “podcast on the go” format. Many times, the Lord gives me subject matter as I am driving or waiting, so I record on the spot! You can access the podcast here, or click on the avatar below, as you refer to the show notes below for the highlights. We pray the content blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the podcast!

Podcast highlights:

  • As of this post, in the United States, we just celebrated Thanksgiving and the holiday season is officially here.
  • While I realize that not everyone celebrates Christmas, for many, this is also a season of giving to others.
  • Giving should not be seasonal, in fact, it is biblical for us to look after the needs of others.

Scripture references

Philippians 2:1-4

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

James 2:26

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Matthew 5:16

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Mark 2:1-12*

 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.

2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.

3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.

4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.

6 But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,

7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?

8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?

9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?

10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)

11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.

12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

Galatians 6:9

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

BCUFam, if one person looked after the needs of one other person, many issues in this world would be eradicated. Because we live in this world the enemy is prince (for now, anyway—-see John 12:31), the spirit of selfishness, gain and greed are with us. Think about it——-the wars, poverty, inflated prices, hatred, envy—–these maladies adversely effect others and develop from a lustful, prideful, spirit which does NOT come from God (I John 2:16). Since we know this spirit will be with us until Jesus comes back, as people who love Him and live by biblical principals, with His help, let us continue to give and take care of others as God leads us. We may not be able to help everyone, but all of us can assist someone else. Amen? Amen! Let’s pray!

Father, in the name of Jesus, as we come before You, as always, we give Your name praise, glory and honor for who You are, for what You do, and for Your Word you give us day after day, to let us know exactly what we are supposed to do. We thank You for this particular podcast—-reminding us that we are helpers one to another, and that we are lights that are to shine in this dark world, so we may glorify You in Heaven.

Please help us to remember to acknowledge You in all our ways, so you can direct us as to how we can be of assistance to someone else. Bless us to remember that tending to the needs of others is not just monetary, but acts of service, giving of time, talents, gifts, out of our abundance, praying, listening, advising, encouraging, teaching, or even just being present, as Job’s friends were at one point. We want to keep in mind that when we serve others, we serve You and You will reward us accordingly. Therefore, rather than do anything out of strife, vainglory or importunity, we want to do everything to Your glory, so that those who are saved will be encouraged, and those who are not will ask, “what must I do to be saved?” We thank You for every opportunity to be a blessing to someone today and always, in Jesus name we pray, Amen!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Also, if you so inclined, join us Thursday nights––we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Pandora, and Spotify!

Thank you SO much for stopping by. God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

*This podcast was recorded previous to the war in Israel, which started in October of 2023. Any references to Palestine are to Israel’s landscape as a whole, versus a political view or statement. Please reach out to me for any questions or clarification. Thanks!

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Check over your paper…

Here there BCU Family!

I typically record our content in an informal “podcast on the go” format. Many times, the Lord gives me subject matter as I am driving or waiting, so I record on the spot! You can access the podcast here, or click on the avatar below, as you refer to the show notes below for the highlights. We pray the content blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the podcast!

Podcast highlights:

  • In school, tests are a regular part of the landscape–there was NO way around them.
  • In my day, it was a “badge of honor” to be among the kids who finished first.
  • That honor was sometimes “stripped” as the work was riddled with some avoidable or careless mistakes.
  • The Lord wants us to check over our work to ensure we have no glaring errors.

KJV Scripture References

Matthew 24:45-51

45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

John 9:4

4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

Ephesians 5:27

27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Romans 14:12

12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Isaiah 58:8-9

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

BCUFam, I have to confess that there are some hard assignments in this life——and they can have us rushing through our work to get it done. But how did get get it done? Did we respond in the right spirit? Was the outside sweet and the inside sour? Did we skip the assignment because we have not forgiven the person? The list goes on, so while we are here and can, let’s ask the Lord what “careless mistakes” we made, what assignments (over)/due, and the wisdom, knowledge and strength to get them done, so we can hear, “well done, thou good and faithful servant…..Enter into the joy of the Lord” (Matthew 25:23). Amen? Amen! Let’s pray about it.

Father, in the name of Jesus, we bless and praise Your name! We magnify You, Lord, because You are worthy of the praise, honor and glory!

We thank You, Lord for the opportunity and the reminder for us make sure to go over all of our work while it is daytime. Please help us to come to You honestly and to review all you have tasked us with—the families, finances, people, gifts, talents, and everything You have given us to steward over, Lord. We may not always have done things the way You have instructed us, Lord, so we repent and ask Your forgiveness. Please help us to be aware and cognizant of our tasks, Jesus, and help us not to do things with an attitude, or out of obligation, but in service to You, so that all our interactions are to YOUR glory, honor and praise.

We thank You for blessing us to be ready to see You in peace. With Your help, Jesus, we will continue to serve You as we are serving others, and we will continue to bless and praise Your holy name! It is in the name of Jesus Christ, we pray, and thank You, Amen!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Also, if you so inclined, join us Thursday nights––we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Pandora, and Spotify!

Thank you SO much for stopping by! God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

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God sees you.

Here there BCU Family!

I typically record our content in an informal “podcast on the go” format. Many times, the Lord gives me subject matter as I am driving or waiting, so I record on the spot! You can access the podcast here, or click on the avatar below, as you refer to the show notes below for the highlights. We pray the content blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the podcast!

Podcast highlights:

  • I ran across a post from a single mom, who had had a tough week.
  • The Lord knew that and sent her some encouragement in an unexpected way.
  • Sometimes we feel “unseen” by God, but He DOES see us and will come through for us.

KJV Scripture References

Genesis 16:5-13

5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.

6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thine hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.

7 And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.

8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.

9 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.

10 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.

11 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction.

12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.

13 And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?

Philippians 4:19

19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 3:20

20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Psalm 46:1

1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

BCUFam, many of us are struggling today with finances, loneliness, feeding the family, failing relationships, health challenges, and so on. No matter what the situation is, God sees you and you can cry out to Him, and He will answer—– and He will sustain you until He answers. Ask me how I know? He did it for me! Let’s pray about it.

Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank You for Your Word and how it was sent to heal us. As we come before You, someone today is struggling today with being a single parent, the loss of a loved one, a mental health crisis, caretaking fatigue—whatever the issue is, we thank You for reminding us that YOU see us! We thank You, Jesus that YOU are a needs-supplier! We thank You for being our refuge and strength AND a very present help in times of trouble!

We ask that You please speak to every broken heart, every contrite spirit, every adverse situation, every person——and work out everything to Your will, glory, honor and praise. Please help us to hear Your voice and to rest in Your ability——to do exceedingly and abundantly above all we can ask or think according to the power that works in us. We thank and praise You, Lord in advance for Your help, and just for being a GOOD Father and an awesome God, in matchless name of Jesus, we pray, Amen!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Also, if you so inclined, join us Thursday nights––we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Pandora, and Spotify!

Thank you SO much for stopping by! God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

BlenCouragesU1 Comment

His eye is on the sparrow

Here there BCU Family!

I typically record our content in an informal “podcast on the go” format. Many times, the Lord gives me subject matter as I am driving or waiting, so I record on the spot! You can access the podcast here, or click on the avatar below, as you refer to the show notes below for the highlights. We pray the content blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the podcast!

Podcast highlights:

  • As I was finishing up my early morning study time, I was prompted to open the back door.
  • The sun was not quite up yet, and the birds were chirping in the most cheerful tone—-as if it was high noon!
  • Because nothing God does is “random”, this is a lesson/reminder from God and His creation about praise and provision.

KJV Scripture References

Matthew 6:25-26

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Psalm 34:1-3, 10, 19, 22

1 I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

2 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

3 O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.

10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

22 The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

Psalm 122:1-2

1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

BCUFam, I can tell you from experience, while we are in the waiting period, we can get concerned and nervous as we wait and wonder if God is going to come through for us. After reading these Scriptures, it is comforting to know that He will look after His greatest creation, as His word promises. As we wait for Him to deliver us, and as we hear the birds chirp in expectation and gratitude, let us continually give God praise, individually and collectively. Amen? Amen! Let’s pray!

Father in the name of Jesus, as we come before you today, we thank for this day that You have made——we will rejoice and be glad in it! There are some of us who are in the thick of a struggle today. We do not know which way to turn or what to do. We are looking for direction, help, healing, reconciliation, provision, protection, and/or deliverance, Jesus. Whatever someone needs today—whatever capacity that someone needs You to step in as in, Lord, we ask that You please do it, in the matchless Name of Jesus!

We thank You for working things out, giving us peace and for sustaining us in the meantime, as we continue to praise and serve You, Jesus! We will look to the hills, because our help comes from You that made the heavens and the Earth. We thank You, Lord for what You are doing in our lives, and the lessons You are teaching us in this waiting season. We give Your name ALL the praise, glory and honor today and always, in Jesus name, we pray, Amen!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Also, if you so inclined, join us Thursday nights––we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Pandora, and Spotify!

Thank you SO much for stopping by! God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

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Prayer “demands”

Here there BCU Family!

Typically, you have the option of listening to our podcast, reading the notes or both. For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording and refer to the written post for the highlights. We pray the post blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post.

Podcast highlights:

  • I was taught that when interacting with my parents, or authority figures, you answered and spoke with respect.
  • Demanding how and when we wanted something done in a loud tone was grounds for serious physical correction.
  • I saw a post from a friend of mine, who was pondering how we often “order God around” when we pray.
  • Are we authorized to tell God when and how we want things done?

KJV Scripture Reference

Philippians 4:6-7

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Acts 17:28

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Psalms 100:3

Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

BCUFam, after pondering Dr. Sue’s post, while the Lord knows “what we mean” or the heart behind what we are telling Him, I thought about how much I dislike someone demanding something from me, without a hello, please or thank you. Moreover, with the help of the Lord, I like to make sure that when I ask for someone to do something for me, I treat that person with respect——with the proper manners, tone and gratitude. So, if we, who are made in God’s image do this amongst ourselves, then how MUCH MORE should we extend proper requests to the Lord who made the heavens and the Earth? The Everlasting Father whose breath He gives us every day? Our Lord and Savior, Jesus who lifts our heads and dries our tears? I could go on and on about how awesome Jesus is——but when we think of who He is, we should make our requests known to Him with the reverence and honor that the King of Kings deserves. Amen? Amen. Let’s pray about it!

Father in the name of Jesus, as we come before You, we want to start off with “thank You”. Thank You, Jesus, for Your provision, protection, Your loving-kindness, which is better than life! We bless and praise Your Holy Name and for the love You have for us, that will let us know when we are in error. And Lord, as we reflect on the podcast and are reminded of the times where we told You what to do, or demanded that You do something now, please forgive us, Lord Jesus.

For some of us who have had these “demands” sometimes we were angry, sad, frustrated, tired, stressed, agitated, desperate, or worried. Other times, though, we did feel like we “deserved” our request and wanted it now. In any case, once again, we thank You for forgiving us, and going forward, please help us, Jesus, to be mindful of how we approach and ask things of You. Please help us to remember it is You that have made us, and not we ourselves (Psalm 100:4). It is You, Jesus, who died and rose again for us! It is You Jesus, who gave many of us the gift of the Holy Ghost! It is in You Jesus, that we live, move and have our being——we cannot do anything without You! So we certainly have no claim to tell You what to do and how we want it done.

Instead, we will make our requests known unto You, through prayer, supplication and thanksgiving, and Your peace, which passes all understanding, will guide our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Thank You for helping us to come to You correctly, and help us to approach one another correctly as well, with our speech seasoned with salt, so that the people who are hearing us, see and hear You, Jesus. We thank You for this and all things, in Jesus Name, Amen!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, X,and Instagram. Also, if you so inclined, join us Thursday nights––we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Pandora, and Spotify!

Thank you SO much for stopping by! God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

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