The Widow vs. The Unjust Judge

Hey there BCU Fam!

For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording (click here or on the BCU avatar below) 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 a parable is “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning”—-and so began my love of the parables.
  • The “Unjust Judge” is a story about a widow who had a situation that only this judge could rectify.
  • The judge was corrupt, but her insistence eventually wore him down.
  • This parable is a good reminder that persistence in prayer in the face of adversity will keep us from fainting and, that God, our Just Judge will always avenge His elect.

Scripture references:

Luke 18:1-7

1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:

3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.

4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;

5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Job 14:1

1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.

Isaiah 40:31

31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

I Thessalonians 5:17

17 Pray without ceasing.

Proverbs 24:10

10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

BCU Fam, persistent prayer is a necessary staple in the Christian’s life. We want to keep in mind that sometimes, our prayers are not answered “in our favor” (meaning, the way WE want) because our Just Judge has a better way of doing things. There are several things I “thought” were good for me, at the time, but thanks be to God HE KNEW differently and answered accordingly. So, when we pray consistently and persistently, God hears us, yes, but if we listen, we will hear Him, and in that, our hearts will acquiesce to His perfect will for our lives. Amen? Amen! Let’s pray!

Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank You for Your Word today and for You being our Just, Holy and Righteous Judge. Thank You for reminding us that nothing escapes Your knowledge and that You will always take care of Your elect. Bless us to remember that when we are wronged, You will right the wrong in Your way and on Your time——and that rather than us being consumed with how and when You avenge us, we want to continue praying and living so You are pleased with us in all that we think, say and do, in Jesus name, we 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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Avoiding Conflict: Never Take a Dog by the Ears…

Hey there BCU Fam!

For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording (click here or on the BCU avatar below) and refer to the written post for the highlights. We pray the rebroadcast blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post!

Podcast highlights:

  • After a productive day, we stopped to get ice cream at a local parlor.
  • This is a popular place, so the line was pretty long and moving at a snail’s pace.
  • One of the staff members was free to assist the line, but was distracted, talkative and disrespectful.
  • The staff member’s comments led to a very loud and embarrassing verbal altercation with a patron.
  • The Lord used this experience to remind and teach me a couple of lessons.

KJV Scripture References:

James 1:19-20

19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Proverbs 26:17

 17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

I Peter 4:15

 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Psalm 19:14

14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

BCU Fam, as I thought about what happened, the manager was correct in waiting until she was unctioned to ask “Robin” to take a break. Manager quietly apologized for the wait and as we talked, we agreed Robin needed formal training on how to conduct themselves professionally with guests, and refraining for jumping into unrelated conversations.

I thank the Lord for helping me (unconsciously) to walk out Proverbs 26:17——I was not led to interfere and should not have anyway——-because it was NOT my strife. Unless the Lord tells us otherwise, when strife comes up, we should stay out of it and maintain a posture of prayer for the Lord to intervene. Now that’s where the Lord reminded me that I could have done better.

I was so busy (now that I think about it, distracted is more like it) watching the events unfold, I did not have the presence of mind to pray. The distraction is likely a topic for another podcast, but, I will say this is why we need to have a consistent prayer life, so that God intervenes for us, even when we don’t think to pray in the moment. So, I received that correction and with His grace, will apply what He taught me. What a merciful God we serve! Let’s pray!

Father, in the name of Jesus, as many of us are peacemakers, as we should be, thank you for reminding us that our responsibility is to pursue peace and resolution with the strife and conflict in our own lives. We ask you to help us successfully manage the strife that belongs to us, and unless otherwise prompted, help is to stay out of “other men’s matters”, and to remain prayerful for the parties involved. Thank you for hearing our plea and blessing us to follow Your directions accordingly. In Jesus name, 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 for our Thursday Night Bible Study––we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform BCU is available on. Some of those platforms are Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and many more of your favorite podcast platforms!

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

Love,

BCU

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Teen Conversations & Airport Reflections

Hey there BCU Fam!

Because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording (click here or on the BCU avatar below) 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:

  • The kiddos (well, high-schoolers) and I had some eye-opening conversations, as it relates to life and their worldview.
  • In this impromptu post,I’m live from the airport as I reflect on a chat we had about teens not “needing” adults.

KJV Scripture references

Genesis 1:1-12

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”

You know, BCUFam, once again, I did not intend to podcast whilst I was waiting, but I’m so grateful that the Lord prompted me to do so! Let’s continue to pray for our young people, and for one another. Amen? 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

Parting is such sweet sorrow…..

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Independence, trust & trauma

Hey there BCU Fam!

For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording (click here or on the BCU avatar below) 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:

  • Independence is an encouraged and prized trait in our culture—–especially for women.
  • Books, songs, and movies tout the fact that women do not need anyone at all——they can do everything on their own.
  • Admittedly, shifts in society, lack of resources, unforeseen circumstances, and sometimes our choices make it where women have to hold things together alone.
  • While some independence is needed AND a wonderful thing, too much of it is actually unhealed trauma manifesting itself in our relationships, or lack of them.*
  • Jesus knows all about what happened, and wants to and can heal us from the trauma and bless us to trust again.

Scripture references:

Jeremiah 17:5-8

5 Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.

6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.

7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Psalm 147:3

He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

Psalm 34:18

18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Isaiah 55:9

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

Proverbs 4:23

23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

The Lord will sort things out, if we let Him in.

BCU Fam, many of us, myself included, have been on the receiving end of trauma and it can/does break your heart and spirit. For others, we may now realize we were the trauma causers. Or, perhaps, we continue in the “spirit of ultra-independence” (rooted in pride), and leave Jesus out of our circumstances——–and then things really become messy. Whatever the situation, there is an Answer! Jesus is available and is offering us help only He can give. He wants forgive us, heal us, redirect us, and make us whole. Let’s pray about it.

Father, in the name of Jesus, as we come before you, we thank You that Your presence is Here. We pray for those who have been on the receiving end of trauma, those who are going through trauma now, and those who have been through trauma and are unsure what to do. We pray now in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, that You will speak to broken hearts and spirits everywhere, Lord! Please touch someone, even now, where they are, in Your healing Name, Jesus——speak to their heart, and please mend it and put them back together again! Please speak to the minds of Your people and help them to forgive the person(s) who caused the trauma. Bless all who are listening, who this post and prayer is for, to hear Your voice, to feel Your Spirit, and to be renewed in both heart and mind. We thank You that the trauma will no longer identify them, that they will no longer live in hurt, guilt and shame, but that they rise up in the Name of Jesus with a renewed heart, mind and spirit. Bless us to be able to deal with people according to how you would, with Your help, Jesus.

No more, will we walk around with in independence saying we do not need anyone——-rather we thank You for the people you put in our lives to undergird and support us. Bless us to know how far to take our relationships, what to do, and what to say, who to keep in our lives, and who to let go of, so that You are glorified, honored and praised. Remember and forgive those who have caused the trauma. If we were the perpetrators, help us to acknowledge what we’ve done, apologize where we need to, and not to repeat the same patterns again. Please forgive us for walking in independence and leaning to our own understanding. Bless us to remember we can depend you on You, Jesus, to help us make the right decisions. Ahhh, we thank You, Lord for making and keeping us whole in the Name of Jesus!

As the tears flow for some of us, we thank You comfort, strength, mercy and restoring relationships today! We thank you healing and delivering and we bless Your Holy name! Thank You for coming to speak to our hearts and minds and we will continue to give Your name the praise, glory and honor that belongs to You, as we live our lives out loud for and through You, Jesus! In Your 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, Twitter and Instagram.

Also, if you so inclined, join us for our Thursday Night Bible Study––we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform BCU is available on. Some of those platforms are Amazon Music, AnchorFm, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify,  Stitcher Radio , and many more of your favorite podcast platforms!

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

Love,

BCU

*The source post I refer to in the podcast–the author is unknown. If anyone recognizes the content, please let me know so we can credit the wonderful person who brought this matter to our attention. Thanks, BCUFam!

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The unjust judge

Hey there BCU Fam!

For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording (click here or on the BCU avatar below) 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:

  • Years ago, a pastor taught me that a parable is “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning”–and so began my love of the parables.
  • The “Unjust Judge” is a story about a widow who had a situation that only this judge could rectify.
  • The judge was corrupt, but her insistence eventually wore him down.
  • This parable is a good reminder that persistence in prayer in the face of adversity will keep us from fainting and, that God, our Just Judge will always avenge His elect.

Scripture references:

Luke 18:1-7

1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:

3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.

4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;

5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Job 14:1

1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.

Isaiah 40:31

31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

I Thessalonians 5:17

17 Pray without ceasing.

Proverbs 24:10

10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

BCU Fam, persistent prayer is a necessary staple in the Christian’s life. We want to keep in mind that sometimes, our prayers are not answered “in our favor” (meaning, the way WE want) because our Just Judge has a better way of doing things. There are several things I “thought” were good for me, at the time, but thanks be to God HE KNEW differently and answered accordingly. So, when we pray consistently and persistently, God hears us, yes, but if we listen, we will hear Him, and in that, our hearts will acquiesce to His perfect will for our lives. Amen? Amen! Let’s pray!

Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank You for Your Word today and for You being our Just, Holy and Righteous Judge. Thank You for reminding us that nothing escapes Your knowledge and that You will always take care of Your elect. Bless us to remember that when we are wronged, You will right the wrong in Your way and on Your time——and that rather than us being consumed with how and when You avenge us, we want to continue praying and living so You are pleased with us in all that we think, say and do, in Jesus name, we 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, Twitter and Instagram.

Also, if you so inclined, join us for our Thursday Night Bible Study––we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform BCU is available on. Some of those platforms are Amazon Music, AnchorFm, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify,  Stitcher Radio , and many more of your favorite podcast platforms!

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

Love,

BCU

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