The Prayer Heard Round the World

sweet grandboys
2017

"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Today, Friday May 29th at 10:00 A.M. CDT prayer to Almighty God in the name of His Son Jesus Christ will literally be heard round the world. Pastors from Australia, Zimbabwe, Asia, United Kingdom, United States, and more will join together via internet.

Beloved, will you come to the prayer meeting? Missed it? No worries. Now available on YouTube: "UNITE714 Global Prayer Event" 

www.unite714.com

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Merciful Jesus

"O Jerusalem"
by talented artist Greg Olsen
www.gregolsen.com

"Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble..." (Psalm 31:9)

When I looked up the English translation of the beautiful hymn "Pie Jesu," I discovered an even more beautiful prayer. Beloved, this is my prayer for you today:

Pie Jesu 

(Merciful Jesus)

Pie Jesu 

(Merciful Jesus)

Pie Jesu 

(Merciful Jesus)

Pie Jesu 

(Merciful Jesus)

Qui tollis peccata mundi 

(Who takes away the sins of the world)

Dona eis requiem

(Grant them rest)

Dona eis requiem

(Grant them rest)

Agnus Dei

(Lamb of God)

Agnus Dei

(Lamb of God)

Agnus Dei

(Lamb of God)

Agnus Dei

(Lamb of God)

Qui tollis peccata mundi 

(Who takes away the sins of the world)

Dona eis requiem

(Grant them rest)

Dona eis requiem

(Grant them rest)

Sempiternam

(Everlasting)

Sempiternam

(Everlasting)

Requiem

(Peace)

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Awaiting Your Orders, Sir

Our Dan
(front and center, Ramadi Iraq 2009)

"Then David did so, just as the LORD had commanded him." (2 Samuel 5:25)

This morning in a children's praise song, I heard:

"Be bold and be strong

Banish fear and doubt

For the promise of your God

Is to bless your coming in 

And to bless you going out...

As Joshua did at Jericho,

We will SHOUT to defeat the foe

Before the King of kings!"

and remembered that in every Old Testament victory, the children of God did exactly as He commanded them.

In Genesis 14 when Pharaoh's chariots charged in hot pursuit of the Israelites, God said, "Stand still and see the salvation of the LORD. I will fight for you!" And the waters God parted for His people, washed over the Egyptian chariots and horsemen and Pharaoh's entire army.

In Joshua 6, in the battle of Jericho, God said, "March around the city for six days, and on the seventh day, march around the city seven times. Have seven priests with seven trumpets of rams' horns sound the trumpets and all the people SHOUT!" At the seventh time when the seven priests sounded the seven horns and the people shouted, the walls of Jericho fell flat!

In 2 Samuel 5, in the war with the Philistines, King David inquired of the LORD. God said, "Do not go directly up; circle around behind them and come at them from the balsam trees. When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, GO!" David did so, just as the LORD had commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer.

Today, beloved, in this fierce war with COVID-19, let us inquire of the LORD and do exactly as He commands us because, as my four-year-old grandboy sings, "Victory belongs to Jesus. Victory belongs to Him!"

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Before and After

4-year-old grandboy
before and after

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)

I've always viewed the universe through a literal mind. When I was three, I asked my mother if I could go play with the neighbor kids. She looked out the window and said, "I don't see any sign of 'em. Maybe they're resting." To which I replied, "Mama, Freddy and Steve never put up a sign when they're resting."

As a student of the Bible, I've viewed Revelation 21:1 ("Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away") literally, believing that today's heaven and earth will on that Day vanish, disappear, be no more. Then God will create a new heaven and earth. 

However, 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells me that on the day Christ saved me, the old Jill was gone, and the new Jill-in-Christ was created.

So, whether the literal translation or the symbolic translation is correct, I don't know. But this I know 100%: Whatever the new heaven and new earth look like, we who belong to Jesus Christ will be with our Lord and Savior forever and ever and evermore. Therefore, beloved, comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 5:17b-18)

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Like the Martins

Coosa River

"And there was a prophetess, Anna...She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers." (Luke 2:26-37)

Phillip and I love sitting in the swing on the riverbank this time of year and watching the Martins. From the first light of dawn till darkness falls, these selfless servants glide over the river again and again and again gathering insects and feeding their nestlings.

Lord Jesus, please help me selflessly serve others like the Martins and like You.

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Baby Teeth

18-month-old babygrand

"For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God." (Romans 1:20)

Beloved, want undeniable proof that there is a God? Okay, here it is: baby teeth. 

Smile.

Baby teeth don't "evolve." By brilliant design, those tiny ones fall out, and permanent teeth take their place. All praise to God, the magnificent Creator, Designer, and Architect of all things! 

O LORD my God, how great You are!

You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens;

You lay out the rafters of Your home in the rain clouds.

You placed the world on its foundation

so it will never be moved.

You send rain on the mountains from Your heavenly home,

and You fill the earth with the fruit of Your labor.

You made the moon to mark the seasons,

and the sun knows when to set.

O LORD, what a variety of things You have made!

In wisdom You have made them all

[even baby teeth].

The earth is full of Your creatures.

May the glory of the LORD continue forever!

The LORD takes pleasure in all He has made!

Let all that I am praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD!

(from Psalm 104)

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Bragging Rights

our firstborn grandboy

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for people." (Colossians 3:23)

I'm exercising "Memaw bragging rights" today:

Grandboy's 8th-grade graduation awards:

• B-TV Executive Producer
• Excellence in English
• Excellence in PE
• Excellence in Robotics
• National Jr. Honor Society
• Outstanding Achievement in Science
• Outstanding Achievement in Social Studies
• Overall Citizenship Award
• Presidential Silver

Good job, Buddy!!! Memaw is so very proud of you!!!

Beloved, are you working with all your heart as for the Lord in everything you do?

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Bug in the Eye

me
1964

"Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, 'Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye." (Matthew 7:1-5)

Last Friday at dusk, while riding my bike at the farm, a bug nailed me right smack dab in the eye. My eyeball felt like it was on fire! 

In the searing pain, Jesus' warning to hypocrites in Matthew 7 came to mind: "Why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a [burning] log in your own?"

This week, I heard a great definition of hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is focusing on other's sins more than my own.

Nailed.

Lord Jesus, please forgive me for my hypocrisy. Help me recognize, confess, and repent of my own sins before I even try to help a friend turn from theirs.

Amen, beloved?

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The Final Glassco Family Beach Trip Bible Memorization Challenge Verse

Grandboys Tonka Race
Fort Morgan Beach 2018

The final Glassco Family Beach Trip Bible Memorization Challenge verse is:

"I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You." (Psalm 119:11)

The suspense builds! Team Stephen? Team Ben? Team Dan? Who will the winner be? 

Stay tuned!

(The Glassco Family Beach Trip Bible Memorization Challenge Champion to be announced mid-June.) 

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Focus

Dan and Falco

"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You." (Isaiah 26:3)

Thursday night text: "Pray for Dan and Falco. Going in."

I confess that this mama's heart drops every time I get the news of these potentially dangerous assignments, because my first thought is for the safety of my son and his K-9.  (Notice the direction of the girl's eyes in Rebecca's sketch from her journal.)

However, as soon as I refocus on God and His word, fear fades and peace invades.

Beloved, fear arises from focusing on something or someone other than Jesus.

"If you want to be of use to God, maintain the proper relationship with Jesus Christ by staying focused on Him." 

~ Oswald Chambers ~

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Superpowers

Virginia
our superhero

"Then He told me, 'My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that...it was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness...I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become." (2 Corinthians 9-10 The Message)

We continue to pray morning, noon, night, and in-between for my niece, co-workers, and patients as very sick inmates from a nearby prison pour into the hospital. 

I told her, "Virginia, you are the hands of Jesus ministering to those in great need, and "God will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for others, as you still do" (Hebrews 6:10).

Pray without ceasing, beloved. Join the global Unite714 prayer event on Friday May 29th 10:00 AM CDT via Facebook Live, YouTube Live, as well as multiple television networks.

"Don't be afraid...Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven." (Daniel 10:12)

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Enter His Gates

"The Gate"
by Verna B. Watson, 1999
my mother

Week #19 of the Glassco Family Beach Trip Bible Memorization Challenge verse is:

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name!" (Psalm 100:4)

Beloved, though a pandemic covers the globe and unemployment sky-rockets; though graduations and sports events are cancelled; though people wear masks and rubber gloves to grocery shop and congregations worship online...

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

Worship the LORD with gladness;

Come before Him with joyful songs.

Know that the LORD Himself is God;

It is He who has made us, and we are His;

We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving

And His courts with praise.

Give thanks to Him and praise His name.

For the LORD is good and His love endures forever;

His faithfulness continues through all generations!

(Psalm 100)

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Refuge to Sink

my beloved friend, Cuba

"So God has given both His promise and His oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to Him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold on to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God's inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone there for us..." (Hebrews 6:18-20)

On my beloved friend Cuba's healthcare badge dangles a little pendent. One side holds an anchor.

Powerful words engrave the other side.

Cuba's 87-year-old mother is in a hospital battling COVID-19. Her devoted children refuse to sink because Jesus is their anchor.

In a storm, beloved? Grab hold of Jesus. Walk by faith and not by sight. 

Refuse to sink!

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On Hold

"Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the LORD." (Psalm 27:14)


Because, as a business owner, my publisher is overwhelmed with problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic, my new book (which was supposed to be released in April) has been placed on hold. I'm diligently exercising patience muscles and doggedly fighting back the urge to take matters into my own hands. 

After asking the Lord what to do, every thing I read shouted, "Wait!"

Jill,  faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). Walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward (Hebrews 10:35). Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage (Psalm 27:14).

"The path of blessing and honor always goes through the land of testing and obedience. Stay on the path, and trust God for where it leads. Be faithful in the little and difficult things on the way." 
~ Dr. David Jeremiah ~

"Wait for the LORD and His winds of opportunity. He will exalt you when the timing is perfect." ~ Pastor Larry Stockstill ~

So, what do you do, beloved, when you're put on hold? "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16,17,18)

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Orange-Peel Perfume

 "...and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume." (John 12:3)

An Open Letter to My Mother, 

posted by Rebecca Jill Glassco Figert on Mother's Day 2020

Dear Mama,

"Do you want to share an orange?" 

I remembered those words last night after dinner. Stephen had made orange chicken—a family favorite. I noticed that he didn't use one of the oranges. I started thinking about what we could do with the leftover orange. 

That's when your words came to my mind: "Do you want to share an orange, Rebecca?" You were usually sitting in the living room with a paper towel spread across your lap. Football was on TV, and Daddy and the boys were with us. It was dark outside—the time of day when, for some reason, families like to be together, to come close. Probably because all the work is finally finished, and probably because we had been in the habit since I was little. 

I would say yes to the orange. We would eat it slowly; we weren't in a hurry. I would examine the inside of each slice and notice the tiny tear-drop pockets of citrus bursts—how organized and how pretty they were. You showed me the secret of natural orange perfume. You would squeeze the orange peel and a spritz of citrus sprayed out. I held out my wrists and drenched myself with orange-peel perfume.

Mama, did you know that I can't see an orange without thinking of you? It is a sweet memory I cherish, but it's more than a memory. I cannot even eat an orange without wanting to share it. Did you know that you taught me that an orange tastes better when it's shared?

It just occurred to me what I am going to do with this leftover orange. I am going to peel it, pull apart the slices, and ask the kids, "Does anyone want to share an orange."

I love you, Mama!

Your daughter,

Rebecca

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A Pearl of Great Value

"Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)



Last evening while strolling through the neighborhood, we discovered a pretty little jewel growing in a crack of the asphalt.

This morning, I found a pearl of great value living in the Holy Scriptures. As I dug through Paul's spiritual-gifts teachings in 1 Corinthians 12, the treasure I was searching for sat in clear view right next door in chapter 13...

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have the faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

As recorded in the book of Acts, Paul had stayed in Corinth for about a year helping the Corinthians birth their church and grow in their faith in Jesus Christ. Later, when he learned that the Corinthian church was plagued with multiple problems, Paul wrote his friends two letters. The first letter (1 Corinthians) pointed out five primary problems and applied the gospel to the troublesome situations. 

In chapters 11-14 of his letter, Paul addressed the issues that were disturbing their Sunday gatherings. He offered insight on the purpose of spiritual gifts and which ones are appropriate for building up the body of Christ. 

God through Paul taught that the primary watchword is LOVE. In a community of Jesus, individuals should not pursue what elevates self in a service but rather what benefits and serves others well. Each person should strive to build a community of love that is patient and kind, does not envy or boast, is not proud, does not dishonor others, is not self-seeking or easily angered, a love that keeps no records of wrongs, a love that always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

So, what have I learned over the past two days? I was asking the wrong question! 

The question is not whether sign gifts ceased or not (theologians way smarter than me have debated this point for centuries). The valuable question is: Jill, are you loving My people well?

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Study—Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth

our Ben
high school graduation
Class of 2001

"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)

My friend, Tammy, and I are on a treasure hunt. She believes that sign gifts ceased with the apostolic age. It is my understanding of Scripture that all gifts of the Spirit listed in Romans 12:4-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:1-10 are still given to mankind today according to the Holy Spirit's bidding (1 Corinthians 12:11).

Rather than agree to disagree, we're imitating the Bereans of Acts 17:11 who "received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." 

Because, the ONLY opinion that matters a hill of beans is God's.

May 7th National Day of Prayer service tonight at:

www.nationaldayofprayer.org

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Week #18 Glassco Family Beach Trip Bible Memorization Challenge

my card from Rebecca's beautiful/handsome family

Week #18 Glassco Family Beach Trip Bible Memorization Challenge verse:

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done." (Philippians 4:6-7)


Beloved are you worrying or praying or both? Drop worry like a hot potato; pray to Jesus with thanksgiving and wholehearted trust. 

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A Bible Verse You DO NOT Know

grandgirl (right)
Irish Step Dance

"While the young women were dancing, each man caught one and carried her off to be his wife."

You're probably wondering, "Is that verse really in the Bible???"

Yep. Really. Judges 21:23. Verse 25 goes on to say: "In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit."

What happens when people do what seems right in their own eyes?

Chaos.

Disaster.

Death.

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." (Proverbs 16:25)

Beloved, DO NOT do what seems right in your own eyes. Follow, obey, and fear the King of kings—Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

"I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a Son of Man, and He came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him...His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom one that shall not be detroyed!" (Daniel 7:13-14)

"He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which He is called is The Word of God...On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords." (Revelation 19:13,16)

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Overwhelmed

grands
Easter 2010

"I'm overwhelmed with sorrow! sunk in a swamp of despair! I'm like someone who goes to the garden to pick cabbages and carrots and corn and returns empty-handed, finds nothing for soup or sandwich or salad." (Micah 7:1)

Lots of folks I know are feeling overwhelmed these days. Are you feeling this way, beloved? 

grandboy 2020
(the same one crying in 2010 photo, who graciously agreed to send Memaw his "overwhelmed" face)

Three antidotes that counteract the poison of "depressed and stressed" are:

1. Seeking God's face. "In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul." (Psalm 138:3)
2. Praising Him. "Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise, for the LORD is good and His love endures forever. His faithfulness continues to all generations." (Psalm 100:5)
3. Meditating on His truth-filled Word. "Ah, LORD God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You." (Jeremiah 32:17)

So, open your mouth wide and lift those hands. You'll feel much better very soon.

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