Complete

Granddaddy and grandboy
2018

"Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead...make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:20-21)

Two summers ago, our oldest grandboy came to Alabama to build a treehouse. He and his granddaddy completed the job in three hard-working days.

In the book of James in the New Testament, the half-brother of Jesus Christ encouraged believers to count it all joy when we fall into trials because the testing of our faith produces perseverance or endurance (the King James translation reads "patience"). 

James offered a curious instruction: "Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Matthew Henry, a 17th century minister, wrote that God must work in us before we are fit for any good work, and the work of perseverance is to make us perfect. If we will let perseverance work, it will work wonders in times of trouble. 

Henry said bear all that God appoints with a humble heart and an obedient eye to Him. When the work of perseverance is completed, the Christian is entire—nothing wanting and furnished with all that is necessary for our Christian race and warfare, enabling us to persevere to the end.

For this reason, beloved, I bow my knee before the Father and pray that our Heavenly Father will use our trials to make us complete until He chooses to remove them. "I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen us with power through His Spirit in our inner being, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. I pray that we, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power, together to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ....that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:16-19)

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Week #17 Glassco Family Beach Trip Bible Memorization Challenge

oldest grandboy 2007

Week #17 Glassco Family Beach Trip Bible Memorization Challenge verse:

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Rejoicing over Alabama beaches reopening tomorrow at 5 PM. 

Praying for humanity to walk and live in the wisdom of God.

Thanking God for His love, grace, protection, and provision over my family.

Beloved what are you rejoicing, praying, and thanking Jesus for today?

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Hometown Hero

Grandboy 2018

"But when the people cried out to the LORD, He raised up for them a deliverer...who saved them." (Judges 3:9)

In the Old Testament book of Judges, God's people were living among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites when they took their daughters in marriage, gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their false gods. 

Because the Israelites had done evil in the eyes of the LORD by forgetting the LORD their God and serving the Baals and the Asherahs, the anger of the LORD burned against them. God sold His people into the hands of the king of Aram Naharaim, where they served as slaves for eight years.

But then...

When God's people cried out to the LORD, He raised up a hometown hero—Othniel, Caleb's younger brother. Judges 3:10 tell us that the Spirit of the LORD came upon Othniel, and the LORD gave the king of Mesopotamia into his hands. Afterward, the land had rest forty years. 

God has raised up hometown heroes across the history of humanity.

Abraham Lincoln, as the 16th President of the United States, led our nation victoriously through her greatest constitutional, military, and moral crisis in the Civil War.

Florence Nightingale of England founded modern nursing and served as a nurse during the Crimean War tending the wounded soldiers.

Dr. Jonas Salk developed one of the first successful polio vaccines to help conquer poliomyelitis, a disabling and life-threatening disease, which was the most frightening health problem around the world until 1955.

O Heavenly Father, we cry out to You today asking You to please raise up a hero against COVID-19. Please give scientists supernatural revelation for its prevention and cure. Please halt and eradicate this worldwide disease and bring healing and restoration in the countless lives affected by it.

We ask for this miracle in the powerful name of Jesus, the name that is above every name.

Amen and amen

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Brain Freeze

4-year-old grandboy

8:32 P.M. 

After 9,935 steps today loading sticks and pebbles into the red flyer wagon, digging for earthworms, baiting hooks, untangling lines, building legos, planting pumpkin seeds, and coloring with two little grandboys, my brain is frozen and won't put two thoughts together for a blog post. So, I'll let God speak for Himself tonight.

"The LORD said...Say to them:

'The LORD bless you and keep you;

the LORD make His face shine on you

and be gracious to you;

the LORD turn His face toward you [beloved]

and give you peace.'"

(Numbers 6:22-26)

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Surprise

Coosa River Cabin

"But me He caught—reached all the way from sky to sea; He pulled me out of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos, the void in which I was drowning. They hit me when I was down, but GOD stuck by me. He stood me up on a wide-open field; I stood there saved—surprised to be loved." (Psalm 18:16-19 The Message)

Last Saturday, my Phillip had a "surprise" appendectomy.

Today, my Phillip, well on his road to recovery, surprised me with a beautiful bouquet of spring flowers.

In Psalm 18, King David sang of his love for God and God's surprising and magnificent love for him.

Beloved, Jesus loves you magnificently! Does this surprise you?

"I love you, LORD, my strength...

I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies. The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me...

In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice; my cry came before Him, into His ears...

He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under His feet. He mounted the cherubim and flew; He soared on the wings of the wind...

The LORD thundered from heaven; the Most High resounded...

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me...

The LORD lives! Praise to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior...

I will praise you, LORD, among the nations; I will sing the praises of Your name!

Psalm 18

 A Song of David

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Teach the Children

The Winfred and Verna Watson Family
 kids, grands, and great-grands
December 2019

"The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." (Psalm 18:2)

It's time for the #16-Glassco-Beach-Trip-Bible-Memorization-Challenge verse. This morning I prayed, "Lord, what verse do You want the grands to learn this week?"

"Teach the children Joshua 1:9. 'Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.'"

Beloved, I challenge you to hide Joshua 1:9 in your heart, mind, and soul this week as well.

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

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Panic or Peace

my daddy
William Winfred Watson
New Guinea, World War II
1944

"God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:9)

Last week, Phillip and I finished reading Sterling North's award-winning autobiography: Rascal, set in 1918 when the Spanish flu pandemic killed 50 million people worldwide.

This week, we started Lois Lowry's award-winning youth fiction, Number the Stars, based on a true World War II story when the nation of Denmark smuggled 7,220 Danish Jews by sea to nearby neutral Sweden to escape the Nazi Germany Holocaust.

"In this world, you will have trouble," Jesus said in John 16:33, "but take heart and have peace in Me, because I have overcome the world." 

Today, we find ourselves in trouble—another history-making pandemic. We can live each day in panic or in peace depending on our focus.

Focus on Jesus, beloved, and live in His peace. He is faithful. He will never leave us or forsake us. He overcomes the troubles of our day.

"I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." (Romans 8:18)

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Happy 100th Birthday

My mother
Verna B. Watson
April 21, 1920—June 20, 2003

"Her children rise up and bless her; her husband also, and he praises her, saying, 'Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all.'" (Proverbs 31:28-29)

Happy 100th birthday, Mama. I love you so! Until we meet again, "may the LORD watch between you and me [while] we are absent one from another." (Genesis 31:49)

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A World on Its Knees

"God says, 'For a long time I kept silent; I did not answer My people. But now the time to act has come; I cry out like a woman in labor.'" (Isaiah 42:14)


One hundred seventy-seven nations around the globe have joined together in prayer—not just to a "god," but to Almighty God: Father, Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit—believing that if God's people who are called by His name will humble ourselves and pray and seek God's face and turn from our wicked, sinful ways, then God will hear from heaven, forgive our many sins, and heal our lands. Each blue teardrop on the map above represents a church or a believer on their knees before God's throne of grace.

Fall on your knees, beloved, and pray!

This week's Unite714 prayer:

Heavenly Father, we humbly come before You and ask You to sustain us by Your mercy, Your grace, and Your power. We continue to trust in Your gracious promises that "no weapon that is fashioned against" us, our families, or our churches "shall succeed."

We take refuge under Your protective wings. Your faithfulness is our shield. By Your great strength, protect our hearts and minds from the grip of terror. Empower us, oh God, so that fear will not paralyze us or define our lives.

Great multitudes are affected by this appalling pandemic, and so we lift them up before You in prayer. Heal those battling this disease and comfort those who have lost loved ones. We know You alone are our Healer.

As 2 Chronicles 7:14 urges us, we identify with the sins of our nation and ask for Your forgiveness. Have mercy on us. Spare us from this "pestilence." Cleanse us from our sins. Heal our lands.

With one heart and one voice, we stand together in unity, asking You, Almighty God, to protect our cities, our nations, and the world from COVID-19.

We pray this in the powerful Name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

www.Unite714.com 

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Days of Trouble

Children's Harbor on Lake Martin
Kowaliga, Alabama



"Pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Nearing three hundred years ago, Matthew Henry, a Welch minister and author, said, "Days of trouble must be days of prayer."

Are you praying to Father God in the name of Jesus His Son, beloved? Don't stop!

"Prayer is only as powerful as the one to whom you pray." ~ Jill Glassco ~

"Prayer is powerful because of the One who hears." ~ Max Lucado ~

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Our Redeemer is STRONG

my strong boys and a friend
2004

"The One who will rescue them is strong—His name is the LORD Almighty..." (Jeremiah 50:34 NLT)

A partial verse caught my eye and encouraged me this morning: "...their Redeemer is strong..." (Jer. 50:34 NIV)

Yes, You are strong LORD! The strongest!

In chapter 50 of the Old Testament book of Jeremiah, the prophet foretold that payback was coming. God would shatter the "hammer" Babylon that had hammered the whole world to pieces.

God's people were oppressed, but the One who will rescue them is strong—He Himself will take up their cause and bring peace to the earth and death to the enemy.

What a grand prayer this passage offers against COVID-19 that has hammered the whole world to pieces. Our Redeemer, the One who will rescue us, is strong. 

O Father God, please take up our cause and bring peace and healing to the earth and Your people. Pronounce sudden death upon COVID-19 in Jesus name and for Your glory! Amen and amen.

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God Will Not Forget Your Work

sweet Allie
(one of my beloved Bible Study girls)

"God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them." (Hebrews 6:10)

Thank you, frontline workers! We love you and are praying fervently for you in Jesus' name.

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Grasp the Love

Bell and the grandboys

Beloved,

"I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:17-19)

With love and prayers,

Jill 

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The After-Easter Story

my little friend and her Easter "buddies"

"At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn't see who He was." (John 21:4)

The week leading up to Resurrection Sunday [Easter] is a very familiar story, but where was Jesus the day after Easter? And the day after that? And the day after that?

In John chapter 20, the Bible tells us that on the first Easter Sunday, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene outside the empty tomb and to the some of His disciples that evening behind locked doors. Eight days later, Jesus let Thomas put his doubting fingers into His wounds.

John chapter 21 tells the story of the resurrected Jesus appearing again at dawn to His disciples on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

First Corinthians 15:6 records that Jesus appeared to more than 500 of His followers at one time.

And according to Acts 1:3, after His suffering on the cross, death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus appeared alive to the apostles from time to time over a period of 40 days, and He talked to them about the Kingdom of God.

"And after He had said these things, [Jesus] was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.'" (Acts 1:9-11)

"[Jesus] was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God." (Mark 16:19)

And today, April 13, 2020, Christ Jesus who died, yes, rather who was raised, is at the right hand of God interceding for us. (Romans 8:34)

In other words, beloved, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is praying for you today.

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