Can We Talk?

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Christian Life, Christian Women, Prayer

This evening I shared in a very touching event.  Ten other sisters in Christ along with myself gathered for a time of prayer for 2 in the group.  One is caring for an elderly mother who is near passing to be with Christ, and the other is carrying the burden and pain of family troubles.  As I sat in this circle of women and listened as each one lifted up each of these women to the Lord it hit me, “Yes!  This is it.”  This is what Believers do.  We are there for one another.  We are interceding, encouraging, helping with physical needs as well as spiritual ones.  I saw this small group of ladies of all ages and stages in life come together with one thing in mind, bowing before our Lord on behalf of someone else and seeking God’s perfect and just will.

I have felt for a long time that we as Christians need to get back to the basics.  We need to seek out the hurting brothers and sisters in Christ and exhort them, pray for them, love them.  We need to take an interest in each other’s lives.  Isn’t that what they did in the early Church?  They would sell all they had if one of the brothers was in need.  We have enough large events, conferences, retreats, the list goes on and on.  Loud speakers, loud music, and too much food.  What we all need is a little small group time with a group of fellow Believers who love to talk about the Lord and a cup of coffee.  That’s it.  Give me 5 close friends who love the Lord around a kitchen table any day over a huge conference and thousands in the bleachers.  Some of my favorite discussions happen after such an event as I chat with my closest friends about what God is doing in our lives.  We just need to talk to one another. 

Prior to this time of prayer I had sat with another great friend as we prayed for our students, and for God to move on their young and lost souls.  How utterly amazing it is to be able to hand over all your cares and worries to God and know that He has heard.  I feel God is moving among us and I am so ready!

Rom 10:1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.

The effective and fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.  James 5:16b

God hears us and when our desires are His desires then things start to happen.  By that I mean our desires have changed and have become what He has desired all along.  Tonight I think we all agreed we need to get together and do this more.  It not only lifted and blessed the two who are hurting, but it also blessed and encouraged us who had come to pray.  I hope this sparks a much needed interest in the more intimate things of Christ among Believers.  I feel very blessed to have been involved with interceding for my sisters and also for the youth who need Christ so much.  I will continue to pray and expect great and marvelous things from our Lord.

Diligently Seeking Him,

LiveJournal Tags: christian,prayer,christian life,christian women

Help My Unbelief

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Bible, Christian, christian faith, Christian Life, Encouragement

“Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”  Mark 9:24

“…one thing you lack…”  Mark 10:21

 

I’ve been studying with some young people lately who are unsure of what they believe.  Some are willing to go to Him and ask for understanding, to admit they don’t understand and need Him to give them more knowledge of Him and yet, I’m afraid, many of them will do just as the young ruler did.  The young ruler was saddened by what Jesus told him and went away.  HE WENT AWAY!  He did not seek to have belief, he did not seek to understand.  He did not DESIRE to know more.  He found out what he needed to do and made a decision to NOT do it.  He had the Key and threw it away!  Why, when we hear something we do not understand or perhaps do understand but don’t want it to be TRUTH, do we decide we know best and refuse to seek understanding? 

What is the ONE thing the rich young ruler lacked?  The young, rich ruler was asking Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life.  It wasn’t earthly goods.  It was complete TRUST in Christ, the Son of God.  The Bible tells us he had kept all the commandments, he had DONE all the so-called “right” things BUT he did not have total faith in Christ-his faith and his heart, was in what he owned.  His STUFF.  Yet, the Bible says, ‘Jesus, looking at him loved him.’ 

People aren’t kept from entering the Kingdom of God because they are rich, they are kept from entering the Kingdom because they do not believe and put total trust in Jesus.  Many think it is a money issue.  We should strive to be poor and do without earthly things.  No, we should not become enslaved to our earthly things.  We should not spend every waking hour trying to get more, more, more.  The question is where is our trust placed?  In these uncertain times in our nation many are running scared.  You can’t turn on the television without hearing how bad off we are.  We are hearing also how our government is going to ‘bail us out’.  Well, it is time we stop running around in circles and looking to Washington to save us and just look up.  What or shall I say WHO do we trust?  Do we trust our money, our government or do we trust in Christ and His ability to sustain us by giving us what we NEED?  Can those of us who do trust in Christ admit to Him that at times we need Him to ‘help our unbelief’ ?

Like the father who said, “I believe, help my unbelief!”  It’s all about our ability to BELIEVE and TRUST Christ.  Jesus knew the young ruler had too much trust in his possessions and that until he was able to take his trust off of them and put it on Jesus he would not totally be trusting in Christ.  He lacked BELIEF.  The father believed, BUT also knew he had doubts and he wasn’t afraid or too proud to admit it.  He knew ONLY JESUS could help him, so He went to Jesus and desired to believe and understand more.  Like him, we must go to Jesus, we must desire to understand more and more of him if we are ever to fully know Him.

“Who then can be saved?”

The disciples asked Jesus, “Who then can be saved?”  after he told them it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to be saved.  What was His reply?

With men is is impossible, but not with GOD; for with GOD all things are possible.”  Mark 10:27

Our faith must be in Jesus Christ.  If we are trusting in our money, our jobs, our family and not in Christ we cannot know the joy of salvation.  Only with God are we given the ability to be saved.  You may know someone who has not put faith and trust in Christ.  It may look to you impossible that they ever will, but “With God all things are possible.”  There may be a Truth you do not understand, a situation in your life that seems impossible at this time.  If you will respond like the father and cry out “Help my unbelief”  God can change you.  He will give you the understanding you need.

Don’t be found lacking the One thing that can set you free!

 

Blessings Today,

Pammy Liz

For even the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and to GIVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM for many.  Mark 10:45

Everyone Needs a New Notebook

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Christian Life

As I ponder on what to write today I can’t help but think about the year ahead.  Regardless of what I did (or didn’t do) in the passing year I now have a “new” year in which to “start over” , so to speak.  What will I do with this clean slate? 

Maybe it’s just me but I love paper.  Strange, I know, but there is something really great about a brand-new notebook.  Fresh, clean, without marks or smudges.  I can hardly wait to get it home, open it carefully and think of something really great to write on those pages.  I’m careful not to just scribble, I want neat and clean lines.  Funny though, as the pages go by and the notebook is not so new anymore, how I become careless with those once fresh pages.  Scribbling on some, ripping out others and soon my fresh clean notebook is just a book tossed in a pile with the rest and I’m looking for a new notebook once again.

We look at the new year in much the same way.  We think that this old year is gone and we have this fresh, clean start.  The first week or two we are careful to not smudge ourselves, keeping whatever resolution we made for the new year.  As the months go by though, we begin to slip and let things slide and before we know it, we’re back at December 31st again, looking forward to our new chance to to “it” right.  The endless cycle continues.   It’s exhausting and reason to completely lose all hope!

Don’t lose hope!  There is one thing you CAN do that will not have to be done over next New Year’s Eve.  Like that old notebook that has scribbles, smudges and mistakes, you can be renewed.  Those old pages can be torn out and tossed away never to be seen or read again.  (Psalm 51:10, Matt. 8:2-3)

As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.   Pslam 103:12

Make this new year truly NEW.  You can become like that new notebook, fresh and clean and whiter than snow.  Jesus is waiting, ready to erase your mistakes, once and for all. 

Now, for those of us who have done this already we have another call.    To seek Him DILIGENTLY.   If you must have a New Year’s resolution why not make it one that really matters-to seek HIM diligently.  That is my prayer for 2009.

  Pslam 119: 1-4   How blessed are those whose way is blameless, Who walk in the law of the LORD.

How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart.

They also do no unrighteousness; They walk in His ways.

You have ordained Your precepts, That we should keep them diligently.

Matthew 5:6  “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Are you seeking Him DILIGENTLY?  Am I?  I think more posts will be coming about this word.

Why not start TODAY?

Lord, thank you for giving me a new start, a clean page and for totally erasing all of the mistakes I made.  I thank you that you continue to cover over my smudges-that I all have to do is confess to you my sin and you are faithful and just to forgive and cleanse me. (1 John 1:9)  I also pray for my brothers and sisters, as well as myself, that we would truly seek You, as your Word says-Diligently.  It is when we do that we truly will know You and be blessed.  In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Blessings Today,

Pammy Liz

LIGHT Has Dawned

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Bible, Christian, Christian Life

As we come upon that glorious day of Christmas I  have been coming across some  very interesting passages in my early morning time with the Lord.  It seems as though the Lord has been refreshing me lately and how wonderful it is.  It’s amazing to me how one can read His Word over and over and yet still find something new each time.  Just goes to prove how alive His Word is!

I was reading though Matthew this morning.  Not just to read the story of his birth, but it just seem like a good place to start today.  As I read through the first few chapters I was struck by how many times it was written “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet”  Time and time again, from the angel speaking to Joseph, the wise men, John the Baptist, and when Jesus began his ministry in Galilee.  Prophecy was fulfilled.  Nothing was happening that God had not beforehand ordained and put in to motion.  Doesn’t that make you feel great!  Knowing that God, all along, had a plan to save us!  Then I came upon this verse that really made me just stop in awe.  It starts in Matthew chapter 4, verse 12:

Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee.  And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,

By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,

Galilee of the Gentiles:

The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,

And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death

Light has dawned.”

 

Light has dawned!  Jesus has come!  He was walking among them.  I wonder if those people in Galilee had any idea what was happening the day Jesus walked into town.  Did they know that the Light had come?  Those three little words just really touched my heart this morning with such refreshing hope.  Not that I had lost hope, but boy, isn’t it good when the Lord just sends beautiful reminders to us once in a while! 

Isaiah 9:1-7 speaks of this, which is so amazing to me as well and just as beautiful.  Read for yourself:

NEVERTHELESS the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed,

As when at first He lightly esteemed

The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,

And afterward more heavily oppressed her,

By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,

In Galilee of the Gentiles.

The people who walked in darkness

Have seen a great light;

Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,

Upon them a light has shined.

You have multiplied the nation

And increased its joy;

They rejoice before You

According to the joy of harvest,

As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

For You have broken the yoke of his burden

And the staff of his shoulder,

The rod of his oppressor,

As in the day of Midian.

For every warrior’s sandal from the noisy battle,

And garments rolled in blood,

Will be used for burning and fuel of fire.

For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of His government and peace

There will be no end,

Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,

To order it and establish it with judgment and justice

From that time forward, even forever.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Like the Galileans, are we aware that The Light has come?  We all are in darkness but Jesus was sent to bring us Light and Life everlasting.  We don’t need to stay in the dark any longer.  Believe on Him, The Light of the World and live in his Glorious Light!

Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Lord, thank you.  Thank you for thinking of me before time began.  For putting into motion the Way to free me from my sin.  For sending Your son, Jesus, to be the perfect sacrifice, the perfect Lamb that would pay the “ransom” for my soul and all those who believe on His Name.  Thank you!  In His Perfect, and Wonderful Name, Amen.

Blessings Today,

Pammy Liz

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Thirsty Week

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Christian Life, Prayer

Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat.  Yes come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.  Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy?  Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.  Isaiah 55:1-2

This has been a long week for me.  It started out great, a visit from family whom we have not seen in quite a while.  Time with family is never long enough and this visit was cut short due to a family emergency back in Kansas.  I guess actually it ended great too, it was just incredibly long for some reason.  Ever have one of those weeks?

I think I know the culprit to my exhausting week.  I’ve been neglecting my prayer time and Bible reading time and I think it is catching up with me.  I have thought about it and I’m ashamed to say I was always too tired, or too busy to do it.  I’ve even felt a nudge from God day to day telling me He wanted me to talk to Him.  Somehow I always fell asleep or had something more pressing to accomplish.  It’s like when I go all day long feeling thirsty but I am just so busy I never stop to get a drink; or drink all the wrong things like a soda or juice when what my body is crying for is good old fashioned water.  Finally when I do reach for the H2O I’m headache bound and feeling horrible. 

In the same way I have been thirsty for God and I’ve been too busy to get a drink.  Why do I do that?   Why do I deny myself the One thing that will quench my soul?  I know that when I do take the time each day things go better.  Not to say difficult days don’t come, but I have the ability to handle them the way God would have me to, because I’ve spent time talking with my Father. 

The good thing is, He is still here.  He is waiting for me to sit down in His quiet and listen for that still small voice.  He is waiting for me to open His Word so He can speak to me the desires of His heart and guide my steps as he has done time and time again.  He is always there, even when I drift away, too busy to stop for a moment with Him.  Yes, He is there.  He never forgets.

Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb?  Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you.  See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands.  Isaiah 49:15-16

Thank you Lord, for not forgetting me.  Even when I allow the day to day hustle and bustle to distract me You are there waiting to give me Your Water.  Speak to my heart in those times Lord, causing me to stop and rejoice in Your Joy and Your Presence.  In Jesus’ Name

Blessings Today,

Pammy Liz

 

When HE Walks By

Tags

Bible, Christian Life, Church

. In John 5:1-15 the Bible tells of a man who for 38 years had been sick.  He lay by the pool of Bethesda hoping to one day be able to make it in to the pool after the angel stirred the waters.  Day in and day out he lay there, unable to get to the water in time.  Still he waited.  Others made it into the water and were healed, but not this man.  Just imagine, he had been sick for 38 years and not one person came by and saw his need.  Not one person took it upon themselves to help him get to the water.

Then one day HE came by.  The man probably thought it would be a day like every other day.  The angel would come down and stir up the water and everyone would rush to the pool hoping to be the first to step into the healing waters and be healed.  He would be stepped over, pushed around, shoved to the side, and he would not make it once again.  This day would not be like the others.  No, there was Someone in town who would change things.  Jesus was here

 

verse 6:  when Jesus saw him lying there, and knew he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”  (7)  The sick man answered Him, “Sir I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”  (8)  Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.”

That was it!  All it took was the words from the Savior, Jesus Christ, and he was healed.  Completly.  He didn’t do anything to deserve it, he didn’t even ask for it specifically, he just admitted that he needed and desired to be made well.  Jesus knew he needed healed and so that is what he did.  After 38 years of suffering and waiting for someone to help him all it took was a look and a word from the Son of God.  Nothing else.  That is how it is for us.  We were sinners, needing a way out.  No one else could do it for us, no one could push us into the water so-to-speak, it just took Jesus and us realizing we needed Him to make us right.

THE REST OF THE STORY:  Another part of that story I find interesting is that after the man picked up his mat and walked, after 38 years of lying there, others there, the Pharisies that is,  weren’t interested in the fact that this man could walk.  They were not impressed with the idea that after all of these years suddenly he was walking and carrying his mat.  No, they were more concerned with the fact that it was the Sabbath and he was not to be carrying his mat.  He was doing something that in their eyes was unlawful to do on the Sabbath.  Hello,  it was Jesus the Son of God who healed him.  The God they worshipped on the Sabbath.  How could they completely overlook this great miracle and not rejoice with this man?  Instead they wanted to know WHO told the man he could get up and carry his mat?  ‘How dare he! We don’t do things like that on the Sabbath!’ 

This just made me stop and think a bit.   It is very easy to get caught up in a legalistic mindset.  Let us not be guilty of this Pharisie way of thinking.  Let us not forget WHO and WHY we are worshipping, and let’s not ignore and walk by those who need The Savior.  Instead introduce them to Him and then celebrate with them when they find Him. 

Blessings Today,

Pammy Liz