Devotional Book Recommendation

Around this time of year I begin to think about what daily devotional book I'd like to use for the coming year.  I'm currently re-visting an old favorite and thought I'd share it with you.  It's written by husband and wife authors, E. Michael and Sharon Rusten.  Here's a link at Tyndale House Publishers for more information:  The One Year Christian History. 

From the book's Introduction:

"In this book we highlight an event associated with each day of the year.  These events teach us something about God and His dealings with human-kind..."

And, as the Back Cover states:

"Each devotional will make you wonder, WHAT WILL GOD DO TODAY?"

 

One of the features that separates this devotional from others is that each day is a new story so you can begin on any day of the year. (It would also make a great gift for the history buff on your list!)

As stated in a previous post, nothing should ever replace God's Holy Word, however, reading additional material does lend variety to the time you spend with the Lord.  (see: Previous Post, KEYS). 

                                                             May the Lord bless you, 

Pamelyn

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about
with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight,
and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience
the race that is set before us."

Hebrews 12:1

Happy Thanksgiving To You!

 

"O come, let us sing unto the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms.  For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods."

Psalm 95:1-3

Blessings to you for a joyous Thanksgiving!

~Pamelyn



a word about TREASURES

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." ~Matthew 6:19-21

To lay up means to make provision for.  God promises to provide all our needs according to His unlimited riches and power (Philippians 4:19).  ALL our needs means both what we need physically and spiritually.  God desires that we be dependent on Him for ALL things.  To spend time and energy in pursuing earthly things takes away the joy we have in trusting God and is a sign of an ungrateful heart.  

WHAT IS TREASURE?  a thing which is laid up, valuable, hidden away, or accumulated. 

  
A thing becomes a treasure when one sets their affections toward it (Luke 12:33,34). Our treasure is what we value and esteem most.  Our treasure is the direction of our desires, thoughts, considerations and pursuits.  Our treasure is what we aim for, the intent of our heart, what we care about and fear more than anything else.  It is our main hope, trust, joy, and delight.  The question is,

IS MY TREASURE EARTHLY OR HEAVENLY?

EARTHLY TREASURES are temporary and:

• Susceptible to destruction from within.  The Bible mentions moths and rust - elements that can eat away even the very best of things.  
• Susceptible to violence from without by thieves and robbers. 

HEAVENLY TREASURES are eternal and:

• Sure and Sanctified
• Safe and Secure
• Sources of happiness
• Salvation to the Soul

The desire of one's heart determines which treasure is most precious.   We choose which is most precious to us.  Just like the sunflower follows the sun, our heart follows the treasure that means most to us.   Jesus admonished His followers (and us!) to seek after and lay up the things that are acceptable to God.  He tells us to crave and cherish things that are eternal and not temporary. 

Philippians 4:19, "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Luke 12:33-34, "Sell that ye have, and give alsm; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

I'M PRAYING FOR YOU

    

MASTER OF THE WIND

by Joel Hemphill  

 My boat of life sails on a troubled sea
Whenever there's a wind in my sail.
But I have a friend who watches over me
When the breeze turns into a gale.

    I know the Master of the wind.
I know the Maker of the rain.
He can calm a storm, make the sun shine again.
I know the Master of the wind.      Sometimes I soar like an eagle through the sky
Above the peaks my soul can be found.
An unexpected storm may drive me from the heights
Brings me low, but never brings me down.      He can calm a storm, make the sun shine again
I know the Master of the wind.   ===================================================================  

     As far as I know I don't have any family or friends directly affected by Hurricane Sandy.  I'm thankful for that,  but that's not to say I'm immune to the things I've been seeing on TV.  It is difficult to watch as so many are struggling to survive and recover from this storm.  I know that what I see on TV does not compare with what is really going on in the communities and towns that have been hit hardest.  Having grown up in Florida, where the threat of multi hurricanes is a yearly event,  I have a great respect for the damage that a hurricane is capable of doing.   

 

     Please know, dear Christian friends, if this storm has affected you in any way, I'M PRAYING FOR YOU.  If the circumstances were reversed, I know you would do the same for me.  I may not know your name or your individual story, but,

 I'M PRAYING FOR YOU. 

                                                                                                                                               ~Pamelyn

 

Cute Halloween Cards



I LOVE that these stamps are more cute than scary!


I realized yesterday that there's only ONE month until Thanksgiving and TWO until Christmas!  It might be a good idea to get this holiday season rolling!  I tend to skip past Halloween most years because of the lack of little ones in our home.  But, when I saw these adorable Halloween stamps for $1.00 at the craft stores, well, who could resist, right!? I thought I'd share the cards I made for my nieces and nephews this week using the stamps.  

THESE ARE THE PRODUCTS I USED:
* Halloween stamps were $1.00 at Michaels & JoAnns, so cute!
* ColorBok black glitter stickers
* Orange Peel Ranger Stickles
* Gray and black cardstock     
* I can't remember where the halloween pattern paper came from
* You can't tell from the picture, but the black cardstock frame was embossed using my Sizzix Big Shot

Thanks for taking the time to stop by.

~ Happy Fall ya'll !

Pamelyn

BY THE WAY ~ I've learned how to add pages to my blog!  If you click on My Card & Scrapbook Gallery at the top of my blog you'll be linked to my gallery at Scrapbook.com to check out other cards and scrapbook pages that I've made. 



The Book Marker Project

  "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."      Ephesians 2:10

     A few years ago I took on a project to make cross-stitched book markers for the ladies in my church for their birthday.  Finding the right pattern for each ladies' individual taste was what I enjoyed most.  It was a simple project, provided something I thought they could use, and it gave me something to do while watching TV at night (kept me from snacking!).   The ladies looked forward to seeing what their book marker would look like and thanked me profusely for the gift, exclaiming it was "too nice to use".  Toward the end of the year I realized that they meant every word of what they said.  Not one lady had removed her book marker from its plastic holder, not to mention, over half were not even in their Bibles.  The book markers were at home in a "safe place"!  I just couldn't understand it!  I tried my best to convince them I had made them sturdy and durable enough to be used as book markers. 

Here's a picture of my Mom's - still in the plastic! 



     I had to keep reminding myself that these sweet ladies cherished my gift so much they didn't want them to get "messed up".   But, here's a lesson from the Book Marker Project: 

 

In my Christian walk, am I using what God has given me,
for the purposes He intended,
OR
am I just sitting in a safe place - like the book markers?

    

     Ephesians 2:10 states that WE are God's workmanship, created to be useful in His service.  The "good works" of this verse does not refer to working for salvation.  Salvation is by grace, followed by good works that honor and glorify the Lord.  We were created by God for His service and we are to be busy about His work.  God gave us talents specific to the work He has for us.  

    I'm a decent cook ~ not great and not even good ~ just decent enough to keep myself from starving!  The simple truth is, I just don't believe I have the "knack" for cooking.  Preparing a meal for guests is outside of my comfort zone, however, I'm certain that if God intended for me to prepare a meal in my home for a visiting Missionary and his family, He would give me sufficient cooking skills to prepare that meal!  And I, in turn, would have no excuses but to cook. 

    My thinking has always been that I should learn the skill thoroughly and then attempt to do the work.  But, when God calls us from our "safe places" He intends for us to step out in faith; without worrying about whether we have the level of ability or talent to accomplish the task.   

     I encourage you not be the "book marker in the safe place" - step out in faith and serve the Lord wherever and whenever He calls.

~Pamelyn   

   

   

    
    

Beautiful Feet

This Sunday is Pastor Appreciation Day and our church will be honoring our Pastor and his family for their love and devotion to the Lord's work in our church. I couldn't help thinking of this verse today: 

"And how shall they preach, except they be sent?  as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things"!                      ~Romans 10:15

In this passage Paul quotes from Isaiah 52:7 and Nahum 1:15, emphasizing the importance and necessity of preaching the Good News, or Gospel, to a world burdened by sin.  But, be honest, when you read this scripture, don't you giggle just a little imagining the preacher's feet?  I know the first time I read this verse I wondered what in the world God was thinking ... Beautiful feet, really ?!  I believe the Bible IS God's Holy Word but my Dad was my pastor at the time and I knew his feet were far from beautiful !  But,

It's not about the FEET --- It's about the MESSAGE! 

There are different views by Bible scholars about the wording in this scripture.  This is what I've gathered from reading their commentaries:  News was delivered by messengers, often on foot, in the ancient world , and then heralded to the people in their villages.  Villagers would be able to see the messenger running down a mountain slope toward them; anticipation would be high, awaiting news.  Perhaps the messenger is declaring freedom and peace because a war is over.  To this remote village, the dusty and well-traveled feet of the messenger bringing the good news would be considered beautiful because of his message.

 

The Message

As children of God, we are called to share the Gospel message with those we meet.  However, Paul focuses on the preacher as the messenger of the Good News of salvation to a lost soul.  The feet of the preacher that shares the Gospel of salvation by Jesus Christ are truly beautiful, especially to the soul that hears the message, asks forgiveness and accepts Jesus into their heart. 

The Feet

There are, in fact, many references in the Bible concerning feet.  I'll share some with you:

• ULTIMATE AUTHORITY OF THE LORD - Psalm 8:6, "Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet"
• PROTECTION FOR HIS OWN - Psalm 116:8, "For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling."
• GUIDANCE IN ALL THINGS - Psalm 119:105, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
• GOD IS WORTHY OF OUR PRAISE - Luke 7:38, "And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment."
• SUPREME EXAMPLE OF HUMILITY - John 13:5, "After that he (JESUS) poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded."
• EQUIPPED WITH THE WHOLD ARMOUR OF GOD - Ephesians 6:15, "And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace."

Preachers of the Gospel are very close to my heart because I had the privilege of growing up as a PK (preacher's kid).  But more than that, I'm thankful for the men that have surrendered their lives to the ministry and share the message of salvation.  Even if their feet are not beautiful, their message certainly is! 



"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!"  ~Isaiah 52:7

"Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace!"   ~Nahum 1:15a

All Scriptures used are KJV

WITHOUT LIMITS ~ {Good Things Thursday}

There is No Limit to What God Will Do For His Children When We Ask in His Name

I love reading the prayer of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:14-21.   In this prayer Paul made three requests for his friends in Ephesus:

 

First, in verse 16, that they would "be strengthened with might by His Spirit"

Secondly, he asked in verse 18 that they "may be able to comprehend...the love of Christ"

And then in verse 19 Paul asks, that they "might be filled with all the fullness of God"

And, just in case we might think that this is too much to ask, Paul reminds us that these requests are made to the One who is more than able to answer them. 

"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"  Ephesians 3:20

 

Paul's Knowledge of God is Revealed in the Way He Prayed

Paul knew that God is able to answer our prayers because He is the

Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent GOD.

                       

Paul knew that God's blessings are always abundant,
exceeding our expectations beyond all
that we've read, seen, heard or imagined. 

Paul knew that God is aware of our needs before
we put thought into them and even 
if we forget to ask, He will do it
if it is according to His will. 

Paul knew that there is no limit to the power of God

at work in us to change our lives.

Finally, Paul reminds us in verse 21 that all these abundant and limitless blessings are not intended for our own glory but for the eternal glory of God in and through the local, visible church that has been purchased with the blood of Christ Jesus.  Amen! 

My prayer for you is that God will bless your day exceeding abundantly!                                             ~Pamelyn 



GOOD MEDICINE ~ {Good Things Thursday}





Vintage Medicine Ad



I'm just getting over a dreadful cold that lasted into the 3rd week.  What made it worse was that I managed to "share" my cold with at least 4 members of my family ~ while on vacation.  Yep, I'm anticipating coal in my stocking come Christmas morning! 

The Bible has quite a lot to say about treating various diseases and ailments of ancient people.  God gave Moses numerous medicinal treatments and preventions as part of the Levitical Law.  It is obvious to me that God desired His people to enjoy good health.  One way to be healthy, according to Proverbs 17:22, is to strive for a cheerful attitude.  

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine;
but a broken spirit drieth the bones." 

The Amplified Bible says it this way, A happy heart is a good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries the bones. 

A cheerful attitude is important in the life of a Christian in at least 3 ways:

1. A cheerful attitude is essential to effectively serve the Lord with gladness. 
2. A cheerful attitude will draw people to us, giving us opportunity to share the gospel. 
3. A cheerful attitude is good medicine for our health.  A sad countenance will eventually cause the body to waste away.

At times we all struggle with our attitude.  Remember, the Great Physician is always "on call" bringing Divine healing when our hearts need it most.

Blessings for a Good and healthy Thursday   ~ Pamelyn

God's Big Picture

 "When Jesus heard that, He said, This sickness is not unto

death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby."   John 11:4

I've been reading Joanna Weaver's wonderful book Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World.  If you haven't read it, do so.  Here's a LINK to her website.  Every chapter of this book has been inspiring to me.  Currently I'm in the chapter that deals with Lazarus' death and subsequent resurrection by the Lord in John chapter 11.  It teaches us about God's Big Picture. 

What intrigues me most in this story is when Jesus was told that his dear friend Lazarus was sick and dying He (Jesus) "abode two days still in the same place where He was" (verse 6).  In our way of thinking we would say "some friend".  But, Jesus is the artist of the "big picture"; seeing beyond what Mary, Martha and all the others were seeing.  They failed to see that Jesus was using this tragedy to glorify God and so that "many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on Him"  (verse 45).

  We are PRECIOUS to Him

His PLANS are based on Divine PROMISES

This passage clearly teaches God's Big Picture for mankind.  Lazarus and his sisters were precious friends of Jesus.  Jesus' plan was to glorify God and He kept the promise that Lazarus would rise again.  

 
Being an habitual planner and list maker, I often miss the Big Picture as well.  I'm a fan of Day Planners, to-do lists, calendars, and shopping lists. However, 
the Lord is teaching me that some things I plan will inevitably get side-tracked, postponed or simply eliminated.  Everything does not always work out just because I've painstakingly planned it!  I thank Him for keeping me humble by reminding me my plans and ways are not His plans and ways. Even though I plan, I don't know what tomorrow may bring, but I do know the One that holds the tomorrow. I also know that the Artist of the Big Picture has the perfect plan for my life.

COMFORT ~ {Good Things Thursday}

2 Corinthians 1:3,4 "Blessed be....the God of all comfort;  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." 

Physical Comfort  

What comes to mind when you think of comfort?  I think of comfortable shoes, soft pillows, 70 degree weather, and a LazyBoy recliner!  It is good to be comfortable.  However, comfort, in this passage, means so much more than being physically comfortable. 

Spiritual Comfort 

"...to impart strength and hope to; to encourage; to relieve; to console; to cheer." (Webster).   God gives strength, hope, encouragement, relief, consolation, and cheer to His children because He loves us.  He also gives us comfort so that we are equipped to offer comfort, consolation, and encouragment to others that may be going through hardships and difficulties. 

Don't get TOO COMFORTABLE

The Christian life is always about sharing and doing for others.  Comfort is not for us to keep all to ourselves.  It is interesting to note that comfort in Scripture can be both an object (noun) and an action (verb) word; something to have and something meant to be shared!  

Notice the words ALL COMFORT 

We, as humans, are limited to the amount of comfort we are capable of offering.  However, we can point others to the One who is not limited in giving eternal comfort to His children.  God is the God of ALL comfort and His supply never runs low!

John 14:26, Jesus Promised,

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,

whom the Father will send in My name,

He shall teach you all things,

and bring all things to your remembrance,

whatsoever I have said unto you."

****

Have a good Thursday!

              ~ Pamelyn





Friend with Friend

O the pure delight of a single hour

That before Thy throne I spend,

When I kneel in prayer, and

With Thee, my God,

I commune as friend with friend!



Fanny J. Crosby

Several years ago I read this poem in an article about prayer.  It was only later that I realized it was actually written by Fanny J. Crosby in 1875 as lyrics to the 3rd stanza of the wonderful hymn, "I Am Thine, O Lord".   These words, written so long ago, speak to the heart of the matter of prayer.  As evidenced by over 8,000 hymns written during her lifetime, Fanny J. Crosby certainly knew a thing or two about communicating with the Lord.  Blind from an illness as an infant, she understood how essential it was to stay in touch with the Lord. 

Along with reading God's Holy Word,  prayer is the method in which the Lord communicates to His servant's heart.  Prayer is how we, as children of the Lord, communicate with Him.  Prayer is never one-sided communication.  The Bible teaches us to speak to the Lord in prayer, as well as listen for the still, small voice as He speaks to our heart. 

I Timothy 2:1 speaks of four different types of prayer.  "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men".  All four types are essential to the Christian in order to communicate with our Lord.  The notes from my KJV Study Bible explain each type:

• Supplications are precise requests for specific needs
• Prayers is a general word embracing various kinds of prayer, namely confession, adoration, etc.
• Intercessions are prayers to God on behalf of others
• Giving of Thanks are prayers of praise

I Thessalonians 5:17 encourages us to "Pray without ceasing".  To pray non-stop every day may seem to us to be a bit extreme.  However, consider this:  Prayer involves both spoken words as well as an attitude of the heart.  In light of that, we can move about our day with "non-stop praying" and communicating with the dearest Friend we could ever have.  How delightful is that!
 



Feel free to use this image

My friends, I am praying for you and

ask that you pray for me 

                            ~Pamelyn

CHANGES ~ {Good Things Thursday}

 

I have such an abundance of good things in my life, I thought I'd make Thursday the day to share some with you ............

 WELCOME TO "GOOD THINGS THURSDAY"



SEASONS CHANGE BUT THE LORD NEVER WILL







Today's GOOD THING is:

"JESUS CHRIST the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."

Hebrews 13:8

     What a wonderful Scripture promise!  JESUS is the only stable force in our ever-changing world.  Changes are a fact of life and often we must accept the good along with the not-so-good.  However, as this scripture simply states, JESUS has never changed and will never change.  That's a promise we can count on!

    

     We all go through many "seasons" in our lives, accepting change when we need to, or at times, have to.   Depending on the situation, change may be the best thing in your life, or it may be a true test of your faith.  If you know the Lord, you can be assured of His presence guiding you through the difficult time.  

    

     I've had many changes and a few "seasons" in my life and I can truly say that the Lord has given me strength every time I needed Him.  At times I was so caught up in what was going on I barely recognized His guiding hand shaping the events in my life.  Then, when the crisis passed, I could see clearly that from the beginning the Lord had that situation well under control!   

We can always depend upon JESUS for whatever need we have,

in whatever circumstance we face, at whatever time in our life. 

To me, that's an awfully good thing! 

Hope you are having a good Thursday! 

Ageless Beauty & Grace

     I thought I would share with you two very special members of my family.  Both of these remarkable ladies are still able to live alone in their own place.  They, of course, have help with daily things like cooking, cleaning, etc.  While these ladies' bodies may have weaken with time, both still have minds that are "sharp as a tack"! 

 

Aunt Lucy ~ 100 yrs




     First, is my Great-Aunt Lucy, on my mother's side.  She celebrated her 100th birthday this month! Two weeks ago we attended her birthday party at the clubhouse in the apartment complex where she lives in Georgia.



Grandmother ~ 96 yrs.

     Then, last weekend I was at a family reunion on my father's side with my grandmother who turned 96 years old last April.  Granny lives in her own home in Florida.



 

    
      In Titus 2:3-5 Paul admonished older women to be "teachers of good things" to the younger women.   I believe that regardless of our age, we have a responsibility to be "teachers of good things...that the Word of God be not blasphemed."  And what better way to teach than by example. I'm thankful for the graceful and beautiful women in my family that loved me enough to teach by example the "good things" about the Lord.

     I hope your day is a blessing...thanks for taking time to stop by!

HEAVEN

Do you ever find yourself thinking about what Heaven will be like

and what we'll be doing there?

 

Mansions Galore!    

  I've heard sermons and read Scripture enough to know that Heaven is a wonderful place in which to spend eternity.  I believe when I see Heaven it will literally take my breath away!  According to John 14:2 my eternal home in Heaven is a promised place so special that Jesus Himself is preparing it for me.  "In My Father's house are many mansions:  if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you."  What's more, according to the next verse, "I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."  Jesus will be my "chauffeur" to Heaven!

Uninterrupted Praise!

     What will we be doing in Heaven for eternity, do you think?  First of all, our bodies will be changed from what we are now...into just what body I'm not quite sure...but I do know this earthly body will be perfectly heavenly!  That's great news isn't it!  We will not be concerned about daily appointments, gasoline prices, or dusting furniture, so that's good.  All the things that we are busy about today will be forever done away with.  The things we dread doing (like dusting furniture!) will be no more.  Even the things we enjoy (like spending time with family) will be no more.  But, we will not be missing out on anything because our entire being will be worshipping and singing praises to God.  Today, our public and personal worship time can be interrupted by things that demand our attention.  In Heaven we will have uninterrupted fellowship with God.  We will be forever getting to know Him better. 

    

     My prayer is that you have certainty in your heart

that heaven is your eternal home. 

Time for Daily Devotions

    

     The key to finding time for personal devotions every day is not as much about time as it is about making a commitment to find where & when works best for you.  Of all the suggestions and ideas I read or heard about on maintaining a personal daily devotion time, there was always one common thing stated: 

SET ASIDE A TIME & PLACE IN YOUR HOME

FOR DAILY DEVOTIONS 

     I've heard some refer to it as a "prayer closet".  I call mine my "Bible Study Nook" because it just sounds cozier to me!  Your study nook could be as simple as a comfy chair, good lighting and a basket for your Bible study materials.  (You would not believe the baskets I bought, trying to find the perfect one!)  But, nothing I tried seemed to become a good habit for me. 



Bible Study Nook  in 2011

 "AHA" MOMENT

     I was not happy about how "hit & miss" my Bible study had become.  I prayed to God about it and when the answer came, it was in an unexpected way.  In February 2011 I took an online challenge at a scrapbook site to organize my supplies and that’s when I had an "aha" moment.    I began organizing by “zoning” all the different activities that I do in this room.  During the process I gathered all my Bible study books and materials that were scattered in several places into one pile on a desk and that’s when the light bulb came on!  I put together this little Bible study nook from a small bookcase and computer desk I was planning to discard.  The bookcase fit perfectly on top of the desk!  Knowing what a pack-rat I am, I made a promise to myself that only Bible study materials would “live” here.  It's almost two years later and this little area is still my “go-to” place first thing every morning.   As you can see from the recent photo, I've managed to find more study material!

                                                   TIME IS PRECIOUS

Bible Study Nook 2012

     How has this study nook helped me maintain my daily devotion time?  Everything related to my quiet time with the Lord is right in front of me.  I don’t waste any precious time  searching for my Bible and study materials.  When it comes to spending time with the Lord, only you and the Lord know the what, when, where, how & why unique to your needs.  Ask Him in prayer to help you find what works for you and your schedule. 

                                                                                         Wishing you daily Blessings, Pam

Please feel free to share your suggestions and ideas about your daily devotion time.  I'll cover PRAYER as part of daily devotion time in my next post.... 

Keys to Daily Devotion Time



A Pinterest pin

        Psalm 119 has the distinction of being the longest chapter in the Bible.  Most of its 176 verses are about the Word of God. Some of the things the Psalmist directs us to do with God's Word are: 
      believe it,
         hide it,
           use it,
              rejoice in it,
                find comfort in it,
                  meditate on it,
                     delight in it,
                        and most importantly, to love it. 
  
   In order to accomplish all that this Psalm instructs, we must set aside time DAILY for Bible study and prayer. So, here are my KEYS for beginning and maintaining a daily devotion time with the Lord.  They are easy to remember because they all begin with "D". 

DECIDE - DELIGHT - DISCOVER

 "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."
Psalm 119:11

• DECIDE to have devotion time daily.  That may sound basic, and it is, but unless you make a decision about your devotion time, it will not happen.  God will help you with the tools and the time, but YOU must decide that it is  essential for YOUR daily walk with the Lord.  I won't lie to you, it does take a certain amount of determination to set aside quiet time every day, but the rewards are huge!

"I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. 

I will delight myself in thy statues:  I will not forget thy word."

Psalm 119:15, 16

• DELIGHT in the time you choose to spend with the Lord.  The whole point of daily devotion time is to feed on God's Book.  However, studying the Bible the same way day after day, month after month, could cause you to lose enthusiasm for its richness and beauty.  Don't get me wrong, nothing will ever take the place of God's Holy Word, but it's OK to try different ways to enjoy it!  Consider this, the Bible should always be your main course, but add side dishes like Christian books, articles, tapes and music to keep your daily intake of spiritual nourishment interesting.  Spiritual food is the same as any other food - we need a little variety in our diet to keep it delightful!

 "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."

Psalm 119:18

• DISCOVER the truths in Scripture.  No human will ever understand all there is to know about the Bible.  This wonderful, spiritual Book is God's conversation with His children and it has awesome power to enrich your life. I love to think of my Bible as a treasure chest filled with gems and jewels just for me.  My prayer is that you will begin discovering your treasures from God's Word today! 

I hope these keys help you to discover more of the precious blessings and promises of God's Holy Word. I'll cover making TIME

for daily devotions in my next post...

Something to Chirp About

     One of my favorite birds is the Cardinal.  Their chirping is the only bird song I really recognize, not being a bird-watcher myself.  I thought of that chirp this morning during my devotion time.  The passages I was reading was from  Jeremiah 9:23, 24 and Philippians 3:3-7.  The prophet Jeremiah and the apostle Paul had something to say about "chirping", or glorifying ourselves. Jeremiah wrote that any glorying or boasting we do should be in that we know the Lord and more importantly, that the Lord knows us.  Paul told the Philippians that he could boast about being a "Hebrew of the Hebrews" through his lineage and education.  However, he warned in Philippians 3:3 that we are to "have no confidence in the flesh."  But, don't we like to "chirp" about ourselves, what we have, and how we got it!

     As Christians, we do have one thing in this life worth bragging about and that's our personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  That's the beginning.  After that, we can "chirp" about how well we know Him.  Getting to know the Lord well is the same as getting to know someone you've just met.  TALK TO THEM!  During your day, talk often to the Lord in prayer.  Follow the advice of I Thessalonians 5:17, "Pray without ceasing."  But, that's really only half of true communication with the Lord.  Prayer is communicating with God and Bible reading is God communicating with us.  I'll share a secret with you, When you carry a prayer in your heart all during the day, the Holy Spirit will urge you to read the Bible, and when you read your Bible every day, the Holy Spirit urges you to pray.  

     Get to know God well, then you can feel good about "chirping" all day long about Him.

Books, Books, Books

     Today's TREASURE to share is my love of books.  Many have asked why I don't own an electronic book like a Kindle and my answer is the same answer I give as to why I'm not a digi-scrapbooker -- I'm in love with the smell of paper! 

    

     My love affair with books began when, as a child, a dear sweet lady in the church where my Dad was pastor gave each one of our family Christmas gifts.  I don't remember just what my parents or siblings got, but I do remember my gift was my very own copy of the book, "The Bobbsey Twins" by Laura Lee Hope.  I wish I could say that I still have that copy, but, it has unfortunately been lost in the shuffle of numerous moving days.  I remember how thrilled I was to be a "book owner".  I only knew library books at the time, which of course, you had to return.  

    

      These days I'm almost never without a book to read...sometimes two at a time (a fiction and a non-fiction)!  My tastes are not very sophisticated; I read mostly mysteries and suspense novels, but a couple of years ago I began reading the classics (that I should have paid more attention to in school!).  I began that year with all of Jane Austen's wonderful books.  TALK ABOUT TREASURES!  I moved on to Emily and Charlotte Bronte, followed by Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo,  Hawthorne's The Scarlett Letter and House of the Seven Gables, ending the year with  Tolstoy's Anna Karenina!  The next year I read all of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera, Scott's Ivanhoe, and finally Henry James' The Portrait of a Lady. If you have the time to commit to it, I'd highly recommend reading OR re-reading the classics. 

     Now, because I have the type personality that REQUIRES me to make lists of everything, I'll tell you about another TREASURE of mine.  A Book Journal.  My sister gave me the one I use and it is from Journals Unlimited, designed by Barbara Morina.  You can find a link to her fabulous journals here.  Or, if you're crafty, you can make your own!

     By the way, my favorite haunts are places where books can be found.   So, if you see a middle-aged lady at a book fair or public library "sniffing" the stacks, don't be alarmed -- just be sure to say hello, it's probably ME!