Thursday, April 30, 2009

ABC's of the Word..."L"


I wanted to come up with a different "L" word than the ones we most commonly would be drawn to such as "Lord", "life", "light", "love" etc... You will probably think I have lost my mind but the most unfamiliar word I could find in the back of my bible concordance is "LEVIATHAN".




A brand new word for me....how about you??? Needless to say, I have had to do a little research on why this word would be in our bible! This is what I have found out....




The Christian interpretation of LEVIATHAN is often considered to be a demon or natural monster or the deep sea associated with Satan or the Devil. Some biblical scholars considered LEVIATHAN to represent the pre-existent forces of chaos. A number of interpreters suggest that LEVIATHAN is a symbol of mankind in opposition to God. Though it is referred to as a myth by many, it can also be perceived as anything huge or powerful. Scary. I do know, myth or not, there is one thing I can count on...

In that day the LORD with His severe sword, great and strong, will punish LEVIATHAN the fleeing serpent, Leviathan that twisted serpent; and He will slay the reptile that is in the sea. ~ Isaiah 27:1
Whether this LEVIATHAN is satan, or a stronghold that is keeping me from being God's best, or the chaos that steals my time from Him, or a fear I cannot release, I am promised that God will overcome it. God is bigger than my LEVIATHAN.
Is there a LEVIATHAN in your life? Give it to God.
His Maidservant~Pamela
For more inspirational scripture based on an "L" word, go to Pam's blog site "Grey Like Suffie" by clicking on the flower icon above and be blessed!!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

ABC's of the Word..."K"


Pam at Grey Like Snuffie host this wonderful blog activity of connecting a piece of scripture to a letter in the alaphbet. Click on the icon above to read everyone's take in this and be so blessed! This week, it's the letter....
There are so many great "K" words in the Bible: know, knowledge, keep, kindness, kingdom, knock...but I am choosing the word KEYS. No, not the KEYS like we use use to start a car or the KEYS on a paino, but the KEYS that stress something important, something worth noting or applying. Spiritual KEYS. Scared KEYS.


The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness.
He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the KEY to this treasure. ~ Isa. 33:5&6 (NIV)

The fear of the Lord...yes we all know that is a treasure to have in our life. But I really like this verse referencing KEYS...


I will give you the KEYS to the kingdom of heaven. What you lock on earth will be locked in heaven. What you unlock on earth will be unlocked in heaven." ~Matt. 16:19 (HCSB)

Humm...the KEYS to the kingdom of heaven? Jesus is talking to Peter and acknowledging that Peter is right in identifying Christ as who He is-the foundation on which the church stands. Jesus then referenced Peter as a small "stone" in the foundation of God's church and because of his faith, he now holds the keys for kingdom work. The same holds true for us today. Our belief in Christ, our faith also awards us the KEYS Jesus is talking about here.


We have power as the children of God to bind the forces of darkness, and to loose the work of God. God has given us that authority over these spirit forces, these spiritual entities, that as children of God, we do have authority over them. We can bind these spirit forces and we can loose the work of God. ~ Chuck Smith, Blue Letter Bible Commentaries


Do you hold the KEYS to His Kingdom work?

His Maidservant~Pamela


Friday, April 17, 2009

Captivity of Grace

Have you ever come across a piece of scripture that grab your attention and for what purpose, you were not sure? Maybe you didn't even fully understand it? Boy that is where I have been with Romans 11:11-24. I knew the Lord has something for me here. The first time I read it in the NIV version, then my favorite version the Holman's Christian Standard Bible, but ended in the Message version. Take the time to read these versions. Engulf the whole picture. I have sat in this chapter for three days waiting on God to speak. What captivated me most were verses 17-22 and the concept of the engrafted branches To engraft is to plant firmly. So what was Paul referring to here in thee verses?
17If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." 20Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. 21For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
You see, Paul is addressing the fact that Christ was being rejected by the Jews, God's chosen people, descendants of Abraham. So He, God, has had to "break off" from His chosen people. He chose to embrace the Gentiles, that is you and me, to engraft them into His kingdom work. Paul, being a Jew, found completeness in ministering to the Gentiles. He was called to this. And so are some of us. As I dived into commentary after commentary in these verses, God showed me how similar my own surroundings are to these verses. Can you hang with me? It may also speak of your life.

Our church is going through changes. We have purchased land to build a bigger place of worship as we literally squeeze into our current facilities. This has caused much pain however. Rebellion and attitudes have emerged to the point of members "breaking off" in unbelief that this is what God has called the church to do. So what happened? A church that has a mission of reaching the broken hearted has seen new, broken, wounded people ingrafting into our church body. They are full of new life and an eagerness to see God's plan happen and they are being nurtured from the roots (God's word) and the stronger branches (ministry leaders, committed members to fulling God's plan). Souls that have been dieing are finding new hope.

One commentary I found is Matthew Henry's commentary's. I do not know him or his background but he said:
The gospel is the greatest riches of every place where it is. As therefore the righteous rejection of the unbelieving Jews, was the occasion of so large a multitude of the Gentiles being reconciled to God, and at peace with him; the future receiving of the Jews into the church would be such a change, as would resemble a general resurrection of the dead in sin to a life of righteousness. Abraham was as the root of the church. The Jews continued branches of this tree till, as a nation, they rejected the Messiah; after that, their relation to Abraham and to God was, as it were, cut off. The Gentiles were grafted into this tree in their room; being admitted into the church of God. Multitudes were made heirs of Abraham's faith, holiness and blessedness. It is the natural state of every one of us, to be wild by nature. Conversion is as the grafting in of wild branches into the good olive. The wild olive was often ingrafted into the fruitful one when it began to decay, and this not only brought forth fruit, but caused the decaying olive to revive and flourish. The Gentiles, of free grace, had been grafted in to share advantages."


We become captivated by Grace. Do you feel the true meaning and depth of these three words?Captivated can take on the form to enslave; subdue; overpower; charm; enchant; bewitch; fascinate; capture; lead captive (dictionary.c0m). There can be both negative and positive aspects to being captivated. But this type of capivation Paul talks about, the engrafting, does not seem so confining does it?
God has laid before me a potential outreach ministry that has been on my heart for almost a year now. I have grown frustrated with our women's ministry at church, the lack of involvement and commitment to Bible study and mentoring. I felt God was calling our ministry to reach outside our church walls and presented this in an end of the year meeting this past December. Another lady felt the same. So we started exploring ways we could reach out. We have hit road blocks, we have hit success (such as with our community Bible study using Esther). However, a new door may be opening for us to start a women's Bible study in a rehab center.

This was mentioned by another new women who has just started coming to our church and this group (and who is quickly becoming my partner-thank you Jesus!). She has the connections, knows the resources-her husband has and is in rehab too. She saw this as a much needed ministry for the women there. The night she presented this request I about jumped out of my skin! Yes Lord, your timing and my heart's longing-BEAUTIFUL! I am excited! And to know that this dear lady was sent to me by God was confirmed when I opened our meeting that night with the verse I had been praying over our ministry with:
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ~ Eph. 2:10 (NIV)

It was the same verse she had chosen to pray for this ministry that very week. God is awesome like that isn't He?

Earlier this week I met two of these ladies at our community Bible study. It is so real. I am so unworthy of such a ministry but as our Esther study ended tonight..."I am not responsible for how this works out"! Ohhh His timing again. Because I chose Captivity of Grace. And then for Him to send a beautiful godly women dressed for this role to lead this ministry with me.

How many of us have been the decaying branch? Did we not find an olive tree to sit under and then find our self engrafting into it? Did we not discover this captivating grace to be from the root of our faith in God? Captivating does not sound so restrained as it does comforting in this text does it? It is what helps us to stand in faith, to engraft. It is what helps us to minister to the gentiles around us, nourishing them with this election of life-giving grace we live in.

God's confirmation to go out and engraft has been so good to my soul. Of course, we must read on and be aware of the end of verse 20. As stated in Matthew Henry's commentary....
"They ought therefore to beware of self-confidence, and every kind of pride or ambition; lest, having only a dead faith, and an empty profession, they should turn from God, and forfeit their privileges. If we stand at all, it is by faith; we are guilty and helpless in ourselves, and are to be humble, watchful, afraid of self-deception, or of being overcome by temptation. Not only are we at first justified by faith, but kept to the end in that justified state by faith only; yet, by a faith which is not alone, but which worketh by love to God and man."

It's all about Him. Engrafted. Revived and flourished by the root of our Lord though the Captivity of Grace.

I love the title above. It really stirred my soul but I cannot take credit for it. I saw it at Denise's blog "Teacups & Time" and how fitting it is for this entry and the spiritual journey I have walked these last few days in Romans 11. So I have borrowed her title and I am encouraging you to visit her blog and be blessed by this same concept on "Captivity of Grace". Thank you Denise.


Captivated by grace~Pamela

Thursday, April 16, 2009

ABC's of the Word...."J"


It's Thursday's and Pam from Grey Like Snuffie is hosting this wonderful scripture activity "ABC's of the Word". Be sure to go to her site by clicking on the flowered icon above to read all the scripture other women are posting and be blessed!!


This week our letter is "J" and I am taking a different approach with this. How appropriate for the letter "J" to follow the Easter celebration of the resurrection of the one we call Jesus, Savior, Redeemer, Lover of my soul...what is He to you? As I thought about this question, I turned to one of the front pages in my Bible where I have the different names of Christ written. So today, I share a few of God's names here with you and I ask...which one is He for you today in your current circumstances?

JEHOVAH: 'LORD' (all capitals). Yahweh-the covenant name of God. Occurs 6823 times in the OT First use Gen. 2:4

JEHOVAH-JIREH: "The Lord will Provide." Gen. 22:14.

JEHOVAH-ROPHE: "The Lord Who Heals" Ex. 15:22-26.

JEHOVAH-RAAH: "The Lord my shepherd". Psa. 23, 79:13, 95:7, 80:1, 100:3; Gen. 49:24; Isa. 40:11.

JEHOVAH-NISSI: "The Lord Our Banner." Ex. 17:15. He fights my battles.

JEHOVAH-M'KADDESH: "The Lord Who Sanctifies" Lev. 20:8. "To make whole, set apart for holiness."

JEHOVAH-SHALOM: "The Lord Our Peace" Judges 6:24.

JEHOVAH ELOHIM: "LORD God" Gen. 2:4; Judges 5:3; Isa. 17:6; Zeph. 2:9; Psa. 59:5, etc.

JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU: "The Lord Our Righteousness" Jer. 23:5, 6, 33:16.

JEHOVAH-ROHI: "The Lord Our Shepherd" Psa. 23, from "ro'eh" (to pasture).

JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH: "The Lord is There" (Ezek. 48:35).

JEHOVAH-SABAOTH: "The Lord of Hosts" The commander of the angelic host and the armies of God. Isa. 1:24; Psa. 46:7, 11; 2 Kings 3:9-12; Jer. 11:20; Rom. 9:29; James 5:4, Rev. 19: 11-16.

EL ROI: "God of Seeing" Hagar in Gen. 16:13. The God Who opens our eyes.

El SHADDAI: "The all-sufficient one". Gen. 17:1-2, 31:29, 49:24, 25; Prov. 3:27; Micah 2:1; Isa. 60:15, 16, 66:10-13; Ruth 1:20, 21.

El OLAM: "The everlasting God"(God of everlasting time). Gen. 21:33; Psa. 90:1-3, 93:2; Isa. 26:4.

ADONAI: "Lord, Master". Gen. 15:2; Ex. 4:10; Judges 6:15; 2 Sam. 7:18-20; Ps. 8, 114:7, 135:5, 141:8, 109:21-28.


So I ask you again...which name represents what He is for you today...in your current life circumstances?

Personally, I would have to go with JEHOVAH-NISSI. He must fight my battles because I am too weary to go it alone.

Those who know Your name trust in You because You have not abandoned those who seek You, LORD. ~ Ps 9:10 (HCSB)

His Maidservant~Pamela


Friday, April 10, 2009

BUT GOD

I found the scripture I was looking for referencing "BUT GOD" from my previous post. I had a hard time finding it until I left the NIV Bible version and went to Holmans and the NKJV Bible.


As we enter into this holy season, lets savor what God did for us...the ultimate Gift of Grace...



And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to this worldly age, according to the ruler of the atmospheric domain, the spirit now working in the disobedient. We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and by nature we were children under wrath, as the others were also. BUT GOD, who is abundant in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. By grace you are saved! He also raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavens, in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace in [His] kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift—not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are His creation—created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them. ~ Ephesians 2: 1-9 (Holmans Standard Christian Bible)



This phase came back to me as we have journeyed in our Esther Bible study. There's a "before" and and "after" surrounding this phase. A make-over. But there is one more important thing I want you to notice - - the comma after BUT GOD. It means we are to stop, to pause, and to take notice. So I ask you to do this as you reflect again on the scripture above.

No matter what circumstances we are facing, where we have been, what failures we find within our self, we can list them out and follow them with "BUT GOD". Then the make-over begins and we can rest secure in Him to handle our life circumstance and bring it into His plan. For example, you may feel rejection from others BUT GOD loves you and desires a relationship with you. He will fill your void. He loves you.



We were once nothing, made from sin and made full of sin, BUT GOD sent His son as a sacrifice for our eternal life. What a gift. What power coming from two three letter words. BUT GOD.

This weekend and always may we praise God for His love, mercy, and grace in that we can be alive in Him because of His son.



His Maidservant ~ Pamela

Thursday, April 9, 2009

ABC's of the WORD..."I"

I have gotten the most joy out of these Thursdays-solely because of this blog activity "ABC's of the Word". I cannot express enough how blessed I am each time I travel to another bloggers site to see what scripture God has laid on their heart to post. It's like Christmas-like a birthday, unwrapping gift after gift! There is always something-something!- and the verses I read always contain a word or a thought or instruction for my life at that moment. Thank you so much Pam from Grey Like Snuffie for hosting it and thank you so much ladies for participating. I cannot get enough!! Be sure to spread the word about this activity. To read other postings click on the flower icon above!

I thought I would have a hard time finding just the right "I" word but it didn't take long. I have been in a painful journey with my oldest. It has caused me to pulled away, become blinded at times to the TRUTH (Jesus), and to my own spiritual well-being in this situation. I have doubted myself, God, and His grace. I have been angry, frustrated, and defeated. Yet my memory (which seems to be failing me already) pulled out a statement from a sermon or devotional from my past. I wish I could remember the scripture it came from...I know it is marked somewhere in my Bible and I will find it! It referenced the two most powerful words in the bible. Remembering these two words washed over me and helped me to look at TRUTH (Jesus) and not satan in my pain.... the two words? Ahhh....."BUT GOD!". No matter what we are going through, the pain, the "what ifs", the rejection, the condemnation, the loss....follow it with "BUT GOD". Tell me it doesn't work!!

So as I reflect on my family situation I am struggling with, God gave me this scripture with the word INCLINE:


Oh, that their hearts would be INCLINE to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever! Deut. 5:29

The Thesaurus defines INCLINE as to "to dispose in mind, habit". Webster defines it as "to lean, to tend, or become drawn toward an opinion or course of conduct". Other words by Webster included to bow, to influence, to bend, and to persuade. Do not these bolded words speak of a parents role in a child's life-words that reflect passing on a legacy to the next generation? Do these words also not reflect a christian women's' role to another...are you following me? Do you see it?

Yes, I want so much more for my daughter, for my family, for my ministries and it starts with me-I have to
INCLINE! Then when I am INCLINED, I can influence others in that same disposition, course or conduct.

I hope you have been blessed to
INCLINE!

His Maidservant~Pamela

Thursday, April 2, 2009

ABC of the Word..."H"


Pam at Grey Like Snuffie is hosting Thursday's ABC's of the Word. Go here to read all the scripture bloggers have chosen with "H" words and be blessed.


Last Thursday morning I was opening up my personal e-mails and the most beautiful verse was waiting for me. It gave me my verse for today and so I barrow it....


Ladies-go to
At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2 and read this post entry related to "Keeping a Pure Heart" and the value of HYSSOP posted by Laurie Ann.



O how I need this. My heart needs to be made pure...I need some HYSSOP...maybe you do to.



His Maidservant~Pamela