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

Yes, it's time for ABC's of the the Word and this week we are posting scripture with "P" words! Thank you Pam at Grey Like Snuffie for hosting this. Be sure to click on the icon above to read other Scripture posted with this activity!

I have been asked to consider being the speaker at a spiritual retreat this fall for faith community nurses (nurses who lead a health ministry within their church). They are calling this "Tea for Two" and they want the subject to be "Taming the Tongue". Grief. How it has hit home lately. As I have been looking through various books from my library on this subject to put together this talk, God has been hitting me hard with the actions of my own tongue.

My medical books describe the tongue as a muscle that resides on the floor of the mouth. It manipulates food for chewing and swallowing and it is the primary organ for taste, as it's upper surface is covered in papillae and taste buds. It's secondary function is to aid in the assistance of speech. It is a SENSITIVE muscle kept moist by saliva, and is richly supplied with nerves and blood vessels to help it move. This is where we know the problem comes in, right? Speech...words...bad words...wrong words...words that can kill and destroy and not be taken back....

There are so many powerful scripture to support this topic and I could go in so many different directions. Today, this scripture hit home for me and so I leave it with you as reminder of the power behind our words, the effect of such a simple muscle in our body-the tongue-can have on our life and the lives of others:

Reckless words PIERCE like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. ~ Proverb 12:18

Not just any words, reckless words PIERCE the one they are directed to. Have you ever been guilty of such? OUCH. Me too. I am shamed at the recklessness my tongue has lashed out, especially to my family, the ones I love most. But there is a positive we cannot ignore within this verse. Choosing our words with wisdom, a careful selection of good words, can and will build up and bring healing! Those are the kinds of words I want coming from my tongue. How about you?

Lord, guard our thoughts that lead our tongues to react to those around us, especially those we love. Lord, we pray for wisdom so that our words would bring healing and life to those they fall on. Forgive us when we fail to control this tiny little muscle. Lay Your words on our tongue today Lord.

His Maidservant~Pamela

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

Ladies...before I post this, I took the opportunity to visit an old blog friend this morning. When I went to post on her site it took me to a weird place saying my e-mail address had been changed or was being used by someone else and gave me the address. I am concerned that someone may have tapped into my account so if you see inappropriate postings with my name please let me know. I have gone to a few other sites and nothing such as this is there but I am concerned. Thanks friends! Now for ABC's of the Word....




Pam at Grey Like Snuffie is hosting the weekly meme "ABC of the Words". You know the routine...click on the icon above to read the other postings of verses containing "O" words and be blessed!!

As I flipped through the "O" words in the concordance of my Bible I was drawn to this word...this concept...."OUTSTRETCHED". With every verse listed, the word to follow was "ARMS".

OUTSTRETCHED ARMS

Not just any arms...HIS arms. I am really needing those arms this week. How about you?

I did a word search with the word "OUTSTRETCHED"on Biblegateway.com and found many listings in the Old Testament with this concept of God's OUTSTRETCHED ARMS for His people in need of deliverance, comfort, protection...love. Do you fall into one of those categories? I do.

Out of the 18 verses with the words OUTSTRETCHED ARMS I choose this one for you and me today...

Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and OUTSTRETCHED ARMS. There is nothing too hard for You. ~ Jeremiah 32:17

No matter what you are facing in your day...find rest in those OUTSTRETCHED ARMS! Run to them! Bury yourself in them! Just like the people at Jesus feet in this picture and know there is nothing to hard for Him to handle for you!!

His Maidservant~Pamela

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

Pam at Grey Like Shuffie is our host for "ABC's of the Word". Be sure to to stop by her blog site by hitting the flowered icon above to read more scripture with the letter....
My "N" word is "NEW". I love the NEW. The smell of a NEW car or a NEW home, the feel of a NEW haircut, and who doesn't love a NEW outfit once in a while. But NEW can be deceiving...the car and home quickly get's used, the haircut grows out, and the outfit fades or quickly falls out of style.



There is one NEW that never grows old or wears out and that is the NEW we can experience in Christ. Each morning we awaken NEW in Christ. Each time we step out of bed it is a fresh start to meet Him and fulfil His purpose in for our life. This life of being a Christian, of walking in faith, of saying "Yes" to God daily is about being NEW. So may you be blessed with this promise of God...

"For I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries, and will bring you into your own land. I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. I will give you a NEW heart and put a NEW spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will place My Spirit within you and cause you to follow My statutes and carefully observe My ordinances. Then you will live in the land that I gave your fathers; you will be My people, and I will be your God."~ Ezekiel 36:24-28 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Sweet assurance that no matter where our heart and mind has been, God can make it NEW! Read it in The Message translation....

"For here's what I'm going to do: I'm going to take you out of these countries, gather you from all over, and bring you back to your own land. I'll pour pure water over you and scrub you clean. I'll give you a NEW heart, put a NEW spirit in you. I'll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that's God-willed, not self-willed. I'll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands. You'll once again live in the land I gave your ancestors. You'll be my people! I'll be your God!" ~ Ezekiel 36: 24-28

Living in the NEW~Pamela

Fall Down Like Rain...

Deuteronomy 32:1-5 (HCSB)

Pay attention, heavens, and I will speak; listen, earth, to the words of my mouth. Let my teaching fall like rain and my word settle like dew, like gentle rain on new grass and showers on tender plants.
For I will proclaim the LORD's name. Declare the greatness of our God!
The Rock—His work is perfect; all His ways are entirely just. A faithful God, without prejudice, He is righteous and true.

It's raining this morning. As I sit in my devotional chair in the corner of my bedroom by the window, there is such comfort in the falling rain and the crisp breeze that filters in across my shoulders. It has just started to thunder...long rolls of a deep roar that shakes the foundations in that moment. It does not feel so threatening this morning. Maybe it's the birds that continue to sing...are they praising their maker?

It literally sound like a birds sanctuary out there these mornings. It is what awakens me each morning. So much better than that alarm clock. I will be so sadden when I have to shut the windows and turn on the air conditioner. There is nothing more charming than the sounds of nature for me.

So I looked up scripture that referenced rain after my quiet time this morning. I found it in the passage of Deuteronomy 32 listed above. These are Moses last words to his people, his song calling them to remember and calling them to obedience. The song is much to long to place on this post but you can go here to read it completely. Moses is calling his people to remember who God is, where they have come from, what God has done for them and why God had revealed Himself throughout their journey. And when one examines Moses song, there is a deep need to praise God, to lean on God as a Rock and trust him as a Father.


So I have given you this scripture to call you to remember who God is, remember where you have come from and remember what God has done for you and shown you in your own journey and then praise Him!



Oh, Lord, our Rock and Creator, speak to us. Let Your Word fall down on us like rain, let Your Spirit settle in our hearts like the dew settles on the ground. May we be saturated by Your Presence. As your mighty power thunders through our life, tenderly grow us into your image. We praise you for your faithfulness. We want to see you, to hear you, to feel your presence Lord. We love you.


His Maidservant~Pamela

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

One of most favorite pieces of scripture is this one...

And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.” 38 Then Mary said, “Behold the MAIDSERVANT of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. ~Luke 1:35-38

Mary's attitude of submission to her Creator. It wasn't until I experienced my own brokenness that this story I grew up hearing as a child in Sunday school took on a whole new meaning. Maidservant..."One who expresses submission, recognizance, or debt to another: your obedient servant". Of all the definitions I found, this grab me the most and hence I include it here as a reminder of who we are to Christ.

I changed my signature to be "His Maidservant" some time ago as a reminder of who I am trying to most please, of whom I am to be.

May you live this title daily for your God and one day hear... "Behold the MAIDSERVANT of the Lord!"....such sweet words.

His Maidservant~Pamela

P.S. You know the routine...to seek more scripture using the letter "M", click on the flower icon above to visit Pam from Gray Like Snuffie, our host of this wonderful blog activity. Be blessed!!

More precious than diamonds....

In our Women of Grace church ministry meeting this past Monday, one of the ladies pulled the following verse out of the Bible and made it into a prayer for our group. It is now posted under our missions, vision, and value statements for this ministry because it is so precious. You have read it before I'm sure. When I opened to it, I had already highlighted it in red which I do for anything God is commanding or expecting from us. It was an old familiar verse which has brought new life and meaning into my present, into my NOW. I want to pass it on to you as a reminder of your calling, your present, your NOW, whatever it may be. Insert your name where I have placed our women's ministry name....

“And you, [Women of Grace], acknowledge God...and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches EVERY heart and understands EVERY motive behind the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you. If you forsake Him He will reject you forever. Consider NOW, the Lord has chosen you for [this ministry]. Be strong and do the work.” 1 Chron. 28:9-10

I have made this my #9 memory verse for Beth Moore's Siesta memory team, it is our women's ministry prayer, it is my hearts prayer for myself, may you be blessed to make it your prayer also. I plan to pray this over my girls this week as I so desire for Him to capture their heart and for them to be ministers in their own "world".

I find His words more precious than diamonds!!

If you need another blessing, my cherished friend Yolanda at Higher Ground is hosting a give-a-way. If you haven't been there yet you should go!! The give-a-way ends May 5th!


Have a blessed Christ-filled weekend friends!!


His Maidservant~Pamela