Don’t Judge God by Your Results!

This might sound like a peculiar title but let me explain. Too many times I have personally witnessed this exact thing happening in the lives of family and friends and even those I really didn’t personally know.

It seems that when we start out as newborn babes in Christ, we are so loving and everything is right with the world. But just wait. Life will kick in and the life that seemed so wonderful and ethereal, has now awakened and the reality of living on planet earth amidst all the chaos of doubt and unbelief has now set in. But—

God’s Word and Who He is hasn’t changed. It’s only our perspective that has changed. Our results don’t prove or disprove God’s faithfulness. God is faithful no matter what we see happening around us. His faithfulness and integrity is not based on what happens in the world. I’m so thankful for that! Jesus is still the same today as He was yesterday and as He will be tomorrow and He will never leave us nor forsake us. [Heb. 13:5, 8]

What we believe or what others believe doesn’t change God. It changes us and how we perceive the Lord, Who is always on our side ready to help whenever we invite Him to do so.

I can give you examples of people I know who walked with the Lord but have turned their back on Him because they prayed and didn’t get their desired results! Well, welcome to the real world of planet earth!

What these people haven’t realized is that in everything, there’s a God- part and a man-part. God always does His part. That’s His integrity. But we are also responsible to do our part if we want the results we desire.

So, a logical question at this time is how do we know what our part is. Glad you asked and you probably know what I’m about to say – it’s all in the Word of God – the Bible! God couldn’t have made it any easier than to give us the Manual for Life. Our part is to read, hear, learn, and do! That’s it in a nutshell. Unfortunately, most people are too lazy or just not interested enough to do that. And it’s their loss.

Here’s the really bad thing: if you cut yourself off from God because you don’t like the outcome of your prayers, then you cut yourself off from the very One Who can actually help you. Then where are you? Left to yourself and the world’s way of doing things. And we all know how that works!

Brothers and sisters, God is absolutely good in every sense of the word and He cares for us more than we could ever care for ourselves. Let’s repent of misjudging God and get back on track and live the victorious life He has for us!

Jeremiah 31:3b (KJV) 3  …  Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee

Psalm 145:9 (KJV) 9  The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
Psalm 143:8 (KJV) 8  Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
Be the overcomer God said you are- Pamela

Do You Really Know What Mustard Seed Faith is?

Matthew 17:20 (KJV) 20  And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Luke 17:5-6 (KJV) 5  And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
6  And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

At first glance, it appears that Jesus is saying tht all you need is a tiny bit of faith to get the job done. And technically that’s true. But there’s more to what Jesus is saying if we look closer.

The disciples wanted Jesus to increase their faith but Jesus said that all they needed was a mustard seed-size faith and it would work, but – He goes on to say what that means.

He tells the disciples how to use that small seed of faith to produce results and that means SAYING. Jesus told them if they had faith as small as a mustard seed, they would SAY to the mountain to remove itself and it would obey them. But they are the ones who had to do the saying. They weren’t to leave it up to God. He didn’t say it would obey God but would obey them! That’s huge!

Yes it’s God’s power but we have to activate it by our speaking and commanding. Too many people just stop at the fact that they don’t need much faith to do the job but they totally ignore the fact that they are the ones in control – the ones who have to do the saying if they want results. And, brothers and sisters, they have to speak in faith! That too is huge!

Now, here’s some more insight into mustard seed faith. The mustard seed is the only seed that can’t be hybridized. It can only produce mustard seeds. It can’t be mixed with any other seed and produce something different. That means that the mustard seed faith can’t be mixed with anything else and still be effective. It can’t be mixed with fear, doubt, and unbelief and still produce the desired results.

That small faith MUST be pure and uncontaminated in order to work. And that, my friends, is where most Christians miss it. They think they can pray and then say any ol’ thing and their prayers will still work. No they won’t. You can’t pray one thing and then continue to confess negative things of doubt and unbelief. That’s not faith and it won’t work no matter how much you cry and beg God.

I know this might sound strong but if you really want to grow in faith, you have to learn some things that might be ouchies. And this is probably one of them.

Stay in God’s Word until it becomes the explosive power of God in you — Pamela

Does Social Media & the News Come Before the Word of God?

This is a no-brainer, or at least it should be. But, dear brothers and sisters, I sense that many people will answer yes to this question. In fact, there are probably a lot of things that come before the Word of God in most people’s daily routine. This is unacceptable and needs to be changed.

Now, don’t turn off just because of a loving rebuke. If we never got corrected, we’d keep doing that same wrong things over and over and getting nowhere! So hang on, it will get better.

I have observed over the years that many Christians appear to be doing the right thing, but then things happen and it throws them for a loop. Why is that? Most likely because they weren’t really doing what they needed to do but instead they were doing what everyone else in their circle was doing and it didn’t work in a crisis.

For those of you who read my blogs, you have noticed how much I emphasize getting into God’s Word and studying it to get it into your heart so that it’s there when you need it to come out. If it’s not in your heart, then what really is in your heart will come out and it probably won’t be enough to solve the problem.

Brothers and sisters, we live in dangerous times and we need to be ready for anything and everything that the enemy tries to throw at us. The time to build a boat is not in the middle of the storm! We have to build a firm foundation on the Word of God so that we’re rock-solid when the storms of life hit.

My suggestions is to have a daily New Testament Bible reading schedule that you stick with. Just open the New Testament and start anywhere. I suggest starting with the Gospel of John and go from there and then circle back to the other gospels. The New Testament is where I believe you should focus because that’s where we live today and that’s where we get our instructions for daily living. I also suggest reading one chapter daily from Proverbs in the Old Testament as they correspond with the day of the month and do this each month. There’s so much wisdom in Proverbs that you can glean and it will definitely be worthwhile.

Remember, we always have time for the things we really want to do so get your “want to” revved up and get into God’s Word and become faith giants!

2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV) 15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Job 23:12b (KJV) 12  … I have esteemed the words of his mouth [God] more than my necessary food.
Psalm 119:11 (KJV) 11  Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psalm 119:89 (KJV) 89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
Psalm 119:105 (KJV) 105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Psalm 119:11 (KJV) 11  Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Go for it — Pamela

Time – Do We Ever have Enough of it? [Part II]

Continuing along the line of spending time with the Lord, let’s continue our study.

As you know, we are made up of three parts: spirit, soul, and body. Now brace yourself for the next part: each part of us has to be fed! Yes, that’s right. We need to feed our spirit, soul, and body if we want to function properly.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (KJV)
23  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As you know, natural food is the way we feed our bodies. If we don’t, we’ll become weaker and weaker and then…

Our soul – mind, will, emotions –  needs food also and that involves intellectual food.

And then there is our spirit which must be fed also or it will become weaker and weaker and not preform the way we want. That spiritual food is the Word of God: spirit food for the spirit.

If you’ve ever slacked off on reading and studying God’s Word, you probably noticed that things weren’t quite right, even though you might not have been able to put your finger on it. That’s because your spirit was starving!

So here’s the solution: get back to reading, studying, and spending time with the Lord of Heaven and earth and you’ll get back on track. Reading good teaching books regarding the Word of God is an excellent way to help you develop in your Christian walk. I suggest the following:

 Andrew Wommack, Charles Capps, Kenneth Hagin, Sr., Keith Moore.

You can watch their teaching videos on the GoVictory channel, on YouTube, or on their websites.

Hope these two posts have been helpful. I love you and want God’s very best for you and so I’m giving you my very best!

Happy studying – Pamela

Time – Do We Ever have Enough of it? [Part I]

With all the new technology and “toys” we have, you’d think that Americans would have so much leisure time to enjoy life. But – no, that’s not how it is. It seems that the more efficient we are, the quicker the empty time slot gets filled!

So, where am I going with all this talk about time? And here it is: in talking with Christians, I have learned that many of them just don’t find the time to get into God’s Word and feed their spirits the way they really should. And the reason is that they are so preoccupied with the busyness of life that at the end of the day, they’re so tired that all they can do is plop in front of the TV and veg.

But I want to look at another side of this issue. What if God said the same thing to you when you went to Him with a problem to solve? What if He said He was just too busy today but maybe next week He’ll have more time? After all, there’s no one who’s busier than God Who’s answering requests and petitions 24/7 and even on holidays!

Brothers and sisters, time is not our problem for the most part. Granted, there are days we’re busier than others, but in the long run, we really do have time to spend with the Lord on a daily basis. The real issue here is, “Do you WANT to spend time with the Lord?”

Remember, everything with God is a heart/faith issue. He knows your schedule and He knows whether you’re really too busy or just too lazy. Neither one of those things is good. If we’re too busy to spend time with the Creator of the universe, the One Who has made every provision for us to live victoriously on planet earth, then, brothers and sisters, we’re just too busy!

Since we’re starting a new year, now is a good time to revamp some of our old habits and make new ones like spending quality time with the Lord each day and getting into His Word so that we can develop our faith and be the men and women of faith and power He has called us to be. We’re His hands and feet on this earth and if we don’t do what He has called us to do, it won’t get done!

Philippians 3:13-14 (KJV) 13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Pamela

If it Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix it!

I know this is bad English but that’s the way the saying goes. But I’m going to take a little different route on this one.

Today we have so many “versions” of the Bible which they call translations but some are really just paraphrases, not translations. My question to you is: which ones are correct? I’m going to discuss this from a different point view, not dissect each version of the Bible.

When we read the Bible, we need to recognize what we are reading – the Word of Almighty God to us! How many people really think about this when reading the Word?  

God’s Word is so pure and holy and accurate as to what He really is saying to us. We need to acknowledge this when we read and study. But how many actually do?

To many Christians, the Bible is just another book to make you feel good. [And most don’t let it get in the way of what they believe!] But that’s not all it is. It’s the life and faith of Almighty God poured into the pages between the covers. It’s His Word to us to show us how to be victorious in every area of our lives!

God’s Word is jam-packed with His DNA – His faith – and it’s just as powerful today as it was when He first spoke it. Now the Good News is that His Word is just as powerful and filled with faith when we speak it out of our mouths in faith. Wow – that’s a mouthful!

Which brings me to the next point having to do with the title of this blog: God’s Word works so DON’T change it! Unfortunately that’s what many of the newer translations have done. They’ve not only changed the Word but they have even omitted some of the verses for who knows why!

God’s Word doesn’t need changing. It’s perfect the way it is. Now I understand that by reading other translations, we can get a clearer picture of what He’s saying since the KJV is sometimes elusive due to the language. However, if you just stick with it, you’ll begin to enjoy the KJV because you can see the real intent of what is being said.

Not only that, how are you going to do a word study using other translations when the Strong’s and Young’s Concordances are based on the KJV?

And another advantage of the KJV is that it’s easier to memorize. I really had a hard time memorizing scriptures when I first got saved because I was reading a different version but when I switched to the KJV, I seemed to be able to memorize scriptures simply by reading and with hardly any effort!

In conclusion, let me say that no matter which version you read, you still need the Holy Spirit to interpret it to you and He’s the Best interpreter. Just keep reading and learning the Word so you can apply it to your life!

I use the Amplified Bible along with my KJV when I study and it really helps.

Hebrews 4:12 (KJV) 12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Psalm 119:105 (KJV) 105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Happy studying – Pamela

Who are You? [Part II]

6- You are complete in Jesus.

 Colossians 2:10 (KJV) 10  And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Complete means to make replete, cram. We’re crammed full of the Lord Jesus by His Spirit. We’re wall to wall Holy Ghost!

7-You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people, and called out of darkness into the light of God.

1 Peter 2:9 (KJV) 9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
 

The word peculiar means purchased. Although, we could probably apply peculiar to some of us!

8-We are kings and priests unto our God. Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. Who do you think these kings and lords are? They’re us!

Revelation 1:6 (KJV) 6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

9 – You’re the blood bought redeemed of the Lord!

Acts 20:28 (KJV) 28  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Hebrews 9:14 (KJV)
14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
1 Peter 1:18-19 (KJV) 18  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

1 John 1:7 (KJV) 7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

10-We have the wisdom of God in us. But we have to draw it out by our faith.

1 Corinthians 1:30 (KJV) 30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
1 Corinthians 2:16 (KJV) 16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
John 16:13 (KJV) 13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

1 John 2:20 (KJV) 20  But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

 An unction is an anointing. You know all things in your re-born spirit, not your mind. You have to renew your mind.

Take heed to what you have in the Lord — Pamela

Who are You? [Part I]

Matthew 16:15-16 (KJV) 15  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Here we see Jesus asking Peter who he says Jesus is and Peter answers Him that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Yes, this is Who Jesus is and we need to believe that in order to be saved. But let me ask another question: who do you say you are? Do you really know who you are?

I know this might seem a bit simple but it’s not. Too many Christians don’t really know who they are in the Lord. You see, when we get saved, we change allegiance and our whole outlook changes from a world-view to a Biblical view. At lease it should!

So, let’s dig around in the Word of God and find out who God says we are. That’s the mirror we need to look in if we want to know. We don’t look to the world to define us. We look to God because His assessment of us it the right one.

1-We are righteous in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:30 (KJV) 30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV) 21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Simply said, righteousness means right standing with God. So you see, Jesus bought and paid for our right standing with our Father God. Awesome!

2-We are called of the Lord. We each have a call on our lives from the Lord. But we need to seek Him as to what that is.

2 Timothy 1:9 (KJV) 9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

3-We are sanctified and we are saints. That means we are set apart and holy unto the Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:2a (KJV) 2  Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints

1 Corinthians 6:11 (KJV)
11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Colossians 1:2a (KJV) 2  To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse:  

Paul is addressing the Colossian believers and he calls them saints!

4-We are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 3:16 (KJV)
16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

5-You are part of the body of Christ on earth. Jesus is the Head and we’re the body. Where we go, Jesus goes because the head isn’t separate from the body.

Romans 12:5 (KJV) 5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
1 Corinthians 12:27 (AMP) 27  Now you [collectively] are Christ’s body and [individually] you are members of it, each part severally and distinct [each with his own place and function].

Praise the Lord for His goodness to us — Pamela

You Can’t Move Forward Looking in the Rearview Mirror!

Of course we all know that but too many times we do just the opposite. We make a mistake and let it rule our lives. Some things you can fix, but some you can’t. Those are the ones that you need to let go of and move on or it’ll be like a plague that doesn’t quit.

Philippians 3:13b (KJV) 13 …. but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

The apostle Paul is saying that you need to move on from where you are, forgetting your past mistakes, if you want to get anywhere. And Paul had a lot to forget. When he had his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, he was on his way to arrest Christians and throw them in jail. Plus he was responsible for the death of many Christians. He was not a nice person but thought he was doing God a favor by getting rid of all those Christians.

Later on he says that he has a pure conscience before God because he received forgiveness for all that he had done. That’s awesome and it goes to show us that God’s forgiveness reaches into our  deepest parts and cleanses us from all our past mistakes.  [II Tim. 1:3]

Brothers and sisters, we’ve all made mistakes and done stupid things that we wish we had never done but if all you do is dwell on those things, you’ll never move forward into the awesome things that God still has for you.

Just as you need to forgive everybody else, you also need to ask God’s forgiveness and forgive yourself for doing stupid things. I found that this is one of the hardest things to do because we keep thinking that we should have known better and done things differently.  But we didn’t and now it’s time to forgive ourselves, pick up, and move on into the rest of God’s plans for us. He loves us more than we can ever really comprehend and wants only His best for us. Go for it!

These are exciting times to be alive on planet earth because God is doing awesome things and the Great Revival of all times is underway. We need to be part of it and help bring in the last Great Harvest before the Rapture. I’m not going to miss a thing! Praise the Lord!

1 John 1:9 (KJV) 9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Thanks You Lord for Your mercy and grace to us – Pamela

Don’t Let Your Past Forfeit Your Future!

What are you focusing on? Are you looking to what God has for you or are you wallowing in all the mess that has gone before you? We have an obligation to the Lord to let it go and move on to where we can hear from Him and fulfill His plans for our lives.

It’s the little things that trip us up, mainly because we think they’re no big deal. But to the contrary, it’s the same little things that add up to bigger things and then we have a rip, roaring fire on our hands! I think we all can relate to that.

Then, if we’ve let the little things pile up and it’s gets to the inferno stage, we look and wonder how did this happen! It happened one step at a time!

But then again on a good note, that’s how good things happen – one step at a time – line upon line, precept upon precept, here little, there a little. And the little things, the scriptures you’ve been standing on and confessing day after day, week after week, soon become the dunamis power of God in you and voilà – you have you answer!

So, watch those seemingly little wiles and tricks of the enemy and quench them before they mushroom into bigger things. And as Barney Fife so succinctly said, “Nip it, nip it, nip it in the bud!”

Song of Songs 2:15 (KJV) 15  Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.

Pamela