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Trust. Don’t Be Too Late

A Mini-Minute with Pam: Trust. Don’t Be Too Late

Continuously following

Don’t be too late… Easter is fast approaching. Each year, naturally the focus is on Jesus’ sacrifice. His death. For you. For me. But what if this year is different. What if Jesus came this very hour just as you finished reading this post? Would someone else have to shut off your computer or would you still be there to do that?

Will you join me in this prayer?

Your love is amazing, Lord Thank you for going to the Cross for me. For my sin, so I don’t have to. Lord, what do I have to do, in order to put myself in the path of Your blessing? I believe the answer is to have a heart response to your invitation to join your Family. And to be content in You. To be prepared for Your coming back for Your own. To KNOW in my KNOWER that YOU are LORD of my life.

What if my scenario above happens

Are you ready? There is a story of a workman that was always the first out the door when the siren sounded for the end of the work day. When asked how he was able to consistently do that, his response was simple. “I stays ready so I don’t have to get ready.” What about you? ARE YOU READY? Or are you hoping for more time to GET ready?

Don’t be too late

It is a matter of trust. Do you believe any day now you could hear the shout of the Lord and the trumpet blasts to announce his coming for His own? Are you one of His own? Things are pretty bad right now in the country. In the whole world, actually. There was a big gathering in DC this week and the cell phone coverage was unavailable for a period of time. It caused quite a stir. So many signs point to the possibility that we need to STAY READY. When He comes, will you GO? Or will you be left behind?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
Lean not on your own understanding
In all you ways, acknowledge Him
And He will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Some versions say, “…And He will give you the desires of your heart.”

Is Easter just giving up stuff?

Many people focus on the call to discipleship as a call to self-denial…specifically at Easter time. That is often the case. Giving up something. Dying to your own desires. But the Christian life is more than just giving up stuff. Rather, as you draw closer to the Lord, His desires become your desires. Your will begins to closely align with His will. It becomes more about the amazing relationship that develops between you and Jesus. The closeness. The freshness each day. The joy of “belonging”. You are His and He is yours. Forever. You don’t—you can’t—do ANYTHING to EARN that. It is a gift to those who CHOOSE to TRUST HIM. His call to you is to follow Him unceasingly. Unconditionally. Always seeking to know Him better. Seek Him in the Scriptures. Don’t just read the Bible. LOOK for HIM on every page. He’s there! Waiting for you!

Moment by Moment

Discipleship for a Jesus follower is day-by-day. Delighting in Him. Desiring to make Him happy. To FEEL Him smiling at you. To believe that He knows what is best for you. Do you fully trust Him? Walk toward His Light. Don’t sit in the darkness.

Related Post: Stunning Realization. Easter

Looking closely at Psalm 57

“He (David) was facing multiple dangers and what bothers him most is the slander, gossip, and criticism surrounding him. Verbal cruelty can do just as much damage as physical abuse. He refuses to respond with hateful words…

“God’s presence is the only safe place when life seems to be falling apart and we are wounded by the words and actions of others. This habitual practice of prayer and praise in such times is David’s lifeline. It can be ours as well.

“Instead of spending sleepless nights worrying about what he cannot change, he uses these hours awake to find suitable expressions of praise and worship… Do you know how to speak to your soul like that?”

Almighty God, there is nothing too hard for you! When I face hardship, keep my mind and heart fixed on who you are.

— Encounter with God

Until next time.

Personality and Jesus

Do you know who God created you to be? Have you ever stopped to think about how your personality affects the way you interact with others? Find out more in this new book by Pamela A. Taylor.

Personality and Jesus

Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
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www.loavesandfishescoaching.com



Stunning Realization. Easter.

Path to Bridge

For many years I searched for whatever my mother had that gave her the strength to endure her years of cancer with such grace and peace. People didn’t talk much about their faith in those days. They considered it a private thing between them and God. So, I flailed around for years trying to figure it all out. I had no idea who would even know the answer to the longings in my heart.

Stunning Realization

About a year or so after my mother died, I was in bed “saying” the prayer I had been taught. You know the one: “Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep…” Then, according to my routine, I would end with “God bless “Mommy, Daddy, Davey, Gail and Bill.” And I stopped. I suddenly HEARD what I had been saying. I had continued to pray for my mother for a year after she had died. It was a rote memory prayer. With no “heart” to it. No real thought to it. Just a routine I did each night. Like brushing my teeth before bed. That realization was MY FIRST STEP TOWARD GOD. But it was only the beginning for my long search for the Living God.

For Years I Kept Searching

I can now gladly tell you that I found Him for whom my heart longed. Jesus. He was there all along. Waiting with out stretched arms. Waiting for me to fall into His arms in surrender.

Crushed…For Me…For You!

What does that mean? It is Amazing Grace. A gift that we can receive or reject. I have found what my mother had. And it wasn’t a what. It was a who. It was Jesus. I learned that Jesus died for me. For my sins. He rose again and is coming back for me. I KNOW THAT so well now. This is real and my prayers are not just a routine anymore. My prayers are conversations with a cherished Friend who is also my LORD!

And, now…thinking of the Easter season and all the remembering we do during that time, I know that: It was our sins that did that to Him. The betrayal. The whippings. The cross. It was our sin that ripped and tore and crushed Him. Our sins! My sins! (Past, Present, AND future sins. He took them all. We still have to face the consequences, but He paid the PENALTY with His life.) He took the punishment. So we won’t have to. And through His bruises we are healed.

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?'”John 11:25-26

Ponderings

This would be a great time to just stop and sit quietly and ponder what you just read. What if you sat quietly each day and mediated on the depth of love from this Jesus the Christ, who would suffer so much so we don’t have to?

Human Love vs. God’s Love

No human love can ever match the depth of God’s love. We don’t have to do anything at all to earn it. It is freely given. BUT we DO have to RECEIVE it. A gift needs to be received before it can bless. Let it sink in. Deep into Your soul. What would that do to your daily life? To your relationships? To your attitude day-to-day?

What if we really believe this? We can only BEGIN to imagine what God has in store for a life fully surrendered to Him…

I Would Love to Hear From You

Is this already a reality for you? If not…Are you willing? I would love to hear your story.

Until next time…

Personality and Jesus

Do you know who God created you to be? Have you ever stopped to think about how your personality affects the way you interact with others? Find out more in this new book by Pamela A. Taylor.

Personality and Jesus

Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com


Let Me Introduce You to My Best Friend

The Upper Room

The upper room was the last time before His death, that Jesus and his best friends—the disciples—would be together eating a meal and enjoying each other’s company. He showed them TRUE love. He talked frankly with them. They had shared so many wonderful experiences those three years of traveling together. Now, this was their last evening together—celebrating the Passover Feast. HE knew that, but they were just living for the day. With no thought for tomorrow.They were all together in one place. It was glorious. He loved them so much! He wanted them to KNOW that! He served them. He SHOWED them over and over again, HOW to love one another. And now—He was washing their feet. Imagine that! Peter, of course, protests. What would you do? Jesus kept trying to prepare them for what was ahead, but they simply did not or would not understand. I know often in my own life, I simply don’t understand what Jesus is doing in my life until AFTER the fact. I guess I am as dense as the disciples were! What about you?

The Garden of Gethsemane

Think of that first battle between good and evil (think Adam and Eve). And now Jesus has the ultimate good verses evil battle looming in front of Him. Yet, this is exactly WHY He came. He didn’t come to be born. He came to die. Without Easter, Christmas doesn’t make any sense. Sadly it doesn’t make sense to the RATIONAL EARTHBOUND MIND. But it is true! He came to DIE! For you. For me.

In the Garden, Jesus cried out to His Father God, “not my will but Yours be done”. In this Garden, Jesus wins the battle by choosing to totally and absolutely surrender HIS will to the will of His FATHER. ABBA. He chose to SHOW us ultimate unselfish love! Love that SAVES! The horror of what was ahead for Him, was to begin very soon. He knew what He had to do, but that didn’t make it easy. He struggled in the Garden. But, He prevailed in prayer. He won the battle in His mind, will, and emotions before He actually experienced the suffering and humiliation. He did that for you, For me. Stunning!

Alone with His Father

Jesus was often alone with His Father, but this time is different. Sadly, His friends, the disciples that He had taken with Him to share the sorrow and pain of His burden in the Garden, had fallen asleep, while Jesus did Spiritual Warfare! They slept. He fought in prayer. They gave in to their humanness. Their weariness. Have you ever gone through a tough spiritual battle ALONE? Friends deserting. Too busy. Too weary. Clueless what you are experiencing? I have. And I’m pretty sure you have, too. The good thing is that we—like Jesus—are not really alone. God the Father was with Him and He will be with us in all things. Through all things, ALL THE TIME! We are NEVER really alone. Believe that with your whole being.

They took Him away

Then, in the Garden, the solders took Him away. He did not resist. Any resisting He had previously felt, had already been dealt with in the Garden, wrestling with His feelings before God. While His friends—the disciples—slept. So, the soldiers brought Him before the High Priest. His friends had all run away. Peter followed at a distance. He tries to blend in with the crowd—to be UNnoticed, he hopes, Yet, he is recognized and in fear, he denies even knowing who Jesus is! THREE times he does that! Do YOU ever do that? Can you imagine the sadness Jesus feels when He is denied?

In your/my garden

In my mind, I picture this scene in my “gardens” of testing and trial. I imagine maybe saying things like, “I’m in a tough place. I don’t want to go through this alone.” And I look and there is NO ONE there with me. I am alone. Like Jesus was. That’s what life truly is.People can only go so far with us. Most of the journey must be “fleshed out” individually alone in our “closet” (garden) before our Father. And He will make us aware of His presence with us. We are never truly alone, no matter how it may feel sometimes.

They slept

His friends slept while Jesus went through His spiritual battle alone. Just as our friends “sleep” while we go through our battles. They are going to blow it. And, sadly, we are going to blow it, too, when they go through trials and testings. We are just like the disciples. But, when we return, like Peter came humbly, repenting, in sorrow, we, too, will be welcomed back into fellowship with Jesus. And He will show us what to do. And when to do it. And how to do it.

Faith and Trust

Next to Jesus, there were two thieves hanging on crosses, tortured and in horrendous pain. Like Jesus was. One of them was arrogant and spewing out angry words. But the other one realized he deserved his punishment and he also realized that Jesus did NOT deserve what HE was experiencing. That second thief was saved because he put his faith and trust in Jesus Christ, not in any works. Just simple faith and trust. Not in church attendance or ministry. Not in teaching a Bible study or hosting a small group in your home. Not in water baptism. But He believed Jesus was the Son of God—come to save him for an eternity together with Him. When He spoke those words, Jesus promised him they would be together for eternity very soon. And the suffering would be behind them.

John 5:24 (NASB) “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”

How about you?

Have you taken that step of faith—into the arms of the risen Savior? If not, this Easter would be a great time to take that step. Jesus is my Friend. I’d like to officially introduce you to each other!

We are living in perilous times.

I’d be grateful if you would pass this on to as many people as possible. It’s Easter time. Like Christmas time, many thoughts are pondering Jesus. Springtime is a time of new beginnings. My passion is to get the word out that Jesus Saves while we still have opportunity.

Personality and Jesus

Do you know who God created you to be? Have you ever stopped to think about how your personality affects the way you interact with others? Find out more in this new book by Pamela A. Taylor.

Personality and Jesus

Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com


What Is the Purpose of Lent?

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Some call it Lent

The period from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. A time set aside to deprive ourselves. To do without certain luxuries or indulgences. To GIVE UP something.

Others set aside that time to ADD something. Like more Bible study. More prayer. More church activities. Things like that. All those are good things. But is there something better?

I wonder what God desires

Perhaps this time called Lent is not so much a time to better your life, but rather to center your life. To take a mental assessment of “Why am I here? On earth. At this very time in history. What did God have in mind when He created me/you?”

40 days

Forty days has great significance throughout Scripture. Is that why we celebrate 40 days of Lent? Tradition? Is it just a habit with no Scriptural underlying goal/purpose in mind? Does God require it?  What does Scripture say?

Once I was blind but now I see

Is that the true purpose of Lent, and actually of our entire Christian walk? Why would these 40 days be any different than what God desires from us every day of our lives in our earthbound bodies? I submit that they should NOT be different days. I submit to you that what God desires is for us to SEE what is before us. To SEE what has always been there. To be aware daily, moment-by-moment of God’s presence and His voice. His word. To see through HIS eyes the creation, the people. the life He has given us.

Fearfully and wonderfully made

I am fearfully and wonderfully made. YOU are fearfully and wonderfully made. And everyone in our path has been fearfully and wonderfully made. The mean people and the nice people. He made you. He made me. ALL are fearfully and wonderfully made by our Creator God Almighty. All have opportunity to hear and obey Jesus’ invitation to “Come. Follow Me.”

Marvelous are His works!

His works are marvelous EVERY day. Not just during happy times or times of celebrations. Not just during Lent. EVERY day in every way. God does all things well. He died for me. He died for you. Marvel over that! It is a BIG DEAL! Stop and think about that fact! Make time in your day every day all day for what really matters to God. Glorify Him in your responses to the opportunities and challenges that come your way daily. Think of Him as being right beside you throughout your day. Because he IS! Right there with you!

Get to KNOW your Bible better every day

Get to know the author. Read John chapter 1 “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God…He was with God in the beginning…”  And Jesus (the Word) continues to be with God. And His Spirit is with us even now…

And forever…

Make space in your head for thoughts of Him and His sacrifices. Not just His death on the cross…but consider that He actually willingly LEFT HEAVEN in order to be called a liar, a drunk, to be betrayed, humiliated, spit on, tortured, and other horrible experiences. Those who he had discipled for 3 years deserted him in his time of greatest need. Even his own family questioned his sanity. I venture to say that nothing any of us suffers can ever compare to what the lover of our souls did for you and me.

So…when the devil comes to “visit”, respond like Jesus did: It is written…

Lenten focus

Jude 24, 25 “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.”

Keep listening for the trumpet call…it could be any day now…
See you there?

Personality and Jesus

Do you know who God created you to be? Have you ever stopped to think about how your personality affects the way you interact with others? Find out more in this new book by Pamela A. Taylor.

Personality and Jesus

Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com