The Word Illustrated #74 -- A Growing love

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The Word Illustrated #74
© Pamyla Floyd
07/13/2011

A growing love

O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer

My dog Blu and I were together for nine and a half years. When I first got him he was just shy of being 6 weeks old. He was the runt of his litter and was so small, that he could fit inside my jacket pocket. As the months went by, he steadily picked up a pound a month that first year. He was a whiny little baby, who was always scrambling to get close to me. When it thundered outside, or something frightened him, I laid him on my chest, so that the sound of my beating heart would relax him.

As he got older, he became too big to even hide in my large duffel bag. You see, he not only went to work with me, but he went with me on vacations, to the store, and to the homes of family members as well. We were always together. When I had to start leaving him at home, he didn’t like it, and let me know. In the mornings, as I readied myself for work, he would grab my socks, run and hide them. I began coming up with games to distract him, and I would run out of the house when he wasn’t looking. Twice he left nice little ‘packages’ under my pillow!

But, if I got a cold and did not feel my best, he would lie at my feet. When I moved, he moved and stood at attention, awaiting my command. If Iwas looking for my keys and said “Blu, where are my keys” he would steer his eyes in the direction they were in. When my mother passed away, he feeling my grief, and would lean against me, using all of his weight. During that time, he walked so close underfoot, that I tripped and fell. When I slept, he would lay on my legs. Ouch!

The whole time we were together, He was willing and eager to please me. He loved for me to talk to him, and was eager to learn. He even knew his left from his right. The love Blu showed me, surprised me at times; especially after a scolding. God used him to reveal to me, what my relationship with Him should look. I should be eager to spend time with Him (in the word), want to talk to Him (through prayer), follow His commands (being obedient) and lean on Him (at all times). Blu didn't care whether I had a piece of cheese, some fish, (his favorite), his ball or was empty handed. He always met me with great expectancy and joy. I never felt slighted, ignored or put off. He was glad that I was there.

Through our friendship, I learned how to fall in love with Jesus. Proverbs 18:24 describes Jesus as the friend that sticks closer than a brother. We can all improve our relationship with Him, by getting to know Him, for who He is. I’m not the only one, who knows how it feels to be 'loved' for what we can give or do for someone. By the same token, we all long to be accepted and loved for ‘who’ we are. In that regard, the Lord is the same way, and He longs to have a more loving relationship with each of us.

I thank God for the time I was allowed to have with Blu. He was a loyal friend who added value to my life. He was a tan Alaskan malamute, Siberian husky mix with powder blue eyes, and a black streak on his back. He would get into the driver seat when I got out of the car, and was so huge, that he looked like a person sitting there. When I was a little girl, I dreamt of having a dog like him. God honored my heart desire, and through a co worker, gave him to me at no cost. In the last couple of years, out of the blue, (no pun intended, of course!) people have offered me the same type of dog. These people had never known Blu. God is so good!

God bless,
Pamyla

If you want to know how to ask Jesus into your heart, please visit my Salvation page. If you want prayer or need help finding scriptures to stand on, please email me: thewordillustrated at yahoo dot com

Reference Scriptures:
The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee -- Jeremiah 31:3

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God -- James 2:23

Note: The image is a collage memorial with pictures of Blu, my faithful friend who loved me, no matter what.

The Word Illustrated #68--Leaving the past behind

The Word Illustrated #68
© Pamyla Floyd
01/20/2011

Leaving the past behind

Php 3:13 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,

In order to receive healing, you have to believe Jesus can heal you. In order to walk in the promises of God, we have to live the way He says to live. It is what we believe in our hearts, that comes out of our mouths, and those things that we say and do. What do you believe? What are you saying? Does it line up with the word of God? Two thousand and ten is gone, it's time to believe what God says.

When we murmur and complain, we are expressing unbelief in God. When we slander and gossip against others, we are saying that He cannot produce change in their lives. On both accounts, we are calling Him a liar. When we hold grudges and refuse to forgive, we are saying that satan is right and God is wrong. Amos 3:3 states, how can two walk together lest they agree? Who are you standing in agreement with?

satan comes to kill our hopes and dreams, steal our happiness, and destroy our lives. he knows that many Christians, will not read God's word to find out how we can live in peace, have restored health and experience complete wholeness. We can do all things through Christ which strenghtens us. What are you watching, listening to and thinking about everyday?

When we say, “God knows my heart”, we are expressing an outright refusal to do what He says to do. Apostasy, which is the turning away from God, is what satan covets most. It's time to believe what God says. But we have to get into a ministry that preaches the resurrected Jesus, that teaches the bible, and learn how to leave the past buried!

God bless,
Pamyla

If you want to know how to ask Jesus into your heart, please visit my Salvation page. If you want prayer or need help finding scriptures to stand on, please email me: thewordillustrated at yahoo dot com

God knows my heart:
Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:)--2Ch 6:30

I just can't forgive them:
But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespases -- Mar 11:26

It's just small talk:
Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, –-1Pe 2:1

They are not going to get over on me:
But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth -- Col 3:8

Good friends are hard to find:
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, –- 2Co 6:17

They owe it to me:
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth –- Eph 4:28

He/she will never change:
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers –- Eph 4:29

Note: The illustration is of four ghosts waving goodbye