TWI #89

Driving through

© Pamyla Floyd

July 17, 2012

Some time back in the 1980s, I drove to California with my 2nd cousin Lillian. while I was driving, it started storming. The rains were torrential and it was hard to see even a few feet ahead. I began to panic, and did what everyone else around us did. I pulled under the underpass to wait it out. "What are you doing?" she asked. "What do you mean, what am I doing"(I was a bit annoyed that asked me this). It was obvious, in my mind, that I needed to stop.

She went on to explain that even though the rains were heavy, and it was difficult to see, we needed to keep driving forward. "This won't last long, because we will drive through the middle and be out of it in a few minutes. So, with my heart in my throat, I did as she said. Lillian was true road warrior, and she was definitely right about the storm.

I never forgot that lesson, and have carried it with me throughout my life. After I became a Christian, that same lesson presented itself in different ways in my life, spiritually speaking. I never forgot what she taught me that day. When we face storms, it is natural to want to stop moving forward and just wait until the storm blows over. Instead we should continue moving forward, even if at a slower pace. As my pastor puts it, "Forward is the march!" Stopping makes us lose ground, and valuable time. Whether the storm lasts a few hours, weeks or longer, time still moves on. The bills still come, and we are still getting older day by day.

We may feel that since we are single, we should have a 'special grace' that keeps us from having to deal with certain things. Its easy to say, "If I were married" or "I shouldn't have to deal with this alone" etc. But the storms we face in life are not to crush or destroy us. They come to build us up in our faith, and to build our character.

The enemy uses storms to stop us in our tracks and stunt our growth. he surely wants to make us think that we are alone. I Samuel 12:22 says For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people. Put the pity parties in the trash where they belong. Your future spouse needs a mate that does not make excuses nor run and hide with their tail between their legs.

He didn't just save us, and leave us,but He is there no matter what. He promised to never leave nor forsake us. In Psalms 139:8, David exclaims, If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there! Wow how awesome is our God! yes, we can continue to move forward through anything with confidence, because He has us. Good spouses balance each other so that both are strengthened and become one strong unit. But remember, it takes 2 whole people to unite and build a strong and lasting relationship that can weather the storms of life together. Your singleness may seem like one long storm, but believe me it isn't.

Change your outlook. You are being equipped, challenged and molded into the man/woman that God has called you to be. You can make it make it with the Lord's help. Just keep driving through.

God bless,

Pamyla

Psalms 132:14

Am I ready?

TWI #82
© Pamyla Floyd
2/11/2012

I know that I have had to ask myself this question, as I’m sure that many of us must also do. Am I ready? Am I ready for the thing that I’m asking of the lord? Am I mature enough discuss uncomfortable conversations? How do I handle misunderstandings? Do I immediately take action or wait for things to work themselves out? Actually, there is no right or wrong here. But, the question of our motives come into play when we’re faced with challenging circumstances, conversations, problems and the way we handle them.

If we have always yelled down others when they approached with a problem, and ignored their feelings or stance on things, then we need to take a long hard look at ourselves. Now that is easy to say, but nothing is impossible with God. If we are not willing to try effective communication where both parties’ input are listened to, then we may just not be ready yet. If we insist on throwing temper tantrums to get our way, because that is how things have always worked, we surely are not ready for ‘that person’ to come into our lives.

It would be a shame to have prayed and waited for that suitable mate, only to run them away, because we aren’t willing to change for the greater cause of those involved. What about finances? Nobody LIKES paying bills, but unfortunately, it is a must in this life. On the other hand, if we don’t like paying bills and won’t pay them, this is a huge problem. Even as singles, if we think that we can do whatever we want, however we want, because “I don’t have to answer to anyone” we are entering into a mindset with motives that are not pleasing to the Lord. We will find ourselves pushed further away from attaining the promise of a successful loving relationship. It is foolish to think that our Heavenly Father would bring His virtuous woman or mighty man of valor into the life of someone who would ruin their walk, life and testimony. I’m trying to keep it real. There are far too many divorces in the body of Christ.

In order to walk in the promises of God we have to be in position. No batter can make a home run if he refuses to come up to the plate. We need to have a teachable spirit, be a good listener, have compassion toward others, walk in love, and be ready to forgive. Another key component is that we be willing to work on things, by following through every time.

So, whether our petition letter to the Lord be about our spiritual growth,a new home, job , relationship or whatever; the question should always be—Am I ready?

Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips—Psalms 21:2

Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting—Matthew 17:21

If you want to know how to ask Jesus into your heart, or want help in leading someone to Christ, 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 bless,
Pamyla

I Chronicles 16:8-9

Romans 10:15

The Word illustrated #81--All the days of my life!

(A Song to the LORD)

All the days of my life, I will serve you LORD. No matter what my days bring forth, I will continually praise your name. Glory Hallelujah, you are my rock my shelter. Oh LORD, my God you are the only one. All the days of my life, it is you that I will serve.

In sickness and in health, sunshine or rain, my service to you will always be the same. No matter what the enemy brings my way, I will serve you oh LORD, my God, I will serve you just the same.

Through happiness and joy, heartache or pain. I will serve you gladly each day. you are my deliverer, my healer, my strength, my friend. In you, there is no lack, you are my everything. I lose my life to you, for I do gain.

This life you can use, i am your willing vessel, oh God. Use me as you will, mold me, make me, thy will be done. For this is the day that you have made and I shall rejoice, and be glad in it.

You rebuke the devourer for my sake, no pestilence, no curse, no temptation, no trial no nothing shall remove your love from me. Oh LORD, my God, I will serve you always.

All the days of my life, I will serve you even unto death. I love you LORD, I love you, always and forever AMEN

One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek arfter; that I may dwell in the house of the lORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in His temple—Psalms 27:4

God bless,
Pamyla

If you want to know how to ask Jesus into your heart, or want help in leading someone to Christ, 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

Note: The image is of two trees in the winter, summer, spring and fall. They are un moved.

TWI #80--Walk it out

The Word Illustrated #80
© Pamyla Floyd
9/29/2011

Jesus saith unto him, Rise; take up thy bed, and walk – John 5:8

Heavenly father in the name of Jesus we seek you; our deliverer, our strength, our encourager. You are everything to us. We know that through your divine power, you have given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of you who has called us to glory and virtue. We want to be healed in every area of our lives and made whole from this day forward. We thank you for doing it, this day AMEN.

I‘ve come to a conclusion, and in doing so, I had to make a decision. Totally persuaded by the word of God, I began to fully understand “Thy will be done”. The more I read the word, meditate on it, and delve deeper to study what is unfamiliar to me, the more my faith grows. At some point, I made a conscious decision as whether I would believe the word of God or not. It was the difference between life and death; standing in faith, or walking away. It is that serious for me, but it hasn’t always been so.

I received Christ in 1996, and one of the things that I needed to deal with right away¸ was the moodiness that ruled my life. It did not line up with the word of God, nor glorified Him in any way. But, because I was a babe in Christ and knew nothing about the power of God, I assumed that I had to live with it. I would go from one extreme to the other, driven of course, by events and voices from my past. I would be happy one minute, sad, angry or volatile the next. My emotional state dictated my days, made my nights long, and was destructive to all of my relationships.

People were never sure of how to approach me, because they didn’t know how I would react. I was often ‘the last one to find out’ things that should have been shared with me. But glory to God! He put a couple of faithful women who knew His word, and were committed to stand with me. It took consistent prayer and fasting, along with confessing the word of God over my life, which brought victory in defeating the thing designed to destroy me.

Luke 17:12-19, has the story about the ten lepers who cried out for Jesus to heal them. In verse 14 Jesus told them to go show themselves to the Priests. It further states “And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed”. One definition of cleanse is to free from defilement. Notice that the lepers didn’t just stand still, they had to do something. After they heard the word they had to move, activating their faith, which brought forth their deliverance and healing. I’m pretty sure they were that they were talking to each other about what Jesus said to them!

We too, after hearing the word, have to get moving by saying what God says, getting it in us and walking in faith. The Centurion told Jesus, “Lord just speak the word only”. We have the living word of God, in our hands. We can find scriptures (word) to stand on, concerning the things that plague us in our lives. We have to walk it out. That is how we will receive healing, deliverance, and breakthrough promises from God.

There is a commercial that states, “There’s an App for that!” Well, I’m here to tell you that, for everything you are facing or dealing with in your life, there’s a word for that! Jesus is the answer to all of our problems. According to the word, we have not because we ask not.

Learn to walk it out:

1—Acknowledge the Lord and seek His help--John 4:24 (He knows and He cares)

2—Find supporting scripture to stand on—Isaiah 40:8 (His word is alive)

3¬—Meditate on the word—Joshua 1:8 (Say the word out loud, think about it, and get it in you)

4¬—RELEASE YOUR FAITH—Mark 11:22-24 (It doesn’t matter what our circumstances say, say what God says)

He has spoken the word. Now it is up to us, either we will receive it; and have abundance of life, or we won’t.

Reference Scriptures:
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever—Psalms 23:6

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,-- Luke 4:18

God bless,

Pamyla

If you want to know how to ask Jesus into your heart, or want help in leading someone to Christ, 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
Note: The photograph is of 3 tuttles that have walked onto a downed tree. I guess you could say that they are walking it out :)

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