Month: July 2019

Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals, Relationships

He Called Him Friend

Pam Ford Davis

photo credit: Thomas Hawk <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035555243@N01/15301176742″>judas Kiss</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a&gt; <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/”>(license)</a&gt;

Ever been betrayed by a friend?

“While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, suddenly arrived. A large mob, with swords and clubs, was with him from the chief priests and elders of the people.  His betrayer had given them a sign: ‘The One I kiss, He’s the One; arrest Him!’ So he went right up to Jesus and said, ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’ and kissed Him.

‘Friend,’ Jesus asked him, ‘why have you come?’

Then they came up, took hold of Jesus, and arrested Him (Matthew 26:45-50 HCSB).”

Jesus knew who His betrayer would be. He knew what was in Judas’ heart. Yes, the Master knew very well. Yet, He called Judas friend.

‘What a Friend We Have in Jesus’ [Joseph Scriven/Public Domain]

1 What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Ev’rything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit;
Oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Ev’rything to God in prayer!

2 Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who with all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our ev’ry weakness
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

3 Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
In his arms he’ll take and shield you;
You will find a solace there.

 

Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals

Weighing In

Pam Ford Davis

photo credit: incurable_hippie <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/49503155381@N01/4266232759″>DSC_4912</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a> <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/”>(license)</a>  

 

Thinking that you need to go on a diet?

My clothes have confirmed what I’ve been reading on the bathroom scales. I could ignore the scales; I have daily reminders when putting on my clothes. The first 5-7 pounds I gained showed minimal change; the last 5 pounds reveal a noticeable difference.

The signal light turned from caution to stop!

It’s time to put the brakes on. I don’t count calories; instead, I watch my portion sizes and cut down on sweets. This is not the first time I’ve gone this route; it takes patience and determination. 

I’m tempted to overindulge. Jesus was tempted to turn stones into bread.

“Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, ‘If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.’

But He answered and said, ‘It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:3-4 NKJV).”

Christ hungered for a far greater food.

“Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest (John 4:34-35 NKJV)!”

LORD, I want You to control my hunger…

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled (Matthew 5:6 NKJV).”

 

Christian Growth, Devotionals, Women

Blondes-the Brunt of Jokes

Pam Ford Davis

photo credit: Nicholas Erwin <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/58210871@N06/40271118500″>Happy Mothers Day!</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a&gt; <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/”>(license)</a&gt;

 

I was naturally blonde until my early teens.

For the next several years I cheated; I dyed my hair. I hope I wasn’t the brunt of dumb blonde jokes.   

Some blondes are beautiful.

“A beautiful woman who rejects good sense
is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout (Proverbs 11:22 HCSB).”

Pity the dumb blonde. She lacks common sense.

“… develop common sense, you who are foolish (Proverbs 8:5b HCSB).”

Some blondes are foolish.

“The fool says in his heart, ‘God does not exist (Psalm 14:1a HCSB).” 

He does exist; He lives.

He loves.

He knows the number of hairs on a beautiful blonde’s head!

“Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted (Luke 12:7a HCSB).”

 

 

Devotionals, Salvation

His Way

Pam Ford Davis

photo credit: Leap Kye <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/10581663@N08/5883964562″>Matchbox – ’63 Cadillac Hearse</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a> <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/”>(license)</a>  

 

Conversations about death and dying make many people uncomfortable.

Trying to relieve tension, they crack jokes about the afterlife. If unsure about where they will spend eternity, scoffers laugh off the truth about a literal heaven and hell. Living only for today (and what money can buy) the foolish forget you can’t take it with you.

Maybe you’ve heard what was sent with famed Frank Sinatra. I read interesting trivia in urbo.com. Sinatra’s friends tucked rolls of his favorite candy inside his casket. Someone put in dog biscuits for man’s best friend. I found one item very interesting; a roll of dimes was placed inside. Dimes? He made millions.

There was a time when dimes paid a crucial role in Sinatra’s life. His son, Frank Sinatra, Jr. had been abducted and held for ransom. The kidnappers feared phone tapping and said they’d only communicate through pay telephones. Frank Sinatra ran out of change during a conversation and panicked. Fortunately, he was able to get back in contact with the men holding his son.

To make a long story short, Frank Sinatra, Jr. escaped. The kidnappers were nabbed by the police and justice was served. It’s said that Ole’ Blue Eyes carried rolls of coins with him till his death. That explains the send off with rolled coins. So, some might say that he lived and died doing it ‘his way.’

Did he?

“But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.  For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.  If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content (1 Timothy 6:6-8 NASB).”