Author Archives: Pam Ford Davis

Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals, The Church

Ready-Set-Go!

 

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Dressed in running clothes and gym shoes, the hopeful squat at the starting line, prepared to run. Hearts racing, listening acutely, they wait for the command.

 “Get ready, get set…  Go!”

 Before Jesus ascended back to His Father, He gave commands, not pep talks, to His disciples.

“The 11 disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. When they saw Him, they worshiped, but some doubted. Then Jesus came near and said to them, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:16-20 HCS).”

Jesus had been readying them each step along the way. Through His teaching, preaching and healing miracles they learned the ways of ministry and outreach. Sent out by Him on two-by-two mission assignments, they discovered the necessity of going empowered by Him.  Were they all set to proceed?

“While He was together with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. ‘This [He said, is what] you heard from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now (Acts 1:4-5 HCS).”

Set, they waited and watched… “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8 HCS).”  Ready and set they waited on the Lord…

Preparation, presence, provision and power fell upon them. “When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. And tongues, like flames of fire that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each one of them. Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them ability for speech (Acts 2:1-4 HCS).” Peter and the others were at the starting line.

“Go!”    

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Christian Growth

Mystery Revealed

 

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Do you curl up on the sofa on winter nights, reading mysteries, before a blazing fire?  Maybe you stay up and watch the late night movies to catch your favorite detective solve a mystery. You are not alone.  Fans of mysteries have faithfully followed their favorites. From Charlie Chan-to-Doctor Mark Sloan, masters of mystery keep us coming back for more.

The Apostle Paul gratefully shared the greatest mystery of all time. He was eager to tell the gospel story. He requested fervent prayer from his supporters, longing to reveal the fulfillment of that mystery to the lost. “Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel (Ephesians 6:19 HCS.”    

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

Labor in Vain

 

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Likely, you have completed a household chore, special project at work or sacrificed time as a volunteer. Finishing, you think to yourself…

Well, that was a waste of time!

Tomorrow, I’ll have to wash the same dishes, make up the same beds and sweep the same floors.

I wrapped up that office deal as told. Now, I already have two in its place.

Someone else is better qualified to tutor Johnny after school.

Nobody appreciates what I do.

“Why bother?”

 I labor in vain.

“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labor in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary (Jeremiah 51:58 KJV).”

Followers of Christ find renewed strength and encouragement in times of weariness.

“That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light… (Colossians 1:10-12 KJV).”

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

Discerning Suffering

 

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Persecution of believers spans the globe; they are in desperate need of prayers. Many erroneously think persecution of the saints ceased thousands of years ago. What we don’t know does hurt us and thwarts the spread of the gospel. Yet, through persecution, doors do open. Paul shared a testimony of persecution and peril. (2 Corinthians 11:22-32)

Speaking of a specific thorn in the flesh, he found his LORD sufficient. “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10 NKJ).” Do I perceive my weakness as strength, discerning suffering for Christ’s sake?

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Christian Growth, Devotionals, Family, Friends

Support Systems Check

 

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When was the last time you ran a support systems check? Each time a private plane operator prepares to board their plane, they first do a full round of examination, followed by a verbal “Check!”  Any counselor worth his or her salt will recommend a strong support system to patients. I need people I can trust in times of crisis.

“Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:7-8 CEV)!” I know my family and friends form an invisible support system creating a barrier against discouragement. Through thick and thin, sunshine and rain, rejoicing or sorrow…I face each tomorrow, supported by loved ones.

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

East-to-West

 

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My husband Norm worked as an over the road truck driver. That may sound like an obvious statement but a true trucker gets my drift. It means that he drove coast-to-coast not having the benefit of driving local and sleeping in his own bed every night. He covered a lot of territory, from east-to-west in our great nation, earning a good living as a profession truck driver.

“If I rise with the sun in the east, and settle in the west beyond the sea, even there you would guide me. With your right hand you would hold me (Psalm 139:9-10 NCV).” He was never alone. God was there. He led the way and held my husband in his protective care. In my life, he makes his presence known, his direction available and extends to me his hands of love.

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Christian Growth, Devotionals, Prayer

Heart-to-Heart

 

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Prayer: Heart-to-heart talk with Father. Open your Bible to the Book of Psalms. The search is easy; Psalms is half way through the Bible. King David penned the majority of Psalms. His poetic passages are emotional and riveting. They speak to my heart, but first they were heart-to-heart communication with his creator. As a man after God’s own heart, (Acts 13:22) he opened his heart and cried out to his loving Father.

“Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:9-10 NIV).” In the deepest recesses of his heart, David recognized his sins and transgressions. Yet, he also firmly believed his Father could cleanse him and remove all traces of sin. Communing, heart-to-heart, he also asked for renewal of his spirit deep within. I hunger for heart-to-heart talks with Father.

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth

Suffering Saints

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I have very little trouble comprehending cause and effect situations. Parents tell their children not to throw balls inside the house but they ignore the commands. In rebellion, they play a game of toss; the ball hits a vase and it shatters on the floor. The story does not end with the breakage; the children broke the rules and they will face the consequences. Mother and dad had made their will clear and will implement swift disciplinary measures. As a Pharisee, Saul was the cause of suffering by many saints.

 “But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house; and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison (Acts 8:3 NAS).” He persecuted believers, worshipers of the risen Christ. He was going around causing havoc; “what goes around, comes around.” God instructed a disciple named Ananias to go to Saul. “But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My names sake (Acts 9:15-16 NAS).” .

Paul endured under great suffering. (2 Corinthians 23-33) I detect a fine line between discipline, punishment, testing and suffering. Through the lives of the apostles, I perceive their joy in suffering for Christ. In the words of Paul, “For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me (Philippians 1:29-30 NAS).”  Apostle Peter also encouraged those undergoing persecution.

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you (1 Peter 4:12-14 NAS).”  Through the suffering of saints, I sense the advancement of the cause of Christ. In effect, He saves the lost.

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals

Up in a Puff of Smoke

 

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Up, in a puff of smoke! It alludes to rapid ruin for a structure. Yet, scripturally, smoke is symbolic of God’s glory, presence and power. His glory filled the Jerusalem temple. “And one cried to another and said, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory! And the foundations of the threshold shook at the voice of him who cried, and the house was filled with smoke (Isaiah 6:3-4 Amplified Bible).”

Smoke wafted through the screen door of the camper and ascended through the opened vent in the ceiling. Watching, I pondered on the idiom-where there’s smoke, there’s fire. In this case, I knew my husband was burning leaves. There is validity in the statement. Sometimes we can only see smoke; the fire, though not dominant, is there. Where there is smoke, there is sacrificial fire. Elijah made an offering unto holy God.

“Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You, the Lord, are God, and have turned their hearts back [to You]. Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice and the wood and the stones and the dust, and also licked up the water that was in the trench (1 Kings 18:37-38 Amplified Bible).” The Lord can still today turn our hearts back to Him. We need only to repent and return.

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

A Prompter

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Have you ever worked in hometown theatrical groups? Maybe you enjoyed drama club in high school or college. In your speaking roles, the director expected you to know the dialogue. Even if you were an extra with only a small speaking part, memorization was mandatory. Oops, you forgot your line. Off stage, a prompter fed you your lines.

The Holy Spirit is prompting the faithful. “And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say (Luke 12:11-12 Pilgrim Study Bible).” Feed on His word and He will feed you your lines.

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