When I was a little girl I remember the trips to Oklahoma to see my great grandmother. She was a typical great grandmother of that era, about 5’2” with solid white hair pulled back in a bun. As with most grandmothers, whatever my brother and I wanted we got. Since she didn’t have running water in her house, she had a well in her back yard. We loved to drop the bucket and pull up water over, and over, and over, spilling most on the ground. It was messy, but such fun.
This morning as I was praying about what I wanted to share with you, I was reminded of our Lord’s encounter with the woman at the well found in John 4:6-29. Read the story and be blessed. After the woman asked the question in verse 11 about not having a bucket in which to draw water from the deep well; Jesus answered her in verse 14. “Whoever takes a drink of the water that I will give shall never be thirsty again. But the water that I will give him shall become a spring of water welling up continually within him unto eternal life.”
Recently, because of an unexpected challenge with Jon’s health, I have had to draw from that Living Water that my Lord Jesus promised in His Word. He has quickened my heart with some of these promises during my early morning visits with Him. Insert “your name” in these verses as I have.
“He shall be to Jon and me a restorer of life and a nourisher of our old age.” Ruth 4:15
“”Call on Me, Phyllis and I will answer. I will be with him in trouble. I will rescue him and honor him.” Psalm 91:15
“God is my refuge and strength, my helper, Who is always found in the time of trouble, therefore, I will to not be afraid.” Psalm 46:1-2
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, Phyllis and lean not on your own understanding and He will direct your path.” Proverbs 3:5-6
“Thou will keep me in perfect peace when my mind is stayed on Thee, for I trust in Thee.” Isaiah 26:3
Trusting in Jesus,
Phyllis

Events and circumstances in life can sometimes, let’s admit it, be a real bummer. I guess it is because those happenings catch us off guard. I will have to admit that my first response is not always the most Spiritual. It does make me feel a little better when I read that some characters in the Bible didn’t always respond well to their circumstances. In anger, Peter, who was with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane reached out and drew his sword, striking the servant of the high priest and cutting off his ear. That is recorded in Matthew 26:51. In Luke 9:54 when the people were rejecting Jesus, James and John asked, “Lord do You want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them.” Another event where self-pity reigned was when Jezebel was trying to kill Elijah. He came to a large bush and sat down in the shade and begged the Lord, ”I have had enough, just let me die.” Yep, to my regret I have experienced both anger and self-pity when presented with unwanted happenings.
It would be easy to say that we deserve to get angry or have self-pity. Truthfully, the only right and good answer to the unexpected circumstances and disappointing things in life is also found in the Scriptures. Let’s take a brief look at Psalm 46.
We must behold our God. “God is our Refuge and Strength, a very present help in time of trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change and though the mountains be shaken into the midst of the seas.” He is our Supreme power. He has authority in heaven and earth. “Come behold the works of our Lord who does wonders in the earth.” “Be still and know that I am God.” Be still (stop moving, have tranquility of mind)…Know (observe, reflect, by experiencing),I am God (Sovereign, Supreme power, Superior to all others). God is the One that controls every event that affects our lives if we are His children. Selah (pause and calmly think on this).
I am really working on those times when life sends me those unexpected events, so that I can behold my God and turn the bummer things into the joy of the Lord.
Joy,
Phyllis

Pandita Ramabai, a Hindu woman was converted to Christ after reading a copy of the Gospel of Luke. It was part of the fruit of William Carey’s works in India. He was known as the father of the modern mission movement. In 1898 while visiting the Keswick Convention (started in 1875 known as “living the whole life of Christ”), Pandita pled with the some 4000 to pray for a Spiritual movement in India as was happening in America. She at the time was caring for some 2000 girls in Bombay. After several months of prayer, 1200 of the girls accepted Christ as their Savior. Later another 600 were converted to Christ. Pandita Ramabai then started prayer circles of 10 girls to pray for the salvation of others. That began to spread and encompassed many prayer groups. In June of 1905 a mighty Spiritual Revival began across India.
As I read and study about how God used this bold woman and small groups of girls committed to pray for a new and fresh work of God in India, I am challenged even more to be consistent and fervent to cry out to the Father for Spiritual Renewal in America. Isaiah 62:6-7 “On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchman all day and all night that will never keep silent. You who remind the Lord take no rest for yourselves; and give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.” Can we not add our America to this request from God through the prophet, Isaiah?
Joy,
Phyllis

Several months ago, I was wanting to share how women were used in the great mighty works of God in past centuries to usher in revivals and Spiritual Awakenings. A friend shared the following article with me. I will be paraphrasing some of the devotional due to space.
E Michael and Sharon Rusten in a devotional in “One Year Book of Christian History” wrote the following:
In 1856 in Ulster, Ireland, James McQuilkin was invited to tea. There a visiting woman skirted the civilities of discussing the weather and spoke openly on a subject McQuilkin found uncomfortable: the condition of his soul. After another guest described the nature of her Christian experience, the visiting woman said to McQuilkin, “my dear, I don’t believe you have ever known the Lord Jesus.” McQuilkin later wrote, “I knew that she spoke what was true of me. I felt as if the ground were about to open beneath me and let me sink into hell. As soon as I could, I left the company. For two weeks I had no peace day or night. At the end of that time I found peace by trusting the Lord Jesus.”
The following year McQuilkin felt a burden to pray for his neighbors and asked three friends to join him. Once a week the men gathered in a school house to pray for each person in their community by name. This was September of 1857. Unknown to them, God was laying on the hearts of many others to start prayer groups in Northern Ireland. Pastors started preaching about revival.
After nine months of prayer McQuilkin’s prayer group saw their first conversion. One morning in the city of Ballymena a young man fell prostrate in a crowded marketplace and called out, “Unclean, Unclean! God be merciful to me a sinner.”
March14, 1859 McQuilkin’s prayer group responded to an invitation to a prayer meeting. The church was so crowded they moved it to the street. Hundreds knelt in the mud and rain confessing their sins and praising God. They were the first of one hundred thousand people God called to Himself in 1859. A reporter to Ulster reported that the “Ulster movement touched off revivals in England, Scotland and Wales and it all started with an unknown woman unafraid to speak spiritual truth over tea.”
We never know what will be the effect our conversation will have on others. The woman at tea had no idea that God would use her to launch a nationwide revival. Our responsibility is to faithfully share God’s truths as we go about our daily lives and leave the results to Him.
“I have not been afraid to speak out, as You, O Lord, well know. I have not kept this good news hidden in my heart; I have talked about Your faithfulness and saving power.” Psalm 40:9-10
Joy,
Phyllis

Every once in a while I will be looking at facebook and someone will post, “like” if you love your daughter. Or “like” if you love your son. Of course I always click “like” because I do love my children. Sometimes someone will even post “like” if you love God. I always want to press “like” 10,000 times, but of course I don’t, I only get one click. Much is said about love in February with the celebrating of Valentine’s Day. It is wonderful to celebrate and express our love to others, but human love can sometimes be so fickle and conditional. Don’t get me wrong, I do love the chocolates that I get from Jon, LOL. I want to share with you about a love that is never fickle or conditional and is freely given.
John 3:16…”For God so “ loved” the world (us) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever would believe in Him would have eternal life,”
Romans 5:8-10 “But God demonstrates His own “love” toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ Jesus died for us. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”
Romans 8:35 & 38…”Who shall separate us from the “love” of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the “love” of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
If you have not accepted Jesus as your personal savior, this is such a beautiful time to accept God’s “love” through Jesus, and let Him lavish that unconditional “God the Father’s love” on you! If you, like me, have already accepted His forever “love,” let’s tell Him now how eternally grateful we are and celebrate His true “LOVE.”
Phyllis

Christmas has always been a special time for our family. I remember as a little girl the wonderful aromas coming from the kitchen as my grandmothers and mom were cooking. The excitement of the soon coming extended family to celebrate with us the joy and laughter. We would be sipping hot chocolate as we decorated the beautiful tree that Dad had cut down.
One year after Jon and I had married, as we always did, we went to Mom and Dad’s for the holidays. As we entered the living room where the normal beautiful tree was the center of attention, we noticed that this one was a bit straggly. Dad with his great ability to embellish on a story began to tell us what happened. “As your mom and I were walking through the woods, I kept hearing, “please pick me, please pick me. I want to be the “Christmas tree” for a wonderful family.” So what were we to do but pick this straggly one, and Mom did wonders making that straggly tree beautiful. It was a memory making Christmas that year with the straggly Christmas tree story.
I am so grateful that when I too was like that straggly tree, undone and in need of a savior God, even before the foundation of the world saw my need and sent His Son, Jesus to this earth to be born in a manger on that first Christmas. Then He grew up to die on an old rugged cross so that I could become something beautiful and live for all eternity in His heavenly home. John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, so that whoever would believe in Him would not perish but have eternal life.”
Have a blessed and thankful Christmas.

Phyllis

As I am getting older, I am learning more about what really matters in life. There is a story told by Janice Hune, an associate professor at Kansas State. She said that she was using obituaries as a little window to look at cultural values. She discovered obituaries of the 19th century focused on the deceased’s character while in the 20th century it centered on their financial worth and work.
A life well lived has some qualities that are unmistakable. It is a life of significance declared by God Himself in His word. That life has a significant purpose, to “tell” the great works of God. Psalms 71:18 “When I am old and grey headed, oh God forsake me not until I have declared Your mighty strength to all generations.” Deuteronomy 6:5-7 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your being. You shall teach these things (what things?) the wonders of God to your children and grandchildren. You shall talk of them when you are in your house, walking by the way, lying down and rising up.” Then, “trust” in the Lord. Psalms 31:14 “Trust in the Lord and rely confidently in Him.” Psalms 28:7, “The Lord is my Strength and Shield; my heart has learned to trust in Him.” Then a significant life has learned what the word “toil” really means. When I am feeling unworthy because I am unable to work in the Lord’s fields because of age, sickness, weaknesses, etc. we must remember what our Lord said when the disciples ask Him, “What are we to do, that we may habitually work the works of God? Jesus replied, “This is the work of God that you believe in Jesus Whom the Father has sent you.”
Keep telling, keep trusting, and keep toiling in believing prayer! You are one of the Lord’s most precious significant ones. Our God has declared it!!!!!
Joy,
Phyllis

This time of the year when all the shrubs and flowers are in bloom takes me back to an event that happened several years ago,   when Jon decided to prune (cut back) our front yard shrubs.  When he pruned them, HE REALLY PRUNED them, if you know what I mean.  A man with electric hedge sheers can be so dangerous.  You guessed it, they were just stumps by the time he finished. Not one leaf was left.   He tried to reassure me that in the coming spring, they would be even more beautiful.  I hate to admit it, but when spring arrived….all the new growth on those old shrub stumps was fresh, thick, and gorgeous.

Would you say, that one of the most difficult things for us to accept is when God has to cut away (or prune) unnecessary hindrances from our lives so we can be more like Jesus?   As in horticulture, Spiritual pruning is always done with God’s purpose in mind.  It is used to modify direction or to train.  Do you know that God uses adversity for His purpose in our lives?  As soon as our mind gets snagged on the difficulties, we must take them directly to our heavenly Father, as He knows just how to handle them.  He is always saying, “Come!”   Do we really deep down know that He has a greater good in mind when He allows trouble to come?

We can rejoice in Psalm 1:6: “I am confident of this one thing, He that began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ.”

Joy,

Phyllis

Seems like everywhere we turn, “bad news,” on the TV, radio, news, etc.  If we are not careful, we will be sucked into the gloom and doom.  Just like many of you, my life has been filled with ups and downs.  When this happens to me, I find recounting the mighty works of God helps me move from “fear” to “faith,” and I say with confidence, “BUT GOD.” Let’s travel through the Bible and see that when God’s children were up against the impossible….with God all things are possible. Just a few reminders:

Exodus   God’s children were in Egyptian captivity with no deliverer, an impossible situation? ….BUT GOD through Moses delivered them, parted the red sea so that they walked on dry land to cross over to safety and provided every provision that they would need on their journey.

Daniel 6   Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den with no way out, impossible situation?….BUT GOD stopped the mouths of the lions and saved Daniel because of his faithfulness to the Lord.

Matthew 1   Jesus was born of a virgin, impossible?….BUT WITH GOD all things are possible.

Matthew 14  When there were no provisions, with five thousand hungry men, plus women and children and only 5 small loaves and 2 fish with which to feed them, that’s impossible?…..BUT GOD.  They were fed and had 12 baskets left over.

Luke 24:6 Jesus was crucified and in the grave for 3 days, an impossible situation? …BUT GOD, “Up from the grave Jesus arose,” and God raised Him from the grave so that we could experience salvation and live with God eternally!

My personal testimony of six months in depression years ago with seemingly no hope… BUT GOD.  “God inclined to me and heard my cry.  He drew me up out of the horrible pit, out of the miry clay and set my feet up on a rock.  He put a new song in my heart.”  Psalm 40

When we surrendered to the ministry and sold our pharmacy, I wondered about our needs being met, but I can say in over 40 years of ministry now OUR GOD has met in abundance every need we have ever had. “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

When our life seems to be out of control, when fear and confusion are overwhelming, let’s remind ourselves of OUR GREAT GOD, Who is always the same, yesterday, today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Phyllis

_

The word for today is, “encourage.”  Have you ever had someone to be an encourager to you?  I have been blessed through the years to have people like that in my life.  Sometime life can get very discouraging.  Many years ago, I went through months of depression and the Lord brought people around me to encourage me that I could keep on trusting God and in time He would bring good out of that experience. Romans 8:28 says, that all things work together for good to those that love God and are called according to His purpose. Little did I know that the very experience of that depression vaulted my future speaking career in Women’s Ministry? To this very day the Lord has been gracious to me to bring encouragers in my journey with God.

In Psalms 11:25 the Bible says that a generous person will prosper and they who refresh others, will be refreshed.  Hebrews 3:13, states that we are to encourage one another day after day, while it is still day.  Everywhere we turn we meet people that are living with discouragement, and unfulfilled hopes and dreams.  Have we been so busy with our own agenda and problems that we just pass them by without a word?

  Oh Lord Jesus, let me be that one that shares your love and encouragement to those that You place in my life.

Blessings,

Phyllis