Patricia's Principles for Living

Over forty-five years ago my mother warned my sisters, brothers and me that we should be ready to experience something very difficult. There was a brewing scandal involving a religious leader who we really adored. She told us to keep our eyes on Jesus. She said that if we had our eyes on man that we could fall. Through the years her advice has stood me in good stead. I have total faith in God and God's Word. I also have respect for those who faithfully minister the Word of God. However I still keep my mother's advice close to my heart. What I have learned through the many ministerial and ministry scandals is that I am always safe when I have my eyes on God. As I watch another popular preacher come under close scrutiny for, at this time, alleged misdeeds and sins I am drawn to keep my eyes on God. God is our only true anchor. I choose to focus on God alone.

One day I attended a meeting of believers. The facilitator of the meeting made several introductions being careful to give each person's title and a brief remark about how she knew the person. When she came to this one particular person she inadvertently did not mention the woman's title. Upon hearing the introduction this person's friend was offended. This person is a reverend she said loudly. I've also been present when a pompous person has declared their own title to make sure that he received special recognition. In this day of superstar preachers, evangelists, apostles, and song leaders, Elisha deserves to be studied. We can contrast this asking and thinking one deserves special privileges with Elisha. The custom of Elisha's day was for travelers to stay in private homes. The hotel industry had not started. Therefore when strangers came into town and needed to have a place to sleep the townspeople would invite them into their homes. They would let them bunk on ...

In the grocery stores some time you see carts that are filled with merchandise near the check out stands. Or sometimes you see clerks pushing these carts up and down the aisle. They look like reverse shoppers- putting things back not picking them up. These things are called go backs. People got to the check-out stand and for whatever reason they did not want the item. They either plainly changed their mind, the cost was too great, the item wasn't needed, it was a spur of the moment decision or some other reason. Nevertheless they don't purchase the product. That's fair. If you don't want to pay for it you can't have it. However the store owners want to have some profit. The owners have their employees put the items back on the shelf. How like the Christian life, some see it and want it. They are Oprhahs as in the book of Ruth. She went with Naomi and Ruth for a while. However when Naomi started the questioning process of real commitment Oprhah counts the cost. Naomi...

Today you may hear that you can't have it all. Well when you look at God's economy in Proverbs 31, it seems to say you can have it all. God has given women an amazing amount of liberty and independence. She can be a woman of character -Noble character She can marry well -Has a Husband She can be a mother -Has children She can be healthy -Arms are strong for the tasks She can be a part of the team -Watches over the affairs in her house She can be socially adept -She is clothed with strength and dignity She can buy and sell -Buys property She can be a boss -Tells the servants what to do She can run a business -Sells her handmade belts She can work with men -Supplies the merchants She can be astute -Judges that the property is a good buy Sh e can be energetic -Works with eager hands She can be a good time manager -Gets up early She can ...

My granddaughter likes to walk pass the smooth stove top and put her hand on it. I vigorously object and tell her not to do so. I know the purpose of the stove. It is to heat and to cook food. I am trying to protect her from the day she goes around the corner absentmindedly and slides her hand on the cook top when it's on. Then she may be badly burned. Isn’t this like sin and temptation? We go around that temptation many times touching it but not feeling any consequences. It becomes a habit. We do it so many times we lose the fear and are unaware that we are setting ourselves up to be burned. One day we do what we’ve always done and the full force of the purpose of sin snatches us away. Just like my granddaughter. She’s not starting off with the intention of being burned. She just likes the smooth feel of the glassy surface of the cook top. Remember the purpose of the temptation is to take you away from God. God’s commandments are not hidden from us. When you start toying, feelin...

In the beginning portion of the Book of Job we see that the sons of Job had houses. The brothers would invite the sisters to their homes. However it appears that the sisters had no homes of their own. The custom of the time was for the women to be entirely dependent on their fathers until marriage. If the sisters never married and the father had died then the brother was in charge of them and their upkeep. After his life changing experience Job had a new vision. After his encounter with God Job saw that the cultural norms of his day were not necessarily the God given ones. Like the New Testament states there was no male or female in Christ. Job saw a clearer picture of God's plans. Job became a non-conformist. How much more we would be like God in His dealings with men and women if we could really encounter the God of the universe. Job became like Christ who never put women down. Christ liberated women, not only from their sins but from their oppression. The woman with the issue of...

When I was a child I could not stand reading the book of Job. It seemed so incomprehensible and boring. As I've matured the book of Job started to come into focus. Then it started to expand into this beautiful book. Then the book started to explode into my consciousness as a treasure trove of untapped knowledge. It became a revelation to me of God's ways. Now I absolutely love the book of Job. I've read portions of it over and over. There are so many facets to this precious jewel of a book called Job. One facet concerns Job's children. After Job's great trial he had a new set of children. In fact the Scriptures are quite clear about the fact that Job's daughters were extremely beautiful. The thought came so where were these children when Job was going through his trial? Well these children were in the loins of Job. Job had this new life residing in him. However, in order to get to this new life Job had to go through this trial. There are some things in life whic...