About Me
- The Preacher's Wife
- A good girl, but not good enough. Striving for greatness in the sight of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I am here to learn and grow with you as we seek out knowledge from the REAl "Know it all". Please submit letters, questions or topics to DearPW@ymail.com .
Monday, November 12, 2012
Eat up!
Yesterday several people during testimony time at our evening worship service were talking about being still and listening to God. Actually taking the time to listen to what He wants to tell Him in stead of blurting out all of our prayer and then "amen". I try to always remember this but I do confess that when life is pulling me in a thousand directions my prayer time and study time are the first things to slip off the agenda! Oh, I am sure some of you gasp at the thought of this...."isn't she a pastor's wife??". YES!!! My name is Christina Volpe, I am a pastor's wife and get this...I AM A SINNER TOO! Sometimes the "super-holy" attitudes of others make me think I might sin more than most. And while it's "confession time" I will share that I have let this unrealistic pressure of being "perfect" hinder my writing of these devotions. I am sorry to all of you who read this for my slackness. Today is a new day and I can only try. But I (as I step of my soap box) will get back to the devotion I wanted to share with you this morning.
As I lay there quiet this morning just listening for God He spoke to me in a way He does often do....with my own words! Does this ever happen to you? You hear the Lord repeat to you something you "preach" to other, but fail to do yourself? Well that is what happen to me, but the message is not as clear as "Wait on the Lord" or "This to shall pass" it was me daily telling my kids "No candy before lunch". Strange huh? Well let me share how the Lord used this to speak to me. I have often heard it said that 'baby Christians must drink milk and grow before they are read for meat", this is true...but "chew" on this: Once we reach "meat stage" we find ourselves looking forward to "dessert"...heaven. But as any good parent would God is reminding me this morning that there is still "dinner" on my plate, still things that need to be done, people who need to be witnessed to and an entire world who is searching for the love of Jesus even though it is hard to convince them of it. I know the thought of meat and veggies is not as mouth-watering as a big hunk of sweet cake, but the meat will nourish us and grow us and the cake will still be there when we are through!
For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Hebrews 5:13-14
For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. Hebrews 6:10-15
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Bible Moms
I stumbled apon this Bible study of Bible Mothers last year and I thought I would share it with all of you today.
EVE: The Mother Of All Living - Found in Genesis - more specifically, of Cain, Abel, and Seth (and several unnamed others).
I guess if we are to commence in chronological order we would have to begin with Eve, the mother of us all. And she was the woman who made THE "monumental, mind-blowing, affects-everybody forever" mistake. So she probably deserves the bad rap she gets. You have to feel a little bit of sympathy for the girl who didn't have a mother to ask about how things were for her back in the day. When the kids had a temperature or were teething she just had to use that God-given mother intuition.
And sure, Eve got us into epidurals, but she had the mother of all heartache, too. Her sons were involved in the first homicide. She was the first mom to have to bury her child.
JOCHEBED: Found first in Exodus. Mother of Aaron, Moses, and Miriam.
If there was ever a mom whose life would have made a great screenplay for a Lifetime for Women movie it would be Jochebed. You just have to give it up for her and the midwives who, in their act of civil disobedience, allowed Moses to be born. In the first chapter of Exodus it says that the midwives feared God, and therefore did not kill the Hebrew sons. Here is the reply from the midwives to Pharaoh when questioned: "And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them." (Ex 1:19) So basicly those Hebrew women were "lively" and just popped those babies out before they could get there! Thus baby Moses was born but had to be sent down the river (literally) with his sister serving as lookout, only to be pulled out of the water by the pharaoh's daughter, who secured the services of Moses' biological mom to nanny him. Talk about movie script material!
Anyway, Moses' mom shows us that the determination and ingenuity of a desperate mother can result in surprising circumstances.
BATHSHEBA: Found in 2 Samuel. Mother of Solomon.
Bathsheba was well-named as it was her "bath-ing" that attracted the attention of King David. Their illicit affair resulted in the birth of a son. David tried for some damage control by sending her husband out to war, back to the house hoping for a cover-up, and then out to the frontlines to get killed. David got his wish -Bathsheba's husband was killed in battle, and David thought he had gotten away with it. Nathan confronted him and David repented bitterly. But we never really hear how it all affected Bathsheba. However, a son was born from their union and Solomon turned out to be a peaceable ruler whose wisdom was legendary.
Bathsheba's motherhood gives women hope that, regardless of the circumstances surrounding your pregnancy and the birth of your child, God can redeem any situation. You never know, you might just have the wisest person ever on the planet staring back at you from that high chair.
MARY: First read of in Matthew. Mother of Jesus.
Talk about your early pregnancy test . . .Mary's was early, EARLY! And accurate, too. Angelic visitation definitely qualifies as a sure thing. But the favored girl had to have some concerns because unwed pregnancy was a little different back then. You could get stoned for it. I'm sure she was very relieved to find out that the angel had given her beau, Joseph, the same message. And yes, she was going to give birth to the divine Gift of heaven, but, as any mother knows, all gifts come with some work attached. She still had to change the Baby Jesus' diapers, soothe him as he teethed, teach him to walk, and clean up his skinned knees. She had to cook the meals and wash his clothes and do all the things that moms do for their children. It's interesting the places we see Mary pop up in the gospels-for example, at the temple sending out an APB for her boy. Another place we read about Mary is in John Ch.2 when she was at the wedding feast apparently exasperated with her thirty-year-old son for not doing that "thing" he could do with the water. In the end Jesus does the miracle, but I would have loved to have been there to see the looks pass between mother and son that night. And then we see Mary at the crucifixion. Disciples may scatter, followers may be in hiding, but a mother stays when the rest of the world walks away.
Mary is a rich tapestry of real motherhood: a lot of excitement followed by years of work and moments of intense pain. But through it all, mothers are there.
Happy Mother's Day!
EVE: The Mother Of All Living - Found in Genesis - more specifically, of Cain, Abel, and Seth (and several unnamed others).
I guess if we are to commence in chronological order we would have to begin with Eve, the mother of us all. And she was the woman who made THE "monumental, mind-blowing, affects-everybody forever" mistake. So she probably deserves the bad rap she gets. You have to feel a little bit of sympathy for the girl who didn't have a mother to ask about how things were for her back in the day. When the kids had a temperature or were teething she just had to use that God-given mother intuition.
And sure, Eve got us into epidurals, but she had the mother of all heartache, too. Her sons were involved in the first homicide. She was the first mom to have to bury her child.
JOCHEBED: Found first in Exodus. Mother of Aaron, Moses, and Miriam.
If there was ever a mom whose life would have made a great screenplay for a Lifetime for Women movie it would be Jochebed. You just have to give it up for her and the midwives who, in their act of civil disobedience, allowed Moses to be born. In the first chapter of Exodus it says that the midwives feared God, and therefore did not kill the Hebrew sons. Here is the reply from the midwives to Pharaoh when questioned: "And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them." (Ex 1:19) So basicly those Hebrew women were "lively" and just popped those babies out before they could get there! Thus baby Moses was born but had to be sent down the river (literally) with his sister serving as lookout, only to be pulled out of the water by the pharaoh's daughter, who secured the services of Moses' biological mom to nanny him. Talk about movie script material!
Anyway, Moses' mom shows us that the determination and ingenuity of a desperate mother can result in surprising circumstances.
BATHSHEBA: Found in 2 Samuel. Mother of Solomon.
Bathsheba was well-named as it was her "bath-ing" that attracted the attention of King David. Their illicit affair resulted in the birth of a son. David tried for some damage control by sending her husband out to war, back to the house hoping for a cover-up, and then out to the frontlines to get killed. David got his wish -Bathsheba's husband was killed in battle, and David thought he had gotten away with it. Nathan confronted him and David repented bitterly. But we never really hear how it all affected Bathsheba. However, a son was born from their union and Solomon turned out to be a peaceable ruler whose wisdom was legendary.
Bathsheba's motherhood gives women hope that, regardless of the circumstances surrounding your pregnancy and the birth of your child, God can redeem any situation. You never know, you might just have the wisest person ever on the planet staring back at you from that high chair.
MARY: First read of in Matthew. Mother of Jesus.
Talk about your early pregnancy test . . .Mary's was early, EARLY! And accurate, too. Angelic visitation definitely qualifies as a sure thing. But the favored girl had to have some concerns because unwed pregnancy was a little different back then. You could get stoned for it. I'm sure she was very relieved to find out that the angel had given her beau, Joseph, the same message. And yes, she was going to give birth to the divine Gift of heaven, but, as any mother knows, all gifts come with some work attached. She still had to change the Baby Jesus' diapers, soothe him as he teethed, teach him to walk, and clean up his skinned knees. She had to cook the meals and wash his clothes and do all the things that moms do for their children. It's interesting the places we see Mary pop up in the gospels-for example, at the temple sending out an APB for her boy. Another place we read about Mary is in John Ch.2 when she was at the wedding feast apparently exasperated with her thirty-year-old son for not doing that "thing" he could do with the water. In the end Jesus does the miracle, but I would have loved to have been there to see the looks pass between mother and son that night. And then we see Mary at the crucifixion. Disciples may scatter, followers may be in hiding, but a mother stays when the rest of the world walks away.
Mary is a rich tapestry of real motherhood: a lot of excitement followed by years of work and moments of intense pain. But through it all, mothers are there.
Happy Mother's Day!
Friday, February 24, 2012
Do you see what I see...
For they all saw Him, and were troubled. And immediately He talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. Mark 6:50
The story of Jesus feeding the multitude is widely known, and it goes as follows:
And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things. And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes. And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all. And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes. And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men. Mark 6:34-44
Pretty amazing, right? And after witnessing that miracle surely the disciples knew that this certainly was an act of God, right? They would know that Jesus was Lord and they would believe in Him and never waiver in their faith again, right? Well that is not exactly how this story ends…
And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened. Mark 6:45-52
The Bible says “straightway”, so immediately after that the disciples entered the ship as Jesus instructed them to do, but after He left them for a while He finds them floundering in the water. And this time they let the circumstances that surround them cloud their vision of another miracle that was taking place.
We let the world take over and we are so busy just trying to stay afloat. When the Lord shows up in a miraculous way we actually become frightened. We can’t remember all of the times He has taken care of us in the past and the clarity that we need in our lives has been over thrown by the devil. Don’t let satan keep you jaded. When the savior shows up to calm the storm in your life make sure you do not mistake Him for a fearful or foreign object. Fuel your faith with thoughts of all the amazing things He has already done in your life, keep paddling and fix your eyes on the horizon. You will see Him coming.
-PW
The story of Jesus feeding the multitude is widely known, and it goes as follows:
And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things. And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes. And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all. And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes. And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men. Mark 6:34-44
Pretty amazing, right? And after witnessing that miracle surely the disciples knew that this certainly was an act of God, right? They would know that Jesus was Lord and they would believe in Him and never waiver in their faith again, right? Well that is not exactly how this story ends…
And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened. Mark 6:45-52
The Bible says “straightway”, so immediately after that the disciples entered the ship as Jesus instructed them to do, but after He left them for a while He finds them floundering in the water. And this time they let the circumstances that surround them cloud their vision of another miracle that was taking place.
We let the world take over and we are so busy just trying to stay afloat. When the Lord shows up in a miraculous way we actually become frightened. We can’t remember all of the times He has taken care of us in the past and the clarity that we need in our lives has been over thrown by the devil. Don’t let satan keep you jaded. When the savior shows up to calm the storm in your life make sure you do not mistake Him for a fearful or foreign object. Fuel your faith with thoughts of all the amazing things He has already done in your life, keep paddling and fix your eyes on the horizon. You will see Him coming.
-PW
Sunday, February 5, 2012
In the forth quarter...
For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform. Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them. Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power. Psalms 21:11-13
I cannot believe I am actually using a football story as a devotional, but I guess if God can make the rocks cry out he can use pig-skin too!
Recently my husband and I were unable to watch the live game of our favorite football team. We decided to record the game and watch it when we returned home. But before we could get home to watch the recorded game we learned the final score and to our surprise our team came out on top. We were so excited a hurried home to watch all of the great plays we had missed. However, this game was no shut-out! Actually it came down to the wire and our favorite team was able to pull off a win in overtime. It was so humorous to me that we were watching what most would call a “nail biter” with a smile on our face. Even when the other team would score we were still content, knowing that in the end we would have the victory. And in that moment, in the corky way that God sometimes speaks to me, I heard Him loud and clear this night: “You already know who has the victory, so keep on smiling.”!
I remember this night often when I feel like Satan has the upper-hand on all that is taking place in the world and in my circumstances. The Lord reminds me that He is still working ALL things for the good, and that I can continue my days with a smile on my face. I have read how this “game’ ends and it’s not a pretty end for ol’ Satan.
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Rev. 20:10
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1Cor. 15:57
--PW
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