Likewise Ye Older Women

2009-11-05T20:58:00.004-05:00

Monthly Goals

Goal: something to work toward; to attain

November 2009

November is going to be a busy month with Thanksgiving and with the Christmas holidays in full preparation mode so I want to keep my goals manageable. (Keeping our goals realistic makes obtaining them possible.) Therefore, I’ve only set two goals for the month.

Hand quilt 2 rows of blocks on my scrappy 9 patch quilt. I want to have this quilt finished by the end of January ... February at the latest, so I need to schedule my quilting accordingly.

Make a clothespin apron. Since I hang our laundry on the clothesline to dry whenever the weather permits, I'd like to have easy access to the clothespins I use. What could be easier than having them in an apron tied around my waist ready for use and when I take the clothes off the line what could be easier than dropping the clothespins back into the apron? When not in use the clothespin apron with it's contents tucked inside are put away awaiting the next laundry day. This will also extend the life of the clothespins. Mary Janes Farm Magazine has instructions along with detailed pictures on how to make a clothespin apron on pages 82 and 83.

2009-11-05T20:04:00.001-05:00

A mini series on Anger

Part 1

I’ve started a new series in the teenage girl’s Bible class I teach each Wednesday night on anger. In the first class we began by defining anger and talking about how anger made us feel. After that I had the girls to mark the following Scriptures in their Bibles:

Psalm 103:8
Ephesians 4:31
Ephesians 4:26
Matthew 5:22
Proverbs 29:22

After discussing what these Scriptures meant and how they applied to our lives today I told the girls we were going to look at different people in the Bible who we have record of getting angry with the purpose of seeing how they handled their anger and what the consequences where.

We spent the rest of the class time discussing Cain …

Cain … Genesis 4: 5-15

Who was Cain?
Member of the first family
The 1st son that we have record of being born to Adam and Eve
Was a tiller of the ground (farmer)

Why was Cain angry?
When it came time to sacrifice to God, God’s law was to offer a sacrifice of blood from an animal but Cain had grown some beautiful vegetables and he thought he could decide what to give God instead of letting God decide what He wanted sacrificed to Him. So Cain brought some of his good vegetables and sacrificed them to God on the altar.

Vs 3 – and in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord.

God was not pleased that Cain did not obey Him nor was He pleased with Cain’s attitude … and Cain got mad.

Vs 5 – 7 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry and his countenance fell. So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door, and its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.

God asked Cain, “Why are you angry? If you do as I say you’ll be happy, but if you don’t, you’ll struggle with sin.

How did Cain handle his anger?
Instead of telling God he was sorry and changing his mind to obey God from then on, Cain got mad at Abel and took his anger out on him.

Vs 8: Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.

Cain had a bad attitude and killed his brother Abel in a fit of jealousy. What was Cain jealous about … God accepted Abel’s sacrifice but not his.

Vs 9 – 10: Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I m brother’s keeper?”

What were the results/consequences?
God knew Cain had killed Abel and that he was not sorry so God punished Cain.

Vs 11-12: “So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened it’s mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. “When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.”

Our anger and what we do with it can lead to unpleasant consequences ...

Family turmoil – Cain’s actions caused great pain to his parents and tore the family apart … uncontrolled anger can do the same to us

Inner turmoil – guilt

Spiritual (separation from God) and sometimes physical separation from those we love – Cain was banished away from his family and became a wanderer … we can be spiritually and physically separated from our family too because of anger

Closing Thoughts …

Sometimes when we don’t like what God says/what His Word says, we get angry and take it out on others! That’s what Cain did and look what it got him!

Hearing what God has to say makes some people angry rather than repentant.

Anger itself is not sinful, but how we deal with it and what we do with it can be.

We are more easily tempted to sin when we get angry

Next class we’re going to look at Mrs. Job … her anger came as a result of overwhelming tragedy in her and her family’s life ... how did she handle it?

2009-11-05T20:03:00.000-05:00

A Mini Series on Anger

Lesson 2

Mrs. Job … Job 2:9

Vs 9: Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”

As Job sat on an ash heap outside the city walls, Job still did not blame God. His wife, probably not so faithful and certainly not so patient, cried out, “Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die.” No doubt Job’s wife regarded a quick death as better than long –drawn-out suffering. In those days, sudden death was supposed to result from cursing God. (All The Women of the Bible by Edith Deen pg 333)

We often forget when looking at Job and all his trials and temptations that Mrs. Job was suffering too. She too had lost her children, her wealth and all that they possessed … and then she had to watch her husband, helpless to do anything, as he went through his painful health problems.

Mrs. Job had had it with everything that was happening to her and her husband, she had had enough. Satan was waiting for this moment, the moment when Mrs. Job reached the end of her rope and he eagerly used her to get at Job. Hurting people tend to want to lash out and hurt others and Mrs. Job, being at the end of her rope did just that.

Mrs. Job obviously was not as spiritually strong as her husband and gave in to her emotions as well as to the temptation to give up. It’s hard not to give up when one bad thing right after another keeps on happening to us isn’t it, but we need to be like Job and not his wife. We need to hold on to God even when we don’t understand why bad things are happening like Job did instead of allowing Satan to use us to discourage others.

In times of deep distress we need to hold on to God.

How do we hold on to God? We read and study His word daily … we spend time in prayer daily … we choose who we spend time with carefully … we’re careful about what we allow into our homes and minds via the TV … we choose our reading material carefully …we’re mindful of where we go … and we’re aware of how easy it is to be used by Satan when we’re angry.

Remember:
Hebrew 13:5: Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Romans 8:28: For we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

2009-11-05T19:58:00.002-05:00

A Mini Series on Anger

Part 3

by patsy norwood (c) 2008 – 2009 All Rights Reserved!

In lesson 1 one we studied about Cain and how he got angry at God and took it out on his brother Abel … in lesson 2 we looked at Mrs. Job and saw an example of what happens to someone who gives up instead of holding on to God in tough times and now in the final lesson we’re going to look at Jesus and how He handled anger …

Jesus

John 2:13-16 (first temple cleansing)
Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When he had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves. “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!

Luke 19: 45-46 (second temple cleansing)
Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.’”

Mark 11: 15-17 (second temple cleansing)
So they came to Jerusalem, then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, ‘Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations?’ But you have made it a den of thieves.’”

Matthew 21: 12-13 (second temple cleansing)
Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them. “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of thieves.’”

What was Jesus angry about?

The temple was being defiled and people were being taken advantage of. The first cleansing occurred some 2 years prior. The profaners of the temple had not altered in any manner their desecration of the house of God. By their continuation, the Pharisees demonstrated their unwillingness to honor the moral obligations of true religion. The court of the Gentiles had been turned into a merchandising mart; and in the providence of God, that very court had been intended for use by devout Gentiles who worshiped God.

The double gouging of the multitudes who came to worship God was a lucrative abuse on the part of the temple concessionaires. Certain animals (or doves for the poor) were required in the Jewish sacrifices; but the difficulty of transporting livestock made it more convenient to purchase them in the temple. Moreover, ‘Temple dues had to be paid in the Tyrian coinage, the Tyrian shekel being the nearest equivalent to the Hebrew shekel.’ Thus, through control of the available supply of animals, and of the money required for their purchase, exploitation of the multitudes was brazenly accomplished. (Coffman Commentary)

Was Jesus angry for selfish reasons?

How did Jesus handle His anger?

Matthew 21:12 “Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.”

Mark 11:15 “So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.

Did Jesus’ anger hurt anyone?

Concluding thoughts …

Sometimes anger is an appropriate response to injustice and sin, but when anger is unchecked or misdirected it can cause great destruction.

The way we handle our anger is important!

2009-11-05T19:58:00.001-05:00

Reading and Studying God’s Word

by patsy norwood (c) 2003 - 2009 ~ All Rights Reserved

The Bible is not only God’s Word, it is also our instruction manual. By reading and studying our instruction manual, we will learn how to live our lives as God would have us to. This sounds fairly simple on the surface, but let me assure you that it will take time and effort. Gleaning from God’s word is not as quick and easy as driving up to a fast food restaurant and ordering a burger. We must spend time studying and meditating in It.

A question I often hear is “how do you study?” Believe it or not this is not a silly question and I’m going to share with you some things I have done and some things that I have had recommended to me.

Copy verses or a book of the Bible. You’ll be surprised how much one can learn from simple copying.

Word Study. The purpose of doing a word study is to understand the meaning of a word/words in the context of what we are reading. Sometimes this is crucial to get the proper meaning and interpretation of what we are studying. You will need a good concordance and a Bible dictionary for this.

Outline a book of the Bible. I dare you to do this. You will truly be blessed by what you learn.

Dissecting a book, chapter, or passage from the Bible. Ask the who, what, when, why, where, and how questions.

Memorize a passage. My memory is not what it used to be so I need help when it comes to memorizing. One thing that helps me is to write the passage over and over again. Little by little I can write the complete passage without having to peek in the Bible for help.

Character Study. Pick out one person from the Bible and write down everything you learn about him/her from the Scriptures. Be very observant of what the Bible does and does not say about this person.

Topical Study. Choose a topic and look up every passage on the subject. When you put all your information together you may be surprised at what you learn.

Practical Application. After you’ve finished your reading ask yourself these questions, “What does this mean for my life and how can I apply it to my life?” This one is a ‘biggie’, without the application, what we read is just a story.

Prepare to Teach A Lesson. This will definitely send you searching and studying the Bible. The teacher is most certainly the one who learns the most from this method.

Purchase a prepared study. There are several good ‘fill in the blank’ Bible study books on the market that require you to get in your Bible and search out the correct answer.

Object Studies. Select objects found in the Bible and do a study on them. Find out how they were used during Biblical times and why. You’ll be surprised how much insight this will give you.
Geographical/Area Studies. Knowing the ‘lay of the land” and it’s surrounding area helps us to better understand some of the things we read in God’s word so pick an area, a body of water, a mountain, etc and find out all you can about it.

O. K. now you’ve made the commitment to spend more time in God’s Word and in your Christian walk, but life seems to get in the way. You start each day with good intentions, but before you know it the day is over and you haven’t even opened your Bible, much less thought about your Christian walk. You fall into bed determined to do better tomorrow. Tomorrow is a repeat of the day before and before long several days have gone by. The only time you have touched your Bible is when you picked it up to take to church with you. Discouragement begins to set in and your commitment seems like an impossible task. What is a person to do? Ladies, we cannot give up, we must persevere! Giving up is what Satan wants us to do. We must beat him at his own game and come up with ways to get our “spiritual food” on a daily basis.

Here again I have some ideas....

Since most of us spend a large amount of time in our automobiles, get your hands on some tapes/CD's of sermons, or lessons and listen to them while you travel.

If you are fortunate enough not to have to spend a lot of time traveling you can apply the above concept to your activities at home, instead of having the TV on put in one of these tapes or CD's. You’ll be surprised how much more quickly housework or for that matter any task goes when you have a song in your heart or are listening to a meaningful sermon or lesson.

How about all the time you spend waiting in doctor’s offices or at children’s activities, take advantage of this “down time” to give yourself some “spiritual food” by reading your Bible, an inspirational book or magazine.

For those that exercise on a regular basis, put a tape in a portable cassette player, strap it on and listen to it as you exercise. You will not only be giving your body a workout, but you will also be feeding your soul as well.

Hebrew 10:25 tells us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Not only will we be encouraged from worshiping and studying with others, but we will also be with others who are trying to “persevere in the Lord.” There is strength in numbers!

I don’t know about your house, but at my house the bathrooms are great places to have reading material. This would be a good place for those Bibles, inspirational books and magazines we talked about earlier.

Speaking of the bathroom, what about the bath or shower? This is a really good place for praying sessions and/or times of just singing unto the Lord while we are cleaning our bodies.

I would be remiss if I did not include here something about our desire to find time for our ‘spiritual food.’ Half the battle is “wanting” to find a way to spend time learning of God. If we do not have the desire to know God it does not matter how many ideas are presented to us. Everything takes effort, even knowing God. The old adage “where there is a will, there is a way” certainly applies here. Ladies, we must “seize the moment” when it comes to getting our “spiritual food.” We must put some thought into it and if necessary, get creative. We must not let Satan rob us of the opportunity to feed our soul spiritually and to learn of God.

Just as those who work outside the home have to get up and go to work in order to earn a paycheck, and just as we have to continually work in our homes in order to maintain some sort of order, and just as we have to make our husbands a priority in order to have good marriages, we have to spend time in God’s word in order to learn of Him and reap His blessings.

When we put ‘nothing’ out that’s exactly what we get in return. Zero efforts equals zero results, and in the case of studying God’s word zero results can lead to eternal consequences.

2009-11-05T19:54:00.001-05:00

January Daily Bible Reading Schedule

Theme: Trusting in the Lord

1/1 Psalm 84:11-12
1/2 Psalm 71:1-3
1/3 Psalm 62:8
1/4 Psalm 63:10
1/5 Psalm 5:11
1/6 Psalm 57:1
1/7 Psalm 55:22
1/8 Psalm 40:4
1/9 Psalm 37:3-5
1/10 Psalm 37:25
1/11 Psalm 34:8
1/12 Psalm 32:10
1/13 Psalm 31:4
1/14 Psalm 18:30
1/15 Psalm 18:1-2
1/16 Psalm 16:1
1/17 Psalm 5: 11-12
1/18 Proverbs 3:5
1/19 Proverbs 30:5
1/20 Psalm 91: 1-8
1/21 Psalm 91:9-16
1/22 Psalm 115:9-11
1/23 Psalm 118:8-9
1/24 Psalm 121
1/25 Psalm 56:3-4
1/26 Psalm 125:1-2
1/27 Psalm 17:6-7
1/28 Psalm 9:9-10
1/29 Psalm 1:12b
1/30 Psalm 5:11-12
1/31 Psalm 28:14

2009-11-05T19:53:00.002-05:00

December's Daily Bible Reading

Theme: The Poor & Needy

12/1 Psalm 41:1
12/2 Proverbs 14:31
12/3 Proverbs 14:20-21
12/4 Proverbs 17:5
12/5 Proverbs 22:22-23
12/6 Deuteronomy 15:11
12/7 Job 5:15-16
12/8 Job 29:12-13
12/9 Psalm 22:22-26
12/10 Psalm 40:17
12/11 Psalm 74:21
12/12 Psalm 113:7
12/13 Ecclesiastes 9:15
12/14 Zechariah 7:8-10
12/15 Matthew 5:3
12/16 Matthew 11:5
12/17 Matthew 26:7-11
12/18 II Corinthians 8:9
12/19 Galatians 2:10
12/20 James 2:5
12/21 Revelation 3:17
12/22 Psalm 107:41
12/23 Psalm 72:12-14
12/24 I Samuel 2:7-8
12/25 I John 3:17-18
12/26 Mark 14:7
12/27 Acts 11:27-30
12/28 Job 31:16-23
12/29 Luke 6:20-23
12/30 Luke 12:15-34
12/31 Matthew 25:40

2009-11-05T19:52:00.000-05:00

November’s Daily Bible Reading

After coming through a particularly stressful financial time recently I found that I needed a reminder course on what God's word says about money and money worries. I hope the Scriptures below encourage you as they did me.

Theme: Money, Financial Worries & Concerns

11/1 I Timothy 6:6-10
11/2 Proverbs 10:4
11/3 Philippians 4:19
11/4 Proverbs 23: 4-5
11/5 Matthew 6:25-33
11/6 Luke 12:28-31
11/7 Psalm 37:25
11/8 Psalm 34:8-10
11/9 I Timothy 6:17
11/10 Proverbs 1:19
11/11 Proverbs 6:6-11
11/12 Proverbs 28:19-20
11/13 Matthew 6:19
11/14 Proverbs 12:11
11/15 Proverbs 20:13
11/16 Proverbs 13:11
11/17 Hebrews 13:5
11/18 Romans 12:8
11/19 Luke 12:22
11/20 Luke 12:23-24
11/21 Matthew 8:26a
11/22 Matthew 14:31b
11/23 Matthew 16:8-10
11/24 Matthew 6:24
11/25 Ecclesiastes 5:9-11
11/26 Luke 16: 9-13
11/27 Jeremiah 9:23-24
11/28 Proverbs 28:6
11/29 Proverbs 19:14-15
11/30 Romans 8:28

2009-11-05T19:51:00.000-05:00

October’s Daily Bible Reading Schedule

Theme: On Being a Wife/Helpmeet

10/1: Genesis 2:18
10/2: Genesis 2:21-23
10/3: Proverbs 18:22
10/4: Proverbs 19:14
10/5: Proverbs 12:4
10/6: Proverbs 31:10
10/7: Proverbs 31:11-12
10/8: Proverbs 31:13
10/9: Proverbs 31:14
10/10: Proverbs 31:15
10/11: Proverbs 31:16
10/12: Proverbs 31:17
10/13: Proverbs 31:18
10/14: Proverbs 31:19
10/15: Proverbs 31:20
10/16: Proverbs 31:21
10/17: Proverbs 31:22
10/18: Proverbs 31:23
10/19: Proverbs 31:24
10/20: Proverbs 31:25
10/21: Proverbs 31:26
10/22: Proverbs 31:27
10/23: Proverbs 31:28
10/24: Proverbs 31:29-31
10/25: Ephesians 5:22-24
10/26: Ephesians 5:33
10/27: Colossians 3:18
10/28: I Peter 3:1-5
10/29: I Corinthians 7:3-4
10/30: I Corinthians 7:10-16
10/31: I Corinthians 7:39

2009-11-05T19:39:00.000-05:00

September’s Daily Bible Reading Schedule

Theme: Prayer

9/1: I Timothy 2:1
9/2: Hebrews 11:6
9/3: Proverbs 15:29
9/4: I Peter 3:12
9/5: I Thessalonians 5:17
9/6: Psalm 102:17
9/7: Proverbs 15:8
9/8: James 5:16
9/9: John 17:9
9/10: John 17:20
9/11: I Thessalonians 5:25
9/12: I John 5:14-15
9/13: Luke 22:40
9/14: Luke 22:46
9/15: Matthew 6:5
9/16: Matthew 6:9
9/17: Acts 1:14
9/18: Matthew 26:41
9/19: Luke 11:1
9/20: John 14:16
9/21: I Thessalonians 5:17
9/22: James 5:13
9/23: Acts 6:4
9/24: Romans 12:12
9/25: Ephesians 4:6
9/26: I Timothy 4:4-5
9/27: I Peter 3:7
9/28: James 5:15
9/29: Philippians 4:4-6
9/30: Ephesians 5:17

Some thoughts on prayer:

Prayer is a privilege! Where else but to God can we go with our heartfelt pleas, when our worlds or the worlds of those we love are falling apart? Where else can we go with the assurance that we are loved and that the events of our lives matter? Where else can we go and know that regardless of the answer to our prayers, “that all things work together for good to those who love God…” Romans 8:28

We must not wait to pray until we can find the time, instead we must make the time.

God answers prayers in 4 different ways (1) yes ( 2) no (3) wait and (4) take this instead.

2009-11-05T19:36:00.001-05:00

In Memory …

This week has been bitter sweet … bitter because we had to say goodbye to my husband’s mother … sweet because we know that she is now safe in the arms of Jesus.

In thinking about ‘mom’ and about what would be the best way to honor her and the life she lived I found myself recalling such things as the way she kept her home and raised her children, but the thing that stands out in my mind most was her love for the Lord and her deep desire to teach others about Him.

In addition to being a Proverbs 31 woman in her home, wife and helpmeet to her husband (her husband was a minister which gives a whole new dimension to the word helpmeet) she taught ladies Bible classes, went on state side and foreign mission trips, taught children's classes at Bible camps, taught children's Bible classes in Sunday school settings at church as well as VBS, conducted one on one Bible studies, spoke at ladies days and wrote for Christian publications. Her very life was spent trying to introduce and teach others to our Lord as she went about living her life each day. Was she perfect? No! Did she always know the right thing to say at the right time? No! Did she make mistakes? Yes! Did she ever get angry and upset with people! Yes! Was God a priority in her life? Yes! Did she continue trying even when she felt discouraged and tempted to give up? Yes!

So mom, this entry is for you and for the life you lived … may it bring others to the Lord you loved and lived your life for …

How one became a Christian in New Testament times …

God’s great love for us began at creation. For some reason God wanted a family and so created mankind. Satan wanted to destroy what God had created and so devised a plan to alienate mankind from God and destroy him through death. The plan was well on its way to working until God made the ultimate sacrifice, His Son, to buy our redemption back. God wanted the family He had created back so badly that He sacrificed His only Son to give us the opportunity to choose Him … God will not force us to choose Him … it is up to us whether we choose to be Christians or not.

How people became Christians when the Lord’s church was first established …

Acts 2:37-47
Acts 8:2; 36-42
Acts 8:4-13
Acts 8:26-39
Acts 9:17-20
Acts 22:1-16
Acts 10:25-48
Acts 11:12-14
Acts 16:13-15
Acts 16:23-24
Acts 18:4-11

What things do each of these conversion accounts have in common?

There is not anything in the New Testament that tells us there is any other way to become a Christian than what is mentioned in the conversion accounts above.

Our heavenly Father gave us His plan for salvation and it hasn’t changed.

Steps of salvation

We must hear/learn the truth

We must believe that Jesus is the Son of God

We must be sorry/repentant for our sins and for what our sins did to Jesus

We must confess that Jesus is Lord

We must be baptized for the remission of our sins

We should strive to live faithfully to God’s Word and in such a way that others will want the kind of relationship we have with Him, not because it’s a requirement for salvation, but because of our love for and gratitude to our Father in Heaven.

Should you have questions or would like to do a one on one study via email on this subject, please email me at likewiseyeolderwomen @ yahoo.com (remember to take out the spaces)

2009-11-05T19:35:00.000-05:00

Here's an article I wrote shortly after coming through a very difficult financial time in our lives several years ago.

Unemployed ... Need I Say More?

by Patsy Norwood ~ (c) 2001 - 2009

With today's economy in a down swing, many families are finding themselves, downsized, out of work, and in more debt than they can handle. Having been unemployed twice in two years we (my family)can certainly sympathize. The good news is, where there is a will there is a way, especially when you involve God. Below we offer a few suggestions on how to make it through this `season' of your lives. We survived it... twice, and so can you!

First and foremost I want to say that God has not forgotten you. He knows your family's situation. It's hard to believe this when bills are due, food needs to be bought, and there is no money. God knows your situation and He has a solution if you will seek
Him. It's probably not the "fix it quick solution" that you had in mind (remember, we've been through this twice in 2 years, I know how you feel and probably what you are thinking), but it is a solution that will meet your needs and allow you to grow spiritually. Remember that all things work together for good to them who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28) .... even loss of income!

While you are praying (I'm assuming you are praying, if not this is a good time to start), seeking, and searching for work (we did all sorts of small jobs for people while we were unemployed: raked leaves, washed windows and anything else that was offered to us that was legal) there are things you can do on the home front to cope and to stretch what income you do have. I've shared some of those things below.

When your creditors call and they will if you are unemployed long enough (unless you have savings to fall back on), be honest with them, most of the time they will work with you. Yes, I know it is not pleasant, but ignoring them will not make them go away. (It was
this experience that made me realize why God warns us about debt. Debt is fine until you can't pay your bills, then it becomes a monster of huge proportions!)

Eliminate what debt you can. Luxuries such as cable, internet service, cell phones, and anything except basic phone service can go ...... if you are unemployed, these items ARE luxuries!

Cook from scratch. No more fast food pickups or shopping the convenience aisles of the grocery store .... think basics and about what you can do with them.

Shop frugally at the grocery store. Take advantage of those loss leaders. Who cares if you've had chicken once already this week ... at 19 cents a pound you can have it again. Chicken can be fixed many ways!

What if during your period of unemployment "little Johnny" needs clothes? First make sure it is a need and not a want and then head out for a Goodwill store praying as you go (yard sales are a good place to shop also). You can find some really good pieces of clothing at really good prices if you're willing to look.

Make do with what you have! This is crucial during this `season.' Waste not, want not falls into the same category. Be frugal and wise. Stop ALL spending regardless of how small the amount. Pennies make nickels, nickels make dimes, and dimes make dollars. Save that small change, you might find that you have enough to buy something that you really need one day.

Stay at home as much as you can. Gasoline is expensive!

This one is really important! Don't turn on each other. Emotions run really high during this time and it is so easy to damage your relationship with your spouse. Talk TOGETHER, pray TOGETHER, and with God, find a solution TOGETHER.

O.K., the unemployment period is over and you finally have a regular income again, but ... it's considerably less than what you had before (this happened to us too). We now shift from basic survival to a whole new lifestyle, one that means living on less. Here are some tips that we used in making the transition and that we still use even today.

Pray! Pray! Pray! Pray before you go shopping, pray for wisdom, and pray for your family as they undergo and adjust to a new lifestyle.

Get on a Budget .... a realistic budget, and stick to it!

Shop frugally for clothes. Remember Goodwill stores, yard sales, and Department store end of season sales.

Shop frugally at the grocery store. Take advantage of the loss leaders and mark downs. Shop at discount chain food stores. Grow a garden and preserve as much of your own food as you can. Speaking of preserving .... when you find those loss leaders at the grocery store, purchase as much of them as your budget allows. If your loss leaders are perishables, can, freeze, or dry them (Don't know how ... it's time to learn! This can save you a lot of money in your new lifestyle. Go to the library and check out a how-to book). If your loss leaders are not perishable, put a date on the can, jar, etc and store them. When you pull them out to use them,use the one with the oldest date.

Eliminate eating out or reserve it for special occasions only.

Don't forget tithing as part of your new life style.

Organize your trips into town. Don't go into town everyday to pick up one or two items. Make a list and get all of your shopping (grocery shopping is not the only thing this pertains to) done at one time. If you run out of something before your next scheduled `shopping day' substitute or do without.

Save! Save! Save! You've just come through one "rainy day," chances are there will be others (not necessarily unemployment). Having some savings can make all the difference in
the world in how you are able to react to your "rainy day."

Pay off your debt as quickly as you can (Remember your debt is what caused so much heartache during your `unemployed' season).

You may need to downsize (sell a vehicle, move to a smaller house, etc.), if so just do it! Get it over with and move on.

Go to the library and check out books on finances and on living frugally. Financial Peace, by Dave Ramsey and The Tightwad Gazette, by Amy Dacyczyn are some good ones.

Involve the whole family. This lifestyle doesn't just affect mom and dad. Talk about it and brain storm together. You'd be surprised how willing the children are to help and sacrifice when they feel that they are part of the team.

Become a money saving sleuth. Search out ways to par your lifestyle down and still feel good about yourselves. It is very possible to be truly happy ... with less!

2009-11-05T19:30:00.000-05:00

A Call to be Prudent … Financially

by patsy norwood ~ (c) 2009 ~ All Rights Reserved

I’m a firm believer that God’s word has a solution to everything we as humans deal with and these uncertain economic times we’re currently experiencing are no exception. Proverbs 19:14 tells us that, “Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.” One definition I found for prudent is the act of being wisely cautious in practical affairs and according to the Scripture we just read a wife who is prudent/wisely cautious in practical affairs is a gift from the Lord. Would our husbands consider us a gift from the Lord if the measuring tool was our prudency?

With these thoughts in mind let’s take a look at what being financially prudent in our current economic situation looks like …

It looks like:

Staying home more

Planning your trips into town so that all your shopping and errands are done in one trip

Making do with what you have instead of making an extra unplanned trip into town

Making the choice to pay the bills instead of enjoying costly entertainment when you don’t have enough money for both

Using and keeping a well stocked pantry

Being realistic about the money you have and what it will do

Making and sticking to a menu

Finding new uses for old ‘castaways’

Taking advantage of sales, loss leaders and coupons

Planning your grocery shopping complete with a list

Growing a garden and preserving as much of it as you can

Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. Proverbs 6: 6-8

Using the library instead of buying books and magazines

Carpooling when possible

Being willing to do without

Doing as much of your non food shopping as you can at yard sales and thrift stores

Forgoing new clothes or shoes when what you have fits and is in good condition.

Seeking and searching ways that work for your family to save money and stretch your dollars

The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. Proverbs 18:15

An attitude adjustment – whining and complaining about your circumstances won’t help but taking ‘prudent’ action will.

2009-11-05T19:28:00.000-05:00

Living Frugally, things we do to stretch our food budget

Clip and use Coupons.

Shop at CVS and take advantage of their ECB’s, coupons, and sales. I rarely have to purchase toothpaste, deodorant, tooth brushes, shampoo, soap, etc using this program. I get it all free or so nearly free that I seldom have to pay more than $1 each shopping trip out of my own pocket.

Shop at Walgreens and take advantage of their Register Rewards program

Eat leftovers until they are all gone. Think about how you can use those leftovers as ingredients in another dish instead of throwing them out or allowing them to turn green in the refrigerator.

Speaking of leftovers, here's a great way to 'not let them go to waste.' Purchase several of the plastic divided plates that have lids (can be found at most 'dollar' type stores). When you have leftovers that you are tired of eating or not interested in eating again for a few days, put the leftovers in the divided plates, label their contents, and freeze. This is a 'convenient and nutritional' way to have 'fast food' on hand when time to cook is scarce. All that's left to do is to heat and eat!

Know what we have in our pantry. A good deal is not a good deal if it ruins before it’s used!

Date all boxed, canned, and bagged food. By doing this we know which one is the oldest and use it first.

Don’t purchase more of anything that we can’t or won’t use before it ruins or we get tired of it.

Start making a week’s worth of menus from what we have in our pantry then fill in the rest with loss leaders and sale items from the grocery store. I find that if I plan our menus for more than a week at a time, the food gets eaten before I can use it in the meal it was purchased for which results in more spending.

Try not to go grocery shopping without a list or when we’re hungry. You’d be surprised how much more you will spend when you shop hungry.

Buy in bulk when items are on sale and can, freeze, dry or preserve them in some way. Preserving food is not just a summer activity. Many good sales on food items can be found all through the year.

Have a grocery ‘budget’ and do our best to stick to it. We prefer to have a monthly allotment instead of a set amount each week. This way we can take advantage of loss leader sales keeping in mind though that when the monthly allotment is gone, it’s gone!

2009-11-05T19:27:00.003-05:00

Keeping My Pantry Stocked ...

I'm always on the look out for ways to use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without and making use of the carcasses of roasted chicken or turkey is no exception. Here’s what I do with the bones and scraps of meat left when we roast any kind of poultry. I put all the bones and bits of meat left from the bird into a large stock pot. I then add onion, carrots (unpeeled), and celery along with 2 - 3 gallons of water. I bring this mixture to a boil and then let it simmer 8 - 12 hours. Then I strain the mixture and put the liquid in the refrigerator to cool. After being in the refrigerator over night, I take it out and skim the fat off that has risen to the top. Next, I heat the liquid and fill my jars. Into the pressure canner the jars go for the recommended processing time. The end results … fat free, preservative free, vitamin and mineral filled poultry broth that will be the base for all kinds of yummy soups during the fall and winter season.

I also like to open up a jar, add water, salt and pepper and heat it up; this taste so good when you just want something warm to sip on or when you're not feeling to well.

2009-11-05T19:27:00.001-05:00

GETTING CONTROL OF OUR FINANCES

by Patsy Norwood

(c) 2009 ~ All Rights Reserved

Often when I teach ladies on the subject of being prudent I hear stories on finances, some of which are success stories and some of which are not. With these stories in mind along with books I've read, and the experiences from my own life I've put together a series of challenges that I've titled 'Getting Control of Our Finances' with the first challenge below.

Getting Control of Our Finances Challenge # 1 ... The Beginning! Let's begin at the beginning and find out exactly what we're dealing with. For one month keep all receipts and write down on paper in categories such as the ones listed below what you spend your money on. Yes, this will be tedious and sometimes annoying but this is an invaluable tool for tracking our spending and also in answering the question 'where does all our money go' which invariably comes up when your money is gone before the next paycheck comes in. Below are some sample categories to get you started in tracking your spending …

Food (this not only includes trips to the grocery store but also all eating out as well as all the little 'snacks' you purchase throughout the month.)

Gasoline

Insurance (Renters, Homeowners, Life, Disability, Heath, Dental, etc if they're not automatically withheld from your pay.)

Utilities (phone, electric, gas, coal, wood, etc.)

Rent or Mortgage

Auto payments

Credit Cards/Loan Payments

Clothing

Entertainment (movie purchases, electronic games, etc along with the places you actually go such as movies, plays, etc go here… if it cost money for you to do it, then it's entertainment!)

After you've categorized all your receipts, total each category. Are you surprised at where your money actually goes?

2009-11-05T19:26:00.001-05:00

$ Getting Control of Our Finances $

Challenge #2

By Patsy Norwood ~ © 2008 ~ All Rights Reserved

After completing financial challenge # 1 you should discover where your money is going, which brings us to challenge # 2 …

A Budget! In challenge # 1 we talked about getting control of our finances and in challenge # 2 you're going to take the information you gleaned from challenge #1 and set up a budget … a realistic budget that you, along with your family, can live within. If it’s not realistic, chances are you won’t be able to stay within it’s guidelines.

After you've completed challenge # 1 add totals together to make sure the amount you're spending isn't exceeding the amount of your income. If your expenditures exceed your income then you must either trim those expenditures down or increase your income.

The next thing you need to do is set up a budget by listing each category that applies to your family in which you spend money each month. In setting up your budget don't forget to alot a category for personal spending. Your personal spending budget may not be but $5 a week but this, dear ladies, is one of the secrets to staying within your budgets. Each adult needs to have spending money that is their very own, separate and apart from the household budget.

After listing each category you need to assign an amount for each which, when possible, is not to be exceeded. Some of the amounts of your categories will be determined by the amount of pre-arranged payments, and some you will be responsible for determining yourselves. At any rate every dollar should be spent on paper in the form of a budget before you get your hands on it. When it comes to money, failing to tell it what to do often results in it becoming like sand running through our fingers leaving us asking, "where did it all go?"

For the first several months after setting up and implementing your budgets you may find that you need to 'fine tune' them somewhat. This is normal and should be done, as all financial issues should be, with your spouse's input and approval.

2009-11-05T19:25:00.000-05:00

$ Getting Control of Our Finances $

Challenge #3

By Patsy Norwood ~ © 2009 ~ All Rights Reserved

Okay, in challenge # 1 one we discovered where our money was going, in challenge # 2 we set up a budget, and next in challenge # 3 we're going to 'get it all together' in a financial notebook.

Financial Challenge # 3 ... A Financial Notebook. When I was first introduced to keeping all my financial info in a note book it was as if a light bulb when off in my head. It made perfect sense and I have to tell you that after having used this method for quite some time it has made my life much easier.

You'll need a …

Notebook (I use the kind that you can slip things inside the front and back covers of.)

Pictures (scrapbook pages, old calendars, your children's art work, etc are good for this)

Zippered Pouch

Page Protectors

Tab Dividers

You'll start off by choosing what you're going to slip into the outside cover of your notebook then you'll take your zippered pouch and put it in your notebook.

Divider # 1 should be labeled "Bills" and this is where you will list of all your bills, their amounts and their due dates. When your bills come in the mail, open them and discard the unnecessary parts then take the bill along with the envelope and put them in the pouch. At the proper time each month pay the bills and mark on your list when you pay each one individually. This method will keep all your bills and payment record in one place which should be a great help when it comes time to pay those bills, or if the need arises to check to see if and when one has been paid.

Divider # 2 … Getting Out of Debt ~ For those who are trying to get out of debt, this next step is for you. List all your bills, smallest to largest and total your debt. This does not include utilities, rent, auto insurance, or the things that would be considered your living expenses. It does, however include, auto loans, mortgage loans, personal loans, credit cards, doctor bills, etc. Each month after all your bills have been paid, subtract what you've been able to pay on your outstanding debt. This lets you see the progress you're making as you battle your way out of debt.

Divider # 3 … Bank Statements ~ Does anyone enjoy balancing their check books? I sure don't but what happens if you just let this go …. Yeah, we all know don't we, we get in trouble when we think we have money that we don't really have. To avoid the embarrassment of having a check bounce or worse hearing that your bank card has been refused while you're standing in the check out line of the grocery store, let's organize the balancing of our check books and bank statements so we'll know what we've got to spend.

As bank statements come in the mail, Set aside some time to balance your checkbook (preferably within a week of receiving your bank statement) and then file your bank statements in your notebook.

Divider # 4 Savings Accounts ~ Do the same with any savings accounts you have.

Divider # 5 Do the same with any investments you have.

2009-11-05T19:24:00.000-05:00

$ Getting Control of Our Finances $

By Patsy Norwood ~ © 2008 ~ All Rights Reserved

Financial Challenge # 4 ... Avoid Debt! How? Here are some suggestions ...

Learn the difference between wants and needs. This one gets us all doesn't it? For example how many times do I say that I don't have anything to wear when in fact, my closet is full. Maybe what I'm really saying is … "I don't have anything I want to wear” or when we or our children need a new pair of shoes do we shop for the latest style or most popular brand regardless of the price or do we shop for the best shoe for the lowest price? That little word 'want' is the problem here … we want what we want when we want it and we don't want to have to wait for it!

Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without! As Dave Ramsey, the financial goo-roo says "live like no one else now so that you can live like no one else later." Now there's nothing wrong with having nice things but if we have to go in debt to get them, then maybe we should wait.

Another way to avoid debt is to have an Emergency Fund! Here again I'm going to quote Dave Ramsey. He says we need an emergency fund of at least $1000 on hand at all times. I can hear some of you now … How do you get an emergency fund when you don't have any money? That's a good question! How about having a yard sale, Or doing odd jobs for someone, and of course we can always sell some of our stuff … Wait a minute, you mean I have to sell some of my STUFF? Ladies, it's the acquiring of this stuff that more than likely helped get you into debt in the first place, so why then shouldn't it be used to help get you out? The problem's not usually getting the money; the problem usually comes when we want to spend it on something else once it's in our hands.

Operate on a cash basis. Ladies this is the single most important thing we can do to help us stay out of debt. After bills are paid each pay period take what's left and divide it up into the number of weeks you have until you are paid again. Take each weeks allotment out of the bank at the beginning of the week and pay for everything with cash instead of writing checks or using your debit or credit cards. When that week's allotment is gone you're finished spending for that week and here's an added benefit to operating on a cash basis … It will also make balancing your check book and bank statement easier.

2009-11-05T19:23:00.000-05:00

$ Getting Control of Our Finances $

By Patsy Norwood ~ © 2009 ~ All Rights Reserved

Financial Challenge # 5 ... Save!

It takes a lot of effort to save money. Saving money is not something most of us do easily. We have to work hard to spend less and save. Here's a one word tip that'll go a long way in helping us save money… the word is 'waiting'. That's right, that one little word can make a big difference in our financial situations if we choose to do what it means. Is waiting easy, absolutely not especially if we're impulse buyers? What are some of the benefits of waiting …

(1) Waiting gives us the time to be sure that we really want the item instead of just buying out of impulse. You'd be surprised what just 24 hours of waiting will do to a person's reasoning when it comes to spending money. It's frightening, isn't it to think that we'd be so moved by an advertisement or store display to spend money for an item that we never even thought about buying until we walked into the store or saw a commercial on TV about it? It's called impulse buying and it's the leading cause of overspending in America and (2) Having to wait for things instead of getting them when we want them allows us to appreciate them more when we do get them.

2009-11-05T19:22:00.000-05:00

$ Getting Control of Our Finances $

(final installment)

By Patsy Norwood ~ © 2008 ~ All Rights Reserved

Financial Challenge # 6 ...

Search Out Frugal Ways That Work For Your Family! The key words here are 'what work's for your family.' For example, your family may not have a problem with line dried towels and mine may hate them. That's a family preference, nothing more and nothing less. If you keep in mind you're searching for things that will work for your family and not someone else's you'll have a lot more success keeping your family happy while trimming your budget. Also and this is very important ladies, being frugal takes time. Think of it as your job and put into it the same kind of effort you would if you had a job in which you worked outside your home.

Below are some books that I refer to and use that are loaded with ways to help trim your budget and reduce your debt …

The Tightwad Gazette, by Amy Dacyczyn

A Simple Choice, by Deborah Taylor-Hough

Cheap Talk with the Frugal Friends, by Angie Zalewski and Deana Ricks

How To Survive Without A Salary, by Charles Long

Living More With Less, by Doris Janzen Longacre

The Total Money Makeover, by Dave Ramsey

2009-11-05T19:14:00.001-05:00

Here's an article I wrote shortly after coming through a very difficult financial time in our lives several years ago.

Unemployed ... Need I Say More?

by Patsy Norwood ~ (c) 2001 - 2009

With today's economy in a down swing, many families are finding themselves, downsized, out of work, and in more debt than they can handle. Having been unemployed twice in two years we (my family)can certainly sympathize. The good news is, where there is a will there is a way, especially when you involve God. Below we offer a few suggestions on how to make it through this `season' of your lives. We survived it... twice, and so can you!

First and foremost I want to say that God has not forgotten you. He knows your family's situation. It's hard to believe this when bills are due, food needs to be bought, and there is no money. God knows your situation and He has a solution if you will seek
Him. It's probably not the "fix it quick solution" that you had in mind (remember, we've been through this twice in 2 years, I know how you feel and probably what you are thinking), but it is a solution that will meet your needs and allow you to grow spiritually. Remember that all things work together for good to them who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28) .... even loss of income!

While you are praying (I'm assuming you are praying, if not this is a good time to start), seeking, and searching for work (we did all sorts of small jobs for people while we were unemployed: raked leaves, washed windows and anything else that was offered to us that was legal) there are things you can do on the home front to cope and to stretch what income you do have. I've shared some of those things below.

When your creditors call and they will if you are unemployed long enough (unless you have savings to fall back on), be honest with them, most of the time they will work with you. Yes, I know it is not pleasant, but ignoring them will not make them go away. (It was
this experience that made me realize why God warns us about debt. Debt is fine until you can't pay your bills, then it becomes a monster of huge proportions!)

Eliminate what debt you can. Luxuries such as cable, internet service, cell phones, and anything except basic phone service can go ...... if you are unemployed, these items ARE luxuries!

Cook from scratch. No more fast food pickups or shopping the convenience aisles of the grocery store .... think basics and about what you can do with them.

Shop frugally at the grocery store. Take advantage of those loss leaders. Who cares if you've had chicken once already this week ... at 19 cents a pound you can have it again. Chicken can be fixed many ways!

What if during your period of unemployment "little Johnny" needs clothes? First make sure it is a need and not a want and then head out for a Goodwill store praying as you go (yard sales are a good place to shop also). You can find some really good pieces of clothing at really good prices if you're willing to look.

Make do with what you have! This is crucial during this `season.' Waste not, want not falls into the same category. Be frugal and wise. Stop ALL spending regardless of how small the amount. Pennies make nickels, nickels make dimes, and dimes make dollars. Save that small change, you might find that you have enough to buy something that you really need one day.

Stay at home as much as you can. Gasoline is expensive!

This one is really important! Don't turn on each other. Emotions run really high during this time and it is so easy to damage your relationship with your spouse. Talk TOGETHER, pray TOGETHER, and with God, find a solution TOGETHER.

O.K., the unemployment period is over and you finally have a regular income again, but ... it's considerably less than what you had before (this happened to us too). We now shift from basic survival to a whole new lifestyle, one that means living on less. Here are some tips that we used in making the transition and that we still use even today.

Pray! Pray! Pray! Pray before you go shopping, pray for wisdom, and pray for your family as they undergo and adjust to a new lifestyle.

Get on a Budget .... a realistic budget, and stick to it!

Shop frugally for clothes. Remember Goodwill stores, yard sales, and Department store end of season sales.

Shop frugally at the grocery store. Take advantage of the loss leaders and mark downs. Shop at discount chain food stores. Grow a garden and preserve as much of your own food as you can. Speaking of preserving .... when you find those loss leaders at the grocery store, purchase as much of them as your budget allows. If your loss leaders are perishables, can, freeze, or dry them (Don't know how ... it's time to learn! This can save you a lot of money in your new lifestyle. Go to the library and check out a how-to book). If your loss leaders are not perishable, put a date on the can, jar, etc and store them. When you pull them out to use them,use the one with the oldest date.

Eliminate eating out or reserve it for special occasions only.

Don't forget tithing as part of your new life style.

Organize your trips into town. Don't go into town everyday to pick up one or two items. Make a list and get all of your shopping (grocery shopping is not the only thing this pertains to) done at one time. If you run out of something before your next scheduled `shopping day' substitute or do without.

Save! Save! Save! You've just come through one "rainy day," chances are there will be others (not necessarily unemployment). Having some savings can make all the difference inthe world in how you are able to react to your "rainy day."

Pay off your debt as quickly as you can (Remember your debt is what caused so much heartache during your `unemployed' season).

You may need to downsize (sell a vehicle, move to a smaller house, etc.), if so just do it! Get it over with and move on.

Go to the library and check out books on finances and on living frugally. Financial Peace, by Dave Ramsey and The Tightwad Gazette, by Amy Dacyczyn are some good ones.

Involve the whole family. This lifestyle doesn't just affect mom and dad. Talk about it and brain storm together. You'd be surprised how willing the children are to help and sacrifice when they feel that they are part of the team.

Become a money saving sleuth. Search out ways to par your lifestyle down and still feel good about yourselves. It is very possible to be truly happy ... with less!

2009-11-05T19:12:00.002-05:00

What Is Prayer?

By Patsy Norwood ~ © 2001-2007 ~ All Rights Reserved.

According to Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary, prayer is a humble and sincere request made to God. This is a good definition and one that is fairly simple to understand, but there is more to prayer than a simple definition. In this article we are going to dig deeper and take a closer look at “what prayer is” and hopefully come away with a deeper understanding and appreciation for this privilege.

Prayer is talking to God. This means we can converse with Him, pour out our hearts to Him and confide in Him. It means that we can literally share everything that is of concern to us with Him. God wants us to do this, in fact He tells us to do it over and over again in His word. I Timothy 2:1 is one such reference, “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men.” II Thessalonians 5:17 is another, “Pray without ceasing.” Regardless of who we are or what we have or haven’t done, we can talk to God ... we have been given His permission.

As I said earlier, prayer is a privilege. That’s right ... a privilege! Where else but to God can we go with our heartfelt pleas, when our worlds or the worlds of those we love are falling apart? Where else can we go with the assurance that we are loved and that the events of our lives matter? Where else can we go and know that regardless of the answer to our prayers, “that all things work together for good to those who Prayer is our acknowledgment of utter dependence on God. “Utter dependence on God” means that we have reached the point where we realize that we can do absolutely nothing about a given situation ... but that we have a Savior Who can. What a comforting thought ... “we have a Savior Who can.”

Prayer is an opportunity ... to obey God’s command to pray for others ... and to be blessed ourselves. When we are asked to pray for others do we realize that we have been given the opportunity to not only intercede in prayer on behalf of that person, but to be blessed ourselves? God wants us to pray. Luke 18:1b says, “....... at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart.” It is a well documented fact (in the Bible) that our obedience to His commands/principles result in blessings. Who would have ever thought that by praying for others we would be heaping blessings upon ourselves? Only God would have come up with something like that!

I’ve saved the best part of ‘what prayer is’ for last. Our prayers usually come from a sense of need, either in our lives or in the lives of others. Hebrews 11:6 says, “... he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” As this verse says we must have faith, we must believe, and as we want our children to do when they bring their requests to us, we must rest in the knowledge that our Father will do what is best for us. In my humble opinion, this is the best part of prayer ... resting in the knowledge that our Father will do what is best for us and for those for whom we are praying.

2009-11-05T19:12:00.001-05:00

Does It Really Do Any Good To Pray!

part 2 in a series on prayer

By Patsy Norwood ~ © 2001-2008 ~ All Rights Reserved.

This is the heartfelt question that one who is 'prayer weary' often asks. In moments of weakness and feelings of hopelessness/despair; when we have prayed and prayed over a situation in which nothing seems to be happening, it is easy to become discouraged and ask the question, does it really do any good to pray? Hold on dear sisters, God knew there would be times like this for His children and as any good Father does, He has some words of wisdom for us. These words are found in the book of Job and I call them God’s ‘reminder course.’

Before we turn to the book of Job and look at God's reminder course though we need to do something else, we need recognize that if we are feeling this way Satan has just scored a small victory in our lives. Satan is the father of hopelessness/despair and this is where he will keep us if he can. I don't know about you, but if Satan wants me in despair with a feeling of hopelessness then that is reason enough for me not to want to be there. These feelings, left unchecked, can turn into sin, which is what Satan wants. The sin is not in having these feelings, everyone deals with these emotions at some point in their lives, but the sin comes in how we deal with them, which brings up another point, how do we deal with these feelings?

In dealing with any situation, emotions included, there has to be a starting place, and, in my opinion, the starting place is to have a heart to heart talk with God. If we are angry we need to tell Him, we need to pour out our hopeless feelings and despair to Him. There’s no need to hold back, He already knows what we are feeling anyway (Isn’t it great to know that we can go to God with everything ... including our feelings?). There have been times when I have had to humbly say to God, “this is the way I feel; I don’t want to feel this way, but I do, please help me.” This is a good place for me to stop and interject something, when we ask God for help let us be careful that we do not dictate to Him the way in which we will allow His help to come to us. Going for a walk, talking to a friend, in some cases seeking medical help, or just plain activity may be what we need. The point is, God is all powerful and there is no limit to the sources from which His help can come. Now, back to having a heart to heart talk with our Father, for me admitting my ‘inability’ to God is the first step in acknowledging my dependence upon Him and then and only then am I in a position to be helped by Him. As I said, for me this is the starting place.

Okay ladies, it’s time to take a look at God’s ‘reminder course’ that I mentioned earlier. In the book of Job, Job in the midst of his many afflictions and full of despair talks to God (Job’s despair is evident throughout the book.). God, after hearing what Job has to say, has something to say to Job (chapters 38-42). This is what I call God’s ‘reminder course.’ He reminds him that He is, was, and will always be. He reminds him that He is the creator of all that is and that he (Job) need not question His plans (at some point in all of our lives we need these reminders). After God has put Job through His reminder course and Job has repented, God has one more reminder for him. God reminds Job (by His actions) that the faithful will be rewarded (Job 42:10 - 17) ... the faithful will be rewarded, what a hope lifting thought!

Does it really do any good to pray? Yes, it does! God’s answers may not be the ones we want and they may not come when we want them, but it is evident by God’s talk with Job that we are not to question His plans. Our job is to remain faithful regardless of how or when our prayers are answered and to remember that God sees the whole picture, while we only see in part.

2009-11-05T19:07:00.000-05:00

Do We Have To Meet Certain Conditions Before God Will Hear Our Prayers?

part 3 in a series on prayer

By Patsy Norwood ~ 2007 – 2009 ~ All Rights Reserved

Prayer is a privilege reserved for God’s children. What an awesome thought ... a link to God that is just for Christians and no one else. It makes me feel special and loved, but not everyone enjoys this privilege. According to Proverbs 15:29 which says “The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous” (NASB) and I Peter 3:12, “For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and His ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (NASB) those who are not Christians do not have this privilege. John 9:31 affirms this also, “We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears us.” (NASB). God does not hear the prayers of sinners unless the sinner is praying for help to find Him.

Cornelius, in Acts chapter 10 is an example of a man who was not a Christian but prayed to God continually. Even though the Bible says he was a devout man who feared God and gave alms to the Jews he had not yet been taught God’s plan of salvation. (Toward the end of the chapter God answers Cornelius’ prayer through Peter .... he and all his household learn of God’s teachings, are baptized and become Christians.) Cornelius earnestly sought God through prayer and God heard him. One ‘condition’ to having God hear our prayers, as indicated in the above verses, is that we must be one of His children or earnestly seeking Him before He will hear us.

The other ‘condition’ I would like to address is specifically for Christians. What happens when Christians get out of relationship with God? Does He hear our prayers then, after all we are still His children, albeit erring ones? II Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people who are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from heir wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sins, and will heal their land.” (KJV) While this verse is God’s answer to Solomon’s ‘temple prayer’ in II Chronicles 6, it is applicable to the question we are trying to answer. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. His principles were applicable in Bible times and they are applicable today. God has not changed nor will He. The word ‘if’ signified a condition then and it signifies one now. “If My people who are called by My name ..........” The condition is repentance. If we know we are not right with God than we must repent and turn from our erring ways before God will hear our prayers.

What about those who are not Christians that say they are sure God has intervened in their lives when they called out to him? Many would have us think that God is only a loving and caring God and that He would not turn His back on anyone calling out to Him in their hour of distress. Ladies, God is loving and caring, but He is also just. God said what He meant and He means what He said. In Isaiah, chapter 1, verses 10-14 God is talking to the rulers of Sodom and the people of Gomorrah. He is telling them that He has had enough of their hypocrisy and wicked ways. He continues on in verse 15 saying, “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers I will not listen.. (NIV)” We find another example in the 27th chapter of the book of Job where Job is speaking out against his accusers and is taking a stand for righteousness. Verses 8 and 9 say, “For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, when God requires his life? Will God hear his cry when distress comes upon him? Will he take delight in the Almighty? Will he call on God at all times? And again in chapter 35 when Elihu is reproving Job, trying to get him to admit to sinning against God thereby having brought all these hardships on himself, “There they cry out, but He does not answer because of the pride of evil men. Surely God will not listen to an empty cry, nor will the Almighty regard it (verses 12-13). Psalm 66:18, “If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear” confirms that God does not hear the prayer of a sinner or an erring child as does Proverbs 28:9, “He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, even his prayer is an abomination.” Isaiah 59: 1-2 puts it in these words, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear, But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear. There is no doubt that God is a loving and caring God, the Bible is full of example after example. What we don’t like to admit or think about though, is that he is also a just God. Here again the Bible is full of example after example. I repeat, God says what He means and He means what He says and it is in our best interest that we remind ourselves of this from time to time.

Let’s go back to the non-Christian and talk a little more about his/her certainty that God hears or has heard his/her prayers. Many non-Christians can relate stories of “near misses” in their lives or situations in which they were certain God was with them. They are convinced that in their hour of need, when they called out to God, He heard their prayers. According to Scripture this is simply not true. So how do we account for those situations in which it appears that God DOES intervene on behalf of the non-Christian? I believe the answer lies in the following verses: “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.” (James 5:16-18, KJV) In my humble opinion this is the key, God did intervene, not because the non-Christian called out to Him, but because somewhere Christian/Christians (maybe a mother, father, grandparents, friends, etc.) had been or were praying for the non-Christian. “The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous person ....”

Yes, there are conditions to having our prayers heard by God, for the Christian as well as the non-Christian, we must be in a right relationship with God, or earnestly seeking Him, nothing more and nothing less.