BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

Pamela Crim | Daily Devotional for Women
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Daily Devotional with Pamela Crim | BIG Life Mentor

  1. 14h ago

    2240 The Jesus Party

    Here’s what we’ve seen so far in our study of Jesus’ 12 disciples – He chooses ordinary people from average families with no special qualifications, he equips them with power that is not their own, and they are then able to do the things Jesus did. Remember, that’s what Jesus said to them at their last meal together the night before his crucifixion – John 14:12, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done …” Ordinary people doing extraordinary things – that’s Jesus stuff! And God received all the glory because everyone knew it was all impossible without God. Especially those disciples. They remembered where they came from. They knew who they were when Jesus called them out and said, “Follow me.” Everything changed by following Jesus. The same is true for us – everything changes when we follow Jesus. Not when we finally lose the weight, not when we finally find the man, not when we finally have enough money. We can have it all and lose it all the next day. Real change only comes by following Jesus. As a follower of Jesus, you get to step into Jesus stuff. The disciples were those ordinary ones called right out of normal lives to experience Jesus up close and personal. So far we’ve learned about Peter, James and John – all fishermen, each with fiery, somewhat impulsive personalities, trained by Jesus to become the future builders of his followers. And we know they were successful in their mission of spreading the Good News of Jesus because now, almost 2000 years later, WE DO KNOW! We we read their words and we know their stories. They successfully brought our generation and our part of the world JESUS! Did Jesus choose well? Did he choose the fellas who would actually pull off the radical work of spreading the message to the world? He sure did! We’re still talking about it all today, and it’s still changing our lives today. The next disciple on the list chosen by Jesus is perhaps the one you can most relate to. The one not mentioned often. The one who isn’t credited with any big miraculous act. The one who wasn’t in the core group of 3, but still had an invitation to the table. This is Andrew. His name is only mentioned 12 times in the Bible. Maybe he was the more quiet one. Maybe he was the one who didn’t take center stage, he never had a leading role, but he found his purpose behind the scenes. Maybe he was the prayer warrior, the helper, the fix it guy. Maybe he was cooking the meal everyone was eating, or maybe he was making the travel plans for where they were going next. But here’s what we know – HE WAS STILL CHOSEN – HE STILL HAD A PURPOSE – AND HE MADE AN IMPACT FOR JESUS. There’s one thing we read of Andrew doing, and this one thing led to miraculous acts of huge life changing moments impacting a thousand generations. What was his Andrew’s one big thing? HE BROUGHT HIS BROTHER TO JESUS. Literally, that’s all we really ever see Andrew do. Who was his brother? His brother was Peter. Yes, the one who walked on water with Jesus. The one who became one of Jesus’ closest friends. The one who Jesus called his “rock”. Peter was Andrew’s brother, and Peter came to Jesus because of him! In John 1, we read of Andrew meeting Jesus and spending a day with him. After that time together, Andrew knew who Jesus was – he knew he was the one they had been waiting for. So here’s the big, world-changing, monumental single act of Andrew – verses 41-42, “Andrew went to find his brother, Simon Peter, and told him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which means Christ). Then Andrew brought Simon Peter (his brother) to meet Jesus.” And from that moment on, we always hear about Peter being the popular one, Peter being the famous one, Peter being the one the coolest stuff happened to, Peter being the one invited to come even closer to Jesus. Now imagine being his brother, Andrew. Imagine being the one who brought Peter in to meet Jesus, but then watching his brother be chosen over him. Watching his brother become bigger than him. Watching his brother do greater things than him. Even watching his brother be favored. Andrew had no fanfare. We don’t ever read anything he wrote. He has no celebration of greatness attached to him. But he had a role as one of Jesus’ chosen twelve, and what if his only role was that of bringing his brother to Jesus? That seemed to be enough for Andrew. We never read of Andrew getting jealous. We never read of Andrew jockeying for a better seat at the table. We never read of Andrew resenting his behind the scenes position. And this is where most of us are called – we’re called to be willing to bring others to Jesus and not make it about us! If you learn nothing more from the story of Andrew, learn this – The greatest most miraculous act of your entire life may be WHO YOU BRING TO JESUS. You have no idea what that person may do in their lifetime. They may walk on water with Jesus, they may speak healing to thousands, they may build something that makes Heaven crowded. And your name won’t be attached to those miracles, but you’ll get to be the girl God used to introduce them to Jesus! How did Andrew bring his brother to Jesus? He simply told him, “We have found the Messiah (which means ‘Christ’).” That’s it. There was no convincing. No preaching. Just sharing Jesus. Jesus is the One – he’s the one your heart has been looking for – he’s the one you need and you don’t even know you need him – he’s the one who will change everything for you. It’s Jesus Christ. Do you know why Jesus is called Jesus Christ? Did you know Christ isn’t his middle name. I don’t know why, but I thought it was just saying his full name – Jesus Christ, like Pamela Dee or Nicole Jean or Courtney Lynn. Anyone else? Have you ever thought about why he’s called Jesus Christ? As we see in this scripture, Christ means Messiah. Messiah means the chosen and anointed one. It’s a title. To say Jesus Christ, we are saying he is the Messiah – he is God’s chosen and anointed one. He’s not just Jesus – anyone could be named Jesus. But he is Jesus Christ. Jesus is his name, Christ is his title. And together this tells us exactly who he is – he’s the promised Messiah, the Savior sent by God, the one chosen and anointed to rescue and redeem the world. And this title, Christ, is where we get our label today as Christians. Do you call yourself a Christian? Do you know what that means? The introduction of this word ‘Christian’ was originally used in a derogatory insulting way, mocking the followers of Jesus for having a crucified king. Christians were believed to be serving and worshiping a dead, powerless king – what a foolish group of people. But soon, the followers of Jesus would be redeemed and the power of a risen king would be unmatched. The suffix “ian” added to a word essentially means “belonging to,” “a follower of”, or “the party of”. So, to be called a Christian was to be identified as someone who belonged to Christ, someone who followed this Jesus they proclaimed as the Messiah, belong to the party of Jesus Christ. Think about that. The very name Christian identifies who you belong to! You’re not just someone who believes Jesus existed. You’re someone who has chosen to follow him, to live under his authority, and to identify your life with his. You’re the PARTY OF JESUS! Christian isn’t just a label for what you believe. It’s a declaration of who you belong to and which party you choose. For Andrew, choosing Jesus and bringing his brother to the party of Jesus was the greatest act of his entire life. It’s really the only thing we know he ever did. And that was more than enough. He wasn’t jealous when his brother became greater than him. He wasn’t pouting at his seat at the table. He wasn’t craving the spotlight or his own book in the Bible. He was perfectly fulfilling his role as the one who would just bring people to Jesus and introduce them to the real party. Christian – The Party of Christ. Christ is the Messiah. The chosen and anointed one to be the Savior of the world. Andrew was in the party and he spent his life bringing others to the party. Maybe that’s all we need to be doing too. Hey, let me tell you about the Jesus Party – it will radically change your entire life! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

  2. 1d ago

    2239 The Loved One

    Of the 12 disciples Jesus chose to personally invest in as his inner circle, were two brothers, James and John. Just like Peter, they were fishermen, in fact they were partners on the water with Peter and his brother Andrew. They spent their nights together on boats, fishing the Sea of Galilee. Now, they are walking with Jesus, personally witnessing his miracles, getting a behind the scenes view to who he was and what he came to do in this world. Jesus nicknamed these two brothers “Sons of Thunder” because they were intensely passionate, zealous and sometimes volatile. And once again, we see Jesus choosing intense personalities. They weren’t a safe bet. They were raw, but Jesus knew there was space for him to work. Jesus doesn’t shy away from any personality – if you’re willing to follow him, he’s able to work with you. What we see in James and John is we too are eligible for great things with Jesus. If we make space for him in our lives, he can use us for his great purposes. James and John made space for Jesus. They were part of that miraculous catch where their boats were sinking and they brought in enough fish for an early retirement, but they walked away from it all when Jesus said, “follow me”. For the next 3 years, Jesus took these “Sons of Thunder” and he reshaped them, turning their raw passion into courageous unwavering commitment to spread the Good News of Jesus. The brothers were invited into that private room with Jesus when he raised Jairus’ daughter back to life – that means they had stand out faith. They believed, and their belief would move them to show up for the impossible and not back down when it got worse before it got better. That fiery, intense personality served them as they served Jesus. James had a much shorter life than John. James was the first martyr, beheaded for his faith in Jesus while probably only in his 30’s or 40’s. John went on to live much longer, likely to around 100. He’s believed to be the only disciple to die of natural causes. But no doubt, these brothers and disciples of Jesus both perfectly fulfilled their divine purpose. They did everything they were called to do, and they did it faithfully. Not perfectly – but faithfully. John was a little different than the rest of the disciples. While his writing can sometimes come across as arrogant because he refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”, this was actually humility. He never used his own name in writing because he didn’t want anything to be about him. He wanted all credit, all honor and all glory to be directed in it’s rightful place toward Jesus, so instead of using his name, he used his deeper identity – as one loved by Jesus. What if that could become our deepest truth? What if your identity was completely wrapped up in the fact that above everything else, you’re just loved by Jesus. Personally, individually, totally and completely, LOVED BY JESUS. All performance falls away. All platforms are unnecessary. No other titles, no other crowns – JUST LOVED. I remember standing in an ordinary church service in early 2015, singing a very familiar song. The words, “You’re a good good Father, it’s who you are, it’s who you are. And I’m loved by you, it’s who I am, it’s who I am.” And in that moment, my identity changed. I had been chasing marathon medals and size 6 jeans, platforms and stages and recognition, fame and fortune and someone/anyone to just tell me I was good enough. And in that single moment there was a shift in my identity and everything I ever needed was fulfilled – I AM LOVED. I’ve never been the same sense. I wake up loved. I walk through every moment of my day loved. At the end of the day, whether I’ve been successful or messed it up once again, I know this – I AM LOVED. Jesus loves me. Knowing that truth and having that as my identity has changed everything. I wonder what John’s identity shifting moment was? There had to be a moment where he’s walking along with Jesus, that he realized – wait, this guy is the Son of God, he’s the Savior of the world, and he really really loves ME. Me, a fisherman. Me, with my intense personality that can be too much for others sometimes. Jesus loves me. I AM THE ONE HE LOVES. When was that moment for John? Was it when he saw Jesus’ true glory revealed during the transfiguration? Was it in the Garden of Gathsemane when he saw Jesus crying? Was it when he was the only disciple who stood at the cross and watched him die? Was it when Jesus asked him personally to care for his mother, Mary? Somewhere in there was a moment when John’s complete identity became, “I’m the one Jesus loves.” And that identity shaped his entire life. John wrote 5 books of the Bible. John, 1st, 2nd and 3rd John and Revelation. Yes, that final book in our Bible that reveals the future of what is to come of Heaven and Earth – those were visions given to John by God. He wrote down everything God gave him. We know of the words of Jesus that say “I hold the keys of death and the grave” because John wrote them down. We know about the defeat of Satan and the promise of a future paradise where every tear is wiped away and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain – because John wrote it down. An ordinary fisherman, fully wrapped up in the identity of being loved by Jesus, bold enough to write down everything God revealed to him. And his closing words in the final verses of our Bible – Revelation 22: 20-21, he tells us what Jesus said, “Yes, I am coming soon!” and John says, “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people!” John understood being one of God’s holy people – he understood it meant you could be an ordinary person with a personality others didn’t get, but you could be set apart by Jesus, chosen and fully loved. And that’s his message to us today – That’s us. We are God’s holy people – the ones LOVED BY JESUS. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

  3. 2d ago

    2238 Failure Isn’t Final

    The power of forgiveness is real. In God’s hands, your worst mistake and biggest regret can be used for good. There’s a special grace over your life when you realize how desperately you need Jesus. That was Peter. Of all the disciples, he likely knew just how desperate he was for a Savior. His heart was pure towards Jesus, he meant it when he said he was willing to go and die with him, but still failed when put to the test. Most of us know about this epic failure of Peter – the one who denied Jesus. It’s so easy to be like, “Come on man, Jesus even warned you this was about to happen, and you still messed up.” But the truth is, the flesh in us is strong. There’s a will to survive and a human impulse to avoid pain. Jesus was not surprised by Peter’s failure, yet he chose him anyway. Chosen not only as one of the twelve disciples, but chosen as one of Jesus’ closest 3 friends. This was Jesus’ best friend. Jesus knew the precise words of denial Peter would speak and the very night he would speak them, yet Jesus still chose to spend that day with him, pouring into him, loving him and preparing him. Here’s what Jesus knew that Peter didn’t – this failure would allow for a future restoration and redemption that would guide Peter for the rest of his life. So yes, Jesus let Peter fail. He let him speak the words he would come to regret. Peter denied Jesus – denied that he knew him – denied he was with him – denied he believed in him. He denied him not just once, but three times. And then, just as Jesus warned him, the rooster crowed – and Peter knew this was his worst moment. Epic failure, right? How do you come back from that? WITH JESUS. That’s how you come back from that! Jesus makes a way back from our worst decisions and hardest of falls. But let me show you something – Peter didn’t come running back to Jesus. He actually hid in his shame and guilt. The next day, as Jesus stands trial before an unjust government, Peter hides. As Jesus carries his cross up the hill, Peter hides. As Jesus is nailed to that cross, Peter hides. As Jesus suffers, cries out, and dies, Peter hides. He was one of Jesus’ chosen best friends, but his failure created a separation he couldn’t get over. But Jesus didn’t let it end there. Redemption was always his plan. Restoration was underway. It’s a several days after the cross, and Peter has returned to his old life of fishing. He’s out on the boat, doing what he knew to do. For the entire night, he had tried to catch fish, but had caught nothing. Then, he hears someone calling from the shore, “Fellows, have you caught any fish.” “No”, they replied. Then the man on the shore says, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it. And in that moment, that’s when one of the other disciples realized it’s Jesus! This is all really familiar – a long night of unsuccessful fishing followed by the catch of a lifetime when trying one more time. Hmmmmm, this is how they met Jesus! And in that moment, Peter realizes it’s really him. His Jesus, his best friend, the one who he denied has come back for him. And what does Peter do? He jumps in the water and swims for shore! Get the visual here because the Bible is specific on how far the boat was from the shore. It says they were about 100 yards out. This means Peter swims the length of a football field to get to Jesus. Of course he does – because he’s Peter. He’s the one willing to get out of the boat. And this time, he’s desperate to get to Jesus. There’s no way he’s staying in the boat – he’s not waiting for them to row to shore, he’s going NOW! On shore, Jesus literally has breakfast waiting. Y’all that’s our Jesus! Isn’t that simply amazing? He’s come back after being killed, come back to the group of fellas who mostly all scattered and didn’t even show up for his crucifixion, and he’s offering to share a meal with them again. It’s the picture of forgiveness. It’s the image of redemption. Yes, you messed up after our last meal together, but I’m making breakfast and inviting you back. Now, here comes the big moment …. John 21:15, “After breakfast Jesus asked Peter a question – ‘Do you love me more than these?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ Peter replied, ‘you know I love you.’ ‘Then feed my sheep.’ Jesus told him. What’s happening here is like a dance. Three times Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. Three times Peter responds yes. Three times Jesus tells him, “Then feed my sheep.” Why? Why the repeated question and repeated instruction when Peter’s answer was the same every time? To understand this life-changing moment, you must understand the words being used here. Love has many different forms. The way I love my children is different from the way I love popcorn. The way I love my dog is different than the way I love your dog. Yes, love – but on a different level. Jesus is asking Peter if he loves him with an agape love. Agape love is pure and unselfish love. Peter responds with “Yes, I love you”, but not agape but philia. Philia love is an affection between friends. Three times Jesus asks for agape love and Peter responds with philia love. And this is the dance. Peter is coming closer and closer to Jesus with every response giving the best he had to give, and Jesus is coming closer and closer to Peter. Peter didn’t have perfect love to offer, he had human, flawed love that was going to fail – and Jesus said, “Yip, I can work with that.” Jesus didn’t wait for Peter to get it perfect – he called him to a greater purpose where he was. He showed him that even after his epic failure of denying him, he still wanted him. “Peter, do you love me? Then feed my sheep.” Peter, take your imperfections and your failures, and do what you can for me. I still want you! You are forgiven – now step back into your role of leadership. Why would it be repeated three times? Could it be because Peter denied Jesus three times? Could each declaration of love be a healing for his soul, a restoration of relationship, a redemption of his failure, a step back towards the close relationship he had before? You see for every step Peter had taken away from Jesus, Jesus returned with an invitation to come right back in close again. Feed my sheep. We are those sheep. The shepherd is Jesus and the spiritual food we need is his word. Peter is told to spiritually feed us. And that’s precisely what he did. Peter’s next step was being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, rise up as the leader of building God’s church, and preach his first sermon – that first sermon brought 3,000 people to faith in Jesus that day. And that was just the beginning. My favorite verse comes sometime after this when Peter is walking in his purpose doing exactly what Jesus has instructed him to do. Acts 4:13, “The members of the council were amazed when the saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.” And that is huge. He’s now living as a man who could easily be recognized as being a friend and disciple of Jesus. For the man who had denied knowing Jesus, to becoming this man who could now so easily be recognized as having been with Jesus because of the words he spoke and the way he lived – THAT IS SUCCESS. He’s no longer denying his Jesus, he’s representing his Jesus! Peter would write 1 & 2 Peter in our Bible. He would show us how God could use a flawed, impulsive person who had failed in the past. Peter went on to feed Jesus’ sheep, spread the gospel, and ultimately give his life for his deep, growing, agape love of Jesus. I’m pretty excited to meet Peter in Heaven and hear all his stories. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

  4. 3d ago

    2237 Out Of Time

    We interrupt our current series on the Disciples of Jesus for a very time sensitive, urgent matter. A topic I have been prompted by the Holy Spirit to discuss with you today. Here it is – Are you ready for Jesus to come back in less than 2 weeks? I fully understand that question makes me sound kookey. I’m okay with that – I’m willing to sound kookey for the sake of eternal things because let’s face it – we’re willing to go out on a limb for far less important things. So here I am today with a serious question for you to sit with for a moment – Are you ready for Jesus to come back in less than 2 weeks? Where do your thoughts go immediately? Track your thoughts with this because something important is happening – YOUR PRIORITIES ARE BEING REVEALED. Yesterday morning I woke up to a text from a very close friend of mine. A friend who has become a spiritual accountability partner for me. We talk about those deep, spiritual things that you can’t talk about with everyone. The Spirit in her stirs up the Spirit in me. We are the iron that sharpens iron for each other. She’s not a kook. Her relationship with the Lord is real and her promptings from the Holy Spirit are legit. When she texts me, I lean in. Her text yesterday morning was about a dream her daughter had – a dream where Jesus met her in the backyard and told her that he was coming back in 2 weeks. Now, what do you do with that? Like literally, what do you do with that? I’ll tell you what I did – I immediately counted forward to 2 weeks on my calendar, considering all I had going on and where I would be. Unfortunately that was very inconvenient timing for me. You see, these next 2 weeks I will be traveling, I’ll be hosting 2 retreats plus stops on the ROAM Tour. Jesus, I won’t even be with my family – can we discuss the timing of this? Did you do the same? When you hear 2 weeks, are you thinking about your schedule? Your house? Your plans? Are you inconvenienced? I spent the majority of yesterday wrestling this out. My priorities were being revealed in my immediate response to the thought of Jesus returning on such short notice, and I was so ashamed by how I truly felt. How about you? I packed up my Bible and my journal and I headed to a coffee shop to sit with God and journal out my prayers and his responses. I was out of alignment and needed a rebalance. Think about that – you know how your car starts driving funky if you’re out of alignment? You start veering off to one side and driving in a straight line becomes a struggle. Because of the wear in your tires, it only gets worse until you take your car in for a rotation of those tires and rebalancing. Yeah, my tires were a little worn with my worldly pursuits and concerns and I was out of balance. I was veering to the side and didn’t even realize it. On my walk to the coffee shop, I came across a woman I often see. She’s likely in her 30’s, always pulling a wagon of random gatherings, and without fail, she is always looking directly at her cell phone. Like her eyes never leave her phone. She walks the streets, never looking up. Never aware of my passing, or anyone else’s. With eyes on her phone, she just walks along, pulling her wagon. WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU CAN’T LOOK UP? Yeah – that question was for me, not for her. Pamela, what could possibly be so important that you can’t look up? What is in this world that you’re so focused on that you don’t want to look up into the sky for my return? God whispered to my soul yesterday, “Pamela, I AM COMING – This is urgent. There’s work for you to be doing and short time for you to do it.” Are we too the women pulling our wagon of everything we’ve been gathering, mesmerized by the things we’ve been looking at, refusing to look up? Are we oblivious to the fact that there’s so much more than here and now and this is all leading to eternity? I haven’t been living with a sense of urgency. I’m pulling my wagon, piling up my things, making my plans and forgetting to look up. 1 Thessalonians 4:16, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout …” Will I be looking up for him? Matthew 24:30, “And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with great power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world – from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.” Will I be looking up for him? This world has become far too important to me. I love my life. I love waking up every day to my life. I’ve waited a long time for this sweet season I’m living in now, a season of answered prayers and miracles are now my reality and quite honestly, I don’t want that to end. I want more of this. And that’s the problem. I’m not wiling to look up because I’ve grown so in love with down here. This world cannot have our hearts. If it does, there’s a problem. The problem becomes our priorities are down here instead of looking up toward Heaven. Four simple verses in our Bible really sum it up: Colossians 3: 1-4, “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.” THINK ABOUT THE THINGS OF HEAVEN – YOU DIED TO THIS LIFE – YOUR REAL LIFE IS WITH JESUS. This life here in this world isn’t even our real life. Just as the woman pulling the wagon never looks up from her phone to see the world around her, we’re not looking up from our schedules, our plans, and our problems to see our real life. We just continue to drag our wagon around and fill it up – but are we missing the point of it all. THIS ISN’T OUR REAL LIFE. I’ve fallen in love with this world. I’m surrounded by all this beauty. I love what I do. I love the people I get to share this life with. And the thought of it all being over in less than 2 weeks now is “inconvenient”???? Wake up sleeper – wake up. Set your mind on the things of Heaven again. Your real life is beyond this. Don’t be satisfied with this. Have you heard the recording of the 20 year old co-pilot in her final seconds of life before the private jet crashed in Florida last week? The time between everything being manageable on the flight to the jet crashing was about 60 seconds. One minute they are on their way to the Bahamas, and the next they have imploded and all 9 lives have tragically ended. The co-pilots panicked final words on the recording are “We’re out of time ….” In 60 seconds they went from being perfectly fine to being out of time. My friends, what if we’re quickly running out of time? This isn’t said out of fear, but out of a response to the Holy Spirit who says, “WAKE UP and LOOK UP.” So yesterday morning begins with the text from a friend about this dream where Jesus says there’s only 2 weeks left in this world. Then, I encounter the woman pulling her wagon never looking up from her phone. Next, I’m sitting at the coffee shop and God is revealing to my priorities about my life in this world versus my real life with Jesus. And finally, I’m standing in Church and we sing these words … Give me Jesus – You can have all this world. I don’t want anything else. I don’t need anyone else. You are my one thing. Give me Jesus. I’m here wrestling that out today. Am I willing to give up this world? Do I really want anything else? So my friend, are you ready? What does God want to speak to you? Has your focus become on this world? How is your soul? Do you have a relationship with Jesus, or have you been putting that off? How about your loved ones? Are there urgent conversations that have been left unsaid? We’re out of time …. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

  5. 6d ago

    2236 Called to Come

    Peter, he’s one of the ordinary fisherman chosen by Jesus to be one of his twelve disciples. So far, here’s what we know about Peter – he was daring enough, bold enough, and courageous enough to leave behind a very comfortable early retirement and follow Jesus into the unknown. Now, let’s learn more about this man who Jesus declared was enough for some of his greatest works – and maybe you’ll see that you too are enough for Jesus. During Jesus’ ministry on earth, he had many followers, but he had these 12 hand selected disciples that he shared life with. They were the ones with the backstage passes to the miracles. And of those 12, Jesus had 3 that he was closest with. Yesterday we learned it’s not only okay to have an inner circle, it’s necessary. Now today, we see by the example of Jesus, it’s okay for there to be different levels of relationship even within that inner circle. Peter, James and John were Jesus’ closest friends. Sometimes Jesus would set out on a journey, and he would take only those three. There were parts of his personal life only this much smaller circle had access to. Peter was one of them – a true friend of Jesus. Not just a student, not just a disciple, but a friend. One day Jesus took his 3 best friends up on a high mountain to be alone. And there, they saw Jesus for who he really was. His entire being changed. Matthew 17:2, “As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.” Peter saw the undeniable true presence of God in the Son. On another day Jesus is being followed by a large crowd when a desperate father named Jairus comes begging for him to heal his dying 12 year old daughter. On the way to Jairus’ home, messengers arrive with the news that the little girl has already died and it’s too late for healing. Jesus continues on to his house, but he only takes his 3 best friends with him. Just Peter, James and John. When they arrive to the house, everyone is in fits of grief over the young girl’s death. Mark 5: 40-42. “He made them all leave, and he took the girl’s father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying. Holding her hand, he said to her, ‘Talitha koum,’ which means ‘Little girl, get up!’ And the girl, who was 12 years old, immediately stood up and walked around!” Peter was standing in the room witnessing the undeniable power of Jesus. He saw it all with his own eyes. There was no denying it. No denying him. Jesus shows us sometimes you have to be selective about who you allow in the room with you. Some things are meant for a smaller circle. Some moments are so sacred that you must be selective. Not everyone has the faith to enter the spaces you will go next. Why did Jesus tell everyone else to get out of the room? Because they doubted him. His intentions were to wake this little girl up and give her life again – and in doubt, the crowd of people laughed. Jesus left no room for the distraction of doubters and gawkers. He knew Peter, James and John would bring faith into the room. He knew they would believe in his power to do the impossible. My mentor once reprimanded me and told me, “Pamela, some things must be kept around a smaller table. Not everything is for public consumption.” And he was right. The world of social media has us putting things on broadcast and leaving nothing sacred for a trusted few. You don’t invite every stranger off the street to come witness the birth of your baby, so why are you sharing the birth of dreams God has put within you to the masses? Their doubt, their negativity, their criticism, their jealousy is dangerous at these stages. Who are you inviting into the room as miracles unfold? It can’t be everyone. Jesus says to the crowd, “Leave.” And only the three disciples he knew he could trust to bring faith into the room could remain, along with the little girl’s parents. Jesus trusted Peter. He loved Peter. He saw deep potential in Peter. And he knew there were some things in Peter to still be worked through. In the highlight reel of Peter’s journey with Jesus is of course that night out on a stormy sea. The legendary water walking incident. Matthew 14 tells the story of the disciples all out on a boat in the Sea of Galilee. This is the same exact water Peter had spent his life fishing on. He knew these waters. He knew boats. And he no doubt knew storms. He had seen all these things before, but one thing he had never seen was someone walking on the water. That was impossible. But in the middle of the storm, at the darkest part of the night, when the disciples were in trouble, Jesus comes out to them ever so calmly, walking on the water. And Peter is the only one of the twelve to speak up. And here’s what he says, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you walking on the water.” Lord, TELL ME to do it. Here’s what Peter knew – Peter knew he couldn’t walk on that water just because he wanted to. Peter knew he couldn’t walk on that water because he said he could. Peter knew there was no amount of positive self-talk, self-belief or personal hype that could empower him to walk on the water. But here’s what he knew – He knew if Jesus told him to do it, then he could. Girl, do you understand if Jesus tells you to do something, he’s going to equip you to actually do it? He’s not going to tell you to do something and then not make a way for you to do it. With his instruction comes special equipping. You may be sitting in a boat staring down waves, never realizing you have been equipped with the ability to walk on top of that. If God is calling you out of that boat, then he will give you some water walking abilities. If he’s not calling you out of the boat, then sit yourself down! That’s the difference. This isn’t about doing wild and courageous things because you want to. This is about knowing if God calls you to it, he will equip you for it. But Sis, you gotta wait for the calling. Can you look back and see your sinking moments were maybe because you ran out ahead of the calling. You got yourself an idea and you dove in without awaiting Jesus call that said, “Yes, come.” Wait for his “Yes, come.” Ask him if he wants you to get out of the boat. Ask him if he wants you to walk on that water. Await him to tell you yes. When Jesus told Peter, “Yes, come”, here’s what happened – Verse 29, “So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.” Yip, he sure did! Peter just experienced the impossible, and here’s why? He believed he could do anything Jesus called him to – AND – he waited for Jesus to actually call him to it. Then, he stepped out in faith and went with Jesus. Now you probably know what happened moments after that – right? Peter starts looking at the strong wind and the waves, he gets scared and he starts sinking. Honey, if you’re looking at the wind and the waves, there’s one thing you’re not looking at – you’re not looking at Jesus – that’s when you sink. If you’re sinking, here’s what you do – You do what Peter did. You call out, “Save me, Lord!” Verse 31 says, “Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him.” Wait for Jesus to call you out. When he calls, you go in faith. Keep your eyes on Jesus. When things get scary, keep your eyes on Jesus. You’re not doing this in your power, you’re doing this in his. And if you start sinking, don’t wait until you’re all the way under this time – you call out to Jesus faster. Faster this time. Don’t wait like you did last time. Don’t try to make it back to the boat on your own this time. Don’t try to save yourself this time. Call out to Jesus, and call out fast. He will immediately reach out and grab you! Oh the lessons we see in the life of Peter. To be called a friend of Jesus, to be trusted to go to the private rooms where faith was required, to be invited into the miraculous and experience his supernatural power. Again, just an ordinary man. An ordinary man on his way to an epic failure that would create extreme guilt and shame. But ultimately redemption awaited him, and a calling to continue the works of Jesus after the cross. (That’s coming in the next episode.) Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

  6. Nov 5

    2235 Choosing the Unknown

    We see Jesus go up on a mountain to pray to God all night – like literally – Jesus did that. Not just a prayer before he went to sleep, not just for a few restless hours, Jesus prayed ALLLLLL night. Have you ever done that? I haven’t. 15 minutes in prayer is a stretch for me. How much more can I say? If Jesus, God in flesh, the one with a more direct connection to God than any of us – if he sometimes needed to spend the entire night praying to seek God’s will and guidance, how much more do we? What was Jesus up there praying about all night long? He was seeking who God had chosen as the 12 disciples to walk this journey with him. Jesus knew his inner circle was of critical importance. He knew who he brought to the table, who he invited “backstage” to the miracles he was about to perform, who he revealed him true self to the most – that truly mattered. He himself was God, and his circle mattered. You know what this tells me – this tells me my circle matters far more than I’ve ever realized. We’ve all heard that we are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with – and it’s actually true. Whatever is normal for your circle eventually becomes normal for you too. You’re continually being molded and shaped by your environment by the habits, attitudes and beliefs of those around you. You were given this one lifetime with an assignment from God – his good purposes for your life were aligned before your first breath. But your ability to fulfill the mission of your life is continually being affected by the people you bring in close to you. And how Jesus handled the choosing of his inner circle was with an entire night of prayer on a mountain with God. Now why is it we only pray about our relationships when there’s a problem in them? Why are we so quick to jump in then wonder why those relationships are stressed? Girls, why aren’t we genuinely praying about who we allow in close to us? Why aren’t we seeking God’s hand in the selection of our people like it’s going to affect everything we do – because actually, it is. I have an inner circle and that’s not always easy – you know why? Because that means some people get more of me than others. That means there’s space for offense. That means there’s opportunity for jealousy. My inner circle sometimes shifts because sometimes life just changes. Certain relationships grow while other relationships have a different purpose in a different season. Can we all see that there’s nothing wrong with that? Jesus would spend the day hanging out with thousands of people, then at the end of the day he would send the crowds away and get in a boat with just his circle of 12. If Jesus did that, so can I – and so can you. If that was important for Jesus, then how much more important is that for us? Let God show you your people, then protect that space with them. Does it mean if someone is not in your inner circle, they’re bad, they’re less important, less valuable? No! Imagine the followers of Jesus gathered at the foot of that mountain that morning when Jesus came down. How many people were there? We don’t know exactly, but later we see a mention of over 70. So, let’s just imagine there are 70 people who have been following Jesus. 70 people who have been listening to him, learning from him, and wanting to go where he’s going next. But Jesus gathers them together at daybreak and announces his 12. Were there some hurt feelings in the crowd? Perhaps. Did Jesus make any apologies for choosing his circle? No. Did he announce his chosen 12 were better than the others? No. My friends, when you seek God’s will, you don’t have to feel bad about walking in it. When you have truly prayed, truly surrendered, and are truly living in obedience, you can finally overcome the crippling plague of people pleasing and step into God honoring. I’m assuming not everyone in this crowd of followers was pleased over Jesus’ selection of his disciples. While it was never Jesus’ intention to hurt anyone, it was also not his purpose to please everyone. He had a mission to fulfill, now he had his inner circle, chosen by God, to train up for the purposes of continuing his mission. Disciple #1: Peter (also know as Simon) First on the list is Simon, who Jesus later renamed as Peter. Who was this fella? Well, if we’re playing favorites, he’s my favorite of the 12. He’s the impulsive one – the all-in one, the rambunctious, adventurous one. He’s also the one who spoke before thinking, and found himself in way over his head. He’s a wild dreamer who wanted things to be happy and positive, and struggled with handling some of the harder stuff. Hmmmm, that’s me. Peter, meet Pamela. Pamela, meet Peter. We are so very alike. Anyone else see themselves in this chosen disciple of Jesus named Peter? Anyone else feeling especially seen and slightly called out? Peter was so incredibly ordinary. He was a fisherman, the most ordinary of professions in this time. He got up early, he worked hard, and he depended on that work for his future. Then Jesus came and turned his whole world upside down. One day Peter was washing his fishing nets after an unproductive night of fishing. They had fished all night and caught absolutely nothing. No fish, no money. So this particular day was especially frustrating. All that work with nothing to show for it. Washing the nets was a big job. For anyone who has a boat, you know the amount of work it is to clean up that boat after a day of fishing. And Jesus is there teaching on the shore as Peter is cleaning up, and Jesus asks if he can get in his boat to teach from the water so more people can hear him. And in that moment, Peter makes a decision that would unknowingly change the trajectory of his life. He lets Jesus in his boat. So, Jesus teaches from his boat. Cool. Peter must have been tired. He had been working the entire night before. I’m sure he just wanted to go home and rest so he could go back out there on the boat and try again the next night and just hope to have more success. But he sits on the boat and holds it steady so Jesus can teach. Then, after Jesus finishes speaking, he turns to Peter and in Luke 5:4, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” Nope – that didn’t make any sense. But Peter is about to learn that when Jesus says something he can just skip the part of rationalizing and go straight to the part of believing and responding in obedience. When Peter lets down his nets again at the most inopportune and unlikely time for fishing, suddenly his nets were so full of fish, they began to tear! Now, both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. Now, here’s the really wild thing – this miraculous catch of fish was actually fame and fortune. Peter and his 3 fellow fishermen, Andrew, James and John, had just caught enough fish to all retire. They would be famous for this catch. The value of these fish was about 25 years worth of wages for EACH of them. Everything they had ever worked for, the business they had spent every night growing, now all of a sudden they have the wildest success ever! And Jesus asks them to walk away from it. Literally walk away. Peter, if I give you what you’ve been working so hard for – if I give you more than you even know what to do with – will you drop it all and follow me? Verses 10-11, Jesus said “‘Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!’ And as soon as they landed, they LEFT EVERYTHING AND FOLLOWED JESUS.” Why would Jesus choose an ordinary fisherman? Could it be because Peter was actually willing to leave everything he had ever worked for to simply follow him? Follow him where? Unknown. Follow him and do what? Unknown. Follow him for how long? Unknown. And Peter stared down the unknown while also having the invitation of fame and fortune in his boats, and he chose the unknown with Jesus. Would we do the same? Or would the early retirement be too sweet to pass up? Has the unknown caused you to forfeit a personal journey with Jesus? There’s a prayer I pray every morning while on my knees that seems fitting here: Give me the courage to surrender what I have made too important and the strength to endure whatever it costs to put You first. Give me the grace to receive good things from Your hand without turning them into idols. Help me enjoy Your gifts without worshiping Your gifts. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

  7. Nov 4

    2234 The Inner Circle

    Jesus chose 12 ordinary guys to become his inner circle, to walk with him during his ministry on earth, to personally pour into for the purposes of preparing them to continue his mission. Have you ever really thought about who those 12 were? Like why them? Who were they before they met Jesus and who did they become with Jesus. They each have a story, and in their stories we will likely find ourselves – our abilities, our passions, along with our flaw and our weaknesses – and maybe we will see how we too have been chosen intentionally. Maybe as we study these 12 chosen men we will discover the real ways Jesus uses ordinary people for his divine works, his miraculous power, and his eternal purposes. Today, we begin our study of the 12 disciples. A disciple is the student of a teacher. One who follows, studies and learns. In this time, all great teachers had a smaller inner circle of their best students. The custom was for a student who truly wanted to grow and learn more, to come to their teacher and request approval to become their disciple. The teacher would only accept the best students as his disciples. Only the smartest, brightest, highest potential students were ever brought into the inner circle to receive such personal investment and instruction. It was essentially the Ivy League college of it’s day. The application process was brutal. Being accepted as a teacher’s disciple was a big deal. But, Jesus did it different. Jesus chose his disciples himself. There were no applications for the position, no selection process that included the highest grades, best families, or hardest working. He wasn’t looking for the standouts by earthly standards – Jesus was looking for something else in his chosen 12 disciples. What was it he was looking for? What was heaven’s standout quality that made Jesus say, “Yes, that one.” Luke 6: 12-16: “One day … Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. At daybreak he called together all his disciples (there were likely hundreds of followers at this point) and chose twelve of them to be apostles. (Apostles are disciples who are sent out on a mission. Apostle literally means ‘sent one’.) Here are there names: Simon (whom he named Peter) Andrew (Peter’s brother) James John Philip Bartholomew Matthew Thomas James (son of Alphaeus) Simon (who was called the zealot) Judas (son of James) Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him) That was the Team Jesus lineup. Put on the jersey, boys, and get yourselves on the field! You’re getting ready to see the impossible and be part of it! What we will find with each of these 12 men’s stories is they were mostly all ordinary and common. In a lineup of men Jesus could have found at this time, these were not the standouts others would have chosen. But for each one, Jesus said – YOU, come follow me. And for each one of these 12, THEY DID. Maybe that was heaven’s standout quality – their willingness to follow. They were available and when called by Jesus, they took the next step. Really, what if that’s all he’s still looking for today? Are you willing to follow him? Are you available – or are you busy? He’s been calling – have you been qualifying every prompting, reasoning it out, considering it for a later more convenient time, dismissing yourself from a very simple next step of obedience? As we study their stories, we find they were imperfect men who didn’t understand, didn’t always get it right, and struggled to remain faithful at times. SO WHY WOULD JESUS NEED THEM? Why would he need anyone? Think about that – couldn’t Jesus complete his mission on his own? Couldn’t he do all the miracles himself? Couldn’t he go all the places on his own? Couldn’t he have given himself more time to reach more people and completely eliminate the need for these flawed humans to be part of his work? Really, couldn’t he have just appeared in all the places at once, showed up with a booming voices that reached the ends of the earth, and made it impossible for anyone to ignore? Did Jesus really NEED disciples? No, but he WANTED them. Jesus wanted a circle of people. He wanted others to share the journey with. We never once see Jesus eating alone. He didn’t need them, but he wanted them. The same is still true today. Jesus doesn’t need me, but he wants me. He doesn’t need you, but he wants you. His work will get done with or without you. You either say yes and get to go on this journey with Jesus and be part of some really cool earth some and some really important eternal stuff – or you don’t. You’ll either be too busy, or you’ll make yourself available to do some Jesus stuff. You’ll either follow him, or you’ll dismiss yourself, that’s up to you. Jesus wants you, but he doesn’t need you. Take the pressure off Sis, it’s an invitation to relationship – and that relationship will change your whole world! Jesus wanted a relational community. He wanted people around him. He wanted others to share joys with. He wanted to be at the table and have the seats filled. He wanted to share everything the Father had given him with others. And he did. That’s what his disciples received. It was an invitation to belong. An invitation to learn. An invitation to grow. An invitation to be filled. An invitation to become so much more. And these 12 disciples were in Jesus-school. Personal, hands-on, earth training for heavenly purposes. What were the heavenly purposes? They were here to continue building the Church Jesus started. Not the building of a temple, but the building of a people – HIS PEOPLE. His chosen people he wanted to save. The disciples were getting their earth training in things that would far outlive them. They would be charged with sharing the news of Jesus. Now think about this – Jesus didn’t have a social media account. There were no livestreams of his crucifixion. No Ring doorbells to secretly document his resurrected body walking the streets. No documentaries being filmed. There wasn’t even a 6:00 news broadcast to share the story. If the story was going to get out, it would require people writing it down and carrying it on foot from village to village, then getting on boats and sailing to distant shores. And here’s the really wild thing …. IT WORKED! The mission of these 12 chosen disciples of Jesus was to get the word out, tell the world who Jesus was, what they saw and what they learned. To write it down in a way that would outlive them. And here we are, 2000 years later, and we got the message! The stories survived and they’re in our hands today! We know about Jesus, and we know about him because a few very ordinary men who were willing to step out and follow Jesus dared to believe they were part of something bigger than their own lives. AND THEY WERE – they were part of something so big it’s now changing your life. The purpose of the disciples is being fulfilled right now – we’re still talking about it! That was the whole point. Bravo to the 12 ordinary fellas with regular jobs who gave their lives (literally) to make sure the news got out about who Jesus really was, what he really said, what he really did, and what he really offers still today! Did you know, Revelation tells us their names are written on the foundations of Heaven? Like for real – Jesus is the cornerstone, then there are these 12 guys who weren’t the smartest, weren’t from special families, and certainly weren’t perfect, and their names are forever on those foundations of the future city awaiting us beyond this life. Guys who once doubted, feared and failed – but God transformed them and used them to build something eternal. So for you who doubt – you who fear – you who have failed – God wants to transform you too! And then he wants to use you in the continued eternal work of building something radically good. Heaven has your name on it and there’s a purpose for you to fulfill. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

  8. Nov 3

    2233 Dancing With God

    Have you ever just been swept away by God’s goodness? Totally overwhelmed by how he provided, how he came through, and how he did what only he could do? There’s just this emotion that rises up from within you – an emotion of gratitude. And what do you do with that gratitude? How do you express that? In the Old Testament, King David had this overwhelming gratitude for God. He was so incredibly humbled by the fact that he was chosen and guided by the Almighty. Even after his moments of weakness and failure, God would strengthen him. Even after David felt fear and anger towards the Lord and sat on the very thing he was told to do for 3 months, God would give him another chance. And this awareness of God’s hand over his life brought David to dancing. In fact, scripture says David “danced before the Lord with all his might.” What was David doing? He was worshiping God. This overwhelming gratitude couldn’t be contained. Even a King had to stop everything and dance. Reading in 2 Samuel 6, starting in verse 13, “After the men who were carrying the Ark of the Lord had gone six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and the blowing rams’ horns.” Okay, so what exactly is this occasion and what are they carrying? Ready to really study your Bible with me? The people were carrying the Ark of the Lord. The word ark means box or chest. This particular chest being carried was divinely sacred because it contained the literal presence of God. Remember this is before Jesus, so before the gift of the Holy Spirit. Today we have the presence of God with us through the Holy Spirit. When we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of Jesus, we are found worthy of carrying the very presence of God inside of us. But before Jesus, that could never be possible. God’s presence was entirely too sacred and entirely too powerful to be in us, touched by us, or even seen by us. 400 years before King David, there was Moses. The Lord had given very specific instruction to Moses on building this wooden chest, covered in gold where God’s presence would be carried with his people. The chest was 3’9″ long, 2’3″ wide, and 2’3″ high. Inside were the tables of the law written by God’s own finger, a jar of manna (that miraculous provision of bread from heaven that God gave his people to eat for 40 years in the wilderness), and Aaron’s rod. Now, it was time for this chest carrying God’s presence and these special items to be moved by the Israelites. Doing so was a big job with very big consequences. To move it, they decided to build a new cart and roll the sacred chest on. But, we see that failed. The oxen pulling the cart stumbled, the chest began to slip, and a man reached out to steady the chest. Touching it, God struck him dead. Yip, this is some serious business. The presence of God is not to be taken lightly. What had gone wrong here was they ignored God’s very specific instructions from 400 years ago that this chest was always to be CARRIED. Carrying it was a burden the Lord designed and desired. Hmmmmm, now think about that. Here we are walking around with the very presence of God now living inside of us, thinking everything is supposed to just be easy. And when it’s not easy, we throw ourselves a full grown woman hissy fit. There’s a prescribed burden with carrying the Lord with us. Every step is important because you’re carrying the most important thing ever, my friend. You and I are carrying the Holy Spirit. If that feels like a burden at times, understand – it is. It’s a holy burden for holy work. It’s not always going to be easy. Now doing the ROAM Tour and seeking ways to go out with God and find the hurting souls he wants to love and provide for, I’m experiencing a new tired like I’ve never experienced before. Yes, it’s a new joy unlike anything else, but with that joy comes a burden and a weight. If in your pursuit of God’s plans for your life, in your obedience of what God has told you to do, if you’re experiencing a heavy burden and a deep tiredness at times, it may not be because you’re doing it wrong – it may very well be because you’re doing it right. Carrying the presence of God is a big job and the Lord wants it to cost us something. He wants us to carry the burden and stop seeking ease. In the pursuit of ease in carrying the presence of God, the Ark had slipped, a man reached out to steady it, and because it was absolutely untouchable, the man has died. Now David is terrified of continuing his job. Someone just died because of it. So 3 months pass and David finally returns to continue leading the movement of the Ark. Remember, that is the wooden chest carrying the untouchable and heavy presence of God. And this time, they only make it 6 steps and David stops everything to sacrifice to the Lord and celebrate. He celebrates 6 successful steps carrying the Lord. He’s overwhelmed by the fact that God has chosen him and is using him. Because remember who David really is. David is the little shepherd boy that no one thought worthy of a big job. And now, here he is, the most powerful man in all of Israel with a crown on his head. And this is where David dances. Not just a little jig, but he dances with all his might. I mean he lets loose! And guess what happens? What happens next is what can happen to every one of us when we unashamedly celebrate the goodness of God. David was criticized. Who criticized him? The one closest to him. The one he probably loved most. HIS WIFE! Y’all, that’s just the way it is sometimes. Sometimes the ones closest to us are the ones that tear us down the most. Are you going to let that dampen your praise of the Almighty? Are you going to sit on the sidelines because of what others say? Are you going to water down your worship because someone else just doesn’t get your relationship with God? Decide now, because not everyone will understand your overwhelming gratitude for the goodness of God. So, let’s read what happened when David’s wife saw him dancing. Still in 2 Samuel 6, now picking up in verse 16: “But as the Ark of the Lord entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul (that’s David’s wife), looked down from her window. When she saw King David (that’s her husband) leaping and dancing before the Lord, she was filled with contempt for him.” Verse 20, “When David returned home to bless his own family, Michal came out to meet him. She said in disgust, ‘How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do.’ David retorted to Michal, ‘I was dancing before the Lord, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the Lord, so I celebrated before the Lord. Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish that this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes! But those servant girls you mentioned will indeed think I am distinguished!’ So Michal remained childless throughout her entire life.” Do you think God takes worshiping him seriously? I think so! Do you think he’s okay with us criticizing the way someone genuinely worships him? Clearly NOT. Michal, David’s wife, was punished for the rest of her life for this criticism. Now, I want you to really get a visual of what David’s worship looked like here and why his wife was so upset. If you study the original Hebrew of the text, you’ll see a few specific things. The translation we read today is watered down a bit. When David said “I was dancing before the Lord”, the actual translation is more like “I was SPINNING WITH the Lord.” David was not performing for God. He was spinning in circles with God, like a child does. We’ve all seen a young child dancing with their arms held wide just spinning and spinning so joyously in circles. THAT’S WHAT DAVID WAS DOING. And then when David says “I celebrate before the Lord”, a better and more absolute translation is “I play with the Lord.” WOAH! Have you ever realized God invites you to come play with him? Spin and dance, celebrate in joy like a child. Is our God playful? Oh absolutely – look at his creation, doesn’t it show you his playfulness. Look at his unique creations in sea creatures. Look at their colors, their quirkiness each so vibrant and unique. Yes, God is playful, and he has invited you to come play with him! Jesus once said in Matthew 18:4, “Anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” Yes, with childlike faith that just believes – but also with childlike wonder and joy that will spin and dance and play with Jesus! When did we become too grown up to delight in the presence of our Father? When did we stop throwing out our arms and spinning in circles? When did we decide we just couldn’t dance because someone might see us? When did we decide what others would think of us is more important than worshiping our God? David was so overwhelmed by the six successful steps they had just taken in a very big task of moving the very presence of God, that he couldn’t help but stop everything and worship. I don’t know how many successful steps you’ve taken on the task God has given you, but maybe it’s time you pause right here and worship him. And if you look childlike, Jesus says that’s best. If you spin, you spin with Jesus. If you play, you play with Jesus. Don’t be ashamed. And remember, my friends, we don’t judge or criticize others in their worship of God. We may have no idea of the heavy burden they’ve been carrying. We may have no idea of the past failure they’re just walking out of. We may have no idea of how hard their last 6 steps were and how grateful th

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Daily Devotional with Pamela Crim | BIG Life Mentor

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