Devotions For Your Day

The Dream I Live For

~ Pat Vick ~ Leave a comment

Years ago, I had a dream…or a vision…I can’t remember which. Nevertheless, it is still as fresh and real in my mind as it was back then.

I was standing on a platform/stage area, and was teaching a large auditorium full of people. They were all ages and nationalities. Every one of them was sitting Indian-style on the floor, listening very intently to what I was saying.

There was lush greenery all around. I don’t know all of the plants, but it seems many were palm trees and ferns. Everything else was white -the floor, walls, podium, and the long, white robe I wore. There were no lights of any kind. Rather, emanating from everywhere, was light so pure that it seemed to pulsate life itself.

Even my hair was pure white. The only other colors in the vast auditorium were the varying skin tones of the congregation’s faces and hands.

I remember the feeling of being healthy and whole, in both my body and mind. I wasn’t learning anymore. I knew.

When I woke, I knew that the dream/vision was in Jerusalem. It was after the Rapture of the Church. I was teaching masses of people who had not been Raptured with the Church, and had come through the Wrath of God at the end of the Tribulation period. I was teaching them God’s ways. There would be peace for 1,000 years, before satan “must be loosed a little season.”

I live for the fulfillment of this dream. I live for the time when I am in my resurrected body. This dream causes me to live in a way in the here and now so that I will obtain what He so graciously showed me. If I’m going to teach during the Millennium, I’d best get to teaching now.

If you believe that everything you do, say or learn while you are in this mortal body will affect the role you will play during those 1,000 years and beyond, what conscious decisions are you making toward that end? They all matter.

(And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.” (Revelation 20:2-3)

“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” Revelation 22:12-13)

Distractions Galore!

~ Pat Vick ~ Leave a comment

Yesterday, I sat in an “express care” line for about an hour and a half to be tested for YOU KNOW…I tested negative:) As I pulled away and headed home, I thought, What a waste of time! I could have been doing something productive with those hours. Then reality set in, and I wondered if I had those hours back, would I actually use them productively?

Distractions. We face them countless times throughout the day. Some people the devil can get to sin. Others, he can get distracted. Let that sink in.

Just trying to get through my Bible reading this morning, I felt the continuous pull to check my social media. I may or may not have given in…I have to refocus very often.

Let’s ask ourselves a few questions:

1. What is it that I’m suppose to be accomplishing in my life?

-This will be more than one thing. It will be comprised of one or more ministries, but also practical and family related tasks.

-This list should include long term and short term achievements.

2. What giftings/talents has the Lord given me to assist in accomplishing these tasks?

3. What continually vies for my attention that plays no part in achieving these goals?

The enemy of our souls is so very clever. He knows exactly what to use and when, to keep us from fulfilling our calling. It can literally be anything, and the more harmless it seems, the more chance it has of working.

Social Media, Hobbies, Phone Calls, Texting, Movies, Books, Podcasts, Exercise, Sickness, Shapes in the Clouds, Unexpected Visitors, Aches and Pains, Fear, Relationships, Anxiety, World News…Feel free to list more in the comments.)

We must focus on what’s truly important in our families and ministries. We must continually break free from the distractions that keep our minds scattered, and tether ourselves to the purpose God has called us to.

The scripture I have used is specifically talking about being content if you’re unmarried because a single person can focus exclusively on the things of God. However, it can be applied to anything that distracts us from our calling.

“And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.” (1 Corinthians 7:35)

Day By Day

~ Pat Vick ~ Leave a comment


We have each been called to walk a certain path with the Lord. One that He alone has chosen for us. I’m not referring to doctrine, but the course of events that comes after we are Born Again. If we could choose our own path, we would always choose the easy way. God, on the other hand, is more interested in our spiritual growth rather than our comfort.

The Fear
All of us have fears that would seem insignificant to others. Something that others would laugh at might make us quake in our skin. Such is what happened when I opened the mail a few months ago, and found a summons to federal jury duty. I would like to not share with you how embarrassingly nervous I was, to the point of physical sickness, but that would not benefit you.

After opening the summons, I knelt and prayed. It was during this prayer that the Lord impressed in my spirit that He would lead me day by day, and that He was using this process to teach me to trust Him day by day.

There was a short list of parameters that could be used to be excused from serving. Trust me when I tell you that I wanted very much to be able to claim one of them. I had been dismissed from local jury duty a few years back because we were already scheduled to be out of the country on a mission trip. That wasn’t to be the case this time around.

I immediately began to think of the month of days stretched out before me, and remember thinking, This is going to be a long month.  I was on call for the whole month of June, and had to call the jury line every weekday evening to find out if I was required to appear the next morning. The first few times I called, I literally thought I was going to be sick while listening to the recording. I called every evening for two weeks, and got the same recording informing me that, “At this time, you are not scheduled to appear.”

I was praying specifically every day, and multiple times throughout each day, that I wouldn’t have to appear at all. After two weeks of not having to go, I had let myself relax a bit. I mean, God knew how desperate and fearful I was, and I had been praying like crazy to not have to go at all.

The Submitting
The above facts made hearing the new recording, “You are scheduled to appear Monday, June  —— at 8:30 am,” very distressful. As soon as I heard the words, however, a determination came over me that could only have come from the Holy Ghost. As I had done when I first received the summons in the mail, I knelt down and prayed. I told the Lord that, apparently, what I wanted (to not have to go) and what He wanted were two different things, and I would submit to His Will. I told Him that I knew He must be working something that I didn’t know at this point, and that I would trust Him to see me through. Again, He impressed in my spirit that He would lead me day by day.

The Preparation 
So, back to the topic of all of us having fears. I do not drive downtown in any city. I. Do. Not. This was federal jury duty, so it was held in Jackson, which is over an hour’s drive from my home. This was Thursday. I knew there was no way I could wait until Monday morning to drive downtown Jackson, locate the federal courthouse, find public parking, walk several blocks, and check in by 8:30 am, so I determined to drive to Jackson the next day.

This may have been a walk in the park to you, but it was a very brave thing for me. I prayed most of the way, and for sure, once I got downtown. Thankfully, I found the courthouse and parking with little trouble. I decided to walk to the courthouse to see how long it would take. I got turned around a few times coming and going, but once I got back on the main highway, I felt so powerful, and was so thankful I had the mind to drive there ahead of time.

The Process
Monday morning came, and I set out at 6:30 am on my prepared route. I got there in perfect time, walked to the courthouse and checked in. Everyone was super nice. I’m sure they were use to many people being nervous and frustrated.

The selection process began, and that’s when it got interesting, and anointed. Some of the prospective jurors were given numbers. Others were not. I received number three which meant I was in the group to go first. The eight of us marched into the courtroom, and walked to the jury box, each sitting in our designated seats. One prospective juror was asked to step to one of several microphones placed strategically within the jury box, and tell about themselves. Thankfully, I was third, so I was able to listen to the first two, and gather my thoughts.

Again, at this point, I was so far out of my comfort zone. The courtroom seemed cavernous. The alternate prospective jurors were seated in the observation seats. The plaintiff and her lawyers were at one table. The defendant and her lawyers were at another table. The judge, in his formal robe, was reigned over the proceedings. I’m silently reminding myself that God is with me. He has either orchestrated or allowed this process. I am in this moment for a reason.

The Moment
When it was my turn, I stepped to the microphone, albeit clumsily. I looked the judge in the eyes and said in a sure voice, “I am a Born Again Christian. My husband and I have pastored a church for the last 23 and 1/2 years. Before Covid, we travelled extensively overseas, preaching, teaching and ministering. I am the editor of a Christian magazine.” I went on to tell him of our businesses and farm.

I wish I could tell you what happened inside the hearts of all those listening, but only eternity will reveal that fact. I do know that as I spoke, I was aware that my whole life came into focus for this moment. With every eye in the courtroom on me, attentive to my words, I felt the imprint of the Cross on my life, the Spirit of the Living God flowing through me, and Word and Name upholding me. I don’t believe they saw me. I believe they saw Jesus.

I wish I could say that revival broke out in that courtroom. However, in quite an anticlimactic dispersement, after all the jurors spoke, I, along with two other jurors were dismissed. Just like that. As I stepped out into the sunlight, I had a flood of emotion. Thankful for freedom and fresh air. Relief that this part of the ordeal was over. Also, an unexpected disappointment that I had been dismissed so easily after all of my spiritual and natural preparations. I still had to call every evening to find out if I had to appear for the next two weeks, but July came, and I was permanently dismissed without having to reappear.

Now, what in the world was all that about?!

Lessons From a Month of Jury Duty

  • The way to follow the Lord for one day, one week or one month, is the same way we follow Him for a lifetime. Day by Day.
  • We must be willing to accept the Lord’s will in every situation.
  • We must continue to trust the Lord even when it seems that He hasn’t answered our prayers.
  • We must realize He is working in other people’s lives as well as our own.
  • We must realize He is more concerned about our spiritual growth than our immediate comfort.
  • We must know He is very present with us even in the most trying circumstances.
  • We must accept that we may never know everything He is working through our situation.
  • We cannot follow the Lord for a lifetime until we learn to follow Him day by day.
“We cannot follow the Lord for a lifetime until we learn to follow Him day by day.” -Pat Vick Share on X

Helps For Following The Lord Day By Day

Trust Him in Every Moment.

Pray Without Ceasing.

Pray in the Spirit.

Stay in the Word.

When Things Go Differently Than Expected, Continue To Trust Him.

Do Your Part. He Will Do The Rest.

Be Brave.

Speak The Truth.

Represent God’s Kingdom.

Offer Thanksgiving.

Take What You Have Learned And Apply It the Next Time.

 

Time Keeps On Slipping, Slipping, Slipping Into The Future.

~ Pat Vick ~ Leave a comment

I had been out of the office for two weeks due to various travels. When I sat down at my desk, I noticed my calendar still showed March even though it was now April 1st. As I tore the top sheet of paper off, I thought how fast time passes these days.

Time. It’s wrapping up quickly. Truly. Even as I continue working on this one article, another two months have come and gone. I’m tempted to take another photo of my office calendar, but the original one confirms the point I’m attempting to convey. Time doesn’t stop for any one person or generation. It just keeps rolling forward until, one day known to God, it will be no more.

“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”

Each of us is only allotted a certain number of days. Unfortunately, we don’t get to know that number. In an age where medical knowledge has increased exponentially, it isn’t uncommon for people to live to one hundred years or more. Still, every day we hear of people who die suddenly in accidents or a disease that lurked in their bodies, unseen. Sometimes people die for no apparent reason.

Scripture tells us that we are allotted 70 years, and if we live to 80, those extra years are likely to be full of sorrow. This allotment of years is a general lifespan, but truly, life and death are in God’s hands, not ours.

“For all our days are passed away in thy wrath:
we spend our years as a tale that is told.
The days of our years are threescore years and ten;
and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years,
yet is their strength labour and sorrow;
for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Who knoweth the power of thine anger?
even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.
So teach us to number our days,
that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Psalm 90:9-12)

To a child, 70 to 80 years seems like an eternity. Those of us who have more decades behind us than before us realize how fast those years pass. Time is a tool that we have to serve God with. We can  let it pass without observation, letting decades pile up behind us, or we can be mindful of its passing, and harness it for a purpose.

“Time is a tool that we have to serve God with. We can let it pass without observation, letting decades pile up behind us, or we can be mindful of its passing, and harness it for a purpose.” -Pat Vick Share on X

HOW ARE YOU SPENDING YOUR ALLOTMENT OF  DAYS?

Are you using your allotted days for God’s glory, or your own? For God’s purpose, or your own? Are you spending your days seeking only happiness, or to be beneficial to the Kingdom of God? Are you concerned about experiencing and accumulating, or pursuing your God-given Calling? Have you deadened your conscience with substances and thrills in order to quiet the small, still voice of God’s Spirit beckoning you to a life of purpose? When you come to the end of your days, which could be any day now, will you be embarrassed by how much more you could have done for God?

TICK TOCK SAYS THE CLOCK

It’s so easy to get caught up in living day to day that we forget the passing of time. Likewise, it’s very easy to get caught up in living in the flesh that we forget about eternity. However, just because we go about our days with no thought for what comes afterward, doesn’t mean it’s not coming. Every time you see a new calendar page, or hear the tick tock of a clock, let it remind you to use your days wisely, because the day is coming quickly when you’ll have to give account for what you did with each of them.

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” (Revelation 20:11-12)

I Have An Idea! What If You…?

~ Pat Vick ~ Leave a comment

”And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

 

What if you minimized, or even excluded, everything in your life that distracts you from your true calling?

What if you began to focus all your time and attention on what will last for Eternity?

What if you severed, or at least distanced, relationships that were harmful to your spiritual health?

What if you spent time every single day talking to the Lord about His will for your life?

What if you actually asked Him to guide your decisions throughout the day?

What if you realized that what the world calls success is only temporary?

What if you began to purposefully align your thoughts with the Word of God?

What if you stopped allowing people who don’t live according to God’s plan to guide your life choices?

What if you started digging into the Word of God for yourself, and learned what He says is required for salvation?

What if you began to care more about what God desires for your life than family, friends or co-workers?

What if you got up every morning and decided, “I’m going to live for God today?”

What if you repented of the sins that are separating you from God?

What if you asked a Man or Woman of God to baptize you in Jesus’ name?

What if you asked the Lord to fill you with the Holy Ghost, evidenced by speaking in other tongues, just like the Bible describes?

What if you chose to sanctify yourself unto the Lord, and live a Holy lifestyle?

What if you prayed and fasted to know God’s will for your life?

What if you stepped out in faith, and did the thing God is asking you to do?

What if you did what you know is right so that you could lay your head down at night and sleep peacefully without fear of not waking up?

What if you lived in a way that caused you to be excited about going to Heaven?

What if you decided to be a true Christian?

Blessings For Your Day!

-Pat
You may also email me at PAT@PATVICK.COM.  I usually am able to reply within 24 hours.

As always, feel free to let me know your thoughts in the comments section of any post.

 

What Do You Need To Release So That You Can Be More For Jesus?

~ Pat Vick ~ Leave a comment

We are living in a unique time. There are so many frustrations, and yet so many opportunities. Everywhere we look, there is another opportunity to serve the Lord in a deeper way. It really depends on what we allow to hold our time and attention.

LEARN TO LET GO

I’ve made a few adjustments lately that I hope will help me to focus on things that are more important. You may think they are very small things that aren’t even worth mentioning. I agree that they are small, but definitely not insignifanct.

I let two hobbies go recently. I really enjoyed doing both of them. One was Book Folding. It involves folding the pages of a book into designs. The first time I ever saw a book folding project, I knew I wanted to do it for myself. I did finish several projects, but as time went on, I spent more time thinking about the projects I needed to finish, rather than actually doing them.

Because thinking about doing the Book Folding projects was stressing me, I decided to give this hobby to my daughter-in-law. I gave her all the patterns that I had, and freed my mind from having to think about future Book Folding projects.

I also love working puzzles. Actually, I love the idea of working puzzles because my mother always worked puzzles. The thought of working puzzles made me feel close to my mom. In reality, however, I spent more time thinking about making the time to work puzzles than I ever actually worked puzzles. It became stressful clutter in my mind. I made the decision to put away my unworked puzzles. Perhaps I’ll bring them back out in a later season of my life, but for the season I’m in, they only caused me frustration.

DECIDE WHO YOU WANT TO BE

As I said at the beginning, there are so many opportunities to serve the Lord in a deeper way. We have to choose to let some things go, so that we can pursue more meaningful ministries and pastimes. The world will tell you that you can have it all, and do it all. The truth is that you can have and do a lot, but the more you choose to allow into your life, the less you will be able to do any of them really well.

I’ve decided that I’m going to be a Reader, Writer and Bible Teacher. These are ministries. I am  also going to be a chicken herder and a beekeeper. These are hobbies. All of this, along with being a Wife, Mother, Memaw and Pastor’s Wife makes for a very full life. That is why a few things had to go.

I encourage you to take inventory of your own life. Who do you want to be? How do you want your life to look? What possessions, ministries, hobbies, relationships and thought processes are truly important to the person God has called you to be? What things need to be released so that you can pursue your best life for Jesus?

”A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;” (Ecclesiastes 3:6)

God Knows. Let That Be Enough.

~ Pat Vick ~ Leave a comment

A year ago today, my youngest son and his wife were in Bangladesh on a mission trip. It was definitely a high point in their life and walk with God. I was so vey proud of them, and thankful for their opportunity to be a part of something so powerful and eternal.

Caleb came home from that trip with the flu. He flew the 17-18 hours from Dubai sicker than he had ever been in his life. The next morning, when he asked to be taken to the doctor, we knew he was seriously sick. He was treated for the flu, and all seemed well.

Soon enough, Covid arrived, and the lockdowns began. Still, our family was together and healthy way out on our farm. It’s amazing how things can change so suddenly. One day we were fine. Then next day Caleb couldn’t breathe without severe pain. From emergency room to Vanderbilt ICU in a blink.

Pneumonia had been growing undetected in his lung for a couple of months since he had the flu. He had to have surgery to drain the fluid from his chest cavity. Over 2 liters of fluid. Alone. All we could do was pray. The Lord was so merciful to bring him home to us.

More Covid. More lockdowns. Online Church. All travel plans cancelled. Family members with Covid. Powerful men and women of God being taken home to their reward. People we never thought we’d have to go through life without. Gone into their eternity.

Breathe.

Riots. Bizarre election. The country has gone mad.

My mother-in-love contracts Covid. No underlying health issues. We had to say goodbye in the wee hours of December 26th. Never expected it. Would have never dreamed we’d be here without her so soon.

Still, God is good. He is faithful. He knows the future, and the past because He’s already there. If we had known a year ago what our family would have to endure over the next twelve months, it would have shaken us to our core. We might have failed God had we known. I’d like to think we would have stood strong, but only He actually knows for certain.

Sometimes when we want to know what’s coming, it’s best just to know that He knows, and let that be enough.

“I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” (Psalm 27:13-14)

Everyone Dies. How Does This Make You Feel?

~ Pat Vick ~ Leave a comment


“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” (Psalm 116:15)

Everyone dies. This statement brings me comfort. It should bring you comfort, as well. If it doesn’t, there is a deep spiritual reason as to why not.

You may ask, “How can the knowledge that everyone dies bring comfort? To me, it means that every single person who has ever lived (with the exception of Enoch and Elijah, but that’s for a different post) has passed through the doorway of death. From this life to the one that comes after. From this realm of existence to another which is just as real, but invisible to us at the moment.

To die is not to travel a path that no one has ever travelled before. On the contrary, it is a well-worn path which has been traversed by doctors, lawyers, presidents, kings, drunkards, drug addicts, worshipers, prayer warriors, sinners and saints, the very good and the very evil. All have passed through this door. So will I. So will you.

Knowing that I will one day pass through this doorway should not cause me to fear. It should give me solace in the fact that death is natural. It is part of living. We are born. We live. We die. Unfortunately, most of humanity spend so much of their time dreading dying, that they never truly live.

If I spend my allotted time so fearful of death, how can I make my life matter? It is the knowledge that I will one day die which causes me to pursue the most noble life possible. The realization that I only have so many decades, years, days, moments, breaths and heartbeats to make something valuable of my life keeps me hyper focused on the importance of every decision I make.

Everyone dies. Again, I point out that if this statement causes you undue anxiety, then something is off kilter between you and God. People who have a deep and abiding relationship with their Creator know that He is working all things for their good. We are assured in His Word that He has gone to prepare a place for us, so that He can bring us to live with Him and the saints of all the ages forever. We know that when the God of all glory came in the form of a man, Jesus Christ, that He gave Himself as the only perfect and pure sacrifice for our sins. We read that even though he died for our sins, He also was resurrected to immortality. So will we be if we are born again according to His Word, and abide in Him.

When Jesus died on the cross, He didn’t go to his death kicking and screaming in fear. On the contrary, He declared, “It is finished,” and gave up the ghost. (The Holy Ghost) He knew that He had accomplished everything He had come to do. He was ready to yield His flesh to the process of death, and walk through the doorway into the spiritual realm.

Everyone dies, but I will live forever. Yes, my body will die, but my spirit, the part of me that is conscious and aware, will go immediately to be in the presence of the Lord. At the rapture of the Church, my spirit will be joined to a new and immortal body, and I will live with Jesus and the saints of all the ages for all eternity.

Even though my flesh shrinks away from the thought of possible suffering, everyone dies, and I am comforted by that fact.

It’s Time To Close The Curtains

~ Pat Vick ~ Leave a comment


My little home library is a haven for me. It’s where I pray, study, write, and regularly get alone with God. It’s a peaceful, yet powerful place.

The wall in front of my desk has double windows. I often look out those windows to see the beauty of the day. Deer making their way through the field to drink in the lake. Geese meandering through the yard. Birds socializing at the feeder. Chickens strolling across my front porch, giving me “the eye” because I haven’t brought out any treats for them.

I thought all this was relaxation, but I realized it was actually distraction recently when a crew of yard workers arrived to refresh our shrub beds. They arrived very early one morning, and didn’t leave until very late in the evening. I spent that whole day trying to work in my library while they worked outside. Epic fail.

I told myself that would never happen again, and invested in curtains and a curtain rod right away. When I first hung the curtains, I was a bit sad that I couldn’t see the beautiful view in front of my house.

The next morning, however, was a different story. I came into my special place, and felt truly alone with God. There were no distractions. I could actually think, pray, study and create.

When God delivered the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage by the hand of Moses, He gave them the plans for a place to meet with Him. The Tabernacle was a mobile church.

Surrounding the Tent of Meeting were curtains. Wouldn’t its purpose still be the same without all the curtains to deal with? Wouldn’t it function the same? Sure. The Tabernacle would still function, but the people wouldn’t.

God knew the worshippers would require something to block all of the desert distractions from view. In order to truly get alone with God, they needed curtains.

Many of the things that we feel like are pleasant and satisfying in our lives are only distractions. I can’t tell you what they are in your life. Only you can do that. I will tell you that if you’re not able to get alone with God regularly, and focus on Him, and Him alone, there’s a reason.

If you truly want to enhance your experience with God on a daily basis, begin by letting some other things go. Cut some things loose.

I encourage you to purchase a set of curtains. Hang them. Pull them closed, and it will become clear what has been distracting you from your time alone with God and His purpose for your life.

“Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.” (Exodus 26:1)