Can Pastors Have Friends?
September 4, 2015/21– 5:26 am

I have been thinking about this a lot lately. Can a Minister have close friends?

See, as a Minister myself, there are times we need to talk to someone besides just God.

But, who can we trust with our private thoughts, emotions and personal lives?

Yes, we have our spouse, but, even our spouse needs a confident person to vent their feelings.

Still if I talk to someone in the church about things, what will happen?

I read an article and it had a startling quote in there from H.B. London, head of pastoral ministries for Focus on the Family. He disclosed that “at least 70 percent of pastors in the United States claim they have no friends.”

This is absolutely heartbreaking and unacceptable to me. No wonder most pastors don’t make it in ministry long.

So why don’t they develop friends?

There’s tons of reason but here’s a few that come to my mind.

1) False Expectations: Many want their pastor to be friendly to everyone but close to no one!

2) False Assumptions: Many pastors have been told “You can’t EVER, EVER, trust people because they’ll use things you share with them against you one day.” (Side Note: Didn’t seem to stop Jesus.)

3) False Accusations: Many pastors will be criticized if they have close friends. If a normal person has close friends we call it healthy. If a pastor has close friends we call it a “clique.”

Pastors, don’t fall for it. You’ve been created for deep connectedness like everyone else. Develop and cultivate your close friendships (and encourage your spouse to do the same). You’ll need them. Every single one of them!“

God will show you discernment of the people He places around you. And He places certain people for certain circumstances in your life.

Friends rejuvenate and renew us. I have friends that refreshes my spirit through their steady reliance upon God’s promises. Anothers may refresh my spirit through their hopeful love for people. And some friends just all around encourages me through their unfeigned humility, and and I seem most productive when they minister within and from life-giving relationships.

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.”John 15:13-17

According to the New Testament Bible, Jesus said that His friends were those who kept His word, His sayings, and obeyed the things that He commanded (see the Gospel of John chapter 15). He also stated that His disciples, followers, were His friends.

This includes the twelve disciples closest to Him, and those who were not included in that twelve such as Martha, Mary, Lazarus. Several women were also His friends in a sisterly way and they ministered to Him i.e. they would have helped Him with meals, sowing needs and such like. Their names were Susanna, Joanna, Mary (We see this in Luke 8:3). Those who follow Jesus are His friends—and the New Testament makes it clear that this includes those who follow Him today by obeying Him.

Blessings, Love and Prayers,
Pastor Pat Aman
Also, please know that:
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with Joy.
Philippians 1: 3-4
I end each message with “My Blessings, Love & Prayers,” I truly mean that, and I pray for each

Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book © 1996/2021 “Coffee With Pat Daily Devotionals” “Coffee With A Little Spice Of Life” and Westbow Press a division of
© Thomas Nelson and Library of Congress Control Number: 2018910976……….

Father God Restores His Children
Author: Pat Aman

God told us we had been faithful”. And we realized we were in the battle.

He said, “Even under everything you both have gone through you never left me. And even how less or much was in your bank account, you always paid your tithes and offering first. You understood, Give and It Will Be Given To You pressed down shaken together men shall give into your bosom (Luke 6:38)
You both understood ““Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty. “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty.” ‭‭(Malachi‬ ‭3:8-12‬), now is time for Restoration.

See, we had learned giving is an attitude that allows us to give all that we are, have and possess in the Holy Spirit to provide greater glory for God.

You studied My word. You prayed daily with your family. You gave your time for service to others. You raised you children to have faith in me. Now it is time for restoration my children.”

Joe and I experience the devil stealing from us.

And we have testimonials of Father God blessing us over and over for what Satan stole.

But when we were going through it was almost as if everything was been sucked down into this black hole of darkness.

We sat down and made a list of all that the devil had stolen. Not because we were dwelling on the lost, but just because we wanted a visual list in front of our eyes to be able to thank God for His seven fold restoration every time we looked at the visual list on paper.

And it was hard when the list included friends we had help, given jobs and trusted. People like Accountants, Banker, Bank Employees, Lawyers who decided they wanted what we had for theirselves.

But Father God has restored us with new friends, business leaders and people we trust and respect and they trust and respect us.

Our stolen goods list long….

• Houses
• Cars
• Boats
• Money
• Clothes
• Health (from been under constant stress)
• Medical Aid
• Insurance
• Holidays
• Our Jobs
• Our Name
• Our Reputation
• Food
• And so much more
• We almost wondered the simple things like our hairdresser! (long story), would be on our list, but she actually stood up for us and told some of her long time customers to leave and not come back. She believe and knew us.

We actually started sowing furniture and household items to others before we had them stolen. We would tell people just come get it if you need it.

But a strange emotion occurred when we started the list.

It started with the my Health, but if I trust God, God will take care of it. I was not going to let the devil steal more money from us again, because if we were spending money on Health then we were not standing on what God promises us.

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”
‭‭III John‬ ‭1:2‬

Ps 103:5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Second on my list was my family’s health & stress related symptoms. I kept on hearing this quiet whisper: ” but my Son has paid the price for your healing.” 1 Peter 2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness– by whose stripes you were healed.

Another revelation! You don’t need to pay money for medication when Jesus paid the price in with His blood for your healing. This was hard after seventeen surgeries and health scares.

Next up was the houses and the cars:

God just said: If I’ve called you both to be a sojourner through this earthly land, din’t you need a house and a car? Yes, you do, but God provides all the way! The question God challenged us with was “did we trust God to provide a house and a car?”

Another issue sorted! God was taking them off our list at an alarming rate!

Our jobs, and everything. Insurance, money for college for our children. We had to learn to live by faith. We felt for us and our family, God was saying, I want you to rely on Me for your daily provision, and a roof over your head.

The name and the reputation was sorted out by when I found the following scripture:
Isaiah 61:7 For your shame ye shall have double; …

It was a tough lesson to learn.

When the restoration word came, the Holy Spirit whispered: “do ya’ll really want to go back to the bondage of a salary, medical aid and insurance? Do you really want to trade all the lessons you have learned living by faith for a lifestyle of just enough (salary) and of having a backup Plan in case I do not come through?

Our response was: but what happens if it all gets stolen again?

This was not a good question to asked Father God!

“If the devil has stolen from you and you have learned to live by faith, you are able to faith it all back! And once again, I will restore more that the devil took! What have you really lost?” was quietly offered as an answer.

The devil cannot rob us of our Faith in God!

As the Holy Spirit made mince meat of all of our “stolen goods to be restored Seven Fold” points, the only thing we came up with was what had truly been stolen was Satan trying to make us doubt Father God’s abilities. By faith God could heal and replace all of the rest, we only had to believe. Was our relationship and Father Gods just proved to us once again that we did not know God well enough to trust Him to restore. Are the Satan just messing with our minds.

The devil has stolen many of our ours & the children’s relationships with family and friends.

Our list left us once again realizing:
Father God is only interested in His children’s and them living as Father God’s children.

Only when we had started “seeking first the kingdom of God” had we received the promise of seven fold restoration. Only once we started leading people to the Lord, praying for the sick, started preaching the good news of the Gospel, – all the things important to Father God, did the promise of restoration come. See, we had somewhere taken our eyes off of Father God, while thinking we were serving Him by helping others. But, the help Father God wanted us to do was not just material things, but more important, spiritual things.

Once our sights were focussed on what Father God saw as important, People, not just people, but where people would spend eternity, how we treated individuals, what words of life had come out of our mouth to sow life. He sorted out the rest.

All else comes down to our faith level in “Only Believe”

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

The reality check was we experienced all Restoration seven fold to with all the lessons we have experienced since 1989 really needed to shift our thinking into “the mind of Christ” before thinking of “things to be added to us.

Now, we can truly look forward to God restoring each and every relationship, and *seven fold blessings of restoration!

And I can promise you that Father God will continue to restore many more because He promised He would restore seven fold all that the devil had stolen.

Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book © 1996/2021 “Coffee With Pat Daily Devotionals” “Coffee With A Little Spice Of Life” and Westbow Press a division of
© Thomas Nelson and Library of Congress Control Number: 2018910976……..…..

Do You Ever Just Get Tired?
Author: Patricia Aman

We all at times grow weary of well-doing.

Men and Women both are prone to wearing themselves out by tirelessly taking care just life itself, until we no longer feel like we have an ounce left to give.

This is just one of the tactics Satan uses to try and stop us.

He tries to make us so BUSY with the nonessential things that we are too worn out for the important things.

Yes, B.U.S.Y.

I learned this sitting in a dear friends Sunday School Class. Jeff Oglesby at St. John PH Church.

Jeff’s words hit my spirit when he said, “we get to busy, “Being Under, Satan’s Yoke.”

God knows that we are often weary but know that He wants to give you His strength so that we can reflect His glory.

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians‬ ‭6:9-10‬

Paul tells us to live a life pleasing to God in all that we do. Someday we will give an account for every thought, word, and action while we lived on earth.

But when things get too busy, our lives can turn into turmoil and chaos. Then we weary ourselves running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off, trying to manage life on our own. And this affects everyone around us.

We start being irritated with just the little things that would usually not matter at all.

And I promise you that you will reap what you sow during those times.

Your actions will bite you in the backside.

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Galatians 6:7

Even I had to learn the hard way that I didn’t always have the right spirit. Sometimes I would focus on things that weren’t important and it caused me hurt and heartache.

Remember when you stress over the things that Father God wants to handle for you, but we refused to let Him, is when our spirit is out of alignment.

When we spend more time with Father God and His Word it will encourage us when we feel like we are about ready to collapse and faint from well-doing with the wrong attitude.

We must remember to: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew‬ ‭6:33-34‬ ‭

Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book © 1996/2021 “Coffee With Pat Daily Devotionals” “Coffee With A Little Spice Of Life” and Westbow Press a division of
© Thomas Nelson and Library of Congress Control Number: 2018910976……….

“He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. ..
‭‭Malachi‬ ‭3:3‬ ‭

“Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭64:8‬ ‭

Author: Unknown
There was once a group of women studying the book of Malachi in the Old Testament. As they were studying chapter three, they came across verse three, which says: “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”

This verse puzzled the women, and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out about the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study.

That week this woman called up a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot – then she thought again about the verse, that he sits as a refiner and purifier of silver. She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered “Yes”, and explained that he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be damaged.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?”

He smiled at her and answered, “Oh, that’s easy. When I see my image in it.”

If today you are feeling the heat of this world’s fire, just remember that God, our Father has His eyes on you.

Coffee With Pat Ministries

What is your Giants?
Author: Pat AH Aman

Let’s take a moment to talk about giants that we may have in our lives.

Sometimes we let things overwhelm us and not let God take care of them.

I wonder if David even felt afraid for just a second of the Philistine giant, Goliath, in his life. Goliath who was three to four times the height of David. He was wearing at least 278 pounds of Armor besides his own big body which could have weighed 400-600 pounds, being well over 13 feet tall. He wore a bronze helmet, bronze leg plates, and a bronze javelined was strapped to his back. In his huge hand, he carried a spear. The point alone possibly weighed about twenty pounds. Goliath had a armor barrier who bare his shield that walked before him.

Goliath told David to come here and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field. David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with a sword, spear and javelin, but I come in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”

1 Samuel 17:44 “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!

Before this, young David had taken his staff in hand, stooped down, and picked up five smooth stones and placed them in a pouch.

1 Samuel 17:40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.
With a Shepherd’s staff in one hand and a sling in the other he approached the giant. With one stone He flung the stone, it hit Goliath in the head and killed him.

The key to this scripture is He came in the name of the Lord.

What are the giants in your life?

How can God help you overcome them?

I believe it is good not only to pray, but to turn to His Word for the answers.
There are directions and power in prayer and God’s Word.

Whatever these giants are in our lives, we must not run from them. We must face them head-on as David did with Goliath. Put on your spiritual armor and stand firm, unafraid, trusting God for strength.

The exciting thing about all this is when we put on the full armor of God and obey Him, then we can stand back, call TIMBERRRR– and watch the giant fall!

“God has given us the armor to dress in daily. So put it on and watch the giants in your life fall.” Pastor Pat Aman

Ephesians 6:10.Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

11. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
12. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
14. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
    15.and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace
15. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
16. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
17. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

We as children of Father God need to learn to be overcomers. We must stop acting like defeated children.

Father God’s Word is what we stand on.

Revelation 12:11 They (that is you and me) triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book © 1996/2021 “Coffee With Pat Daily Devotionals” “Coffee With A Little Spice Of Life” and Westbow Press a division of
© Thomas Nelson and Library of Congress Control Number: 2018910976……….

Let’s take a moment to talk about giants that we may have in our lives.

Sometimes we let things overwhelm us and not let God take care of them.

I wonder if David even felt afraid for just a second of the Philistine giant, Goliath, in his life. Goliath who was three to four times the height of David. He was wearing at least 278 pounds of Armor besides his own big body which could have weighed 400-600 pounds, being well over 13 feet tall. He wore a bronze helmet, bronze leg plates, and a bronze javelined was strapped to his back. In his huge hand, he carried a spear. The point alone possibly weighed about twenty pounds. Goliath had a armor barrier who bare his shield that walked before him.

Goliath told David to come here and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field. David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with a sword, spear and javelin, but I come in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”

1 Samuel 17:44 “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!

Before this, young David had taken his staff in hand, stooped down, and picked up five smooth stones and placed them in a pouch.

1 Samuel 17:40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.
With a Shepherd’s staff in one hand and a sling in the other he approached the giant. With one stone He flung the stone, it hit Goliath in the head and killed him.

The key to this scripture is He came in the name of the Lord.

What are the giants in your life?

How can God help you overcome them?

I believe it is good not only to pray, but to turn to His Word for the answers.
There are directions and power in prayer and God’s Word.

Whatever these giants are in our lives, we must not run from them. We must face them head-on as David did with Goliath. Put on your spiritual armor and stand firm, unafraid, trusting God for strength.

The exciting thing about all this is when we put on the full armor of God and obey Him, then we can stand back, call TIMBERRRR– and watch the giant fall!

“God has given us the armor to dress in daily. So put it on and watch the giants in your life fall.” Pastor Pat Aman

Ephesians 6:10.Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

11. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
12. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
14. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
    15.and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace
15. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
16. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
17. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

We as children of Father God need to learn to be overcomers. We must stop acting like defeated children.

Father God’s Word is what we stand on.

Revelation 12:11 They (that is you and me) triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book © 1996/2021 “Coffee With Pat Daily Devotionals” “Coffee With A Little Spice Of Life” and Westbow Press a division of
© Thomas Nelson and Library of Congress Control Number: 2018910976……….

Catch The Ball
Author: Pat Aman

I pray everyone had a blessed weekend. We have stayed inside this weekend except for attending church. Even after church we decided to get us a Jersey Mike’s Sub, to bring home to eat.

Now on with the devotional. After I graduated from high school, I immediately started college. But, at that time in my life college was not what I needed. So I returned home and started to work at State Farm Insurance where I worked for five years.

Now I have gone back through the years and received a couple degrees, but to be honest, if it is not the Bible, I have a hard time learning subjects that do not interest me.

Anyway, during the time I worked at State Farm, I also played softball with the youth at church and also played on the Antioch Baptist Church’s girls softball team. Yes, I was once able to play softball. I was not bad either.

I was the catcher. Do not let anyone tell you that is a easy job. You have to keep the pitcher going and keep home plate covered. You are always on the move.

I remember one time we were playing a team that had a girl who was not little. About 5’10” and way over 200 pounds. Oh yea, I was skinny at that time, by the way. I was 5’5” and weight about 115.

That girl hit the ball and started running. When she came around third base, I knew I had to cover home plate. The ball came in field. The pitcher, whom we called PeeWee, caught the ball and turned. I knew what was next. Out of the side of my left eye, I saw a solid mass of human coming toward me. And as I lifted my glove, I saw the ball leaving PeeWee’s hand coming to me. Everyone was shouting. I was sweating. The ball hit my glove just as the runner was coming into the home plate. I had my hand on the ball. Down I went to get her out before she touch base..

Yes, I got her out, but then I flew through the air when her body came into contact of mine. But I never let go of that ball. When I hit the ground it about knock the breathe out of me. I laid there stunned, but I never let go of that ball. When I got up, I hollowed, just as everyone did. I not only got her out, but we won the game.

Now you do know there is a sermon in this?

See sometimes, satan comes at us with a blow that may knock us down. Even knock the breathe out of us. We can decide to stay down and tuck our tail between out legs and mournfully sneak away, hoping he does not come after us, or we can get up and hollar as we say in Louisiana, and praise the Lord.

We can tell satan to get off our back and out of our face. We can remind him of his future. We can strike him out and win the game.

(I John 4:4) says, “You are of God little children, and have overcome them. For greater is He that is in you, then he that is in the world.”

In verse 3, it talks about people having a evil nature are spirit, that is what verse 3 is talking about when it says, “and have overcome them.” If you are a child of God, you are overcomers. You do not need to let satan get you down anymore. Stand tall. Put your armour on. Catch that ball, and strike that devil out.

For greater is He that is in you, then he that is in the world.

I heard a song scanning stations while my husband was ordering our sub sandwiches. I just laughed.

But, it said a lot.

“If you’re goin’ through hell keep on going
Don’t slow down if you’re scared don’t show it
You might get out before the devil even knows you’re there

I’ve been deep down in that darkness
I’ve been down to my last match
Felt a hundred different demons breathin’ fire down my back
And I knew that if I stumbled I’d fall right into the trap
That they were layin’

But the good news is there’s angels everywhere out on the street
Holdin’ out a hand to pull you back up on your feet
The one’s that you’ve been draggin’ for so long
You’re on your knees might as well be prayin’
Guess what I’m sayin’

[Chorus]

If you’re goin’ through hell keep on going
Don’t slow down if you’re scared don’t show it
You might get out before the devil even knows you’re there
Yeah if you’re goin’ through hell keep on movin’
Face that fire walk right through it
You might get out before the devil even knows you’re there.” Writer(s): Berg David A, Tate Sam M, Wright Kathleen Ann

In other words, “catch that fast ball and hold on…. strike that devil out….”

Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book © 1996/2021 “Coffee With Pat Daily Devotionals” “Coffee With A Little Spice Of Life” and Westbow Press a division of
© Thomas Nelson and Library of Congress Control Number: 2018910976……….

“Does God Have Your All;
Your Complete Sacrifice?”
Author: Pat AH Aman

“Quote for Today”
“When you seek after your own carnal ambitions, you will eventually fail. When you seek after God’s ambitions for your life, you will be blessed.”

“Then the angel of the Lord called again to Abraham from heaven, ‘This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed Me and have not withheld even your beloved son, I swear by My own self that I will bless you richly. I will multiply your descendants into countless millions, like the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. They will conquer their enemies, and through your descendants, all the nations of the earth will be blessed – all because you have obeyed Me.” Genesis 22:15-18

God gives us many tests, commonly called trials, to strengthen our faith and character. These tests also give us the opportunity to obey God and develop a closer relationship to Him and to show our love for Him. Difficult circumstances act as a refining fire in our lives. As Abraham was to learn, sometimes obeying God is a struggle because it might mean giving up something we truly want. We should not expect to receive God’s greatest blessings, unless we are willing to endure God’s greatest tests.

I have received so many e-mails, and prayer request from people in the last two months who feel like they are going through so much in their lives. And according to their testimonies, they are.

Joe and myself have gone through so many bumps at times, but we started to see the light when we put our eyes back on Jesus.

How did we manage and continue to manage? We keep our eyes on the one who was in charge, (God).

You must also keep your eyes focus, your heart continually Praising God, you mind set on the things of God, and your spirit must be sitting before the Presence of God.

Let’s look at the story of Abraham and Isaac together. Let’s learn from the man of Faith. Then let’s ask God to help us to be strong and let our faith grow. *

God knew how much Abraham loved his son Isaac. He was the child God had promised. As Isaac grew, Abraham loved his son even more. Abraham knew that someday, when Isaac became a man, he would marry and have children of his own. These children would grow up and have children of their own. Therefore, through Isaac, Abraham would become the father to many nations just as God had promised

Abraham taught Isaac to love God and to serve Him with all his heart. This pleased the Lord. From the days of Adam, all of God’s prophets offered animal sacrifices as they were commanded by God. Perhaps, Abraham took Isaac when he offered his sacrifices to God to teach him how it should be done. Also, Abraham probably explained to Isaac that God would accept the sacrifice as a gift, and He would hear their prayers if their offerings were made from the heart.

Before God was to make Abraham a great nation, He wanted to test Abraham’s love for Him. One day God called out to Abraham, calling him by name, “Abraham!”

See, God wants to make us a great disciple for Him. He wants to promote us, to a higher calling. If you are in the Ministry, God want to enlarge your Ministry.

Abraham answered quickly, “Here I am Lord.”

God then gave to Abraham a commandment that was very difficult to fulfill. God commanded Abraham saying, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love so much. Go into the land of Moriah. Give him back to Me as a burnt offering. I will show you the place to build an altar.”

Yes, I know just as you have, God has allowed and even asked us to do things for Him, that we did not understand.

How surprised was Abraham! He did not understand why God had asked him to do this. God had promised to make his descendants into a great nation through Isaac. Abraham wondered how God could keep His promise if Isaac were to be sacrificed. He did not want to sacrifice his only son. However, because Abraham loved God, he would obey.

How much do you love God? Is He first in your life?

Early the next morning, Abraham cut some wood, and prepared everything necessary for the sacrifice. He then loaded up a donkey and took with him Isaac and two servants. Together, they set off on a three-day journey to the place God had shown to Abraham. When the night came, they slept under some trees.

They traveled for two days. Finally, on the third day, Abraham looked in the distance and saw a lofty mountain. He recognized this as the place where God wanted the altar built. When they arrived at the base of the mountain, Abraham told his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while Isaac and I go to worship. We will come right back.” Isaac carried the wood that had been brought for the offering. Abraham carried the vessel of fire and the knife. Together, they began to climb the tall mountain.

Maybe even you have been waiting years, and have to travel life’s not to easy road, to get to where you need to be, so you can do God’s Work. You have finally reach the point of no return, and you have sacrificed it all

As they were climbing, Isaac wondered why his father had not brought a lamb for an offering. Isaac asked, “Father, we have the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the offering?”

I know you have even asked God, Why. You have even said, “God I have given everything for you.” Just as Isaac said, “Father, we have the fire and wood, but where is the sacrifice?” Maybe you have given the wood and fire in your life, but have you made that complete sacrifice? Have you given God your everything?

Abraham answered, “God will provide the lamb for the offering, my son.”

Once they had reached the place that God had chosen for the sacrifice, Abraham and Isaac built an altar. Carefully, they placed the wood on it. When all was ready for the sacrifice, Abraham explained to Isaac that he was to be the sacrifice. Feeling sad, yet full of faith in God, Abraham tied Isaac’s hands and feet, and placed him upon the altar. Abraham held the knife in his hand. He raised the knife in the air, and just as he was ready to lower the knife to offer his son as a sacrifice to God, the voice of an angel called out from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

Yes, you have felt like Abraham wondering why? But you have also felt like Isaac, you have felt that your hands and your whole being was tied. Maybe you felt that people have kept you from doing God’s Work. Maybe you have felt you had not had the opportunity, that you have seen other have. Well, my dear friend you have. No one can stop you from preaching God’s Word. You just must find a street corner and start doing it.

“Here I am,” he replied.

When you finally say, “Here I am, Lord,” you better get ready, because God is going to do mighty things in your life. God is going to say, “My child that’s all I wanted you to do, is just to be willing to give me everything.

“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” the angel said. “Now I know you love God more than your own son. Untie his hands and feet and let him go.” How relieved and how happy was Abraham!

When you do finally give you all to God, He will turn things around for you. And if you are a Minister, He will say to everyone and everything, including satan, “Do not lay a hand on My child or the work I have given him/her to do. Nothing will be able to stop you, hurt you, are lay a hand on what God gives you.

At that moment, Abraham heard a sound. He looked toward the sound and saw a ram, caught by his horns, in the bushes. The Lord had provided a sacrifice just as Abraham had told Isaac He would. Abraham took the ram and offered it on the altar in place of his son Isaac.

Again, the angel called from heaven to Abraham. The angel, speaking for the Lord said, “Because you were willing to give Me your dearly beloved son, I will surely bless you, and I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as many as the sands on the seashore. Through you, I will bless all the nations of the earth because you have obeyed My voice.”

See God just wants to know that He has our all. That every inch of us belongs to Him. And when this happens watch out, for you will not believe the Ministry that you will have.

How happy were both father and son as they went down the mountain! Abraham knew he had pleased God. Isaac knew that his life was precious to the Lord. Abraham called this place, “the Lord provides.” Together, they returned to the servants who were waiting with the donkey. Then, they all returned to their home at Beersheba.

I myself in reading these scriptures wonder? Did Abraham have the Faith to know the outcome?

For Abraham told his servants in the scriptures, “stay here while Isaac and I go worship, WE will be back soon!”

And Abraham told Isaac, when Isaac said, Father, we have the fire and wood, but where is the Sacrifice?” Abraham immediately replied, “son, God will provide the sacrifice.”

What great faith to know that our Father God already knows the outcome when we turn our life over to Him completely.

Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book © 1996/2021 “Coffee With Pat Daily Devotionals” “Coffee With A Little Spice Of Life” and Westbow Press a division of
© Thomas Nelson and Library of Congress Control Number: 2018910976……….

When We Are Drained Down To Our Bones
Author: Pastor Pat Aman

Some days it just seems we get drained out. That has just how I have felt for a few weeks. And please do not tell me you have never felt that way! If you do I will come pray for you.

Your know at first we try to be strong; but then, as the stress continues, we find ourselves becoming fatigued and even to the point we would like to run away somewhere and scream.

It is at those moments that many of us begin to believe that our time of situation almost beyond hope.

I know I as for myself, I sometimes feel like Jeremiah in the Bible. He was called the “weeping prophet”, and was one of the major prophets of the Hebrew Bible. According to Jewish tradition, Jeremiah authored the Books of Jeremiah, Kings and Lamentation.

Jeremiah talks to Father God about why?

“You are always righteous, Lord, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease? You have planted them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit. You are always on their lips but far from their hearts. Yet you know me, Lord; you see me and test my thoughts about you. Drag them off like sheep to be butchered! Set them apart for the day of slaughter! How long will the land lie parched and the grass in every field be withered? Because those who live in it are wicked, the animals and birds have perished. Moreover, the people are saying, “He will not see what happens to us.” “If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?” Jeremiah‬ ‭12:1-5‬ ‭

Gracious, right now I can see Father God saying, “I see, an I know the outcome. So, stop wearing yourself out. You just keep going forward and I will handle all your life’s ups and downs. If life is wearing you out now, how are you going to handle the abundance of blessings I have in store for you.?

Now of course we do know these scriptures are referring to Israel.

But, as I read them I feel Father God was speaking to me.

(Please read. the entire chapter 12 of Jeremiah, to learn more about Israel and any nation that does not obey the commandments of Father God. There had never been a nation that had ever experienced more sorrow than the nation of Israel.)

But you know in times of struggle, when we wondered – “Does God still care for us? Has He forgotten us? Is there no hope?” Yet the Lord has said to His people –

“Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God’? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted…but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:27-31

Please remember that Father God never grows tired or weary and He is always able to provide the strength we need.

So, when you feel you are about to fall flat on your face, that is when Father God can pick you up and turn your situation around.

Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book © 1996/2021 “Coffee With Pat Daily Devotionals” “Coffee With A Little Spice Of Life” and Westbow Press a division of
© Thomas Nelson and Library of Congress Control Number: 2018910976……….

Coffee With A Little Spice Of Life

(Nehemiah 8:10) “The Joy Of The Lord, Is Your Strength.”

(Proverbs 17:22) “A Merry Heart Does Good, Like Medicine, But A Broken Spirit Dries The Bones.”

Author: Patricia Aman
March 28, 2018

I tell everyone I was born a Louisiana Cajun with a little spice.
Raised as a Georgia Peach so I would be a little sweet and nice.
But I married a North Carolina Tarheel who made my life just right.
So, I guess you can say, “She is a little bit of everything.”

I pray that each of you enjoy this testimony book. You will read devotional messages, poems, and even a few spicy recipes. You will soon find out that in the book I just talk directly about life and the ministry that God has allowed my husband Joe and I to honor Him.

I am just like many of you. Some days are just wonderful, and some days, I want to go back to bed. Some days just like you my devotion time may have been short. Some days it might have been longer. I think it all comes down to how much time do you spend with God and His Word.

I have been preaching and sharing God’s Word since I was ten years old. I could write this book telling you how to solve all you daily cares and concerns, but, it really would be unfair to you. So, I am just sharing daily things I have gone through, and how when I allowed God to handle them, things were a lot better.

Through these devotionals I pray you will find out that in having an intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father, daily, helps us in our growth and walk.
It makes those good days better, and those not so good days, so much easier to handle, because we learn that if we let God handle them, everything will be alright.

Maybe I can share a few things that will help you in your daily walk.

I dedicate this book to God first and foremost. Then to my husband Joe and our daughters Tara and Anna. And to my son-in-law Will who has been a blessing to our lives. Without their encouragement, I would have never been able to bring to each of you just a few of the 3000 devotions that I have written since, 1986.

All scriptures are taken from the NKJB, unless noted.
“Que le bon Dieu vous benit”
“May the good Lord bless you”

Discombobulated
Author: Pat Aman October 14, 1996

Well, all I can say is when I finish this devotion, you will think that I need to go to a doctor for sure.

I was watching the end of a “Tammy” movie today. If you are my age or older, which we will not go there, today. But if you are you will remember the movies, Tammy and the Doctor, Tammy and the Millionaire, Tammy and the Professor.

Tammy was a young lady raised on a river boat by her grandfather. Schoolin as they called it, was not in grammar. But I soon found out she was smarter than I thought.

She said a word in the movie today that caught my attention. She said, “Lordy, I am just discombobulated”. Why this caught my attention beats me. Maybe I need to get out more.

I knew right off that Mr. Webster would not have the definition to this word, but I decided to look it up anyway. I found discontinued, discontent, discomfort, huh, discomfort, and then suddenly there is was discombobulated. The Merriam-Webster had the word, meaning upset, confused, or etc.

Anyway, a thought came to my mind. I can see myself going to the doctor and as you know they come in reading your chart. Not really listening to you. But they say, what seems to be your problem today?

Well, Doc. I am discombobulated. He looks at me out of the corner of his eye, as he pulls his palm pilot medical dictionary out of this pocket and proceeds to look up discombobulated.

I am guessing that this word is not in his medical palm pilot. He says, ” We need to run some test, or maybe see a specialist, or you can go home take two aspirins and call me in two days, if symptoms do not go away.”

I am thinking Specialist, then I can use my novel word again.

So, he sends me to a specialist who looks at me funny when I tell him I am discombobulated. He checks me out and says, “I will send a report to your doctor in a few days. Until then go home and take two aspirins and call your local doctor is symptoms get worse.

Well, anyway by now I realized that I could have saved a lot of time and money, if I had just stayed home and taken two aspirins.

As I finished watching the movie, Tammy gives the definition for discombobulated. She says, again, ” I am just so discombobulated, just like a short dog in tall grass.”

I laugh at myself, and say thank you Lord, for letting me catch the trivial things you send my way to make me laugh.

So, whatever you are discombobulated about, I hope this put a smile on your face and laughter in your heart.

Proverbs 17:22 says, “A merry heart does good, like medicine. But a broken spirit dries the bones.”

Jeremiah 33:3 (NKJV)
3 ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’
Isaiah 40:28 (NKJV)
28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.

Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book © 1996/2021 “Coffee With Pat Daily Devotionals” “Coffee With A Little Spice Of Life” and Westbow Press a division of Thomas Nelson and Library of Congress Control Number: 2018910976……….