Clinging To The Cross!

Some of my favorite promises from God's heart that describe "Clinging to the Cross" are 2 Cor. 1:3-11, I must cling to The Cross in order to keep my hope set on Jesus!  As you can see in this picture, I Am Clinging To The Cross!  I am a desperate Christian, but in desperation I find hope and victory in Jesus! 

I pray you are encouraged to cling to The Cross if you know Jesus as your Saviour or run to The Cross if you need Him to be your Lord today, as you read these promises too! God Loves You!! Praise God for God's Promise to use everything you experience in life for His purposes, His Glory, His Salvation for Others!!  "...if we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation..." 2 Cor.1: 6 (please see below)  WOW, that makes all the negative experiences in life worth it all to know that God can use them ALL to share comfort and salvation with OTHERS...I sure have a lot of things to share with others as someone that was not raised in a Christian home and as someone that has experienced many sufferings as a believer...I pray this encourages you to be ready to share Jesus from the pain and persecutions that you may have or may be experiencing in life!


2 Cor.1:3-11 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.  We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us again. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many."  Keep Your Hope Set On Jesus and Be Ready to Share Him with Others!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noSLw7v_kEM  (If I Could Just Touch The Hem Of His Garmet"!!!  Nicole C. Mullen)  http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=YGKG7NNX 

Mother's Day Tribute!

"The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."  2 Peter 3:9 (NASB)

The picture you see above is a picture of my mother and I on Mother's Day, 1965, when I was 2 years old.  I was born on Mother's Day, 50 years ago, wow can't believe I just typed that number, I am about to be 50 and happy, happy, happy! 

My life is a miracle from God!  I was born into a very lost family, I am the first Christian in my family and the joy of my life is to know that God used my life to lead my own dear mother to Jesus....as the years go by there is no greater Joy than to know that my mother is in heaven this Mother's Day!  If you have loved ones that still need to be saved, be encouraged, my mother did not come to know the Lord quickly or easily for this daughter. 

At first, when I ran to Jesus and gave Him my life, my mother thought that I had been brained washed.  I remember her asking me time and time again, "why are you going down to the church all the time, are you in some kind of cult"?  Witnessing to family members can be some of the most difficult people to share Jesus with, but never give up, God is always at work!  After more than 10 years of praying for my mother to come to know Jesus as her Lord, many days that were discouraging because of the rejection that often goes hand in hand with "being patient & waiting on the Lord", it happened like this:  It was a Sunday morning at our church in Plano, Texas and my mother came to church, may I say, without me even inviting her to come to church that Sunday :-) !  It was like we turned around and she was there and the next thing I know she was asking me to lead her to the Lord, GLORY & PRAISE TO GOD!!

Then she became an inspiration as she jumped into her relationship with the Lord with total surrender as I became her mentor and had the JOY of discipling my own mother....as I look around my study right now I can see the many many Bible Studies and even my mother's Bible that I had the PRIVILEGE of sharing with my mother as she grew and grew as a Christian!!  Here is a picture of my mother at one of her first women's ministry ladies retreats that I had the privilege of leading, my mother is the one full of the joy of Jesus in the middle of this picture :-)  

As my mother grew in the Lord there were dear sisters in Christ that He used to love her unconditionally, She was so excited about her relationship with the Lord that she was involved in every area of church, so much so that I was able to say back to her with a smile "why are you down at that church all the time, are you in some kind of cult, ha!!"  Barbara was one of my moms first Christian friends and she is pictured in this picture on the right and she blessed my mother's life in Christ in so many ways!  And then there was my mothers first pastor's wife, Judy Fenton.  Judy inspired and loved my mother unconditionally, here is a picture that includes Judy, she is on the left full of beauty inside and out!

My mother had her first church directory picture taken and I can not tell you how excited she was, just look at the joy of Jesus and His beauty in her face!

My mother had some difficult days in the last years of her life but because of prayer and the encouragement of many, she finished well and she is now in heaven with Jesus!  I will forever be thankful for the witness and encouragement of Jaye Martin during the last few months of my mothers life as she strived to finish strong for Jesus!  This picture was taken by Jaye at our son's wedding, just over 3 months before my mother went to be with the Lord! 

but it doesn't end with my mother going to be with the Lord, she went to be with the Lord as a soul-winner because as I had the privilege of sharing my mother's testimony at her memorial service, her 66 year old little brother, my Uncle Larry that you see in this picture with my mom GAVE HIS LIFE TO JESUS at my mother's memorial service!! 

This was one of the desires of my mother's heart, that her little brother would come to know Jesus as his Lord, God Answered my mother's Prayer!! 

Thank you, Jaye, for your prayers, for loving my mother unconditionally, and for never giving up!!

Who are you praying for today, dear friends, that still needs to turn their life over to Jesus?  Please always know that you can share your loved ones names with us as we pray with you because  "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9 (NASB)

♥Happy Mother's Day 2013♥

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CSVqHcdhXQ  "Blessings"!!! Laura Story

 

Opportunities To Share Jesus Are Flying By!

On a recent airplane trip to Louisville, Kentucky to team teach HeartCall and Gifted2Go with Jaye, God gave me an opportunity to share Jesus, at the airport I was traveling from, and on the airplane I was flying on...

As I missed my first flight, God used all the details of my second flight to build a quick relationship with the airline representative, we will call her Sally.  As I shared a "HeartTalk" witnessing booklet with Sally, then saw her again right before I boarded my flight, she expressed to me that she was going to go home after work and do exactly what she just read in "HeartTalk."  Sally expressed those words to me with tears in her eyes while God whispered in my heart that He took my missed flight and used that experience to share Jesus with Sally, Praise The Lord!

Tracy Jones

As I settled into the the final leg of my flight, a group of more than 30 women that were very friendly boarded my flight.  God placed one of them next to me and we became fast friends, we will call her Jane!  As I got to know my new fast friend, God gave me the opportunity to share with Jane about HeartCall, Gifted2Go as I shared a "HeartTalk" witnessing booklet with her.  Jane took the time right away to read her HeartTalk booklet and, as we were about to get off the plane, she shared with me that she was going to go to her hotel room and do exactly what she had just read in "HeartTalk"!

My heart was bursting with joy for the privilege of sharing Jesus with these 2 precious women!  All around us there are people to share Jesus with as God gives us these opportunities and God gives us the words to share!  God is so amazing to pour into our lives what He desires to pour out of our lives as we look for those "opportunities that are flying by" as we GO!!!

Do you have some witnessing booklets everyday everywhere you go?  That is one way that God equips you to be Gifted2Go!  Please put some booklets in your pocket, in your purse, in your car, at your desk, at the door of your home, everywhere you spend time!  You are Gifted2Go Share Jesus as you are Go-ing!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYvUym9E_nQ&playnext=1&list=PLCcSRKFsRpIfpCMfJaXMrb_sdQzEQl1dX  Each One Reach One!!  (Babbie Mason)

Please Share A Prayer!

Please Share A Prayer!

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:14-21

As we read Ephesians 3:14-21, that is listed above, we are excited that these are some of the scripture verses that Gifted2Go is based on.  Let's "bow our knees before the Father" and share the GIFT of PRAYER with Jaye Martin and her team as Jaye Martin Ministries, HeartCall, & Gifted2Go are launched in the month of April and throughout 2013!!

• Please Pray for Jaye, her family, and Jaye Martin Ministries (JMM) as the JMM Website will be launched very soon in April 2013
• Please Pray as HeartCall is refreshed, republished, relaunched, & shared across our nation & world 
• Please Pray as Gifted2Go is published, launched, & shared across our nation & world
• Please Pray as God raises up evangelistic leaders, trainers, and team members for JMM
• Please Pray as God raises up churches that are being led by Him to host a training and share Jesus using HeartCall and Gifted2Go  
• Please Pray that God will take care of the hundreds of other things that need to be done in His timing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlwEzPurnXk (As We PRAY! Edgewood Live)

"Remember your leaders who have spoken God’s word to you..." Hebrews 13:7a (hcsb)

Gifted2Go Opportunities 2 Pray 4!

God is doing amazing things in the lives of women all across our nation!!  You can attend this awesome conference by saying yes to the opportunity to PRAY!!  You are Gifted2Go Pray for New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary's Women's Conference & Gifted2Go creator leader Jaye Martin!!

What’s the buzz about the NOBTS Women’s Conference?

The Gifted 2 Go NOBTS Women’s Conference, to be held in the Cafeteria, begins this Friday, October 5 at 6:30 p.m. and continues Saturday, October 6 at 8:30 a.m. We’ll wrap up by noon. Tickets are on sale through 10/3/12 for $5 in the Dean of Students office (Hardin Student Center) from 8 to 5 daily. You may also reserve a spot by emailing HYPERLINK "mailto:nobtswomen@nobts.edu" nobtswomen@nobts.edu. This is for NOBTS Women: students, wives, staff, faculty, and anyone else they want to bring with them. We don’t turn anyone away. Expect a time of instruction from the Word, connection with your peers, and inspiration to press on.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God" Ephesians 2:8 (ESV)

http://www.nobtsgatekeeper.com/p/announcements.html#!/p/nobts-womens-ministry.html

CALL on the LORD for JM Leaders

 2 “Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it, the Lord is His name, 3 ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’  (Jeremiah 33:2-3, NASB).

My apologies for the lack of communication lately. I am still alive! God is still at work and very soon, our team at JM Leaders will be meeting and getting down to serious business as we kick-off our new ministry! We promise to keep you informed and we certainly want your input! As we embark, our first task is to CALL on God! We have been doing that but together we will bow before the Father and formally call on the LORD of all, who made the earth, to answer us and to tell us mighty things that we know not of! Please be in prayer for us!

Our mission is to equip believers to share Christ and lead others

through resources, trainings, and networking parnerships.

Jaye Martin & Leaders Inc. is the legal corporate name. JM Leaders is the DBA (doing business as) name. There will be four facets of ministry:

The overall umbrella organization is JM Leaders. JM Leaders networks with churches and Christian entities to provide strategic leadership, speakers, trade books and resources.

The other three brands are HeartCall, Gifted2go, and eco market. HeartCall trains believers in sharing Christ, Gifted2go equips leaders to mobilize laity, and the eco market provides additional support to churches through marketplace studies.

We invite you to CALL on the LORD in our behalf. Our desire is to serve him wholeheartedly and to train leaders to reach their worlds for Christ. We'd love to have your prayers so feel free to post them here or on Facebook, or to email them to us at help@jmleaders.com.

Thanks for your prayers and we will keep you posted!

Jaye

 





Jesus Gave EVERYTHING!

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
"And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood." Hebrews 13:12
"The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." Luke 9:22




JESUS GAVE EVERYTHING for you and for me.....let's spend some time thinking about these 3 capitalized words:


JESUS: What Does He Mean To You?


GAVE: How & What Did He Give To You?


EVERYTHING: What Does Everything Mean?


As we experience God during the GREATEST week of all weeks for us as Christians, Good Friday & Easter, God so wants to be EVERYTHING in our lives! God is calling us to never forget The Cross & The EMPTY Tomb! Our Redeemer is ALIVE! Jesus GAVE His Life for you, to GIVE His life to you! What Amazing Grace!! JESUS LIVES!


Is Jesus ALIVE in and through our lives in a fresh meaningful way that we can share with someone that needs Him? Good News=Today is a New Fresh Day!


What a perfect opportunity we have to REMEMBER!
Remember what Jesus has done for us!
Remember where Jesus found us!
Remember where Jesus has brought us!
Remember the reasons that Jesus has saved us!
Remember all the pain and suffering that Jesus went through just for us!
Remember the gifts Jesus has given us!
Remember those around us that still need JESUS!

How will others that are searching for LIFE=JESUS find it?

Others will find Jesus as we keep Sharing ♥Jesus♥!

The Cross and The Tomb is EMPTY so that your lives can be FOREVER FULL with JESUS....

WE PRAISE YOUR NAME OUR LORD AND OUR SAVIOR~JESUS!!!

Have a BLESSED ♥Good Friday & Easter♥

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p4G2GbPYQA (My Redeemer Lives!)

More of Jesus 2012!

"And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and people" Luke 2:52 (HCSB)

2012 A Year To Increase In JESUS! That is one of the deepest prayers of my heart for the New Year...that Jesus will Increase in my life so that I will keep growing in wisdom, stature, and favor with God to reach others for Jesus!

God's Greatest Gift!

God's Greatest Gift is not found under a tree! This Christmas, I pray, that you receive so many "gifts" that only God can give...

Jesus is going from life to life, home to home, looking for those that will open their heart and make room for Him to live forever! There was "no room for Him" in the Inn over 2000 years ago, have you made room for JESUS and invited HIM to come INN to your life? Who are you praying for that still needs to make Jesus Lord this Christmas? You can count on our prayers for those that need the Lord!! ♥Hope Has Come♥

Praying with Joy as God’s Greatest GIFT, His name is ♥JESUS♥, blesses your life this Christmas and New Year in many special ways, some of which, are mentioned in one of my favorite verses ♥Isaiah 9:6♥

Merry Christmas & Blessed New Year from the Jones Family to You and Your Family!

"Sewing" Seeds of Evangelism (Acts 9:36-42)

          Dorcas (also known as Tabitha in Aramaic) was a woman of influence in her home town of Joppa. Scripture says “she was always doing good and helping the poor.” (Acts 9:36). In the very next verse Scripture says: “she became sick and died.” (Peter happened to be in a nearby town called Lydda, and the disciples sent two men to him a begged him to: “Please come at once!” (9:38) Peter went with them and when he got there “all the widow stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.” (9:39)


Peter sent everyone out of the room, got down on his knees and prayed. “Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive. This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.” (9:40-42)


We know from v. 36 that Dorcas was a disciple of Jesus. Much of her “helping the poor” and “always doing good” included sewing robes and clothing for others. Another translation says she sewed shirts and coats. I am impressed by that! (I think I am doing good if I can thread a bobbin for a sewing machine.)  She had obviously been such a vital influence on the community in Joppa sent two men to urge Peter to “come at once.” It seems as if they all understood the impact she had on so many. “Sewing” was one of the ways she “sowed” seeds of kindness and compassion. This is evident from her work with the widows around her. Dorcas used her talents and gifts to serve other people.


Because of her acts of kindness and her actually doing good works (not just coming up with good ideas) Dorcas influenced all those around her. With her death and then Peter raising her from the dead, everyone heard all over Joppa and “many people believed in the Lord.”


Maybe we all need to examine our abilities and ask God how He can help us use them to “sew” or “sow” seeds of the gospel! And let's not do it in a "so-so" way, but with all of our hearts.  We are all Gifted2Go so let's sow!

Don't Look Back!

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:12-14

Have you ever been running a race and looked back? What are some of the things that happen when you look back?

* You Slow Down
* You Loose Control of the Direction You are Going In
* You Look at Things That Will Not Help You Win The Race
* You Could Trip & Fall
* You Get Distracted From Running Your Race

These are just some of the things that the enemy and the world can use to get us off course of The Race that God has for each one of His Witnesses! Distractions Distractions Distractions! We must guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus against anything that would cause us to look back and take our eyes off the race before us!! You and I must have a daily plan, His Day Timer and stick to it! Yes, there will be times that unexpected things come into our days that we must take care of, but beware of the things of this world that will try and consume the things of God in our lives! There are more distractions than ever in the day we live and we must know what our distractions are!! Why? So that we can run the race that God has called us to press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus = The Finish Line of All Lines = JESUS!! And don't forget to take as many others with you as you can as His Witness! And as we are running, don't forget to cheer on as many others as we can that are in the same race and that will win the same prize on the same team, The Body of Christ!! What an awesome exciting race we are all in, Let's GO GOD!! You are Gifted2Go Run for Jesus!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVFPjIp6nkk&ob=av2e (The Great Adventure - Steven Curtis Chapman)

God Is Faithful!

"...and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has set us free..." Revelation 1:5 HCSB

Jesus is the greatest most faithful witness that we could ever model our lives after! As a follower of Jesus, He promises to teach and equip us as His disciple ( Background of Disciple The term “disciple” comes to us in English from a Latin root. Its basic meaning is “learner” or “pupil.” taken from Holman Dictionary from LifeWay's Online Bible Library @ http://www.bible.lifeway.com/)

Mt 4:19-20 The First Disciples “Follow Me,” He told them, “and I will make you fish for people! Immediately they left their nets and followed Him." HCSB

How many times have you heard this statement: "If you and I were on trial for being a Christian, a follower of Jesus, would there be enough evidence to convict us?" Let's make a list of the evidence that is in our lives and the evidence that you would like for there to be in your life to be a faithful witness as we remember what God promises in Philippians 1:6 "I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." HCSB

I often think about witnessing as if I am on trial because as a first-generation Christian I have had so many "trials" in this old world!! Witnesses in courtrooms are sworn to tell the truth. No speculation. No opinions. No hearsay. What "evidence" would people who know us give to support our claim that we are true and faithful reflections of Jesus? Jesus, who is called "the faithful witness" paid the ultimate price on trial for you and me...what more can we do than to testify and share with others the ways that He has ultimately, radically, and miraculously changed our lives from unfaithful to faithful until He returns...let's take as many others with us as we fill the courtroom of our lives and TESTIFY for HIM!! May all who come behind us find us faithful to "The Faithful One"! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s392HyzQ79M

Where Do You Fit In?

Being Different Is A Gift From God!
1 Corinthians 12:4 "Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit."


Where do I fit In?
Spiritual Giftedness
(Ephesians 4, 1 Peter 4:10)

A. Understanding the Body of Christ - 1 Corinthians 12:12-26...

B. Understanding Spiritual Gifts
1. Gifts, talents, spiritual gifts and fruit of the Spirit
2. Spiritual gifts are found in these main passages in the Bible: Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 28-30, Ephesians 4:8-12 & 1 Peter 4:9-11
3. Three Categories of Gifts: gifted person, sign gifts (to unbeliever), and body edifying gifts

C. Spiritual Gift Puzzle (do the puzzle as a group - gift inventory)

D. Understanding my Giftedness

E. Gifted2go – ideas for sharing Christ using my giftedness

(Gifted2Go Written & Created By Jaye Martin)

Gifted2Go Girl, You Are Gifted By God!

Priority of Gospel

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. (Philippians 1:12-14, ESV)

Advancing the gospel means that the message of Christ must take priority in our lives. It is easier said than done. Start your day with Christ.

1. Take time to read the Word. Start anywhere! Read John. Read the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John are all written and tell about the life of Jesus while here on earth.) Read 1 John on the life of a believer. The important thing is to take time to read the Word of God.

2. Pray. Be still before the Lord. Read and speak Psalms or words of worship. Honor Him. Confess your sins and wrongdoings. Allow Him to cleanse you. Thank Him for the blessings in your life. Pray for yourself and others.

3. Ask God to give you a Truth for the day. Look for a Word of Truth from the Scriptures (The Bible). What stands out to you today? What is something that you need to remember all day long? Maybe it is a new truth, maybe on old one. Think on this truth and remember it today. For instance, because He is Risen, we have hope in Him! The Gospel is our priority. It is more important that anything.

4. Then, ask Him to give you an opportunity to share that Truth with someone. Tell somebody. Take five minutes and make an eternal difference in the life of another. Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you! You will be changed. They will be changed.

The priority of the Gospel is the most important thing. Let's live that truth today! He is Risen!

Jesus is Risen! Go and Tell!

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” (Matthew 28:1-10, ESV)

Jesus is Risen! Go and Tell!
Happy Easter! Live today as a new creature! Tell someone! You have the GIFT, now go!

There is empty life without Christ. (empty box) Jesus died on the cross for you. He fills your life with meaning and hope.The promise is for eternity. The bow (infinity sign) represents the eternal difference Jesus makes in one's life and the difference we can make in the world.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10, ESV)

Invite Jesus to be your Lord and Savior today. You are gifted2go!


Image of Christ from http://blogz.org/.

Leaders Encouraging Leaders!

http://www.namb.net/atf/cf/%7BCDA250E8-8866-4236-9A0C-C646DE153446%7D/2005%20HCLL%20NOTEBOOK.pdf (please click on this link for your free leadership notebook! please pass this on to someone that you are encouraging!)

As today's Christian women growing as evangelistic leaders, I can not think of a better resource to share with you than this free down-loadable leadership notebook written and compiled by Jaye Martin! It may have been released years ago when Jaye was leading HeartCall, but even this week, as we prepare to share HeartCall & Gifted2Go next week at SBTS, God has drawn me back to so many of the leadership tools that sharpen and encourage as we reach out to others and Share Jesus!

Please dive into this free 50 page notebook and print off anything that encourages you in your walk and witness for Jesus as we spur one another on for God's Glory!! Please sharpen/encourage someone else with this evangelistic tool!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SceRP-EHkKo&a=uiLTWdOranc&playnext_from=ML

(Come & Fill This Place!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9PgWK98p5c&feature=related (Lord I Give You My Heart!)

Lydia, a Gifted Woman

While there are many great works we can read in Acts, one of my favorites is about the conversion of Lydia. We find Lydia in Acts 16:11-15, 40 and Philippians 4:10-11 (implied). In the 16^th chapter of Acts, Paul set out to speak the message of Christ in Asia but the Holy Spirit had another idea (v. 6). During the night, Paul saw a vision to go to Macedonia (v. 10). He set sail and went to Philippi, a Roman colony, which was the leading city of that district (v. 12). Here is what happened in the following verses: “On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we thought there was a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. A woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was spoken by Paul. After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, ‘If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.’ And she persuaded us” (Acts 16:13-15).

Lydia was an influential woman of the business world. She had no husband but did have a household, probably of servants. Paul listened to the voice of God and went where the Holy Spirit took him. He saw Lydia and the women who had gathered. These must have been spiritual women but they did not know Christ. Paul took the time to sit down and talk to them. God opened Lydia’s heart and she believed the good news of Christ. She was immediately baptized. The rest of her household believed and was saved as well. Lydia used her influence with the group but also used her gift of hospitality by opening her home to Paul and his traveling companions. We know that the church in Philippi started right there in Lydia’s home. The story of Paul and Silas in prison follows in Acts 16:16-24 and “After leaving the jail, they came to Lydia’s house where they saw and encouraged the brothers, and departed” (Acts 16:40). As the first convert in Europe, Lydia used her gifts to make an incredible difference in the kingdom. Lydia must have given financial support to Paul because at the end of Philippians, we see that he closed with “And you, Philippians, know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone. For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times” (Philippians 4:15-16). Lydia is a great example of a woman who used her giftedness: influence, hospitality, and giving for the Lord.

Throughout the Bible, we find many women who shared Christ through their gifts. In order to lead our women to share Christ through their spiritual gifts and follow Lydia’s example, we need to begin to lead women in a few essentials: faith, follow-ship, and the joy of sharing Christ.

Lord, make us into women like Lydia. We want to use our gifts for Your glory. We are gifted2go!

Southern Seminary in Louisville, KY

invites you to these classes:

Women and Evangelism / HeartCall - April 4-5

Reaching Postmodern Women / Gifted2go - April 5-7

For the syllabi and for more information, please contact the office of Women's Leadership: 502-897-4085 or women@sbts.edu.

Let's Set Up Our Banners!

"May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God 'set up our banners'! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions! Now this I know: The LORD saves..."!! Psalm 20:5-6 (ESV)

Please look at Jaye's post from yesterday if you would like to post a gifted2go "banner" on your facebook! As we look at the gifted2go banner, please pray for this great opportunity to make facebook pages evangelistic! You are invited to use the gifted2go banner, or possibly you may feel led to make an evangelistic facebook banner of your own creative giftedness from God! We would like to encourage you to look for opportunities to share Jesus through your social network of friends that God has gifted your life with for His purpose!

We would like to share with you the simple yet powerful meaning behind Gifted2Go that includes: an empty box, the cross, and a bow! This is a simple way to share Jesus with others! (If you would like to print on your own printer these free witnessing business cards that includes this powerful plan of salvation, please let us know! We would be glad to send you the printer ready copy:-)

Empty Box = Empty Life that we all have without Jesus Christ! We were born "separated from Christ, alienated...and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world" Ephesians 2:12b ESV (this very week, when I saw a news report of a 2011 famous singer arrive at an awards show in an egg, then she was hatched out to that egg as she sang a song about how she was "born" this way...I was compelled to PRAY for this precious young woman that is needing to hear from someone about how JESUS can fill up her EMPTY LIFE that is searching for true answers/purpose that is only found/fullfilled in JESUS CHRIST!! Please join me in praying for someone that I know God must be using to reach the "trend setters" of Hollywood that are "alienated" from the promises of God, can you imagine with me what will happen when this young woman that is very popular in today's culture "is born again" WOW!! This leads me to what must fill up our empty life....

The Cross = Jesus!! "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) God sent JESUS to die on the cross for you and for me!! We must received Him into our empty lives to be SAVED and to have HOPE for now and HOPE for the future!! When we turn to God and believe that He died on the cross for our sins and accept His forgiveness, HE enters our life and FILLS the VOIDS of our empty life!! God not only FILLS our life/box because of the CROSS the day that we believe, He stays in us and with us FOREVER!! This leads me to the beautiful bow that is on top of the most beautiful cross...

The Bow = Eternity!! F O R E V E R!!! "...because God has said, "Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you."! Hebrews 13:5b How many people in our lives are looking for someone that will NEVER leave them, NEVER let them down, NEVER reject them, NEVER misunderstand them, NEVER hurt them, NEVER lie to them, NEVER NEVER NEVER?!!! The BOW of ETERNITY is one of the most beautiful parts of a "GIFTBOX"!! JESUS is A FREE GIFT you and I are given to make an ETERNAL difference in our lives and for us to "GIVE" to others so that they too can be SAVED!!

When we ask for forgiveness, accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, and turn to the life that He has for us to live, isn't it AMAZING what God can do through an " empty box, the cross, and a bow"...God desires to change the world forever through YOUR LIFE because now you are Gifted2Go!!

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the GIFT of GOD, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them"!! Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV)

♥JESUS 2011♥

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future..." Jeremiah 29:11


God has great plans for you and I for 2011 as we live each and every day to Know CHRIST and to Share CHRIST! This is the most wonderful new hope and new future that we could ever pray for as our New Year of 2011 unfolds!

One of the best questions we can ask ourselves and one of the best focuses we can pray for is to be sensitive to "who needs us to share Jesus Christ & His Love with them today?"!! Many are going to accept JESUS in 2011! Just thinking about those that are going to come to know Jesus as their Lord causes my heart to PRAISE JESUS!! This worship song inspires me as I think about the day that I came to Jesus as a first generation Christian hearing about Christ for the very first time and ACCEPTING Him as MY LORD & MY SAVIOR (RUNNING TO JESUS!!) when I was in my 20's http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PANiveIKVX0&feature=related (Come To Jesus by Chris Rice)!

Let's make a JESUS 2011 list of names right now, that includes those that we have been trusting the Lord for already (maybe for YEARS!) as we NEVER GIVE UP & keep praying and looking for opportunities to share our Jesus with others because People Need The Lord http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uZcGaixMhg&feature=related (People Need The Lord by Steve Greene)!

Let's fill our 2011 Calendar with Jesus & His Gifted2Go Purposes! Please know that someone is praying for you as you share your faith with others, you are not alone! Let's Give Them Jesus in 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=empiUulYcDs (Give Me Jesus by Jeremy Camp)!