Received Grace

Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, ² which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, ³ concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, ⁴ who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, ⁵ through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake, ⁶ among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;⁷ to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ because I have RECEIVED GRACE. When God came into my life, He changed me. He changed my desires, wants, outlook, goals and perspective. He showed me that He loved me and had a plan for my life. I was an insecure child who never lived up to the expectations of those around me. It seems that there was no hope and that I would never please anybody or amount to anything. I understood myself to be stupid and unworthy. I was a complete disappointment to those who knew me. When I began to seek this God of hope, He came to me. He showed Himself to me. My friends and I used to wonder how He could find us in the hills of Tennessee, but He did! God helped me see that Jesus loved me and that with His help, I would always be received in the eyes of the Father. With His love, I would be received for ever and ever. Through the death of His Son Jesus, I received grace and am forever His! He is proud of me! Though the world many wonder why I'm here, God never wondered why He created me. He knew what He was doing and in fact, was pleased. How could one who has RECEIVED GRACE ever be ashamed of the gospel? I do not know!

Today, celebrate with me that I am not ashamed of the gospel because I have RECEIVED GRACE from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Not only is He risen, but He is risen in me!

I pray that you have RECEIVED GRACE as well. If not, His grace is available for you!

Not Ashamed: 16 reasons from Romans 1-16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16, NASB

I've been listening to Dr. Ed Young's sermon podcasts on Romans and reminded of how much this book of the New Testament has to offer. So when Nancy Taylor asked if I'd teach her Life Bible Study class at Houston's First Baptist Church, I was thrilled to hear that they had also been studying Romans. Yesterday, I was blessed to meet this great group of ladies and share with them not only the HeartCall way to present the gospel, but teach them 16 truths (one from each chapter) from Romans on why we are NOT ASHAMED of the gospel of Jesus Christ!

In the months to come, on this blog, I will be posting 16 reasons we are not ashamed and I encourage you to begin reading in Romans and looking for the answer to the question, "Why are we not ashamed of the gospel?"

It's a bit hard to define not ashamed, but the idea here is that because of what Christ did for us, we are not to hide what we believe and why we believe it. If we really know that Christ is alive, we want to tell it. In Romans 1, Paul tells us that we are set apart for the purpose of the gospel (good news of Christ). Because of Christ, we want to tell others! Especially during this Easter season, let's look for ways to get to know people and share with them the difference that Christ makes in our lives!

Start reading Romans and see what you find. I'd love to hear so post it on our Facebook page at Jaye Martin Ministries or send us an email through our website, www.jayemartin.com/contact.

Happy Easter season! He is Risen!

Drowning!

⁵ But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, ⁸ being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:5-7, NASB.

I find myself drowning in a sea of clutter. Thousands are of emails clog my inbox, my to-do list seems to fill my journal, numerous notes go unwritten and it feels like everything and everyone I see is in need of something. Whether the clutter comes from things to do or from accumulating dust or from laundry, I never seem to catch up. Burying myself under the load of responsibility only makes matters worse because tomorrow, there will be more emails that need a response, more things to do, notes to write and more people who think they need my help. Is anyone with me? Lol, don't send me an email!

It is times like this when I need to keep my perspective. In James, God clearly speaks

through His Word. If we need wisdom, we are to ask Him. We don't need to be blown by the wind and become wishy-washy, second-guessing each decision nor do we need to drown in the sea of doubting. We don't need to become paralyzed because we don't know what to do first, we need to ask God!

I find that sitting down and praying over my list brings new perspective. God helps me see what really needs to happen and what I need to act on. Sometimes things have to be left because they are good things but not the best things. I am so grateful to God that He never intended for me to be overwhelmed but He did intend me to ask Him for direction...and to act on what He wants me to do.

Today, let's ask Him for wisdom to that we do the best things and leave the rest!

press on press on press on press...

¹² Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. ¹³ Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14, NASB

I don't have hold of it yet, I have not become perfect and my assurance is that I never will! But fortunately, God just wants me to press on! These verses in Philippians 3:12-14 remind me that I am to press on, reach forward, and keep following God's call in my life. I often need to be reminded of this truth.

Tonight I find myself still working on tasks that never seem to end. Just when I think I have finished a project, I find still another error or realize that the artwork is not the correct type of file or that God is correcting my direction. It is easy to be discouraged when the pressures are great. Every day, I feel like I am on The Apprentice and that if I don't figure it out, I will be fired. My hat is off to those who are in the publishing business; I now understand why it takes so long (don't like it, do understand)!

God is reminding me that He has not left me, but He does not want me to leave Him either. He wants me to press on! I just need to look for Him for direction and correction, and depend on Him to help me at every turn. I'm going to forget about what didn't happen today, sleep and press on and trust Him again tomorrow. Will you join me?

HeartCall Tract

"HeartCall Tract"
www.jayemartin.com/shop

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16

When God calls to your heart, answer Him. He loves you, cares for you and wants the best for you. He sent His only son, Jesus Christ, to die so that you might have life. God wants to forgive you of all sin, but you have to let Him. He can give you a new start.

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." 2 Corinthians 5:17

Jaye Martin

The "HeartCall Tract" walks the reader through the gospel message using a heart for HOPE, a cross for BELIEVE, an arrow for TURN, and the word HeartCall for CALL. It is God's plan that you can hope in Him, believe He sent Jesus to die on the cross for you, turn to Him and away from Him, and call on Christ to be your Lord and Savior. These simple truths can and will change your life. Will you trust Him? He is calling from His heart to yours?

Order a package of 50 of the "HeartCall Tract" to give your friends and to use at your church. If you want to know more about being a new believer, download the new believers guide, HeartCall New Heart: What it Means to Believe. You can find both these resources at www.jayemartin.com/shop.

New Heart

^"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17, NASB

 Having a new heart doesn’t mean anything is easy, in fact it can make things worse. Your old heart and desires are being replaced but it is a daily struggle against the things of God and the things of the flesh. Last night, I saw the play, Sister Act. At the end, the play added that God and the human spirit are equal and are one. Oh my, don’t buy into that untruth! God’s new heart is stronger. He is stronger! Read the Bible: Jesus is all-powerful, Jesus wins!

 If you follow Christ with a passion, you know what it means to believe and have a new heart. God’s promise, found is 2 Corinthians 5:17, is that if we are in Christ (if we have placed our hope in Him, believed God send Jesus to die on the cross, turned to Him and away from sin, and let Him be our Lord and Savior), we have a new heart. We are created by God but return to Him as He recreated us for His glory. Old things are gone, new things are here.

 This week, we are thrilled to release the long-awaited new believers’ guide, “HeartCall New Heart: What it Means to Believe.” This 62 page, eight-day downloadable resource is a workbook designed to help anyone with the basic steps to the faith: hope, believe, turn and call, as well as the next steps to walking with Christ: share, church, pray and Bible. You will find it on our new website, in our shop: www.jayemartin.com/shop.

I pray that if you don’t have a new heart, you will ask God to give you one.

You know you are loved.

Be not a wimp

“Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.  Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14, NIV).

I was editing some devotionals and ran across this one that I wrote years ago. It slapped me in the face! I thought I'd share it with you.

     Be on your guard.  We are to be ever on the alert.  Always looking for what God is doing and aware of what the enemy might be trying to do.  God want us to be ready for whatever happens.  When we come to Him daily, He can open our eyes to what we need to see.

     Stand firm in the faith.  When you are under attack, don’t budge.  Keep focused on God and not on the problem.  Stand in one place and do not be blown by the wind; only be led by the Spirit.  Move only when God moves you.

     Be men of courage.  Act like a leader during the battle.  Don’t be a wimp.  Be courageous in all that you do and say.  Take a bold stand and God will reward you.

Jaye Martin

     Be strong.  You are empowered for battle, use what you have.  Be a mighty warrior for Christ.  Strength is gained by exercise.  So, exercise your faith.  Act on what you know to do and trust God to stretch you so you will be stronger in and for Him.

     Do everything in love.  While you are alert, be alert in love.  While you are standing firm, stand firm in love.  While you are courageous, be courageous in love.  While you are strong, be strong in love.  No matter what you are doing, let love dominate all that you say and do.

 Lately I have been the biggest wimp. I need to realize the way the enemy gets to me!

Lord, help me apply Your love to the battle of life I will face today.  Give me Your strength and courage to stand firm and tell someone about You.  Help me be on guard to what might keep me from sharing my faith.  I am ready to walk onward with You!  Amen.

Ready?

"Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour" (Matthew 25:13, NASB).

On Saturday evening, we had just finished dinner with friends when we received a phone call from our security company informing us that our home fire alarm was ringing. While the fire department was being notified, we quickly made our way toward the house. On the way, I was praying and trying to decide what to pull from the house, all while staying calm and keeping things in perspective. There was an overwhelming peace that if the house was burning, we were all safe. There was also the thing that I wish I had done, to back up my computer data. I paid for online backup for the year, yet never activated the service, so my computer was at the top of my list of things to grab. Thank you Lord that the house was fine. We think lightening struck the rod or that something was shaken when our neighbor's huge tree fell during the storm. It was a good wake-up call to once again ask myself, "Am I ready?"

Jaye Martin

Just like the passage about the 10 young women in Matthew 25, we are to be ready. We never know when the Lord is coming or when a crisis will happen. Are we ready? Have we prepared for physical disasters (like knowing all your work could be lost on a computer) but more importantly, are we ready spiritually? Are we ready to meet the Lord? Who else do we need to tell about the Lord?

Today, there are a few things on my to-do list including backing up my computer data but also asking the Lord who else needs to hear the good news from me. Lord, make me ready physically and spiritually!

Passionate Aim

"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only on receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified" (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, New American Standard Bible).

What is your target? Where is your aim? What is your passion?

Aligning our passion with our aim contributes to meeting a goal. In a Christian's life, how does God fit into the picture?  The article "Passionate Aim" by Jaye Martin discusses these things and this verse on www.christianity.com. You can find it by clicking here.

Photo from discoverarchery.org.

What is the book of John about?

"So Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep...I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep'" (John 10:7, 11, New American Standard Bible).

The book of John has revolutionary truths about who Christ is, how He lived on earth and how God saved us through His sacrifice. A couple months ago, a video tool was released by BibleStudyTools.com and www.godtube.com of Jaye Martin describing concepts we can learn about Jesus in the book of John. We recommend checking out more videos released continuing the study of the same subject. You can find these videos by going to www.godtube.com and searching "Jaye Martin," or you can follow this link: Video Tools - "What is the book of John about?".

Photo above of a shepherd in Ireland found on vancouversun.com.

Jaye's tips for landing a Ministry Position

"Every day I will bless You, And I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised, And His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts" (Psalm 145:2-4, NASB).

Last week, it was my joy to be with the ladies of the Seminary Women's Network in Kansas City. This group consists of those who lead the work of women in the Southern Baptist Convention. I have been blessed to be a part of this council since 1996. I was asked to lead a discussion on how we encourage our women in finding ministry positions. Here are the tips i gave to get our discussion started.

To find a ministry position:

1. PRAY. Nothing is more important that personal prayer for God's direction. Also, enlist a team of prayer warriors to pray for you and with you.
2. Be involved in your CHURCH. (a) Make sure your staff knows you personally. (b) Fill the needs of the church (preschool, sec'y help, volunteer for everything). (c) Be joyful and passionate about serving the Lord. A good attitude goes a long way.
3. Meet every person you can within your field of ministry. Personal contacts, emails, and calls will connect you to those who do what you'd like to be doing.
4. Follow up personally after every resume you send and after every interview. If you want a job at a church, find others in the church or know you or know someone you know in that church. Most ministry positions are done by referral, not by submitting resumes through the mail, email, or online.
5. Volunteer for an internship at the church. That means you may not get paid but you will gain valuable experience and they will get to know you. You may end up with a job there or a great referral for a job elsewhere.
6. Be willing to move. Did God call you to stay? Did you commit to go anywhere? Just something to think about.
7. Get a ministry mentor. Find someone who you can connect with who can show you a closer side to ministry and who can mentor you. This will take you light years into the future as well as keep you from making common ministry mistakes.
8. Be teachable. Almost every person who calls me for a reference for a job wants to know if the person is teachable. You want to be confident in the Lord but indicate that you are willing to learn the job and the culture into which you would be walking.

Stay on your face in prayer. Let everyone know you are looking and be willing to take any and every door the Lord opens for you. Decide that every day you will bless the Lord and praise Him. Keep your focus on Him and know that if He called you, He will provide a place of service!

Introducing Dana Martin

"And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart" (Eccl. 4:12, NASB).

Happy New Year!


I thank God for each of you, our faithful followers, who stick with us through thick and thin! I am grateful for you and for Tracy Jones, Sharon Beougher, and Kelli Martin who continue to blog, even when I am unfaithful. God bless Kristi McCartney who has a new family (three adopted children) who are calling for her time during this important season of life. The truth is, we are all over our heads in busy-ness.


I want you to know that this year brings many changes for me. I am transitioning from working for Southern Seminary as director of women's leadership into being the president and ceo of JML, as well as the president of JM Leaders Foundation. The launch will be in the summer and you will hear much more about God's provision and His direction for us at that time. The purpose of JML will be to provide resources and equip leaders in evangelism. We will do that as we network with partners like churches, state conventions, universities, and seminaries, as well as others.


In the meantime, the next few months hold some great challenges for me. I am working on my dissertation which will require 100% of my time. Thank God for patient and gracious men who are cheering me onward. Only God knows the outcome but I'm going to give it one last push and see what happens. Kelli is also in her last semester at Southern so a May graduation is in sight for her. She is officially in the market for a full-time ministry position using her expertise in Christian education, writing, strategic planning, and people-skills. Dana is cheering for us in numerous ways. We wouldn't be able to do what we do without him! Your prayers for all of us are coveted and appreciated.


Dana has been sharing with me all the things the Lord has been teaching him about prayer. He has also been asking how he could help me to press onward while I attempted to finish writing. I have asked him to blog a series of what he has been learning. So, it addition to hearing from Tracy, Sharon, Kelli, and occasionally from me, you will be hearing from Dana. I know it will bless you as much as it has blessed me.


I pray you are having a wonderful start to your year and look forward to revealing what's coming during the summer to come! Thanks for your prayers!


In His love and mine,
Jaye

15 mistakes I made while working with men: Gender differences

Men and Women are Different

            I find it hard to believe that anyone who has seen toddlers playing has not noticed some distinct differences. Usually women who have had girls and boys both are emphatic about the differences between the sexes. I am told that little boys make noises and love to crash things. I know from having a daughter that I did not have to teach her to nurture her stuffed animals or to name each one, dress them up in bows and clothes, and sit them around a little table for a tea party. As we see children growing up, we also see some basic differences between teenage girls and boys. Boys generally like to engage in sports to get to know each other while girls are usually found sitting and talking. I vividly remember going to an Eagle Scout ceremony of a young man that my daughter was dating when she was in high school. When he got up to give his speech, one of the things he told was that his best memories of scouting were going to camps where he got to start fires and blow things up. Wow, somehow it never occurred to me that there were camps where young leaders were encouraged to do this. I have to tell you that the scouting trips that I went on were full of making crafts topped off with campfire cooking, singing, and lots of bedtime chats.

            It was not too long ago that I heard a young minister preach the evening sermon. He did a wonderful job and told the story of a time when he was growing up. His neighborhood had a tree house and apparently the neighborhood nearby had just built a new one. Just after he said this he said, “You know what we had to do?” and then he paused. In my mind, I thought, I guess they went to visit the new tree house to see it. What he said shocked me (although it should not have). He said, “We had to go and destroy it!” This is just another illustration of how vastly different girls and boys are.

            A book I enjoyed reading was John Eldridge’s Wild at Heart. While not everyone may agree with the whole book, I love his statement inside the front cover, “Deep in his heart, every man longs for a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue.”[1] He writes of the concept of men being warriors. I do think he is on to something.

            As a married adult, I continued to learn about the innate differences. We won’t go into all of them but we lovingly label movies as guy movies or chic flicks. I have almost learned not to talk during the five minutes of the sports news, to do my phone talking and chatting before my husband comes home, and that flowers do not need to be on every piece of upholstery in the house. While my husband is certainly outgoing and a conversationalist, I still talk much more than he does and when he has heard enough, somehow his ears seem to shut down and he has an ability to see my mouth move and not hear one word that I am saying. I have learned that if I want him to hear me, I had better say it in bite-sized pieces and give the summary version rather than the dissertation version first.

            These are just some of the things that women have to learn in order to work with men in the workplace. Regardless of whether they are Christian men and women or not, there are some differences. Men and women are made in the image of God and they are, in fact, different. We know that God has a plan and as women and we are created uniquely yet we are equal and important before God. We do need to learn how to work with men so that we can communicate the message that God has given us.

[1] J. Eldredge, Wild at Heart:  Discovering the Secret of a Man’s Soul, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2001). Cover.



http://www.amazon.com/Women-Leading-Biblical-Model-Church/dp/0805447601/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316883171&sr=1-1


Excerpts from Women Leading Women: The Biblical Model for the Church, Chapter Six, Serving with Men, by Jaye Martin.

15 mistakes I made while working with men: Intro

Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord—you serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24, HCSB.

I could not wait to get to staff meeting. I had long waited the day that I would be invited. There I sat, early of course, wide-eyed with my pencil and pad in hand, just waiting for all the excitement to begin. The staff arrived and greeted each other, welcomed me to the table and there it started. It was much like what anyone would expect in a meeting – things like opening with prayer and requests, sharing exciting things that God was doing, discussing Sunday’s services, reviewing the calendar requests, and various reports from different ministry areas. At the conclusion of the meeting, the guys teamed up and went to lunch while the three women in the room went to a lunch place of our own. I loved every minute of it. Maybe it was in the weeks to come that the real revelation began. I was there in every sense of the word but somehow I felt invisible. What I said did not seem to be heard. These were incredible men whom to this day I love and respect. They were more than gracious, considerate, and gave every impression of listening to me, but much of what I said did not seem to be understood. Somehow there was this communication gap. Most of what I had to share just did not seem to be heard. One of the most revealing things of all to me was the decisions that were made seemed to be made before the meeting. These guys had connections with each other. Decisions were made at lunch, on the golf course, watching the ball game, and who knows where else. By the time they got to staff meeting, they all seemed to agree. Some weeks, a decision would be communicated in the meeting and by the next week it would have changed. Then one day it hit me. It wasn’t that they were leaving me out or trying to keep things from me, there was just a gender difference that I had to figure out.

            Men and women working together can be quite a challenge. Even in the best of situations, there are some things that I learned the hard way that I’d like to share. For those of us who find ourselves of the female gender, it is no secret that learning to adapt to a man’s world is just an average fact of life. From the moment we are born into this world, the adapting begins. It is not something most of us even think much about, it is simply the way it is. Serving with men in ministry can be an awesome experience.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll share some of my tips and my stories with you. My prayer is that you will not make the same mistakes that I did!



http://www.amazon.com/Women-Leading-Biblical-Model-Church/dp/0805447601/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316883171&sr=1-1



Excerpts from Women Leading Women: The Biblical Model for the Church, Chapter Six, Serving with Men, by Jaye Martin.

Top Ten Mistakes Women Leaders Make - #2 Not being passionate about what they are doing

#2 Not being passionate about what they are doing

            Passion and purpose is something that only God can give. Effective women leaders are passionate and have a biblical direction to their passion. Think about the women leaders that you know. Chances are that God has given them a passion for something and they are enthusiastic about that purpose that God has called them to. Women follow women with passion and who know where they are going.

            We may think we are passionate about what God has called us to, but when we get out there with a little bump in the road, we can change our priorities in a hurry. Let someone question us or get upset with us and we are off and running, just sure that it was all a mistake and that we must not be on the right pathway.

            Passionate aim is something that God stirs deep within us. It is what drives us and motivates us. It makes us get up in the morning and keeps us from going to bed at night.  It occupies our time, our energy and all our very being.  Passionate aim is who we are in Christ. It is the driving force behind what we do and why you do it. It is who we are when no one else is around. It is what makes us tick. Passionate aim is what people need and want in their lives. 

            Jesus was passionate. He was passionate about His mission. He was passionate about spending time with the Father on a daily basis.  He was passionate about people and making sure they heard the message of truth and love and salvation.  He never tired of telling stories.  He never tired of healing souls.  It drove him in every area and walked Him to the cross.  Don't get the idea that He was never tired physically, because we know that He was.  But He never stopped His mission because a greater force, His heavenly Father, compelled him.

            I believe that God gives everyone a passion to fulfill the purpose or calling He has for his or her life.  Maybe that calling is in full-time ministry or maybe it is not.  Each one is called to know Christ, share Him, and lead others to do the same.  However, each one will do in with different gifts and in different ways.  Everyone won't be the big name speaker.  Everyone won't be Mother Theresa.  Women should be passionate about the ministry that God has called them to. Discover the reason you are in this world and make the most of it.  If you want to make a difference, you have to find out what your passion is.  You have to learn who you are and what gifts and talents you have and what God's plan is for your life.

            How do we do that?  As we sit down with the Father, He begins to unfold His plan for our lives.  What an incredible picture we see in Jeremiah 29:11-13, “’For I know the plans I have for you’ -[this is] the Lord’s declaration-‘plans for [your] welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” . God wants us to come to Him and seek Him. The best part is, He lets us find Him. He desires to give us His passion and purpose for our lives.

            Many make the mistake of thinking that their passion comes from within themselves.  Passion can come from anywhere but the passion that changes lives is the passion that comes from God. He does not count on us mustering up something ourselves, in fact, I am quite sure that He plans on being the sole supplier of our passion. When it comes from Him and we spend time with Him, then He can grow and develop the passion that He has placed within us.

Today's post taken from Women Leading Women: The Biblical Model for the Church, chapter 5, written by Jaye Martin.

The God of Hope

Devotional from HeartCall: The Call to Prayer, published 1999 by North American Mission Board, Jaye Martin compiler and contributor

June 19

Background Passage: Romans 15:13-33

Focal Verse: Romans 15:13

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Paul’s intention as reflected in these verses and throughout his letters in the New Testament is to always be ready to share the good news of Jesus Christ and His saving power.  His desire and ability to be obedient to this task is established in the God of hope who will fill him with all peace and joy.  As I read this scripture I find great encouragement in knowing that the same God of hope will fill me with peace and joy as I serve Him.  There have been times of anxiety to even pray specifically for a lost relative or friend fearing that God would tell me to speak a word of testimony.  As I spend time with the Lord He teaches me that I can possess peace and confidence when sharing my faith with others as I surrender these encounters to God, knowing that it is Christ working through me and the power of the Holy Spirit.  It is not my efforts which bring results.  Paul’s desire to give testimony to his faith in Jesus Christ flows out of the abundance of true joy he receives as a result of his daily walk with the Lord.  What an awesome God we serve!

Paul’s prayer for the Christians in Rome and mine for you is that you will be encouraged to pray for the lost and then under the direction and power of the Holy Spirit be willing to give testimony of the peace and joy you have through Jesus Christ.

Bridget Cavey

Catonsville, MD

For information on HeartCall, go to http://namb.net/heartcall

HeartCall: Your Purpose

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:11-13, ESV)

I never cease to be amazed at the gifts of women. One of our Women's Ministry Institute (WMI) students at Southern Seminary, created this video using some of the words and verses from the HeartTalk track that I wrote. What a message of hope for the Easter season! I am so proud of Karen Brawner, member and bible study leader at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY! Thank you Karen for using your gifts to share the message of hope!

We are all gifted2go! Jesus is THE GIFT! Let's share the message of hope with women who lead lives of emptiness. Please pass this on! And, share with us how you are telling the good news of Christ!

God loves YOU! Pass it on!

Gifts that make a difference

If you are looking for a gift that makes a difference, allow me to recommend one:

Women at Southern:
A Walk Through Psalms
Jaye Martin and Alyssa Caudill, Editors
ISBN# 978-0-9840657-0-7

Published July 2010, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY, $25

Foreword by Mary Kassian, 409 contributors

The devotional book costs have been underwritten so all proceeds go to women's scholarships at Southern.

Not only will women benefit by being able to go to seminary, those who read this walk through The Psalms will be blessed.

To purchase your copy, visit the: LifeWay Christian Bookstore on the campus of Southern Seminary or call them at 502-897-4506 or email southernseminary.4689@lifeway.com.

This Christmas, I will be giving some copies to those who need to know the love of Christ. Giving the devotional book, Women at Southern: A Walk Through Psalms, is a great way to share the love of the Lord.

I pray that God will give you opportunities to share the love of Christ during this Christmas season.

Take the gifted2go puzzle. Where do you fit in?

God has given you gifts to go! You are gifted2go!

God is peace

“Since God is not a
God of disorder but of peace”
(1 Cor 14:33) .

God is the author of peace.

God is peace.

He is not the God of disorder.

"Inner peace is one of the most important things that women can have and God is the only one who can bring peace in this troubled world that we find ourselves in. Leaders learn to come to the God of peace and allow Him to transfer His peace to us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Leaders also look to bring peace to troubled people in troubled situations. His peace is one of order and He is the peace of promise that we can depend on."

When we don't feel peace, we need to take a few minutes and remember that peace comes from God and is God. Life is a bit hectic these days. There is no summer break in ministry! There is need for us to come to the Father in prayer and all Him to be our peace. With all the things happening in the convention and in my life, it is easy to get distracted. Let's stop and remember who He is.

Lord, be my peace. Let me bring your peace to others this week.

(Excerpt from chapter four, Women Leading Women, B&H Academic, Martin and Stovall.)