Integrity on the way to the ballgame

"He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity" (Proverbs 2:7, ESV).

Funny thing happened on Friday night. I flew back to Houston after an incredible few days in Louisville. We met some friends for a quick dinner before the neighborhood high school ballgame. Someone offered a free pass to the ballgame ($5) but it would have meant that we were dishonest about who were worked for...since the intention of the pass was not for us. We turned it down and gladly paid the $10 ($5 each) to get into the game, knowing that it was the right thing to do. (Let's be honest, we can all use any extra we can get these days.) Upon giving our ticket to the girl at the entrance gate, the policeman grabbed the tickets from Dana's hand and asked him to wait there. He came back, shoved a $10 bill into Dana's hand, and "comped" him for the tickets! We had his three kids in the youth group at church years ago. It was a blessing and it was fun to catch up.

Here's the point: what if we had used the pass? He would have known that we were getting in "illegally" and we would have thrown away 20 years of integrity. It was an amazing reminder that as leaders, we are to have integrity in all we say and do...because God has integrity..He IS integrity. He is right and honest and holy. As we live out our lives, our best witness may be while living out the character of God.

May God continue to be our shield as we walk in His integrity.

Don't forget to come to the W conference! http://events.sbts.edu/wconference

Equipped for Truth

 "Whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved."  (2 Peter 2:19)
Lies!  Lies!  Lies!  That is what Satan wants us to believe.  He wants us to believe that we are in bondage to __(you fill in the blank)__  and cannot break free from it.  Then he uses that to make us feel incapacitated to share the gospel, which is one of our main purposes in life. We, as leaders, need to not only recognize the lies that Satan is using in our lives, but need to equip other young women to discern the  lies they are believing. 

If you are wondering how you can equip young ladies (and yourselves) to live in the truth as wise women in a world of lies, then you should seriously consider bringing a group of ladies, college students, and/or high school students to the W conference with Mary Kassian and Heather Payne on the campus of Southern Seminary, November 19-20, will be an equipping tool in how to truly live in the truth and not be disabled by lies.  Check out the website for other information.  I am certainly going and taking as many high school students (girls) that I can from the high school where I teach.  Let's not miss this opportunity!

http://events.sbts.edu/wconference

Victory!

"On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang: When the leaders lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, praise the Lord.  Listen, kings! Pay attention, princes!  I will sing to the Lord;  I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel" (Judges 5:1-2, HCSB).

The above is the first part of Deborah and Barak's song.  Leaders from Israel, from different clans like Benjamin and Zebulun, had gathered to fight against Sisera.  These Israelites praise the Lord, since God gave them victory over Sisera. 

Recently, I got to meet a woman who was running for the office of a judge.  She impressed me with how evident it was that she loved her family as well as the people of the city.

How do we love our God?  He has gifted us all in different ways, just like He gifted Deborah and this woman I met.  We can trust in Him to use our strengths and to help us overcome our weaknesses to do great, good things for His story. 

Deborah's story reminds me that no matter what I think of my weaknesses, that God is glad to lead His children.  If we love Him, believe in Him and call on His Name, He will be sure to answer (John 1:12).  I pray that we trust Him and that we remember to share how Christ died to save us, so that we may live (1 Peter 2:24).

"Lord, may all your enemies perish as Sisera did. But may those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its strength" (Judges 5:31, HCSB).

RESCUED!

RESCUED FROM DARKNESS!!

"...for He has RESCUED from the domain of DARKNESS and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins..."! Colossians 1:13-14

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you OUT of DARKNESS into His marvelous LIGHT."! 1 Peter 2:9

The miners are ALIVE, RESCUED FROM the trap of DARKNESS, a confined pit called a mine, and raised into the marvelous LIGHT of FREEDOM!! Waiting for them are many people that have prayed continuously, worked tirelessly, and waited patiently for this day of RESCUE!

As we all watch the news reports we see many emotions that accompany the PRAISES of those that are being brought OUT of DARKNESS and into marvelous LIGHT!

As believers, when someone is RESCUED from darkness, the pit of sin, and into The Marvelous LIGHT of JESUS a TRUE MIRACLE takes place! For the first time some is capable of truly experiencing real LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, & SELF-CONTROL = THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT & LIFE IN JESUS CHRIST!!! (Gal.5:22)

A New Heart/New Life in Christ is contagious!! As we witness someone being RESCUED from Darkness hopefully we relive our moment of RESCUE~FREEDOM & HOPE, we shed tears of joy while watching others being RESCUED, and most of all we think about and are burdened for others that still need to be RESCUED from DARKNESS...NEVER GIVE UP ON THOSE THAT STILL NEED TO BE RESCUED & SAVED!!!!!!

What can we do as His "...chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the ONE who called you OUT of DARKNESS into His marvelous LIGHT" 1 Peter 2:9? LET'S GO SHARE JESUS & WHAT WE HAVE PERSONALLY WITNESSED (our story and the story of others) with PEOPLE THAT NEED THE LORD = EVANGELISM = GIFTED2GO!!

YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD!!!! WE HAVE THE JOY & PRIVILEGE OF SHARING JESUS TODAY!!!!

Jesus said, "I have come into the world as a LIGHT, so that no one who BELIEVES in Me should stay in DARKNESS."!! John 12:46

Take A Look Inside!

Last week I cleaned out our minivan in preparation for our family to take a weekend trip. As I was doing this I found a sippy cup underneath one of the bucket seats. I tossed it in the "take inside" pile and finished cleaning up. A few minutes later, I was standing at the kitchen sink with this cup in my hands. I unscrewed the lid and moved to place the cup underneath the faucet when I was met with an unbelievable, overpowering odor! Turns out my sweet little girl had tossed the sippy cup under the seat BEFORE finishing her milk a few weeks ago! Let's just say that the inside of that cup was one of the most disgusting things I have ever witnessed in my time as a mother (including diaper duty)! As I was talking with my husband later that night, he brought up the passage in Luke where Jesus is talking to the Pharisees. In Luke 11:39-41, Jesus condemns the Pharisees for cleaning "the outside of the cup and dish, but inside [being] full of greed and wickedness". The Pharisees were people who had all external appearance of holiness down perfectly. However, once Christ took a look inside, he exposed the dirty mess of their hearts. Even though that sippy cup looked perfect on the outside, I would have never been able to give it to my children since the inside was so disgusting and would harm my children. However, many times I think this is exactly the attitude we can have before the Lord. We try to focus on looking right, talking right, acting right and overall convincing ourselves and those around us that we are living a good Christian life. This week, choose instead to take a look inside and allow the Lord to examine your heart. Would you do what you do if no one was looking? Would you stop what you were doing if someone was watching? Would you continue to serve if no one notice to give you praise? This week choose to spend your resources on your heart and clean out the inside of the cup!

Shine in a Crooked World

"that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:15, ESV).

The end of last week was a great time of remembering what being a woman in ministry is all about. On Wednesday, I got to be with some of the finest young women who are in our girls ministry class happening this semester at Southern Seminary.

We were blessed to be joined on Thursday by Women's Ministry leaders who came to our campus where we discussed the ways to reach young women with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Chris Adams was our guest. On Friday, the students gave presentations of how one would base a ministry to girls on the Word of God, and carry out Titus 2 ministry to middle and high school girls. It was an incredible week.

I was reminded of this verse in Philippians 2:15. One of the groups based their ministry plan on it. What a great reminder! We are called to lead young women to be blameless and innocent in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation. We are to lead them to shine like stars, holy and pure, pleasing to God!

This is what our W Conference is all about...showing women how to reach the next generation, modeling how to live holy and pure lives, and making a difference in the world we live in. We need your help! Please pray. Please bring women. Please come and help us by being available to reach out to those who come. Find more details about W at http://events.sbts.edu/wconference.

Please pray. We want to change the world!

The Gospel Never Changes

"Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says."  (James 1:22)

As I have been reading some current books on total abandonment to God and the emphasis we must all have in our lives on sharing the gospel, I re-read a portion of a journal written by my husband back in 1991 on the Puritan pastor, Richard Baxter, and his views on evangelism.  "Baxter taught that each individual Christian had the responsibility to witness.  The profession of true religion is such a great duty that only foolish persons would try to conceal their faith or keep it to themselves.  Baxter stands amazed that anyone could be genuinely converted and not be telling others about salvation through Jesus Christ." (Beougher, "Richard Baxter and Puritan Evangelism")

Baxter himself said:  "Can a man have a taste of heaven upon his heart, and the kingdom of God begun within him, and yet not express his life or joy?....What!  have the love of God shed abroad in their hearts, and say nothing of it?  have the pardon of sin in the blood of Christ, and say nothing of it?  What!  see many hundred souls in danger of damnation, and say nothing, but let them perish?"

Wow!  If we have experienced the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in our own lives, we MUST speak of what we have seen, heard, and know! 

Lord, help me be a doer of the word and not merely a hearer!

Beougher, Tim.  "Richard Baxter and Puritan Evangelism."  from the Journal of the Academy for Evangelism in Theological Education, Vol. VII, 1991-1992.