God is Holy and Pure

"And one called to another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; His glory fills the whole earth” (Isaiah 6:3, HCSB) .

“God is holy and pure. There is no impurity in Him. He cannot look on evil. He is a God without blemish; He is a God who is free from all flaws. As leaders, we can only be holy and pure by coming before Him and allowing Him to cleanse us and sanctify us. We do not assume that saying a quick ‘God forgive me’ will do it. We take the time necessary to repent and to allow Him to remove our impurities and make us holy. We are to be holy because He is holy. Only those who have come before Him on a continual basis can be holy and pure leaders. When we disregard our need for Him, we lose our effectiveness to be the holy and pure leaders that He calls us to be.”

Oh Lord, make us holy and pure today. We want to lead like You.

(excerpts from Chapter 4 – Follow the Leader by Jaye Martin, Women Leading Women, Martin & Stovall, B&H Academic, 2008).

God is True and Honest

“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’” (John 14:6, HCSB) .

“God is true and honest, holy and pure, right and righteous, just and merciful, compassionate and gracious, wise, hope, peace, love, patient, faithful and forever, and the list goes on. His character is who He is. He is the model for leadership. He shows us how to lead and live through His Son, Jesus Christ. Christ’s example on earth is the very picture of what a leader should look like. The Bible is our best text on leadership.”

“God is true and honest. That’s who He is. There is no lie in Him because that is part of His character. He cannot be true and untrue at the same time. There are no contradictions in Him. Being true means being absolute and consistent. God is true regardless of who believes in Him. We strive to be honest, trustworthy, and truthful in every aspect of our lives. One of the most important things we see in the postmodern world is the emphasis on integrity. People need to know that we are living out our beliefs on a daily basis. In every aspect of ministry, we evaluate every action to be sure that we are being truthful and honest in all of our dealings. Because He is true and honest, we must be as well.”

Lord, give me your truth and honesty so that I might live it and proclaim it this very day.

(excerpts from Chapter 4 – Follow the Leader by Jaye Martin, Women Leading Women, Martin & Stovall, B&H Academic, 2008).

Our Portion

Where do you look for satisfaction? Not what should you find satisfaction in, but what do you find satisfaction in?

A favored verse for my morning prayer time with Jesus is Psalm 17:15, “As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.” Are you satisfied with Jesus? Does He fill the empty places of your heart? Is He the ONE THING you desire? Psalm 27:4, “One thing I have asked that I shall seek that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.” Are you a woman of ONE THING? Or are your affections quite divided?

This past Tuesday me & a group of 20 young women opened up Ecclesiastes (in the MESH Summer Bible study I am privileged to teach) and the Lord reminded us that when we are not filled up & satisfied with Him, we can well expect that our sorrows will be multiplied, “The sorrows of those who have bartered for another God will be multiplied….” (Psalm 16:4) As you enjoy a long weekend I hope you’ll spend some time considering what you’re filling up with? Our souls don’t fare well when void of what they need the most – Jesus – our portion.

As leaders of women it can be easy to get focused on all you have to do, the lessons you have to prepare, the events you have to plan, the people you have to serve. And to be sure all of these need your proper prayerful focus, but none of these things can fill up your soul. If we want to live Spirit-filled lives as Galatians and Scripture elsewhere teaches it will only happen as we let our lives be filled by Jesus, by grace, in reading His Word, seeking Him in prayer, and otherwise delighting in our risen Savior. Will you let the Lord be your portion today?

Our family, by the grace of God & a godly husband’s leadership, has determined that the Lord HE is OUR PORTION (Psalm 16:5).

Could Someone Have Stolen Jesus' Body?

"On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus" (Luke 24:1-3).

The empty tomb is crucial to the Christian faith. In fact, it is "the proof of his triumph over sin and death...It's the basis of Christian hope. It's the miracle of all miracles" (The Case for Christ, Lee Stroebel, p. 206). No one could have taken his body.

• He was absolutely buried in the tomb. The empty tomb is mentioned in Mark which was written too soon after the resurrection that the idea could have become a legend.
• The stone would have taken several men to actually open it.
• Roman guards at the tomb would have lost their lives over the body being stolen.
• Since women did not have a strong standing in society, if someone were to make up the story about someone stealing the body, they would not have chosen women to have been the first to find the empty tomb.
• If the tomb were not empty, the lives of the disciples would not have changed from scared, depressed men to bold preachers who were willing to give their lives for the truth of the gospel.
• History shows that no one thought that Jesus' body was still in the tomb; the question was always, "What happened to the body?"
• "As long as the existence of God is even possible, it's possible that he acted in history by raising Jesus from the dead" (William Craig as quoted in The Case for Christ by Lee Stroebel, p. 222)

Lord, thank You for your victory over death. Produce in us the same boldness the disciples had knowing the truth and power of the resurrection.

Build On The Solid Rock

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who build his house on the sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a fell with a great crash."
Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV)

On a recent trip to the Oregon Coast to experience God's beautiful Pacific Ocean, we came upon a huge pile of drift wood on the beach. Within the piles of drift wood someone had made a house out of the wood upon the sandy beach. As we admired the work that it took to lift the large pieces of driftwood and arrange them into some kind of order that resembled a house, my heart turned to one of the greatest lessons God teaches us in His Word about The Wise and Foolish Builders.

As today's Christian women that are striving to build our lives upon God and His Word, it is beneficial to look at the blueprints from time to time what we are building our lives upon? Let's take a moment and evaluate the kind of evangelistic example and leadership that we strive to model! There are some simple questions we can ask ourselves as we evaluate:

• Who and What are we building our lives upon?


• Who and What are we modeling to others to build their lives upon?


• What are some of the Solid Rock evidences of our lives in Christ?


• WHEN the storms of life come into our lives, list some Solid Rock ways to respond?

As the tide rolls in and the storms of life come upon the drift wood hut in the picture above, we can imagine how this house will be swept out to sea, BUT just above the shoreline as I gazed upward there were many homes build upon the hard rock of CONCRETE that sustains each house through the same storms that beat against the shoreline! The Solid Rock foundation makes all the difference in the world!

On Christ, THE SOLID ROCK, we stand all other ground is sinking sand!

Thank You, Lord for being our SOLID ROCK, as we build our lives and ministry upon You, Lord and Your Word, we pray that we can Share JESUS with others that may be in sinking sand! AMEN!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQgD_Wg9DG4 (On Christ The Solid Rock I Stand!)

Christian Life

Recently I have been going through a recertification process to stay current in my job. To do this, I am required to read numerous books and write a detailed paper on my "Philosophy of Christian Education". As I have been reading through the books, there are many strategies of how to teach, ideas on what to teach, opinions on the best ways to integrate Scripture or explain a Christian worldview. Each book presents what the author believes to be the greatest challenge in Christian education and reqources to overcome this challenge. However, I was struck by the particular thought in one of the books that read, "The challenge is a great one; it is for the Christian teacher who in all he does seeks first the glory of God" (The Pattern of God's Truth, Gaebelein, ACSI, 1954, p. 53). Most of the other books pointed to challenges of a political, social, emotional or physical nature. Rules, laws, books, curriculum, environment, etc. However this author makes the correct evaluation that for Christian education to be properly taught, it first requires Christian teachers who are living out the Word of God and have His Spirit living inside of them. This made me think about the rest of my life. It can be easy for me to talk about living a "Christian life" because of the big things...church...reading Scripture personally...prayer time...giving...serving. Yet at the heart of the Gospel, the thouroughly Christian life is the one that chooses moment by moment MORE of JESUS and less of self. The Christian life is one that cooks, cleans, shops, talks, eats, runs, works, loves, serves, runs errands, makes beds, writes papers, makes dinner, balances checkbooks, encourages husband, raises children with an attitude that seeks first the glory of God in all that is done. Not that self would be noticed, recognized or applauded but that God would receive much glory due to His name. May this be true of our lives today. Seek FIRST His GLORY!

Spirit-filled Leaders

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18, ESV).

“There are numerous good examples of leaders in the Scriptures. Some may have been more gifted than others, some may have been more obedient, but we can learn from all of them. When I think of leaders in the Bible, several come to mind. Nehemiah, Moses, Deborah, Joseph, Daniel, Paul, and Lydia are just a few. These were great men and women who chose to follow God. They became great leaders because God had gifted them but also because they allowed God to lead them.”

“Spirit-filled leaders are those who have accepted Christ as their Savior and come before Him on a daily basis allowing Him to forgive them and cleanse them of wrong-doing. To be Spirit-filled is to empty oneself of anything except Christ. It means that we say no to things that are not of God and focus on what God tells us to do. He tells us things through His Word and nothing He tells us will contradict with Scripture. God also speaks through other people and circumstances. We constantly seek God and His wisdom to be the Sprit-filled leaders that He longs for us to be.”

“The question for us is, will we follow and be all He desires us to be?”

(excerpts from Chapter 4 – Follow the Leader by Jaye Martin, Women Leading Women, Martin & Stovall, B&H Academic, 2008).

God: The Original Leader

For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end (Hebrews 3:14, ESV).

“God is the original, ultimate leader. Good leadership principles come from Him and from Who He is. They flow out of His character. When God’s leadership principles are followed, people will find success in carrying out His plan in His way. Ultimately, God is in control. He is the source of truth and the foundation for everything. He is the true foundation for leadership. He is the original leader.”

“The definition of leadership is built on the foundation of the Creator Leader God Himself. To be an effective leader, one is to base her leadership on God. This is a servant style of leadership that balances the characteristics of Who He is with what God created that person to be. When we understand Who He is, we will then understand the characteristics that are essential for us as leaders.”

“When I began to do in-depth study on leadership, I had to process through the concept that all leaders came from God. It is easy to take Godly leaders that are successful and see how they have depended on God and how He has blessed their leadership. The part that concerned me was that there were numbers of leaders out there who did not know God, did not care to know Him and certainly rejected any influence of Him in their lives. Yet, God is still the author of leadership. And our leadership is at its best when we are filled with His Spirit.”

Let’s be Spirit-filled leaders by confessing our sins and asking His forgiveness today.

(excerpts from Chapter 4 – Follow the Leader by Jaye Martin, Women Leading Women, Martin & Stovall, B&H Academic, 2008).

The Necessity of Faith

In a just a week or so I will wrap an in depth study of the book of Acts. If it's been a while since your eyes touched those pages of Scripture, let me just remind you of the incomprehensible movement of the Holy Spirit to fill God's people and carry forth Christ's kingdom & church. If you don't leave the text eager to share the Gospel with a small country you may have missed the point. I say that with a grin.

The kingdom of God has come & is coming. Therefore there are few greater works than that of unfolding the mystery of the Gospel to those who have yet to hear it or are hardened to it. It takes faith to share. It takes faith to believe that God can move in the hardest of hearts and in the deadest of souls. We tend to give up so easily in our culture so bent toward instant gratification. This is not the model we see in Scripture. There is perseverance, suffering, & even, for some, death as a result of having faith that led to sharing Jesus. It's our faith in Jesus that keeps us going in the most dire of circumstances. The Apostle Paul stands out as noteworthy example of a believer who lived in faith & hope in Jesus everyday. On trial before a King even, his faith still did not wane. Listen to his words to King Agrippa. Paul says this after sharing of his testimony and of his conversion on the road to Damascus. This account takes place in Acts 26.

19"Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. 21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: 23 that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles."

24And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind." 25But Paul said, "I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. 26For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe." 28And Agrippa said to Paul, "In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?" 29And Paul said, "Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains." (ESV, emphasis mine)

Even as Paul stood before a King, he did not shrink back. He had a faith that compelled him to speak, but also a faith that caused him to believe that there are NO lost causes. It would have been relatively easy for Paul to shrink back and lose heart thinking that there was no way on God's green earth that King Agrippa could see the light of the Gospel, but Paul knew full well that if God wanted even the likes of King Agrippa could be saved. God saves whomever He pleases, whether we believe He can or not. The Scripture, here in Acts, does not tell us conclusively whether or not King Agrippa accepted Jesus, but based on Paul's proclamation it seems that Paul believes it's possible King Agrippa could be saved. Paul's faith spurred him on to obedience. I pray that our faith would do the same. I pray that we could believe against the odds that lost people that seem so out reach MIGHT be saved.

Be encouraged as a leader of women to share Jesus boldly and have increasing faith to believe that He can save those you love most as well as the ones you barely know, no matter how near or far from the kingdom they may seem.

Defend Your Faith

• 
  
  "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your MIND." (Matt. 22:37)
  As leaders in our churches, we need to help ladies be prepared to defend their faith as well as share their faith. This summer I will spend each Friday giving short tips on how to defend our faith. Since the crucifixion and resurrection are the pillars of the Christian faith we will start there: "Was Jesus really dead on the cross, or could he just have faked it?"
  
  Jesus was in serious physical condition before he was even put
  up on the cross.
• Roman floggings were known to be severe and often caused death
  before the crucifixion.
• The 'floggers' used leather whips with metal balls and pieces
  of sharp bones.
• The whipping could tear the muscles and often exposed the
  veins.
• The "nails' driven through Jesus' wrists and feet were actually
  spikes that were 5-7 inches long. (It was not the palm of his hand because his
  body would have ripped the flesh off.)
• In order to breath the person had to push himself up, which
  eventually would cause Him to be too tired to breath any more. This would lead
  to cardiac arrest.
• To make sure Jesus was dead, soldiers would put a spear into
  his side. Water and blood would come out. This proved his death without a
  doubt!!! (to be continued next week)
  References: Evidence That Demands a Verdict by Josh mcDowell; The Case For Faith by Lee Stroebel
  
  
  
  

strength for the leap

“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12, NIV).

Sometimes, when I read the Bible, I wonder, “Did it just say that?” This verse struck me. It was mentioned in Laurie Beth Jones’ book, Jesus, Life Coach. In it, she describes how radically God can work in our lives and through us. She asks, “What outrageous requests is Jesus, your Coach, making of you? What would happen if you released the brake and decided to go for the ride?” (pp. 116-117).

Recently, I’ve started a new summer internship.  God is ruler over all, but sometimes I fear that I won't be able to live up to what He wants me to do.  That is a crazy thought, though, since He is all-powerful and has given His followers the Holy Spirit.  I realize that the more I am open to what He has to say to me, the more I see how to follow His lead.  Christ’s words to His disciples have helped me: “I will come to you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:18-19, NIV).

God will give us assurance of where to go through the Holy Spirit.  Are we open to take the leaps He asks us to take?

(graphic from http://www.danceinforma.com/magazine/?p=1208)

Put off...Put On!

When Paul writes to the church in Ephesus, he spends the first three chapters of his letter teaching them theological principals about life in Christ and life as a church. Then the last three chapters move more into application and practical daily living exhortations. Chapter 4 begins with a challenge to "live a life worthy of this calling you have received" (the calling that is explained in Ephesians 1-3). In Ephesians 4:20-24, Paul goes on to explain this process of living a life worthy of Jesus Christ. The Holman Christian Standard Version says that when you entered into personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you "took off your former way of life" AND you "put on the new man". Many times in our Christian walk I think we focus on taking off the former way of life OR putting on the new man. We will talk about getting the sin out of our life and working on resisting temptation or we will discuss how to become more patient or godly. Yet throughout the Bible, God seems to communicate that this process goes hand in hand. In Colossians 3, once again we see that we put to death our sinful nature SO THAT we can then clothe ourselves with Christ. Instead of merely taking off our sin, we must also choose to put on the nature of Christ. For example, when struggling with gossip or hurtful words, rather than choosing to try to just not say those things, instead I believe Paul would exhort us to instead put on graceful speech...to intentionally begin to look for ways to compliment and build up others around us. Today, as you ask the Lord to search you and know your heart, allow Him to reveal sin in your life AND how to immediately begin to put on the nature of Christ to replace the old man.

Leadership Defined

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27, ESV).

“To adequately define leaders and leadership, we should think about where all of this started. God is the Creator of all things as we clearly see in Genesis 1. He created the first man and woman and gave each responsibilities to carry out (Gen. 1:27-31, 2:15-25). He set the boundaries and kept in contact with those He created (Gen. 2-4). God is visionary influence. He is the ultimate leader.”

“Let’s define leadership. In Joseph C. Rost’s book, Leadership for the twenty-first century, he gives ‘four essential elements of leadership that flow from the definition: (1) a relationship based on influence, (2) leaders and followers develop that relationship, (3) they intend real changes, and (4) they have mutual purposes.’ I would define it even simpler: leadership is visionary influence. It is leading and modeling how to lead. It is showing others how to follow. The one who leads sees where people need to go and influences people to follow. You will find thousands of books on leadership. At the time of this writing, there were 156,000,000 web pages that came up in a Google search of the word leadership; so, there is plenty out there should you want to dive a little deeper into the subject or choose another definition.”

“What does the Bible say and what do we as women need to know about leadership in general? I am convinced that the reason that we have problems in the church is because of people, and specifically, leaders. We have a huge leadership problem in the church. Unfortunately, this huge problem often begins with us.”

“Let’s start at the very beginning and look at what God’s Word says about leadership. The best way to change the world is one person at a time so let’s begin with ourselves.”

Pray with me that we will be the leaders that God calls us to be!

(excerpts from Chapter 4 – Follow the Leader by Jaye Martin, Women Leading Women, Martin & Stovall, B&H Academic, 2008).

Where are the Leaders?

God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins (Acts 5:31, ESV).

“God [is] the author of leadership - who He is and what He does.”

“Will the real leader please stand up? Where have all the leaders gone? It time to talk honestly about a real problem in this fallen world that we live in. It’s time to talk about Godly leadership. It’s our greatest problem.

Maybe you expected me to say that our greatest problem is that families are falling apart – and they are. Maybe you expected me to say that pornography and drugs are at the forefront – and they are. Maybe you thought I would tell you that the people of the world need to be saved – and of course that is too true. We could go on and on with the list of all the things wrong with the world – all the sins, if you will – but the greatest problem that I see is a lack of Godly leadership. It is the lack of men and women of God who will step up to the plate and be the Godly faithful, fair, and humble leaders that God calls them to be. It is the lack of men and women who will stand up for what is right and pure and holy and unashamedly fight for God, His plan, and His principles on how to live. The problem is men and women who look the other way when they see wrong…even when they can do something about it.

When are we going to figure out that God sent Jesus to show us how to lead and expected us to follow His lead? God sent Jesus to model how to live in such a way that people would see God in Him and that God would be glorified. That’s what leadership is all about. It is about sharing the greater vision of Jesus Christ, how to know Him personally, and how to lead others to do the same.”

“Godly leadership is not waiting for someone to ask you to lead; Godly leadership is following Christ so closely that you know how to lead and you do it in such a way that you model Christ by your every word and action while influencing others to do the same.” Jaye Martin

Let’s commit our influence to the Lord again today. He needs us to pray to Him and to follow His lead!

(excerpts from Chapter 4 – Follow the Leader by Jaye Martin, Women Leading Women, Martin & Stovall, B&H Academic, 2008).

The Importance of Love in Evangelism

On the night before He died, Jesus instructed His disciples: "If you love me, you will obey what I command" (John 14:15). A few moments later He reiterated His thought: "My command is this: love each others as I have loved you" (John 14:12)

The effectiveness of relationship evangelism has been underscored in a study done for the Institute of American Church Growth. The survey asked what first attracted them to the church where they were members. Respondents reported:

Walk in's: 4-6% Programs: 2-4% Special needs: 2-4%

Pastor: 4-7% Visitation: 1-2% Sunday School: 4-6%

City wide mass crusades: .001%

Friends and/or relatives: 70-90%!!!!!!!

Relationship evangelism is not a method or an activity but rather an overflow of love for the Lord and for people. The ability to love people does not depend on gifts, experiences, emotions, or feelings. It is a choice and is best shown through caring actions and unselfish giving of ourselves to others.

"Lord, teach us to love people the way You love us."

(Cartoon from: the humblepen.blogspot.com)

Take the Micah 6:8 Challenge

He has told you men what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8, HCSB).

“Life isn’t fair, people are not always faithful, and pride is the original sin. Maybe that’s why Micah tells us that all God requires of us is to “act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly.” Don’t we wish that every leader would just do that? Leadership is complicated. Being a leader in ministry can get more complicated. Being a woman leader in ministry just adds one more challenge. In order to find out what God intended, we have to go back to His Word and see what leadership should be about. With so many books out there on leadership and so many people speaking on the topic, sometimes we get confused on what leadership should look like. We run to the latest bestseller and take it all in, sometimes forgetting that while it may be full of truth, there are some things mixed in that may not be God’s truth”

Let’s take the Micah 6:8 Challenge: act justly, be faithful and walk humbly. Let’s be the leaders that God has called us to be.

(excerpts from Chapter 4 – Follow the Leader by Jaye Martin, Women Leading Women, Martin & Stovall, B&H Academic, 2008).

♥VICTORY in JESUS♥

"For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the VICTORY that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only thee who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."!

1 John 5:4-5 (NIV)

When is the last time you watched a sporting event? In every event there is the thrill of VICTORY and the agony of defeat!

As we just experienced a victory at a college baseball game, my thoughts turned to the many times in our Christian walk that we are faced with some of the same things that take place much like what athletes go through.

Here is a list of a few things that happen in our lives on "the field" of evangelistic ministry: opposition, things that are for you, things that are against you, rules, time, authority, rejection, pressure, encouragement, discouragement, good calls, bad calls, cheering and booing, ups and downs, errors, mistakes, good plays, working together, teammates, coaches, role models, trainers, on the field, on the bench, safe, out, sportsmanship, friendship, and much more...

We see in 1 John 5:4-5, that because of JESUS we will always have VICTORY, but "by faith" we must daily overcome the difficulties and defeats that try to come into our lives! Without the competition and battle, there could be no Victory. Without the ups and downs of real life living we would not appreciate the Thrill of VICTORY in JESUS!

As a witness in a world that needs the Lord, take heart, Jesus has overcome the world! Just like in a sporting even there are innings, quarters, rounds, matches...as a witness for Jesus Christ it often feels like we are in one overtime match after another battling towards VICTORY and wondering how each situation will work out....Good News, there is Always Victory In JESUS no matter what we have to overcome in this old world!

As a witness in situations that you would not believe, I can honestly share with you that if it was not for the Battles, the Victories would not be so sweet in our Lord!

It will be worth it all because of Jesus, and someone needs to hear those very words TODAY! I am amazed at the opportunities to share "worth it all" words of Victory over and over with those that are one step closer to the Cross, one step closer to a life Full of VICTORY in JESUS♥!

GO GOD!! JESUS ALWAYS WINS!! Who needs to hear us Cheering Them On Towards VICTORY?!

Let's Shout Evangelistic Encouragement From The Bleachers Into The Precious Lives That God Places In Our Path Towards Victory in JESUS!

Cheering You On In Jesus With Joyful Everlasting ♥VICTORY♥

The Perfect Words

Last week I was out shopping looking for a few greeting cards. I needed to get a Mother's Day card for my mom and mother-in-law, a birthday card for a close friend and a thank you card for someone in our church. If you are anything like me, you know this process can take hours! I want to check out every card just in case there was a better one than I had and rereading several just to make sure I had the right choice picked out. I spend so much time looking for the perfect words to communicate exactly what I want to say. And then let's face it...most people who receive the cards will read them once, maybe twice and either throw them away or shove them into an old file folder or cardboard box. And as I was purchasing the cards, I had to think...I wonder if that is what the Lord feels like sometimes with believers and Scripture? That God took so much time to carefully orchestrate the writing of His Word for us to carefully read and understand so we would truly know His heart and what He wants to communicate to us. We read it once, maybe twice and then store it away. We might know where it is in case we have a rainy day and need to read something to change our mood, but mostly the precious words sit hidden, having been read, quickly appreciated and then set aside. My pastor once said "You cannot love God and not love His Word" If someone were to measure you love and appreciate for God today by your love and appreciate for His Word, where would you be? Many times as leaders it can be so easy to forget the basic principles of spiritual growth in the name of minsitries and spiritual responsibilities. Ladies, today choose to get our your Bible, get alone with the Lord and thank Him for the precious gift of His communication to us. Spend time reading the Scriptures today. Sit under the teaching of Jesus and rest in the comfort of the Spirit. Thank God for His communication with us!

Transferred

The piano rang as clear as ever chiming out the familiar tune of "Just As I Am." Voices raised toward heaven, asking that some lost might be found. Our invitation to come to know Jesus at church this past Sunday will not be one I soon forget. I was singing but my mind was pretty singularly focused on the women who might come to Jesus in the very minutes in which I sang. I gazed at our women's minister as she prayed with a woman...I knew in that moment salvation may have come. I longed to be a witness to it personally. I watched Julie closely as I serve on our women's leadership team to see if she needed help. The moment came. I raced forward not sure what I would find. Julie gave me to a precious young woman, Carla. Carla was her name. As Carla spoke it became clear that my hope of seeing the transfer was about to occur. "He has delivered us 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) I delight in moments like the one I experienced this Sunday, and I well imagine if you are a leader of women or just a lover of Jesus, you delight in them too. I encourage you to watch & pray for those moments. They are coming if the Lord wills!

Season Your Conversations

"...make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." (Colossians 3:5b-6)

I fall short of this in my own life, but recently God prompted me to make the most of an opportunity. As leaders, God showed me (again) that we must model what we want women in our churches to do. I was in Los Angeles as a sponsor for our high school senior trip and was on a 3 minute train from the Getty Museum to the parking lot. A lady was sitting right across from me. I found out she worked at the museum so I commented on the awesome religious paintings that were there. I asked her if she went to a church in the area. She told me she just liked to journal her own thoughts and that was her spirituality--within herself.

Knowing that there was not much time, I asked her what her spirituality thought about life after death. She had no answer. I asked her what she thought about the Bible--she said she liked reading it. So I quickly told her to read the book of John and see what it said about Jesus Christ, that accepting Him was the ONLY way to have eternal life, and that maybe the religion that could cost her the most was the one she should study first. She nodded (probably out of politeness), and then we got off the train.

I don't know if there will be any fruit from that or not, but we are not responsible for results--we just need to season our conversation with the gospel. Speaking as one who needs to be more intentional about these opportunities, may we challenge each other to do the same.

Blog Challenges

Blogging Buddies,

It seems that one of our columns is missing. Let it be a reminder that we are to pray for those who are missing out on being a part of the family of God. : )

Thanks for your patience!

Without Ceasing!

http://www.ndptf.org/

Tomorrow is The National Day of Prayer! The First Thursday Every May!!

Joining You In Prayer for our World, Nation, Communities, Neighborhoods, Family, Friends, and Ourselves as People Come to Know Jesus~Share Jesus~Help Others Do The Same!!

"Where two or more are gathered....." Matthew 18:20

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDDcCdRkldI (When God's People Pray!)

http://www.youtube.comwatch/?v=gkaFDI7J1gE (America~US National Day of Prayer Theme Song!)

Slow Down!

In Luke chapter 10, an "expert in the law" comes to Jesus to ask what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus' respone is one of the most quoted verses in all Scripture: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind and love your neighbor as yourself" (Luke 10:27). Immediately we see this "expert" go on to ask who exactly qualifies as his neighbor. Now, easy as it is to judge this man for ulterior motives/wanting to get out of loving some people/looking for the easy road, I think there is a fundamental concept here of our human nature. We usually will try to figure out a way to do what we are supposed to do quickly so we can get on with what we want to be about! In John Ortberg's book, "The Life You've Always Wanted", he speaks to the issue of truly taking the time to love people. He writes "Love and hurry are fundamentally incompatible. Love always takes time and time is one thing hurried people don't have." Many times in the Christian life, it seems like we live out exactly the opposite of this truth! Hurry and run to church, stop by the bank to deposit your check, run to the grocery to make dinner for the family, drop off the kids at their school, go to work to provide for your family, head to the Tuesday night Bible Study, drop off flowers quickly at the hospital, dash in to prayer meeting, go to the kids soccer games and music concerts and then start all over again! I can picture myself standing before Jesus asking "ok Jesus...well who is my neighbor because it looks like I might have Tuesday at 10am or Friday around 1pm open...give me two names!" And as you know, Jesus goes on then to tell the story of the Good Samaritan and how there was a man who had the time to stop, see a need and love. Loving the Lord with all your heart and loving those around you is going to require time. Time spent in the Word, in prayer, in fellowship, in conversation, encouragement and a life that is characterized by a willingness to give someone love, spelled T-I-M-E. Today choose to Give Your Time (Love) to the Lord with all your heart's devotion, all your mind's focus and all your bodily strength. Choose today to Give Your Time (Love) to those around you in your home, neighborhoods and cities in the same way you would choose to use the time for your own needs and desires.

Time for SBC to Lose Some Weight

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1-2, ESV).

Are we as obsessed with losing weight spiritually as we are physically? I admit to having a long way to go in both arenas. We are to throw off everything that keeps us from being spiritually fit for use in the kingdom. Whether it is sin or the sin of business, we are to focus and run our race for Christ "[laying] aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely" so that we may bring witness and glory to God.

Today, the Great Commission Resurgence (GCR) Report came out. It is time for us, as Southern Baptists, to lay aside some things and lose some weight - in order that we might be more effective - and run our race for Christ. We must look to Jesus and do what needs to be done in order to make the Gospel of Jesus known to every generation.

Read the report, watch the report, and watch the church video. Then let's do what needs to be done and GO! You are Gifted2go!

The Kingdom

When you hear the word "kingdom" what do you think of? Perhaps there are visions of old Disney films, castles, and the like. Maybe you think of verses like:
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33 or "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."(Matthew 6:10)

The Scripture uses the word kingdom and specifically the phrase, "the kingdom of God" a great deal. Jesus uses the expression a lot in His own earthly ministry. He even said, ""I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose." (Luke 4:43) If the Lord's purpose was to preach the kingdom of God and its coming, I cannot help but think that our purpose is altogether tied to doing the same. We are to be women who more & more declare that there is a kingdom coming, a kingdom whose ruler will not pass away or get overthrown in time. The world in which we live is captive to the "prince of the power of the air," the devil...the Lord desires that sinners be delivered from the enemy's domain. Colossians says it this way: "For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

You belong to a kingdom, God's kingdom if you are in Christ. Let others know of His coming rule! May your ministry's be directed by this truth!