November 24, 2024

Girls with Swords: Chapter 8 – “Warnings” (pages 134-137)

May 16, 2013 by

JesusLife

Jesus’ life fulfilled the Word of God.

Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”  Each day He arose with God; He knew what was ahead.  He knew what God’s will for His life was.  He prayed God’s will for His life.

Luke 22:42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”  After reading this verse in the Bible, I am awed by Jesus’ prayer.  ‘This cup’ is the terrible agony Jesus knew He would endure.  ‘This cup’ was separation from God so that He could die for your and my sins.  This is what Jesus prayed for.  I know we bloggers have been asking a lot of questions this week, but let me pose another one to you today:  When was the last time you prayed God’s will for your life over your own desires?

As Lisa explains on page 136, our Father gave us Jesus to be the example of how to live what we speak.  There will never be anyone who will be perfect—as Jesus is perfect—but we can all strive to live a life pleasing to God as Jesus did while He walked the Earth.  Jesus lived out God’s will for His life.  We can lay down our plans at Jesus’ feet and strive to fit into God’s plans.  We can find God’s will for our lives by reading the Word and praying to God.  One thing I have learned in doing this is that God surely has created us to share His love through the ends of the Earth.

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

I think one of the greatest things about reading the Bible is it lights a fire in my soul.  In reading, I find this huge desire to share God’s truths with every single person in the entire world.  When telling someone this once, the response was, “Oh no, at trick-or-treat time you would totally be one of those people that hand out tracts instead of candy!”  My response: “Absolutely, inside the tracts are the words people need to find God.” Do you desire to be the tract lady for Jesus, giving people His words they are in desperate need of?

Isaiah 55:8-11 in its entirety is absolutely beautiful, let us focus though on verses 10 and 11:

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

What words are we using when we fearlessly share the saving grace, love, and power of Jesus Christ with the lost and the hurting?  When we use God’s words instead of our words there will be victory every time in Heaven.  We know it is truth that God’s word shall not return to Him empty.  The words He sent out will fulfill His plan and not return void.  It is our job to be the messengers.  We are called to make God’s word known to others.  This means we must know His words.  We must not only know how to speak them to others, but we must also know how to live out God’s words with our actions.

We are the only Jesus some people will ever see.  That is not something to take lightly.  That is something to remind ourselves of daily.  When you are at home, at school, at work, in the grocery story, at the mall, (insert other here)…be Jesus.  Someone is always watching.  Let them see Jesus through you, let them see the TRUTH.  When you are a princess-warrior-in-training for the King of Kings, your actions matter just as much as your words matter.  Both are used to bring others to our Father in Heaven.  Others must see Jesus in us; we cannot get in their way from finding Jesus.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Let His words transform your actions to line up with what He is showing us to do.  We know what to do through His word, through prayer, and through Jesus’ life.  Let’s thank God for giving us the Bible, giving us access to Him through prayer, and giving us an amazing example of how to live a holy life, through His son, Jesus.

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Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us Your Holy Word.  Thank You for giving us the privilege of prayer where we can meet with You and hear from You.  Thank You for giving us Jesus’ life as an example for us, daily.  Thank You for giving us the desire to fulfill Your will for our lives.  Lord, I ask that You give us the strength and desire to lay aside our plans, and to fit into Your will for us. Lord, we give You glory for all You do in our lives and in the lives of those we encounter.  You are an amazing Savior!  Amen.

Lisa has one more question for us, and I encourage you to journal about your answer: “Do you want to do His will so all that was written of you will be something to behold?”  (Page 137) ~SELAH

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If you would like to join us for the “Girls with Swords” Online Bible/Book study, click HERE to be taken to our sign-up page.  Once you complete the enrollment process, we will email you further details.  We hope you will join us!

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Girls with Swords: Chapter 8 – “Sword of Words” (pgs 129-134)

May 15, 2013 by

What are we doing with our words?

In the world we live in today, the power of our words means more now than ever; the power of the Scripture means more than it ever has, and the impact of its words will reach further than ever. I can honestly say that I have always known that there is power in our words; there is strength behind what we say and strength behind how we say it. That strength can have either a positive or negative impact.

Proverbs 12:18 NIV

The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

I’ve seen well-intentioned words hurt, and I’ve heard well-intentioned words lead someone astray. We don’t do it on purpose, but when we aren’t intentional about what we say and how we say it, the interpretation of those words can become skewed, even in a conversation between only two people.

“Far too much is lost in interpretation when we pass the words through the filter of earth rather than fashion the earth with the words of heaven” — Lisa Bevere (page 129).

Are we allowing our words to become earth-based? Are we allowing them to become catchy or cliché?  Are we trying to make the sacred words common?  Are our words lacking wisdom and hurting instead of healing?

The Bible was not only given to us to help us grow closer to God, to help us understand God’s love for us, to teach us the history and to give us a guide in which to live our lives; but it was given to us  for us to share it with others.  We must retain the power it holds.  We musn’t allow the filter that the world has placed on it to lessen the power it holds.

Hebrews 11:3 NIV

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

When I read this quote by William Booth I said “wow!”  “In answer to your inquiry, I consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without a hell” (William Booth, pg. 133).

I don’t believe that we are intentionally creating this reality, but I do believe that we are unintentionally making this statement true. When we say things, are we saying them because they sound good and will grab the attention of others? Or have we passed what we are going to say through God’s filter?  Have we asked His advice about what to say and how to say it?  Have we sought out His Scripture?

Ladies, we need to be aware of our words. I know that this needs to be a goal of mine, too.  I am not always intentional about what I say. I always tell my kids to think before they speak. Not only do we need to apply this to our lives, but more importantly we need to pray before we speak.  We need to run our words through the Heavenly filter.

Let’s Pray:  

Dear Heavenly Father, our words can do harm as easily as they can do good. Lord, touch our hearts before we speak as a reminder to pray about what we are going to say and how we are going to say it. Your words hold power that we want to retain. Please help us to use our words to heal and not hurt, to draw ourselves and others closer to You and not to lead them astray.  In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

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Girls With Swords: Chapter 8 – “Sword Words” (pgs 126-129)

May 14, 2013 by

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34)

God’s love is limitless. It overflows in abundance. Our author says on page 126 that “… because out of the abundance of God’s heart, he spoke the universe of galaxies into existence.” He spoke the world into existence! This power lives within us through the Holy Spirit when we proclaim Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives (Acts 1:7-8). Did you know that? The Word, this Power, knows no boundary. It is available to anyone, anywhere.

With that said, I have some questions for you.

Have you unleashed God’s power in your life?

When we truly have something to say, God finds a way to interpret it for all who need to hear.
When we yield ourselves to speak His words by the power of His Spirit, astonishing things can happen (pg. 128).

Will you choose to use your words in a way that removes yourself from the picture and glorifies God? (pg. 128)

For far too long the Word has been interpreted rather than proclaimed. We have gotten into the habit of passing it through the filter of human experiences, social preferences, current prejudices, and the limited counsel of the human mind rather than simply declaring what was so powerfully and eternally spoken and recorded. We’ve interpreted the gospel rather than expressed it (pg. 129, emphasis mine).

Will you speak in your flawed manner or tell of His flawless works? (pg. 128)

Our God Most High is triumphant. His glorious love and wondrous mercy know no bounds.
The gift of salvation is through faith in Him alone, and all who seek Him find grace and hope (pg. 128).

Will you be part of a unified voice by allowing His Spirit to fill you? (pg. 128)

Unifying ourselves with our Father’s purposes and language will initiate or begin anew God’s plan and unify a people around His purpose (pg. 129).

It was out of this love for us that He sent His one and only begotten Son to die a sinner’s death on a rugged cross. That kind of love is beyond human understanding. I find myself wanting to understand the ‘whys’ and the ‘hows’ so often! But, in my limited human understanding, I know it is impossible. As Lisa Bevere states on page 129, “it takes faith to declare a language we do not understand.” I have to trust that God is who He says He is. I have to trust in His sovereignty. I have to trust in His goodness. I have to trust even when I do have questions and I do not understand why things happen. I have to believe in God as my Father, who wants to hear my questions and concerns. He wants to hear from me. He wants me to turn to Him and study His language, our SWORD, His Holy Word. Through it, He will guide and direct me and answer those questions and soothe those doubts.

Because He is GOD.

GOD IS LOVE.

GOD IS GOOD. ALL THE TIME. EVERY TIME.

When we root ourselves in God, in His Word, our sword grows stronger. It finds substance (pg. 129). We are able to stand firm with confidence.

Have you thought about the answers to those questions I posed above? What are your answers? Be honest! Have a conversation with the Lord about them. They are not easy to own up to. But, God already knows the innermost parts of us. We just need to recognize it in ourselves, too, so we can work on whatever needs fixin‘! We are all just a work-in-progress til the day we meet our Savior face to face. Oh what a day that will be!

Let’s Pray:

Father, your Word is perfect. You speak truth and light into a dark world. Help us to shine brightly for your Kingdom in our sphere of influence. Convict us where we need to be convicted and help us own up to the things that may be hindering our growth. Our only desire is to follow You, Lord, wherever You lead us. We love You so much! In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!

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Girls With Swords: Chapter 8 – “Sword Words” (pgs 121-125)

May 13, 2013 by

Click HERE for this week’s reading assignment

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Part 3 – ARMED

 It’s time to break camp, Warriors!  We have been called. We have been trained.  We have been forged into a weapon to be used against the forces of darkness.  We are “ministers of hope whose words are seasoned with salt and light and sound foreign in a world peppered with darkness” (Bevere, p. 121).  How is it that we have these sword imageries and our weapon is one of ‘words’?  Have you ever stopped to think that the words coming from your mouth directly reflect the heart inside your body?  That is pretty powerful stuff.

Lisa tells us that “words are invisible, but if misused, they can prove deadly.”  Have you killed someone with your words?  Have you left walking wounded?  It’s time we thought about this for a little while, take stock in our words and let the Holy Spirit reveal areas of our speech we need to work on.  Take time to do that now.

(pause)

My Bible tells me that we were all created with one language in the beginning.  We spoke the same language as God, the Father.  We knew His voice.   We could recognize Him as He walked with us in the garden.  I like to think God whistled as He walked in the cool of the day, asking Adam and Eve how their day had been.  I say “we” because we are descended from Adam and Eve…and God the Father.  We are here, now, because of them…back there.  “God has given us His language… He has framed the words in strength and carefully structured each sentence so that every syllable is woven with power and punctuated by promise.”  (p. 122).

I think that makes our words pretty powerful!  They are the words of our Father, they are powerful, and we should be sharing them with the world.  How will we know what to say?  Where will we find the answers to our questions???  2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us:

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.  It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.  God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”

You have been forged as a SWORD.  Are you ARMED???

I was asked these questions last week, “If the Bible is my guide book to life does that mean I should follow all the ideals set forth?  Do I pick and choose which ones I like and which ones I don’t?  If I do have to follow all of them, how do you translate those stories to apply to modern day living?”  So many good questions from one seeking person.  After our basic training, and now our warrior training, how would YOU answer these questions?

Lisa poses an interesting point:  If we knew we were going to live out the rest of our days in a foreign country we would take the time to learn the language and the culture and learn to communicate.  As born-again believers, we KNOW we are going to live out our days in heaven with our spiritual family.  We need to be learning how to communicate.  Our Father speaks a heavenly and holy language.  We need to learn heaven’s language NOW.  “We lift swords when we lift His Word:  ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue’ (Proverbs 18:21)” (p. 123).

So let’s go back and apply what we have learned in our training.  Let’s use the language we are learning to shine a light for a lost soul.  Give me some Sword Words to support your answers to this person’s questions.

  1.  If the Bible is my guide book to life does that mean I should follow all the ideals set forth?
  2. Do I pick and choose which ones I like and which ones I don’t?
  3. If I do have to follow all of them, how do you translate those stories to apply to modern day living?

This language may seem foreign to you right now.  Or it may come naturally and you have suppressed the sound of the Father’s voice.  Either way, let’s put our hearts together and help this brother out with his questions.  I would like to see how you WARRIORs put your SWORD to use.  Are you ARMED?  We need to light the path, ladies!!!

Our Call to Arms for this week comes from Hawk Nelson and Bart Millard (Mercy Me):

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,  I want to remember Your voice.  I want to hear the language of Your heart coming from my mouth.  I want to be a light to draw others out of the darkness and onto Your path.  Give us the desire to love our neighbors, to share Your words with those around us.  Let our words point the world back to You.  You have given us every weapon we will ever need to survive this world.  Give us a willing heart to take up those weapons and use them for Your glory.  In Jesus’ Holy Name we pray, AMEN.

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If you would like to join us for the “Girls with Swords” Online Bible/Book study, click HERE to be taken to our sign-up page.  Once you complete the enrollment process, we will email you further details.  We hope you will join us!

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Let My Life Be the Proof…of His Love

May 11, 2013 by

Let my life be the proof … the proof of Your LOVE
Let my LOVE look like You and what You’re made of
How You lived, how You died—LOVE is sacrifice
So let my life be the proof … the proof of Your LOVE

Do these words echo in your heart as they do my own?  So, may I ask you then, what does ‘…let my life be the proof of Your LOVE…’ look like?  (I would love to know your answer!  Please leave a note in the comment section below.)

Here is one answer that I am sure of:

By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us,
and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
1 John 3:16 and 18

If my life truly is the proof of His LOVE, then there is sacrifice as well as action, not simply words.

In the Gospel of John, there is also this record of Jesus teaching His disciples about LOVE, and giving them command to follow.

“When you bear much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine. I have loved you, [just] as the Father has loved Me; abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My LOVE and live on in it, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commandments and live on in His LOVE.  I have told you these things, that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing.  This is My commandment: that you LOVE one another [just] as I have LOVED you.  No one has greater LOVE than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends.  You are My friends if you keep on doing the things which I command you to do.  I do not call you servants any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing.  But I have called you My friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from My Father….This is what I command you: that you LOVE one another.”  (chapter 13:8-15, 17)

Jesus gave those who walked Him and lived with Him and saw with their very own eyes how He perfectly LOVED many, many examples of how to LOVE.  They were with Him when:

  • He healed (Mark 3:10)
  • He brought back the dead to life (Luke 7:12-15)
  • He cast evil spirits out (Matthew 8:16)
  • He miraculously fed thousands (Mark 6:31-44)
  • He saved a sinful woman from being stoned to death (John 8:3-11)
  • He touched lepers (Mark 1:40-45)
  • He actually washed their own feet (John 13:5-13)
  •  A few of them were even there when, dying on the Cross, He asked His Father to forgive those crucifying Him (Luke 23:34).

They were eyewitnesses and recipients of His compassion and His care and His LOVE.

Jesus not only taught them by His example but He clearly and purposefully gave them instructions for when He was gone.

This is how everyone will know that you are My disciples,
if you have LOVE for one another.
John 13:35

Simply put, LOVE—in order to be LOVE—must be shown through our actions, not just through our words and how we feel.  Our LOVING actions ARE the proof.  When we choose to obey God and to LOVE others in the way that He has told us…it is LOVE just like Jesus’ love.  Here’s the best list of actions that ARE the proof that I know….

Love is patient,
Love is kind and is not jealous;
Love does not brag and is not arrogant,
does not act unbecomingly;
It does not seek its own, is not provoked,
does not take into account a wrong suffered,
does not rejoice in unrighteousness,
but rejoices with the truth;
bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails;
1 Corinthians 13:4-8

And lastly—but of vital importance—is to always remember who we are AND Whose we are!  Jesus pointedly stated,

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him,
he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
John 15:5

Nothing.  (ummm, that IS what Jesus said.)  Nothing of importance, nothing of value, nothing of eternal weight.  But, as we abide in Him, and follow His direction and example, we can be instruments in the Master’s hand.  We can be part of His purpose and plan.  Our lives CAN be the proof of His LOVE!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Will you pray with me, please?

Dear Lord, how incredibly thankful we are that You did not just demand that we LOVE…You prepared our hearts. You gave us examples (oh, so many!). You promised to help us. You gave us much instruction. You gave us the Holy Spirit to be our Helper!  We so desire to LOVE as You LOVED, Lord!  We so yearn to be Your hands and feet!  We so want to help to draw others to You, as we have been drawn!  Please help us to be humble, recognizing our immense need for Your help!  By God’s grace and mercy, may we bring glory to our Father as we live lives that ARE the proof of Your LOVE!  Thank You, Lord…we pray and ask these things in Your name, amen!

Let all that you do be done in LOVE.

1 Corinthians 16:14

Praying for each of you!

♥  coleen

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Girls With Swords: Chapter 7 Weekly Review – “Forging a Sword”

May 10, 2013 by

 

Welcome to Campground USA

Log Cabins, Nature Trails, Canoes,

Paddle Boats, Bikes, Fishing

Trivia anyone?  Aren’t we having so much fun in the midst of our study on Girlfriends With Swords by Lisa Bevere!!  I know I am.  This Christian life wasn’t meant to be drab, that’s for sure.

But, let’s get serious for a moment (if that’s possible with this gang) while we do a recap of where we are in our study.   In Chapter 6, our status changed: we went from being just an enlisted soldier in Basic Training to being a Warrior.  Oh yes, we are now on the front line of duty! 

My four girlfriends explained  our promotion in this way.

  • Teresa:  Using the teaching of the Apostle Paul in Hebrews 6, Teresa added:  Once a new believer understands the basic lessons, it is time to practice what was learned and “move forward” toward spiritual maturity. 
  • Jennifer reminded us that warriors are not hired, they are called.
  • Tonya emphasized the importance of being tempered to form character.
  • Diane talked about the importance of warriors getting rid of fear.  She reminded us that where God’s love is, fear doesn’t stand a chance.

That takes us up to tonight’s study on Forging a Sword, being led by my 4 girlfriends. Aren’t they amazing writers and speakers?   Let’s head on down to the bonfire and see what they have to say about Chapter 7. 

 Teresa 

What does it take to “Forge a sword?”  The word forge is a verb for a process much like the word mold. The dictionary defines these words as:

  •  Forge: (1)Make or shape (a metal object) by heating it in a fire or furnace and beating or hammering it.  (2)Move forward gradually
  • Mold: (1)A hollow container used to give shape to molten or hot liquid material (such as wax or metal) when it cools and hardens.

To mold a product, the product has to be melted, or softened, from its original form and poured into the mold to obtain the desired shape and size.  The mold then has to be shaken to remove all air bubbles from the finished product.  These bubbles can cause the product to crack, fall apart and ruin the end result.   

To forge something, take separate metals, heat them to a molten liquid, burn off the impurities, and prepare to meld them into the final product.  This intense heat leaves a liquid virtually free of imperfections and no “bubbles.” The original metal is not changed from what it originally was, but is so much more useful now. 

What does this have to do with you and me?  If we have made the commitment to follow Jesus, it’s time to submit to the original Blacksmith and let Him forge you into the character He needs you to be.

(Martha’s Note:  Lisa states that FIRE, WATER, and PRESSURE are the tools used to refine metal, temper steel, and create swords.  “The process of making a sword is a whole lot like the process of making a life.”   Jennifer, Tonya, and Diane speaks to each one of these ‘tools.’)

Jennifer

Fire and Water:  What does the Bible tell us to do when trials come into our lives?

  • Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. (Isaiah 43:1-2)         

Refinement is painful.  But these trials will strengthen us and, in turn, help us to forge the sword we will ultimately wield – the Word of God.

Friends, God is our Source of power and strength. He is trustworthy. What affliction are you struggling with today that you need to bring to God’s feet?

Tonya

Pressure:  What does the Bible tell us to do when pressures come into our lives?

“Count it all joy.”  (James 1:2-8)

  • Pressure and joy are not two words that are normally paired together in the world, but we need to remind ourselves that we only live in this world, we don’t think like it.
  •  Joy is something that is unaffected by circumstances.
  •  It is a state of mind and an orientation of the heart.
  • Joy is a settled state of contentment, confidence and hope.
  • Joy doesn’t mean that it is going to be easy.
  •  Joy isn’t happiness; it’s the knowledge that we are where we need to be for a season in order for us to be formed into the woman He wants us to be.

Lisa said:  “God wants us to thrive whether we are under pressure or free floating” and in order to thrive in all situations we must be prepared, we must be tempered. Tempered daughters of God are resilient.  We have the capacity to flourish under all types of trials in every season.

Diane

Pressure:  As Lisa tells us about her “doubtful moment” (John’s faith to give away 250,00 books) it brings me back to one of my very own doubt-filled moments.

It had been several months after my very last therapy session. I knew in my heart of hearts that I was healed, but as I stepped into my counselor’s office that day, the doubt that had been filling in my heart since the last time I was in that room followed me in.

As I was explaining all of my doubts, my dear counselor asked me a simple question. What are the things that you know that you know that you know are true?”

  • I am safe (Proverbs 18:10)
  • I am loved (John 3:16)

Knowing the truth is just not enough to keep the doubt away. The more we “know” something, the more Satan tries to convince us that we don’t know anything at all.

As a princess warrior in training we cannot let doubt consume us. We must empty ourselves into God so that He can consume us. No two princesses of the King are the same. We are all created for a unique and important purpose.

  •  It is time to wash away the doubt caused from past hurts or current hurts and hold tight to God’s promises that will never shift.
  • All we must do is empty our hearts of the doubts that have been filling up at His feet.
  • He will fill our hearts with HIS blessings. No more room for doubts, only His love.

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After Diane spoke, Praise and Worship began.  As I lifted my hands and face toward heaven, suddenly my mind took me back to a children’s church program my girls were in years ago.  Like the rest of the parents, I sat in the audience beaming from ear to ear as we watched our children singing and marching to a song. 

Tonight, I became that little girl.  I stepped away from the bonfire, and began softly singing and marching to the same song.  No longer was it just a cute little song to me.  It was as though I was coming to God as a little child, accepting His call on my life to be on the front line of duty in His army.  I could hear Him whisper in my ear:  “I yoke myself up with you and the way you go, I’ll be there to hold you up!”

Will you join me in singing this song?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDIy5TUXovo

Let’s pray:  Father God, I come into agreement with my sister, Teresa, for the prayer she has already prayed over this group:  “We thank You for loving us enough to want to forge us into a unique creation and not just a molded image like so many others.   We submit our lives to the refining fire of Your love.  Remove the impurities and make us strong. In Jesus’ name, I pray.  Amen.”

***** 

Last Day of our Anniversary Giveaway!!

I hope you have enjoyed this week of celebration with us!  It has been such a blessing to see so many of you come out and post your comments on our blogs! I know it has truly blessed our bloggers!  Your words of encouragement have blessed all of us!

As we pray Martha’s prayer above, this brings me to the giveaway that we have for today.  It couldn’t have been scheduled for a better day. Between Teresa’s prayer that started our week, and Martha’s agreement in prayer with her that ended our week, this giveaway just fits perfectly!

As you go before the Lord each day, we would like for one blessed winner to cover herself with this amazingly beautiful, handmade Prayer Shawl that was made by one our very own Leadership members – Amy Butterfield.  Amy was such a blessing to put her crochet hook to work and get this gift ready for our Anniversary Giveaway!  Thank You so much, Amy!!  It is beautiful!!

PrayerShawl(2)

PrayerShawl(1)

How do you enter to win this beautiful Prayer Shawl?  All you have to do is read today’s blog and make a comment in regards to what the Lord said to you in today’s message.  That’s it!  

One blessed winner will be chosen and all winners for this week will be announced on our Facebook Community page TOMORROW!!!  So be sure to check out our page to see if YOU are one of the blessed winners!

ALL ENTRIES MUST BE COMPLETED BY 8PM CST TONIGHT.
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON OUR FACEBOOK COMMUNITY PAGE ON MAY 11th.
Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Girls with Swords: Chapter 7- “Pressure” (pages 115-117)

May 9, 2013 by

As Lisa tells us about her “doubtful moment” it brings me right back to one of my very own doubt-filled moments….

It had been several months after my very last therapy session.  I knew in my heart of hearts that I was healed, but as I stepped into my counselor’s office that day, the doubt that had been filling in my heart since the last time I was in that room followed me in.  Even with a beautiful sign from God’s heart to mine that I truly was healed and made new, I still somehow let doubt get in the way.  As I was explaining all of my doubts my dear counselor asked me a simple question, “What are the things that you know that you know that you know are true?”

I am safe. (Proverbs 18:10)

I am loved. (John 3:16)

These were the only thoughts that I was able to muster up, but somehow they proved to be just enough!

Each truth above comes from God’s Word.  Apart from Him we have nothing, we are nothing.  God’s Word is our source for confidence.  He is our Source for power and protection.  He is our all in all.  He is our portion forever and ever.  He is all we ever need and He has come to RESCUE YOU AND ME from doubt and all of the hardships of life!

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  Psalm 73:26

Knowing the truth is just not enough to keep the doubt away.  I have found that the more we “know” something, the more Satan tries to convince us that we don’t know anything at all.  Prior to this moment in counseling I had found the more confidence I had, the more doubt consumed me.  How does that even make sense?  It makes sense because my confidence used to come from the wrong source.  Think to yourself, do you find confidence from the shifting sands of circumstances or do you find confidence in our Mighty Rock?  It is still a struggle from time to time for me to let go of the false advertisements for confidence we find ourselves surrounded by in our world.  We think we know what we need—the best make-up, the finest clothing, the right man, the popular friends—the list goes on and on.  These false eye-catching traps just leave our hearts filled with doubt.  Truth be told, even the best this world has to offer will never give us the confidence that we can find in God alone.  Again, I know this is true because Scripture backs it up!

Proverbs 3:26 assures us, “…for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.”

We can have confidence in God because of His Word! When we fill our hearts with God’s truth, His confidence seeps into every crack and crevice of our soul!  God’s confidence in us will enable Satan’s lies to stay tucked under our feet as we press on in our journey with the Lord of our lives!

It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put His hand on you for something special.  When the Message we preached came to you, it wasn’t just words.  Something happened in you.  The Holy Spirit put steel in your convictions.  (1 Thessalonians 1:5 MSG)   

Knowing God’s Word will not suffice in the spiritual battle at hand.  I know this personally. Since I have started this study, God has been using many hardships to show me just how true it is that knowing scripture is not enough, and we must be trained to use it.  God’s Word is our training manual.  Everything we need to know is found in His Word, not the lies of Satan.  Our sword must be filled with the truth—God’s truth—which has the power to strike down Satan’s consuming lies and doubts.  As a princess warrior in training, we cannot let doubt consume us.  We must empty ourselves into God so that He can consume us.

The more we know who God is, the more we have confidence from Him in who we are created to be.  No two princesses of the King are the same.  We are all created for a unique and important purpose.  It is time to wash away the doubt caused from past hurts or maybe current hurts and hold tight to God’s promises that will never shift.  It is time to call out to God…He promises to answer.  All we must do is empty the doubts that have been filling up our hearts at His feet.  When we seek God with our whole empty heart, He will fill our hearts with HIS blessings.  No more room for doubts, only His love.

When I left therapy that day, I was supposed to write what I knew on a rock, to remind me of the solid hope I have in God alone.  I never did find a rock big enough to write down all the truths God has reminded me of since that night as I spent some time seeking Him.  Spend some time today thinking about the truth that you know that you know that you know God is craving to fill your heart with.

(From Christi & Colleen Dent:  Here is your Rock, Diane!  We made this especially for YOU!)

Rock_Diane

Let’s all echo Lisa’s prayer for us on page 117:

Dear Heavenly Father,

May we, Your daughters, be one with Your heart and heaven’s purpose.  May our very lives be an intricately woven expression of all that You long for us to live, touch, see, hear, and have.  Make us one.  We submit to Your process.  Have Your way in the fiery forge and in the baptism of water.  Shape us into something so fierce and flexible that every facet of our lives would declare Your love and power to save.  In Jesus’s name, Amen!

Thank You Jesus!

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Day 4 of our Anniversary Celebration!

Well, have you enjoyed our week long celebration so far???  We sure have!  I can’t wait to tell you what our next giveaway is! Another exciting gift!!

How many of you struggle with taking care of your body physically?  If you are like me, you want to, but maybe you just don’t know how to get started!  You don’t know the first thing about eating healthy, or what exercises may be right for you, and so on!  Well, we want to bless one lucky winner with a ONE-HOUR SESSION with Wellness Coach / Fitness Designer Crystral Breaux!!

Breaux Announcement

I am so VERY EXCITED about this giveaway.  Crystal is new to Girlfriends Coffee Hour, but she is not new to wellness, fitness, or blogging!  She not only blogs for GCH, she blogs for CreatedWoman.org, as well.  She offers some amazing wellness tips and fitness advice in both blogs!  Beginning in June, Crystal will begin taking your personal questions and answering them on her blog right here on Girlfriends Coffee Hour!  No matter what your question is about (food, or fitness, etc.) she will address them on our At Home with GCH blog the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month.

The question of “where do I start” is just one “comment” away!

All you have to do to enter this drawing is read today’s blog and then make a comment below in regards to what God spoke to you in today’s blog!  That’s it!

ALL ENTRIES MUST BE COMPLETED BY 8PM CST TONIGHT.
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON OUR FACEBOOK COMMUNITY PAGE, ON MAY 11th.
Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Girls with Swords: Chapter 7 – “Pressure” (pgs 112-114)

May 8, 2013 by

 Day 3 of our Anniversary Giveaway

is listed at the bottom of this blog.

 

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.  For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

James 1:2-8 (NKJV)

Pressure. We can all relate to this word, this feeling, this state in life. I truly enjoyed how Lisa broke this scripture down into separate parts. When pressure enters our life and minds the last thing we think to do is “count it all joy,” I know that I don’t. Joy is often times the last word I would use to describe myself. When I’m dealing with the topic of joy I look it up each time, because it is so much more than a simple three letter word. This statement is one of the many that I found about joy.

“Joy is something that is unaffected by circumstances. It is a state of mind and an orientation of the heart. Joy is deep. It is a settled state of contentment, confidence and hope.”

I have to remind myself that joy isn’t about being happy, it doesn’t mean that it is going to be easy. What it means is that I am going to accept my situation for the time being, and walk in the joy of the Lord. Pressure and joy are not two words that are normally paired together in this world. I also have to remind myself that I only live in this world, I don’t think like it.

“You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors…” (James 1:3, MSG).  Basically I understood this to mean that when life is hard, when obstacles are placed in our path, or when we place obstacles in our path, the strength of our faith will be shown. This is a hard realization for me, especially when my faith is not as strong as it should be. But I learned something a long time ago—just because I wasn’t where I thought I should be at a certain time doesn’t mean that I cannot grow to be that person. Just because my faith-life wasn’t strong during a time of pressure doesn’t mean that it never will be.

We have to remember that a sword didn’t start out strong. It took work; in most cases, it took a lot of work. “God wants us to thrive whether we are under pressure or free floating” (page 113), and in order to thrive in all situations we must be prepared, we must be tempered.

TemperedDaughtersl.jpg

We have trials. We have pressures. We count it all joy. We exercise our faith. We ask for wisdom when we need it. We work towards becoming the women that God created us to be. And we do all of this with God by our side, with God directing our paths, with God holding us up.

When I was reading these scriptures in my study Bible, this note was given:

“The potential a Christian woman has for maturity relates to the realization of her God given destiny. She is striving to reach a goal that only God can enable her to achieve.”

In order for us to be the warriors we were destined to be, we must be willing to face our trials and be willing to accept the pressure and accept it with joy in our hearts.  Joy isn’t happiness, it’s the knowledge that we are where we need to be for a season in order for us to be formed into the woman He wants us to be. We are being tempered by God so that we can withstand any level of pressure, so we can continue to fight for the Kingdom despite the battle.

__________________

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, each day we face the pressures of life; each day we walk our journey.  Some days we walk with faith that could deal with anything and some days it feels like the smallest thing could crush us, but always despite the circumstances You are with us! You are right next to us with Your hand on our lives. Lord, we are told to count it all joy.  Thank You for this joy that surpasses all situations. Thank You for the gentle reminders of this gift, and thank You for the grace You offer when our faith and joy is not where it should be.  In Jesus’ Name, we pray.  Amen.

__________________

Day 3 of our Anniversary Celebration Week!

Are you ready for another giveaway????

Today’s giveaway is something that I wish was around when I had little ones at home!  I’m telling you, I remember days where I honestly wondered why God chose me to be a mom!  I remember going to bed at night crying my eyes out, thinking what a horrible mom I had been that day!  And then the next day, I wake up to two little girls who jump in bed with me, and we all begin to giggle from all the tickles!!  And I start another awesome day of being a Mom!  Being a mom has been one of the greatest joys of my life, and I am so forever grateful for the wonderful children (and grandchildren) God has given me!  I am truly blessed!

*****

“Psst—over here! I’m hiding out in the laundry room eating dark chocolate. Got a sec? Good. I was wondering, is it just me, or do you sometimes find it really hard to be a mom?  Faith Bogdan never planned to have children, but within six years, she had four. Who Are All These Children and Why Are They Calling Me Mom? is the story of Faith’s journey to fully embrace unexpected motherhood as, little by little, God revealed the heart issues that prevented her from relishing the role He’d called her to fulfill.  Whether you’re a mom to tots or teens, Faith offers real hope for change and concrete guidance to help you navigate the joyful, messy, and sometimes overwhelming challenges of motherhood.”

We are giving a signed copy of Faith’s book to not just one, but TWO blessed winners in today’s giveaway!!  All you have to do to enter is read today’s blog, and post a comment below about how this blog spoke to you!  That’s it! Easy-peasy, huh?  If you don’t want to wait until the giveaway is announced, and you want to order your copy of Faith’s book today, just click on the picture to be taken to our Amazon link.
ALL ENTRIES MUST BE COMPLETED BY 8PM CST TONIGHT.
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON OUR FACEBOOK COMMUNITY PAGE, ON MAY 11th.
Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Girls with Swords – Chapter 7: Water / Fire (pgs. 106-111)

May 7, 2013 by

Day 2 of our Anniversary Celebration!

In honor of our 1-year Anniverary Celebration, we have chosen several prizes for giveaways this week to thank YOU for blessing us so much throughout this last year!  If it weren’t for our dear Sisters, YOU, we wouldn’t be here!  So from the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU for all you do to bless our ministry!  We Appreciate You!!

Day 2 — This particular prize is one that I have personal experience with.  I implemented this prize in my life last year, and found it to be a lot more than I ever expected from it.  I grew in so many ways in my life, personally, emotionally, spiritually!  I would highly recommend it to anyone!!  But today, we want to bless you with it!  What is it, you ask???

TODAY’S GIVEAWAY IS A FREE ONE-HOUR SESSION WITH CHRISTIAN LIFE COACH MEGAN SMIDT!!  

GL header

Megan has offered this gift to YOU because she truly cares about women!  She wants to see women strong, healthy, living their lives intentionally!  Able to give all they have to our Lord & Savior!  So with that, ONE lucky winner will be chosen at the end of today!

How do you enter for this fabulous prize???  All you have to do is read today’s blog by Jennifer, and then leave a comment about something that spoke to you from her blog!  That’s it!!  Pretty easy, huh?

DEADLINE FOR ALL COMMENTS TO BE POSTED IS 8PM CST TODAY.
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON OUR FACEBOOK COMMUNITY PAGE ON MAY 11th.  

 

Now, on with our study!!! 🙂

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

Isaiah 43:1-2

This section of our book speaks of the trials we will go through in our lives (the water and the fire) and how this refinement helps to forge us into the women God created us to be. Refinement is painful. I am not going to sit here and lie to you, my dear sisters. But these trials will strengthen us and, in turn, help us to forge the sword we will ultimately wield – the Word of God.

The troubles we face in this world are either self-inflicted or God-ordained. As humans, we have a tendency to get ourselves into trouble and God will let us face the consequences of our decisions. But, He will ultimately turn our poor decision making for good. He is always good. Always. He wants us to have the best life possible; the life He created us to walk. I think we tend to get caught up in trying to put out the daily fires on our own instead of focusing our attention on the One who wants to put them out for us.

The trials and afflictions we will face are but a blink of an eye from an eternal standpoint. We do not have God’s viewpoint. The things with which we struggle seem too impossible, too heartbreaking, and too hard sometimes. It is just plain tough to see past the pain in front of our eyes. Believe me, I know.

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18

This verse is so very hard to grasp, isn’t it? It is for me. I have to ask God to help me focus on the unseen. It is too easy to focus and become consumed with what is seen, the temporary afflictions that dampen our light and make us doubt our faith. By His grace, His strength, and His power, I can and will do it. Every day, I realize how much I need Jesus…more and more and more.

Friends, God is our Source of power. He is our Source of strength. He is trustworthy. He is good. Always. No matter what you are facing today, God is with you and He loves you so very much. Turn your pain over to Him. Talk to Him. He will help you through it. Turn to His Word. Let it heal your soul. Let His promises soak into your being.

When we are weak…He is strong.

When we are powerless…He is power-full.

When we feel unloved…He loves us unconditionally.

What affliction are you struggling with today that you need to bring to God’s feet?

_______________

Let’s Pray:

Father, this world brings many troubles. Please help us to focus on YOU at all times, so that when trouble does come our way, we will be ready, sword in hand, to defend against the attack. Strengthen our resolve and help us face the pain we may be hiding. Help us to bring our troubles to You and not be held in bondage to our afflictions any longer. Give us fresh eyes to see our troubles from an eternal perspective. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen!

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Girls with Swords: Chapter 7 – “Forging A Sword” (pgs 105-106)

May 6, 2013 by

 HAPPY ANNIVERSARY GCH!!!

Today is the first day of our week long Anniversary celebration!!  Want to enter our contest to win some fabulous prizes??  All you have to do is read the blog below, and then leave a comment about it!  That’s it!!

Today’s Prize:  A box of lovely goodies:  “21 Days – Your Journey to Enjoying Everyday Life” by Joyce Meyer, a Coffee Mug by Dayspring (also includes a Gift Card to Dunkin’ Donuts), a book by Wendy Anderson Halperin titled “Love Is”, and a couple of extra little goodies that we will surprise you with!!

Anniversary Prize 5_6_13

Only ONE WINNER will be chosen EACH DAY FROM May 6th to May 10th.  DEADLINE FOR TODAY’S ENTRIES:   8PM Central Time Zone.  Each day we will post a new prize!!  ALL WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON SATURDAY, MAY 11th, ON OUR FACEBOOK COMMUNITY PAGE.

 

And now, onto today’s blog!

Click HERE for Chapter 7 Reading Assignment

 

This week we begin learning what it takes to “forge a sword.”  These are words that are not used often in our society.  I had questions, so I did some research.  The word forge is a verb for a process, much like the word mold is.  The dictionary defines these words for us:


Forge_Mold.jpg 

We are familiar with molds when we want to make uniform soaps, candles, and yes, CHOCOLATES.  If you have attempted to make any of these items even once you will have learned some very important facts to make the end product the best it can be.  The product has to be melted, or softened from its original form and poured into the mold to obtain the desired shape and size.  But that is not enough.  The mold has to be shaken, dropped on a table, etc., to remove all air bubbles from the finished product.  These bubbles can cause the product to crack, fall apart and ruin the end result.  If you have done everything exactly right, you will end up with many, many identical soaps, candles, and yes, fewer chocolates.  🙂

If you want to make soap, you melt and pour soap.  If you want a candle, you melt and pour wax.  If you want chocolate – well, you get the picture.  When you forge something, you take separate metals, heat them to a molten liquid, burn off the impurities (anything that isn’t metal) and prepare to meld them into your final product.  This intense heat leaves a liquid virtually free of imperfections and no “bubbles;” the original metal is not changed from what it originally was, but is so much more useful now.  According to my research, forged products are 15% stronger than molded products.

By this time you are wondering what all this has to do with you, me, and our study.  Did you know that the first mention of forging was in Genesis 4?  There was a man who forged tools out of bronze and iron.  The forge was used since the beginning of time to make useful tools and God uses that same process to make us useful in His Kingdom.  The prophet Isaiah uses this terminology and applies it to the Christian walk as God’s plan for His people.  Look at these verses in Isaiah 54 and see what God revealed to him about the people of Israel and later for you and me:

13 All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.

14 In righteousness you will be established:  Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear.  Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you.

15  If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing; whoever attacks you will surrender to you.

16 “See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work.  And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc;

17     no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.  This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord. 

God has placed a protective covering over his people.  A holy promise to protect, restore and vindicate any wrong done against us.  He has forged us to be strong and durable and fit for our work here on earth.

This is the work God wants to forge in our hearts:

 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord.

“I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.

I will be their God, and they will be my people.

 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’

because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord.

“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

          Jeremiah 31:33 and 34

Jeremiah says that in the end, we will all know the Lord.  Every one of us.  If we have made the commitment to follow Jesus, it’s time to submit to the original Blacksmith and let Him forge you into the character He needs you to be.

Lisa says, “The process of making a sword is a whole lot like the process of making a life” (page 105).  What kind of life do you want to be known for?  I want to mix my life with God’s teaching and let Him make me what He needs me to be.  How about you?

These truths are what God brings to the mixture to be forged.  You and I have a choice to join Him and face the refining fire. Attacks are not fun.  Pounding surely hurts and bruises.  Fire is hot!  Water is healing.  Pressure makes us experienced and strong.  Our finished product will be one strong, mighty warrior for the Kingdom of God.  Prepare your heart for the truths coming at you this week.  Do not be surprised if the fiery arrows increase.  Smile…and purpose in your heart to become a stronger warrior and stand.  God has promised the victorious ending.  We get to watch it unfold around us.

Our song to start the week is from the Crabb Family and the Gaither’s:  Through the Fire

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, King of Kings and Lord of Lords!  We praise Your name above all names.  We thank You for loving us enough to want to forge us into a unique creation and not just a molded image like so many others.  We want to be strong, we want to be taught, we want to endure until the end, we want to be victorious.  Father, we submit our lives to the refining fire of Your love.  Remove the impurities and make us strong.  We want to be forever known as ONE with You.  Let the forging begin and fit us for Your service.   AMEN.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

If you would like to join us for the “Girls with Swords” Online Bible/Book study, click HERE to be taken to our sign-up page.  Once you complete the enrollment process, we will email you further details.  We hope you will join us!

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