November 24, 2024

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Girlfriends Coffee Hour!!!

May 5, 2013 by

GCH_Anniversary

 

Woo Hoo!! Happy Anniversary to GCH!!!

1-year ago today, Girlfriends Coffee Hour published its first LIVE Online Bible Study on this website! We had just a few women sign-up for that study, and we had a blast!

Today, GCH, as we all so fondly call it, is now in 150+ Countries across the globe!! Never in a million years would I have ever dreamed that God could use a simple housewife from Southeast Wisconsin to help spread the Gospel!! Many times, I had to be reminded God’s God This!!  Don’t ever think that God can’t use just ordinary people!!  He can, and He will, if you let Him!!

Today, we have 20 women on our Ministry Leadership Team, who help keep this ministry functioning on a daily basis! Thank God, because there is no way this housewife from Wisconsin could do this on her own! I am so very BLESSED by this amazing Team of women who give so graciously of their time, prayers, support, and LOVE!! Truly without these women …. wow!

God has blessed this ministry in so many ways. Each day we dedicate GCH to Him in our prayers, and we give Him thanks for all that He has done, and continues to do.

The scripture that God gave us for this ministry is Proverbs 27:17 (NLT) “…as iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” In this ministry, we are blessed to sharpen each other. We are blessed to hold each other accountable to building our relationship with our Heavenly Father, and being the Leaders that He has called us all to be! We are blessed to have such a Sisterhood in this ministry, where faith, friends, and fellowship flourish in our Fellowship & Study Groups!

I give God all praise, honor, and glory, for Girlfriends Coffee Hour! I hope you will help us celebrate this week! We will be giving away some amazing prizes this week in honor of our anniversary! Stay tuned … on Monday (tomorrow) we will announce the first prize!! These prizes are going to bless your socks off!!

Be sure to leave a comment below to let us know how GCH has been a blessing in YOUR life! We’d love to hear from you!

Thank You ALL so very much for joining us this last year! We hope to see you around for many more years to come!!

May the Good Lord Bless You,

Christi Wilson
Founder of Girlfriends Coffee Hour

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LOVE One Another

May 4, 2013 by

Last week, I brought up a simple fact: loving God = obedience to Him.  After delving into the Scriptures, we were convinced that there is no way around it: if we want to love God we must obey His commands.

For this is what LOVE for God is: to keep His commands.
1 John 5:3

This week, we will look at one very specific area in which our obedience (or disobedience) clearly shows our LOVE for Him—our LOVE for one another.

1 John 4:21
And we have this command from Him:
The one who LOVES God must also LOVE his brother.

God specifically communicates, just as distinctly as in 1 John 5:3, that LOVE for Him requires obedience.  If we LOVE God, we keep His commands—we obey Him.  His command in this area is that we must also LOVE our brother (and sister).  And we are encouraged that ‘yes! I CAN do this!’ because we know that His commands are not too hard for us “…His commands are not a burden…” (1 John 5:3b).

Jesus was preparing His disciples for His soon-coming death, resurrection and departure.  One of the very important things that He spoke to them about was this very thing—LOVE—when He told them,

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

Think about that for a moment, please.  Was there ever anyone who loved more, or better, or more completely, or selflessly than our Lord?  No…not ever.  But, we understand from His communication with His disciples that they would be recognized as His by their LOVE for one another.  Just amazing, isn’t it?  Truly, I believe, we also are recognized as His by our LOVE for one another.  How blessed are we!!!

We all know the ‘LOVE’ chapter of the Bible…that’s right, 1 Corinthians 13.  Contained in that portion of the Scriptures is God’s definition of what LOVE is.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

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;

Dear children, let us not LOVE with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
1 John 3:18

The actions  are clearly defined for us in 1 Corinthians chapter 13:

  • being patient
  • kind
  • displaying no jealousy
  • or bragging
  • not being arrogant
  • acting becomingly (appropriately)
  • being selfless
  • not being provoked
  • not worrying about wrongs done to us
  • not rejoicing in unrighteousness
  • rejoicing in truth
  • bearing and believing and hoping and enduring all things

These are the actions—the attitudes of our hearts—that show, or prove, or display our LOVE.  Words are easy to say…but actions show the truth.  Amen?

Praying for you each (please pray for me, too!) as you endeavor to be obedient and to treasure the commands of our God.  Remember, loving God = obedience to His commands.  He has commanded that we LOVE one another and to LOVE with actions, not just idle words.

Let all that you do be done in LOVE.
1 Corinthians 16:14

Praying for each of you!

♥  coleen

LOVE God, LOVE People (lyrics)

how can i thank You for the way that you freely gave
LOVE so beautiful, unconditionally
had to stop, take a break, feelin’ good today
everything’s wonderful…You didn’t have to do this for me
but then i look and see all of the suffering, i wanna do something
but something’s gotta start with me

i can’t give it ‘til i live it
now that my eyes are open, teach me how to LOVE

LOVE God…LOVE people!  LOVE my neighbor as myself
my brother, my sister; everybody LOVE somebody

and now it’s time to make a change—revolution day
put it into action…live compassionately
you take the black and the white…red, yellow, brown
life gets better, it just gets better when we
we look around and see all of humanity
waiting on someone—someone is you and me

you can’t give it ‘til you live it
now that your heart is open, just reach out and LOVE

you can’t give it ‘til you live it
you can’t live it until you give it away
you can’t give it ‘til you live it
now that your heart is wide open, you gotta give all of your LOVE

you can’t live without giving LOVE
so let your heart be open; just reach out and, just reach out and LOVE <3

_________________________________

If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen, you may email her at:

Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com, or leave a comment below.

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Girls With Swords: Chapter 6 Weekly Review – “Becoming a Warrior”

May 3, 2013 by

Click Here for Next Week’s Reading Schedule

Welcome to Campground USA

Log Cabins, Nature Trails, Canoes,

Paddle Boats, Bikes, Fishing

Here we are again – -continuing our study in Girlfriends With Swords, by Lisa Bevere. Tonight, we will try to grab hold of what Becoming a Warrior means.  But, first let’s play a game with Chapters 1-5.

You might say these chapters took us through Basic Training, preparing us to be a warrior in God’s army.  In an effort to make sure their groups are spiritually fit for the front line of duty, Amy, Christi, Laurie, and Kim devised a Girls With Swords Trivia Game.

Here’s how it works:  Christi made cards with words or scriptures taught in Basic Training. A contest is going on between Group 1 and Group 2 to see who can be the first to answer all the questions on the cards.

If you missed the games, take a minute and play.  On your mark!  Get Set!  Go!

 

GWS_TEST_Chapter1

GWS_TEST_Ch2

 

GWS_TEST_Ch3.jpg

 

GWS_TEST_Ch4

 

GWS_TEST_Ch5.jpg

Wasn’t that fun?  I need to review several of those scriptures.  I think I’ve been grazing and not feasting on the Word.  (Ugh)  Time to head over to the bonfire. I’m anxious to hear Teresa, Jennifer, Tonya, and Diane speak on Becoming a Warrior.

Teresa

Lisa gives us words a WARRIOR would understand:  strategy, intuition, vision, wisdom, patience, persistence, tenacity, a unified voice, and concerted effort. This requires us to develop Maturity as a Spiritual Warrior.

The Apostle Paul spoke to people in Hebrews 6 about becoming mature Christ followers. 

“So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God.  You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.  And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.”  (NLT)

The basic teachings are very important.  Once a new believer understands the basic lessons, it is time to practice what was learned and “move forward” toward maturity. 

We have a CHOICE to believe, a CHOICE to mature,
and a CHOICE to live in a way that brings Honor and Glory to God the Father.

Jennifer

Girlfriends, warriors are not hired; they are called. David had an elite group of men fighting with him. They were not soldiers, hired to do a particular job. They were called to the task.

As Lisa said:  ”You are at once a daughter and a warrior.”  There is no separation between the two. If you are a part of God’s family—a part of His army—then you are one of His warriors.

I think many of us are scared to be warriors.  We want to just “get by.” But, I am challenging you today to rise up!

Face Your Fear Today and
Put Your Trust in God!

Tonya  

All soldiers are trained, but in addition to being trained, a warrior will be tempered.  For example:

  • A warrior isn’t quick to teach a lesson; they aren’t quick to avenge a wrong done.
  • They are compelled to offer grace and compassion, and to show God’s love.
  • They are led by God to do what is needed when it is needed, whether it is to offer grace, or to stand up and fight.
  • Warriors seize the opportunity to make a difference in an area where they can bless others and where God’s love can shine through them.

Lisa said: “the processing of tempering may not be pleasant or quick,”  but the outcome is this:  “the warrior woman, not only sees what our enemy is doing, but can follow God’s lead into battles with His promises in our hearts.’”

Are you ready to sign on to be
more than a soldier?

Diane

Have you opened your ears and heard the Lord call your name?  Are you covering your ears with fear of the unknown after you hear Our Mighty King whisper His warrior-princess’s name? 

  • Fear will always be a part of our lives, but it does not have to be the driving force behind our actions or lack thereof. 
  •  Fear, when placed in the right manner, will only drive us closer to God Himself.
  • We must fear God and keep His commandments.  We do this by coming to a revelation of Who God truly is and what He has truly done for us.  This revelation drives us to be obedient because of the deep love we possess for our One and Only King. 

All of us have a perfect will for our lives, and also a perfect love that drives out any fear that tries to prevent us from living out God’s perfect will for us. 1 John 4:18 says:  There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.

As warrior-princesses-in-training,
we all possess God’s perfect love in our hearts.
Where God’s love is, fear doesn’t stand a chance.

**********

After Diane spoke, praise and worship lasted into the midnight hour under the glow of the heavenly lights. 

Something else very exciting has been taking place at our meetings.  Word has gotten around the campground about “those women” who gather nightly at the bonfire.  First there were one or two outsiders who visited the meetings, and now a big crowd has joined us.  Lisa said:  “Warriors will lead and irresistibly compel others to join the cause.” 

You go, girlfriends!  MIGHTY WARRIORS YOU ARE!

Let’s pray:  Father God, I thank You that You have called us to be warriors.  May we not take Your calling carelessly, but serve You with honor, and free of fear.  In Jesus’ name I pray, 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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Girls with Swords: Chapter 6 – “Hear the Call” – “A Tale of Two Kings” (pgs 98-104)

May 2, 2013 by
Have you opened your ears and heard the Lord call your name?  Are you covering your ears with fear of the unknown after you hear Our Mighty King whisper His warrior-princess’s name?  Whether you embrace it or not, we all have warrior potential traced throughout the perfect will God has for us.  Whether you choose to hear it or not, the King of Kings is calling your name.  He is calling you to a life in which you bring glory to His name through your very own.

Fear will always be a part of our lives, but it does not have to be the driving force behind our actions or lack thereof.  Fear, when placed in the right manner, will only drive us closer to God Himself.  We must fear God and keep His commandments.  We do this by coming to a revelation of Who God truly is and what He has truly done for us.  This revelation drives us to be obedient because of the deep love we possess for our One and Only King.  When we let Satan get in the middle he uses fear to paralyze us when indeed it was intended to help run the race that is marked ahead for us!

All of us have a perfect will for our lives, and we also have a perfect love that drives out any fear that tries to prevent us from living out God’s perfect will for us.

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

As warrior-princesses-in-training we all possess God’s perfect love in our hearts.  Where God’s love is, fear doesn’t stand a chance.  Remember why you are able to take your stand against fear: because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross, and let all that you do be a testament of His surrendered life.  This is how we are able to bring God glory—we surrender our lives to His.  When I picture God receiving glory, I picture a beautiful song playing throughout Heaven for Him to enjoy.  I desire God to hear that song always.  In order to hit the play button I must stop muting His song, start giving Him glory for all He does through my life, and let the praises be a sweet, sweet sound in His ear!

Let’s all surrender our lives to being a princess-warrior for Christ and live for the day we can dance in Heaven with His glorious song playing in the background!

 *****

Let’s all get excited together for Chapter 7!

“Lovely One, you are the daughter of a triumphant Warrior-King.  The warrior’s sword you carry represents honor, virtue, courage, beauty, loyalty, and freedom from fear.  In the next section we will learn how to wield these with purpose”  (page 104).

 

Let’s Pray: 

Thank You, Lord, for sending Your Son to surrender His life for ours.  Please let us learn to surrender our lives to Your perfect will.  Give us the strength to carry on in this life as a warrior-princess.  Let all of the glory go to You alone.  We praise You and thank You for empowering us to live for You.  Amen.

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Girls With Swords: Chapter 6 – “Becoming A Warrior” – “Saul’s Warrior Son” (Pgs 90-98)

May 1, 2013 by

I never used to look at the term soldier and warrior as two different people, two different meanings, but after the past few weeks I am noticing a significance difference. While a soldier isn’t less important, less needed or lower than a warrior, a warrior possesses traits I want to strive for. I want to be a soldier that matures into a warrior. I want to “sign on to be more than a soldier”. I want to be tempered until I am the warrior God designed me to be. I looked up the term tempering because to be honest I’ve only really heard it in reference to chocolate (which I feel is one of God’s food choices for us women warriors).

Tempering may refer to:

Like Lisa said “the processing of tempering may not be pleasant or quick”.  But imagine the outcome.  Imagine being the warrior woman who not only sees what our enemy is doing, but one who can follow God’s lead into battles with his promises in our hearts.

2 Kings 6:16-17

So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Romans 8:31

 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Imagine walking into battles without the “blinding fear” that has stopped us in the past. Imagine walking into battles, big and small, private and public, wanting to give our all, wanting to be an example for others, wanting to be different than those around us.

The example of Elisha instructing the King not to slaughter his enemies, but instead to honor them and gift them with a feast was surprising to me, but it made sense. A warrior isn’t quick to teach a lesson, they aren’t quick to avenge a wrong done. But in the right situations they are compelled to offer grace, and compassion. They are compelled to show God’s love, they are led by God to do what is needed when it is needed, whether it is to offer grace, or to stand up and fight.

When we see a “lion with a lamb in his mouth”, when we see an area where we can make a difference, an area where we can bless others, an area where God’s love can shine through us, we as warriors need to seize the opportunity. We need to face each day, each task, and each battle with the perspective of more than just a soldier; we need to face these with the perspective of a warrior. We need to allow ourselves to be tempered.  We need to step back and allow God to mold us into the warriors He desires us to be, and to be the David’s and Jonathon’s of our time.

Let’s ask ourselves ladies: 

MoreThanASoldier.jpg

Let’s Pray:

Lord I pray that we walk with Your promises in Romans 8:31, I pray that we believe that no one, or nothing can be against us when You are for us. I pray that You open our eyes to see those standing behind us when we need it.  I pray that we become more than soldiers, and that we desire to be more and do more. Thank You Lord for this task, and thank You for Your guidance.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

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Girls With Swords: Chapter 6 – “The Enemy’s Target” – “The Original Warrior” (pgs 84-90)

April 30, 2013 by

war·ri·or
/ˈwôrēər/
Noun: (esp. in former times) A brave or experienced soldier or fighter.
Synonyms: fighter – soldier – combatant

I am reading through a Chronological Bible with my church this year. We are currently reading about David and I was drawn to a study note in my Life Application Study Bible as it relates to this section of our book. Here it is verbatim:

David surrounded himself with great warriors, the best of the Israelite army. What qualities made them worthy to be David’s warriors and servants? (1) They had practiced long and hard to perfect their skills (with bow, sling, and spear); (2) they were mentally tough and determined (“fierce as lions”); (3) they were physically in shape (“as swift as deer”); (4) they were dedicated to serving God and David. Weak leaders are easily threatened by competent subordinates, but strong leaders surround themselves with the best. They are not intimidated by able and competent followers. (1 Chronicles 12:1-7, note 12:1ff)

Now, although this passage is referring more to the actual men who fought in the battles, I feel that this passage can be applied to us as women warriors today.

  1. We must study the Word, delight in it, meditate on it day and night (Psalms 1:2). It must soak into our being and become a part of who we are and who we want to portray to this world. We should strive to draw into God’s presence every single day so that we can strengthen ourselves for whatever battles lay ahead of us.
  2. Studying the Word, our s(word) gives us strength and courage. It drives out fear. It helps us move forward when God gives us that nudge to do what we know we must do. It helps us to be tough and to stand strong against the attacks of the enemy.
  3. God wants us to lay aside all of our desires and offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to Him (Romans 12:1), to put all of our energy and focus at His feet and trust Him to guide us where we need to be.
  4. By studying the Word and placing our trust in God, we are pronouncing with undivided loyalty that we will serve the Lord and Him alone.

Girlfriends, warriors are not hired; they are called. David had an elite group of men fighting with him. They were not soldiers, hired to do a particular job. They were called to the task. Do you know that…”You are at once a daughter and a warrior” (page 86)? There is no separation between the two. If you are a part of God’s family—a part of His army—then you are one of His warriors. I think many of us are scared to be warriors, though. We want to just “get by.” But, I am challenging you today. It is time to rise up!

Are you not moving forward with something God is calling you to do? DO IT!

Is fear preventing you from living the glorious life God has planned for you?

FEAR_GWS_Ch6

Having trouble forgiving someone who hurt you deeply? TAKE YOUR BURDEN TO THE LORD. LET HIM HAVE IT. AND FORGIVE.

Ladies, our Lord needs His warrior daughters. Whatever your problem, take it to Him. Soak in His Living Word and let Him speak to you. He will guide you…if you let Him.

Let’s Pray: Father God, help us to rise up as the warrior daughters You created us to be! We know that Your perfect love casts out all of our fears. Help us to claim this promise from Your Word today and place our trust fully in You. Whatever each of these ladies is facing today, Father, I pray that You speak directly to her heart, show her the next step she should take. Surround her with Your comforting and loving presence. I know how much You love every single one of us, Lord. Help us to live the glorious lives You designed us to live. In Jesus mighty name, I pray, AMEN!

Just DO IT!

Jennifer

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Girls With Swords: Chapter 6 – “Becoming a Warrior” (pgs 81-84)

April 29, 2013 by

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR READING ASSIGNMENT THIS WEEK.

Why don’t we send our children into battle?  Why are we so shocked and disturbed when we hear of countries that DO send their children into a war zone?  I believe it is hard enough to send an adult off to do battle.   I cannot imagine looking my innocent, naïve children in the face and sending them off to face a vicious enemy.  I have a responsibility to train my child, teach them the things they need to be successful, develop their knowledge until they are mature.  God doesn’t expect us to fight our battles untrained either.

This week we move from just being a soldier in armor and carrying our swords to developing the heart of a WARRIOR.  Did you know there is a difference?  I did some research on characteristics of a warrior and found some words that made me think.  What do you think of when you hear these words?

Commitment                   Determination                                Willingness to Succeed

Prepare bodily                 Prepare mentally                           Ability to Adapt

Will Power                       Driving Force from within           Push limits beyond expectations

These are not casual words.  They are ACTION words.  They are words with character and strength, experience and wisdom.  Our children do not possess these characteristics yet.  It takes experience and the guidance of a caring parent, teacher, or counselor to bring about this kind of maturity in a person.  SO…there’s the word…MATURITY.  To become a WARRIOR we must develop maturity.  Not just in life experience, but in Spiritual Matters.  We ARE Spiritual Warriors.  Some of us are on the front lines and some are still back at the tent waiting our turn.

The Apostle Paul spoke to people in the new churches about becoming mature Christ followers.  He used some pretty strong language as he taught them to “grow up.”  Check out Hebrews 13, Ephesians chapters 4 and 5, and Hebrews 6.  This is the first part of Hebrews 6:

“So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God.  You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.  And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.” (New Living Translation)

The basic teachings are very important.  If a believer doesn’t get that right, it doesn’t matter how passionate she is about Jesus.  Once a new believer understands the basic lessons, it is time to practice what was learned and “move forward” toward maturity.  The first five chapters of our book Girls with Swords is “Basic Training” for every good soldier.  Now we will learn to develop the heart of a WARRIOR.  Lisa tells us, “The warrior has a CHOICE.  Honoring what is godly and noble is often the rite of passage when a soldier becomes a warrior”  (page 82).

In our reading, Lisa gives us words a WARRIOR would understand:

Strategy                        Intuition                              Vision

Wisdom                        Patience                               Persistence

Tenacity                       Unified Voice (Unity)        Concerned Effort

Do any of these words pertain to you?  Have you developed any of these traits of a Spiritual Warrior?  If you can honestly say “No,” it’s OK.  You know where you need to start.  If you recognize some of these character traits in yourself, that’s Good; continue to work on the area you are lacking.  The Scripture would not tell us to move on to maturity if it was not a possibility for our lives.  God makes use of every attempt we make to move closer to Him.

Lisa shares, “You should never doubt that what seems a small or insignificant decision or gesture now may very well open a passageway or even empower you in the future” (page 83).  Has anyone ever told you what you actually GET to take to heaven with you, that you acquired while on earth?  Some people live by the phrase, “You can’t take it with you, so USE IT UP.”  I need to share with you that the only thing we carry to heaven acquired on earth is our CHARACTER.  We will be known by our godly character in heaven.

Yes, there will be spiritual babies crawling through the gates.  Yes, there will be spiritual adolescents and, hopefully, some spiritual young adults.  But I hope that each one of us will burst the gates of Heaven wide open like a WARRIOR on a mission for God.  We have a CHOICE to believe, a CHOICE to mature and a CHOICE to live in a way that brings Honor and Glory to God the Father.

Let’s finish our time together with Jesus’ best friend, John.  In 1 John chapter 2 we are encouraged to mature in our faith.  The whole chapter is beneficial, but I want to leave you with this:

“24 So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning.  If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father.   25 And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us.  26 I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray. 27 But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.

Living as Children of God

28 And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.  29 Since we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that all who do what is right are God’s children.”

Our struggles on this earth are not with other people, social injustice, or anything we can see.  Our struggle is Spiritual and must be fought with Spiritual Strength, Spiritual Might, by a Spiritual WARRIOR.  It’s time to pick up your SWORDS, ladies, and get to training.  Our future maturity and Spiritual Survival depends on it.

Listen to “Greater” with me as we pray.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, You alone are worthy of our praise.  You alone are great, and we worship Your name.  Father, we will follow You into battle for the souls on this earth.  We want to grow in character as we become more like Jesus.  Give us the spirit of a WARRIOR, the strength to endure to the end, and receive us in heaven as victors of this life.  We love You, Lord.  We are ready to go deeper, be wiser, and learn to be greater.  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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Loving God = Obedience to Him

April 27, 2013 by

I am going to ask a seemingly ridiculous question.  Do you love God?  Yes, really; this is not a rhetorical question!  Alright, here’s another one: How about Jesus…do you love Him? Without any stretch of the imagination, I can see y’all enthusiastically nodding your heads!  Of course you are…me, too!  Oh, how we love Him so!

So then, if/since we do so VERY much love our heavenly Father and our Lord then we will equally affirm that we live out the following statements of our Lord’s…

If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands.
John 14:15

If a person [really] loves Me, he will keep My word [obey My teaching]….
Anyone who does not [really] love Me does not observe and obey My teaching.
And the teaching which you hear and heed is not Mine,
but [comes] from the Father Who sent Me.
(verses 23 and 24)

So I ask you, Jesus girl, follower of the Master, fellow-believer, child of God, “Is there any other way to REALLY love Him other than obeying?”  The answer—Jesus’ answer—is a simple, decisive, emphatic ‘no.’  Oh, there are other ways to demonstrate our love for Him, such as prayer, praise, worship through song, service to others, love for others, etc.

But loving God = obedience to Him.

There is only one way—His way.  We have not been left on our own, to figure out how to obey His commands or even to figure out what His commands are!  By the grace of God, we have a ‘ rule book,’ guideline, structure.  We have the Bible—His Holy Words!  God has never left His people—starting with Adam and his Eve…to Abraham…to Moses and the children of Israel…to David…to Solomon…to the long line of prophets that God used to bring His Words to His people…to John the Baptist…to Jesus’ Apostles…to Paul…to us—without direction, without reminders of His commands, without loving reproof to help them back to the Truth.  Our God is a Faithful Father Who is always there to help and guide and correct and lead, so that we can live lives of obedience to His Words.

We know that an intrinsic part of obedience is knowing His Word and keeping, or treasuring, His Word in our hearts and minds.

I have treasured (hid) Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against You.
Psalms 119:11

 I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.
Psalms 40:8

In the epistle of 1st John, Jesus’ words are reiterated by the Apostle John.

 But he who keeps (treasures) His Word,
truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected.
chapter 2, verse 5

For this is what love for God is: to keep His commands.
Now His commands are not a burden…
chapter 5, verse 3

I am sure that you, my friend, are just like me—we SO yearn to show our love for our God!  We voice our love for Him often and passionately!  We sing our love for Him out from the depths of our hearts in songs of praise and worship and adoration!  Let us never, ever, not ever forget what comes first…what proves our love for Him…what is the start and finish of our love for Him…is a life lived in obedience to His Words.

Praying for each of you!

♥ coleen

_________________________________

If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen, you may email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com, or leave a comment below.

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Girls With Swords: Chapter 5 Weekly Review – “The Cross as a Sword”

April 26, 2013 by

Click Here for Next Week’s Reading Schedule

 

Welcome to Campground USA

Log Cabins, Nature Trails, Canoes,

Paddle Boats, Bikes, Fishing

Yep, that’s the sign entering our campground where we gather around the bonfire nightly to discuss Girls With Swords by Lisa Bevere. 

How about that meeting we had last night discussing Chapter 4!  The Holy Spirit moved upon Christi, and it was as though fire came down from heaven as she spoke about taking back all that Satan has stolen from us. Didn’t we have a Hallelujah time dancing on top of the old devil’s head! 

And speaking of a fire within them—Jennifer, Teresa, Tonya, and Diane did as they answered the questions:  “Where is the Battle?” and “Who is my Enemy?”  

  • Jennifer put it to us straight!  Our war is not with each other; it is with Satan.
  • Teresa laid out God’s plan of Redemption: “One Heart, Vision, Purpose, Name, Kingdom, Mandate.  We could be the answer to Jesus’ prayer He prayed for us at The Last Supper by becoming ONE. 
  • Tonya reminded us that we must battle to become ONE, using the tools God has given us in Galatians 5:22-26. 
  • Diane told her testimony of how the thief had come to steal, kill, and destroy her. But, Jesus came to give abundant life, and she didn’t listen to the lies of the enemy.
  •  Praise and Worship ended the meeting with Heaven’s angelic choir joining in.

 I just gotta tell you about a childhood memory I had as I was walking back to my cabin after the meeting.  I began thinking about the cattle farm I grew up on in Georgia.  I loved watching Daddy’s herd of cattle grazing out in the field.  The old cows would fill their bellies full of hay and then lie down under the shade trees and wait until it was time to get up and graze some more.  It was as though they lived only “to be fed.”

A thought suddenly hit me as I recalled that memory, and I stopped and prayed: “Father God, help me not to just graze on the things I am learning.  May I feast upon your word, and really ‘get who I am in Christ.’ May I not lie down like Daddy’s old cows after feasting.  Instead, may I rise up and use my Sword as a weapon in my daily life.”

Well, the sun has gone down here at the campground.  It’s time to make my way on over to the bonfire.  Tonight we are discussing Chapter 5—“The Cross as a Sword.” 

Teresa pinpoints the Crossroads.

Lisa says: “Just as Adam stole the fruit of a forbidden tree and caused all within him to die, Jesus died on a barren tree and thus became its fruit that all in Him might live.”  

You and I are part of the fruit of Adam, and if we accept Jesus’ gift on the cross, we are His fruit as well. Because we are Adam’s fruit we have a sinful, hurtful part of us.  Many of you have been hurt.  Your hurt is holding you back from the freedom and abundant life Jesus Christ has to offer.  If you have buried secrets, living in shame and regret, you are at a crossroads. 

  • One path leads to…loneliness, embarrassment, shame, pride, just getting by. 
  • The other path leads somewhere new and scary, feels vulnerable and shakey.
  • It requires us to walk one step at a time lighted by faith, trust, hope, and love.
  • But,it binds us to other travelers who are ready and willing to share their life story.

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).

Could we get together, talk, and share our stories?

Jennifer spoke on Transformation.

Isaiah and David prophesied that God’s chosen people would kill His only Son. The religious leaders thought that by killing God’s Son they would get to steal His inheritance.  “None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified The Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8). 

Lisa asks the question:  “What blindsided each and every ruler of that age? They could not see the transforming power of The Cross.”

What about you?

  • Do you see the transforming power of The Cross?
  • Do you live a transformed life?
  • Do you live fully believing that Christ died for you?
  • It is one thing to know about The Cross and what happened that day on Calvary.
  • Do you live in a way that your life represents this knowledge?

We were saved, forgiven, healed, loved, graced, empowered, and restored “in Christ” at the Cross.  It was the dead tree that brought us all back to life. 

You were already transformed because of the Cross.

The question is – Have you accepted it? Are you living it?

Tonya spoke on the power of The Cross.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity” (Ephesians 2:13-16).

Lisa said:  “On the cross God leveraged all that He was for all that we could be.”

  • Jesus died on the Cross, so that we could one day fulfill our potential.
  • The Cross brings us together.
  • The Cross lifts us up above any attack used against us.
  • Christ created the bridge needed between our neighbors and ourselves, between races, between genders, between ages, between classes.

The Cross has the power to unify all who are willing to embrace it.

In Christ the far-off and the wandering come near.

Diane spoke on the Scapegoat.

Everyone’s journey to The Cross is different.  We can all relate with the scapegoat in different areas as we journey to The Cross.   

Guilt     Lonely nights     Oppression     Rejection

Jesus knows the pain and the hurt behind each and every word used to describe what a scapegoat represented.  Yet, this pain was all taken with Jesus on the Cross as He became the ultimate sacrifice. Lisa is right:  The Cross is a Sword of Love.

“Yet it was our weakness He carried; it was our sorrows that weighed Him down.  And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for His own sins!  But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.  He was beaten so we could be whole.  He was whipped so we could be healed.  All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.  We have left God’s paths to follow our own.  Yet the Lord laid on Him the sins of us all” (Isaiah 53:4-6).

“Ladies, we must pick up His Sword and follow Jesus to Heaven!”

After Diane spoke, many women shared their painful past as Teresa had suggested.  Suddenly, a woman spoke out boldly:  “Let’s lay hands on these women that God would restore the years that the locusts and canker worm has eaten up!”

This lady has “got it.”

She knows who she is in Christ and is applying the Sword to the hurting.

Praise and Worship followed with old hymns of the church flowing throughout the campground: Near the Cross, At the Cross to name a couple.  

The smell of s’mores roasting nearby filled the air, and what’s that other smell I smell?  Could it be the aroma of Christ?  (Ah, how sweet it is!)

Let’s Pray:  Father God, may we become a living testimony of who we are in Jesus and know that, because of the Cross, You have equipped us to walk in You and defeat anything the enemy might throw at us.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.  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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Girls with Swords: Chapter 5 – “Scapegoat” (pgs 76-78)

April 25, 2013 by

Every single word that Lisa has written on these two pages of the book have touched my heart in one way or another.  There is so much “good stuff” in this section of the book.  I have enjoyed the whole book so far, and I have really loved this chapter.  This chapter has caused me to look at the Cross in a whole new way.  The Cross as a sword is something I never visualized before.  This idea was all new to me, and it brought something to mind.

We all have a journey to the Cross.  Everyone’s journey is different.  Maybe we can all relate with the scapegoat in different areas as we journey to the Cross.

  • Guilt: How many times have you blamed yourself for an event in your life in which you carry around an immense amount of guilt from?
  • Lonely nights: How many nights have you fallen asleep next to your husband, or at home with your family, yet the loneliness that you feel inside is strong enough to cause you to think you are alone in this world with no one to love you…care for you…or be there for you? 
  • Oppression: How many times have you felt a heavy burden on your heart, one that crushes you to your core causing you to panic and shake the calm life you once lived? 
  • Rejection: How many times did you just want to fit in with your friends, family, co-workers; just to find out that no one wanted to be around you, and when you tried to surprise them you overheard the cruel words they spoke of you that cut deeper than any knife ever made?  The list goes on and on.  There are so many words that are used to describe the scapegoat we once believed we were.

Let’s consider Jesus’ journey not to the Cross, but with the Cross.  Jesus knows the pain and the hurt behind each and every word used to describe what a scapegoat represented.  Jesus went through more suffering than our human bodies can ever imagine.  Yet your depression, your loneliness, your hurt, your pain, your guilt, your betrayal, your shame, your (insert others here) were all taken with Jesus on the Cross.  Could you imagine the weight on His shoulders as He fell up Calvary’s hill?  The astonishing part is that Jesus’ innocent shoulders were not the ones meant to carry all of these things.  We deserve all of it, yet Jesus loved us so much that He took what was meant for our cross and sacrificed Himself so that we can be saved and free in Him!

As Jesus approached the spot where He was to be sacrificed, I can only picture Him taking the Cross with the weight of it all and sticking it into the ground.  Then I imagine the Cross as a sword and I know that when that sharp point hit the ground, our world was shaken.  Not for the worse, but for the better.  Jesus IS the ultimate sacrifice.  As I write those words, “Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice,” I begin to tear up because I stand in awe of Jesus and His love for me that He died and rose again, defeating all that was on the Cross, FOR ME, that I may live eternally with Him.  Lisa is right: the Cross is a sword of love.

It is time, ladies, to follow Jesus’ footsteps to the Cross.  For when we arrive, we will meet Jesus waiting to hand us His sword.  As He gives us His power, we must be able to echo His words in our hearts, “Forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).  We must forgive ourselves, too.  We must leave all the burdens we carried to the Cross in His hands where they belong.  We must pick up His sword and follow JESUS TO HEAVEN!

Make time to meditate on this Scripture today:

 

Isaiah53_4thru6

Let’s Pray: 

Heavenly Father, how can we find the words to thank You for what You alone have done for us?  Thank You for loving us so much that You sent Your only Son to die for us.  Lord, some of the ladies in this study may have already traveled to the Cross and found Your healing and have picked up Your sword.  I pray for these ladies, that You empower them to use Your sword and stand firm in You against Satan as You guide them to Heaven.  Lord, maybe there are some ladies who are in the middle of their journey or have not started yet.  Lord, I pray for these ladies that You show them Your paths to the cross, that You give them Your strength to reach the point where they find You and give You all of the burdens that lay so heavy on their hearts.  I thank You for the power of the Cross.  I thank You for guiding us every day to You.  We love You, Lord, so much!  Amen.

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