December 23, 2024

Esther – Chapter 2:11-15

September 11, 2013 by

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Hello again, sisters!

In Esther 2:11-15, we see Esther in a rather exciting, yet anticipatory time in her life. The King is looking for a new queen, and Esther has been chosen out of many beautiful women in her province to be considered for the position. (Almost like the ultimate “Dating Game” – only the ancient royal Persian version!) Before any of the women were presented to the King for his consideration, they underwent an incredible beauty treatment – six months with oil of myrrh and six months with perfumes and cosmetics. Six months for each treatment! (Anyone complain to you about how long it takes you to get ready??  Now that’s high maintenance!)
For those of us who are married, remember when you would get ready for a date with your husband? (Some of us may have to reach back in the memory bank a bit….) For those of you who are single – think about an important date or event that caused a bit of preparation. I remember when I was dating my husband…I wanted just the right outfit, something that made me look good, but not that I was trying too hard; something appropriate for the outing. I needed the right makeup, the right shoes – you get the picture. Sometimes I would shop for something new (even though my oldest shirt would have been new to him!), and I definitely called my Mom, sister, and several friends to get their opinions on how to present myself. On date night I would spend quite some time preparing myself to put my best foot forward.  I would be nervous and excited and would count the minutes until I heard his knock on my door.  Sound familiar to any of you?
Likewise, in our own lives, we are preparing to meet our King—Jesus!  We know that when we are presented as his Bride that we want to be our best.  The wonderful difference in our scenario is that 1) we know that when we belong to Jesus, He has already accepted us, so we need not fear rejection when we meet him; and 2) Jesus is not concerned with how we look on the outside; He looks at our heart (1 Samuel 16:7).  So if Jesus is not looking for our best outfit, but looking for our best “inside person,” how do we get that ready?  What beauty treatments are going to help us make that wonderful presentation of our ultimate selves to the King?
Darlene reminds us of a lovely Scripture.

1 Peter 3:3-5 (NIV)
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.
Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands.

Now let me just put this argument to rest …. Does this Scripture say that it is unbiblical to braid your hair, wear jewelry or get dressed up?  NO.  What it says is that your beauty should not be skin deep.  Hair, jewelry, and clothes are all perishable and therefore are undependable.  They aren’t the mark of true beauty, which comes from the inside.  No one and nothing can take away your true beauty!

When the Holy Spirit is your helper (like Hegai helped Esther), and you follow His beauty advice, the result is amazing.  Galatians 5:22 tells us what a beautiful woman looks like, one who is ready to meet her King (you might also know this verse as describing the fruits of the Spirit).

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Our “beauty regimen” should consist of daily cultivation of the fruits of the Spirit.  I say daily cultivation because we don’t just wake up filled with all of the patience or gentleness we will need for the rest of our lives, do we?  Every day situations will present themselves that will require us to practice those fruits.  You want patience? Be careful what you pray for – you will only develop patience when you are placed in a situation that requires you to be patient.  The same for all of the fruits. The same for our lives of submission and obedience to Christ.

Every day we will be presented opportunities to follow, to submit, to obey, and to believe. We will become better followers when we make the choice to fall in behind the leader, and then act accordingly. Not the most submissive wife yesterday? You know what? That’s ok – but be different today. Rebelling against authority figures in your life?  Choose to be different today.  Resistant to the leading of Jesus? Change and be different today!  You can’t do anything about the past except repent of it, ask God to forgive you, and then choose to act differently today!  That is how we get ready for the King.  Daily ask God – “How can You make me more beautiful today?  Holy Spirit, can You show me how to be more like Christ today? Can You show me how to be more submissive…more obedient?”  Ask, and then trust that just like Hegai, the Holy Spirit will show you exactly what is needed today to be gorgeous—a radiant light that shines for the King!

Let’s Pray:

Holy Spirit, thank You for being our ultimate Helper! Help us today to see our beauty not as the world sees it, in the outward woman, but as our Father sees it. Help us in our “beauty regimen”, to make ourselves pure, holy and beautiful for our Lord Jesus.  Forgive us when we are resistant to Your leading.  Thank You for the great example of an obedient spirit in Esther, and help us to develop our own obedient spirit!  Thank You for Your abundant blessings and protection!  In Jesus’ name we pray.

Amen.

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Esther – Chapter 2:7-11

September 10, 2013 by

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Esther 2:7-11

And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter. So it came to pass, when the king’s commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king’s house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women. And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king’s house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women. Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it. And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.

One of the characteristics about the story of Esther that will always stand out to me, and that makes this one of my favorite stories, is the amount of detail used to relay the message.  I love reading the words and seeing the story play out in my mind.  Here is this young girl who was orphaned at a young age, adopted by a family member, taken from her home to possibly become the wife of the king, and through all of this she was strong, faithful, and obedient.  I love reading and learning about the favor that was shown to her, and about how the hand of God was on her life.

Darlene talks about Esther being helped along the way, being taken care of.  Mordecai, Hegai,  and the seven maids that were given to assist her, were all placed in her life to help her along her journey.  She was never alone.  God was always there helping her—always sending someone into her life to offer her assistance.

That’s what the Holy Spirit does in our life; He is in place to remind us that we are never alone. He is our Comforter and He is our Guide.  I’m sure we can all say that we’ve felt like Esther at some time in our lives.  We have been faced with tasks and responsibilities that take us out of our element, out of our comfort zone; we may have felt alone, we may have not known what to do, what step to take next.  We could only operate on our faith.

But like Esther, we were given people to help us along the way.  People were strategically placed in our path to offer us aid.  Our Comforter and Guide is always there, reminding us that we are never alone. 

John 14:26 

But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name,  
he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance  
whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 16:13

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself;  but whatsoever he shall hear,  that shall he speak:  and he will shew you things to come.

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You, Lord, for Your love.  Thank You for the guidance and comfort that is shown to us each day.  We go through our days facing various tasks and it is so easy to forget to realize that You are always there.  You send people to help us along the way.  Lord, I pray that we exhibit the strength, obedience, and faith that Esther had.  I pray that we recognize those who You place in our path to assist us, and that we fully embrace Your hand on our life.  Open our eyes and our hearts, Father, so that we can accomplish what You ask of us.  In Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen.

 


 

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“I AM” Chapter 1 – Day 4: Look for the LORD

July 11, 2013 by

“O storm battered city, troubled and desolate. I will rebuild you on a firm foundation of sapphires and make the walls of your houses from precious jewels. I will make your towers of sparkling rubies and your gates and walls of shiny gems”

Isaiah 54:11-12

This is the verse I have clung to over the past few years, the restoring God, the God of hope when I had none.  As Teresa mentioned in the beginning of this study, the Great I AM will speak to you in the manner that you need.  He will be what you need Him to be.  Have you begun to see this for yourself? As I looked up each verse, I was overwhelmed by just how much He loves each one of us, so much that He does not want to leave us in the state we are in.

Today we have the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us, a gentle nudge from the Dove, a Gift left to us by Jesus when He departed into Heaven.  But in the Old Testament, God sent prophets to do just that…to give His people His messages.  These messages weren’t always what they wanted to hear. Can you just imagine? I mean who wants to be told that you are not walking in His will and you are about to be punished? I know that being on the receiving end of “constructive criticism” is not easy (especially when I know I’m wrong) but, as Jesus followers, it is our duty to hold each other accountable and to do this in a loving, godly manner.  Praise God that He loves us enough to send messengers our way to redirect our path.  He is relentless when it comes to His children, right?

Just as Isaiah’s message to the people was “return, repent and be renewed,” so should ours be. “Fear not, you will no longer walk in shame. He is your Redeemer!” Isaiah 54:4-5

He is my _________________ (fill in the blank). For example: do you need Hope?  He is your HOPE.  “From eternity to eternity, I AM your God.  No one can oppose what I do, no one can reverse My actions.”  Isaiah 43:13

Do you need Forgiveness?  He is your FORGIVER.  “I,  yes I alone, AM the One Who blots out your sins for My Own sake and will never think of them again.”  Isaiah 43:25

Do you need Rest?  He is your REST.   “I will be your God throughout your lifetime, until your hair is white with age.  I made you and I will care for you, I will carry you along and save you.” Isaiah 46:4

Do you need Comfort?  He is your COMFORTER.  “I, even I, am the One Who comforts you, so why are you afraid of mere humans who wither like grass and disappear?”  Isaiah 51:12

Friend, His message to us is one of hope, forgiveness, rest, and comfort; but we must return, repent, and be renewed in Him to receive all that He has planned to give us, blessing upon blessing, and we must not be timid with His message.  He wants us to be bold!  Isn’t this what we were created to do?

There is a song that has been playing in my mind the entire time I have been writing. It is by the Sidewalk Prophets and goes like this: “If there’s a road I should walk, let me find it. If I need to be still, give me peace for the moment. Whatever your will.  Whatever Your will, can You help me find it?”

He will rebuild us and continue to work in, and through us, until His grand finale’ — the Coming of Jesus!!

How is He speaking to you today?  As you wrote out each verse from today’s section, which of His names really spoke to you? Would you tell us about it?

I love each one of you and I’m praying for you.

Blessings!!

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, Daddy, the Great I AM, You are so many names to us in the midst of whatever we are going through at the moment.  You become what we need.  You are the Redeemer, Deliverer, Comforter, our Resting Place, Beginning and End.  We praise You for satisfying our every need.  We thank You for Your unfailing love and Your Presence that never leaves us.  You give us Your words of wisdom so that we know what to say to all weary souls. Thank You for giving us an understanding of Your will. May we have the strength to boldly carry it out for all to see so that You alone are glorified…for it is in Your Son’s precious Name we pray.

Amen.

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Pentecost—The Holy Spirit Has Come

May 18, 2013 by

Tomorrow is the celebration of the Day of Pentecost—the day almost 2,000 years ago when the Holy Spirit was sent by God Almighty to take Jesus’ place in the lives of His disciples.  You can read about this dramatic, unique event in the Book of Acts.  Acts 2:.

After Jesus had ascended to Heaven, the apostles and many disciples had been waiting as their Lord had told them to do.    They were gathered together…the apostles, Mary, the other women who followed our Lord, along with some of His disciples.  The Scriptures tell us that they spent their time praying.  After Jesus’ arrest, His trial, and His crucifixion, Jerusalem was not a safe place for them to be (as many of them were known to have associated with Jesus).  But they were obedient to their Lord, even in His absence, and yearned to receive His promise.

While He was together with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise.  “This,” He said, “is what you heard from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.
Acts 1:4, 5 and 8

Jesus had promised them, “If I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). That promise was fulfilled on Pentecost. Just as Jesus was always there to help them, and to guide them, and to teach them, the Holy Spirit would be also.  The Holy Spirit was, essentially, to be Jesus’ replacement.  Now they would have the Holy Spirit—One who would, just like Jesus, minister to them in all the ways that He had.

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.
He is the Spirit of truth…
John 14:16 and 17

   (read the context in verses 15-26)

What an incredible promise!  Can you imagine?  During the Last Supper, Jesus taught His disciples much about much!  He was preparing them.  And He was helping them to know that, when the time came, they would not be alone. He loved them SO much!  And so His communication with them during this time included instruction and encouragement regarding His promised sending of the Holy Spirit.

Now before the Passover Feast began, Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and return to the Father.  And as He had loved those who were His own in the world, He loved them to the last and to the highest degree.
John 13:1

Just as real as Jesus was to the disciples when He walked this earth, He is just that real to us, His current-day disciples, through the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit continues to be Jesus’ presence with His disciples today—you and me.

Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s sanctuary and that the Spirit of God lives in you?
1 Corinthians 3:16

To the same degree that those who were alive in Jesus’ time needed a Helper and a Comforter, so do we; wouldn’t you agree?  Our Lord loves us (you and me) also “…to the last and to the highest degree.”  His promise extends to every one of those who are His; who obey His commands.  His promise of One Who would take His place, to be Helper, Comforter, to teach and guide, to walk alongside is to you and me!  We are not alone!

This song conveys my heart toward you, and my prayer over each of you!  May this incredible, miraculous gift of love—the indwelling of Jesus in your very heart through the Holy Spirit—give you agape love for others, joy, peace, patience, comfort, bravery, and strength.  May your heart be revived…renewed to love and serve the One Who loves you so!  ♥

Praying for each of you!

♥  coleen

Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God lyrics

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If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen concerning this blog post, you may email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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Crazy Love – Chapter 4 Reading Assignment – “Profile of the Lukewarm”

January 27, 2013 by

How are you feeling? I mean, really, feeling? 

This book is not one to sugarcoat anything. Chan gets to the point and some of his words may sting. I hope you are still with us. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit is working in your heart to break down any barriers that are hindering your love relationship with the Lord. His love for us is beyond all comprehension, so shouldn’t our lives reflect that love as we go about our daily life?

This chapter is another one that may hurt. It may bring some long buried feelings to the surface. Let’s work through them together. Stick with it. God is changing us and molding us into the women He designed us to be. It is not a quick process. Every single day, we are changing. Praise the Lord for that!

Week 4 Reading Assignment

Chapter 4 – Profile of the Lukewarm

Monday: Chapter 4 “Profile of the Lukewarm” pgs. 65-68/ loc 763-to top 816 (Megan)

Tuesday: Chapter 4 “Profile of the Lukewarm” pgs. 68-72/ loc 816-872 (Martha)

Wednesday: Chapter 4 “Profile of the Lukewarm” pgs. 73-77/ loc 872-940 (Donna)

Thursday: Chapter 4 “Profile of the Lukewarm” pgs. 77-81/ loc 940-1009 (Jennifer)

Friday: Chapter 4 “Profile of the Lukewarm” Weekly Review and Chapter 4 Study Video from YouTube (Megan)

Here is a video of our author with a look into our chapter for the week:

Let’s Pray: Father, this book is difficult. We know You are speaking truth into our heart and some of it may hurt. Continue to guide and lead us on this journey and help us with these struggles and hurts as You reveal them to us. We know You are with us every step of the way. Help us to turn to You for our every need and to become the women You designed us to be. Reveal to us if we are being lukewarm at all in our faith and show us how to be on fire for you every single day. We praise You and thank You, Father. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

If you are interested in joining this amazing online Bible study for Crazy Love, click HERE to sign up.

Once you are registered, you will receive an email with further details.

If you would like to email a private message to Jennifer in regards to this blog, please email her at Jennifer@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

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Life’s Healing Choices: Week 1 -The Consequences Of Our Problems

January 8, 2013 by

“No! I do it by myself!” Awe the famous phrase of a toddler. Unfortunately I still use this phrase at times today as an adult. I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand to be told what to do! I don’t like not having control, and truthfully I rebel a lot of times and completely do the opposite of what’s being asked of me, even though I know it’s not the right thing to do.

Every one of us struggle with circumstances in life that we know are not good for us, but we still do them anyway. I have struggled with insomnia ever since childhood. There are many ways my doctor tries to help me by giving suggestions to help with falling asleep. However, I don’t always do them. For example, no caffeine after 3pm. (Honestly, I never listen to this one.) When I go out to eat, I order that coke with my meal because I think my meal is much better with one. I will drink 1 or 2 cups of coffee with my husband in the evening because it’s a special moment together we share. Yes, there are non-caffeinated drinks, but who cares! I want the real stuff! As a result of doing wrong, I suffer the consequences of being up late at night, not getting enough sleep, and SO cranky the next morning.

If the cause of most of our problems is our efforts to control everything, then what are the consequences of playing God? Isn’t that exactly what we are doing? There are 4 consequences listed in this book:

1) FEAR: When we try to control everything we become afraid. In my life I felt so out of control and scared inside that I faked being happy. In high school I acted like I was so happy and I smiled all the time. I was a good actress and thought that if I could get others to believe I had it all together, than maybe I too would somehow convince myself it was true. But truth was, I was hurting and so scared of people finding out this was not true. I was scared they would not like me and wouldn’t want to be my friend. I have remained in fear this would happen to me my whole life. Do you ever feel like this?  What is it that you fear today?

2) FRUSTRATION: Although I tried my best to hide my problems, a new one would arise. It never seemed to fail that I never stop with one pop up, I would have numerous ones and they never went away. I felt so frustrated all the time! Are you walking around today pretending your God thinking you can handle all your problems yourself, and you don’t need anyone’s help? Here are two examples of people in the Bible talking about feeling frustrated. Apostle Paul felt frustration: “It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I eventually do what is wrong…There is something else deep within me… that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to sin.” (Romans 7:21-25 commentary)…David also felt frustration: My dishonesty made me miserable and filled my days with frustration.” (Psalm 32:3 LB)…Are you Too feeling frustrated today?

3) FATIGUE: I feel so tired all the time when playing God and pretending everything was ok when it definitely was not. Every day I felt weak and tried faking how I was feeling with everyone I came into contact with. I started feeling like I couldn’t keep up my lies much longer. I felt like my strength was almost gone. David experienced fatigue: “My strength evaporated like water on a sunny day until I finally admitted all my sins to you and stopped trying to find them.” (Psalm 32:3-4)

4) FAILURE: I always fail at playing God. Every one of us will fail at doing this and that’s a guarantee! The wisdom of Proverbs tells us, “You will never succeed in life if you try to hide your sins. Confess them and give them up; then God will show mercy to you. Are you being honest and open about your weaknesses, faults, and failures?

 

Psalm 32:3-4

Psalm 32:3-4

LET US PRAY:
Father God, I come to You because I’m weak, so tired of trying to handle everything on my own. I’m afraid to let others know what’s going on inside of me. Lord I give to You my hurts, my failures, my faults. I’m tired of running and I’m going to let YOU be GOD. Thank You Lord for Your amazing love
In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

 

ASSIGNMENT: Review these 4 consequences and list fears you have right now and how they cause you to react and feel. Share with us what you have been trying to control that have you tired today.

 

If you would like more information about this online Bible study, please email us at: GCH_VH@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

If you would like to send a private message to Leslie in regards to this blog, please email her at: Leslie@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

 

 

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A Daughter’s Worth: Week 11 – Day 2: Be Sensitive to the Holy Spirit

December 11, 2012 by

 

I have a story to tell you and it’s not pretty.  It’s one of those stories that you really wish had never happened and you never had to own up to.  But the truth is, it did happen and it is part of my history.  Kind of like a Series of Unfortunate Events, only I was a main character and I made decisions that I knew I shouldn’t have and I paid the price for my actions.   I have to tell you so you will see how the Holy Spirit works in our lives if we let Him.

First of all, to have the Holy Spirit in your life you have to have given your life to follow Jesus.  That is #1.  Getting to know Jesus and what He expects from us is #2.  Learning to walk the walk and talk the talk is #3.  Making a mess of life and making changes to bad behavior and habits is part of #3.  Deciding that God’s way is best and that He wants what is best for me, that’s #4.  Today’s story comes in at #3 and I’ll tell you about how I learned about #4.

I have to tell you that I am a very stubborn and strong-willed person.  Sometimes that works in my favor, sometimes it gets me into trouble.  Finding that balance is where the Holy Spirit comes in.  I was raised in church and was drawn by the Holy Spirit to give my life to Jesus when I was 11.  Boy was that a hard admission to make when you are stubborn and head strong…and shy.  I knew I needed Jesus and I knew He wanted me.  I was afraid to admit it publicly because people would look at me.  My God did not give up on me and He continued to tell me to come to Him.  Finally at summer camp, during cabin quiet time, I gave my heart to Jesus.  No tears, no hysterics, no party…just obedience to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.  Peace entered my heart and calmed the inside of me.  That was pretty cool, then I had to tell my mom, and my pastor, and my church.  It’s biblical you know.  Romans 10:9 says, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”  So after I told my church, I got baptized…in the river, the Tennessee River, just like the old songs and the movies show it.

Man, I was on fire…on the inside.  Still shy, you know.  I dug in to the Bible even more than I had before.  My favorite verse was, and still is Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.  At 12, I felt God (through the Holy Spirit) tell me of the plans He had for my life.  I asked Him questions and He answered me.  I have held those words in my heart all these years.  They are just as real today as they were when I was 12.  I am now living those plans that God revealed to me when I was young.  Never could I have known what my life would look like, or who I would marry, or how many kids I would have, or that I would be leading an online Bible study.  I had to trust that if I gave my life to Jesus, He would take care of the details.

So HERE is where I MESSED up and had a NO good, DIRTY, rotten, Horrible DAY for about a year.  :-/  I was in church, in school and everybody had boyfriends.  I felt left out and really wanted a boyfriend soooo bad.  I prayed for a boyfriend, ANY boyfriend to make me feel special and show the world that somebody wanted me.  I was getting attention from some boys, but none that I really liked or thought would be a good choice.  I got really tired of waiting for the person God was preparing for me and decided to take a risk on a “bad boy”.  Well, in my defense, he was the pastor’s son, he rode my school bus and he was kinda cute.  He also cussed, smoked pot on said school bus and didn’t do his homework.  He and his buddies got into all kinds of trouble, but he liked ME.  HMMMMM, what’s a good girl to do?

So back to #3.  I got distracted from walking the walk, because the talk I was talking was not good.  I let this relationship with the boy distract me from the plan God had for me.  I got in trouble at school.  I lost some friends.  I got two In-School suspensions and one 3-day unpaid vacation that my parents were not thrilled about.  (sarcasm here)  I’m surprised they let me live.  It was a close call in my house for a while.  My sophomore year of high school is one I wish I could get a do-over, or take a HUGE eraser to and wipe it from my history.  I can’t erase it, because it brought me to #4, “Deciding that God’s way is best and that He wants what is best for me”.  I had to learn the hard way and some of you do too.  Maybe I went through that way back then so I could share it with you today.  DON’T DO WHAT I DID!

Ava tells us in today’s lesson, “When you focus on God, the Holy Spirit goes to work.”  Try really hard to get your heart focused on God.  Push out the distractions and listen for the Holy Spirit to speak to you.  Just because I messed up at 14, I didn’t erase God’s plan that He gave me when I was 12.  He didn’t throw me away because I made a bad decision, or several bad decisions.  He loved me and drew me back to Himself and taught me to walk the walk.  I’d like to say that was the only mistake I made in my life, but it’s not.  It is however, one that I was embarrassed to talk about for a long time.  Now it is part of my love story with Jesus.

LET’S PRAY: 

Heavenly Father, Thank you for loving us enough to let us make our mistakes, correct our path and give us a job that brings glory to YOU.  Forgive us when we mess up.  You know we are going to mess up and need you to come to our rescue.  Thank you for picking up the pieces of our heart and putting it back together.  We love you, Father and want to bring you all of us to use any way you want.        AMEN

Much Love,

Mama T <3

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If you are interested in joining us in our GCH:decaf Teen Girls Ministry, please click the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage. Just follow the instructions on the form and hit submit. We’ll be happy to add you to one of our Online Bible Study Groups! Please email GCH_Decaf@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information.

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A Daughter’s Worth: Week 10 / Day 5 – Reach Non-Believers Around You

December 7, 2012 by

Prepare your hearts

As we come to the end of 10 weeks, we have been discussing how to tell your story to others, how to keep your life clean, continue to grow, and how to influence your younger ‘sisters’. That is a lot for some to do. Don’t feel overwhelmed though, you have a great resource to help you through all of this, God and His word, the Holy Bible, and your friends. Now it is time to discuss how to reach the non-believers.

Was there someone in your church or family that you looked up to? Did she talk to you every week, or maybe everyday at school? Is there someone who looks up to you? Ava gave us a check list as an indicator as for living our lives. Here is just a couple: Do you pray for unbelievers to see God, do you invite them to church? The list she gave was not all-inclusive but a good way to gauge where you are in your walk.

When we read about Paul’s situation in Acts 26: 15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.(ESV)  This is a high road for anyone to follow, let alone Paul.

You see, Paul was a Pharisee, a man who was chosen to STUDY the Jewish laws and customs. A Rabbi never chose anyone to mentor unless that young man had potential. Paul was ready and willing to prove his love for the Jewish people no matter who he hurt in the process. While on the road to Damascus, Paul had a divine meeting with Jesus in a very unique way. Paul was blinded by a bright light. He could not see, but he could hear. Those with him probably did not hear what was being said to Paul, but could hear Paul Jesus speaking. Paul was told, as it is said above, to preach the good news of salvation to the Gentiles, that they may receive forgiveness of sins.

We should never assume someone is saved just because they go to church. Just because we sit in a church every Sunday, this does not mean we are saved. We are saved by asking Jesus into our hearts, professing Him as Lord of our life and following Him. In order for us to witness fully to our friends we need to do 4 things:

1) read God’s word daily and pray. Ask God for those moments when we need to share our story with someone. Maybe write out a short version pf your testimony and then write out one for when you have more time to sit and explain why it is important to have that relationship with God.

2) Pray about specific non-believers that you know and ask the Holy Spirit to be with you when you are sharing.

3) Speak from your heart and share what God lays on your heart to share.

4) Know that the Holy Spirit is there with you, praying you through and giving you the confidence to share.

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We need to prepare our hearts in order to share effectively with others. Ask God to reveal places where forgiveness is required and ask how to receive or give forgiveness. Do you need to rededicate your life to God? Then do it, you will reap such huge benefits. Now Ava asks that you think of 3 people whom you will pray for regularly for the right opportunity to share what God has done for you and how living in His perfect will has made a huge difference in your life.

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Let’s pray:
Father, we come before You asking that Your Holy Spirit reveal in us places where forgiveness needs to be given in order for us to share Your love, grace, and mercy with others. Lord use me as Your mouth piece even when it is scary. Help me to slow down and listen to Your prompting and help me see God opportunities as they appear. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!

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For the A Daughter’s Worth Online Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website from clicking the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage.

If you are interested in joining us in our GCH:decaf Teen Girls Ministry, please click the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage. Just follow the instructions on the form and hit submit. We’ll be happy to add you to one of our Online Bible Study Groups! Please email GCH_Decaf@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information.

 

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Winning Him Without Words: Travel The Road of Forgiveness

November 20, 2012 by

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Bitterness, resentment and anger over unmet needs. These are all kindling for unforgiveness and I have gathered them all. When someone does something that hurts me, I am unable to tell them. Confrontation is too difficult for me. I am a “nice” person and a “nice” person does not argue or complain. That is unless you are my husband. When he does something to irritate me, I’m all about letting him know about it. It’s that “word” thing again! My mouth opens like a flood gate and all sorts of “you should’ve known better” and “you don’t care about me” accusations come bursting out. In the world, people say releasing that anger is cleansing. But not me. After I lose my temper I am left with feelings of guilt. I know I shouldn’t act that way and I am embarrassed of my actions. That guilt turns into resentment towards my husband because if he hadn’t made me mad in the first place, I wouldn’t be feeling so lousy now. So I stay angry, resentful and bitter and can’t even fathom forgiving my husband for making me angry.

Ugh. How exhausting that kind of marriage can be. So to change this endless cycle I have had to pray, and I’ve had to pray HARD because forgiveness is hard! When you feel jilted your human instinct is to get even, it’s the insult for insult, eye for an eye mentality. But God doesn’t want you to act like that. He wants you to give it to Him!

Especially when you are trying to speak with your unbelieving spouse. I recently had a discussion with a friend who is an unbeliever. I was astounded that he truly does not believe in God and I know he was just as perplexed with my views. It makes it very hard to have a civil discussion when both sides believe so strongly in their views, doesn’t it? Insulting, angry words will be tossed around, tempers will escalate, feelings will get hurt. Things may be said that are very hard to forgive. And like I said above, forgiveness is hard, but not if you ask God for his help. Turn to Him and tell him of your hurts and ask Him to help you forgive your husband. By turning to God you are given the power of the Holy Spirit and through Him you can do all things! Even forgive!

When you forgive you gain freedom. Freedom from the hurt feelings, freedom from the frustration and anger. He takes it all from you and leaves you free to just love your husband as he is, because after all, that is what God wants us to do. He doesn’t want you to worry about your unsaved spouse anymore. Leave that to God & be your husbands fine linen rope.

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord, forgiveness is a hard thing to do, but we know how important it is, not only for a healthy marriage, but also for a healthy mind and body. Unforgiveness can eat away at us like a cancer if we let it. Reveal to us Lord the areas of unforgiveness in our marriage and help us to give them to You. Help us to heal from the past hurts and replace that pain with the feeling of freedom! In your precious name, Jesus, Amen.

Your Assignment:

Below I’d like you to talk about an area of unforgiveness in your marriage that  you may be holding onto. We will all pray with you to release it to God!

Godspeed,

Sarah

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For the Winning Him Without Words Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website by clicking the “Sign-Up Here” button located at the top of our webpage; which is also where you can sign up to participate in this awesome bible study!

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Winning Him Without Words: Key #7 Pick and Choose Your Battles (Reading Assignment)

November 11, 2012 by

Last week we learned that we do not have to be perfect – we need to be authentic. Phew, what a relief! This week we are tackling the daily battles that arise in our relationships – how should we respond? What battles do we need to stand our ground on and which ones can we let go? Or do you feel like the character in the cartoon image and want/need to fight every battle, even to the detriment of your marriage? Ouch! We have a lot to learn this week and I cannot wait to get started!

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Here is your Reading Assignment for this week!

Monday Nov 12 
Luke 21:14-15 – Pick & Choose Your Battles / Stand Up Shut Up – Beverly

Tuesday Nov 13 
A Transformed Life – Jennifer

Wednesday Nov 14 
Let’s Have a Word – Donna

Thursday Nov 15 
Speak Words of Grace / Receive Grace –  Sarah

Friday Nov 16 
Discovery / Prayer – Martha

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Let’s Pray: Father, we know that this week’s topic may be a tough one for us to hear. We do not like to lose and we want to stand firm in our beliefs, Lord. But, God, we also want to have a healthy, loving marriage relationship with our spouse. Show us how to pick the battles worth fighting and letting go of the ones that we can agree to disagree on. Lord, it is by your strength that we do this. Just be with us as we look inward to our own actions and behaviors this week. Help us to change the things that we may need to change. Give us wisdom and strength to become the women and wives you have called us to be. In Jesus name, we pray Amen!

Blessings,

Jennifer

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For the “Winning Him Without Words” Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website by clicking the “sign-up here” button at the top of our webpage; which is also where you can sign up to participate in this awesome bible study!

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