December 23, 2024

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 – “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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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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Girls With Swords: Chapter 5 – “The Croise” (pgs 72-76)

April 24, 2013 by

I don’t like math.  I don’t understand it, and whoever invented the calculator is an awesome person.  But I do understand the equation Lisa gave in this chapter.  I understand what it meant for me, what it means for my children, and what it means for all of us.

Moment = Force x Vertical Distance

I can picture standing there…watching His hands being nailed to the Cross; that moment meant so much more than an arm being stretched across a piece of wood, “in a moment the Cross spanned the unfathomable distance between God and humanity, and overcame every force of hostility.” Every person, place or thing that may stand in our way from becoming who He created us to be was taken care of that day; that’s what that equation means to me. It means that nothing placed in my path will stop what God has planned for me.

Ephesians 2:13-16

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.

on the Cross

Jesus died on the Cross, so we could be the person He created us to be.  God gave His only Son so that we could one day fulfill our potential.

The Cross, out of all the symbols out there, is one that most people recognize.  We were driving to school the other day and my 4 year old little boy said “Mom, I know why there are so many crosses around the church.”  I asked why and he responded by saying “It’s because Jesus died on the cross.”  From this to an elderly gentleman, kneeling in front of a cross in the hospital chapel, praying for his sick wife…to images of the Cross appearing everywhere when tragedy strikes, the Cross spans the distance. This image is a source of comfort, a defense in our times of trouble, a reassurance that everything will be ok in the end.

The name of Jesus is one lever that lifts the world

– Author Unknown

The Cross, and what Christ did for us, brings us together.  The Cross, and what Christ did for us, 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 wandering come near.”

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Cross!  Help us to remember what Your Cross means to us. Your Cross rid us of any hostility that may stand in our way. Your Cross has power that we cannot always see but, standing on Your word, we will walk in faith with our swords held high, knowing that Your Cross, and what Christ did for us on that Cross ensured that we will walk in our full potential.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!

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Girls With Swords: Chapter 5 – “The Cross As A Sword” (pgs 63-65)

April 22, 2013 by

Click HERE for this week’s reading assignment.  

I have a confession to make.  My life is not perfect.  I’m disappointed, saddened, and often angry at the events that mark my past and present.   Things happened to me and by me that I cannot change.  I find myself at a ‘cross’roads’.  I have a choice to make: Do I let those events in my past define me and color the present I am living?  Or do I confess my past and my present, give it to the One who truly loves me and live a future in Freedom and Purpose?

If I confess my hurts, my mistakes, my willful wrong choices, what will people think of me?  I buried those things in my past so far down, no one will ever know they are there.  If I just keep quiet, I can carry these hurts, deeply buried, to my grave and no one will ever know.  But….I know…and God knows…and deep down inside those “secrets” are festering and poisoning my heart and I really just need to dig them out.  NOW, please.

There is a part of me that screams, “What good could possibly come from dragging up the past?”  And then quieter, “Leave it buried.”  “You really don’t want to live through that again, do you?”   And then there is the part of me that says, (Quieter) “You probably don’t want to say that at church.  What if the Pastor finds out?”   “You really shouldn’t write that in your blog.  What if you disappoint readers or lead a bad example?”  “If you let people see that part of you, you will be left alone…again.”  Do you recognize these voices?  Do you hear the whispered hisses?

As we have been traveling together through this book, we have learned so much.  Since Lisa is using sword analogies, we have a visual representation of our cross in our hands.  Our sword, when stuck in the ground, is a cross.  Our sword, when held in the air…is still a cross.

It has been said that the cross is a bridge.  The cross of Jesus bridges the gap between our sinful nature and the perfect, Holy God.  It has also been said that sin entered the world by a beautiful, fruit-filled tree, and on the ragged, bark-stripped cross, Jesus made the perfect provision for us to be made whole.  As 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.” (p. 64).  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.  We hurt people.   Many of you sisters have been hurt.  Your hurt is holding you back from the freedom and abundant life Jesus Christ has to offer.  Many of us have been taught to be ashamed, afraid and silent.  We bear many burdens in silence, never letting anyone in to walk alongside us.  We are lonely.  I was lonely.   That woman next door, she is lonely too.  What if we no longer wanted to be lonely?  Could we just get together, talk and share our stories?

That sounds risky, doesn’t it?   I’m at a crossroads.  I can make the decision NOT to live in fear, shame and disappointment.  I can make the choice to REACH OUT to that woman and listen to her story.  Maybe I will even share my story.  Maybe our stories will meld together, we will strengthen each other, we will forge a bond that is not easily broken and we will no longer be alone.   We will be ONE  and an answer to Jesus’ prayer.

My sWord says this in Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron,  so one person sharpens another.”  I want to be sharp, useful and productive.  I am created for a purpose.  My story, when shared with another person, could be a life-changer, a world-changer.

I am not that person I used to be.  You are not that person you used to be.  Those people (back there in the past) made us who we are today, though, and we have to look at ourselves and see if we are who God made us to be.  I have a choice to make.  I think I’ll take out my sWord and see what wisdom I can find to lead me as I choose the path that leads to freedom in Christ.

Solomon, the wise man, found himself at a crossroad.  God made an offer to Solomon and He makes the same offer to you. What would your heart’s desire be?  Would you choose riches, fame, beauty, intelligence, a good job, a good-looking husband, a house full of kids?  The Bible says Solomon asked for wisdom to be able to do God’s will for His people.  Got granted him wisdom and then added riches, fame, beauty, intelligence, a kingdom, lots of wives and kids.  Only God would do something so extravagant as that!

When Solomon’s life was nearing its end, he looked back over all he had, the choices he made, the things he had done and he was disappointed.  The wisest man who ever lived was blessed abundantly by God and found that it is all meaningless without a relationship with the God of Heaven.

Ecclesiastes 8:9-13

I have thought deeply about all that goes on here under the sun, where people have the power to hurt each other…. When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong.  But even though a person sins a hundred times and still lives a long time, I know that those who fear God will be better off. 

Solomon began to dig into his life experiences, uncover the meaningless parts that stood between him and the life God wanted for him.  Solomon could have left us with the book of Proverbs and we would have thought he was quite profound and wise.   Why did he write Ecclesiastes?  Solomon had a story to tell.  He needed to share with us what he learned so we could walk an easier path if we choose to.

If you are one of those sisters with buried secrets, living in shame and regret, you are at a crossroads.  One path leads to a familiar place…loneliness, embarrassment, shame, pride, just getting by.  The other path leads somewhere new and a little scary.  This path makes me feel vulnerable and shaken.  This path requires me to walk one step at a time lighted by faith, trust, hope and love.  This path binds me to other travelers who are ready and willing to share their life story with me.  I do not have to walk alone.

I don’t know about you, but I want to RISE when He calls my name.  I want to lay down all the sorrow and shame, lies and pain.  I want to follow Him!  I want to pick up a sister along the way and take her with me.

Let’s Pray:

Father, Thank YOU for the cross.  Father, give us strength to choose our cross and to follow You.  Give us a willingness to share our stories with our sisters.  Let those hurts, those wounds be used by You to bring healing to our hearts, Lord , and to free us from the shame that has held us captive for so long.  We want to RISE when You call us.  Thank You for wanting us.  We are not alone.  Never Alone.    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 4 – “The Battleground” (pgs 57-59)

April 17, 2013 by

I often wonder why it seems as if life is a daily battle…. Why we have to fight for things that seem so basic, so common, as Lisa says, we don’t have to fight for the words of Galatians 5:19-21.

Galatians 5:19-21 (NKJV)

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But we do have to fight for the words of Galatians 5:22-26.

Galatians 5:22-26 (NKJV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Jesus fought a battle larger than any we could imagine.  He died on the cross and won that battle.  He won that battle so w could handle the battles He knew would follow.  “This means, that sometimes we must battle to become one.”  We must battle to become one with Him. We must battle to become the mothers He created us to be, to become the wives He designed us to be, and we must battle to become the women He designed us to be.  He knew what we would be facing.   He knew that our lives would seem like battlegrounds, that’s why He gave us the tools we would need.  He placed the sword in our hands, and told us what to look out for, what to avoid.  He told us what Satan would use to attack us, what weapons he would throw in our path.

When I am counseling someone at work one of the things I tell them that they can use to their benefit is the knowledge of what may happen—knowing what may come down the road can help prepare them for it. We have a list printed up of some common reactions to their situation.  This list can be used as a tool when things arise.  It allows each person to develop the tools needed before the “attack” comes.

The same has been done for us.  Listed above (Galatians 5:19-21) are the attacks Satan uses on us and will continue to use on us, to try to divide us and separate us from our Heavenly Father.  God has also created a list of tools (Galatians 5:22-26) we need to carry with us to fend off these attacks.  We would be wise to use these God-given tools each and every day in our lives!

CampInHell

“You don’t set up camp in hell…you journey through it.”  Life was designed to be peaceful and pleasurable, but yes there are times where we have to hold up our swords to protect our joy and peace; times when we are walking through rough patches in our lives. As Lisa says, we journey through it.

Ladies, keep this in your heart, “There are times you must battle to become one.”   So, let’s pick up our swords and push forward.

*****

Let’s Pray:

Lord, I pray Galatians 5:22-26 over our lives. I pray for love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control as we journey through our battlefield. I thank You for the tools we need to counter Satan’s attacks.  I thank You that no weapon formed against us will prosper. In Jesus’ name we pray,  Amen.

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Girls With Swords: Chapter 4 – “The Battleground” (pgs 55-57)

April 16, 2013 by

Did you know that Jesus prayed a prayer that hasn’t been answered yet?  How can that be?  Has Jesus given up hope of His prayer being answered?  When the desires of our hearts are lined up with the will of God, our prayers will be answered.  I believe Jesus was in the center of God’s will for Him, therefore the prayers He prayed WILL BE ANSWERED according to his desires.

But…Jesus is still waiting…patiently… for one very important prayer to be answered.  In John 17:20-23 Jesus prays for you and me.  It says,

I do not ask for these (11 disciples) only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word(all of us NOW), that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

Jesus prayed for you and me BEFORE He went to the cross, before He died for your sins and mine…  It was His heart’s desire to have us to be united as one body of believers, showing the world HIS glory, so that the world would know that God sent Jesus and that God loves all of US as much as He loves His own Son.  So, as long as we are still divided in our beliefs, religious activities and continue to hate other flavors of Christians, the enemy wins…Jesus has to keep waiting for his prayer to be answered.  “Christians” (Christ followers) are standing in the way of Jesus’ prayers.  That can’t be good.   So Jesus waits on us.

The eternal fate of this world is on OUR shoulders.  The world is our Battleground and the Word tells us it is ready to be harvested.  I guess that is a mixed metaphor…the field is white with harvest, the battle is waiting to be WON.  Jesus says to his disciples, this one from Matthew 9:37-38, “Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”  Jesus was showing his disciples the plans the Father has for each one of us.  Have you guessed what that plan is yet?

When sin entered the picture in the Garden of Eden there was one, singular NEED on this planet.  We were separated from God by SIN and God put a plan in place to restore us to a right relationship with HIM.  We were created for HIS GLORY, not our own.  We do not have NEED for bigger, or better, or shinier.  We have a NEED for a right relationship with God.  (Ummm…did you notice that Eden and Need have the same letters?  They are in the wrong order, much like our priorities…hmm)

In our reading Lisa says, “The current behavior of Christian cultures and communities has caused the inhabitants of the earth to question everything we stand for.  Are we acting as though God sent his Son to save the lost world, or do we behave in a way that says it is all about us?” (p.56)  Lisa challenges us to ACT like the answers to Jesus’ prayer.  What better privilege can there be than to be considered an answered prayer for Jesus????  Are YOU the answer to Jesus’ Prayer???  I want to be.  We are all gifts the Father gave to the Son.  Jesus asked God for us and God granted him his deepest desire.  Here are the same verses, but from the Message Bible:  “Father, I want those You gave me to be with me, right where I am, So they can see my glory, the splendor You gave me, Having loved me long before there ever was a world.”

So Jesus ‘  heart’s desire was for the world to be united as one body, for one purpose, for eternity, by His side.  How do we lay down the wrong thinking of tradition and religious behaviors and focus on the One who died for us?  How do we show a godless world what a right relationship with Christ looks like?  Since we found our mighty armor in the book of Ephesians, let’s look there for the purpose of our battle:

“In him we have redemption through his blood,

the forgiveness of our trespasses,

according to the riches of his grace,

which he lavished upon us,

in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will,

according to his purposes,

which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time,

to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”  Eph. 1:7-10

Lisa asks us this question, “What might happen if we were one heart, one voice, one vision and purpose, one name, one kingdom, and one mandate to glorify Jesus?  WE WOULD ONCE AGAIN WALK IN A WAY THAT OUR WEARY EARTH WOULD GLIMPSE HEAVEN.” (p. 57)  I submit to you that we would become the answer to the prayer Jesus prayed at the Last Supper.  We would be the fulfillment of his desire for the people of the world to become one under the Lordship of Jesus…and…dare I say it, “World Peace”.  (Beauty pageant moment, sorry)

ONE

The Bible tells us in Matthew that “God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.”  I want to be Blessed.  I want to be His Child.  Would you come and be my Sister???  Together we can show the world God’s plan for redemption.  We can love one another no matter what Christian nametag we wear.  We are in this battle together.  The fields are white with harvest.

 

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, I thank you for your perfect plan in Eden.  I thank you for desiring a relationship with us to show us our Need.  I thank you for providing the perfect plan of redemption so that we can be united with you for eternity.  Father, I pray for each woman on this journey with us to continue to be united in faith and love, and show that love to others so that you might be glorified.  We thank you for Peace.  Peace that can only be found in you.  Give us the strength and perseverance to harvest the fields, win the battles before us, and bring your peace to the world around us.  We love you, Father.  AMEN

 

Looking for my sisters,

Teresa

(The Harvester)

  • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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 3 “Heroes Are Superhuman” – “Heroes Are Brave” (pgs 47-48)

April 10, 2013 by

What does it take for me to feel like a hero, for us as women to feel like heroes?  Is it our ability to multi-task throughout our day?  Our ability to utilize the sixth sense that women are said to possess?  No. It’s not even the yummy caffeinated aroma wafting in from my kitchen that, in my opinion, allows me to accomplish tasks like a superhuman—“instant human, just add coffee,” or in this case, instant superhuman.

No, it’s none of these.

Zechariah4_6

 

I know that there is one thing that keeps me going; one Person that I depend on for the strength to operate on a daily basis; one Person that gives me, gives us, the superhuman ability to be heroines and  to wield our swords against the devil’s attacks.

 

“Superheros are able to help the endangered and frightened because they understand that they answer to a higher power.”

Alone, I know that I cannot hold my own sword.  Alone, I know that I cannot be the mother I need to be, the woman I need to be.  Alone, I know that I can’t lift up other women. Alone, I know that I cannot be brave for the 5 extra minutes it will take me to become that hero.  Alone, I know that I cannot fight the battles and fight against the attacks that are thrown against me every day.

Yes, we are heroines!  Yes, we are brave!  Yes, we wield swords!  And, yes, we are a threat to the enemy’s plans.  But it is vital that I remember, that we remember, that we are not who we are of our own accord, “but by my spirit says the Lord.”  He is the power that sustains us in our battle. He is the One that makes us heroes. Brave heroes.

Brave is never a word I would use to describe myself.  To be honest I tend to allow fear and anxiety to stop me from acting at times. As usual, I try to pull one or two lines from the text that really speak to my heart. Today it was this line:

Life is filled with terrifying moments, and we cannot stop the onslaught of fear anymore than we can hold back the wind… Allow fear to drive you toward God.”

We are called to be heroes in our day.  We are called to wield swords.  We are called to be superhuman, and we are called to be brave. This can be, and is at times, terrifying. But we need to remember where our superhuman abilities come from—His Spirit. We need to remember where the power of our sword comes from—His Word and, in times of fear, we need to remember who we can run to, who we answer to—the Lord.

Ladies, we are called to be braver five minutes longer, and we are given the power to answer this calling.

 

*****

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for entrusting us with such a great responsibility, and thank You for the power and tools to accomplish the tasks You have given us. In times of fear remind us that You are there for us to run to; You are there to give the superhuman abilities we need to wield our sword against Satan’s attacks. Lord, please give us the strength and courage to be braver for five minutes longer, to be the heroines You have called us to be.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

 

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Girls With Swords: Chapter 3 – “Heroes Seize Their Moments” (pgs 42-47)

April 9, 2013 by

I LOVE SUPERHEROES!!!!!  When I think about the ‘worldly’ image of superheroes it brings to mind the bold, muscular, powerful, intelligent, gifted persona we recognize as the hero.  But if we really look at the person behind the superhero name tag, we find a normal, unassuming, unlikely character.  Most of the comic books show us that these people were ‘victims’ of  a major event in their lives not of their choosing.  They don’t come from a long line of heroes.  They are unique.  They stand out.

I got so fired up when I began reading this chapter, “You Might Be A Hero”.  It was a very powerful reminder of who God can use to do heroic things for Him while we are in this world.  Look at these points Lisa made:

  1. God makes heroes out of nobodies.
  2. Heroes are people of substance.
  3. Heroes have attitude.
  4. Heroes seize their moment.
  5. Heroes are part of a connected legacy.
  6. Heroes are superhuman.
  7. Heroes are brave.
  8. Heroes have something more to them.

I don’t know about you, but when I read Hebrews 11 and recount the heroes of the faith, the last thing I see is ‘nobodies.’  They must have been something special, right?  Surely they woke up one day and KNEW they were a hero.  Didn’t they?  It’s time to dig a little deeper for some truth.

“Each one of these people of faith died not yet having in hand what was promised, but still believing.  How did they do it?  They saw it way off in the distance, waved their greeting, and accepted the fact that they were transients in this world.”

 Hebrews 11:13  MSG

Each one of the people listed in the Hall of Faith died not even knowing the impact their life would have on the world.  All they knew was that they were chosen by God to go wherever He asked, do whatever He needed them to do, protect whomever He needed them to protect, feed whoever was hungry, build what He said build, stand when He said stand and FIGHT when God said fight.

These are our ancestors.  THESE are our ancestors.  THESE ARE OUR ANCESTORS.  They could see us in the future.  They waved to us a greeting and encouraged us to carry on.  They passed the torch on to us normal people of God to continue the fight.  Our ancestors knew they were only passing through this world.  They chose to follow God, do what He asked them to do, and left us a mighty legacy as an example.  As a result, they had an impact on the world that is still being felt many generations after their passing.

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

(Our pastor spoke on this passage this weekend.  I love it when God does that for me.  I got a lesson before I needed to share it with you.)  It is our turn to be the hero that God rises up, in our time, to carry out His purposes.  We have encouragers surrounding us.  They have gone before us, they know how we feel, they are considered heroes, and are sitting in the presence of God RIGHT NOW.  I want to be cheered on by Moses, Abraham, Rahab, David, Mary, Nehemiah, Jeremiah…my grandparents.

Lisa says on page 46, “As the realization grows of how in him we are heroes and he is the hero within, it should overpower any fear we may have felt when we learned we were targets.  We need to throw our shoulders back and declare, “I am positioned for overwhelming triumph because I am ‘from God and have overcome them, for he who is in [me] is greater than he who is in the world’” (1 John 4:4).”

1John4_4

Did you see that?  “I am positioned for overwhelming TRIUMPH because I am ‘FROM GOD’, ‘HAVE OVERCOME THEM’, ‘HE WHO IS IN ME IS GREATER THAN he WHO IS IN THE WORLD’.

This mild-mannered Jesus girl may look ordinary on the outside, but I have a HERO living inside me that needs to save the world.  “It is exciting to look in the mirror and realize there is far more to you than anyone can actually see.  The realm of the unseen holds your secret hero identity.  Being a hero is an act of worship” (p. 47).  My act of worship is to do the will of the One who lives within me.  It is God’s will for every soul on this earth to be redeemed and restored.  It is our job as Jesus girls to spread the word and fight the battles to free God’s children from whatever entangles them.

We cannot lead people spiritually where we have not gone.  (That’s considered a push.)  As heroes, we have to be prepared for the battles by getting to know the Commander.  His Spirit within us guides us to do the will of the Father.  In our own strength, we cannot defeat the enemies we face.  The Bible tells us our enemies are not flesh and blood, but spiritual.  We will not be able to punch, claw, or even stand and take the enemies punishment in our own body without the aid of the Holy Spirit.

Superheroes Are Part of a Connected Legacy

Superheroes know where their strength comes from.  “Life in the Spirit means we no longer give way to the base actions and emotions that tether us to our own strength and striving.  Nor can we allow the enemy entrance through our actions” (p. 47).

Zechariah 4:6 tells us, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.”  Zechariah was a cool dude.  Do you think he really understood who his son was going to be?  Can a parent see into the future and know how their child will change the world?  I don’t think so, but man, John the Baptist was a cool friend of Jesus.  Zechariah raised that boy the way God said and his words are still being read today.  He is still a hero changing the world.  Zechariah had a part in John’s story, John had a part in Jesus’ story and Jesus is a part of OUR STORY.

Oops, sorry,  I chased a chicken and got distracted.  On page 43, Lisa adds a fencing fact.

In fencing, if you fall into playing your opponent’s game,

you are as good as doomed.

We cannot act the way the world does and expect them to see Jesus.  “We cannot allow the enemy entrance through our actions.”  Our sWord says,  “For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?” (1 Corinthians 3:3).  As long as we allow ourselves to be controlled by our actions and emotions, God cannot use us to do superhuman things for Him.  We have to choose to walk with God, by His power, and through His Spirit.

So, to be a superhero we have to plug into our Power Source.  Because God is our Power Source, we are accountable to Him for our actions.  He will guide us to the battle.  He will protect us through the fight.  We will emerge victorious, being cheered on by that great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us.

 

Let’s be Heroes,

Teresa

*****

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, we come to You with a humble heart today.  We fully acknowledge that it is by Your power that we are fighting our battles and by Your power we will emerge victorious.  Lead us to the field, equip us for every good work and lift our arms as we stand for You.  We love You and praise Your Holy Name.   Amen. 

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Girls With Swords: A Sword Reforged (pgs 24-29)

April 3, 2013 by

The sword was renewed… There have been times in my life where I have felt beaten down, like I was unable to pick anything up— least a sword and carry it anywhere; times where I have felt I couldn’t read the word of God; times where I felt I couldn’t even pray.

I know what it feels like to have the sword renewed in my life. To pick up the Bible and have God lead me to the scripture I needed to read that day, to say a prayer and to feel His presence, I know what it feels like to have my sword renewed. I think we can all relate to this.

When I pick up the sword of the Word of God, a lot of times I don’t know what I’m going to read.  I don’t know how it is going to impact my day, my week or how it is going to impact that moment in time.  I do know, and I have faith in the fact, that the Word I hold in my hand and in my heart will make a difference, that the words He has written will make a difference not only in my life, but in the lives of others.

GWS_Page25

Our futures are beautiful and powerful, because we have God on our side and in our hearts.  As Lisa said, it is time for the church to know what a girl with a sword can do, it’s time for Satan to know what a girl with a sword can do, and it’s time that we believe this ourselves—that we take up our swords and declare what God has said in His Scriptures.

Girls with swords may be only three letters, but ladies, it means so much…

 

 

Lets Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the sword You have placed in our lives. Thank You for allowing us to see the power of this sword in our own lives so that we can wield our swords with confidence and faith. Please allow our words and actions to heal and not hurt.  Please give us the holy boldness to step out, sword in hand, and show the world, Satan, and ourselves, that Your word—our swords—hold more power than we could ever imagine.  In Jesus’ name, we pray,  Amen.

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