{"id":12078,"date":"2013-05-24T01:00:48","date_gmt":"2013-05-24T05:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/?p=12078"},"modified":"2013-05-23T22:43:56","modified_gmt":"2013-05-24T02:43:56","slug":"girls-with-swords-chapter-9-weekly-review-sword-of-the-harvest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/2013\/05\/24\/girls-with-swords-chapter-9-weekly-review-sword-of-the-harvest\/","title":{"rendered":"Girls with Swords: Chapter 9 Weekly Review \u2013 \u201cSword of the Harvest\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Welcome to Campground USA<\/span><\/h2>\n

Log Cabins, Nature Trails, Canoes,<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Paddle Boats, Bikes, Fishing<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Picture this scene<\/b>:\u00a0 You are sitting around the pool at the campground, soaking up some warm sunshine with other women from our group studying Girls With Swords<\/span><\/i><\/b>.\u00a0 Ah, how relaxing!\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I was sitting there with you.\u00a0 As the sun beamed down upon my face, tears of<\/i><\/b> conviction<\/i><\/b> rolled down my cheeks.\u00a0 You see, I was reading over the handout sheet Teresa, Jennifer, Tonya, and Diane gave us for Chapter 8 in regards to WORDS—words that I had spoken unkindly to others, words others had used to persecute me, and words that I had omitted speaking as a witness for Jesus.\u00a0 It was a time of judging myself, and asking forgiveness of the times I had grieved the heart of God.\u00a0 It was also a time of blessing others who had persecuted me.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Though I didn\u2019t realize it at the time, God was untangling me from some of the weeds I had allowed to grow in my heart that had gotten me off the path of holiness that we would be discussing further in Chapter 9.\u00a0\u00a0 Oh yes, those tears actually felt good.\u00a0 Not only did they seem to serve as a cleansing stream, but cleared a path to go forward.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Before I knew it, it was time to head on down to the campfire to hear what my friends had to say about Sword of Harvest<\/i><\/b>.\u00a0 Come, go with me.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Teresa<\/b>:\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Lisa points to the fact that there is only one native North American, all-purpose sword—the machete.\u00a0 <\/i><\/strong>It is made to be used for<\/span> hard work…clearing a path to walk on, insuring safety, as a tool for many purposes, and even food preparation.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Our sWord<\/span> is much like a machete—it clears our path and ensures our safety.\u00a0 For example:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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  • Deuteronomy 5:33 <\/strong>\u00a0 Stay on the path that the Lord your God has commanded you to follow.\u00a0 THEN you will live long and prosper in the land you are to enter and occupy.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • Psalms 1:6<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 The Lord watches over the path of the godly, the path of the wicked leads to destruction.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • 2 Samuel 22:29<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 God, your light floods my path; God drives out the darkness<\/i>.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • Proverbs 3:6<\/strong>\u00a0 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • 1 Kings 2:3<\/strong>\u00a0 Do what God tells you.\u00a0 Walk in the paths He shows you.<\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    At some point in your life, you will find yourself with a choice.\u00a0 Which path will you take…the one that ascends to light and life, or the one that descends to<\/span> darkness and death?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span><\/em>There is no middle way.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    I urge you to get to know the Leader and follow His path<\/span>. Let Him carry the machete<\/span> <\/strong><\/span><\/b>and clear your path.\u00a0 He\u00a0has a plan that\u00a0is best for you.\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    \u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

    Jennifer:<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

    According to Jeremiah, God\u2019s people have wandered off the path of holiness (Jeremiah 18:15).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    Lisa tells us how to get back on the path:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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    • \u00a0Just as a machete clears paths in the wild, the sword of God\u2019s Word has the power to sever<\/span><\/strong> what entangles us.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
    • Through the power of\u00a0His Word, He makes a way where there seems to be no way.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
    • \u00a0Sometimes you need to make a radical environmental change \u2013 turn off your television, get off the Internet, and hang up the phone. When all these voices are silenced, you have a chance to quiet yourself as well. This isn\u2019t an invitation to meditate on a deeper revelation of YOU<\/span><\/strong> but to experience a deeper revelation of HIM.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
    • To avoid a hostile\u00a0re-invasion from the enemy, you must<\/span><\/strong><\/span>firmly establish a new lifestyle and environment<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      What changes do you need to make today in order to return to the ancient path\u2026<\/span>to be a trailblazer like Jesus?\u00a0 God does not really want us to be comfortable. He wants us on a mission, to reach the lost and hopeless, to be trailblazers for His Kingdom.<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Tonya<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

      Lisa examined the relationship between Jesus and John the Baptist.\u00a0 (John was the herald<\/b><\/em> and Jesus was the heralded<\/b><\/em>.)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

      Herald<\/b><\/em> means:\u00a0 an official crier<\/span> or messenger, one that precedes or foreshadows, one that conveys news or proclaims, one who actively promotes or advocates—messenger, crier<\/span>, foreshadows, proclaims, conveys news, promotes, advocates.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

      Quoting Lisa:\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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      • \u00a0” In times of harvest, paths must be cleared and maintained so the harvesters can get to the fields” <\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
      • \u00a0“John was a forerunner who understood his season and purpose; like him, we should herald the One to come.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        We have been assigned many titles—woman, wife, mother, daughter, friend, employee, girls with swords, warriors—and now we are also heralds.<\/b>\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

        Are we clearing the paths or are we adding more barriers for those trying to reach Him<\/b>?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

        \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        Diane<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

        Genesis 3:15 says:\u00a0 Satan will strike His heels (referring to Jesus), but He (Jesus) will crush Satan\u2019s head.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

        When we are on God\u2019s path for us, we will encounter Satan, the snake, in many forms. The snake wants us on his path. He will pull out all of his tricks to discourage us on our path for<\/span> God. <\/span><\/p>\n

        Lisa said:\u00a0 “Even if the snake is not positioned to strike, it must be removed. Snakes are a threat, but not to God. When we are living our life for Christ, snakes lose their threat to us.” <\/span><\/p>\n

        We have all power and all authority of God behind us, ready to take on that snake! Philippians 3:21 The Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body. <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

        We have God\u2019s mighty power behind us, the work has already been done, Satan is already dead, we must continue on God\u2019s path and be prepared princess warriors with the machete of God\u2019s word in our hands and on our tongues at all times!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

        ************\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

        After Diane spoke, I sat quietly while Praise and Worship<\/b> began.\u00a0 I was letting all the words that each lady had spoken sink in. But, tonight God was driving<\/span> home to me something Diane said<\/span> about the snake slithering around trying to have us. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

        It brought me back to a time a few years ago when I was unloading several bags of groceries out of the trunk of my car onto the driveway.\u00a0 I was going through a hard situation at the time, and I was singing to the top of my voice as I unloaded the groceries:\u00a0 \u201cThe Lord is my light and my salvation.\u00a0 In whom\u00a0shall I fear, in<\/span> whom shall\u00a0I fear.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

        About the third bag I picked up to carry into the house, a tiny lizard jumped out of the bag.\u00a0 I threw the bag up in the air. \u00a0When it met the ground, jars of mayonnaise, pickles, and grape jelly, splattered all over my driveway.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

        The Lord spoke ever so gently to me:\u00a0 \u201cSatan is no more than that tiny little lizard, but yet you allowed it to scare the living daylights out of you<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

        As I recalled that memory, suddenly I began to laugh and laugh and laugh.\u00a0 My laughter caught on with the other ladies, and suddenly Holy Laughter<\/strong> began to spread all around that bonfire.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

        I believe\u00a0we all were set free and our eyes were opened to see the fields that surround our lives that are white and ready for harvest.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n