Fearless Women of God

By Dottie Ryan

See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand. (Deuteronomy 32:39)

We know from last week that Jesus sent out his disciples – He made them go – He, as Laurie suggested, compelled them to go, seemingly alone, in the midst of “The Wind and The Waves”.  Being among the storm where the wind was against them, where they were being beaten by the waves – appearing to be getting nowhere – fear arose.  Yet our Lord was there, right in the midst of their fears to rescue them when they had taken their eyes off Him and looked, instead, at their circumstances.  He immediately reached out His hand to save them – and the wind ceased. Peace and calmness fell upon the circumstances when Jesus came upon the scene.  His very presence commanded obedience from the storm.   As disciples, we can surely relate as we have likely come to the realization that we, too, are sent out just as they were. Yet He is right here for us in our storm when it seems that there is no way out.  And isn’t that a sweet confidence to have? To know that He is always faithful to save? Or do we not know that yet?

This week’s study brings us to the question: “Lord, are You in the storm”?  We have been led to study the Sovereignty of God.  Through that, we have been shown that nothing can happen that He hasn’t allowed.  And for some of us, we might find comfort in that – to know that the Lord is in control and nothing can thwart His plans. We rest in that Truth.  For others of us, we may be challenged to see that as a good thing, especially if we find ourselves in the midst of some very dark and troubling times.  In looking at the scriptures of the Old Testament, we might even begin to question how that can be comforting, particularly as we read Lamentations 3 concerning God’s wrath.  I wrestled for a bit with that.  So for me, some of the ways I have been able to find hope in these verses are:

·        To confess my fear to God.  Then to ask for faith to believe that no matter what our circumstance may look like – or our mind may be thinking or what the enemy might be whispering, that GOD IS GOOD. Period.

·        To remember His continued Kindness to Jerusalem in the midst of their rebellion. Reflect on what the study points us to concerning what Jeremiah was showing us: that all hope seemed to have been lost for them. Yet God provided salvation if the people would cry out to Him and seek Him in true repentance and faith. Faith – not fear. Hope in God.

I want to draw a parallel between Jerusalem (in Lamentations) and the disciples in the boat (in Matthew).  They were, in both case, in the midst of a critical time – a time of crisis. They needed to know this – they also needed to cry out to the Lord.  You will find that all through the Bible . . . when we see our need, cry out to the only One who is able to save . . . He is faithful to save.  Grace. Mercy.

In order to grow in our faith and move away from a fear that causes us to run away from God instead of into His arms, we must choose to believe that in all things He causes good for those who love Him and are called [Romans 8:28]. In all things! Trust and believe in the Truth of His Word and His Faithfulness to His promises. In Day 4 “Walk on Truth” we are pointed to Acts 4:29-31 and what happened “when they prayed.” We were encouraged to make it our prayer that “no matter the outcome and no matter how frightened we feel, no matter how things appear, we will walk forward in the Spirit by faith, fearlessly…”

As New Testament Christians, we have the perspective of being on this side of the cross.  As believers we need not fear His wrath because it was poured out upon Christ at the Cross. Let’s keep our focus on the Finished Work of the Cross (His death, burial, and resurrection) giving thanks and praise to Him for what He has already accomplished on our behalf.  And as we “be still to know that He is God”, I pray that we begin to hear Him speak “peace” to our souls – and that more and more of the Fear that has prevented us from moving forward will begin to melt away and that an increased Faith would begin to arise.

Have you entrusted everything to Him? Do you believe in His transforming power? Will you take a step away from fear and move towards faith in Him this week?

Praying for transformed lives as we submit to His Word in Faith not Fear!

/by

Standing in Awe

Quiet eMoment

by Laurie Aker  

Focus Scripture: Luke 1:57-66 ESV

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth,

and she bore a son.

58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown

great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child.

And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, 

60 but his mother answered, “No;  he shall be called John.” 

61 And they said to her,

“None of your relatives is called by this name.” 

62 And they made signs to his father,

inquiring what he wanted him to be called.

63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, 

“His name is John.” And they all wondered.

64  And immediately his mouth was opened

and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.

65 And fear came on all their neighbors.

And all these things were talked about

through all the hill country of Judea, 

66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts,

saying, “What then will this child be?”

For the hand of the Lord was with him.

_______________________________  

 

What was God doing?

 This fear mentioned by Luke came from

a feeling of reverence for God’s power.

It impacted their minds, their emotions,

their sensibilities, their bodies.

When God works miracles He is not doing them to amuse Himself.

He is not looking to entertain us.

 

“In working miracles God isn’t seeking

to supply us with a pastime, but arouses our senses,

which he sees to be stupified and asleep” (John Calvin).

 

We are often momentarily awed.

We momentarily stand in fear of our holy God.

We get a high from a worship event,

a conference, a book, or someone’s testimony

but then we allow the lust of the flesh,

the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life

diminish the glory of the Lord.

 

The senses of men today have been desensitized

by the culture of extreme and endless entertainment.

Effervescent electronics captivate our attention.

No moment is without stimuli.

We are live in a world with so many bells and whistles

we are awed and amazed, constantly…

we have an electronic “buzz”

and we really never get “sober” “quiet” or “still” long enough.

We live in a culture “high” on media.

 

God, please separate us.

Please have mercy upon us.

Please grant us grace to be able to be truly awed by You.

And may that awe produce a life lived in awe…

 

Help us be still…and know that You are God and that there is no other.

You alone are worthy of our worship and our praise.

Even when it is obvious that God’s hand is in something

it is sometimes easy for us to disregard it.

“For the hand of the Lord was with him” (Luke 1:66).

The hand of God was clearly upon John,

the Spirit in him and with him

and working through him. No man could have denied this.

And yet, many, many, disregarded him.

O Lord, have mercy upon those who disregard

a messenger sent from God.

O Lord, have mercy.

 

 

TAKING GOD’S WORD TO HEART

O Lord, have mercy on us when

we don’t respect those whom You have sent.

Please have mercy on us.

Please have mercy on me.

 Open my eyes…open my ears…open my heart.

God will do a great and awesome things one day

and we will think to ourselves…”Oh, how He loves me.”

And then a day or so later He will allow a test or a trial

and we then think to ourselves…”Oh, He doesn’t love me.”

Like a little schoolgirl…

“He loves me. He loves me not. He loves me. He loves me not…”

Oh, that we would know that He loves us.

Oh, that we would be awed by that love each an every day.

Oh, that we would know that He alone is worthy

of our worship and our praise!

Our one true and great reward.

MEDITATE or MEMORIZE

Write out the following passage from Luke 1 and recite it 3 times.

Take it with you throughout the day.

63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, 

“His name is John.” And they all wondered. 

64  And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue 

loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.

65 And  fear came on all their neighbors.

And all these things were talked

about through all the hill country of Judea, 

66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying,

“What then will this child be?”

For the hand of the Lord was with him.

PRAYER

 Lord God,

May we be continually in awe of you.
May we never loose sight of the wonderful things
you have done for us in Christ Jesus.
In His hands for His glory,
Laurie
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Take Time for Jesus

eMoment by Laurie Aker

Focus Scripture: Luke 1:1-4 ESV

1 In as much as many have undertaken to compile a narrative

of the things that have been accomplished among us,

2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses

and ministers of the word have delivered them to us,

3 it seemed good to me also,  

having followed all things closely for some time past,

to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

4 that you may have certainty concerning  

the things you have been taught.

 _______________________________   

What do you know of Jesus?

What has He done in your life?

How do you know that He is alive?

Take time to ponder these things.

Would you think through your day today in light of these questions?

Would you take a moment today to ask a Christian friend or

family member to give you their witness of Jesus.

Ask them to tell you how they know Him.

Be prepared to share with them how you know Him.

Look for the evidence in your life today.

Jot a few things down to share at the dinner table

or in an email to a friend.

Don’t let today end without giving a witness of your Lord and Savior.

If you don’t know Him, ask someone who knows

Him to tell you about their relationship with Him.

Then ask them how you can know Him too.

 

TAKING GOD’S WORD TO HEART

 

Make time…to find out more about Jesus.

Ask others to tell you about their relationship with Jesus.

Take time to talk about Him today – instead of basketball,

running, eating, your children, your spouse, or shopping.

Let your speech and your actions proclaim Jesus.

Set your hand and your heart

to the task of gathering an account of Jesus.

Store it in your heart and in your mind

that you then might live according to it in your life.

Don’t just know Jesus through your family, pastor,

teacher, radio, or worship songs.

Know Jesus by taking time to read and listen to Him in His Word.

 

Luke’s example of taking time to read and to listen

to the accounts of Jesus is a good one,

but few of us are writers or historians!

Yet, all of us can know Jesus in His Word!

We want to know Jesus so that we can be like Jesus.

It won’t happen overnight.

I pray you do want to know Him more and more.

Read the following Scripture through for context.

Don’t be overwhelmed at its length or breadth;

choose one thing that you will ask the Lord to help you

live out as you come to love Jesus more and more each day.

Choose one thing from this Scripture that speaks to your heart.

How do these instructions help us be more like Jesus?

 

Romans 12:1-18

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God,

to present your bodies as a living sacrifice,  

holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by

the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern

what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

3   For by the grace given to me  

I say to everyone among you not to

think of himself more highly than he ought to think,  

but to think with sober judgment,  

each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 

4 For as in one body we have many members,

and the members do not all have the same function,  

5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ,  

and individually members one of another.

6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us,

let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;  

7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching;  

8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation;

the one who contributes, in generosity;

the one who leads, with zeal;

the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 

10 Love one another with brotherly affection.

Outdo one another in showing honor. 

11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 

12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 

13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 

16 Live in harmony with one another.

Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.  

Never be wise in your own sight.

17 Repay no one evil for evil,

but  give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 

18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

 

Make room to know and “be Jesus”

in the midst of everyday, ordinary life.

 

MEDITATE or MEMORIZE

Write out the following passage from Luke 1 and recite it 3 times.

Take it with you throughout the day.

3 it seemed good to me also,  

having followed all things closely for some time past,

to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

4 that you may have certainty concerning  

the things you have been taught.

PRAYER

Father, thank you for Jesus.

May I know Him and be like Him more and more.

 

In His hands for His glory,

Laurie

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