WOMEN'S FOCUS MINISTRIES provides this collection of writings by talented women who participate on our WRITING STAFF. You will find that these blogs are not only beautifully written but also are inspiring and interesting. ENJOY!
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We all go through trials and tribulations. The Scriptures warn us that we would.
“In this world you will have tribulation....”
John 16:33
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous...”
Psalm 34:19
These adversities can be exhausting and even debilitating. We turn to God in prayer, but sometimes the answer does not come. It is tempting, after an extended period of time, to determine that perhaps our desired result is not God's will. We can grow so weary that we decide to just accept our present circumstance and make the necessary adjustments to live with it.
I want to encourage you, however, when difficulties prevail, to keep persevering in prayer and faith. The parable of the persistent widow prompts us to do just that. Jesus Himself tells the story of a lowly widow who went to the town judge “repeatedly appealing for justice against someone who had harmed her.” Luke 18:3 The magistrate was an unjust Godless man who did not care about the woman or her cause. Yet, because she kept hounding him, the judge finally granted her request, if only to put an end to her harassment of him. Scripture goes on to encourage us.
“And will not God bring about justice forHis chosen ones,
who cry out to Him day and night?”
Luke 18:7
The Lord uses the widow's parable to prompt us to keep on asking with confidence and boldness.
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:16
Jesus doesn't chide us but rather recommends that we keep crying out to the Father until we see His promises fulfilled in our lives.
If anyone had reason to lose heart, it was Abraham. He was 75 years old and childless when the Lord promised him that He would make Abraham's descendants into a great nation. Genesis 12:2 Abraham and Sarah did not conceive Isaac, the son of promise, until 25 years later. And yet,
“...Abraham's faithdid not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age,
he figured his body was about as good as dead – and so was Sarah's womb.
Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that
God is able to do whatever he promises.”
Romans 4:19-21
Whatever is burdening you today, there is one who can destroy your yoke of oppression. Jesus can set you on high, meet your every need, and fill your heart with strength and joy. Keep asking, seeking, and knocking. You may be weary by evening, but God's mercies are new every morning.
My morning walk was peaceful.
I love the quiet weekend mornings with our dog. I am free to think things through in ways
that I cannot when I am inside.
The Lord speaks to me anytime, anywhere, but I feel more open
and undistracted when I am able to see the sky and hear the birds. Well, not really undistracted, I find my
thought meander from thing to thing, but at an easier pace than at other
times. Perhaps this is why I hear better
when I am outside.
And not just with my physical ears, but maybe because I am
awe of my surroundings, I am able to be inspired with answers to questions that
I really had not thought to ask yet.
This time, while thinking about a conversation with a friend,
I was trying to find a way to define how the dark and painful things from our
past actually make us uniquely qualified to step into the huge thing that He
intended for us to do before creation.
And there it was, just sitting on the ground in the dirt,
like an ordinary stone. In fact it was
an ordinary stone. But it was also so
much more.
I’d seen it out of the corner of my eye as I passed it. Then, for some reason, I was pulled back,
compelled to pick it up and carry it home in my pocket. What caused me to do this? Whose voice was I hearing? My own – telling me that there would be at
least one good story there; or did the stone cry out to the Lord, so He would
cause me to turn around and bring it home with me?
In any case, I have it now.
I rinsed off most of the dirt and placed it on my dresser, so I must
choose to look at it or not.
There is a home truth
for me right there. How many things do I
see as I pass them, or let them pass me, without stopping to acknowledge
them? Words unsaid, a needed touch or
hug not given. That moment with God that
I postpone may be the call to pray for someone I cannot see, but desperately
needs me to pray intentionally for them right now. This may explain some of the emptiness that
comes over me at times. My unsaid
prayers may explain the loss of the joy I could have felt in that lost
conversation with the Lord.
This particular stone is about the size of a regular
marshmallow. One side is fairly smooth
and the other is rough and uneven, obviously broken sometime in the past. But the edges are not sharp, so perhaps the
break was not too painful; or was so long ago that the jagged edges have been
softened over time.
The thing that caught my eye was the size. It was a bit larger than most of the others
and was white, with black marbling. Not
absolute black, but clearly defined in the moment my eyes turned the object
into a thought. We had just gone through
a series of teachings about, “One Shade of Black”, so this may have been a
continuation or expansion of that lesson.
The truth is the truth.
And sin is sin. Yet, I was given
a picture of myself in that stone.
Mostly “good”, or at least heading in that direction; but still the sum
of the things in myself that need to submit and surrender to the Lord. A statement that I have made countless times,
and still falling short, reaching back, slipping and sliding along that downard
slope whenever I try to take charge of myself.
Then, I heard the Sweet, Soothing Voice Within. The Voice that reminds me that He has already
forgiven my past every time I asked Him.
The marbling is my testimony, not my shame. My rough and bumpy parts are the lessons that
I can share with those He places in my path.
I do not need to bury, hide or deny things I have done, or what has been
done to me.
I do not need to memorize fighting words from scripture to
corner folks and wrestle them into submission. I can speak boldly with kindness
and generosity as I share the reasons for my joy and the work that the Lord has
done and is still doing in me. Logic is
the world’s way of thinking. Faith can
grow when the world sees me forgiving, loving and trusting the Lord – every
day.
We are all living “between a rock and a hard place”. But that ordinary stone is showing me that
the hard place is here and now. The hard
place is life.
The ordinary stone is me.
And the Rock is salvation.
“When hard pressed,I cried to theLord;He brought me into a spacious place. TheLordis with me;I will not be
afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” Psalm 118:4-6
The national Day of Prayer, held on the first Thursday of May, has come and gone. I am so grateful that we continue to set aside this day to fast and pray for the United States of America. Even though the official Day of Prayer for 2015 has passed, the call to pray for our country still burns bright in my heart. I feel that we need to persevere in prayer daily for the destiny of America. The forces of darkness are strong and relentless seeking to further destroy the moral fabric and faith in our land. However, we serve a merciful God who does heed the cries of His people.
2 Chronicles 7:14 states,
"If my people, who are called by my name will humble themselves
and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,
then will I hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
We, the Body of Christ, are the Living Church. As such, we have power and authority to pray and declare righteousness, holiness, purity, and reverence for God over our nation. Our prayers do make a difference and the Lord will honor any time we can set aside each day to call out to Him for our land.
I have included a prayer given by Jack Graham to help as a guide in our prayer times for this nation:
"Heavenly Father, We come to You in the Name that is above every name—Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Our hearts cry out to You. Knowing that You are a prayer-answering, faithful God—the One we trust in times like these—we ask that You renew our spirits, revive our churches, and heal our land. We repent of our sins and ask for Your grace and power to save us. Hear our cry, oh God, and pour out Your Spirit upon us that we may walk in obedience to Your Word.
We are desperate for Your tender mercies. We are broken and humbled before You. Forgive us, and in the power of Your great love, lift us up to live in Your righteousness. We pray for our beloved nation. May we repent and return to You and be a light to the nations. And we pray for our leaders and ask that You give them wisdom and faith to follow You. Preserve and protect us, for You are our refuge and only hope.Deliver us from all fears except to fear You, and may we courageously stand in the Truth that sets us free.
We pray with expectant faith and grateful hearts.
In Jesus’ name, our Savior." My earnest hope is that we will all be inspired to take time to pray for the United States of America and to encourage other believers to do the same.
Mother's Day is a perfect opportunity to express our love and appreciation for our precious moms. The Bible tells us that honoring our parents is a top priority in God's eyes.
"Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you." Exodus 20:1220:12
"Honor your father and mother"
(this is the first commandment with a promise), "that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land." Ephesians 6:2-3
Although we always want to be altruistic in our motives, God'spromises do contain rewards. It is clear from scripture that our attitudes and behavior toward our parents directly affect our longevity and well being.
For some of us loving and respecting our mothers will come easily and naturally. Our Moms have earned that honor. They have sacrificed greatly for us and have worked hard to establish loving bonds with us. However, for many in this day, affection and regard for our mothers may not come so readily. In fact, it may be down right painful. Abuse, willful neglect, abandonment, betrayal, and or an ungodly lifestyle on the part of our mothers may have wounded our spirits, arrested our development, or directed us into sin and destruction in our own lives.
However, in such scenarios there is still much hope.Godly counsel, therapy, prayer, and meditating on the Word of Godcan help to release our personal baggage and heal our emotional devastation. God is in the restoration business and He can grant us the grace to forgive even the most abhorrent offenses.
"... God's love has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy spirit, who has been given to us."
Romans 5:5
As we bring our past hurts to the Lord and pray for our mothers who have fallen short in their calling, God can reconstruct our relationships. There are times when the other person is not willing to change for the better. At those times we can seek God for wisdom. We can ask our Heavenly Father for creative ways to show love and respect for our mothers without violating own own boundaries.
As we approach Mother's Day, let us bless our moms in prayer for their health and happiness. Flowers, brunches, cards, visits, phone calls or personal service to our moms can all say, "I love and appreciate You."
Let's also pray for ourselves that we will be mothers whom our own children can easily and willingly cherish and honor.
I think one key element to a truly
blessed communion is in our gathering together.
*Come – Union. We come together and
exchange our burdens for the blessing of remembering the pain and suffering in
the most glorious sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Our sharing these symbols of the body and blood of Christ; this
sacrament calls for us to praise beyond our individual gifts and talents. We share this simple, miraculous meal in
remembrance of the greatest gift we will ever
receive. Our unearned salvation and the miraculous
promise of eternity in heaven with the Lord, because we have chosen to accept
His sacrifice.
Psalm 128-1-2 says, “Blessed are all who fear the
Lord, who walk in obedience to him. You
will eat the fruit of your labor, blessing and prosperity will be yours.”
*Our individual walks brought each
of us here. Some of us took a longer
route, circling a mountain many, many times.
But our testimony comes from the number of times we have recognized and
acknowledged the things in us that needed our repentance and received God’s
grace. How we have been changed by the
Lord’s forgiveness and mercy. Salvation
in itself is the gift we receive when we simply accept the Lord into our hearts. Our labor is in the task of surrendering of
self to God’s will – every day.
*This communion is a way for us to
give thanks for our individual salvation and our corporate transformation into
the body that will one day be the Bride of Christ. The fact that we have been drawn together is
miraculous. Our widespread places of
birth, early life circumstances, choices and natural demographics say that we
have little reason to connect. And yet,
here we are, sharing communion and acknowledging that we have chosen to accept
Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer.
*This ceremony today, while casual,
is sacred. We eat and drink together in
remembrance of the simple meal that was shared by a small group of friends long
ago, and is still transforming lives today.
But Holy Communion will never be
more than a break in the regular Sunday Service if we do not approach it with
the expectation of becoming more of a true disciple each time. The changes in each of us may be too small to
feel in the moment, but we can see when we look back at who we were and how we used
to feel before each commemoration of Christ as our Lord and Savior; we can find
reason to celebrate. Our times of
communion can serve as markers along the path we walk from this exact moment, to
judgment day. Communion is an act of
grace. Let us ask to be changed by this
grace.
*Judas Iscariot sat at the table
with his friends and shared that sacred bread and wine with Christ, but left
the table just as he approached it. Prepared
to betray the one he’d freely chosen to follow, unchanged by his communion; he
suffered the loss of his sanity, his life and his place in heaven.
Even Peter, the passionate,
strong-minded leader who proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah and had declared that
he would never disown Him,
would fall back on self-preservation instead of truth when fear overwhelmed his
faith. Thankfully, Peter was redeemed
and grew in a mighty way; taking his place in a long line of leaders who would
stand against the world by kneeling to The King.
*I think we should expect to be
changed each time we share any form of communion. Each gathering for worship, work,
entertainment or just being around other people – believers or not – should
change us somehow. Each ocean wave adds
to, or shifts the world’s geography by altering the shore just a little each
time. Every encounter with others can add to or define who we really are in
Christ.
*Several of us have done a Bible study
on the Book of James. I find myself drawn
to read James at different times, just to reinforce his straight to the point
way of telling me what I need to work on.
James 2:12 says, “Speak and act as those who are
going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without
mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
*Let us ask
the Holy Spirit to remind us of the mercy and grace that has been given to each
of us. Especially when we encounter
anyone who may not show signs that they know our Lord. For our hearts to be hearts that offer mercy
before we judge.
*“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually
offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess
his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for
with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Hebrews 13:15-16
God has
offered us Jesus Christ. Our
relationship with Him will be as full and as intimate as we allow it to
be. The deeper we choose to go inside of
the Christ Spirit within us; the greater our commitment, the more we are
changed by His grace and the sweeter the sound of God’s judgment will be when
our time to stand before Him comes.
Jesus,
please give us Your perfect peace in our encounters with all, most especially
with non-believers. Help us to seek opportunities
to share what You have freely given to us with anyone who asks – especially
when they are crying out for help without words. Help us to love beyond our human capacity or
understanding.
*May
we each seek a holy transformation today; through this time of communion. As each sunrise brings new things into the
light; may we recognize Your glory as it rises up within us. Let us not just be amazed by the Lord, let us
truly be changed by our communion with His Love.
2 Timothy 4:5 says, “But you,
keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an
evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”
Cathy Friberg sends me a new writing every month, and I usually post it shortly after the beginning of the month. I am posting this early because I think it is an excellent writing to ponder on during Holy Week as we prepare for Resurrection Sunday or should I say Sonday. May you be blessed during this week and be able to revel in what our God has done for His children.
Love and God bless.....Corinne Mustafa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Having been raised in the church, as a child, I knew intellectually that Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead. However, as an adult, I truly became a “born again Christian.” It was then that I began to comprehend the tremendous sacrifice which the Heavenly Father and His Son made for us. I was pondering the scriptures one day. After reading an account of the mocking, scourging and crucifixion of the Lord in the New Testament, I found myself saying with amazement, ........ “And they did that to God?”....... Immediately I heard the words, “And I did it for you.” The Holy Spirit had spoken to me, touching me with a glimpse of the the passion, intensity, and intimacy of Christ's work on the cross. That word ministered to me deep within my soul. It happened over thirty years ago but I remember it as if it were yesterday.
The classic song, “How Great Thou Art” contains a verse which reads, “And when I think,That God, His Son not sparing; Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in; That on that cross, My burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin.” Yes, as I contemplate the magnitude of Christ's atonement I too, “can scarcely take it in.”
How great is our God who would humble Himself to such an extent for His creation.
My prayer is that God would grant me the grace to forgive others as Christ has forgiven me. I ask our Father that I might show even a portion of the compassion and self sacrifice which the Lord has demonstrated to all of humanity. As this season celebrating the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ comes to a close may we all, filled with the Holy Spirit, seek to emulate the example of unconditional love which our Savior has shown to us.
I am involved in a nursing home ministry with our church. As part of this ministry, a small group of us meet at a local convalescent home once a month on an afternoon. The clients we interact with are mostly elderly, infirm and confined to wheelchairs. We conduct a short Bible Lesson, lead a praise and worship session, and then spend time passing out handshakes, hugs, and a few gentle words with each patient. About 16 seniors are wheeled in to the meeting room by kindly and patient attendants. Some are more verbal, alert, and responsive than others, but they all love the Lord and have sweet tender spirits.
I often wonder as I gaze into their eyes what experiences these precious souls have been through in their lives. Many are difficult to understand as they mumble, speak so softly, and or have foreign accents. One thing is for certain. As they are nearing the end of their long life journey, they have, as the old hymn says, “decided to follow Jesus”. And what better more important decision could they have chosen to make. When all is said and done, a covenant with Christ is the be all and end all of everything. This world and all it has to offer is nothing in comparison to knowing Jesus as Saviour and looking forward to spending eternity with Him and with our loved ones.
Last Sunday as we were singing praises to the Lord, the presence of the Holy Spirit filled the room. The atmosphere was sweet and the seniors gratefully drank in the warmth of the Master's love. I looked about at the feeble weakened frames, many of them helplessly dependent on the supervision and protection of their caretakers. I thought, what a contrast between the love in this place and the strife, division, and hostility exhibited in the much of the world outside. Many people are materially wealthy, intellectually distinguished, and politically powerful, yet spiritually bankrupt. How fortunate our little band of elders, to be treasured jewels in the palm of Jesus' hand.
Matthew 16:26
“And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?”
With all this in mind, let's seek after the Father and his Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy. Let's keep a firm commitment to Christ so that our lives will be spent laboring for that which is genuine, pure, and everlasting.
