A  True Woman makes much of Christ…     She is “reverent in behavior.”

Week Two: Honor.  Have you been considering how you honor your King?  What are the ways you reverence Him?  Would others know?

This weeks study focuses in on the "Older Woman".  Here are excerpts from True Woman 201. An older woman is: A woman who has had more years of life under her belt has had her reverence tested, and hopefully refined.  She's learned--in the school of hard knocks--how to stay ever mindful of God.  She's learned that the purpose of her life is to make much of Christ.  She's learned how to be humble and selfless, how to hold her tongue, how to be kind, and how to respect others.

Sharp contrast: Sadly, most women drift through life.  Days become weeks become months become years become decades and become a lifetime.  If you are not intentional about becoming more spiritually mature, godly, gracious and reverent... you will likely become more narrow, bitter, whiny, crusty and petty as you age.

Ask yourself: What kind of an old woman do I want to be?

Week 2: Honor

A resource that was shared from True Woman 2014 this week.  It complements what we are studying on in Week One.

Don't Be a Wimp: Kicking the Habits That Make Women Weak

The apostle Paul gives a warning to the danger facing weak-willed women. Mary Kassian looks to Scripture to explore seven characteristics of weak women. She'll show you how to say "no" to foolish behavior and "yes" to godly wisdom and strength.

Link: http://www.truewoman.com/?id=2953

If you missed this Sunday's message from 1 John 2 I would encourage you to listen at:
www.ccbreathoflife.org. The message emphasized many points of this weeks lesson on Discretion.

Need more Discernment?

Honor?

Affection?

Discipline?

Virtue?

True Woman 201

interior design 

starts this week!

Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you

... Psalm 2:11

Ever have one of those days...well this morning's women's breakfast could have turned out to be that way.
For starters things seemed "iffy" on Friday if we could still have the breakfast, with talks of the winds and rains from Tropical Storm Joaquin but the decision was to come together anyway. Then  I received a text, early Saturday morning that there had been a leak in the roof at the church office.  I arrived at the office with the repair crew just finishing up their temporary repairs. Inside I saw significant water damage but it was confined to one office where the door could be closed. OK that shouldn't be a problem...
Started vacuuming the area in preparation for everyone when the power began to flicker, resumed vacuuming and again  a flicker and then no power. Thankfully preparation was done and things were ready for the first arrival.
Sure it was a little dark with the rainy day, there was no power but there was a joy in being together for fellowship. Made a minor adjustment to the plans and started with a song of worship with the focus on Psalm 61:1-4 and there was an amazing time of prayer that followed. There were prayers of confession, thanksgiving, intercession, honesty and transparency filled with longing for changed hearts and lives. It was a special time as each prayer was lifted and as it seemed each one had time to pray and we were ending... the lights came on and the power was restored. The Lord ministered to us! We finished by sharing breakfast together.
...Did I mention the wrong book came for the True Woman 201 class?                by Debbie

Psalm 61:1-4

Assurance of God’s Eternal Protection

Hear my cry, O God;

Attend to my prayer.

 From the end of the earth I will cry to You,

When my heart is overwhelmed;

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

For You have been a shelter for me,

A strong tower from the enemy.

 I will abide in Your tabernacle forever;

I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah

Hear Sherrie Youngward at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmVbywjOe2Q

A Monday evening class at 7 PM has been added as an option for the this series.  Books are on order for a cost of $13 dollars.  You will need to begin reading a week before your class day starts. Week one begins with: Discernment. Go to https://www.truewomanbooks.com/true-woman-201/freebies/ and  download the Chapter One.

Our Fall  Series for Women starts the week of October 11, 2015 at various times, locations and venues.
This ten-week study explores ten important elements of redeemed womanhood found in the book of Titus. The Lord wants to do a radical renovation of your heart. He wants to form you into a godly woman from the inside out. If you let Him, He’ll give you an extreme makeover. And it doesn’t end there. God wants to use you as part of His makeover team to help others experience His grand interior design for their lives!
What's needed? Your commitment!  Are you ready?

A Stretchy Kinda Love

When I was a very young child I used to love watching my older cousins play the game of Twister.  If you're not familiar with it, it's a game where you stretch and contort your body to try and land on designated colors on a large floor mat.  The most agile and flexible person always won.  I would beg and plead to play with them, but I always got the same response:  You're not old enough!  Apparently, my immature and bite-sized limbs would only hinder my progress. 

Christian love reminds me a lot of twister.  You never knew what color would be called out next; you simply knew you had to move when it was called (without moving away from the previous color).  Your body was also challenged to move in unconventional and unfamiliar ways.  If you weren’t nimble and flexible, you snapped and lost it! 

1 Peter 4:8 says, "And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins."  It's interesting because that word fervent means stretched out.   It gives the picture of a love that is pursuing in its very nature.  It also means, without ceasing.   The analogy is simple:  Christian love requires you to be nimble and flexible.  You never know where God is going to require you to "cover a multitude of sins."  Only the mature and flexible won't snap and lose it (James 3:13).  This is an absorbing kind of love.  It is willing to be hurt, unappreciated and even misunderstood.  Does that sound like someone we know? 

How stretchy is our love? 

•        Have you ever muttered the phrase "I'm done with so and so?" 

•        How do we handle it when we are hurt by someone's actions (or lack thereof)?  How do we respond in the face of anger and even hostility?  How stretchy is our love? 

•        Do you recall Jesus (being innocent) washed the feet of his betrayer and "loved him to the end?" (John 13) What do you do when you have been gossiped about?  Betrayed?  Left out?  Used? 

•        How do you handle it when someone has a need and you have other plans?  

•        Will you love another when it costs you sleep, gas, money, time?   Would you sacrifice your spa day or mini-vacation so another can be cared for? 

•        Do you even know others "urgent needs" as Romans 12 puts it?

•         Is "your" time just that? 

•        Here's one that is very challenging...  Once you have loved sacrificially in all these ways, do you deserve a break?  Or are you ready when that next "twister color" is called?

Conventional psychology and even well-meaning Christians can communicate unbiblical messages to us.

•         We need to "look out for yourselves" and establish our own boundaries. 

•        Things need to "fit into our lives" or else it's not from God. 

•        If you feel wounded or hurt by someone you should stay away from them until you "heal".  (Of course if someone is physically or verbally abusive we need to separate and involve appropriate authorities (Romans 13)).  

There's one major problem with this kind of life, it is the self-life.  It does not mesh well with the life of Christ that is dying to flow from us. 

 I honestly have shared this "wisdom" a time or two.  I can recall sensing the Lord telling me "Please be sure that you're not teaching people to disembrace the cross."  When a need arises, we must prayerfully consider our lives and responsibilities.  It's foolish to try to meet all the needs in the body because there are other "body parts" for that.   But are we truly loving people sacrificially?  Remember David said that He would only give to the Lord that which cost him dearly (2 Samuel 24:24).  Only we can answer that question.  

Please see next page for First Session Notes: See you this Sunday at 8:45 AM!

Body Building: Lord Help me Like the Women at My Church Session 1

Wanted to be able to share with those of you who couldn’t be with us as we started our summer series.  Thank you to so many who were serving our body this weekend in many ways! Didn’t want you to be left out so please take a look at what we covered and join us for the next class and some of the times of fellowship.  Watch for the dates to be posted.
So let me tell you about two ladies in the church: a little background they were working side by side together serving the Lord, they heard the same messages, worshipped and sang together and when others saw them they probably thought of them as good friends.
Then they fell into a trap—they had differing views on something and a disagreement arose between them. Perhaps it was something small, but with time and the fuel of selfishness and unforgiveness it grew to a point where it not only affected them but began to hurt the entire church.
You may know of similar circumstances. The people I'm referring to, however, were a part of the early church at Philippi. The apostle Paul gives specific pastoral instruction to them in the book of Philippians. He doesn't provide much detail about these ladies, but we can get part of the picture if we look at the verses carefully.
Please turn to Phil 4:1-3 
Verse 1 Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.
Paul knows and loves this church, what precious words he uses.  Paul ministered at Philippi during his second missionary journey, spending about three months in this city. Paul shared the gospel and brought many to faith in Christ. These people would form the core of the flourishing church in the city. Among them was Lydia, a businesswoman who opened her home to Paul and his coworkers (Acts 16:13–15). Women were a vital part of the early church even when women's status and freedoms were severely limited by Jewish law and custom in ancient Israel, as they were in essentially all other cultures at the time.
The exhortation itself: So stand fast in the Lord. Being in Christ, the church must stand fast in Him and be even and steady in their walk with Him. To stand fast in the Lord is to stand fast in his strength and by his grace; not trusting in ourselves, or any sufficiency of our own. We must be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, Ephesians 6:10
Right after expressing his heartfelt feelings toward this body of believers and encouraging them in the Lord we hear:

² I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. ³ And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.          

Disagreement had arisen between these two women, and it concerned Paul enough to address it in this public letter.

Euodias (yoo-OH-dih-uhs) and Syntyche (SIN-tih-kee). Euodias means “a pleasant scent”; Syntyche means “fortunate.”

These two sisters certainly had an admirable side, for Paul describes them as “women who labored with me in the gospel” (verse 3). This suggests they were prominent in the church doing Christian work. Their very prominence may be one reason why Paul endeavored to deal publicly with the conflict. Let’s stop here and ask: How does this conflict affect: new believers, fellow workers, leaders and even the Apostle Paul (not present at the church)

Paul does not take sides—he addresses both women in the epistle. Both needed to do something about their behavior, which had been disruptive enough to reach the ears of the distant apostle Paul.
Notice also that Paul addresses both women. This shows that both needed to change, as is the case in most disagreements. Notice he tells them "be of the same mind in the Lord," (4:2).  And verse 3 states whose names are in the Book of Life, these women are believers in Jesus Christ.
How do others see you in the church? Is there something in your behavior that needs to change? These questions were posed in last week’s blog.

• I know she doesn't like me so I'll just be cordial and keep my distance
• They don't like me
• What did she mean by that comment about my blouse?
• She just thinks she is so.....
• I'm too progressive of a thinker for these women
• I don't measure up
• They don't measure up
  These thoughts are planted by the evil one.  His goal is to keep us from thinking the best of one another and covering each other's faults with love.
  Take a few minutes and think about where you need to change and then pray and ask the Lord to help you in this. An great extra step would be to reach out to another sister and encourage them to take a look at this post then you can pray for one another.
  Paul knew that true joy comes only through humble faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ, joining ourselves in harmony with His followers, and serving others in the name of Christ. This was the life experienced by the Philippian believers, and it is a life available to us today. Allow the joy you find in Christ to keep you from useless quarrels and divisions and to instead guide you into harmonious relationships with God’s people.  As we spend time together this summer we will encourage one another to “put on love”!

The Peril of Competition

There is great fun to be enjoyed in a friendly game of football.  Every year at our church's annual picnic "the dinosaurs" (anyone above 25 in my opinion) come out of retirement and relive our glory days.  We kill the grass and move the ball around the field.  I often wonder what the children think as they observe their 40 year old moms trying to get open to make a touchdown.  It breeds a friendly sense of competition that says "I can still catch a hail Mary."  It's actually quite laughable as we spend the evening with Icy Hot and Motrin as our companions.

Competition can be friendly on the field, but off the field it can be a deadly poison.  It rears its head in our lives as women in many forms.  It rivals love and chokes friendships in their infancy.  You've seen the "quiet" battle before.  It is quiet indeed, filled with the artillery of words and assumptions.  It negates love and esteems self.  With it we conquer one another and lift ourselves up. 

Have you seen this play out?  Julie is a nice girl at church.  She and Joan have been friends for a short time and have shared some good laughs. They instantly clicked; They have chemistry and kindred spirits.  Their opinions are similar, they "get" one another.  Their growing friendship is obvious to those around.  Until one day Joan noticed Julie starting to lose weight.  She inquired about what she was doing?  After all, their camaraderie was partly based on a mutual cynicism about being "shapely" girls and a quiet disdain for "skinny" women.  Julie began a diatribe about the perils of processed foods and how she and Marty have cleaned out their cabinets and only been eating what grows out of the ground! After all, isn't that the way Jesus ate?  Joan is instantly offended. 

Kylie and Emily lead the MOPS group at church for moms with young kids.  They both have strong personalities and a love for God.  They have enjoyed their times and cherished one another. But they felt their season at MOPS was coming to an end as their sons were now approaching school age.  As Emily and Mike sought the Lord about school for their son they caught the "Homeschool fire."  You've seen it before   A mom reads a book or goes to a seminar and something happens.  The homeschool gospel took root and she was "saved."  The problem is that Kylie and Jake (who are just as godly) feel the conviction that the neighborhood school is where their son belongs so he can be a witness and learn to live in the "real" world.  Both women have make valid points.  But can their friendship survive their differing points of view and the use of language like "the real world" and "home is where real learning happens."

We have differing opinions about so many things that fracture us.  We quietly prefer ourselves as we make choices about:

music styles

school choices

home birth or elected c-section

organic, veganism or Shoppers Food Warehouse

choices of entertainment for our kids

exercise buff or couch potato

natural hair or relaxed

worship with arms held high or quiet worship

Bible in book form or electronic  

and on and on and on....

It's so easy to use verbiage and conversation that builds ourselves up and puts down those that choose something different.  It is the opposite of love.  It is the opposite of esteeming another person as more important than myself.  Philippians 2:3 NASB

So how do I love?  How do I walk into a room and build instead of tearing down.  The key word in the verse above is OTHERS.  Putting on the mind of Christ who was immensely concerned with others.  He did not count his own life dear to Himself.  This is diametrically opposed to our fallen nature which says "choose me, prefer me, admire me."  Even the meekest of people have to consciously put others before themselves.  True friendship will not only esteem others but suffer long with a friend who is esteeming herself. 

Think about it and spend time in prayer.  When people are around me do they sense my focus on their well being or my self promotion?  (Be careful with this question because even self pity can be a form of self promotion)

So How's Your Love Life?

Most Christians if asked about their “love quotient” would agree that they can stand to grow in love.  We might say we need to do a better job of loving unbelievers and people at work.   We struggle to love those difficult neighbors or in-laws who know how to "push our buttons."  But how do we love other Christians, especially those we worship corporately with?  There seems to be an unspoken rule that believers are expected to behave (toward us) in such a way that doesn't trouble us too much.  "I can take it at work, because most of them aren't in Christ.  But when I come to church, I expect it to be a place of safety."  How many of us have either uttered those words or have heard them while counseling a hurting friend?

Should that be our expectation?  Are Christians held to a higher standard as we walk out our faith with one another?  Let's get more personal.  What expectation do we as Christian women have of one another?   Are we expected to love one another and be considerate with our words at all times?  Isn't that what the Scriptures teach?  True Christian love is considerate and thoughtful.  It doesn’t seek to promote itself while unwittingly putting others down.  As we review 1 Corinthians 13, we can indeed say that Christian love is kind, compassionate and considerate. 

So what happens when our sister is wanting in the love department?  How do I react?  What is my response?  Do I keep an account for her many infractions against me (I mean...against God)?  Or has my love been stretched enough to make up for what she is lacking?  What does Peter mean when he says to love one another "fervently" with a love that will cover a multitude of sins?" 

Have you ever harbored any of the following thoughts?

•        I don't fit in at this church

•        The women of this church all seem.....

•        I know she doesn't like me so I'll just be cordial and keep my distance

•        They don't like me

•        What did she mean by that comment about my blouse?

•        She just thinks she is so.....

•        I'm too progressive of a thinker for these women

•        I don't measure up

•        They don't measure up

These thoughts are planted by the evil one.  His goal is to keep us from thinking the best of one another and covering each other's faults with love.

Before we close, maybe you don't struggle to love the women in your church.  Perhaps your Christian experience has been conflict free and you want to keep it that way (smile).   Could it be because your life has not been "messied up" by our mess?  Perhaps you didn't know that sister Abigail has just lost her mom and she's devastated.  Or that Susan has just learned tragic news about her daughter.  It's easy to erect walls that protect us from being hurt or being inconvenienced.   After all, your life is busy already with the cares of your home, work and family. But that is Satan's robbery.   You are needed to minister healing to the body of Christ.  Hatred is not the opposite of love; apathy is. 

So again, How is your love life?

Mother's Day 2015

...Her children rise up and call her blessed Proverbs 31:28a

 God's Design for Women. God's Design for Women. I am repeating the phrase to remind you God does have a design for women, He has a design for everything!  God created women to be different than men for His distinct purposes. Women play a valuable role in marriage and in ministry.  There is a short radio series on Truth for Life with Alistair Begg this week that I wanted to share with you.  You can find it at Truthforlife.com and the first message was on May 6, 2015. Be encouraged as you learn how to use your God-given differences to glorify the Lord.    
Happy Mother's Day!

"I rejoice at Your Word as one who finds great treasure."  Psalm 119:162
This verse sums up the Women's Seminar at Philly for me.  Ordinary women shared about their ordinary lives until... the Master called them into an extraordinary life for Him.  They were transformed and discovered what Psalm 119:105 meant.  Telling God's story in their lives when they sought Him daily through His Word that provided a lamp unto their feet and a light unto their path. We ended in glorious rejoicing together through worship. Wished it would never end.... some day! Hallelujah!

Psalms 119:2-5
Blessed are the undefiled in the way,
Who walk in the law of the Lord!
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
Who seek Him with the whole heart!
 They also do no iniquity;
They walk in His ways.
 You have commanded us
To keep Your precepts diligently.

We have come to Friday and  I pray the focus on God's Word has been an encouragement.  This isn't the end... it is a refocus so I went to the first verse of Psalms 119.  We are told how to be "happy" (blessed)
* Walk in the law of God
* Seek God with your whole heart
* Avoid sin
* Keep God's precepts diligently

Thy Word Lyrics

Translation in progress. Please wait...

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.

When I feel afraid,                          
And think I've lost my way.
Still, you're there right beside me.
Nothing will I fear
As long as you are near;
Please be near me to the end.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet                          The words and tune of this worship  
And a light unto my path.                                      song have been in my thoughts....

                                                                             wanted to share as an 

I will not forget                                                       encouragement.
Your love for me and yet,
My heart forever is wandering.
Jesus by my guide,
And hold me to your side,
And I will love you to the end.

Nothing will I fear
As long as you are near;
Please be near me to the end.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.
And a light unto my path.
You're the light unto my path.

Songwriters: GILL, AMY GRANT/SMITH, MICHAEL WHITAKER

Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Proverbs 30:5

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 

Hebrews 4:12

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 

2 Timothy 3:16-17

How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word. NIV Psalm 119:9

But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Luke 11:28

Albert Barnes' Notes on Psalms 119:105

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet - This begins a new portion of the psalm, indicated by the Hebrew letter Nun (נ n), equivalent to our "n." The margin here is "candle." The Hebrew word means a light, lamp, candle. The idea is, that the word of God is like a torch or lamp to man in a dark night. It shows him the way; it prevents his stumbling over obstacles, or failing down precipices, or wandering off into paths which would lead into danger, or would turn him away altogether from the path to life. 

And a light unto my path - The same idea substantially is presented here. It is a light which shines on the road that a man treads, so that he may see the path, and that he may see any danger which may be in his path. The expression is very beautiful, and is full of instruction. He who makes the word of God his guide, and marks its teachings, is in the right way. He will clearly see the path. He will be able to mark the road in which he ought to go, and to avoid all those by-paths which would lead him astray. He will see where those by-roads turn off from the main path - often at a very small angle, and so that there seems to be no divergence. He will see any obstruction which may lie in his path; any declivity or precipice which may be near, and down which, in a dark night, one might fall. Man needs such a guide, and the Bible is such a guide.

Is God's Word a lamp in your life? Are you daily seeking to know the Lord's will? What steps are you taking your life without His light? 

Take time this week to seek the Lord as you meditate on Psalms 119:105.  Psalm 119 is titled: Meditations on the Excellencies of the Word of God in some translations.