Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
A Verse to Help You Quit Cussing :)
Hey!
How 'bout that for a blog title?!
I'm serious as a judge, though!
I remember my spiritual "momma" once telling me that when she gave her life to Jesus Christ, He immediately took away any desire on her part to cuss. I thought that was the coolest thing in the WORLD, and wondered why I hadn't been given the same deliverance from my toilet tongue.
I've since known people who have had similar things happen to them at the moment of salvation...drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, etc....gone!
The Lord was so gracious to me when He saved me. There was so much filth in my life, that He had a lot to clean up!
However, I struggled for a long time with my language. You see, I had been taught all of my life that it wasn't a sin to "cuss". That's what we Texans call it, "cussing".
"Cursing" sounds way too proper to a Texan. :)
Actually, there were times when it wasn't even a struggle.
It was just a full-out fold. You know what I'm refering to when I say a "fold"? It's like in poker, when you just admit you're not going to win the hand, you "fold".
(How did I get cussing and poker into a post on a blog about Precept studies?!)
As much as it grieves me to say it, I would often fold rather than submit to God in this area of my life. It was like the one last hold-out in my life.
Sad, but true.
When I boil it all down, it was disobedience.
I realized a while back that I had even begun to think in curse words.
Here I was, a woman who loved the Lord and loved His Word, but because I hadn't been willing to walk in obedience in this area, now even my thought-life was being infiltrated with ugliness and sin!
A few weeks ago I was studying through 1 Thessalonians, and the Lord showed me the very verse that He wants me to quote, to memorize, and to live by in order to see permanent victory in this area of my life.
1 Thessalonians 4:7
"For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification."
Amen! and Amen! and Amen!
This verse really punches a pack for me....there is so much truth in those 14 words!
God called me.
He called me for a purpose, but it's not one of impurity.
He does not call people for the purpose of impurity.
He called me in sanctification. (to separate from profane things and dedicate to God)
If He called me in sanctification (and He did), then there is to be no room in my life for impurity, and I'm sure not supposed to MAKE room for it!
How interesting, isn't it? Even the definition of sanctification tells me that I (have been called) to be separate from the profane, the root word for profanity!
Hmmm...
No accident in this conviction, is there?!
I've been praying this verse, and saying this verse a lot lately.
I want EVERYTHING about me to give glory to God, and I do not want to make allowance for sin in my life.
If you want to stop cussing, start quoting this verse every time you're tempted to say something ugly.
And, when you do say something ugly, immediately ask forgiveness for it. I asked a nurse at the hospital last week to forgive me for saying "Cr_p".
He said, "Cr_p?! I say much worse than that!"
But you know what, having to ask a total stranger to forgive me for that was humbling enough to make me not want to do it again anytime soon. :)
Love this verse! Love it!
How 'bout that for a blog title?!
I'm serious as a judge, though!
I remember my spiritual "momma" once telling me that when she gave her life to Jesus Christ, He immediately took away any desire on her part to cuss. I thought that was the coolest thing in the WORLD, and wondered why I hadn't been given the same deliverance from my toilet tongue.
I've since known people who have had similar things happen to them at the moment of salvation...drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, etc....gone!
The Lord was so gracious to me when He saved me. There was so much filth in my life, that He had a lot to clean up!
However, I struggled for a long time with my language. You see, I had been taught all of my life that it wasn't a sin to "cuss". That's what we Texans call it, "cussing".
"Cursing" sounds way too proper to a Texan. :)
Actually, there were times when it wasn't even a struggle.
It was just a full-out fold. You know what I'm refering to when I say a "fold"? It's like in poker, when you just admit you're not going to win the hand, you "fold".
(How did I get cussing and poker into a post on a blog about Precept studies?!)
As much as it grieves me to say it, I would often fold rather than submit to God in this area of my life. It was like the one last hold-out in my life.
Sad, but true.
When I boil it all down, it was disobedience.
I realized a while back that I had even begun to think in curse words.
Here I was, a woman who loved the Lord and loved His Word, but because I hadn't been willing to walk in obedience in this area, now even my thought-life was being infiltrated with ugliness and sin!
A few weeks ago I was studying through 1 Thessalonians, and the Lord showed me the very verse that He wants me to quote, to memorize, and to live by in order to see permanent victory in this area of my life.
1 Thessalonians 4:7
"For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification."
Amen! and Amen! and Amen!
This verse really punches a pack for me....there is so much truth in those 14 words!
God called me.
He called me for a purpose, but it's not one of impurity.
He does not call people for the purpose of impurity.
He called me in sanctification. (to separate from profane things and dedicate to God)
If He called me in sanctification (and He did), then there is to be no room in my life for impurity, and I'm sure not supposed to MAKE room for it!
How interesting, isn't it? Even the definition of sanctification tells me that I (have been called) to be separate from the profane, the root word for profanity!
Hmmm...
No accident in this conviction, is there?!
I've been praying this verse, and saying this verse a lot lately.
I want EVERYTHING about me to give glory to God, and I do not want to make allowance for sin in my life.
If you want to stop cussing, start quoting this verse every time you're tempted to say something ugly.
And, when you do say something ugly, immediately ask forgiveness for it. I asked a nurse at the hospital last week to forgive me for saying "Cr_p".
He said, "Cr_p?! I say much worse than that!"
But you know what, having to ask a total stranger to forgive me for that was humbling enough to make me not want to do it again anytime soon. :)
Love this verse! Love it!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Who is my "Crown of Exultation?" Who is yours?
I'm smack in the middle of preparation for the upcoming AZ Precept Leader Training.
This is where the above verse comes in....as it makes me think of Caedmon, and how he is learning to stand for Jesus Christ, in the presence of our God and Father.
First we were choosing his cake. Now, admittedly, I'm not the big "theme party momma"...so it was nice that he's old enough to tell me what he wants. :)
He was very clear on the fact that he wanted a cake from Costco with the baseball theme that they offer. He loves butter-cream icing like I do, and Costco's cakes are the perfect fix. (See previous post for a good giggle.)
I told him that we needed to decide how to phrase the wording on his cake. I said, "Honey, do you want "Happy 8th Birthday Caedmon" on it?" I don't really know why I even asked him, as it seems a no-brainer to me, but I guess I was just trying to include him in all the decisions.
Check out what he chose, and then I'll give you the why:
"Caedmon Loves Jesus Christ"
When I asked him if he was sure that's what he wanted on his Birthday cake, he said, "Mommy, yes! This is a time to share Jesus with my friends!"
Oh......I wanted to kiss him all over his little face! But, he's 8 now, so that's not as "cool" as it once was! :)
When I called to order the cake, the woman on the other line was very gruff. That's the understatement of the day, actually!
Yet, when she asked me what I wanted the cake to say, and I told her what Caedmon had requested, she softened immediately and said, "Wow! Wow! ......Oh, WOW! That's so nice!"
The next thing we had to decide on was party favors, and Caedmon had his mind made up about this too...he wanted to give each of his friends a Lego "guy".
We couldn't find them locally, and Caedmon said that it was really important to him for his friends to have them, so we ordered them from Lego.com, and he said he'd forgo party decorations if he could have these in time for the party. (We had to make a choice between the 2, for $$ reasons, and this was his...)
Normally, I'm too tight to pay for such things, but look at the picture of what he chose, and then I'll tell you his "why", and mine too. :)
This boy, who is solely repsonsible for every gray hair on my head.
This boy, who brings me to tears with his detemination.
This boy, who often makes me want to scream, "NO MORE DEBATING!"
This boy, who tenders my heart when he says, "Mommy. Thank you for teaching me God's Word. I love you, Mommy. All the way to His mighty right hand!"
This boy, whom I believe with all of my heart that the LORD God will use (and already does use) to His great glory.
This boy....who sharpens me, and is my crown of exultation.
1Thessalonians 2:19-20
For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation?
Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?
For you are our glory and joy.
"Thank you, dearest Father, for this boy for whom I prayed. I love him dearly, and thank you for all you're doing in his life."
Brennan's journey with the Lord is much different than Caedmon's. He's working in her heart too..I'll tell you about her another day. But, just for fun, here's a picture of her from his party. :)
(If you want details, please e-mail me and I'll give them to you. We're offering "Basics of Precept Upon Precept" for those new to inductive study, which will also qualify you to lead, and "Precept Leader Training" which is next on the leader track. Or, go to www.precept.org to find a training in your area.)
Oops...I launched into a marketing opportunity there, didn't I? ;)
Anyway....in preparing, I'm studying through 1st & 2nd Thessalonians.
Oh MY are these awesome books!
I was going to hop on here and tell you all about my son's 8th birthday, and how he chose to use it to give glory to God, but then really wanted to tell you some about the 1st & 2nd Thessalonians study....and what's so cool is that now I get to do both!
In 1st Thessalonians chapter 1, Paul (and Silvanus and Timothy) are writing to "the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
Paul tells them, in verses 2-4 "We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention {of you} in our prayers; constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, knowing, brethren beloved by God, {His} choice of you;..."
(For those of you who are Precept students, did you see the list in those verses?)
Here's where it all ties in....
Caedmon had his 8th birthday party last Friday night.
I want to take a minute and tell you about this child...the Lord called Caedmon to Himself when he was 4. It was an amazing, dramatic story..and one I wouldn't have believed had I not seen it with my own eyes. (If you know me, you know I'm pretty conservative.)
He made a confession for Jesus Christ at that time, and has never backed down from it. He loves Jesus passionately, and is the only child I've ever known, personally, who can be verbally rebuked by God's Word, and thus often doesn't need anything more than that to correct him, or to make him return to walking in obedience.
Often times, if he is in disobedience, we'll tell him to go to his room and spend some time one on one with the Lord in prayer, and talk to God about his attitude. More often than not, he comes back in tears, with a repentant heart, and says, "Mommy. I talked to God, and I know I've been wrong. I told God I'd obey. Would you please forgive me?" 
Oh man, this is what I want for my children more than anything else in the world...that they will know and fear and obey the Lord!
(While Caedmon isn't perfect, it is exciting to see him growing in the Lord, and maturing both physically and spiritually.)
Well, since Caedmon is now 8, he's at the age where he wanted to help plan his birthday party. We had a good time doing it, and I was blown away - by not only his choices, but his reasons behind them.
This is where the above verse comes in....as it makes me think of Caedmon, and how he is learning to stand for Jesus Christ, in the presence of our God and Father.
First we were choosing his cake. Now, admittedly, I'm not the big "theme party momma"...so it was nice that he's old enough to tell me what he wants. :)
He was very clear on the fact that he wanted a cake from Costco with the baseball theme that they offer. He loves butter-cream icing like I do, and Costco's cakes are the perfect fix. (See previous post for a good giggle.)
I told him that we needed to decide how to phrase the wording on his cake. I said, "Honey, do you want "Happy 8th Birthday Caedmon" on it?" I don't really know why I even asked him, as it seems a no-brainer to me, but I guess I was just trying to include him in all the decisions.
Check out what he chose, and then I'll give you the why:
"Caedmon Loves Jesus Christ"
When I asked him if he was sure that's what he wanted on his Birthday cake, he said, "Mommy, yes! This is a time to share Jesus with my friends!"
Oh......I wanted to kiss him all over his little face! But, he's 8 now, so that's not as "cool" as it once was! :)
When I called to order the cake, the woman on the other line was very gruff. That's the understatement of the day, actually!
Yet, when she asked me what I wanted the cake to say, and I told her what Caedmon had requested, she softened immediately and said, "Wow! Wow! ......Oh, WOW! That's so nice!"
The next thing we had to decide on was party favors, and Caedmon had his mind made up about this too...he wanted to give each of his friends a Lego "guy".
We couldn't find them locally, and Caedmon said that it was really important to him for his friends to have them, so we ordered them from Lego.com, and he said he'd forgo party decorations if he could have these in time for the party. (We had to make a choice between the 2, for $$ reasons, and this was his...)
Normally, I'm too tight to pay for such things, but look at the picture of what he chose, and then I'll tell you his "why", and mine too. :)
Caedmon wanted to be able to give his friends a Lego "soldier of the Lord." (He adapted Lego's soldier man to fit the description Paul gives us in Ephesians.) He was so excited to get to tell his friends about the full armor of God! (Ephesians 6:10-17)
Ephesians 6:10-17
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual {forces} of wickedness in the heavenly {places.} Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil {one.} And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
"But honey," I said, "There's no belt of Truth."
"MOM! It's under the breastplate of righteousness," he explained.
This boy, who is solely repsonsible for every gray hair on my head.
This boy, who brings me to tears with his detemination.
This boy, who often makes me want to scream, "NO MORE DEBATING!"
This boy, who tenders my heart when he says, "Mommy. Thank you for teaching me God's Word. I love you, Mommy. All the way to His mighty right hand!"
This boy, whom I believe with all of my heart that the LORD God will use (and already does use) to His great glory.
This boy....who sharpens me, and is my crown of exultation.
1Thessalonians 2:19-20
For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation?
Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?
For you are our glory and joy.
"Thank you, dearest Father, for this boy for whom I prayed. I love him dearly, and thank you for all you're doing in his life."
Brennan's journey with the Lord is much different than Caedmon's. He's working in her heart too..I'll tell you about her another day. But, just for fun, here's a picture of her from his party. :)
Have a super day!
Jes
Friday, July 11, 2008
THE ABCs OF ME (this should be good reading material if you're hoping to get to sleep quickly!)
A. Attached or Single? Yes. For life. Funny, my kids asked me last night if I'd marry again if Daddy ever passed away. I got all teary eyed and told them "no". I've never had anyone love me like Shane does, and couldn't imagine ever being with any other man.
B. Best Friend? Yes. I'm married to him.
C. Cake or Pie? Wedding cake...you know, with the thick slabs o' icing on them. Yummy! My dream cake is made completely out of butter cream icing. Wonder if I'll ever get one? :) If I do, don't ask for a piece of it, 'cause I'm not sharing! ;)
D. Day of choice? Friday, 'cause my honey gets to be home all weekend!
E. Essential item? If you've SEEN my eyebrows since the retreat, you'll know without question. My essential item is eyebrow tweezers! I look like I could open a national forrest on my forehead right now!
F. Favorite color? Green. It soothes. It buys. It proves life. It looks good on my kids. :)
G. Gummy Bears or Worms? I wouldn't eat a gummy ANYTHING if it was the last offering before starving to death! Blech!
H. Hometown? Uuuuuh.....I dunno. I've moved around so much I can't quite answer that. Oh...I know! TEXAS! No, that's not a hometown...that's a whole 'nother country!
I. Favorite indulgence? Sleeping until I wake up....even if it's mid-day. Swimming in my backyard with my family. The new Queso Blanco block 'o processed cheese from Kroger, with Rotel peppers and salty tortilla chips. MMMMMMMMMM....not good for you, though!
I know that much!
J. January or July? January. My birthday is in January. It's perfect weather time in January in Phoenix. Life is fun in January. I come close to getting my buttercream icing cake in January. :)
K. Kids? Yes.
We are.
And we do have.
Kids..we're like silly little college kids around this house, Shane and I. That's the fun in being married to a super funny guy who holds all his super-funny in and saves it up just so he can pour it out on ME when he comes home. His "Sprokets Dance" is the best kept secret in town. :)
L. Life isn't complete without? Inductive Bible Study. Did you really think you'd get anything else out of me? :)
M. Marriage Date? May .....oh, I always forget the exact date...you'll need to ask Shane.
N. Number of brothers and sisters? One older brother. An older sister in heaven. A sister-n-law whom I love and cherish. She counts as a sister in my book. :)
O. Oranges or Apples? Under compulsion...apples.
P. Phobias? Oranges.
Q. Quotes? "Act well your part, for there all honor lies." WS
R. Reasons to smile? Currently, it's listening as my sweet little 5 year old girl is audibly reasoning through her relationship with Jesus Christ and God the Father. It's the sweetest thing to listen to, and to watch, as all the pieces are falling into place in her little mind. I think God is getting her prepared for the gift of mercy. She has such a tender heart for the things of the Lord. Tonight she prayed for the North Koreans who need Jesus, and for the people in East Berlin who need the Lord. (Can you tell that we're reading "Brother Andrew" right now?) Talk about being top of mind!
S. Season of choice? Summer. I love to swim with my kiddos and my hubby!
T. Tag 5 people. Uhhhhh.....I gotta get back to you on that one!
U. Unknown fact about me? I got to spend 20 minutes one-on-one with Lynn Redgrave after a performance that she gave at the Alley Theatre in Houston, TX in the early 1990s. As an aspiring actress, it didn't get any better than time with her!
She was so gracious and kind, and I'll never forget her taking that time for me.
I was on a first date, and the guy set this up for me as a surprise. Man...it was great!
V. Vegetable? Asparagus. MMM, I love it!
W. Worst Habit? Pushing myself until I break. Gotta learn to factor in some rest times. It's just that my time here is short, and there's a lot of work to be done. This drives my husband a bit nuts-o, I'm afraid. I need to rest.
X. X-ray or ultrasound? Is this the best they came up with for X?
I'm gonna change it. Those options stink.
How 'bout this: Xanthippe? No, thank you very much. She was a shrew!
Y. Your favorite food? Anything served with guacamole', spinach queso blanco, and tortillas. :)
Z. Zodiac sign? Oooooh! You hit my hot button, and here right at the end of a fun survey! There are few things I could care less about than this. A few weeks ago, someone asked me when my childrens' birthdays were, and after I told her (unknowing to what was coming) she launched right into their "sign" garbage. They looked at her like she was speaking Latin. (oh wait, even a dead language makes much more sense!)
I'm so glad that I don't base my life on creation anymore...but on the Creator.
OK...way more than you ever wanted to know about me. I gotta go REST!
A. Attached or Single? Yes. For life. Funny, my kids asked me last night if I'd marry again if Daddy ever passed away. I got all teary eyed and told them "no". I've never had anyone love me like Shane does, and couldn't imagine ever being with any other man.
B. Best Friend? Yes. I'm married to him.
C. Cake or Pie? Wedding cake...you know, with the thick slabs o' icing on them. Yummy! My dream cake is made completely out of butter cream icing. Wonder if I'll ever get one? :) If I do, don't ask for a piece of it, 'cause I'm not sharing! ;)
D. Day of choice? Friday, 'cause my honey gets to be home all weekend!
E. Essential item? If you've SEEN my eyebrows since the retreat, you'll know without question. My essential item is eyebrow tweezers! I look like I could open a national forrest on my forehead right now!
F. Favorite color? Green. It soothes. It buys. It proves life. It looks good on my kids. :)
G. Gummy Bears or Worms? I wouldn't eat a gummy ANYTHING if it was the last offering before starving to death! Blech!
H. Hometown? Uuuuuh.....I dunno. I've moved around so much I can't quite answer that. Oh...I know! TEXAS! No, that's not a hometown...that's a whole 'nother country!
I. Favorite indulgence? Sleeping until I wake up....even if it's mid-day. Swimming in my backyard with my family. The new Queso Blanco block 'o processed cheese from Kroger, with Rotel peppers and salty tortilla chips. MMMMMMMMMM....not good for you, though!
I know that much!
J. January or July? January. My birthday is in January. It's perfect weather time in January in Phoenix. Life is fun in January. I come close to getting my buttercream icing cake in January. :)
K. Kids? Yes.
We are.
And we do have.
Kids..we're like silly little college kids around this house, Shane and I. That's the fun in being married to a super funny guy who holds all his super-funny in and saves it up just so he can pour it out on ME when he comes home. His "Sprokets Dance" is the best kept secret in town. :)
L. Life isn't complete without? Inductive Bible Study. Did you really think you'd get anything else out of me? :)
M. Marriage Date? May .....oh, I always forget the exact date...you'll need to ask Shane.
N. Number of brothers and sisters? One older brother. An older sister in heaven. A sister-n-law whom I love and cherish. She counts as a sister in my book. :)
O. Oranges or Apples? Under compulsion...apples.
P. Phobias? Oranges.
Q. Quotes? "Act well your part, for there all honor lies." WS
R. Reasons to smile? Currently, it's listening as my sweet little 5 year old girl is audibly reasoning through her relationship with Jesus Christ and God the Father. It's the sweetest thing to listen to, and to watch, as all the pieces are falling into place in her little mind. I think God is getting her prepared for the gift of mercy. She has such a tender heart for the things of the Lord. Tonight she prayed for the North Koreans who need Jesus, and for the people in East Berlin who need the Lord. (Can you tell that we're reading "Brother Andrew" right now?) Talk about being top of mind!
S. Season of choice? Summer. I love to swim with my kiddos and my hubby!
T. Tag 5 people. Uhhhhh.....I gotta get back to you on that one!
U. Unknown fact about me? I got to spend 20 minutes one-on-one with Lynn Redgrave after a performance that she gave at the Alley Theatre in Houston, TX in the early 1990s. As an aspiring actress, it didn't get any better than time with her!
She was so gracious and kind, and I'll never forget her taking that time for me.
I was on a first date, and the guy set this up for me as a surprise. Man...it was great!
V. Vegetable? Asparagus. MMM, I love it!
W. Worst Habit? Pushing myself until I break. Gotta learn to factor in some rest times. It's just that my time here is short, and there's a lot of work to be done. This drives my husband a bit nuts-o, I'm afraid. I need to rest.
X. X-ray or ultrasound? Is this the best they came up with for X?
I'm gonna change it. Those options stink.
How 'bout this: Xanthippe? No, thank you very much. She was a shrew!
Y. Your favorite food? Anything served with guacamole', spinach queso blanco, and tortillas. :)
Z. Zodiac sign? Oooooh! You hit my hot button, and here right at the end of a fun survey! There are few things I could care less about than this. A few weeks ago, someone asked me when my childrens' birthdays were, and after I told her (unknowing to what was coming) she launched right into their "sign" garbage. They looked at her like she was speaking Latin. (oh wait, even a dead language makes much more sense!)
I'm so glad that I don't base my life on creation anymore...but on the Creator.
OK...way more than you ever wanted to know about me. I gotta go REST!
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
AZ Precept Retreat Blog - Check it Out! It's Great!
Hey Friends,
I'm SO excited!
I just had to share the link with you for the AZ Precept Retreat blogsite....just click to see pictures from our recent retreat, and to read comments from the ladies who attended. (C'mon ladies..post lots of comments, ok?)
Thanks to Davina and PeiWen for making the blog look so super!
Thanks to Janna Arndt for graciously coming to be with us, even smack in the middle of a writing deadline! Janna, think of all the little children whose lives God is using you to impact. You are precious and we love you and thank God for you!
If you're a Precept leader in another area of the country, (or the world) and want information about how to hold an all-Precept retreat, please send me an e-mail, and I'll help you in any way I can. I'll first point you to the right people at the ministry to talk with. :)
OK...here's the link: www.azpreceptretreat.blogspot.com
HUGE thanks to everyone at Precept Ministries International who helped make the retreat time so rich!
We could NOT have done it without all of you! We cherish you all, and praise God for your lives...poured out to Him. What a gift you all are!
Oh...so hoping to see more and more people studying God's Word inductively throughout Arizona soon!
Much love,
Jes
I'm SO excited!
I just had to share the link with you for the AZ Precept Retreat blogsite....just click to see pictures from our recent retreat, and to read comments from the ladies who attended. (C'mon ladies..post lots of comments, ok?)
Thanks to Davina and PeiWen for making the blog look so super!
Thanks to Janna Arndt for graciously coming to be with us, even smack in the middle of a writing deadline! Janna, think of all the little children whose lives God is using you to impact. You are precious and we love you and thank God for you!
If you're a Precept leader in another area of the country, (or the world) and want information about how to hold an all-Precept retreat, please send me an e-mail, and I'll help you in any way I can. I'll first point you to the right people at the ministry to talk with. :)
OK...here's the link: www.azpreceptretreat.blogspot.com
HUGE thanks to everyone at Precept Ministries International who helped make the retreat time so rich!
We could NOT have done it without all of you! We cherish you all, and praise God for your lives...poured out to Him. What a gift you all are!
Oh...so hoping to see more and more people studying God's Word inductively throughout Arizona soon!
Much love,
Jes
Precept Ministries' Fall 2008 Women's Conference
How FUN would it be to meet up at this event?
"Loving God, Loving People"
Learning to Love God’s Way
What did Jesus mean?...when He commanded us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and love others as ourselves? Learn directly from God’s Word how this greatest commandment impacts you today. Understand for yourself how applying this timeless wisdom will not only honor God but enrich your life and the lives of those you love. Join us for an intimate weekend of warm fellowship, inspiring praise and worship, and life-changing Bible study.
Speakers for this event include:
Kay Arthur is an International Bible teacher and four-time Gold Medallion award-winning author of over 100 books and Bible studies. She founded Precept Ministries International with her husband Jack in 1970 with the vision to establish people in God’s Word. Today, Precept studies are in nearly 150 countries and 70 languages. As host of Precepts for Life, a daily radio and TV program, Kay and Precept are teaching millions around the world how to discover Truth for themselves.
Donna Otto is the founder of “Mentors for Mothers,” author of six books, and a Bible teacher/ speaker to retreats, conferences, and seminars around the world. Her messages are incredible, workable, and memorable. The books she has written reflect her love of the Bible and her desire to help women. Her articles have appeared in Virtue, Heart to Heart, Proverbs 31, and Focus on the Family. In addition to her writing, Donna is also a frequent guest on television and radio programs.
Worhip Leader :
Alicia Williamson Garcia is a graduate of Winthrop College in Rock Hill, SC, with a Bachelor of Music Degree in Vocal Performance. She traveled for six years with the contemporary Christian music group, TRUTH. Alicia has also been a faculty member at the Center for Worship at Liberty University and Artist-in-Residence at Liberty University and Thomas Road Baptist Church. She is married to Richard Garcia, and they have two sons.
Schedule:
Friday, Oct. 17th
3:00 pm.Registration Opens
5:30 pmDinner
7:00 pmOpening Session
Saturday, Oct. 18th
7:15 amBreakfast
8:30 amWelcome & Teaching Sessions
12:15 pmLunch
1:45 pmTeaching Sessions
5:30 pmDinner
7:00 pmTeaching Sessions
Sunday, Oct. 19th
7:30 amLight Breakfast
8:45 amTeaching Sessions
10:00 amBrunch
11:00 amTeaching Sessions
1:00 pmConference Ends
"Loving God, Loving People"
Learning to Love God’s Way
What did Jesus mean?...when He commanded us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and love others as ourselves? Learn directly from God’s Word how this greatest commandment impacts you today. Understand for yourself how applying this timeless wisdom will not only honor God but enrich your life and the lives of those you love. Join us for an intimate weekend of warm fellowship, inspiring praise and worship, and life-changing Bible study.
Speakers for this event include:
Kay Arthur is an International Bible teacher and four-time Gold Medallion award-winning author of over 100 books and Bible studies. She founded Precept Ministries International with her husband Jack in 1970 with the vision to establish people in God’s Word. Today, Precept studies are in nearly 150 countries and 70 languages. As host of Precepts for Life, a daily radio and TV program, Kay and Precept are teaching millions around the world how to discover Truth for themselves.
Donna Otto is the founder of “Mentors for Mothers,” author of six books, and a Bible teacher/ speaker to retreats, conferences, and seminars around the world. Her messages are incredible, workable, and memorable. The books she has written reflect her love of the Bible and her desire to help women. Her articles have appeared in Virtue, Heart to Heart, Proverbs 31, and Focus on the Family. In addition to her writing, Donna is also a frequent guest on television and radio programs.
Worhip Leader :
Alicia Williamson Garcia is a graduate of Winthrop College in Rock Hill, SC, with a Bachelor of Music Degree in Vocal Performance. She traveled for six years with the contemporary Christian music group, TRUTH. Alicia has also been a faculty member at the Center for Worship at Liberty University and Artist-in-Residence at Liberty University and Thomas Road Baptist Church. She is married to Richard Garcia, and they have two sons.
Schedule:
Friday, Oct. 17th
3:00 pm.Registration Opens
5:30 pmDinner
7:00 pmOpening Session
Saturday, Oct. 18th
7:15 amBreakfast
8:30 amWelcome & Teaching Sessions
12:15 pmLunch
1:45 pmTeaching Sessions
5:30 pmDinner
7:00 pmTeaching Sessions
Sunday, Oct. 19th
7:30 amLight Breakfast
8:45 amTeaching Sessions
10:00 amBrunch
11:00 amTeaching Sessions
1:00 pmConference Ends
Monday, June 30, 2008
My Precious Family
I have a mean case of the hiccups right now. It's shaking my whole body, and messing up my typing. For example...I wrote jessing up my typing first.....that's pretty hilarious!
I just wanted to share that it's good being loved...I mean with a BIG love!
My children have told me countless times today how much they love me and how happy they are that I'm home. :) They've been jumping around and giggling and showing me all the new things they got this weekend. (OH my! Daddy cut loose in the Goodwill store without penny pinching mommy there to "help" him with their selections" ;)
I can just hear him saying, "Whooie Kids! We're Free! Set Loose in the Goodwill store! Nobody to remind us of reality...and all the reasons we don't "need" these really cool little plastic toys! Run kids! Fly, be FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
I'm just kidding with you. This is a GOOD man I've got! A very GOOD man...forget GOOD..he's gone "From Good to Great"!
He is such a wonderful Daddy. Our children just love him to pieces! Yes, they miss me when I'm gone...but they have a BLAST with dad.
I think it's precious that Shane has caught my Goodwill philosophy. I love getting compliments on my clothes or home decor and then being able to tell them where it came from. Did you know there's even an on-line Goodwill store?
Hmmmm..maybe I don't have to tell you EVERY good thing I know, now do I?!
Oh....yes I do. We learned this weekend at our AZ Precept Bible Study retreat that we aren't to store up our treasures on earth, but in heaven. Guess I gotta let go of my insider information on where the goodies are to be found online.
Just one word of caution if you click on this link....I'll figure out your screen name and I 'll know if you start bidding against me on a favored Chicos outfit.
That could be a problem. ;)
Seriously...go getcha a bargain and then post a picture of it on here, for all of us to enjoy. www.shopgoodwill.com
Shane's takes from today:
new computer chair for me..needed this big time..tall & leather (pleather?) $9.99
Caedmon's birthday present- golf clubs $12.00
etch a sketch for swirly girly Brennan .99m
magnetic drawing thing for Caedmon .99
fleece RED (his all time favorite on me) ????
OK...I'm about to fall asleep at the computer...
Shane, I love you and thank you for all you did in caring for me and the children, and the women of AZ and NM who so desperately needed this weekend retreat.
Let's go to Goodwill one day this week and celebrate!
Brennan: "Mommy I love you all the way to God's Throne and back"
Caedmon "Mommy! I love you all the way to God's Throne and NOT back!"
Brennan "Mommy, I love you all the way to God's Throne and all the way to his mighty right hand!"
Wow. What a great way to be loved!
Thank you family for everything!
I love you all the way to eternity. And definitely never back!
I just wanted to share that it's good being loved...I mean with a BIG love!
My children have told me countless times today how much they love me and how happy they are that I'm home. :) They've been jumping around and giggling and showing me all the new things they got this weekend. (OH my! Daddy cut loose in the Goodwill store without penny pinching mommy there to "help" him with their selections" ;)
I can just hear him saying, "Whooie Kids! We're Free! Set Loose in the Goodwill store! Nobody to remind us of reality...and all the reasons we don't "need" these really cool little plastic toys! Run kids! Fly, be FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
I'm just kidding with you. This is a GOOD man I've got! A very GOOD man...forget GOOD..he's gone "From Good to Great"!
He is such a wonderful Daddy. Our children just love him to pieces! Yes, they miss me when I'm gone...but they have a BLAST with dad.
I think it's precious that Shane has caught my Goodwill philosophy. I love getting compliments on my clothes or home decor and then being able to tell them where it came from. Did you know there's even an on-line Goodwill store?
Hmmmm..maybe I don't have to tell you EVERY good thing I know, now do I?!
Oh....yes I do. We learned this weekend at our AZ Precept Bible Study retreat that we aren't to store up our treasures on earth, but in heaven. Guess I gotta let go of my insider information on where the goodies are to be found online.
Just one word of caution if you click on this link....I'll figure out your screen name and I 'll know if you start bidding against me on a favored Chicos outfit.
That could be a problem. ;)
Seriously...go getcha a bargain and then post a picture of it on here, for all of us to enjoy. www.shopgoodwill.com
Shane's takes from today:
new computer chair for me..needed this big time..tall & leather (pleather?) $9.99
Caedmon's birthday present- golf clubs $12.00
etch a sketch for swirly girly Brennan .99m
magnetic drawing thing for Caedmon .99
fleece RED (his all time favorite on me) ????
OK...I'm about to fall asleep at the computer...
Shane, I love you and thank you for all you did in caring for me and the children, and the women of AZ and NM who so desperately needed this weekend retreat.
Let's go to Goodwill one day this week and celebrate!
Brennan: "Mommy I love you all the way to God's Throne and back"
Caedmon "Mommy! I love you all the way to God's Throne and NOT back!"
Brennan "Mommy, I love you all the way to God's Throne and all the way to his mighty right hand!"
Wow. What a great way to be loved!
Thank you family for everything!
I love you all the way to eternity. And definitely never back!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
My Conversation with the Heinz Company Today
I received an e-mail today, forwarded from a friend, from a watchdog group that alerts people to consumer issues that are counter to a Biblical worldview.
I encourage you to click the link below, to watch a video that the Heinz Company aired recently in Europe. After you watch it, come back here and read the rest of my post, ok?
Warning...this clip includes two men kissing. It comes across as promoting homosexual marriages. I wouldn't want my children to see this..so I'm giving you warning for your own.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cXNzcxDrN4
Did you see it?
So...here's my experience with it today...
When I first watched the video, my heart was grieved. I didn't see any humor in it at all. Instead, I saw a very sad commentary on what the reality of life is for some children.
Just last week, the state of California chose to allow gay "marriage". I put marriage in parenthesis, because what they have allowed is not truly marriage.
The day that the legislation was to be enacted, Caedmon heard it on Radio Shine news, and came running into my room saying, "MOMMY! MOMMY! Today at 5pm in the state of California, they are going to allow a man to marry a man, and a woman to marry a woman!"
My first words were, "Kids. We must hit our knees right now. We must cry out to God for the sin of our country. We must beg His mercy."
So we did.
After our time in prayer, Caedmon looked at me and said, "Mommy. I wouldn't want to have 2 Daddies. Yuck! Children need a Mommy. I mean, I love Daddy a lot...but Mommy...you're soft. Daddies aren't soft."
Hmmm...the heart expression of a 7 year old on the issue of gay "marriage".
He went on..."Mommy. Kids need a Mommy. Mommies are tender. Mommies give you lots of hugs and kisses. Mommies are just different from Daddies. I feel sorry for those kids who don't have a Mommy."
Wonder if the Heinz company gave any thought to this?
Well..back to today.
After viewing that commercial, I just stopped and prayed. And yes, it was a commercial that was running in Europe. It's since been pulled, but it did air for a time. Imagine how our brothers and sisters in Christ in Europe must have felt when they saw it.
They didn't have to tune into the MTV awards to see Britney kissing Madonna. All they had to do was turn on their tv set to a seemingly innocent show, and
BOOM! it was right there in their faces!
So, as I prayed, I asked the Lord to give me wisdom as to what He would have me do.
And then, I picked up the phone and called the Heinz company to share my heart.
I had asked the Lord to put the words in my mouth. I didn't want to lead with a threat. I just wanted to be honest about how I, as a consumer, felt about this ad.
Evidently, a lot of other people had opinions too, because I was on hold for quite a while.
When the girl finally answered, I just shared with her that as one of their customers, my heart was grieved by their choice in advertising. I told her that the very people who are buying the product (women who do the grocery shopping) are the very ones whose position in the home has been removed in this ad.
I also shared with her that things in our country are tense enough right now, with the decisions just handed down in CA, and that the perception that their ad leaves in the mind of the consumer is that they are in full support of gay unions, and want the viewers to see them as commonplace.
She was very kind, and explained that the ad was supposed to be a joke, based upon what the product is....NY Deli style mayo. Evidently, what she thought they were trying to express was that when mom chooses this mayo, it makes her food as tasty as though it were made in a NY Deli.
I asked, "Don't you think it would have been humorous if the Mom had been dressed like a deli cook...maybe even with a big tattoo on her forearm, and complete with a NY accent?"
"As it is, the attempt at humor is completely missing, because all we see is two men in a homosexual relationship. I didn't get that this was supposed to be "Mom". I'm guessing I'm not alone."
I encourage you to click the link below, to watch a video that the Heinz Company aired recently in Europe. After you watch it, come back here and read the rest of my post, ok?
Warning...this clip includes two men kissing. It comes across as promoting homosexual marriages. I wouldn't want my children to see this..so I'm giving you warning for your own.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cXNzcxDrN4
Did you see it?
So...here's my experience with it today...
When I first watched the video, my heart was grieved. I didn't see any humor in it at all. Instead, I saw a very sad commentary on what the reality of life is for some children.
Just last week, the state of California chose to allow gay "marriage". I put marriage in parenthesis, because what they have allowed is not truly marriage.
The day that the legislation was to be enacted, Caedmon heard it on Radio Shine news, and came running into my room saying, "MOMMY! MOMMY! Today at 5pm in the state of California, they are going to allow a man to marry a man, and a woman to marry a woman!"
My first words were, "Kids. We must hit our knees right now. We must cry out to God for the sin of our country. We must beg His mercy."
So we did.
After our time in prayer, Caedmon looked at me and said, "Mommy. I wouldn't want to have 2 Daddies. Yuck! Children need a Mommy. I mean, I love Daddy a lot...but Mommy...you're soft. Daddies aren't soft."
Hmmm...the heart expression of a 7 year old on the issue of gay "marriage".
He went on..."Mommy. Kids need a Mommy. Mommies are tender. Mommies give you lots of hugs and kisses. Mommies are just different from Daddies. I feel sorry for those kids who don't have a Mommy."
Wonder if the Heinz company gave any thought to this?
Well..back to today.
After viewing that commercial, I just stopped and prayed. And yes, it was a commercial that was running in Europe. It's since been pulled, but it did air for a time. Imagine how our brothers and sisters in Christ in Europe must have felt when they saw it.
They didn't have to tune into the MTV awards to see Britney kissing Madonna. All they had to do was turn on their tv set to a seemingly innocent show, and
BOOM! it was right there in their faces!
So, as I prayed, I asked the Lord to give me wisdom as to what He would have me do.
And then, I picked up the phone and called the Heinz company to share my heart.
I had asked the Lord to put the words in my mouth. I didn't want to lead with a threat. I just wanted to be honest about how I, as a consumer, felt about this ad.
Evidently, a lot of other people had opinions too, because I was on hold for quite a while.
When the girl finally answered, I just shared with her that as one of their customers, my heart was grieved by their choice in advertising. I told her that the very people who are buying the product (women who do the grocery shopping) are the very ones whose position in the home has been removed in this ad.
I also shared with her that things in our country are tense enough right now, with the decisions just handed down in CA, and that the perception that their ad leaves in the mind of the consumer is that they are in full support of gay unions, and want the viewers to see them as commonplace.
She was very kind, and explained that the ad was supposed to be a joke, based upon what the product is....NY Deli style mayo. Evidently, what she thought they were trying to express was that when mom chooses this mayo, it makes her food as tasty as though it were made in a NY Deli.
I asked, "Don't you think it would have been humorous if the Mom had been dressed like a deli cook...maybe even with a big tattoo on her forearm, and complete with a NY accent?"
"As it is, the attempt at humor is completely missing, because all we see is two men in a homosexual relationship. I didn't get that this was supposed to be "Mom". I'm guessing I'm not alone."
We had a good discussion, and I told her that I am a Christian, and that I hoped that my words had come across in love and gentleness.
She said, "Oh yes. You've been very kind. We've had some people calling in here today who have been very, very mad." (The implication from her tone was more like rude and hateful.)
It was a great opportunity to tell her this..."My Savior is gentle. He is kind. He is loving..and He calls me to be the same. I hope His light has shined through my words today, and I thank you so much for your time."
A few years ago, I don't think I would have been able to handle this with grace. Yet, that's the only way we as Christians will be able to impact a lost world. They have to see Jesus in us.
Maybe you'll consider calling them in love, and expressing your heart on the matter, too?
In Jesus,
Jes
Short and Sweet
OK everyone, give a big "Yippie!"
Precept classes are now up on the web! Yay!
Major KUDOS to all who have been working their little hearts out to make this happen. There may be some kinks in it yet, so please show grace..but hey, we're up! :)
If you are looking for a Precept Bible Study in your area...you can now go to www.precept.org and click on "CLASSES" at the top of the page, and search by state to find a class in your neighborhood.
One note...cities are not in alphabetical order, but states are..so be sure to look though all of the cities in your state.
If you don't see one in your area..hey, there's your invite to start one! :)
You can click on "Workshops" and find when and where YOU can be trained as a leader, and then you can teach others how to study the Word of God for themselves.
If you're a Precept leader, please be sure to click on info@precept.org and send them all the information about your current or upcoming classes.
Also for leaders, go to www.preceptleader.org to find wonderful new tools for class promotion. You can even download the first lesson of your study for free!
Have you considered joining the E-Team? Why don't you pray about it, and ask the Lord if He'd have you come alongside Precept Ministries International as a partner in prayer and support?
If you're in Arizona, or a surrounding state..are you coming to the Ladies Precept Retreat this weekend? For info, go to www.azpreceptretreat.blogspot.com
Happy Digging! :)
Precept classes are now up on the web! Yay!
Major KUDOS to all who have been working their little hearts out to make this happen. There may be some kinks in it yet, so please show grace..but hey, we're up! :)
If you are looking for a Precept Bible Study in your area...you can now go to www.precept.org and click on "CLASSES" at the top of the page, and search by state to find a class in your neighborhood.
One note...cities are not in alphabetical order, but states are..so be sure to look though all of the cities in your state.
If you don't see one in your area..hey, there's your invite to start one! :)
You can click on "Workshops" and find when and where YOU can be trained as a leader, and then you can teach others how to study the Word of God for themselves.
If you're a Precept leader, please be sure to click on info@precept.org and send them all the information about your current or upcoming classes.
Also for leaders, go to www.preceptleader.org to find wonderful new tools for class promotion. You can even download the first lesson of your study for free!
Have you considered joining the E-Team? Why don't you pray about it, and ask the Lord if He'd have you come alongside Precept Ministries International as a partner in prayer and support?
If you're in Arizona, or a surrounding state..are you coming to the Ladies Precept Retreat this weekend? For info, go to www.azpreceptretreat.blogspot.com
Happy Digging! :)
Thursday, June 19, 2008
What I Want My Children to Know About Their Daddy
Today our children and I were having the loveliest of breakfasts together, and one of them asked why it is that their friend's dad has to work so much.
Talk about an open door for rich conversation!
We got to talk about choices, and lifestyles.
I asked them if they know how old the car is that their Daddy drives....
"OLD!" said Caedmon.
"Yes, son. It's 10 years old. And Mommy's car is 11 years old. That's a choice we've made."
Then I asked them if they knew how much their Daddy loves to play golf...
"A lot!" said Caedmon. "And he's pretty good at it!"
"You're right. But how often does play?"
"Not very much."
"Have you ever wondered why?"
"He only plays about 2 times a year, son. That's another choice that your Daddy has made. He's chosen not to play golf often, because it costs a lot of money to play. He's also chosen not to drive a fancy car, and not to fill our home with plasma televisions and all the newest in electronics. He doesn't want to be in debt to those things, kids, because he knows that having all the "stuff" would mean that he wouldn't be able to be home with us. He'd have to be working to pay for those things."
Brennan then said, "YES! And he yoves his childwen, and you too Mommy!" (She's just TOO cute!)
Then we talked about how Daddy and Mommy have made choices to live with less, so that I can be home with them. We discussed what a blessing it is to be able to homeschool, and we talked about how totally unimportant having a Wii really is. :)
I told them that if I was still in the work world, we'd have new cars, and lots of fancy things...but that they wouldn't have me, and that they wouldn't have much of Daddy, either.
I explained to them how much they have to be thankful for in their Daddy...how when I was a little girl, I would have given anything in the world to have had a Daddy that wanted to come home and play with me, like theirs does with them.
Then we listed all of the things that we love about Daddy...it went something like this:
He plays LEGOs with me.
He swims with me.
He wrestles me down.
He builds little LEGO houses for me.
He teaches me how to play baseball..and even coached my team!
He draws with me. I love to draw!
He loves me.
Me too! He loves me too! Oh, and he teaches me about God's Worwd. :)
Actually, that was their list... here is mine:
He's the best looking man I've ever known.
I could get lost in his big brown eyes. (and do!)
He's a gracious (not really!) loser when I kick his tail in backgammon...time and time again. :)
He makes me laugh on the outside. Few can accomplish this, but he does so often.
He gives almost every dish I make, a solid 10. That's a big deal coming from an engineer. :)
He covers me. Under his headship, I blossom. Without it, I'd be lost.
He's a fantastic Dad.
He works his tail off for us, and never, ever complains.
He drives 2 hours a day, and comes in the door with a smile on his face every single night.
He challenges me. I dig this to no end!
He's my best friend.
He loves the Lord, and is SERIOUS about his family knowing and loving Him too.
Shane..we love you, honey. Each of us, deeply..and each for many reasons.
You are so appreciated!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Happy Rebirth Day to Me!
9 years ago today, I was born into the Kingdom of God.
Now, that's worth celebrating!
9 years...thank you, Lord!
I've been quite reflective today, thinking back on all that the Lord has done in my life in the past 9 years. It's been a sweet day, as I've looked at the faces of my precious kiddos and thought how thankful I am that the Lord brought me to salvation before they were born.
Oh..so much to share, but it's past my bedtime.
Just wanted to praise the Lord with you for a moment!
John 3:1
Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;
John 3:2
this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God {as} a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."
John 3:3
Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
John 3:4
Nicodemus *said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?"
John 3:5
Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Now, that's worth celebrating!
9 years...thank you, Lord!
I've been quite reflective today, thinking back on all that the Lord has done in my life in the past 9 years. It's been a sweet day, as I've looked at the faces of my precious kiddos and thought how thankful I am that the Lord brought me to salvation before they were born.
Oh..so much to share, but it's past my bedtime.
Just wanted to praise the Lord with you for a moment!
John 3:1
Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;
John 3:2
this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God {as} a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."
John 3:3
Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
John 3:4
Nicodemus *said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?"
John 3:5
Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Does God Really Care About Our Prayer Requests?
Does God really still answer prayer?
Have you ever asked yourself that question?
Are there times when you are praying for something so big, that you wonder if God would ever truly grant your request?
Or, does the evil one ever tempt you to doubt that God COULD handle this request of yours...since it’s SO huge? “I mean,” says your mind, “He’s sovereign and all, but what about how strong man’s sinful nature is?”
I’ve been there. There are times that I have prayed and prayed about a given subject, all the while battling thoughts in my mind that were telling me that there was NO WAY that it would ever happen.
Have you ever been at this point in your prayer life?
I want to encourage you tonight, as I have just witnessed God answer a huge prayer request in my life.
HUGE! I mean... MOUNTAIN size!
One of these was a request we have been lifting before the Lord for 9 YEARS!
9 YEARS!!!! 3,285 days!!!!
Don’t you think that’s a long time? I mean, for goodness sakes, we’ve been through 3 presidential terms in that amount of time! Yet, today, we saw God answer that prayer request, for His glory. Not only did we SEE Him do it, we were blessed by the fruit of HIM doing it...and guess what – it was ALL for His glory, and for the building up of the body of Christ.
So, I want to ask you another question tonight... WHO do you know that needs Jesus Christ, yet seems by your estimation to be one of those who will never bow their knee?
Will you commit to pray for them for the next 9 years?
For their salvation for the next 3,285 days...or longer if the Lord wills?
What is the situation in your life that seems absolutely impossible? Will you bow your knee before the Father and make your request known to Him with all thanksgiving for Who He is, and what He is able to bring about that His name may be glorified?
Will you do it for 3,285 days? Will you persevere in prayer?
Will you remember my story...that it took 9 years to see God answer this one?
Yet, today...as I and my family walked in the blessing of God’s answered prayer, I didn’t think ONE TIME about the tears that we had shed in prayer begging the Lord to do this given thing.
I didn’t think ONE TIME about all the feelings of discouragement we’d felt through it.
No sweet friend, not ONE TIME.
Today was a day of JUBILEE!
Today was a day of CELEBRATION!
Today was AWESOME!!!
Press on, Christian Soldier. Press on in prayer.
Be steadfast. Be immovable. Abound always in the work of the Lord. Know that your labor is not in vain.
I love how over and over again in the Old Testament we see the words, “That the world may know that there is a God in Israel.”
Time and again when God made a great miracle occur for His people, for His name sake, He said that it was for that very reason...that ALL THE WORLD might know that there is a God in Israel.
Will you pray for God’s hand in your situation? In the lives of your lost neighbors, friends, and family members?
How about for the salvation of your enemies?
What about for your country? That we will repent of our grievous sins before God and return to Him in obedience? Why would God want to answer your prayer? Why does He draw the lost unto Himself? That ALL THE WORLD may know Him, through His son, Jesus Christ.
I gotta share with you, after getting to walk in the shadow of this miracle of God today, my prayers for my lost and dying friends and family members are going to be ramped up big time! I’m going to make a commitment to myself and to the Lord that if I could pray for this last situation for 9 years, I will pray for the next one for at least that long.
Who in your life needs to make your list?
How long will you pray over your list?
9 years seems like a short time, in light of the surpassing glory of God in this answered prayer today.
Tune in again in the next few days...I’ll be sharing with you about Precept Ministries International’s call to prayer for our nation. Click here for more information.
Press on, soldier. Press on in prayer.
1 Corinthians 15:54-58
But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
Have you ever asked yourself that question?
Are there times when you are praying for something so big, that you wonder if God would ever truly grant your request?
Or, does the evil one ever tempt you to doubt that God COULD handle this request of yours...since it’s SO huge? “I mean,” says your mind, “He’s sovereign and all, but what about how strong man’s sinful nature is?”
I’ve been there. There are times that I have prayed and prayed about a given subject, all the while battling thoughts in my mind that were telling me that there was NO WAY that it would ever happen.
Have you ever been at this point in your prayer life?
I want to encourage you tonight, as I have just witnessed God answer a huge prayer request in my life.
HUGE! I mean... MOUNTAIN size!
One of these was a request we have been lifting before the Lord for 9 YEARS!
9 YEARS!!!! 3,285 days!!!!
Don’t you think that’s a long time? I mean, for goodness sakes, we’ve been through 3 presidential terms in that amount of time! Yet, today, we saw God answer that prayer request, for His glory. Not only did we SEE Him do it, we were blessed by the fruit of HIM doing it...and guess what – it was ALL for His glory, and for the building up of the body of Christ.
So, I want to ask you another question tonight... WHO do you know that needs Jesus Christ, yet seems by your estimation to be one of those who will never bow their knee?
Will you commit to pray for them for the next 9 years?
For their salvation for the next 3,285 days...or longer if the Lord wills?
What is the situation in your life that seems absolutely impossible? Will you bow your knee before the Father and make your request known to Him with all thanksgiving for Who He is, and what He is able to bring about that His name may be glorified?
Will you do it for 3,285 days? Will you persevere in prayer?
Will you remember my story...that it took 9 years to see God answer this one?
Yet, today...as I and my family walked in the blessing of God’s answered prayer, I didn’t think ONE TIME about the tears that we had shed in prayer begging the Lord to do this given thing.
I didn’t think ONE TIME about all the feelings of discouragement we’d felt through it.
No sweet friend, not ONE TIME.
Today was a day of JUBILEE!
Today was a day of CELEBRATION!
Today was AWESOME!!!
Press on, Christian Soldier. Press on in prayer.
Be steadfast. Be immovable. Abound always in the work of the Lord. Know that your labor is not in vain.
I love how over and over again in the Old Testament we see the words, “That the world may know that there is a God in Israel.”
Time and again when God made a great miracle occur for His people, for His name sake, He said that it was for that very reason...that ALL THE WORLD might know that there is a God in Israel.
Will you pray for God’s hand in your situation? In the lives of your lost neighbors, friends, and family members?
How about for the salvation of your enemies?
What about for your country? That we will repent of our grievous sins before God and return to Him in obedience? Why would God want to answer your prayer? Why does He draw the lost unto Himself? That ALL THE WORLD may know Him, through His son, Jesus Christ.
I gotta share with you, after getting to walk in the shadow of this miracle of God today, my prayers for my lost and dying friends and family members are going to be ramped up big time! I’m going to make a commitment to myself and to the Lord that if I could pray for this last situation for 9 years, I will pray for the next one for at least that long.
Who in your life needs to make your list?
How long will you pray over your list?
9 years seems like a short time, in light of the surpassing glory of God in this answered prayer today.
Tune in again in the next few days...I’ll be sharing with you about Precept Ministries International’s call to prayer for our nation. Click here for more information.
Press on, soldier. Press on in prayer.
1 Corinthians 15:54-58
But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Petey, Precious Gift from God
I wanted to introduce you to my buddy, Petey. Isn't he a cutie-pie?
A few months ago, I found a prayer card that our family had filled out and put into our box of prayer requests that we were lifting up before the Lord.
This card had been filled out months before we got Petey, and after 2 TOUGH experiences with other dogs.
On our card were very specific requests that we had for a puppy dog:
* soft hair we can pet and will feel good on our hands
* loves to cuddle
* medium sized
* kind
* funny
I can't remember all of the rest of them, but they were very, very specific.
Well, the Lord answered our prayers and gave us the sweetest dog. I love this dog so much..he's just such a sweetheart!
Seems silly maybe, but when I look at Petey, I see an answered prayer. It amazes me that God cares about every single little thing in our lives...everything.
I know..it's fluffy tonight.
Literally.
:)
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Update on the Steven Curtis Chapman Family
Please continue to pray for this precious family....they are dealing with such heartache today.
Maria is the one in her Daddy's lap. What a beautiful family!
There is a touching tribute to her on his website. You can even leave words of encouragement on a blog that they've set up. Instead of flowers, they are asking that all donations be sent to Shaohanna's Hope, to help others within the body of Christ with adoption costs.
Go to http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/ to see the blog and tribute.
The Curtis Chapman Family
The Bible talks about how when one member of the body hurts, we all hurt. We mourn with those who mourn. We weep with those who weep.
Shane and I can't seem to keep the tears from pouring out this evening. We've just heard the heartbreaking news that Steven and Mary Beth Chapman's daughter, Maria was killed in a tragic car accident today.
She was 5.
Please, please keep these precious saints in your prayers in the coming days.
Steven Curtis Chapman has been used by God in such mighty ways, through his gift of music. He is an amazingly talented singer and songwriter, and an amazing gift to the body of Christ.
He and his wife, Mary Beth, have worked to bring the opportunity of adoption to many people here in the states, themselves having adopted 3 little girls from China.
We have aquaintances who were helped financially by the Chapman's organization, Shaohannahs' Hope, and thus were able to adopt a precious little boy.
Please, keep them in your prayers. They have a lot of pain to work through in the coming months and years, and need to be supported by the prayers of those who know and love the Lord.
Maria leaves behind 3 bigger sisters, Shaohannah and Stevey Joy, both also from China, and Emily. She also leaves her 2 big brothers, Caleb and Will Franklin.
Please, pray for all of them. I can't even begin to imagine the pain they are all going through tonight.
When you lift them up...please, pray that the comfort of our Lord and Savior will pour over them in the coming days.
In Him,
Jesica
Shane and I can't seem to keep the tears from pouring out this evening. We've just heard the heartbreaking news that Steven and Mary Beth Chapman's daughter, Maria was killed in a tragic car accident today.
She was 5.
Please, please keep these precious saints in your prayers in the coming days.
Steven Curtis Chapman has been used by God in such mighty ways, through his gift of music. He is an amazingly talented singer and songwriter, and an amazing gift to the body of Christ.
He and his wife, Mary Beth, have worked to bring the opportunity of adoption to many people here in the states, themselves having adopted 3 little girls from China.
We have aquaintances who were helped financially by the Chapman's organization, Shaohannahs' Hope, and thus were able to adopt a precious little boy.
Please, keep them in your prayers. They have a lot of pain to work through in the coming months and years, and need to be supported by the prayers of those who know and love the Lord.
Maria leaves behind 3 bigger sisters, Shaohannah and Stevey Joy, both also from China, and Emily. She also leaves her 2 big brothers, Caleb and Will Franklin.
Please, pray for all of them. I can't even begin to imagine the pain they are all going through tonight.
When you lift them up...please, pray that the comfort of our Lord and Savior will pour over them in the coming days.
In Him,
Jesica
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Do You Have a Servant's Heart Like Nehemiah?
Tonight we're going to look at the rest of Nehemiah chapter 1.
It's such a beautiful prayer that he prays to the Father...and his heart shines through his words.
Neh 1:5
I said, "I beseech You, O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments,
Neh 1:6
let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father's house have sinned.
Neh 1:7
"We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses.
Neh 1:8
"Remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the peoples;
Neh 1:9
but {if} you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered were in the most remote part of the heavens, I will gather them from there and will bring them to the place where I have chosen to cause My name to dwell.'
Neh 1:10
"They are Your servants and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand.
Neh 1:11
"O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man." Now I was the cupbearer to the king.
Our Monday night Precept class is studying The Sermon on The Mount, and last night we dug deeply into the Lord's prayer.
We saw that the first thing that is said in the Lord's prayer is "Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name..."
Do you see how Nehemiah's prayer was so similar? He began his prayer with praise to the Father, recognizing His almighty power and His character.
The term "lovingkindness" is a covenant term. You see it over and over again when studying the covenant's of the Lord. By the fact that Nehemiah is speaking this term back to God, about God's character, tells us that Nehemiah truly KNEW the LORD.
He speaks to God of His promises to Israel. He reminds God of His covenant with her, and how He said that if she was unfaithful, but then returned to Him, that He would do something very specific for the sons of Israel.
What was it that God had promised to do?
I realize that I'm skipping around a bit here, sorry for that...but I can't figure out how to "cut" in Blogger, so forgive me.
Do you see what Nehemiah does on behalf of the sons of Israel in verse 7?
Why, when you read it in context, was is necessary for there to be admission of sin on the part of Israel?
If you study the Lord's prayer, you'll see a place within it that the one who prays it will also make confession before God.
To confess means to agree with God about our sin. How can we repent (have a change of mind) if we aren't willing to make an admission of sin?
I love that God, in His command to Israel through Moses, didn't say, "If you return to me, I'll do such and so...".
No. He won't be mocked. He didn't just say "return to Me", there was a condition that He placed upon His people. What was it?
Do you see it?
It's pretty clear, isn't it?!
"Return to me, and keep my commandments, and do them."
So, fast forward back to the day of Nehemiah, and we see the remnant of Israel, the exiles, now back in the place where God chose to cause His name to dwell.
Yet, as we learned yesterday, the city is in trouble.
Enter Nehemiah.
One man.
One man, willing to be faithful to God's AWESOME call on his heart...God's HUGE call on his heart.
And what does Nehemiah do? It's found in verses 5-11. Every single one.
How does Nehemiah refer to himself?
And how does he refer to the sons of Israel?
What is your mindset when God calls YOU to a huge task on His behalf, and for His glory?
Do you think to yourself, "Man, I'm so gifted. I'm really going to master this challenge?"
Or, do you repeat over and over that you are God's servant, here for His pleasure, to do as He calls and He asks?
I think it's amazing that Nehemiah had this great call on his heart from God, and yet he still prays for favor from the Lord.
What was his request from God?
Isn't it awesome that he asked God to grant him compassion?
He knew he was about the Lord's work, but he still asked the Lord to pave the way.
God is blowing our minds with all that He is doing for this retreat. We continue to ask for your prayers, that God will fill the retreat center up. Our hope is that there won't be one bed left open.
We are requesting this of God, that our state might be set on fire by the study of God's Word.
We are praying that women who are already leaders will form wonderful relationships with other leaders, to equip and encourage one another for years to come.
We are petitioning the Lord for many new women who will fall in love with Precept studies, and will then go and be trained to take inductive study into their own churches and communities.
We are begging God for the retreat center to be full, that it would be a HUGE blessing and encouragement to Precept Ministries International.
We are also asking this of the Lord, that Living Water Retreat Center would be hugely blessed.
They are such wonderful people there...so dedicated to serving the body of Messiah across denominational lines. Being at Living Water makes me truly feel like we are one body in Christ, just as the Word tells us that we are.
Let us pray as Nehemiah did.
Won't you pray with us?
No time to proof-read, hope it's all good...
Have a great night,
Jes
It's such a beautiful prayer that he prays to the Father...and his heart shines through his words.
Neh 1:5
I said, "I beseech You, O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments,
Neh 1:6
let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father's house have sinned.
Neh 1:7
"We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses.
Neh 1:8
"Remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the peoples;
Neh 1:9
but {if} you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered were in the most remote part of the heavens, I will gather them from there and will bring them to the place where I have chosen to cause My name to dwell.'
Neh 1:10
"They are Your servants and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand.
Neh 1:11
"O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man." Now I was the cupbearer to the king.
Our Monday night Precept class is studying The Sermon on The Mount, and last night we dug deeply into the Lord's prayer.
We saw that the first thing that is said in the Lord's prayer is "Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name..."
Do you see how Nehemiah's prayer was so similar? He began his prayer with praise to the Father, recognizing His almighty power and His character.
The term "lovingkindness" is a covenant term. You see it over and over again when studying the covenant's of the Lord. By the fact that Nehemiah is speaking this term back to God, about God's character, tells us that Nehemiah truly KNEW the LORD.
He speaks to God of His promises to Israel. He reminds God of His covenant with her, and how He said that if she was unfaithful, but then returned to Him, that He would do something very specific for the sons of Israel.
What was it that God had promised to do?
I realize that I'm skipping around a bit here, sorry for that...but I can't figure out how to "cut" in Blogger, so forgive me.
Do you see what Nehemiah does on behalf of the sons of Israel in verse 7?
Why, when you read it in context, was is necessary for there to be admission of sin on the part of Israel?
If you study the Lord's prayer, you'll see a place within it that the one who prays it will also make confession before God.
To confess means to agree with God about our sin. How can we repent (have a change of mind) if we aren't willing to make an admission of sin?
I love that God, in His command to Israel through Moses, didn't say, "If you return to me, I'll do such and so...".
No. He won't be mocked. He didn't just say "return to Me", there was a condition that He placed upon His people. What was it?
Do you see it?
It's pretty clear, isn't it?!
"Return to me, and keep my commandments, and do them."
So, fast forward back to the day of Nehemiah, and we see the remnant of Israel, the exiles, now back in the place where God chose to cause His name to dwell.
Yet, as we learned yesterday, the city is in trouble.
Enter Nehemiah.
One man.
One man, willing to be faithful to God's AWESOME call on his heart...God's HUGE call on his heart.
And what does Nehemiah do? It's found in verses 5-11. Every single one.
How does Nehemiah refer to himself?
And how does he refer to the sons of Israel?
What is your mindset when God calls YOU to a huge task on His behalf, and for His glory?
Do you think to yourself, "Man, I'm so gifted. I'm really going to master this challenge?"
Or, do you repeat over and over that you are God's servant, here for His pleasure, to do as He calls and He asks?
I think it's amazing that Nehemiah had this great call on his heart from God, and yet he still prays for favor from the Lord.
What was his request from God?
Isn't it awesome that he asked God to grant him compassion?
He knew he was about the Lord's work, but he still asked the Lord to pave the way.
God is blowing our minds with all that He is doing for this retreat. We continue to ask for your prayers, that God will fill the retreat center up. Our hope is that there won't be one bed left open.
We are requesting this of God, that our state might be set on fire by the study of God's Word.
We are praying that women who are already leaders will form wonderful relationships with other leaders, to equip and encourage one another for years to come.
We are petitioning the Lord for many new women who will fall in love with Precept studies, and will then go and be trained to take inductive study into their own churches and communities.
We are begging God for the retreat center to be full, that it would be a HUGE blessing and encouragement to Precept Ministries International.
We are also asking this of the Lord, that Living Water Retreat Center would be hugely blessed.
They are such wonderful people there...so dedicated to serving the body of Messiah across denominational lines. Being at Living Water makes me truly feel like we are one body in Christ, just as the Word tells us that we are.
Let us pray as Nehemiah did.
Won't you pray with us?
No time to proof-read, hope it's all good...
Have a great night,
Jes
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Lessons from Nehemiah
A group of the most amazing women I've ever known, and I are working hard toward a Ladies Precept Bible study retreat, which you've likely already seen the posts on here about.
Normally, I'm not a retreat girl..not unless it's by myself or with my hubby, that is.
Yet, I am COMPELLED by the vision that God has given us for this retreat!
Over and over again He is taking me to the book of Nehemiah. I just can't seem to get enough of it!
My guess is that the next 10 weeks of blogging are going to be about Nehemiah.
Hope you'll join me! :)
To start, just read the first few verses:
Neh 1:1
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month Chislev, {in} the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capitol,
Neh 1:2
that Hanani, one of my brothers, and some men from Judah came; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped {and} had survived the captivity, and about Jerusalem.
Neh 1:3
They said to me, "The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire."
Neh 1:4
When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
You know what jumps out at me in this passage? Right off the bat...the remnant.
Whose remnant were they?
Why and How do you think they were able to survive the captivity?
Why was Jerusalem so important to Nehemiah that he asked his brother and the men about it?
(If you don't know, stay tuned. God is going to answer these questions for us from Scripture!)
Then, Nehemiah's brother and the men from Judah tell him the condition of the people, the remnant. They describe it in great detail...
The wall is broken down! The gates are burned with fire!
They are in great distress! They are in great reproach!
During this time, the walls around a city served to fortify it. To protect it. (Do you remember the story of the walls of Jericho?) It's where the watchmen were stationed, in order to look out for enemies approaching.
The gates were where the elders of the city sat. In the city gates were the places where monumental decisons and judgments were often made. The gates were also the first entry to the city...a type of "holding room" if you will.
Yet, here's Jerusalem...the wall is broken down. The gates are burned with fire.
No protection for her. No place for her leadership to station themselves to govern the people. No safe entry-way for strangers to come through before having free access to the city.
Makes me ask..was anyone leading? Was anyone trying to protect her?
So, the men from Judah tell Nehemiah the condition of Jerusalem...the holy city...the place where God had caused His name to dwell.
And what is Nehemiah's response?
Does he say, "Well! I'll fix that! We've got work to do! Let's get going!"
What DOES he do?
Do you see it?
Do you do this? Or, do you just jump right in before seeking the Lord?
Oooooh! I've done that so many times that I've lost count...and I've always landed flat on my face!
Better to start out on my face, before the Lord, than to fall on it of my own doing!
Do you see how Nehemiah handled this horrible news?
He heard the report and he wept and mourned for days!
He fasted and he prayed before the God of heaven!
He was a wise man...he sought the counsel of the Lord. He didn't rush in like fools do.
Why was he weeping and mourning?
Was it just because of the condition of the walls and gates of the city?
(Scripture will give you the answer as you read on in this chapter.)
How much did Nehemiah attempt to accomplish in his own power?
Do you see the time period here?
It reads as though he was weeping and mourning and fasting and praying all at the same time.
So here's the application in my own life, just for these few verses....
It is so clear to me that God is calling our team to host this Precept Ladies Retreat. Not for the purpose of having "girl time", but because we have work to do!
People in this country need to know God's Word! I put myself at the top of that list!
We need to know how to study His Word, so that we'll know how to live in a way that honors and pleases the Lord.
The walls around the church in America have been broken down. The gates have been burned. We've gotten so busy asking the lost what they what they want to see in church, in order to get them through the door, that we've quit asking the Lord what and how HE wants us to minister to the lost!
We've started preaching to "felt" needs instead of being faithful to teach people God's Word.
Is this every church? No, praise the Lord, it isn't.
Yet, when the conditions within the church mirror those without, something is drastically wrong!
Someone has taken their eyes off of the Word. Who is leading the church? Who is governing?
And..what's to be our response?
Do we sit in little circles and click our tongues while we pass judgement on all those whom we think have dropped the ball?
Is that what Nehemiah did?
I don't see that as his response.
Instead, by his example, we learn that yes, we are to mourn the sin in our land. That's a right response. We are to mourn the sin in our own lives, and that which is tolerated in our churches today...and the consequences that stem from that sin.
We are to mourn and weep over the fact that people don't know God's Word for themselves.
However, during that time of mourning, let us turn to the Author and Finisher of our faith...let us seek the Lord and fast and pray and ask Him how He desires to use US to combat the conditions in which we now find our nation.
Let us be like Isaiah, and tell the Lord, "Here am I. Send me."
I gotta tell you, this retreat seems HUGE! It's so much bigger than my talents are, and so very much bigger than anything I first thought it might be. And while I think the women on our team are absolutely the most amazing women in the world, my guess is that they would tell you the same thing I just did...that this call is so much bigger than any of us!
Yet, God uses those who are willing to be used of Him...for His glory.
He wants people to know Him personally, and in order to know Him, we must know His Word.
So, that is our goal for this retreat...that women would learn how to study God's Word, and that they would return home COMPELLED to teach others.
For those who already know how to study..and for those who are already leaders, we hope and pray that this retreat will be a time of exchanging ideas of how they have used Precept Studies to reach people with God's Word. We also pray it will be a time to bring leaders together...that they might build lifelong relationships to encourage one another to stay the course...to stand firm in the mission of establishing people in God's Word.
Nehemiah is going to teach us so much as we prepare for this retreat...I can't wait to dig into it with you further!
I hope you'll come back soon....it's so rich, and so full of great application!
Please pray for our retreat...for each woman who will come.
Much love,
Jes
Normally, I'm not a retreat girl..not unless it's by myself or with my hubby, that is.
Yet, I am COMPELLED by the vision that God has given us for this retreat!
Over and over again He is taking me to the book of Nehemiah. I just can't seem to get enough of it!
My guess is that the next 10 weeks of blogging are going to be about Nehemiah.
Hope you'll join me! :)
To start, just read the first few verses:
Neh 1:1
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month Chislev, {in} the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capitol,
Neh 1:2
that Hanani, one of my brothers, and some men from Judah came; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped {and} had survived the captivity, and about Jerusalem.
Neh 1:3
They said to me, "The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire."
Neh 1:4
When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
You know what jumps out at me in this passage? Right off the bat...the remnant.
Whose remnant were they?
Why and How do you think they were able to survive the captivity?
Why was Jerusalem so important to Nehemiah that he asked his brother and the men about it?
(If you don't know, stay tuned. God is going to answer these questions for us from Scripture!)
Then, Nehemiah's brother and the men from Judah tell him the condition of the people, the remnant. They describe it in great detail...
The wall is broken down! The gates are burned with fire!
They are in great distress! They are in great reproach!
During this time, the walls around a city served to fortify it. To protect it. (Do you remember the story of the walls of Jericho?) It's where the watchmen were stationed, in order to look out for enemies approaching.
The gates were where the elders of the city sat. In the city gates were the places where monumental decisons and judgments were often made. The gates were also the first entry to the city...a type of "holding room" if you will.
Yet, here's Jerusalem...the wall is broken down. The gates are burned with fire.
No protection for her. No place for her leadership to station themselves to govern the people. No safe entry-way for strangers to come through before having free access to the city.
Makes me ask..was anyone leading? Was anyone trying to protect her?
So, the men from Judah tell Nehemiah the condition of Jerusalem...the holy city...the place where God had caused His name to dwell.
And what is Nehemiah's response?
Does he say, "Well! I'll fix that! We've got work to do! Let's get going!"
What DOES he do?
Do you see it?
Do you do this? Or, do you just jump right in before seeking the Lord?
Oooooh! I've done that so many times that I've lost count...and I've always landed flat on my face!
Better to start out on my face, before the Lord, than to fall on it of my own doing!
Do you see how Nehemiah handled this horrible news?
He heard the report and he wept and mourned for days!
He fasted and he prayed before the God of heaven!
He was a wise man...he sought the counsel of the Lord. He didn't rush in like fools do.
Why was he weeping and mourning?
Was it just because of the condition of the walls and gates of the city?
(Scripture will give you the answer as you read on in this chapter.)
How much did Nehemiah attempt to accomplish in his own power?
Do you see the time period here?
It reads as though he was weeping and mourning and fasting and praying all at the same time.
So here's the application in my own life, just for these few verses....
It is so clear to me that God is calling our team to host this Precept Ladies Retreat. Not for the purpose of having "girl time", but because we have work to do!
People in this country need to know God's Word! I put myself at the top of that list!
We need to know how to study His Word, so that we'll know how to live in a way that honors and pleases the Lord.
The walls around the church in America have been broken down. The gates have been burned. We've gotten so busy asking the lost what they what they want to see in church, in order to get them through the door, that we've quit asking the Lord what and how HE wants us to minister to the lost!
We've started preaching to "felt" needs instead of being faithful to teach people God's Word.
Is this every church? No, praise the Lord, it isn't.
Yet, when the conditions within the church mirror those without, something is drastically wrong!
Someone has taken their eyes off of the Word. Who is leading the church? Who is governing?
And..what's to be our response?
Do we sit in little circles and click our tongues while we pass judgement on all those whom we think have dropped the ball?
Is that what Nehemiah did?
I don't see that as his response.
Instead, by his example, we learn that yes, we are to mourn the sin in our land. That's a right response. We are to mourn the sin in our own lives, and that which is tolerated in our churches today...and the consequences that stem from that sin.
We are to mourn and weep over the fact that people don't know God's Word for themselves.
However, during that time of mourning, let us turn to the Author and Finisher of our faith...let us seek the Lord and fast and pray and ask Him how He desires to use US to combat the conditions in which we now find our nation.
Let us be like Isaiah, and tell the Lord, "Here am I. Send me."
I gotta tell you, this retreat seems HUGE! It's so much bigger than my talents are, and so very much bigger than anything I first thought it might be. And while I think the women on our team are absolutely the most amazing women in the world, my guess is that they would tell you the same thing I just did...that this call is so much bigger than any of us!
Yet, God uses those who are willing to be used of Him...for His glory.
He wants people to know Him personally, and in order to know Him, we must know His Word.
So, that is our goal for this retreat...that women would learn how to study God's Word, and that they would return home COMPELLED to teach others.
For those who already know how to study..and for those who are already leaders, we hope and pray that this retreat will be a time of exchanging ideas of how they have used Precept Studies to reach people with God's Word. We also pray it will be a time to bring leaders together...that they might build lifelong relationships to encourage one another to stay the course...to stand firm in the mission of establishing people in God's Word.
Nehemiah is going to teach us so much as we prepare for this retreat...I can't wait to dig into it with you further!
I hope you'll come back soon....it's so rich, and so full of great application!
Please pray for our retreat...for each woman who will come.
Much love,
Jes
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