I Love the Unity Diversity Brings

One of the most blessed small group times I have ever had was on one of my earlier days at Harvest Bible Chapel, when I sat with 3 other women from 3 other continents to discuss our Bible lesson. It was a spiritual high for me. Why? because we had so little in common. Having always lived in the NW Suburbs of Chicago - I am kinda 'characteristic' of the culture I grew up in. But sitting that evening with a woman from India, and another from Africa, and a third woman from the Dominican Republic.... whose accents challenged my listening skills.... blessed my heart. Why? Because we had ONE HUGE common denominator... JESUS CHRIST, and HIM ALONE.

But diversity can also be defined by life-season. I have always been involved in multi-generational women's Bible studies.... when I was younger I would listen to the older women talk about their daughters and I would gain insight into my mom's perspective. And as I walked with some of those women over time, I saw them go through seasons that prepared me for what I would face in my future. God has placed us and can use US, TOGETHER, in a unique way.

One of the burdens I always have about women's ministries in churches is that I don't want it to become a 'girls club'. I was at a church oncc where the 'reigning women' had stopped growing in Christ-likeness and instead it became social and political. And, I have to tell you, I think part of the reason the LORD brought me to Harvest is to weed out some of the seeds that had been planted from those days. I think a lot of the problems there had to do with lack of accountability.... everyone figured each woman would get what she needed from the WORD and the guidance of the HOLY SPIRIT.... which is true... we didn't want to confront anyone... that gets messy... That's not the case at Harvest. Our elders and leaders take their charge seriously to present us to the LORD as having grown in Holiness. Consider these verses; Heb 10:25 says we need to continue to meet together... and encourage one another on... And Heb. 10:24 says we should CONSIDER how we can SPUR ONE ANOTHER ON toward love and good deeds. and John13:34 says: :A New command I give you. Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, all men will know you are my DISCIPLES if you love one another." 1 Corinthians 13 gives a wonderful picture of the love that Jesus pours out on us, including: love is patient, love is kind...It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres... some of you know that I do pray those verses over you throughout the year.

All this to say.... we need to take accountability seriously. I encourage you to get an accountability patner. Then, get a good list of questions for the two of you to use. Then, in humility before the LORD, read through them, and put a dot or a check by those that the Holy Spirit nudges you with. Those are your 'issues' for this year. And, remember, just because you are nudged about, say, lust... doesn't mean that you are having an affair. It could be a condition of the heart.... that the LORD would call you to repent of reading romance novels...or cut down on chick flicks. I'm just sayin... :)

The goal from accountability should be to learn from one another and to challenge one another to grow up into the Beauty of Christ that is meant for women of God.... "who like Sarah clothed herself with the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit... and submitted to the (authority figure/s) in her life.... we are her daughters if we do what is right and not give way to fear."

I want to be pleasing in God's sight... clothed with His beauty, don't you?

Carrying Other's Burdens

Man looks at the Appearance…

I spent some time with a gal recently who attended church for many years, but in our talk, she admitted she still has trouble understanding the Word. We prayed together, and I came away realizing again… I just can’t presume where someone really is in their heart… because only God Looks at the Heart. God does indeed look at the heart and He has chosen YOU, and this study, and Lina’s teaching, to minister to your gals for this season of your life.

Whatever You Ask in my Name…

Before I met with that gal, I prayed such a simple prayer, but that’s okay… because God wasn’t ministering among us because of a lavishly articulated prayer or fine sounding spiritual argument, He was acting because of our faith in Jesus and what He was doing in her life. In a way, it takes away the pressure…

Carrying others’ burdens…

This is the heavy part of the ministry…. Sometimes all we see is the ashes in their lives. Job’s friends saw ashes too… and health issues, and material loss….and when they didn’t know what to say or do, they said all kinds of wrong things… because their focus was all wrong. It was on themselves, their self righteousness, and on Job and his sins…. Right?

But God set that all straight in Job 40, when God spoke to Job from in a storm and told Job that since he could not figure out the reasons for his suffering…and since Job, himself, was not All Wise, All powerful, Eternal, Great and Perfect, then Job should trust the ONE who is….the Lord God Yahwey, which is the name that implies an intimate relationship with man. (Job 40-41)

And that is the reason it is so important to be in His Word. Because our gals need us to help them trust and BELIEVE in the ONLY ONE who is worth believing in and trusting…. The All Wise, All Powerful, Almighty, Eternal, Great and Perfect GOD and His Son Jesus Christ.