Angie Benjamin

Brokenness and Faith {Matthew 1:1-2:23}

11:00 PM





The Genealogy of Jesus Christ- When God Uses Messed-up, Broken and Ordinary People
 {Matthew 1:1-17}

When I first discovered the genealogy was all the way to Joseph, the first thought that came to my mind was but...what? He's not really Jesus's father...as He's not the son of man, but digging into several books and commentaries I came to understand that in Matthew, the genealogy gives Jesus legal or royal lineage through Joseph and this was important for the audience this gospel was directed to.

In his gospel, Matthew presents Jesus as the King of the Jews, the long awaited Messiah. By telling the story of Jesus' genealogy,  Matthew gives us evidence that all points to the same inescapable conclusion: Christ is King. On the other hand, Luke records the genealogy of Mary (3:23-28) and BOTH Mary and Joseph were direct descendants of David.

Matthew also includes 5 women in his genealogy, so clearly he's not diminishing the role of women.

The women mentioned here are rather interesting:

-Tamar who had a sexual relationship with Judah, her father-in-law {Joshua 2;1}

-Ruth was a foreigner {Ruth 1:4}

-Bathsheba is identified here as Uriah's wife {1:6} but we must remember David's adultery with her and murder of Uriah.

-Rahab was a harlot {Joshua 2:1}

-Mary though she was a fine, godly woman, she had a problem of public reputation because of her pregnancy.

The genealogy shows how all the ancestors where both loyal and inclusive...and even from different backgrounds e.g. Tamar, Rahab and Ruth who were non-jews famous for their righteousness and devotion to God. This demonstrates that through the lineage of Jesus, no one is shut out from God's promise no matter their gender or background. God's people include more than one ethnic group or nation.

Also, in all these names we found broken, flawed people, "sinners", some faith-filled, some faithless, both MEN AND WOMEN, some willing and some disobedient, 

I truly believe Matthew included all these messed up and ordinary people to illustrate Gods grace-to give us all hope. To show us that God always accomplishes His will and most importantly He's always faithful to His promises.

If God used all these people in order to carry out His perfect plan, His most beautiful promise, Jesus, I can rest assured that my life also fits into his perfect will. He can take my flaws, brokenness and sins and use them for His glory!

God uses ordinary people to carry out His extraordinary plan.


Wise men from the East- Childlike Kind of Faith{Matthew 2 1-12}

The first twelve verses of Matthew chapter 2 narrate the story of the wise men who were eager to go and worship baby Jesus as soon as they saw the star in the East. We don’t know exactly where they came from nor how many of them there were when they arrived in Jerusalem. We do know from scripture that most our nativity scenes depict the wrong scene. The wise men did not meet Jesus in the manger, by the time they met Jesus, Jesus was probably 1 or 2 years old. Joseph and Mary were in a house in Bethlehem (v. 11). 

These wise men traveled thousands of miles just to meet the King of the Jews. When they finally found Him, they responded with worship, joy and gifts! How different and sad the approach most of us take today...We often want and wait for God to come looking for us, we want Him to explain Himself; proving who he is and yes...we want Him to give us gifts.

Today I want to be like those men...Wise! and seek and worship Jesus not for what I can get, but for who He is.

The gifts give by the Wise men are seen as symbols of Christ identity and what He would accomplish:

Gold: a gift for a King, Royalty
Incense: a gift for a deity
Myrrh: A spice for a person who was going to die.

After finding Jesus and worshiping Him, the wise men were warned by God to not return to Jerusalem as they intended, since Herod had lied. He did not want to worship Christ, he wanted the Wise men to reveal the location of the child to kill Him. This fact teaches us two lessons;

1.-Finding Jesus might mean a change of direction and plans

2.-It's very interesting how satan was afraid of a child, and how a child was the King of the Jews. Kings rule and maybe one lesson here is that if we desire to rule and reign as kings in life (For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!-Rom. 5:17 )  we must also become like little children.

Becoming childlike requires us to be humble, trusting, lowly and forgiven. I believe when we do so we frighten the devil just as the Christ child frightened Herod. We become a threat to the enemy when we become childlike in our faith.

To Ponder:

Are you willing, like the Wise men to drop everything you know and follow Jesus? Or are you expecting Jesus to find you and explain Himself to you? Are you willing to change direction and plans? Do you trust Jesus like a child does?

Becky Austin

Treasured and Remembered (Malachi 3-4)

11:34 PM



Malachi 3 and 4 are the final 2 chapters in the OT.  Following this book, there are 400 years of silence, between Malachi’s prophetic words and the appearance of John the Baptist. During this time, the Jewish people only have the Law of Moses for reference. They are bound to this Law that they cannot measure up to. Fortunately, God has a better plan and He promises to send John the Baptist to herald the arrival of the only one who can truly fulfill the Law and offer a new covenant.

"Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. (3:1)”

God warns, however, that the One He is sending will put the Levites to the test, refining and purifying them.  He will change their hearts and that will be the KEY to their sacrifices being acceptable again to God.

“He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years. (3:3-4)”

We see this play out when we read about the religious leaders of the NT, who were in dire need of a heart change. They crossed all their Ts and dotted all of their Is when it came to the outward display of their religious behavior but they didn’t love God and they didn’t even recognize Him when He was standing in their presence.

God promises that He will act in judgement of man’s choices and man’s motives, but what is beautiful is that He also knows those who want to please him and He gives then special attention. “The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name.  "They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. “ (3:16-17)

God put special emphasis in these chapters of distinguishing the heart of a true believer from one who “looked” religious but did not have true reverence and respect for God. God knew that His people would be challenged with the burdens of trying to live according to the Law. God promised freedom from the condemnation of the Law, freedom granted through trusting in Christ alone.
“But, for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. (4:2)”

We are not meant to be in bondage to sin. Christ came to set us free from that bondage. Spurgeon elaborates on this picture of a young freed calf.

“Understand the figure. The calf in the stall is shut up, tied up with a halter at night, but when the sun rises the calf goes forth to the pasture; the young bullock is set free. So the child of God may be in bondage. The recollection of past sins and present unbelief may halter him up and keep him in the stall, but when the Lord reveals himself he is set free.” (Spurgeon)

Hallelujah for the promises of God fulfilled in Christ. Hallelujah that we can be set free from the bondage of the Law and our sinful, self-seeking ways. Hallelujah that we are “remembered” by God and considered His treasured possessions. 

heart

A Heart Ready to Worship {Malachi 1-2}

8:00 PM


“I have always loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” 

Listen:
“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’
 By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the Lord's table may be despised.  When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts.  
 And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts. 
 Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand." Malachi 1:6-10 (emphasis mine)

 Can you see God’s heart in these verses? Can you hear the longing in His words?

Israel had been back from captivity for a hundred years now, and they’ve mixed in with many foreigners once more. The Temple has been rebuilt and they are now worshiping and serving God “religiously”. But what they still don’t understand is that it’s not about a religion, but a relationship!

What exactly are the priests being accused of?

  • Honoring people more than God (v.8)
  • Despising God (v.12)
  • Complaining about the work (v.13)
  • Offering defective and stolen goods as sacrifices (v.13)
  • Attempting to deceive God with their sacrifices (v.14)

AND why is this important to us today? 

Because we are now called a royal priesthood, (“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” -1Peter 2:9) And we’ve got to be careful that we’re not guilty of doing the same type of things these priests we’re doing!!

There seems to be a growing trend in many churches today of creating a “seeker friendly” church. At some point the focus on worship stopped being about God and more about what individuals wanted. It seems that in many churches today, the music and the message are now focused on our pleasure. Paul warned us that this would happen eventually, “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” – 2Tim 4:3

It was the same for Israel in the days of Malachi. Prophets and priests tickled the ears of the congregation and favored whomever contributed the most money. The religious leaders chose to speak on the positive and popular aspects of God's blessing, and stay clear of the negative, unpopular aspects of His Word. Ultimately, the leaders were more concerned with the approval of men than with glorifying God at the risk of man's rejection.

With their view of God diminished they neither sought to glorify nor fear God; they were simply going through the rituals; offering the One who they owed their very life and existence to, far less than their best, and we must be very careful we don’t fall into the same patterns.

All that we do; every decision we make must be made for the purpose of honoring God!

I wonder, is there anyone who can honestly claim that every decision they make is based on whether it honors the Lord or not apart from Christ Jesus, Himself?

  • When we dress for church, are we dressing to please Him? 
  • When we sing, are we only singing to an audience of One? 
  • Are we opening His Word to hear only from Him, or are we more interested in listening to others? 
  • When we give, are we giving the whole tithe from our "first-fruits", or are we keeping some for ourselves?
  • When we serve, whom are we ultimately serving?  

God wants all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength in all that we do, but especially when we worship. If we are not striving to worship according to the way He desires, and with the right mindset, it would be better for us not to worship at all. (v.10)

He isn’t seeking perfection in our worship only our heart.  --A worshiper, whose greatest desire is to love and glorify Him.

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Do you yearn to experience more of the love of Jesus in your life this fall? Come join our New Testament study with an eclectic group of women from around the world!

Together we'll read through the entire New Testament and grow to love our Lord & Savior even more! Trust in Him, and begin an adventure that will transform your life and maybe others as well!
Begins August 31st! on Women in the Word.

God's Image

The Face In The Crucible {Zechariah 10 - 14}

12:30 AM


August 28, 2018



I had to use the title from the devotional for today – it just made sense after the day I just had.

Life has a way of bringing about challenges.  God uses these challenges to apply a cleansing heat to pride, bad attitude and selfishness, just to name a few.  This holy heat is applied with purpose.  God wants to see Himself in us and just as a silversmith waits patiently for the clear image of himself, these struggles refine us into God’s image.  God uses the heat of life to purify us into a pure picture of Himself.

It all boils down to a choice – we can sit here and read this blog post and get godly advice from godly women.  We can sit at church Sunday after Sunday and we can spend every morning in a Bible study and still not want to be refined.  We can step out of the process and refuse to let go of the dross.

God is calling us daily by giving us ways to grow, desiring to refine us in the fires of His love, yet we walk away.  We whine about how tough life is and we look for that dross and we go backwards and not forwards.  But in order to reach that perfect silver, we have to endure the heat of life.  Once all the dross (sin) has been removed, then God will see Himself in me.

It’s hard!  And humbling to go through this process.  But I want to grow and be refined.  I want every situation in life to guide me closer to the image of Christ.

Lord, don’t let me refuse the refinement of your holy fire.  I want to be more like you.  Help me to be made into a silver that reflects You.  Please help these daily struggles to not be in vain.  Help me to see them as opportunities for you to work in my life.  I don’t want to walk away from the heat.  I don’t want to take myself out of the growth process.  I don’t want to hang onto the dross and impurities and the gunk.

I choose to be refined.  I choose to grow.  I choose obedience.  I choose to be set apart as holy to the Lord (14:22).

Image result for zechariah 13:9

Deaf Ears

Hearts Like Flint {Zechariah 5:1-9:17}

12:00 AM


After the Jews returned from exile in Babylon, the first task at hand was the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. But yet some sixteen years later, the job was only half done. Everyday life and opposition from their enemies had replaced the people’s zeal for completing the house of the Lord. So God sent the prophet Zechariah to encourage, motivate, and warn them of the consequences of complacency and disobedience.

Zechariah saw the Israelites falling into the same wicked behaviors of their ancestors. They were becoming disinterested with their relationship with the Lord, closing their ears to His words and, even though outwardly appearing religious, inwardly hardening their hearts against Him. The spiritual rituals the people were engaging in weren’t done out of love for God and for His glory, but rather for appearances and their own gratification. God told Zechariah to call out their hypocrisy asking,”When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted? And when you eat and when you drink, do you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves?” (vs. 7:4-6)

Knowing the judgement from God these behaviors provoked, the prophet issued this warning to the Israelites, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Return to Me,’ declares the Lord of hosts, ‘That I may return to you’, says the Lord of hosts, ‘Do not be like your father’s, to whom the former prophets proclaimed saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds. But they did not listen or give heed to Me’.” (vs. 1:3-4) “They refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing. They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the Lord has sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the Lord of hosts.” (vs. 7:11-13)

In my own pride I couldn’t help but wonder why, with their history and all they had been through, the people of Israel had to continually learn the painful lesson of rebellion against God. And immediately I was convicted. God asked me the same question, “How many times do you need to be taught the same lesson?” 

We need to be careful of repeating sinful patterns and falling into the trap of pride and rebellion. Careful of just going through the motions when it comes to our relationship with God. Hardened hearts don’t happen over night. Little by little, just like in the case of Israel, repeated rebellion causes our love for God to grow cold, and continually drowning out His voice causes our ears unable to hear His Word. 

“There is a tragic progression to be found in this glimpse of Israelite rebellion. At first they were simply willful in their opposition to God. They “refused to pay attention … turned a stubborn shoulder … stopped their ears.” All this was under their control. But soon things moved beyond their control. Their hearts became rock-hard, “like flint so that they could not hear.” They started out refusing to yield to God and ended up unable to yield to God. Their could not was caused by their will not. And so it is with us. When I will not becomes I cannot, it is a sure sign we have become slaves to stubbornness and our hearts are hardened, and we must repent before it is too late.”.....Paul Tautges

Every relationship requires nourishment, love, and attention to grow and  bloom, and our relationship with the Lord is no different. By spending time daily alone with God and in His Word, we can keep from having hearts like flint and spare ourselves the devastation of hearing Him say, “And just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen.” (vs. 7:13) Today and everyday, I pray that we each will have open hearts and ears to the Lord. And as Hebrews 3:15 tells us, “if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Heb. 3:15)


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Do you yearn to experience more of the love of Jesus in your life this fall? Come join our New Testament study with an eclectic group of women from around the world!

Together we'll read through the entire New Testament and grow to love our Lord & Savior even more! Trust in Him, and begin an adventure that will transform your life and maybe others as well!
Begins August 31st! on Women in the Word.

Andrew's cross

Jesus' Model of Leadership: The Servant of the Lord

12:00 PM

‘Who is the servant of the Lord?’ This was the question that the Chancellor of the Exchequer of Ethiopia asked the evangelist Philip in Acts 8: ‘Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?’ (v.34).
The title ‘servant of the Lord’ is one of great dignity, reserved for leaders such as Abraham, Moses and David. But in the four ‘servant songs’ (Isaiah 42:1–4; 49:1–7; 50:4–9; 52:13–53:12) a distinct concept of ‘servanthood’ comes into sharper focus.
The role of this ‘servant’ can be demonstrated visually with the St Andrew’s cross. (St Andrew, brother of Peter, is believed to have died on a diagonally traversed cross, which the Romans sometimes used for execution. It therefore came to be called the St Andrew’s cross, and is the flag of Scotland.)
 

Originally, God intended that all humankind should be his servant. Then, after the fall, God chose the whole nation of Israel to serve him. But even his chosen race was not faithful to him. So the focus, continuing to narrow, became a mere ‘faithful remnant’. Ultimately, only one individual was completely faithful (shown by the central, most narrow part of the cross). This was Jesus.
Jesus revealed what Israel (and indeed humankind) should have been. He was an Israelite sent to Israel, totally identifying with his nation, and yet remaining distinct from it. No earthly king or prophet meets the description used in all the servant passages. Yet, Jesus does – perfectly.
Where Israel failed, Jesus succeeded. Furthermore, it is God’s plan that the church, through the victory of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, can and should succeed. So the St Andrew’s cross broadens out again as the members of the church of Jesus Christ become the servants of God with a mission to call all humanity back to their original creation purpose. 

Love ya, Roxy

encouragement

SoulSearching Sunday~God's presence

12:00 AM

Sunday, August 26, 2018



Week Thirty-four

Welcome!  We pray that you have all had a precious time worshipping the Lord this morning!  Below you will find some thought provoking questions that will provide you a starting point to your journal writing to complete this week.  We hope that you will find this time soul satisfying!

Our reading this week was Micah 1 - Zechariah 4

 1. What is the most difficult persecution you have experienced as a believer? How did it affect your faith? Pray for protection, and praise God for His ultimate victory.

 True, many nations have gathered together against you, calling for your blood, eager to gloat over your destruction. But they do not know the LORD’s thoughts or understand His plan. (Micah 4:11-12)

 2. Who do you absolutely love to be around? How does it feel to know that God feels that way about you? Today, enjoy God’s presence, keeping in mind that you make Him want to sing.

 For the LORD your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song. (Zephaniah 3:17)

 3. What is on your desk or on your to-do list that is overwhelming you right now? Remember God’s words of encouragement, and renew your commitment to “take courage and work” as an act of worship.

 Take courage, all you people still left in the land, says the LORD. Take courage and work, for I am with you, says the LORD Almighty. (Haggai 2:4)



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Do you yearn to experience more of the love of Jesus in your life this fall? Come join our New Testament study with an eclectic group of women from around the world!

Together we'll read through the entire New Testament and grow to love our Lord & Savior even more! Trust in Him, and begin an adventure that will transform your life and maybe others as well!
Begins August 31st! on Women in the Word.

Apples

Apple Walnut Cake With Brown Sugar Frosting

9:12 AM



Apple Walnut Cake With Brown Sugar Frosting

Cake:
1 can apple pie filling
2 cups all purpose flour 
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsps. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Frosting:
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pie filling on the bottom of a greased 9x13 baking dish. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl combine eggs, vanilla, oil, nuts, and raisins. Pour flour mixture into egg mixture and mix until combined. Pour over pie filling in baking dish and stir until blended. Smooth batter evenly in pan. Bake 40-50 mins; until a toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean. Place baking dish on a wire rack to cool while you make the frosting.

To make the frosting: Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and salt and cook, stirring, until the sugar melts. Add the milk, bring to a boil, and pour into a mixing bowl to cool for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, stir in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat well; if the mixture appears too thin, add more confectioners' sugar. Pour the frosting onto the warm cake, smoothing it over the entire surface. Serve warm, or let it cool and serve at room temperature.

Hiding God's Word in our Hearts

Scripture Saturday~Pure as gold

12:00 AM

Saturday, August 25, 2018


Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verse is Zechariah 13:9...

 I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure, just as gold and silver are refined and purified by fire. They will call on My Name, and I will answer them. I will say, "Those are My people," and they will say, "The LORD is our God." (NLT)

 Have a blessed and precious day and week everyone!

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 Do you yearn to experience more of the love of Jesus in your life this fall? Come join our New Testament study with an eclectic group of women from around the world!

Together we'll read through the entire New Testament and grow to love our Lord & Savior even more! Trust in Him, and begin an adventure that will transform your life and maybe others as well!
Begins August 31st! on Women in the Word.

God's Judgements

A Calling for Revival– Zephaniah 1-3

10:30 PM


As we begin reading the book of Zephaniah we find that his ministry took place in the days of Josiah’s reign and before his reforms (2 Chronicles 34:1-13). 
“The word of the LORD which came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah:” (Zep. 1:1) 
Zephaniah prophesies about a coming day of judgment: a devastating Day of the Lord! (Zep. 1:2-3, 14-18)
-Judgment for the idolatry that was taking place among His people –those who had turned from following the Lord-. (1:4-6)
-Judgment against the leaders and princes. (1:7-9)
-Judgment against the merchant people. Those that trusted in their riches –idolatry- (1:10-11)
-Judgment against the complacent -the stagnant in spirit-(1:12-13)
Then in chapter 2 we find God calling His people to repentance: 

“Gather yourselves together [in repentance], yes, gather [in submission],

O nation without shame,” (2:1)
“Seek the Lord [search diligently for Him and regard Him as the foremost necessity of your life], All you humble of the land who have practiced His ordinances and have kept His commandments; Seek righteousness, seek humility [regard them as vital].
Perhaps you will be hidden [and pardoned and rescued]
In the day of the Lord’s anger.” (2:3 AMP)


When I take a close look around me, I sadly can find this same issue taking place in people’s hearts!! Our God is also calling US to repentance. We must humbly look into our hearts and ask His Holy Spirit to show us our faults!  May we continually let Him purify our hearts (1Pe. 5:6); then we will be ready to boldly spread the Word just as Zephaniah did: 
“Repent; humble yourselves and seek the Lord!!”
“So get rid of all uncleanness and [a]all that remains of wickedness, and with a humble spirit receive the word [of God] which is implanted [actually rooted in your heart], which is able to save your souls. 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth]. (James 1:21-22 AMP) (1Pe. 4:17)
 “But He gives us more and more grace [through the power of the Holy Spirit to defy sin and live an obedient life that reflects both our faith and our gratitude for our salvation]. Therefore, it says, “God is opposed to the proud and haughty, but [continually] gives [the gift of] grace to the humble [who turn away from self-righteousness].” 7 So submit to [the authority of] God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God [with a contrite heart] and He will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; and purify your [unfaithful] hearts, you double-minded [people]. 9 Be miserable and grieve and weep [over your sin]. Let your [foolish] laughter be turned to mourning and your [reckless] joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves [with an attitude of repentance and insignificance] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up, He will give you purpose].” (James 4:6-10)



O what wonderful promises we find in His Word! He loves us so that as a loving Father He is willing to forgive us, and take us back into His loving arms! He yearns for us and He wants us close to His heart!! 
“For the Lord your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song.” (Zep.3:17)
"Faulty as the church is, the Lord rejoices in her. While we mourn, as well we may, yet we do not sorrow as those that are without hope; for God does not sorrow, his heart is glad, and he is said to rejoice with joy - a highly emphatic expression." (Spurgeon)
Rejoice in His love my sisters!!

Mari

Becky Austin

Wait For It (Habakkuk 1-3)

11:42 PM


The book of Habakkuk is a short 3 chapter book but very unique.  It allows us to be privy to an ongoing conversation between God and his faithful servant Habakkuk. Habakkuk describes to us a very low time for Judah. He referenced the time of the Babylonian invasion and it is believed that “Habakkuk likely prophesied in the first five years of Jehoiakim’s reign (609–598 BC) to a king who led his people into evil. (Charles Swindoll).” Habakkuk was a very frustrated prophet who cried out to God because He couldn’t see God at work.

O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear?  Or cry to you, “Violence” and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong?” (1:2-3)
Have you ever had such a conversation with God?  Have you ever felt like God was just ignoring evil and not responding to prayer, not giving any guidance or answers?

“So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous, so justice goes forth perverted.” (1:4)
Habakkuk wanted to know when justice would prevail.  He was trying to understand what was God up to?

And God answered him:
“Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.” (1:5)

Wow! What a response. God basically said:  Don’t worry, Habakkuk.  I’ve got this and what I’ve got planned is going to knock your socks off.
God explained that He wasn’t letting evil go unchecked.  He was at work even through the actions of those who did not acknowledge Him.

God is sovereign over ALL of the details which include being sovereign over even the plans of evildoers. Joseph had a good grasp on this when he said to his brothers who plotted harm against him “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good… (Genesis 50:20)

God’s message to Habakkuk and to us today is to wait for His perfect timing.
"For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end -it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. (2:3)

God said in 2:4 “the righteous shall live by his faith.” Habakkuk was a man of faith.  He shows us by example how to live out that faith.
1. Take it to the Lord in prayer and wait diligently for His answer.
 “I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower and look out to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint. (2:1)”
2. He didn’t take matters into his own hands but waited for God to intervene.
“Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us. (2:16)”
3. He reflected upon God’s character and what God had done before. He made a choice to trust God and not the circumstances.  Even in the midst of difficult circumstances, Habakkuk chose to focus on all that He had in God.
"Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. (3:18)”
4. He trusted in God to help him meet the challenges of difficult circumstances.  He clung to God as the source of his strength.
“God, the Lord, is my strength; He makes my feet like the deer’s; He makes me tread on my high places.” (3:19)

This little book of Habakkuk is such a jewel. It’s as if God knew that there would be those times in every believer’s life when they would struggle with feeling like God was not there and they would despair.
God wanted us to know that:
-Even when he seems distant, He is near.
-Even when He seems silent, He hears our prayer.
-Even when he seems indifferent, He cares.

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Do you yearn to experience more of the love of Jesus in your life this fall? Come join our New Testament study with an eclectic group of women from around the world!

Together we'll read through the entire New Testament and grow to love our Lord & Savior even more! Trust in Him, and begin an adventure that will transform your life and maybe others as well!
Begins August 31st! on Women in the Word.

El Quana

Warning!! {Nahum}

8:00 PM



If you've ever read the book of Nahum, I’m sure you’ll agree with me when I say, “I honestly don’t think this book would make the top of anyone’s favorite books of the Bible.” Many may have never read it before, but there’s at least one very important message within these three short chapters that everyone needs to know!

Nahum was written to reveal the angry side of God as He rails against Assyria (2:13; 3:5) and speaks of Assyria’s destruction. You see, many years before, The Lord had sent a reluctant prophet named Jonah to preach to Nineveh, and during that time the people repented, and the city was spared.

But now, Nahum comes to demonstrate that with God, there are few things worse than repenting of repentance. Since the days of Jonah, Nineveh and the whole nation of Assyria have turned away from God and back to the ways of their forefathers. And to make matters worse Assyria then chooses to attack Israel, and God is determined to punish them.

Do you know someone who at one time repented of their sins and chose to follow after Jesus, only to have turned back to their old ways after a time? Does that same person(s) tend to now attack, ridicule or demise the things of God and His people? The message of Nahum is truly a warning for them and a sweet reminder to His people.

Unfortunately, I know more than one who had at one time professed to be a believer, but have now turned their back on Christ and His ways; preferring their old ways once more, and their defection always seems to raise the question in me of whether they are simply a wayward Christian at the moment, or had they never truly believed. Either way, they will find out one day that the Lord never lets sin go unpunished.

Nahum begins by reminding us that, “The Lord is slow to anger", but He is also just,

The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,
    and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty.
His way is in whirlwind and storm,
    and the clouds are the dust of his feet…
6 Who can stand before his indignation?
    Who can endure the heat of his anger?
His wrath is poured out like fire,
    and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.
7 The Lord is good,
    a stronghold in the day of trouble;
he knows those who take refuge in him.
8     But with an overflowing flood
he will make a complete end of the adversaries… Nahum 1:3, 6-8

WHY? Nahum tells us in verse two. “God is jealous.” (Nahum 1:2) He is El Quana.


Your Lord is very jealous of your love, O believer. Did he choose you? He cannot bear that you should choose another. Did he buy you with his own blood? He cannot endure that you should think that you are your own, or that you belong to this world. He loved you with such a love that he would not stop in heaven without you; he would sooner die than you should perish, and he cannot endure that anything should stand between your heart’s love and himself. He is very jealous of your trust. He will not permit you to trust in an arm of flesh. He cannot bear that you should hew out broken cisterns, when the overflowing fountain is always free to you.
When we lean upon him, he is glad, but when we transfer our dependence to another, when we rely upon our own wisdom, or the wisdom of a friend—worst of all, when we trust in any works of our own, he is displeased, and will chasten us that he may bring us to himself.
He is also very jealous of our company. There should be no one with whom we converse so much as with Jesus. To abide in him only, this is true love; but to commune with the world, to find sufficient solace in our carnal comforts, to prefer even the society of our fellow Christians to secret intercourse with him, this is grievous to our jealous Lord. – Charles H. Spurgeon  


But this jealousy The Lord has for us should also be a comfort to us, for He loves us so much that we can be certain that He will not allow us to suffer harm, but will protect us from all our enemies.
Assyria had turned away from God and now were threatening to harm His people, and The Lord, El Quana was not about to allow it!

The message of Nahum should bring His children comfort, but a stern warning to the one who has spurned His love for something they believe to be better, for there will be a day coming when the Lord declares, "Enough!"

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Do you yearn to experience more of the love of Jesus in your life this fall? Come join our New Testament study with an eclectic group of women from around the world!

Together we'll read through the entire New Testament and grow to love our Lord & Savior even more! Trust in Him, and begin an adventure that will transform your life and maybe others as well!
Begins August 31st! on Women in the Word.