1 John 5:14-16

We as Christians are in a battle for our very souls. The apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12 that there is a great spiritual war waging around us even as we speak. As such, we are commanded to be warriors in God’s army. Soldiers armed against the Enemy’s attacks, and at the ready with our spiritual weapons. And some of the greatest ammunition we have is prayer.

There are some who definitely have God’s anointing when it comes to prayer. They pray easily, fervently, and persistently. Their prayers are filled with complete assuredness that God will answer their pleas. But for others, prayer doesn’t some so easily. To them prayer may feel awkward, or they worry they’re doing it wrong. Still others are too proud or too ashamed to come before the Lord. But God calls all Christians to pray; with no exceptions. So how do we strengthen our prayer lives and become mighty warriors? 

John tells us that the first step is knowing God’s will. To do this, we need to be reading His Word. For in it He has revealed to us who He is, and what He wants. And the more time we spend in the scriptures, the more in harmony our hearts and minds will be in praying according to God’s will. Next we are to have complete confidence that God not only listens to such prayers, but when they align with His plans, have faith they will be answered every time. 

Prayer is an unbreakable bond between us and God. There is no special formula, ritual, or words that have to be said. All God wants is for us to come to Him in complete and humble faith. Through the blood of Jesus Christ we have unlimited access to the Father and His throne. And He wants to hear from us! James 4:2 tells us we don’t have, because we don’t ask. So today I challenge you to ask! Go to God in prayer. Give to Him your heart and all it holds. And have unshakable faith that if it is His will, He will see it done! 

And don't forget to head over to our Facebook group to join the discussion at https://www.facebook.com/groups/womenintheword2

 Slow Cooker Garlic Sesame Beef

6 green onions, sliced

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup sesame oil

3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 beef sirloin tip roast (3 pounds), thinly sliced

Additional sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds

Hot cooked rice

In a large shallow dish, mix the first 8 ingredients. Add beef; turn to coat. Refrigerate, covered, 8 hours or overnight. Pour beef and marinade into a 3-qt. slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low 5-7 hours or until meat is tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove beef to a serving platter; sprinkle with additional green onions and sesame seeds. Serve with rice.

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” ⁶ And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you. Luke 17:5-6

Father, just as the apostles longed to have their faith increased, we long to grow in the knowledge and wisdom of you Lord.  We want that faith that moves mountains.  We ask You Lord to fill us with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding so that we may walk in a manner worthy of You, Lord and to please You in everything we, think, say and do.  That we would bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control in our lives.  That our faith would increase more and more each day as we are obedient to You. Strengthen us with all power, according to Your glorious might, that we may have steadfastness and patience in You alone.  May our lives overflow with thanksgiving to You who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the Light of Christ Jesus. Amen

Selah,

Lyn

We are almost at the end of the winter season and most of us are getting ready for the spring! Some are excited at the expectation to begin working in their gardens, and although it involves lots of work and dedication when in due time we get to see the results of it, we enjoy the beauty of it and we can smile and sigh thinking it was worth it!

Those who are pros in the subject know they need to have good soil, so whatever they plant will grow and even bloom. Besides good soil the plants have to be protected from weeds and pests so that beautiful plant or tree will continue to grow and eventually bear fruit. So almost on a daily basis the gardener must bend down and look for those weeds and pests in order to get rid of them ASAP!!

In today’s scripture Paul has written God’s heartfelt desire for His people to walk in spiritual wisdom and understanding, “¹⁰ so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord [displaying admirable character, moral courage, and personal integrity], to [fully] please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing in the knowledge of God [with deeper faith, clearer insight and fervent love for His precepts];” (1:10 AMP Emphasis mine)

Did you get that? He wants us to: “please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing in the knowledge of God [with deeper faith, clearer insight and fervent love for His precepts];”

In our Christian walk we as “the gardeners of our soul”, must also protect our hearts and minds from those “weeds and pests” that will prevent us from growing and bearing fruit.

James 1:21-22 tells us how:

 ^“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].”

-Get rid of … 

Paul also instructs us to:

³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:31-32 NIV Emphasis mine)

-Get rid of …

Challenge: I would like to ask you to take some time and prayerfully -and in wholly surrender- ask our Abba Father to show you, what are you to get rid of to fully please Him and to be able to bear fruit? He will show you and will also help you… you only need to ask, for He loves you and He is Faithful!!

Blessings,

I remember when my first child was born that the pediatrician strongly recommended mother’s milk vs formula, especially during the first few months to make sure the infant got the best nutrition and immunity support possible. I learned then that God designed a mother’s milk to change over time so that it was tailored to the changing needs of the baby. Not only does the composition change across the time table of weeks and months but also during a 24 hour period with different nutrients present during morning hours compared to night. The milk satisfies the pallet of a baby as well which encourages continued feeding and growth. God definitely designed milk to be a uniquely wonderful substance vital to life. 

Like a newborn needs the life giving nourishment of a mother’s milk, Christian’s need the nurture of the pure spiritual milk which is God’s Word.  God’s Word is living and life giving. It is tailored to provide us with the spiritual comfort and nutrition that we need to grow and thrive spiritually. I like to think that just as breast milk changes to meet the changing needs of an infant, God tailors what we receive from the Bible to meet our spiritual needs. I can read through a passage of scripture that I’ve read countless times before and God may show me something completely new and personal that meets my current needs and broadens my understanding of how He is working in my heart and life at that particular time. The sweetness of those experiences make me thirst for more. 

Do you remember the popular ads for milk where various celebrities pose with milk mustaches proudly displayed and the caption Got Milk? This ad campaign started to emphasize the necessity of always having milk on hand and the unfortunate struggles of running out. The evidence of their thirst quenching experience is proudly displayed above a beaming smile. I think that our time being nurtured by the milk of God’s Word should leave similar evidence for the world to see. They should see that something has been tasted and left our spirits satisfied with God’s goodness!

Reflection: Do you long for the pure spiritual milk of God’s Word? Can you say that you have tasted that the Lord is good? Does the world see evidence that your soul has been spiritually nurtured?

We live in a world which has a mindset that “more is better.” But Jesus says to walk closer to Him, we need to value quality over quantity. There were none closer to the Lord than the 12 men He handpicked to walk beside Him. For three years the disciples faithfully followed Jesus as He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and raised the dead. And still they cried out to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” Yet it wasn’t actually more faith they were seeking, but rather a deep, genuine faith that empowered them to fulfill all Jesus called them to do.

The disciples understood that faith is the Word of God in action. It is meant to be lived out, not left idle and stale. Because the deeper our belief and trust, the closer we are to God. Even the tiniest bit of genuine faith in the Lord, can produce amazing results in our life and in the lives of others. And that’s the kind of faith the disciples wanted. Because of their overflowing love and gratitude for their Savior, they wanted an active, deep faith. One that not only allowed them to walk closer to Jesus, but as did Jesus. Is that the faith you want? I do! So how can we have that kind of genuine faith? 

First through spending time in God’s Word. All relationships need nurturing. By feasting on the scriptures, we get to know who Jesus is and what He teaches. Another is through obedience. When we step out in trusting faith, obeying God’s will in all things, we learn to depend on Him completely. And third, we grow closer to the Lord by living out our faith for all to see. By loving, forgiving, and caring for others as Jesus does, we become living examples of our Savior in action for the world to witness.

Faith is the very foundation of Christian life. For as Hebrews 11:6 tells us, without it, it is impossible to please God. So today I challenge you to increase your faith! Pray that God puts a fire in your heart to take that small mustard seed, bury it deep in the soil of God’s Word, and watch it bloom into a faith of the highest quality! 

Keep us in Your Word each day as we seek to do Your will in our lives.  Help us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Help us to walk in a manner worthy of You, pleasing You in bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of You, God.  Strengthen us with all power according to Your glorious might reaching for steadfastness, patience and joy.  Help us to always be thankful to You Lord in everything.  To You be the glory forever and ever,  Amen

Selah,

Lyn

This week we have focused on growing in the Lord and in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, pressing on to maturity in our walk with Him.  When we hear His Word, we choose to believe it or not.  When we accept Him as Lord and Savior we should be growing and producing fruit, wanting to share Jesus with others.    God’s love for us is a redeeming (Ransoming; procuring deliverance from captivity, capture, bondage, sin, distress or liability to suffer, by the payment of an equivalent.-1828 Webster Dictionary) love and others should be able to see it in our lives. 

But is He really Lord of our life?  Do we know the right words to say but do not really believe it in our hearts?  Are we the same person during the week that we profess to be in church on Sunday?  Can others see His fruit in our lives?                                                                                                                      Selah                                                                                                                                                             Lyn

Some are content to know only the basics about being a Christian. They let days turn into weeks, and weeks turn into months and months turn into years.  Although they have gained new worldly experience and knowledge and physically they have aged, spiritually they have not grown and they produce no spiritual fruit. They may attend church and occasionally read their Bible or say a prayer. They may even be able to quote Scripture and recite the lyrics of every popular Christian song but those words have never penetrated into their heart and made a real difference. 

This is not what God desires. God doesn’t want us to be content with an elementary education. He desires to continually challenge and enhance our spiritual growth and understanding. The most important gift that we can offer to God who so lovingly saved us is a teachable and yielded heart. True devotion to God requires letting the potter mold us as clay and truly transform us from the inside out. As the days turn into weeks, and months,and years, we should not spiritually stay the same. As God remakes us, we should become more and more reflective of Christ. That is the ultimate goal of spiritual maturity. And just imagine the impact of a collective body of mature Christians reflecting the light of Christ to a dark world. 

Ephesians 4:13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in 

love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Reflection:

Reflect back on the past year. Are you the same spiritually as you were a year ago? How teachable have you been and what growth have you yielded to through the seasons of the past year? What is God wanting you to do differently to become more spiritually mature? 

I liked what John Gill's Commentary had to say on 2 Peter 3:18: In the gifts of grace, which, under a divine blessing, may be increased by using them: gifts neglected decrease, but stirred up and used, are improved and increase... There is such a thing as growth in grace, in this sense; every grace, as to its act and exercise, is capable of growing and increasing; faith may grow exceedingly, hope abound, love increase, and patience have its perfect work, and saints may grow more humble, holy, and self-denying: this is indeed God's work, to cause them to grow, and it is owing to his grace; yet… a growth in which saints should be concerned for: the knowledge of Jesus and his glory.

 Bottom-line Beloved, 

• God's Word contain all the knowledge we will ever need to learn about God, His Son, and His Spirit, in this life. 
• God desires for us to grow in His infinite grace. 
• For those He has saved us and He wishes each to be sanctified - set apart as holy like Himself.
• He promises to transform us into the image of His Son. 
• And He will use His Word as we study, and apply its principles to our lives and commune with Him each day until one day...

Blessings, 

sue

 1 Samuel 2:26

My Grandma always said, “God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason. Be sure you’re using those ears to listen to God!” Great advice since I’ve always been better at talking than listening. Whatever is on my heart, I go to God. I tell Him all my thoughts, feelings, hopes, dreams, and disappointments. And that’s exactly what He wants me to do. However there’s more to it. Because the Lord doesn’t just want me talking. More importantly, like my Grandma said, He wants me listening. Actively seeking His voice, direction, correction, and will. To say, as did the young Samuel, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10)

Samuel was a mighty prophet of Israel. But he only got that way by learning to hear, recognize, and obey God’s voice. This allowed him to grow closer and in favor with the Lord. And if we want to grow closer to God, we too must learn to do the same. Many are the ways the Lord tries speaking to us. One is through His Word. Often when we’re reading the Bible, the Holy Spirit will make a particular scripture or passage jump out at us. Another is through prayer. As our two-way life line of communication with God, prayer is our chance to not only talk, but more importantly, listen for His small, still voice. And yet another is through a feeling or impression. Some call them “God Tugs”.  A pull of conviction on our heart. Or a sense of just knowing something deep in our spirit. 

God never intends for our relationship with Him to be one of coldness or distance. As our Father in heaven, He longs for us to run into His open arms of pure, unconditional love. To hop up on the lap of our Abba, and share with Him everything we do and are. God wants a relationship with us that is so close, nothing can shake us from His perfect love, grace, and peace. So today I challenge you to use the ears of your heart to listen for the Lord. Be on the lookout throughout your day for “God Tugs.” Little “aha” moments where you recognize God reaching out. And when you spot one, stop and say, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.” 

Chocolate Cherry Truffles

1 box Brownie Mix, 18.4 ounces

1 cup Cherry Pie Filling

1/4 cup Canola Oil

1 large Egg

1/4 teaspoon Pure Almond Extract

1 1/2 cups Dark Chocolate

Sprinkles

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 8-inch-by-8-inch square pan with nonstick baking spray. In a large bowl, add brownie mix, cherry pie filling, oil, egg, and almond extract. Stir until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean (a few crumbs are recommended). Allow the brownies to cool completely on a wire rack. Using a fork, break the mixture into crumbs, avoiding the crunchy outer edges. (Save those for snacking!) Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls. Place the balls on a parchment or wax paper-lined baking sheet. Place the brownie balls in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes. While the truffles are chilling, melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave until smooth.  Roll the truffles, one at a time, in the chocolate, making sure they're fully coated on all sides. Use a fork to remove the truffles from the chocolate, allowing the extra chocolate fall off before placing them back on the baking sheet. Top with festive sprinkles. After truffles have hardened, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Makes 15-20 truffles.

Abba Father,

I rejoice in that we have Your word that we can turn to each day of our lives.  That Your word is alive and active and that we have a great cloud of witnesses who by faith have testified to the truth of Your absolute faithfulness to encourage us. Your every word proves true.  As we go through each day we can keep our focus on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.  It was for joy that He endured the cross.  The joy of knowing that He has covered our sins with His blood and that we will live in eternity of fellowship with You.  He was there from the beginning and Your glory Father rests on us.  Let us not grow weary and lose heart by meditating on Him and what He endured.  You are the One who rescues us in our troubles. 

Selah

Lyn

A few days ago I was chatting with one of my daughters regarding the statistics on the rising numbers of mental depression since the Pandemic of Covid-19. What troubled my daughter was that this emotional issue was also rising among fellow Christians. “How can this happen?", "Why are some Christians losing hope?”- she asked.

The Lord brought to my mind those dark days and years (almost 13 years) when I struggled with a severe Psoriasis on both of my hands. My hands on the best days would only itch with a burning sensation. On the worse days the skin would break and bleed and sometimes would even suffer from infections. Through endless and expensive Doctor’s appointments and medications, I would obtain partial relief… But apparently there was no cure for this. In my despair during those painful nights I would turn to the Bible. There in my quiet time and by reading the book of Job over and over, and through the encouragement of some Psalms, His Word would give me the hope and Faith I needed to keep my life going in the best way possible. I had two little daughters and my husband who needed me! His Loving kindness and the gratefulness of having my family with me gave me hope to go on: “to fight for joy” (John Piper)  in the midst of suffering”… to wait and to trust that one day He would heal me! And He did!! Even though I still have this autoimmune disease, I have never suffered from my hands anymore! 

In today’s scripture we find the encouragement we all need to thrive in our Faith. If we first read Hebrews 11, we will find the names of some of the Heroes of The Bible. God’s people who like you and me faced many afflictions. And in Romans 15:4 we find these amazing words of comfort:  ^“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope and overflow with confidence in His promises.”

In Hebrews 12:1-2 we read:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of ^[a]witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us, ² [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, ^[b]disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work].

In the first line the author mentions that: “…we are surrounded by so great a cloud of ^[a]witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness]”

 Yes, we are not alone in our trials and sufferings! Just look around you!

By breaking these verses, we will find the following instructions:

-        - “ …stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us…”

-         - let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us

-      -    “[looking away from all that will distract us and]…

-        -  focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity],

Over the years as I remember each and every trial and suffering in my life I can only say that these have made my faith and love grow stronger for my Abba Father, for through-out all these I have experienced His Faithfulness and His tender love that endures forever!

Challenge: Please, just close your eyes and picture our Loving Savior on the cross; shedding His blood…pouring His life for yours! And…^”Just consider and meditate on Him who endured from sinners such bitter hostility against Himself [consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:3 AMP) Amen!!

I also encourage you to read this article of an interview with John Piper:

https://thirst.sg/blog/ask-pastor-john-piper-how-can-we-fight-for-joy/

Blessings,

Mari