Psalm 36, Romans 3:9-20, Colossians 1:13-14

Over the last decade, social media has exploded. In fact it’s estimated that around 45% of the world’s population are active on some sort of social media platform. This has caused a rise in the very lucrative business of influencing. Social media influencers are people who are paid to promote products, companies, people, and ideas. Brands love social media influencers because they can create trends and encourage their followers to buy products they promote. And one of the greatest influencers out there is Satan. 

Social media is the Enemy’s playground. Without restriction or consequences, he goes about influencing the world to be wicked, rebellious, and hostile to God. He spreads lies about the joy of worldly living and the need to “keep up with the Joneses.” To find our worth in followers, likes, and shares. And sadly, many Christians fall victim to his deceit. That’s why it’s so important for us to routinely take stock of our lives and ask ourselves if we’re living for instant gratification, or eternal gratification. 

Instant gratification believes its own hype. It promotes doing what feels good in the here and now, regardless of the consequences. Instant gratification listens to the lying whispers of Satan who tells us that we shouldn’t have to wait for what we want. It has no fear of God, for it hardens the heart and blinds the eyes to the judgement awaiting the wicked. Instant gratification speaks nothing but deceit, refuses to do good, and spends its time devising ways to help only itself. And worst of all, instant gratification joyfully walks the path of destruction if it means getting what it wants. 

But eternal gratification desires to do what is pleasing to God. It desires above all else God’s lovingkindness, and rests in His faithfulness. Eternal gratification knows whatever we suffer before God calls us home, could never compare to “drinking our fill of the abundance” of God’s house. And it thirsts to forever drink from the river of “God’s delights.” Eternal gratification recognizes that true, lasting joy can only be found in dwelling in the shadow of God’s wings. With ears guided by the Spirit, it follows a trend that never goes out of style. The trend of living lives for God. Ones that glorify the Lord, striving to please God and not the flesh. And instead of following influencers, eternal gratification influences the world by spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ! 

Who is influencing you? Psalm 36:1-4 tells us that sin deceives the sinner by flattering him so that he actively plans and pursues it. Are you actively pursuing God or the world?

Why is the fear of God the foundation for a holy life? How can we fear the Lord while still experiencing His love? What does fearing the Lord look like to you?

Finally, let’s prayer together -

Our dearest Father in heaven above. Hallowed be Thy name. Father we pray for the strength to seek You and not sin. To spend time with You daily, being influenced alone by the truth of Your Word. Father give us hearts that desire all of the eternal good things in which You have promised Your children. We praise you, Lord, for Your immeasurable lovingkindness and immense love. Your righteous character and goodness never change. Your protective presence is our sweet refuge. Oh Father we thank You that You surround us with safety, goodness, abundance, life, and light. The shadow of Your wings is the shelter that our hearts longs for. Father please know we love You, and we pray for Your protection from the Enemy, our pride, the pull of the world, and the sins that easily entangle us. In Jesus precious name we pray, Amen.

Don't' forget to head over to our Facebook group at, https://www.facebook.com/groups/womenintheword2 to join in on the discussion. Also check out our public Facebook page at, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083156569388 and give us a like!

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts, and I pray your day overflows with love and blessings.

 Lisa

These women lived centuries ago, yet their stories are still relatable to us, the women of today. For as the mothers and daughters of old, they too felt the same sadness and joy, hopes and dreams, and trials and tribulations. Sometimes their stories only consisted of a sentence or two in the Bible, yet their lives will forever be held up as pillars of inspiration to women everywhere. For in a society where women had far less value than a man, they showed God’s equal and unconditional love for us all. He knows our value, and calls each of us for mighty purposes and plans. And when God called, these business women, teachers, missionaries, and evangelists, answered. 

Before we go, I want to give an honorable mention to a young servant girl named Rhoda. She has always had a soft spot in my heart. When God released Peter from jail, he returned to the house of Mary, mother of John Mark. And when he knocked at the gate, Rhoda was the one who answered. I love how in her excitement she left Peter standing right where he was. I want to be like Rhoda, excited and full of faith. I want to pray expectantly to our Heavenly Father, and be filled with joy when those prayers are answered. A great reminder to us all that when we are bound by chains and all gates are shut, the gate to God through prayer is always open and through Him, all things are possible.

I hope you enjoyed our study as much as I, and I look forward to when we start up again with studying the women of the Old Testament. Until then may God bless us richly, and I pray we take the examples of these amazing women and apply their hard learned lessons in our own lives! And as we enter this most Holy of weeks, may we remember the love Jesus had not only for these women, but for the world as He sacrificed everything to give us eternal life. To Him alone goes the glory! 

Our memory verse for this week is Psalm 90:14..."Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days." 

Hi Girls!

We're off to study another woman with a very checkered past this week. Probably the most checkered of all the women we will study, as far as we know of. She had an awful lot going against her;

•  First being a Samaritan - Jew went out of their way NOT to associate with any Samaritan
• And then an immoral woman- even her own people wouldn't associate with her. 

I cannot wait to get into her story! You'll find it here:

Samaritan Woman at the Well: John 4: 7-42

Be sure to study with our themes in mind this week:

• Monday: Her story--a portrait of her life
• Tuesday: Her life and times--background information about the culture of her day
• Wednesday: Her legacy in Scripture
• Thursday: Her promise--the Bible promises that apply to her life and yours
• Friday: Her legacy of prayer--and praying in light of her story

We want to also encourage you to be thinking along these lines as you study this week. Ask yourself:

Our verse for this week is Matthew 26:10,

"Aware of this, Jesus said to them, 'Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.'"

Hi Girls! 

This week were going to be studying what I consider to be my favorite woman in all the New Testament! After these past four weeks of our study on the women of the New Testament, and all we've discovered about each one, I cannot wait to dive into Mary of Bethany's life! 

Mary of Bethany is also referred to at times as "the sister of Lazarus" along with her sister Martha. Lazarus was the one Jesus raised from the dead just before the beginning of holy week. They were all good friends of Jesus as we'll learn more about this week. 

Mary's story can be found in:

Luke 10:37-42

John 11:1-45

John 12:1-9

Matthew 26:1-13

Mark 14:1-8

As always our themes for the week will be:

• Monday: Her story--a portrait of her life
• Tuesday: Her life and times--background information about the culture of her day
• Wednesday: Her legacy in Scripture
• Thursday: Her promise--the Bible promises that apply to her life and yours
• Friday: Her legacy of prayer--and praying in light of her story

We want to also encourage you to be thinking along these lines as you study Mary throughout the week. Ask yourself:

 Hi Girls! 

We hope and pray you are learning a lot about each of the women we have studied thus far and their lives have made a positive impact onto your own! It's now onto week 4 and Mary Magdalene!

Our Memory Verse  for this week is Isaiah 43:1

..."But now, this is what the Lord says—He who created you, Jacob, He who formed you, Israel: 'Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.'"

Mary Magdalene's story is found in these passages:

Matthew 27:57 -61

Matthew 28:1-10

Mark 15: 40-47

Mark 16: 1-11

Luke 8:2-3 

Luke 24:1-11, 22-24

John 19:25 

John 20:1-3, 11-18

Have you noticed a pattern forming in that one week we have very little Scripture to study and the next week we have tons? We hadn't planned it that way, I promise, and we want to encourage you to read a few of these passages each day this week to discover all we can about Mary Magdalene. 

This will be how our study this week will run: 

• Monday: Her story--a portrait of her life
• Tuesday: Her life and times--background information about the culture of her day
• Wednesday: Her legacy in Scripture--a short Bible study on her life with application to your own
• Thursday: Her promise--the Bible promises that apply to her life and yours
• Friday: Her legacy of prayer--and praying in light of her story

We want to also encourage you to be thinking along these lines as you study each woman throughout the week. Ask yourself:

 Scripture Reading: Revelations 13

Satan has been called many things - Liar, Deceiver, Murderer, the Enemy, the Evil One, even the Antichrist. These are just a few of his names, and not one is ever flattering. He was revealed as the dragon in Revelations 12:17, and now here in chapter thirteen we see something more about his character that I want you to always remember.  

Satan is a counterfeit, who never has an original thought.

He has little to no imagination of his own, and often merely copies what God has already done. He demonstrates this here for us when he decides to create an unholy trinity. 

Satan, as the dragon, will set himself up as the anti-god of the “trinity” and then he recruits two helpers to join him in this war against God’s people. Together they will try to imitate God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

The Beast from the sea (Rev 13:1, 4) will resemble Jesus as the anti-christ. This antichrist will be the political “beast” of vs. 1. He will get his power and position from Satan (vs. 2), and will even suffer a fatal wound and come back to life (vs. 3). Although the anti-christ will deceive many into thinking his power comes from God, it will come from Satan (vs. 2).

The Beast from the earth (Rev 13:11-12) also called the False Prophet (Rev. 16:13, 20:10) will resemble the Holy Spirit. This beast will cause all on the earth to worship the anti-christ (vs. 12), and will also have supernatural powers, that will enable him to call fire down from heaven (vs. 13) and preform other miracles (vs. 14). The beast of the earth/false prophet will order men to create an “image to the beast” (vs. 14). His powers will even give the idol life, and the ability to speak (vs. 15). A one-world religious system will be forced into place, and he will have all that do not worship the anti-christ killed (vs. 15)! He will also demand that all must have a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads in order to buy or sell (vs. 16,17). The mark will have something to do with the number 666 (vs. 18).

I know this all sounds frightening, but thankfully this will all take place at the middle point of the seven years of tribulation. God's people will have already been raptured 31/2 years prior. 

What IS frightening is that if Jesus were to come for us today, these events could only be three and a half years away! Have you thought of that before? If Jesus came back for us today, do you personally know others who will be left to face this unholy trinity?  The Deceiver, this fake and fraud, will be able to deceive many and cause many to worship him rather than turn to a holy God. 

As I thought on this, my mind went back to Deuteronomy, chapter 6 and the Shema: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deut. 6:4-8)

The Shema to be the most important part of the prayer service in Judaism, and its twice-daily recitation as a mitzvah (religious commandment). Also, it is traditional for Jews to say the Shema as their last words, and for parents to teach their children to say it before they go to sleep at night. (Wikipedia)

The chapter goes on to warn us and command us over and over again to study, obey and teach His Word to others throughout, "Fear the Lord your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name.  Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you;  for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land... Be sure to keep the commands of the Lord your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you.  Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you..." (Deut 6:13-18)

In light of all we read in Revelations, and knowing that God could see the end just as clearly as He saw the beginning, I now understand God's sense of urgency as He commands us to study, obey and teach others His commands. Can't you?

Blessings,

sue

Saturday, April 14, 2018