-
Keep these Things in Your Heart
I know that enduring to the end doesn’t sound very sexy nor does it put your mind at ease about doing the will of God.
Like you, I want to live a life of great happiness all the time. I do not want to build up my resistance to trials but when we keep the things of the Lord in our heart it does build up our resistance.
Biblical Ground Work: Luke
Jesus Himself said, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) His mother can testify to every inch of this.
Mary did not have an easy life or one without trials even before she had Jesus. She lived in Nazareth where the Romans came to collect taxes and their work was for the Roman Empire. They were not their own.
She became pregnant before marriage and gave birth in a town that was not her own. She went to the Synagogue out of duty and was told her heart would be broken. It was broken and fixed.
Biblical Life Lesson: Keeping these things in your heart will show you the power of Jesus in your life.
In A Soul on Fire we discussed Enduring to the End for the past four weeks and no one can attest to endurance than Mary the mother of Jesus.
From her birth until her death she had to endure some pretty awful stuff. From being pregnant to a missing child; from watching Jesus’ works to watching Him die. She saw Him die then she saw Him alive.
Let’s see what we should make of this in light of our Biblical Power Tools from “A Soul on Fire” in The Bible Gals. You can click on the links below to watch the four consecutive videos.
Endure to the End Part 1 https://www.facebook.com/kathleenderbyshireauthor/videos/270673751399723 Endure to the End Part 2 https://www.facebook.com/theholyproductivewoman/videos/297055762041757 Endure to the End Part 3 https://www.facebook.com/theholyproductivewoman/videos/924718554979590 Endure to the End Part 4 https://www.facebook.com/100328951852611/videos/314810416687428 Enduring to the End Teachings from the Kathleen Derbyshire Page on Facebook Join me in The Bible Gals Monday’s at 2pm EST for “His Women in Our World” Live Discussions. The study of how women can be effective in changing our world by simply choosing to live for Jesus.
-
Why Martha chose the Dishes.
If Jesus was sitting in front of you, what would you chose?
Would you choose duty? Would you choose purpose?
I guess it would just be what you have been habitually choosing.
Biblical Ground Work: Luke 10:38-42
Jesus is around the villages teaching, “The Kingdom of Heaven has come,” when He enters the house of Martha. He sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.
Martha comes to Jesus and complains about Mary not helping her do her work but Jesus tells her that she needs to choose something more important – sitting at the feet of Jesus.
Choosing that good part which will not be taken away is why we have been chosen.
Biblical Life Lesson: Consistently choosing Jesus after He chooses you is not as easy as it looks.
We are busy people, more so we think, than back in the day of Jesus. The times actually don’t make a difference – BUSY is BUSY. Your choices have to be made quickly, and if you don’t know what choice to make, Jesus wants you to choose that which will not be taken away.
The Lord’s women in the Bible have a lot to tell us about effective Christian Living. Join me in The Bible Gals Monday’s at 2pm EST for “His Women in Our World” LIVE Discussions. The study of how women can be effective in changing the world by simply choosing to live for Jesus.
-
What Can your Eyes See?
What can you see when you look at your world from God?
Job was listening well about God but his hearing did not equate to vision. His saw with his own eyes and with his cultural eyes.
Our Biblical Ground Work: Job 42:12-17
Job has been through the ringer and so has Job’s wife. He has had all of his livestock taken away and all of his children. What he was able to get out of this was boils and bad breath and God’s vision.
When God was done talking to him he was able to see. In Job 42:5 he said something significant that will reflect in his view of life from this day forward. “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You.” His hearing was tuned in but he was blind.
He is now viewing his life through the Lord’s eyes instead of his own. This new vision created a new way of seeing that reflected on how he sees his new daughters as well. They were beautiful but what he actually saw was they were equal to his sons.
Our Biblical Life Lesson: Equality can only be seen through the eyes of God.
Equality is a subjective word because humans are not equal to look at. We are uniquely gifted and called to do something differently. We are male and female. We are Canadian and American. We are so different we cannot even explain our differences to each other. Our eyes are limited to what we can see in front of us but God can give us full vision.
What is, has been and will be equal is the Lords treatment of His children. He sees us based on our birthright in the Kingdom. We are born for a reason and that reason is unique to each of us. Equality, in God’s economy, is each of us doing God’s work with His zeal.
Join me in The Bible Gals Monday’s at 2pm EST for His Women in Our World Live Discussions.
-
Zeresh: One of Haman’s Herd Followers
Have you ever followed someone because they are popular regardless of how they lead?
Jeresh, Haman’s wife, is a great example of a woman who did just that.
Our Biblical Ground Work: Esther 5:14-10:3
Haman was of the a tribe of people (the Amalekites) who hated the Jews already but Mordecai stirred the hatred pot by not bowing down when Haman became second in command in the kingdom. Haman was told he was a Jew and the digging of his pit begins.
Zeresh comes onto the scene in Esther 5 when Haman needed to brag about all he has and tell of his hatred for Mordecai. The plot to kill the Jews was already hatched but the plot to kill Mordecai came from his wife and friends.
Haman is emboldened by his simple herd of followers to go to the king and ask to hang Mordecai but God is at work outside of Haman and his herd. The king sends Haman on a mission to immortalize Mordecai and his herd followers tell him of his downfall.
Our Biblical Life Lesson: Follow the Leader who creates a loyal follower.
Haman’s self serving actions caused great harm to himself, his family and the people of God. He himself was hung, his sons were hung and the rest of them just hung their heads. The weakness of their follow-ship makes us all shake our heads in shame because we have done this before. We have been followers who pamper our leader.
Simple followers think with the herd and follow the leader with a pampering mentality so as not to cause any opposition. They revere him for his popularity and feed his emotions. They are using him just as much as he is using them. They want what he has but are unwilling to do what he is doing.
Everyone follows leaders regardless of how they feel about being a follower. Following a leader whose intent is to hurt God’s people, whether through oppression or genocide, will cause God’s followers to come out of the woodwork. Esther is one of those followers.
Join me in The Bible Gals Monday’s at 2pm EST for His Women in Our World Live Discussions.
-
A Time for Blooming
Can you think of a time when you bloomed into what you where doing?
What happened to cause it?
Our Biblical Ground Work: Esther 2:5-5:14
Ahasuerus (in Greek Zerxes) has put away his wife Vashti because she disobeyed him in not coming to parade herself in front of his party guests. This act of defiance created a situation for Ahasuerus – he no longer had a queen.
When his anger was abated, the same people who told him to put his wife out of his sight told him to collect women in the kingdom. He needed to have a queen. A decree went out and 100 women were collected including Esther. A Jew who was cared for by her cousin Mordecai after her parents were dead.
Her and Mordecai build up reputations for themselves among the people around them. Esther in the castle and Mordecai outside the palace gates. Esther as lovely inside and out, Mordecai dedicated to God inside and out. Mordecai’s dedication to God is why Esther has to sacrifice her life.
Our Biblical Life Lesson: You will bloom into who the Lord created you to be when you allow the old to die.
There will be a time that the Lord will bring you to a place in your life where you are going to have to choose between the old you and the new you. The reason He does that is so you become who He created you to be. The old you has 98% of you and He wants the new you to have 98% of you.
This transfer of power has to be done by us being put in a position where a choice has to be made – good or evil. If you have been raised up for such a time as this, to choose good, you will have the power to do it. BUT if you choose evil, God will raise another to do what you have refused to do but the consequences will be grave.
Join me in The Bible Gals here Monday’s at 2pm EST for His Women in Our World Live Discussion.
-
How to prepare yourself for Extraordinary Service to God.
Would you like to be used of God for something extraordinary? Huldah, the Prophetess, spent many years growing into her vision from God to prepare for this extraordinary event written in this Book forever.
Biblical Ground Work: 2 Kings 22:14-20; 2 Chronicles 34:22-28
Israel and Judah were under the wrath of God at this moment in time for their worship of false gods. Josiah was the king of Judah and he was known as having a zeal for the Law of God. He sought the word of the Lord multiple times in his reign over Judah.
The Book of the Law was found in Solomon’s temple during its repairs and brought to Josiah. He wanted to know God’s opinion about this find, so he sent the priest to find it. They went straight to Huldah the Prophetess.
How does one prepare for the kind of extraordinary works Huldah was known for?
Biblical Life Lesson: Everything you do, in obedience to God, will get you ready for the extraordinary service you are called to do.
Huldah was known to be a prophetess accustomed to speaking the word of God directly to high priests and royal officials.
- She told kings and nations of their fate.
- She had the authority to determine what was and was not the genuine Law.
- She spoke in a manner of stern command when acting as a prophetess.
No one gains this much respect and honour by sitting in her house ignoring the Law and call of God for her life. Huldah prepared for her extraordinary vision from God to be a prophetess by stepping out, one mundane task at a time, and doing what the Lord tells her to do with diligence.
Join us Monday’s at 2pm EST for a live discussion in The Bible Gals here for the Biblical Power Tools that will help you follow in the steps of Huldah.
-
Could Death be the Consequence of Living?
Have you ever been called by God to do something that might cause your death? It you just think about the Lord doing that, would you continue in the doing?
Biblical Ground Work: 2 Kings 11:1-20; 2 Chronicles 22:11
Judah and Israel were on shaky ground once more because of their pagan worshipping. King after king was leading Israel away from the Lord so the Lord allowed kingdom after kingdom to invade them but this invasion was not from another kingdom. It was from within.
Athaliah, the mother of King Ahaziah, took control of Judah by force destroying the royal heirs minus one. Jehosheba, sister of King Ahaziah, took Joash, the kings son, and hid him away with his nanny within the temple for six years.
She has access to the temple because Jehoiada the priest is her husband. It is him that creates the rebellion against Athaliah. He makes Joash king and has her killed.
Biblical Life Lesson: The Lord is worth living for even in the face of death.
Jehosheba was in a position to give her life by doing something that she knew was the right thing to do. Did the Lord promise her He would keep her safe while she kept a covenant king alive? Not that we read.
She went forward not knowing whether it would cost her life or even her husbands life. I am sure that she did not regret one single moment of her private rebellion but I am sure that she was scared.
Join us Tuesday’s at 6pm EST for a live discussion in The Bible Gals here.
-
You are Invited into the Upper Room
Have you created an upper room for those whom you are to serve?
Elisha blessed the Shunammite woman more than she could have ever imagined because she showed him ongoing hospitality.
Biblical Ground Work: 2 Kings 4:8-37; 8:1-6
The Shunammite woman was a prominent woman married to an older gentleman. When she met Elisha she urged him to have a meal with her. They obviously enjoyed each others company because she built an upper room for Elisha to stay when he came into the area.
Elisha travelled around the nation a lot because he was the Man of God, not just to this woman, but the whole nation. He ran a school for prophets and went where the Lord sent him. He was someone who expected hospitality and got it.
Her hospitality opened doors for her that she believed were shut forever. She had no children but soon she did. She continued to be hospitable to Elisha after her son was born but then, he died. She had a problem on her hands but she still said, “Everything is all right,” three times. Her faith in Elisha’s ability to keep his promises is endless.
Our Biblical Life Lesson: Hospitality leads to untold blessings
Hospitality is “the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers.” (dictionary.com) Your “home” or your “home base” can be a place for you to become hospitable. My husbands home is his castle, so I am not allowed to entertain in our home. I entertain in my “home base”, The Bible Gals sisterhood.
This virus has changed the way we think about hospitality, and everything else, as a matter of fact. We do hospitality differently and we think differently about it. We are in touch with people today we probably would not be in touch with usually. We don’t see people we would usually see. I see my mother more and my grandkids less.
At this time we are redefining ministry and life. The Shunammite woman was just doing life when she invited Elisha over for a meal and extended the invitation to every time he passed by. Then, she offered him a place to rest and sleep. This is hospitality at its best with a deep friendship as a reward.
Join me in The Bible Gals community tomorrow at 2pm EST for the Biblical Power Tools to use hospitality as your entry into deep relationships.
-
How to abandon fear for an abundant life!
Jezebel set up an environment that bred fear and since that went against the teachings of the prophets of God she had to eliminate those who went against what she stood for.
Our Biblical Background: 1 Kings 18, 19, 21; 2 Kings 9
Jezebel is introduced to us in 1 Kings 16:29-31 as being King Ahab’s wife, the daughter of a Sidonian King. The Bible tells us that it wasn’t bad enough that Ahab followed in Jeroboam’s foot steps but he married Jezebel and began worshiping Baal.
Jeroboam was the first king of the Northern kingdom of Israel and set up high places for the Israelite’s to worship so they would not go to Jerusalem which was now in the southern kingdom of Israel called Judah. Now, you are all caught up! 😏
Since Ahab was a pansy, Jezebel was actually running the country. She usurped the power from Ahab by catering to his every desire. She kept him so busy creating new desires that she was able to run the country with an iron fist while he was occupied fulfilling his own desires.
She had control of the 400 plus prophets of Baal and Asherah. She had control of the whole of Israel including God’s people but God was not going to let her and Ahab have complete control. He created an environment of fear for them too using Elijah.
Biblical Life Lesson: If you are not afraid to die, you can live without abandon for Jesus.
The people around Jezebel where afraid for their lives. They were complicit in their worship of false gods because they were afraid to die therefore afraid to live for God. There were still quite a few people that the Lord saved for Himself who were not afraid to die including Elijah. The Lord might not use you to go after Jezebel but He does have a vision for you that will fill your life with wonder.
Last week we talked about killing the old you so the new you will live for Jesus with everything she has. Being afraid to die holds you back from living your life with abandon. There is nothing on this earth worth hanging onto that will cost you your soul. Elijah had nothing and lived without abandon.
The Lord showed His power to Elijah by feeding him using birds. Then the Lord used Elijah to show His power to all of Israel. He was the opposite of Jezebel and that is why she wanted to kill him.
Join me in The Bible Gals Monday at 2pm EST to discuss the Biblical Power Tools for how to abandoned fear for an abundant life.
I have exciting news for you as well. I am running a FREE Biblical Goal Bootcamp to help you plan a future with Jesus in The Bible Gals from February 22-26th. You can learn how to set biblical goals even if you don’t know your vision from God yet. Sign up here and make sure you join The Bible Gals.
-
Naomi, A Mother of Integrity
Have you ever been in an environment where integrity is the last thing on the administrators mind? It’s a hard place to thrive.
Have you even been in an environment where integrity is the first thing on the administrators mine? It’s a place where you can thrive.
Naomi created such a place. She was the mother of integrity. She created an environment where her daughter-in-law’s united with her to maintain a stable and cohesive home in which to live. Let’s read the story.
Our Biblical Ground Work: Ruth
Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, moved the family to Moab because there was famine in the land of Israel. He died and so did both of Naomi’s sons, Mahlon and Chilion. Her sons married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. It is at this point, the story really begins for us. Naomi hears that there is provision in Israel again, so she packs up her clothes to leave Moab for Israel.
Her daughter-in-law’s follow her but she becomes realistic with them. She tells them she cannot provide husbands for them and sends them back to their own families. Ruth is determined to stay with Naomi, so they head back to Israel where they are greeted by the women of the Bethlehem. Naomi no longer wants to be called pleasant, she wants them to think she is bitter.
Naomi and Ruth live together with meagre supplements. Ruth gets permission from Naomi to glean in a field for supplies. She ends up gleaning in Boaz’s field and he notices her. As we all know, towns can talk, so he was already aware of who she was but had not met her until this day. He gives her favour and she goes home with much more than Naomi expected. She wants to know whose field Ruth gleaned in. She knows Boaz and his family ties to her dead husband.
Naomi councils Ruth on the rules of asking Boaz to redeem her family name, and she does exactly what Naomi tells her to do. She comes back with more grains and tells Naomi the whole story. Naomi reassures Ruth that Boaz will not stop working on this very day until this matter is solved. Naomi also does not stop working until her family is taken care of by the best people under God.
Our Biblical Life Lesson: Creating an environment of integrity gives your villagers a place of refuge.
As the city on the hill (Matthew 5:14-16) we are surrounded by people (villagers) who look to us for direction about how the Lord works in Christian lives. We are creating an environment that reflects the Lord Jesus Christ and His direction for us. This environment needs to be a safe place for them.
Creating an environment of integrity gives your villagers a safe place they might not have in their own city. They see cohesion among your villagers that is absent with theirs. They feel honoured by everyone and that makes them long to come back. They know you are who you say you are, because you do what you said you’d do. Your villagers love you because of it.
Do you want to know how to be like Naomi?
I invite you to go deeper with me with The Bible Gals this week as we learn the Biblical Power Tools for creating an environment of integrity.
