"I Legally Can't Do It"

Luke 13:10-17

As we have been discussing the events in Luke surrounding the healing of the crippled woman, will you consider if there have been "laws" (church, home, workplace) that have kept you from showing compassion to others? 

We give some examples on the program today, but take some time to consider if you ever withhold compassion because you "legally can't do it."  Remember, showing God's love and concern for others is never wrong. Acts of kindness and compassion show others God's love and it is always right to show compassion....even with it might go against the "law" of the church, home or workplace. Take some time to consider today how you can be more compassionate to others in your sphere of influence.

Running Scared: fear, worry, and the God of rest

Running Scared: fear, worry, and the God of rest

Edward T. Welch

Product Details

1. Paperback: 317 pages

1. Publisher: New Growth Press

Point: Welch takes an in-depth look at fear, worry, and anxiety in his book. God is bigger than our fears, and we can trust in Him.

Path: Welch has written this in the form of meditations. He recommends reading one chapter a day and talking with someone about the chapter before moving on to the next one.

Welch shows that all people fear. It is something that we do not have to learn. We fear and worry about things which we value and cherish. Through a discussion of manna in the Old Testament and many passages about fearing in the New Testament, Welch shows the root of fear and how that can be dealt with in our lives.

Agreement: I enjoyed many of the thoughtful chapters on fear itself. One of his main points is: “We are fearful when something we value is in jeopardy” (page 80). This is apparent in all of our lives.

Disagreement: I agree with the majority of what Welch says, but there are just a few times where the reader may become confused if they do not know from where Welch is coming. For example, Welch states on page 47, “After you listen to your own heart, listen to God.” If taken out of context at all, one might think that Welch is condoning listening to our own hearts before we listen to God. I believe he is actually pointing out that we check our hearts to see if we are living in fear, and then we need to listen to what God’s Word has to say about that fear.

Stars: 4.5 out of 5

It would be worth another read and I would recommend it.

Real Life ~ Real Answers

Embracing God's Forgiveness

A woman in church committed a visible sin and now feels that others judge her for that sin. She goes to church and sees others whispering and glancing her way, her friends don't really call her like they used to, and even her Sunday School teacher seems to struggle to treat her lovingly. This woman has asked for forgiveness from those who she wronged and has confessed in front of the church. She has been forgiven by God.


What should her response be to those who are not treating her in a loving manner? Is her state of being forgiven based upon what others think of her?

The Healing of the Crippled Woman

Luke 13:10-17
As we move farther into the Gospel of Luke we encounter Christ on the Sabbath and the healing of a crippled woman. It is significant that Christ not only healed her on the Sabbath, but also that he healed a woman "whom Satan bound for eighteen years" (vs. 16).

The Sabbath to the Jewish people was a central part of their life. Religious leaders over time set up boundaries and "laws" that were not Scriptural, but were meant to keep the people from breaking the true meaning of the Sabbath.  To the religious leaders, a woman's physical need would not be worth breaking the Sabbath. To Christ, He wasn't breaking the Sabbath but upholding the true meaning of the Sabbath.  Jesus Himself says in Matthew 12:12 that "it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Christ risked condemnation by the religious leaders as He ministered to this woman.

The study continues tomorrow....so stay tuned!

Mary & Martha

Luke 10:38-42
We now arrive at Mary and Martha's home and only get to find out part of the story. Luke records only what is necessary for us to know. But oh, don't you just wonder sometimes how it all played out? :) I know, I do. However, that should not distract us from searching for the lesson God wants us to learn from these few verses. We find that Christ was in the home of Mary and Martha. "Martha was distracted with much serving" (vs.40), while Mary "sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching" (vs. 39).

Much has been written about Mary and Martha and what we would like to challenge you with today is to not determine if you are like Mary or Martha, but if you are taking opportunities to spend time with Christ.  This event reminds us of priorities. Mary had her priorities in order....sit at the Lord's feet. Martha missed out on that opportunity by being distracted with serving. Have you ever missed out on an opportunity to spend time with the Lord because you were distracted with concerns of your home? There ought to be a balance of spending time with the Lord and serving your family. 

Take the opportunities to be in His Word and prioritize for that time.

• Is the baby sleeping? Read God's Word and pray! And then take your nap too!
• Are your children away at school and husband working? Start your morning off in the Word to arm yourself for the day, and then pray as you work in your home. 
• Are you on your lunch break?  Read a favorite Psalm and spend a few moments in prayer asking for strength and grace to glorify Him at work.
• Are you traveling? Pray along the way and as long as your not driving, read the Word too! If you are on a plane, open your Bible and read; pray for an opportunity to share Christ with the one who sits next to you.
• Is your husband out of town for the weekend? Don't just fill up your Saturday with "me" time, start your day by spending some more time with your Heavenly Father in the Word and prayer. Make it "God's time" and seek how you can serve others.

These are just a few examples how we can make Christ the priority even in the midst of our responsibilities.
We pray for you and trust that God's Word will work in your heart as you strive to glorify Him.

Real Life ~ Real Answers

Leading Others to Christ's Forgiveness

A woman you know comes to you struggling with depression. She finally admits that she committed certain sexual sins int he past. She was not a believer at the time and she has since been saved and forgiven for those sins, but she still struggles with the weight of condemnation. The memories of those sins come back to her and she feels burdened by them...like she just can't ever be fully forgiven.

How could you help this woman realize that she is no longer under condemnation and does not have to bear that weight in her life?

Jairus' Daughter and the Ill Woman

Feel free to join us for the next few days as we will be discussing Luke 8:40-56. We see in this passage Christ's work in the lives of two women. In very different situations in life, Christ had compassion on them both.

It is interesting to see how the people involved approached Jesus for help. How do we approach God when we pray?

Real Life ~ Real Answers

Showing Love in Hard Times

A woman in your church is going through a tough time with the loss of a loved one. She does not seem to think that God loves her because of this tragedy in her life. She is unsure of her financial stability and does not know how she can continue.

How could you show her compassion?

In what ways could you practically and physically help her?

Supporters of Jesus

A group of women that supported Jesus can be found in Luke 8:1-3. After a discussion of some of the ways that they may have supported Jesus Christ, we ought to ask ourselves this question:

"In what ways do women sacrificially support God’s work today through our churches and communities?"

What are ways that we as women might support God's work?

A New Team Member

Welcome to our newest member of Women in the Word: Katlyn! We hope that you will be able to tune in for the next couple of days as Katlyn shares her testimony of salvation and also how God is working in her life now.

Real Life ~ Real Answers

Arrogance

You love your church. You love the people in your church. You have been faithfully attending this church for many years. You are an older woman in this church and have come to accept some of the changes in music style that have come over the years, and love that your pastor preaches and stays true to the Word. You like the comfort you feel about the Word, worship and people you fellowship with each week. One Sunday, a rugged man comes into the service and sits just two rows behind you. You can’t help but notice the smell coming from the man. He looks homeless and after the service you over hear him asking the pastor for money and food while explaining his so-called crisis. Your attitude toward him is negative and you wish he wouldn’t take advantage of the church and just leave.

What is sinful about this woman’s response? How might she show God’s love and grace to someone in need?

Love & Forgiveness: A Lesson from Christ

As we continue to study about the sinful woman that Christ forgives in Luke 7,  we ask today if there are ways that the church makes a judgement on a person or situation unfairly? Have you ever thought about if YOU have judged someone unfairly without knowing the facts and without remembering the person's need of Christ's love and forgiveness?  This passage shows us that Christ's love and forgiveness is freely given to any who come to Him.  It is not reserved for the elite, for the rich, for the most moral. It is given without strings attached to those who are in the most despicable sins, who are unlovely, and seem to be most unworthy.  We are challenged and convicted to love and forgive as Christ loved and forgave. How can you show Christ's love and forgiveness THIS WEEK?