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?

Real Life ~ Real Answers

Motives of the Heart


The wife thinks, “I would love to buy that new dress. It would look so nice and I haven’t had a new one in such a long time. I know it is pretty expensive and we probably don’t have the money to pay for it right now, but….I bet I could talk my husband into it with a little sweet talking!” So she proceeds to hatch her plan of wooing her husband….flirting, making his favorite meals, going the extra mile for him, even buying him little gifts. Then she pops the question about the dress….

What is sinful about this wife’s thinking and what should she “put on” instead?

The Sinful Woman

In Luke 7:36, Luke records the scenario of a sinful woman who came to visit Christ while He was visiting in a Pharisee's home. The Pharisee labels the woman as a sinner and thought it obsurd that Christ would allow her to touch his feet. Labels----do they matter? Is it right to label others?  We often quickly recognize sin in other's lives, but do we do what is necessary to show them Christ and His love and forgiveness? Or do we condemn them while ignoring their need for salvation?

Real Life ~ Real Answers

Obedience to the Law



You’re on a family vacation visiting a historical place. You park, and as you lock your car, a couple walks up to you and hands you their wrist bands from their visit. “We are leaving,” they say, “take our wrist bands and use them to get in. They’ll never know anyway.” Not sure what to say, your husband takes them and says “thank you.” As you walk towards the visitor’s center you read on the wrist band “not transferrable between individuals.” Your husband asks you, “What do you think we should do?”

So…what response would bring God glory? Why?

The Gift of Life

As the mother in Luke 7:11-17 witnesses this wonderful miracle by Christ, she no doubt would have had a surge of emotions. As mothers, we rejoice and grieve over many things in our children’s life. Certainly the death of her only son would have caused her much sorrow. Think of the extreme emotion she felt from her sorrow to joy!  As you picture in your mind what it might have been like for this mother to receive her son back to life from Christ, also picture the eternal life you have been given through Christ’s death.  What a gift!

From Sadness to Joy

In Luke 7:11-17 we read of an encounter Jesus has with another woman who was mourning over the death of her only son. She was a widow as well. Scripture says that our Lord had compassion on her and raised this son back to life. We study today about the place of the widow in this society and her means of support.  Why would Christ show compassion on her?  Why this particular widow when there were others around? We will spend some time studying this event and would love to hear what you are learning as you study along with us!

Real Life ~ Real Answers

The Heart Revealed


A husband is working on the bills and goes to his wife saying that they will need to cut some expenses to get some extra bills paid off. He gives several ways to decrease what is spent each month so that there will be money to pay off loans and medical bills over this next year. The wife’s immediate response is to say, “that’s just not possible!” and she explains why she can’t do what he is asking her to do. He reminds his wife that he has been led by God to make this change in finances and he is making these tough decisions for the good of the family and obedience to God.

What does the wife’s response to her husband reveal about her heart?
What does it reveal about her attitude of submission and trust in God?

What would a godly response look like?

The Healing of Simon’s Mother-in-Law

As we look at this event in Luke 4: 38-39, we find that Christ is in Simon’s home. It also happens to be that Simon’s mother-in-law has a fever. The family appeals to Christ for this woman and Christ healed her of her illness. The response of Simon’s mother-in-law is intriguing. Scripture says “and immediately she rose and began to serve them.” Wow! What can we learn from her response to this God-ordained situation?  We can certainly see the emphasis that God’s grace is to be followed by gratitude and service.  Her thankfulness to the Lord was shown in her response of service to Him AND to the others.

Personal Suffering for God's Glory

As we have been studying through the widow of Zaraphath and Naaman's servant girl, how can you see that the sufferings in these stories have glorified God? In what ways does our personal suffering today give glory to God?  So often we don't like suffering. It is inconvenient. It is costly. It is never planned. It is sorrowful. But as we think of the wonderful truth present in Romans 8:28-29, we see that suffering IS good and it is for God's glory. The minute we think, "I don't deserve this," we are really thinking that "I know what's best for me" instead of resting in the fact that God knows what is best for me.  Pray that God would help you thank Him for ALL He does in your life.

The Organized Heart by Staci Eastin

Product Details

1. Kindle Ebook

1. Publisher: Cruciform Press

1. Date of reading: January 10, 2012

Point: Eastin says, “My hope for this book is that it will help you serve God and your family more effectively, more fruitfully, and with greater peace and joy.”

Path: The author delves into the reasons behind the disorganized lives we sometimes live. Showing how the sinfulness of our heart often is the reason that we are not organized, she covers four main idols of the heart: perfectionism, busyness, possessions, and leisure.

Sources: She refers to several other books such as Lou Priolo’s Pleasing People, Carol Cornish and Elyse Fitzpatrick’s Women Helping Women, and Jeremiah Buroughs’ Contentment.

Agreement: This was a wonderful look at organization. Eastin brings out many reasons why we do not live organized lives, and also many reasons that the “organized” lives that we live may not be pleasing to God. Are we fearing what man may think of us if we are not organized and seemingly put-together, or are we striving to honor God?

Personal App: This was a great and refreshing way to view organization. In a culture where organization is sort of the “in” thing to do, it was a blessing to be able to look at why it is important to be organized. It makes me double-check my life and see if I am trying to be organized for the right reasons!

One of my favorite quotes was this: “God is not glorified in the amount of things we get done, the number of spaces we fill on our calendars, or the length of our to-do lists. God is pleased when we serve him with sincere hearts.”

Stars: 4.5 out of 5

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

God's Grace

In Luke 4:34-27 we find that Christ has traveled to his hometown and is now in the synagogue. It was customary in synagogues to ask visiting rabbis to read the Scripture lesson and make comments regarding the passage. At this point, Jesus had been ministering for about a year.  He was handed the book of Isaiah and read from chapter 61.  He proclaims that Scripture has been fulfilled in Luke 4:21.  However, they failed to recognized that Jesus was the Messiah. It is at this point that Jesus uses two examples in the Old Testament to show God's grace on the Gentiles. These two examples are the Widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17) and Naaman (2 Kings 5:1-15). These examples were given to show that God would show grace to the Gentile people.  All in the synagogue were angered at Christ's words. They even sought to kill Him!

How do you view God's grace as it relates to terrorists, homosexuals, sex offenders, murderers and the like? How do you react when someone visits your church and is homeless, rough looking or just doesn't fit in? Do you see them as individuals who need God's grace and compassion or do you stay as far away from them as possible? Do you pray for those who need this grace in your family and town? Sometimes our attitudes are not much different than those in the synagogue that day that Christ spoke. We really do not think that the wicked deserve such grace...well, neither did we. Ephesians 2:8-9

Real Life ~ Real Answers

Response to Blessings

Your mother calls you to give you an update on her health from her recent doctor visit. You have been anxiously waiting for the news from recent tests your mother had and have fought worrying over the outcome by choosing to trust and accept God's plan for her life. Your mother explains that her symptoms have gone away and all the test results have come back normal! You are speechless. Just 2 months ago, the doctor couldn't figure out why your mother was so ill and now she has a clean bill of health!

What might you say and do with your mother to praise God for this blessing?

The Manipulating Woman, cont...

As we finish studying the ungodly example of Herodias in the book of Luke, we want to take this time to ask how we as women handle the temptation to manipulate situations?  As sinners we all are tempted to get our way by begging, nagging, whining, crying or fighting. James 4:1-3 tells us that fights and quarrels come when we do not get our way. So really we try to "manipulate" the situation when we respond by complaining.  As a woman, do you ever use sensuality to gain what you might desire. Do you wives use intimacy with your husband as a bargaining tool?

As you consider how to fight the temptation to manipulate a situation that does not go your way, consider that decisions made are the will of God. A godly woman will strive after God's will for her life. Take a look at these examples:

• A teenage girl - can accept her parents decisions as she sees that God is using it for her "good." Romans 8:28-29
• A woman in the workplace - can accept not receiving a job promotion as a revelation of God's will for her and continue to seek wisdom from God. James 1:5
• A woman who desires to be married -  can have peace and trust in God for His plan for her life and will find her contentment and joy in Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
• A wife who desires to have children - can know that God is in control. Example of Rachel in Genesis 30:1-22.
• An older woman - can be at peace with her body as she ages know that her spiritual life is growing and she can share what she has learned with other women. Titus 2:3-5, 2 Corinthians 4:16

The Manipulating Woman

As we move on in our study women mentioned in the book of Luke, we find in Luke 3:19-20 that Herodias, the wife of Herod is mentioned. Luke doesn't expand on the situation surrounding Herodias and John the Baptist, but two other Gospels do: Matthew 14:1-12 and Mark 6:16-28. We invite you to take some time read through these two passages about Herodias.  Herodias wanted John the Baptist dead because she did not like the fact that John spoke against her marriage to Herod.  In the next couple of days we will talk about why Herod did eventually kill John and the part that Herodias and her daughter played in her death. We see from Herodias an example of how manipulation to get one's way costs dearly....in this case, John the Baptist's life.

Real Life ~ Real Answers

The Cost of Obedience

Your unsaved husband tells you he's been invited to go out for the day to enjoy a favorite hobby with some friends. He tells you he is calling into work sick so he doesn't have to use a vacation day. You find out that he's supposed to be in a meeting that day and he tells you to lie for him if his boss calls wondering where he is.

What should your response be to your husband?

Anna

In Luke 2:36-38, we meet Anna, a prophetess in the temple. As we read through these few verses and her encounter with Christ, we find much about her that we can learn from. In particular, we are drawn to her faithfulness to Christ in the midst of her difficult circumstances. Although we aren't given all the details of her life, we do know that she suffered the loss of her husband and was faithful to worship God through the many years following this loss in her singleness. What a testimony of how God used her and can also use us as we stive to walk by faith. There is much more we will share, so please listen and let us know what you learn from Anna as you read through this passage.

~ Merry Christmas ~

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We pray that you would be ever more thankful for the gift of salvation and share that gift with others now and throughout the year.

Romans 8:32 - "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"

Thank you for your prayers and encouraging words throughout the year.

We pray that the Lord would bless you as you study His Word.

Because of Christ,

Women in the Word

~ Katlyn, Pam, Jackie, Crystal, Lydia, Gloria Sperry,

Rebecca, Gloria Ormiston, Meredith & Sarah ~

Real Life ~ Real Answers

God's Amazing Grace "I don't know how you do it!" your unsaved neighbor tells you. She is amazed at all things you do - homeschooling 3 children, staying at home while your husband works all day, going to church twice on Sunday and once in the middle of the week, and doing housework. Your neighbor thinks you are "super-mom" and wishes she could stay half as organized with her duties. How can you use this conversation to point towards God's grace, especially as it relates to salvation?

A New Team Member

Today we'd like to introduce to you a new member of our Women in the Word team. Lydia Pilch will join us and help us share truth from God's Word and how to apply it to women's lives. We hope you'll be able to tune in for the next several days as she shares her testimony with us and how God is using her and how she is growing her in her walk with the Lord. If you missed a broadcast, remember you can access past audio archives by following the archive link on the right side of our blog. Thanks for listening!

Real Life ~ Real Answers

Fear of Man Women often care more about what other people think rather than what God thinks. Women place pressure on themselves to "fit in," whether it is going away to college, starting a new job, or joining a new church. This fear of man often drives us to be afraid to act out our faith. What is the right way to respond when the "fear of man" comes upon you?

What Did You Expect?: Redeeming the Realities of Marriage

By Paul David Tripp

Point: This book is “a detailed description of the daily work of love that must be done with commitment and joy when a flawed person is married to a flawed person and they are living together in a fallen world.” (Page 282)

Path: Throughout his book, Tripp presents six different commitments that spouses must make in order to have a God-honoring marriage. He brings in these aspects: confession and forgiveness, changing our daily agendas, building bonds of trust, building relationship of love, dealing with differences with appreciation and grace, and working to protect our marriage.

Agreement: I thought that this book was a very solidly founded on biblical principles for marriage. Marriage books frequently focus solely on romance, but Tripp brings out the fact that everything in life (including marriage) is based on worship. Who am I worshipping, myself or God? He is by no means against romance, but he says that romance is the fruit and not the root of a good marriage.

Disagreement: I did not find principles in this book that I would classify as unbiblical, but I do think that it would have been helpful to have a few more verses accompanying the principles that were listed. Be prepared to read several of the same stories/illustrations a couple of times throughout the book as well.

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

Mary's Character

As we continue to study how God used Mary in His plan, we will take a look at some other passages in Luke that record events in Mary's life. Our desire is to look at these events and see what we can learn about Mary's character through what is recorded. How did she respond? What can we learn about obedience, faithfulness, trust?

1. Luke 2:1-7
2. Luke 2:16-20
3. Luke 2:22-35, 39
4. Luke 2:41-51
5. Luke 8:19-21

We will continue our study of Mary when we arrive at the end of the book of Luke when she is recorded during the events of our Lord's death, burial and resurrection.

Women in the Word at work...

On Saturday, December 10th, our the ladies of the Women in the Word team met together. What a blessed time we had together renewing our focus for the program and learning how we can each use our gifts in this ministry. We thank the Lord for what He has done through the Women in the Word program and how He has shaped each of our own lives.  Here's a few pictures from our meeting.

Sitting around the table with our laptops and phones!
Gloria Ormiston, Jackie Hale, Katlyn Browning and Crystal Grotzke

Katlyn Browning, Crystal Grotzke, Gloria Sperry,
Pam Ormiston, Meredith Henderson, Lydia Pilch

Meredith Henderson, Sarah Stephens

Real Life ~ Real Answers

A Humble Heart You have just been promoted in your job and have been given a raise. This came as a surprise to you as you did not see it coming! God has given you talents to succeed in your business and He seems to be blessing you with this promotion. The praise and attention come from your boss on and co-workers and soon you start to look for this praise on a daily basis. What biblical truths can you meditate on to keep a humble heart? How can you publicly give glory to God in your job?

Outpouring of Praise

If you haven't read through Luke 1:46-55 yet, may we encourage you to take the time to reflect and mediate on these wonderful verses? In these verses we find that Mary is praising God from a humble heart. The context here is that she has just arrived at Elizabeth's home after her visit from the angel Gabriel. She goes with "haste" to Elizabeth and upon greeting Elizabeth, Mary is blessed by Elizabeth for her faithful obedience and trust in God's word. Mary's heart praises the Lord for His work in her life. Mary reflects on what God did for her personally, what God does for His children and what God does for Israel. After all these magnificent events, she chooses to turn back and praise God for who He is and what He is doing in her life. What a marvelous example of humility. How are you praising God? Do you praise Him from a humble heart? Do you give Him thanks for all that He brings to your life? When was the last time you took "inventory" of the many blessings He has given you? Don't delay, praise God today for who He is and what He has done for you!

Blessings of Obedience

As we study Mary's life, we can see how the Lord gave her much grace to be able to bear and raise Christ. We talk today about the blessings of obedience in her life. She was given grace to endure hardship from the community and even initial rejection by Joseph. She was able to make the long journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem to give birth to Christ in a stable. Think through how the Lord has blessed you in your obedience to Him and then praise God for His grace to help you obey and for the blessing you received.

Real Life ~ Real Answers

Encouraging the Younger Your nine year old daughter comes home from school one day and tells you that some of her friends aren't being nice to the new girl in class. They make fun of her and don't include her in play. Your daughter wants to show kindness to the new girl, and is concerned about the way the other girls are treating the new girl. How can you encourage your daughter to be kind ad do what is right?

The Cost of Obedience

As we discuss more about the life of Mary, Christ's mother, we see that there was a cost to her obedience to God. When she returned home from visiting Elizabeth, we know there was much scorn given to her because she was pregnant. Even Joseph was going to divorce her (Matthew 1:19). In future chapters, we find that Mary traveled while very pregnant a long journey to Bethlehem to be obedient and follow Joseph. She delivered Christ among animals. She gave up her own dreams of her future life with Joseph and humbly submitted to God's plan for her. To many, the cost of obedience to God's will is not appealing. Sometimes obeying God's will means up giving up your dreams and goals for your life. Sometimes the cost of obedience means that you will receive ridicule from friends or family for doing what is right. As we reflect on Mary's obedience to God, let it encourage us to be obedient to God, no matter the cost!

Mary

In Luke 1 we encounter Mary for the first time in verse 27. We learn much about Mary from studying Luke and other parts of Scripture. We learn that she is engaged to be married to Joseph, a carpenter, and that they were both poor. It is likely that Mary was a teenager when the angel Gabriel visited her, since Jewish girls married young. We find that she has been given grace to carry out the responsibility of bearing and raising Jesus Christ. The angel's greeting to her literally means, "Grace, you who are highly graced!" Although she was a godly woman, it was God's grace that made her God's choice. Some religions in our society elevate Mary as a woman who is worshipped, yet we can see in Scripture that God in His plan chose Mary to carry out her plan. She was an ordinary young girl who was seeking to follow God's plan for her life. May that be said even of us today. Are you carrying out your role as a woman? As a wife? As a daughter? As a mother? As a grandmother? As a Titus 2 woman? Mary was willing to be used by God in whatever way He desired. Her response in Luke 1:38 shows us a picture of her servant's heart. Read this portion of Scripture and pray that God would give you a humble, servant's heart so that you may be used of Him.

Real Life ~ Real Answers

Encouraging One Another "No one listens to me anyway," says the elderly woman to you. She goes on to say how she doesn't feel comfortable coming to Bible study because the younger ladies don't carry on a conversation with her on Sunday at church. "I want to encourage and share with them, but I just can't. What should I do?" What would you say to this older woman? What would you say to the younger ladies to encourage them to get to know older women?

Being Used by God, No Matter Your Age

Elizabeth was used by God even in her old age. She lived a life full of obedience and reverence for the Lord and his statutes (see Luke 1:6) and was blameless! We encounter Elizabeth for the first time when she is older, past child-bearing years. We find out how marvelously God used her for His plan in the birth of John the Baptist. During this time of pregnancy we meet Mary. Mary too had a very special part of God's plan, even though she was young (we will talk more about Mary in the future). Mary visited Elizabeth and in their time together we find much joy, mentoring, rejoicing in God's goodness and fellowship between these women. And as reflect on these women, we find that just as God used these women, so He can use us today. His plan for us is very different from His plan for Elizabeth and Mary, but even still, He can use us marvelously for His glory. Do you see your age as a limitation for how God can use you? Let us challenge you to strive to obediently serve God, no matter your age. God can and will use you to accomplish His will, no matter your age.

Real Life ~ Real Answers

Accepting God's Plan "But this wasn't my plan!" you tell your husband after he explains to you that his job is transferring him out of state. You hesitate trusting that this is God's will. You think to yourself how much you enjoy your church and are excited to finally connect with one of the young women to have a Bible study with her. You want to say "no" to your husband and even consider asking him to look for another job so you can stay put. If you were to "counsel" yourself, what should you say to help you think rightly? What biblical truths woud help steer you in the right direction?

A New Team Member

In the next few days we are going to spend some time introducing you to Gloria Sperry, our new team member with Women In the Word. We are thankful for each lady that God brings our way to help us in our goal of encouraging women in God's Word. Gloria is the sister of Pam Ormiston and we are delighted to get to know her more by talking with her about how God brought her to know Him, and how she is currently being used by God to glorify Him! We hope you enjoy getting to know her too and we look forward to the times when she'll be able to join us on the broadcasts of Women In the Word.

Real Life ~ Real Answers

Infertility From the Journal of Biblical Counseling, "The Bible and and the Pain of Infertility" by Kimberly Monroe and Philip Monroe "Dealing with infertility is hard. Your God given desire to have children is thwarted. As you grow up, people say to you, 'When you get married and have your kids...' Everyone assumes fertility. In one study, 63% of women who experience both infertility and divorce rated their infertility as more painful than their divorce...On in six struggles with infertility. In your church, in your workplace, in your circle of friends, couples struggle with infertility. These couples need your support and care." How can we support and encourage women who are currently not able to have children?

Common Joy

In Luke 1 we read of both Elizabeth and Mary. It doesn't take long to notice the common experiences they shared. We also see the joy they share in their precious blessings! How wonderful to reflect together that God was using them as part of His wonderful plan to provide the Savior to the world. We believe there was much mentorship by Elizabeth to Mary during the approximate three months they were together. We will spend some time talking more about this in our future broadcasts. For now, we can see how these women rejoiced together because of the goodness of God. When was the last time that you rejoiced with another woman because of what God has done for you? Let me challenge you today to not only rejoice in your heart for how God is working in your life, but call someone else up and share your joy with her. You might find that she'll also share how God is working in her and then you'll have the opportunity to rejoice together!

Elizabeth's Role

Elizabeth’s role in the plan of God was spectacular! God’s plan for her unfolded just as He wanted. She would be barren in order to make John’s birth only of God. There was no need to convince anyone that it was God who chose Elizabeth to give birth to John. Elizabeth was used by God in that she was the mother of John. Her role in this relationship was to raise John to be a faithful and God-serving man. Her life of faithfulness and obedience would have been passed down to him. She was to lead by example to her son. As the older cousin of Mary, we see that Elizabeth’s role was to be an example and encouragement to Mary who was just a young teenage girl herself. Elizabeth had spent a life serving God and doing His will, so she could have easily shared the blessings of obedience. She had been married a long time to Zechariah and could have easily shared how to honor God in Mary’s future marriage to Joseph. Elizabeth also had faced reproach from her community for being barren and would have been able to encourage Mary regarding the reproach she would soon face as the people would not have understood God’s plan. How is God using you in His plan? Do you see your role as mother, daughter, grandmother, older woman as a way to encourage other women? In what ways are you seeking to honor God in His will for your life?

Real Life ~ Real Answers

As the Lord allows, we desire to take each Friday and share with you a new segment called “Real Life ~ Real Answers.” Our desire is to give answers from God’s Word about real life situations women face. We hope this time will be an encouragement and challenge to you as you live your life to honor and serve our Savior. Today we give this scenario: Your teenage daughter professes faith in Christ, yet her attitude towards school is rotten. Her grades are dropping and it seems like she focuses her attention on her friends and having fun. How might you encourage her to be a good testimony of God and His truth? You know, no one knows the heart. And while we can see the “fruit” of our daughter’s life, we still cannot say for certain what is going on with her heart. The challenge in this scenario is that we have to realize that we cannot sit her down and “change” her. God must do the changing and we must pray that if she truly is saved that God will get a hold of her heart to change her. How are you doing at showing love to her? Are you using 1 Corinthians 13 as your guide to show love? Are you patient in your responses and kind in your instruction? Are you yourself being an example of living a life of honor to God? (Ephesians 4:1). Are you listening to your daughter when she speaks to you (Proverbs 18:13)? Are you seeking to find out if she is struggling to understand her Math class? Have you taken time out to get to know your daughter, her interests, and her friends? There is no magic formula, there is no 3 step program to have the perfect daughter; but there is God’s Word! We hope that these thoughts will encourage you in your life situation. If you have a problem or concern that you’d like to hear us address on the program, please let us know. You can leave a reply here, on our facebook page, or write the station at: WCTS Radio, Attn: Women in the Word, 900 Forestview Lane N, Plymouth, MN 55441. Scenarios for future Real Life ~ Real Answers segments are located under the "study notes" section on the right of our blog.

Elizabeth's Faith

Luke tells us that the angel Gabriel came to the temple one day to meet Zechariah while he was there serving the Lord. The angel tells Gabriel of the coming wonderful news! His wife Elizabeth would bear a son, to be called John, and he would be great before the Lord to prepare the people. Zechariah doubted and responded to Gabriel in doubt. “How can this be?” he asks, knowing his wife is well beyond child-bearing days. Gabriel responds with the promise from God that these things will be so. Because of Zechariah’s doubt, he was unable to speak. After Zechariah’s service in the temple was done, he returned home. Not long after, Elizabeth found herself to be with child. Her response to this gift was much different than Zechariah’s – she gave praise to God for what He had done! It is unclear whether Elizabeth would have had knowledge of Zechariah’s visit from the angel. Whether she knew or not, her faith was evident in that she trusted and praised the Lord for the gift of the baby within her. How has God used the things in your life that seemed like a disadvantage or hardship in some positive way? How are you doing at praising and thanking the Lord for all He brings your way? Do you doubt? Or do you have faith?

Sharathon 2011 Pictures

Sarah, Rebecca, Lydia and Meredith ready to take phone calls at WCTS Radio.

Meredith and Lydia!

Natilee (on the phone) edits the recordings to prepare them to air. Lots of work and we appreciate her!

Lydia is a new team member and is being interviewed here by her husband, Matthew.

Meredith

Jackie - so thankful that she is now part of our team too!

Elizabeth

In Luke 1:5-25, Luke records for us the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth’s miraculous birth of John the Baptist. Zechariah and Elizabeth have already lived full lives and we meet them for the first time “advanced” in years (vs. 7). Zechariah was a priest in the days of Herod; Elizabeth was a daughter of a priest. This couple spent their life obedient and blameless in the eyes of the Lord (vs. 6). But, Elizabeth was barren. God had not given them the blessing of their own children. Verse 13 gives indication that Zechariah and Elizabeth prayed for children, but we know they were content to live the life that God gave them. As we encounter Elizabeth for the first time, we are struck with the faithful obedience to God. She was righteous and blameless before God and kept all the commandments and statues of the Lord. What an amazing testimony! We pray that as you study Elizabeth’s life that you will be challenged to be more faithful, more trusting and more content to live the live that our sovereign Lord has given you to live.

Our New Study....

We will begin studying in the book of Luke today, but more specifically we will study the women in Luke. Before we can dive into the various women that are mentioned in this book, we must take some time to lay out the background of the author and importance of this book. Luke, as we probably all know, was a doctor. As a Gentile he would have been objective in his research of the details he writes about and as a doctor he would have been meticulous to be sure that everything was written down as it occurred. Luke was a faithful believer and loyal friend to Paul. He wrote this book to a man named Theophilus. While we do not know exactly who this man was, we do know that Luke address the book of Acts to the same man. Theophilus could have been a new believer who needed to be grounded in the truth, or he could have been an unbeliever who needed to hear the truth of Christ. We are looking forward to studying not only the facts of the book of Luke, but to study the women of Luke. What was their faith like. How did they respond to Christ? What can we learn from them? Study notes are provided on the right side of the blog. I hope you'll print them off and study along with us. As always, we would love to hear from you, so feel free to leave a note here or on our Facebook page. Thanks for listening!

A New Team Member

We are pleased to introduce the newest member of our Women in the Word team. Her name is Jackie Hale. Jackie will share her testimony with us today and we will spend a couple of sessions interviewing her to help you get to know her better and then she will join us on the program during various studies. We hope that you will be encouraged by listening to her as she shares how God has worked in her life. Her story is simply a testimony of God's grace and power and we are so thankful for her giving God the glory!

Looking Ahead....

This week we will finish re-broadcasting our series of study in Titus 2. We hope that this time of studying these verses has been a blessing and challenge to you in your walk of faith. As we move on in our study we will introduce to you a new member of our Women in the Word team. We are thankful for other women that God has brought our way to help us in this ministry. Following this introduction, we will then dive into the book of Luke to study the women that Luke mentions in his gospel. It is an exciting study and we are all anxious to share what God has taught us in this study. Thanks for listening!

Titus 2 and beyond...

We have personally enjoyed listening to the re-broadcasts of Titus 2. It has been 3 years now since we originally recorded them. Our team of Women in the Word ladies began with Pam, Rebecca and Sarah; now we are expanding our team to 9 ladies for 2012. It has been an answer to our prayer to watch how the Lord is using this program in the lives of many women. Our prayer is that we would continue to encourage and challenge women with the truth of God's Word for as long as He would have us through this broadcast. Thank you so much for listening and letting us know how God's Word is changing your life.

Sharathon 2011

Thank you for listening to WCTS and for tuning into our program "Women in the Word." It is a privilege to study God's Word and share what we have learned with you. We are so thankful for many who volunteer their time to help make Women in the Word possible. We are asking that during the week of September 19-23, 2011, you would prayerfully consider making a financial donation to WCTS during Sharathon. Your gift goes a long way to help support their ministry and ours as well. You can call the station directly at 763-417-8270 or 1-866-766-8556. Thank you!

Titus 2:1-5

For the next 6-7 weeks, we will re-play the Titus 2:1-5 sessions which originally aired from January to March 2009. Study notes are available for this study and are listed under the "Study Notes" section on the right of this blog. You are free to print these notes and study along with us. If you have any questions or wish to make any comments, you can do so here. As a reminder, you can find us on Facebook as "Women in the Word." "Like" us there and you can post comments or ask questions there as well. Thank you for listening and studying God's Word with us. It truly is a privilege to share with you!

Ending Ecclesiastes

As we end Ecclesiastes today, we want to ask you what you learned as you studied through this book with us. We share some things today that we have learned, what about you? Was there one or two things that really stuck with you? How can you use this book to encourage other believers?

Teaching our children to remember....

Ecclesiastes 12 begins with this admonition, "Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth." How do we teach our children, grandchildren and other young people the important truth of remembering? Many times in Scripture, God says "remember." One instance is in Genesis 9:15-16. After the flood, God told Noah and his sons to remember the covenant He made with them. The bow was that was set in the sky is the sign of remembrance. God desires us to remember His truths. By teaching our children and young ones of the truths in God's Word, we can be obedient to His command to remember. What are you currently doing to teach those younger than you to remember God's truth?

Hope in God

As we begin our study in Ecclesiastes 11 we see that merchants and farmers must trust God for their livelihood in the midst of uncertain profit of investments. As the farmer does not know if his crops will yield food, so we do not know how God has ordained the future. As women, how can Christians grow in their faith? Matthew 6:32-34 reminds us to not be concerned about our future food or clothes as our Heavenly Father knows that we are in need of these things. The challenge is to not be anxious or concerned about these things. As we learn to trust God in the areas of our most basic needs, our faith can and will grow as we see God's hand provide for us. So how about you? What events in your life can you look back to see how God has provided for you. May I challenge you to write these times down and remember God's provision for you. I guarantee that this will be an encouragement to you as you wait for the Lord to provide for your needs in the future.

Responding to the Foolish

How are believers to respond to foolish rulers? Isn't it true that we often don't agree with those who are in authority - whether it be our parents, our country's leaders, our teachers or our pastor. But.....just because we don't agree with those in authority doesn't make them foolish. What does make one foolish? Foolishness is not based on what we think is best, rather it is based on God's Word. After seeking wisdom (James 1:5) about if a leader is foolish, praying for that leader is the best way to respond. After seeking God’s will and direction, talk with the authority about your concerns. Take caution to be kind and gracious with your words. Finally, trust that God can make foolish decisions be used for good (remember Joseph?).

Foolish Talkers

Have you ever thought about how powerful your words are? Solomon takes time in Ecclesiastes 10:12-14 to share the difference between foolish words and wise words. When a wise man speaks, the effect is positive; a fool's words leads to destruction. What are your words like? Do they build up another, or do they tear down? Are they filled with kindness (Prov. 31:26) or anger? James has much to say about the tongue and how powerful it is for being such a small member of our body. Take time to evaluate your words and perhaps ask another to keep you accountable and give you feedback about how you are using your words.

Foolisness

Solomon gives examples of four foolish men in Ecclesiastes 10:4-7. Of course, these foolish characteristics can and do apply to women as well. So pay close attention as we spend the next several sessions taking some time to discuss how men (and women) are foolish. The four men described are: Rulers, Workers, Talkers and Officers. As we go through this study, ask the Lord to reveal to you any foolish tendencies YOU have and then seek God's forgiveness and ask Him for wisdom (James 1:5).

Using Wisdom

Ecclesiastes is full of the importance of wisdom. Today we ask how Christian women can use wisdom in their home. Proverbs 1:7 tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (wisdom); fools despise wisdom and instruction. To be wise, we must fear the Lord and remember that our main purpose for life on earth is to glorify God (Revelation 4:11). As we keep that as our foundation, we can then understand that using God's word in our home, in every day life is of utmost importance! In her marriage, a wife must use wisdom as she responds rightly to her husband in communication, submission, respect and intimacy. A mother can use wisdom as she raises her children to embrace their gender, modesty, self-control, discipline and obedience. In taking care of her home, the woman can remember that God has called her to be a keeper of the home (Titus 2:5) and she should take care of it in an efficient proper manner. To her parents/grandparents, a woman can honor them when she submits to their wishes (after God and her husband) and caring for them. Colossians 3:17 - "And whatever you do in word and deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

God's Sovereignty

In Ecclessiastes 9:11-12 we see even more explanation from Solomon about God's sovereignty. While it is generally true that the fastest runners win the race, that the strongest win the battle and that smartest people become rich, it does not always occur. The healthiest person may die suddenly in an accident. What Solomon is trying to share with his readers is that God is in control of our life on earth. No man can plan when he is born, neither can man plan his departure. As women applying this truth to our life, we must hold confidently to God's sovereign plan, not only for our own life, but also for the lives of our family and friends. Our life is in God's hands. This can give us a great amount of comfort and encouragement as we trust in His plan. A woman I know of has a young daughter who almost didn't survive after her birth. Their family went through a difficult time as the Lord worked in their daughter and eventually healed her. Just a few years later, this same family discovered that the husband had cancer and passed away within the year. This woman has been a testimony of God's grace and strength and has acknowledged God's plan for HER life in the midst of these difficult and trying years. She has shown joy and acknowledged her sorrow; but shows the hope she has in God despite her difficult days. What peace we can have through hard times as we trust wholeheartedly in God's sovereign plan in our lives!

Enjoy Life

Ecclesiastes 9 begins with the fact that all mankind will eventually die. The wicked along with the righteous have the same fate. The living are better than the dead in that they still have time to evaluate their life and how they are living, whether for God or self. Verses 7-10 then point out that believers should enjoy their life rather than despair over the fact that death will come. Solomon has written this fact before in chapter 3:13. God has given us good gifts to enjoy, food, family perhaps a spouse. He has also given us "toil" (our responsibility) of working on this earth. All these things can and should be enjoyed. Colossians 3:17 is a good reminder that "whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." How about you? Are you enjoying your life as God has given you? Whether you are a single woman searching God's will, a wife who is keeping her home, a mom caring for her children, an elderly woman in a nursing home, or a woman who is serving God in the church, you can serve God with joy. It is God's gift to you. Tell us, what are some things you are thankful for?

But Why?

Why?????? So often we wonder and ask just why God would allow the righteous to suffer? Our heart is truly to encourage you today where you are at. Maybe you are going through a difficult time right now and are discouraged in your walk with God. Read 1 Peter 2:19-23 and see how God calls us to suffer. We are then given the example of Christ and how He unjustly suffered for OUR sins and did not complain or ask Why? Another aspect to think through is that God has already answered our Why? question of suffering. Here it is: (James 1:3) "the testing of your faith produces steadfastness" and (Romans 5:3) "suffering produces endurance." Wow! Have you ever thought about how that is an answer to the Why? of suffering? Romans 5:3 challenges us to REJOICE in our sufferings. So you may never know all that God is doing when you go through difficult times, but be assured, you can go through trials with joy knowing that God is working in you to grow more like Christ. (Romans 8:28-29). Can we pray for you today? If you wish, comment on this post (you can do so anonymously) and let us know how we can pray for you. We trust God will use these truths to encourage you as you strive to honor Him.

Suffering of the Righteous

Ecclesiastes 8:12-14, reveal to us that the wicked will do evil and seem to prevail and the righteous will do good and suffer. What truth is an encouragement to the righteous during this time? Verse 12 says that "it will be well with those who fear God." Verse 13 says "it will not be well with the wicked...because he does not fear before God." Although on this earth, it may seem that the wicked prevail, the believer can have confidence that in the end, the wicked will be judged. Psalm 37 is a wonderful piece of Scripture that reminds the righteous to trust and commit their way to God despite the wicked's apparent success. What about you? Do you despair over the seeming success of those who do not fear God? Are you content to suffer and have "just enough" while serving God here on earth. Scripture promises that it will be well for those who fear God. Remember Romans 8:28-29? All things will work for our good. Even suffering is a good thing as it is a way that God uses to conform us more to Christ.

Encouraging Our Leaders

As we look at being obedient to the authority of the land in which we live, we also realize that we can be an encouragement to those who hold office and make decisions which affect our lives. Here's some ways that you can be an encouragement to our nation's leaders:

1. Pray for our leaders (1 Tim. 2:1-2). Call, write or email them and ask them how you can pray for them. Pray that they would pass and enforce just laws.
2. During elections, know who you are voting for. Research the candidates and know who will stand for godly principles.
3. In a proper manner, make calls/send emails to your representatives telling them you agree or disagree with an issue and why. Be sure you have prayed and considered the timing of your disagreement (Eccl. 8:6)

Obedience to Authority

Ecclesiastes chapter 8 opens up the topic of discussion on obedience to authority - to leaders and laws of the land. Have you ever thought about various ways that you may struggle with obedience to laws in your country? What about car safety - speed limits, seat belts, car seats for kids or tax laws, business laws, etc...? Do you strive to be obedient to the laws of the land whether you agree with them or not? Romans 13:1-7 is another section of Scripture that gives believers direction obedience to authority: "Let every person be subject to governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God...therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed..." All believers are to place themselves under the authority of the laws of our country. How we react when we disagree with a law is an indication of our heart, whether we are willing to be submissive to God's leading or not. God instituted authority and as we obey human authority, we are obeying and honoring our Heavenly Father. So next time you think about driving a little faster or disregard any other law, remember you are really disobeying God. Think about it and let us know what you think.

A Biblical Response to Hurt

How can we not be offended when others speak wrongly of us? Ecclesiastes 7:21 says, "Do not take to heart all the things that people say..." It is difficult to choose to not be offended when we are spoken wrongly of. Yet, we can make that choice to not let those unkind words offend us. We referred to Martha Peace's book Damsels in Distress, to help us think through this biblically. Here's some thoughts from the book:

• We can show love those those who sin against us.
• Thank God for the test.
• Overcome evil with good
• Give a blessing instead
• Pray for those who mistreat you.
• Give others the benefit of the doubt.
• Do not judge people's motives

We pray that our discussion on this topic would be helpful and encouraging to you as you seek to honor God in all areas of life.

God's Sovereign Plan

How can the fact that God has made both the good and bad times affect the way we view and live our life? Such a good question to consider as we think through the truths of Ecclesiastes 7:13-14. What a peace believers can have as we accept God's sovereign plan for us. Trusting that God has made good days and days of adversity and that He is in control of each day causes us to rejoice, trust, depend on and honor God. We pray that you are recognizing God's hand on each day and event that comes your way.

Honoring God in Prosperity & Adversity

Ecclesisastes 7:13-14 are verses that really prick the heart. " Consider the work of God...In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other..." As we think about the life that God has called us to live, we can be assured that He has has made each day not only so He can be glorified, but that we might grow more like Christ. There are times of prosperity and times of adversity. These verses remind me that God's sovereign hand is upon the good times and bad times in my life. Do I complain at His plan for me or do I rejoice at how He can use me? There are many examples of those who have honored God in prosperous times and in times of difficulty. What do you do? Do you praise and honor the Savior during your prosperous times? Do you rejoice in your suffering knowing that it is for your good? Or are you prone to take the credit for your wealth and complain when life gets hard? Realize that the way you respond to prosperous and adverse times is a reflection of your heart and your walk with God. Get to know God more, be in His Word and when those times come, you will be ready to honor God.

Overcoming Obstacles to Wisdom

We talked about obstacles to wisdom in our last session. Today and tomorrow we will talk about ways to overcome these obstacles. As we run our race, God has given truth in His word to help us be victors and overcomers! That is exciting! I hope you are trusting His word as you seek to daily walk in obedience to Him. What are you currently doing to be victorious in your walk with Christ?

Obstacles to Wisdom

As we run the race set before us, we find that there are many obstacles in our way. Yet, our Heavenly Father has given us the tool (His Word!) to know how to overcome these obstacles. As we seek to attain godly wisdom, there are obstacles. Ecclesiastes 7:7-10 tell us that adversity and prosperity are two of the main obstacles. In addition to that we can see how anger, pride, discontent, bribery, being easily offended are also obstacles. On Monday, we are going to talk about how we can avoid these obstacles as we seek to glorify Him.

Lessons from Suffering

Ecclesiastes may seem like a difficult book to understand at first read. I think it is! I am thankful that as I study, God opens up to me biblical principles to guide my life. Our prayer is that you would take these truths and let them encourage and challenge your heart. Scripture has much to say about suffering in many other places. It's no surprise that here in the book of Ecclesiastes the wisest person deals with this topic. Our question for chapter 7:1-6: "What lessons from suffering can believers learn from these verses?" (If you wish to take notes, there are free notes available for you with the Scripture references we mention. You can download them right off the blog under the "Notes" section.) Listen in and let us know what you think!

Until We Meet Again....

Dear Listeners, Our hearts are thrilled to have had the pleasure of studying with Karen Hime on Women in the Word. Today will be Karen's last day on the program with us. Through a variety of events that God has worked in her life, she has decided that it would be best to devote her time to other areas of ministry that she is involved with. As you think of her, continue to pray for Karen as she uses God's Word in her own personal spiritual growth, and as she counsels with others. Perhaps we may have the privilege of having her on the program as a guest in the future! As we continue or study in Ecclesiastes, we'll be joined by Meredith Henderson and Gloria Ormiston. These women have been guests on the program in the past and we look forward to their time with us in the future. Thank you for praying for us as we strive to study God's Word and apply it to women. Walk with the Lord and be a blessing, Rebecca, Pam, Crystal & Sarah

God's View of Success

There are a lot of ideas in our world today about what achievements make you successful. Achieving your dream job, making a difference in the world, helping those in need, purchasing a home or vehicle are just some examples of success. In the Old Testament, many children and long life were considered blessings (Ecclesiastes 6:3-6). What does the Bible have to say about being successful in God's eyes? We have to be careful that we are not determining our success by the world's standards, rather by God's. This is very difficult to do, but as always, every thought must be based on the truth of God's Word. Here are some things from God's Word that we suggest are successful:

1. Glorifying God by becoming more like Christ (Romans 8:29)
2. Representing God well to others (Ephesians 4:1-2)
3. Encouraging fellow believers to grow and change (Colossians 1:28-29)
4. Rejoicing in trials (James 1:2-4)
5. Developing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24)
6. Success is described in Paul's prayer to the believers in Ephesus (Ephesians 3:14-19)
7. Developing godly character qualities (Colossians 3:12-17)

Continuing in Ecclesiastes

Deb Brammer will join us for another five sessions as we continue on with our study of Ecclesiastes. So, as we go on in chapter 6, we ask, "What role does God have in the satisfaction which wealth, possessions and honor can bring?" God gives us the ability to enjoy His creation and contentment and satisfaction comes from Him alone (Job 1:21-22). Do you take time each day to be thankful and praise God for the things He gives you to enjoy? Are you recognizing that all you have comes from Him alone? What a challenge it is to remember that it is God who gives the ability to enjoy all things!

A Visit With a Missionary

Over the next few broadcasts we will be visiting with missionary Deb Brammer. She currently is ministering with her husband, Art, in the country of New Zealand. We hope you will be able to tune in and listen as she shares her heart for serving the Lord and for the ministry she is in. Here is more about Deb: I was raised in a pastor’s home and I was a compliant child. Compared to other kids my age I was a pretty good kid. But if you compared me to Christ or God’s perfect standard of holiness, of course I fell far short. As a child of five I understood that I was a sinner, was sorry for my sin, and believed in Jesus Christ as my Savior. My life didn’t suddenly make great changes, but that simple decision changed the course of my entire life. I never wandered far away from God or fell into deep sin that could hurt my testimony. I always wanted my life to count for God. Becoming a Christian at an early age saved me from sin and a lifetime of regrets. During my teenage years I gave my life to the Lord and asked Him to lead me. I always had a heart for ministry and a desire to serve Him in a career ministry. While at Bible college I felt God calling me to write for Christian publication. God also led me to my future husband and missionary service. Art and I have served with Baptist Mid Missions for more than thirty years. We served in Taiwan for sixteen years and have been working in New Zealand for more than 13 years so far. We count it a privilege to serve the Lord in whatever place He puts us. You can find more about Deb and her ministry: www.debbrammer.com and www.debbrammerbooks.com .

Honoring God With Our Possessions

How can we enjoy our possessions in a way that honors God? Ecclesiastes 5:19 says, "Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them...this is the gift of God." God gives us the privilege of enjoying what we have. We must enjoy our possessions in a way that pleases and gives honor to the ONE who gave them to us! Here's our thoughts about how we can enjoy our possessions to honor God.

1. Have the right heart attitude (Proverbs 30:7-9)
2. Praise Him for creation
3. Recognize that all we have comes from God
4. Use our skills and strengths to help others
5. Be good stewards of what we have
6. Trust in God and not our riches (1 Timothy 6:17-19)
7. Give God the glory with what you have.

What do you think? What are some ways that you are currently using your gifts, material possessions or money to honor God?

Money Does Not Bring Happiness

Ecclesiastes 5:10-20 talk about the theme of the vanity of wealth and possessions. Verse 10 says that "He who loves money will not be satisfied with money..." What a sobering thought to mediate on. So often we are happy (only for a little while) when we have plenty of money in our checkbook. So our question today is: "Why is money unable to bring happiness or contentment?" When money is what we strive after, we are not living in obedience. This holds true for any other material possession or relationship in life. Matthew 22:27 tells us that we need to love God with our whole heart, not money, things or people. Material possessions will eventually break, be lost, stolen or waste away (Matthew 6:19-21). Money does not last, but God's love does. Obedience, resting in God's love and His promises for us bring true happiness and contentment. Are you striving for your happiness in God or are you striving for money or material possessions to bring you contentment?

Fearing God

Ecclesiastes 5:7 says that "God is the one you must fear." What does it mean to fear God? Well, in this context, the word "fear" means "to fear, tremble." It is the idea that we ought to fear God's wrath so much that if we make a promise we will fulfill it and not give excuses as to why we cannot. For when we break a promise given to Him we are at risk of losing what God has allowed us to achieve (vs. 6). We ought not to fear man, our reputation or be prideful, but we must fear God and be obedient to Him.

Approaching God

As we approach God to worship Him, it is important that we come to Him with the right attitude. Have you ever attempted to worship Him when your mind is distracted? Have you ever tried to pray after a fight with someone in your family? It is difficult to come to God if our minds are not prepared to come to Him with reverence. Today we will share our thoughts regarding coming to God with the right attitude. How do you prepare your mind to worship Him?

Ecclesiastes 5 - Worship

As we begin Ecclesiastes 5 we find that Solomon is now visiting the temple. As we read through these first three verses, we see that there are many truths which we can apply to our lives today! Solomon tells us to Guard your steps and to Draw near to listen. Wow! These are big truths to apply as we seek to worship God. For many, worship can become a meaningless exercise, something we do because we have always done it. For others, it takes mental work to get to church with a heart prepared for worship. Solomon is telling us to "proceed with reverence" and acknowledge the authority of God. Are you coming to worship God each week with a heart of reverence and prepared to listen to God's Word?

Godly Friendships

Solomon talks about friendship in verses 9-12 of Ecclesiastes 4. Here we are reminded of the importance of friendships. Today, we talk about godly friendships and why they are important. We talk about the friendship of David and Jonathan from 1 Samuel 18-20. Here is an example of a friendship where they truly showed love for one another as Matthew 22:39 would instruct believers to show love. Proverbs 17:17 tells us that a godly friend loves at all times and in 27:6 we see that a godly friend will be faithful to tell you the truth - even if it hurts. So what about you....are you this godly friend? Do you seek to develop godly friendships?

Envy vs. Contentment

In Ecclesiastes 4:4, we read about man's envy. Solomon notes that envy is a part of what motivates man to work. Today, we talk about what believers can do to be content rather than envious. Learning contentment is a heart attitude. It is not something that we will naturally be good at. Paul says in Philippians 4:11 that he learned to be content. As believers, we need to understand that:

1. Envy is sin.
2. The outcome of envy is not God-honoring.
3. Believers cannot show true love if they are envious.
4. We need to put on thankfulness and contentment in place of envy.

We share many practical things from Scripture today about how we can choose contentment rather than envy. We challenge you today to reflect on your life. Are you choosing to be thankful for all things, or are you envious about what others have? How does the truth of this passage encourage you?

Ecclesiastes - Chapter 4

Warren Wiersbe in his book, Be Satisfied, helps us to understand an outline of this chapter. We will reference Wiersbe as we discuss this chapter over the coming week. Solomon will record his observations from visiting four different places:

1. The Courtroom (vs. 1-3)
2. The Marketplace (vs. 4-8)
3. The Highway (vs. 9-12)
4. The Palace (vs. 13-16)

As we begin this chapter today, we find Solomon visiting the courtroom, observing the oppressed. There are many people who find themselves under the rule of an unjust authority even in our day and age. Solomon acknowledges that oppression is real, and yet in these first three verses does not seem to have to a desire to do anything about it. Rather, he woefully says that it would be better for the oppressed to be dead. As we seek to apply this section of Scripture to our lives, may we challenge you to be hopeful and give hope to others who are going through difficult circumstances? Maybe you are working for an unjust boss who treats you unfairly, maybe your child is facing a bully at school. In each of these situations we have the hope of Scripture to remember and offer. We can be encouraged that God knows all things and that for those who believe, God is using our trials for good (Romans 8:28).

Ecclesiastes - Chapter 3:16-22

As we finish out chapter 3 of Ecclesiastes we spend some time discussion how the fact that God's judgment on both the righteous and wicked should affect our daily lives. We know from the Bible that God will call both the righteous and wicked into judgement. The righteous have been washed by the Blood of Christ and are pardoned from sin. The wicked are doomed to eternal separation from God. Because of these facts, we ought to be striving to share Christ ever more with those who are unsaved! Knowing that your unsaved neighbor will one day spend eternity in hell ought to cause you to break through your uncomfortableness and share the Truth! Is there someone in your life whom you need to share Christ with today? If so, don't delay!

Ecclesiastes - Chapter 3:9-15

God sets eternity in each man's heart - meaning we all have a natural curiosity towards finding out our purpose of life, what time is all about, when life began and what is to come when we die. Thankfully, we have God's word to instruct us and give us a portion of God's plan! Many people strive to find peace with what they are doing in their life by volunteering in their community, being in the Red Cross, taking missions trips and doing things to make them feel like they are "making a difference." When we have God's perspective in mind for all of life, we come to realize that the job that God gives to us (whether it is a wife, stay at home mom, or a woman working outside her home) is "making a difference" when performed according to the truth of God's word. We pray you'll be encouraged by the discussions of this section of the Bible. As always, we'd love to hear from you if you have anything to ask or share! Oh, we also mentioned a book today on the program: Don't Waste Your Life, by John Piper. We've posted a link for this book under "favorite books" on the right of our blog.

Ecclesiastes - Chapter 3 "There is a time"

As we move on today in our study of Ecclesiastes, Warren Wiersbe in Be Satisfied gives this outline for chapter 3.

• Look up: God orders time (vs. 1-8)
• Look within: Eternity in your heart (9-15)
• Look ahead: Death is coming to all (16-22)

We begin in verses 1-8 which is a more familiar section of this book. Solomon now turns his attention to sharing some facts about God's sovereignty as it relates to time, events and emotions. Over the next few days we'll be talking about the things Solomon is contrasting and what spiritual truths these contrasts can have on us. Please share with us any thoughts you have as you study with us.

Ecclesiastes 2:12-26

In this next section of Scripture we find that Solomon now turns his attention to the vanity of toil. In Solomon's eyes, he hated all he had toiled for as it would now be left to someone who did not work for it. He was concerned for his possessions and gave his "heart up to despair" over this (vs. 20). His conclusion in verse 24 is that a person should find enjoyment in his toil rather than despair because of it. Here we begin to see a shift in Solomon's thinking. He now begins to give credit to God for the ability to enjoy toil and gifts. Please join us as we spend the next few days talking through our questions and seeking to practically apply truths from this book to our lives.