| declared not guilty! |
[Dec. 7th, 2009|10:07 am] |
Chapter 4: The Verdict (from the book study "Because He Loves Me" by Elyse Fitzpatrick)
I do hope that you are able to read along with our Tuesday women's class. Chapter 4 on justification is most helpful and powerful. Please take your time to read and pray through this chapter. We need to understand our justification--that we, though great sinners, have been dclared not guilty. Following Christ is not a moral code to follow. No, it is being one with Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. This is Christianity. This is your new identity.
First we must understand justice and the verdict due us: (p.65-69)
1.We are like God in that we want justice and hate injustice.
2. God’s justice requires our obedience, even heart obedience.
3. We do not meet God’s requirement of perfect obedience. He gives us the commands to love Him with all our heart, mind, soul, strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. We fall short. We’ve broken His laws, and we know what we deserve. The verdict: guilty. He sentence: guilt.
4. Jesus is innocent. He obeyed His father’s laws perfectly and with the right motive; out of love. But He received the unjust sentence of death and the father’s wrath.
(p. 70) There is no condemnation
1.Jesus took all our sins upon Himself and bore all the punishment the Father demanded.
2. Jesus received the righteous sentence for every unkind and selfish deed.
3. The Father poured all His wrath on His Son. There is no more wrath left for you and me (those who trust In Christ).
4. He won’t condemn you now b/c that would be condemning the innocent. That would be unjust. Someone, Jesus Christ, has already paid the penalty.
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
(Romans 8:1)
Yes, again say it with me:
THERE IS THEREFORE NOW NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE
WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS!!!
We challenged each other to seek appropriate opportunities to respond with this verse to each other as often as possible in class and discussion, and also through out the week with friends and family and even to ourselves. Keep looking to speak this truth to each other! We need this comfort desperately each day.
No condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
What does it mean to be “in Christ Jesus”?
When Christ suffered on the tree, you were there suffering too.
When He died under God’s immense wrath, you were there with Him.
When he rose after paying the full penalty you rose also.
Now you’re ascended with Him. Seated with Him at God’s right hand.
This is your new identity! Do you believe this? Will you pray that Christ would help you to believe this reality more deeply?
It is impossible for you to ever be condemned b/c Jesus already paid for your sins. You have a new identity, a righteous record; you have been declared innocent. Nothing can ever change that. (2 Corinthians 5:17-19, 21; Romans 8:3-4; 1 Peter 3:18)
When we refuse to believe His forgiveness and acceptance it is like a person who is declared not guilty by a judge in court. The jury concluded this and the judge ruled this. Now she stands free to go. But she refuses to go freely. She begs the officers to please cuff her, put her in jail at least for one night. “But I still feel guilty!” she pleads. They can not jail her b/c there is no sentence to pay.
Don’t be this unbelieving woman. Rejoice and celebrate Christ’s sacrifice for you.
Some shared in class that this justification, being declared not guilty, often seems wrong. We know we are guilty. How can we just slip by and be forgiven?
But true justification doesn’t allow us to slip by. It is all above board. The author footnotes a definition of justification on p. 210.
“Justification is the judicial act of God, by which He pardons all the sins of those who believe in Christ, and accounts, accepts, and treats them as righteous in the eye of the law, i.e., as conformed to all its demands. In addition to the pardon of sin, justification declares that all the claims of the law are satisfied in respect of the justified. It is the act of a judge and not a sovereign. (A judge must be just, following the laws but a sovereign can excuse laws and declare whatever he wants.) The law is not relaxed or set aside, but is declared to be fulfilled in the strictest sense; and so the person justified is declared to be entitled to all the advantages and rewards arising from obedience to the law (Rom 5:1-10)” (Easton’s Bible Dictionary PC Study Bible)
Our justification is objective. It is a done deal. The law has been met--not by you, but by someone other than you. Cling to that person who fulfilled the law for you.
Cling to Christ and enjoy Him! Cling to Him and live for Him! |
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| identity amnesia |
[Oct. 26th, 2009|09:38 pm] |
What a blessing it was to fellowship with the women's walk class that gathered this morning! We began chapter two entitiled, Identity Amnesia.
Do you ever wonder feel stuck in a particular sin? You continue to succumb to it's temptation and feel defeated and hopeless for change in that particular area. We know that real change can take place only when it starts from the inside in our inner hearts and moves its way out into our behaviors.
It is in our inner, hidden person where we must start---our identity. As women who trust in Christ for salvation, we know that we have a new identity. He has saved us and we belong to Him. But our practical beliefs often don't match our stated beliefs. We don't remember that we are significant because we belong to Him.
When we are standing in a public place, like at the grocery store or the Starbucks, at a social gathering, at church, often we look around and we identify or label people we see. How do you label yourself? How do you see yourself? What is running through your mind as you anticipate people perceiving you? Sometimes we define ourselves by what we're going through. We may think, "everyone is looking at me b/c they know that I'm struggling in--my painful marriage situation, my overeating, my misscarriage, my overwhelming life, my ill spouse, my unemplyed husband. I don't want anyone to look at me." We forget that these things do not define us. But belonging to Christ defines and makes us who we are. Being cleansed, forgiven, loved and accepted by jesus Christ is our true identity.
We discussed this in the class and also in our small discussion groups of three. Brave sisters shared how they personally experience identity amnesia in a typical day during our large group discussion. Here are some examples that were shared:
-I identify myself as someone who is still over weight- for many years. Everyday I stand in my closet and wonder what I can wear--what fits. If I've lost weight I feel happy and I'm excited to be able to wear something that I've not been able to wear. When I haven't lost weight I feel discouraged.I figure that people see me and think, "she is the one who is still battling her weight. She doesn't have the self control to lose weight."
-When I was first divorced, years ago, I felt like everyone was looking at me with the scarlet letter "D" on me. My identity was wrapped up in being a wife and mother. And now I was that person that I never wanted to be--divorced.
-When I was going through infertility I felt like everyone, even people I didn't know in public places, looked at me and saw me as broken. My womb didn't work and I couldn't make babies for my husband. I felt like I wore the letter "B."
What does your identity amnesia look like in a typical day? What "letter" do you put on yourself?
Because there is often a disconnect between our stated beliefs and our practical beliefs, we neeed to speak truth to each other regularly. May we take every opportunity to remind each other of our true identity. We have been crucified with Christ and He now lives in us. He has cleansed and forgiven us. We belong to Him and He is with us and alive in us. This is who we are, beloved sisters. |
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| "Because He Loves Me" Class |
[Oct. 8th, 2009|02:40 pm] |
Redeemer Women's class is currently studying Elyse Fitzpatrick's book, Because He Loves Me. I've written a summary of our first two discussions. Read along with us and please share your comment.
We are memorizing John 3:16-18,36. We plan to discuss chapter two for the next two classes (October 13 and 20.)
We discussed this paragraph on p.24 last week.
"It's essential for us to think about God's love today b/c it is only His love that can grant us the joy that will strengthen our hearts, the courage that will embolden us in our fight against sin, and the assurance that will enable us to open our lives to Him...If we're not completely convinced that His love is ours right now-fully and unalterably ours-we'll always hide in the shadows,focusing on our performance, fearing His wrath. Prayer will be hard b/c we won't want to approach Him...witnessing will be a chore, for who would want to talk to others about a God who is demanding, angry, or cold? If we don't live consciously in the light of His love, the Gospel will be secondary, virtually meaningless, and Jesus Christ will fade into insignificance. Our faith will become about us, our performance, and how we think we/re doing, and our transformation will be hindered."
Today we discussed this quote on p.25: "True Christianity is not a program of self improvement."
Can you explain the essence of true Christianity in one sentence or a few phrases. Some said "rescue" or Jesus dying for us." The author gives us 5 pages of Scripture verses that tell us the Gospel--true Christianity. Some verses are from the prophet Isaiah who told of the coming Savior. Some are from the book of Matthew, walking us through the life, suffering and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Some verses are from Paul explaining what Isaiah and Matthew are talking about. What is your response when you read all those Scriptures? Is it "give me something new, perhaps concrete steps for change? Or "this story doesn't remind me of His love for me, only of the way I fail to love him." Or "there was a time when that story meant something to me but I've had a hard life. I know Jesus loves me but I need someone with real arms to hug me and stop the pain." What is your response to the Gospel story?
Some women feel defeated by the stress of managing a home and raising several children. "I know God forgives me and accepts me but can that bring change in my life? I still have a house of mess and screaming kids. Well the Gospel may not have 5 steps to produce a clean house and angelic children. But what we believe can powerfully change the way we live. We can look at the mess and the kids and say, "things will never change. I can't do this." This is choosing to stand in unbelief. Or we can look at our situation and believe the truth in faith that Christ lives in us. The power that raised Him from the dead lives in us! I am not alone--Jesus Christ is with me and He lives in me. We see God as a mighty warrior through out the Old testament and in the book of Revelation. He wants to go before us and fight for us. We are not alone in these overwhelming situations. As we believe this truth, we can beg God for clarity and wisdom on what to do next. Pray specifically, "Lord please help me--the youngest is whining and driving me nuts." Awise sister reminded us that God will give us what we need to obey the commands He gives us. So call out to Him for aid in the heat of it all.
Remember, if Jesus did not become a man and live a sinless life and die for our sins and rise from the dead on our behalf, then we would still be His enemies and He would not live in us or go before us, or give ear to our cries for aid. We would be left on our own. But He has reconciled us to Himself and He does live in us and hear us! The Gospel can bring change right here in our kitchens and living rooms. It's not easy to see Christ in our daily lives. We need to help each other see Christ, dear sisters. May Christ open the eyes of our hearts and bless us with more knowledge of His love this week.
In Christian love,
Gayle Glenn |
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| women's class on marriage |
[Mar. 19th, 2009|04:02 pm] |
The Tuesday morning women’s class has been blessed with some rousing discussions. We want those of you who are unable to attend to feel somewhat connected, so I’ll try to fill you in as best I can.
Chapter Six was about oneness, referring to Genesis 2:24 “and they shall become one flesh”. Husbands and wives are united in their duties in life. Because husband and wife are one, we can help our husband in the things God commands him to do. For instance the husband is called to love his wife as Christ loves the church (Ephesians 5:25). The writer says, “My heart reaches out in sympathy to him, and I long to help him obey. So out of love for him and in light of our unified love for Christ, I want to try to make myself easy for him to love. I want to grow past my fickle demandingness and obstinate mulishness so that his sacrifice won’t seem so burdensome.” (p94.)
This quote “I want to make myself it easy for him to love,” was part of our discussion. Some of the ladies confessed their desire for this and shared how convicted in their failure.
I have been so encouraged by one woman’s bravery to attend our class on marriage considering she recently lost her husband. As a new widow she finds healing in the class discussion. Hearing others women’s struggles in their marriages brought her to realize that she wasn’t the only wife who behaves badly. Far from it. We are not alone in our struggle against our sinful nature, this body of death that we must carry on our backs until we reach Heaven. It brings her comfort and teaches her of the mercy of God as she realizes that we are all so bad, and yet so loved and accepted by Jesus Christ. I thank all the ladies who humbly confess how they sin. It frees us from the lie that days, “you are the only one who is this bad. Don’t let others know about it. They will be appalled at your pathetic-ness.” This is a lie form the evil one. We all sin and we all need Christ’s mercy.
There is a “pop quiz about your husband” on page 98. It challenges us to pursue knowing our husband. One woman shared that after 15 years of marriage she and her husband are just realizing that they don’t really know each other. This quiz showed her that she wants to get to know her husband more—what he feels about this, the reasoning behind why likes that…She and her husband are on a course of getting to know each other more deeply. What a blessing from the Lord.
Here are a few of the questions:
What does he like about himself? What does he like about you?
What does he do at work? Whom does he like being with there? Who troubles him? Why?
What does he hope to accomplish in his life? For the Lord? For your family?
What if you fear your husband won’t let you near? Maybe he seems like he doesn’t want to discuss these things. “Your willingness to try to be one with him is pleasing to the Lord. Pray that the Lord would open his heart to you”. (p99)
But most likely you both wanted to know each other when you both chose to get married. What has gotten in the way since then? We discussed this in chapter eight’s discussion just this past Tuesday. On page 138 the author reminds us of Titus 2:4 which is a command for older women to teach younger women to love their husbands. This word for love describes a fondness or tender affection toward a close friend. The writer finds that it’s difficult for many women to think about their husbands like this….their girlfriends replace their husbands in their affections. It was evident from the discussion that the busyness of life after the wedding day with kids and jobs often get between husbands and wives. One shared that they don’t know what to talk about when they leave the kids with a sitter and go on a date. They have grown apart and don’t know each other anymore. She tells her girlfriend about the things she is learning from the Scriptures and not her husband. This is so common in marriages but we are not trapped.
When we had our first child my husband said that we would not talk about the baby while we were out to dinner. At first I couldn’t think of anything to say. But we were forced to discuss other things. We shared what we were learning in our Bible readings. And then everything came to mind and it has since been a constant stream of communication between us after 14 years of marriage and 4 kids later. As we are both changing and being transformed into God’s image and sharing the steps and thoughts along the way with each other, God is binging our hearts closer every day--not farther. This is God’s desire for marriages—greater oneness. Start praying for this oneness and begin asking your husband questions with a curiosity to know him. Pursue a white hot relationship with God through regular Bible reading and prayer. You won’t be comfortable with another person looking so closely at you if you are not comfortable in your own skin. We need the safety and rest that comes from walking closely with God in order to be able to freely give ourselves to our husband.
The bulk of Ch8 though was on the motive for loving our husbands—because Christ first loved us. The writer shared an allegory that was so moving to illustrate God’s big plan to save a wretched people and make them His.
“Once before time, there was a great, honorable, wise, and benevolent king who had a son he loved immeasurably. “My son,” the king said, I know that you are happy in my presence and that together we share more joy than has ever been or will every be known by any other. We are perfectly content in our companionship with each other and with our servants but I would like you to know the joy of being a husband to a bride. I have chosen a bride for you and will present her to you as my gift of love for you. Will you have the bride I have chosen?”
“Yes, father,” the son replied, “I would delight to share our joy and love with a bride. If it pleases you, I am willing to go and get this bride and bring her back here to our majestic palace, to celebrate our marriage. I am delighted to think how your honor and greatness will be displayed to her! I’m joyously contemplating the sound of your great name being praised in our marriage celebration!”
“My dear son, I will indeed send you to get her. But, “the father proceeded gravely, “the bride I have chosen for you is our enemy. Right now she is a rebel against us, son, and she hates us. She has transgressed our holy laws and is awaiting execution. She is not beautiful or loving yet, but we will cleanse and purify her and dress her in garments that befit a queen. Because of my great power and love, she will be gloriously transformed when I am finished with her. She will be the delight of our eyes and will bear our resemblance in her heart. But she is presently a slave in the kingdom of the hateful One and she loves it there. She is a traitor and despises us. Also, if you go and get her, you will have to pay the penalty for her offenses. You know that I cannot make her ours unless my righteous laws and judgments have been carried out.” Would you bear the judgment she deserves? Would you uphold our reputation and love this one I have chosen for you? Would you love her so much that you would be willing to be emptied and become a slave like her and then even be humbled to the point of a shameful death in her place? Will you carry out all my decrees and laws perfectly and still be punished as an evildoer?”
“ How wonderful are all your ways, dear father! Yes it will be my joy to know that I am pleasing you in this way. When the time is right, I will delight in this your will.”
Then I will engrave upon your palms the name of your beloved queen for all time. And although your sacrifice will be great, the joy that we’ll have, when your bride joins us here in our home, will make this, your ultimate sacrifice, worthwhile.”
Dear friends since God loved us as much as that, we surely ought to love each other too. (1John 4:11)
Let Christ’s love for us, an undeserving bunch, propel us to love our husbands, our nearest neighbor.
Blessings and affection to you all,
Gayle Glenn |
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| Want to listen to Redeemer's Women's Conference? |
[Mar. 18th, 2009|01:22 pm] |
We recently had our annual women's conference on 2/28. Our theme was "Friendship the Gospel Way". The Lord was kind and brought fruit from it. The conference brought opportunities to openly talk about our inner fears and anxieties regarding friendships with women. We found that we are the same in many of our struggles. We sinfully compete with each other. But despite how wicked we are we are so loved and accepted in Christ Jesus. As we rest in our acceptance in Christ we are freed up to boldly go--to take initiative with other women, just as Christ has with us. Rest and Go.
intro to the conference
http://www.4shared.com/file/91457247/
dfe8e3fc/20090228L_1_GayleGlenn.html
The Gospel makes us humble and bold
http://www.4shared.com/
file/91457529/6b457ff8/20090228L_2_GayleGlenn.html
http://www.4shared.com/
file/91457641/3182ee15/20090228L_AudreyFrost.html
• http://www.4shared.com/
file/91457840/4c1bf389/20090228L_DebbieHansen.html
• http://www.4shared.com/
file/91458135/2482ba18/20090228L_SherryWard_partial.
htm |
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| Tuesday Women's Class Chapter 5 |
[Feb. 23rd, 2009|08:44 pm] |
Lots of things can go wrong quickly in a marriage. But the God who created each of us and who came up with the idea of marriage has already established a good and perfect design for marriage. One of the first things He says is that a woman and a man leave their parents and become one flesh. How does this work itself out in daily married life? What do you think? Share your comments or your responses to any of the questions below, please!
love to you all,
Gayle
Book Study: Helper By Design By Elise Fitzpatrick
Chapter 5 What God Has Joined Together
“For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.” Genesis 2:24
“Husband and wife, parent and child, each relationship can be summed up in one word: impermanence. Infants are separated from their mothers’ womb and then bond to their parents, but before you know it, the little ones are crawling out the door. From the first moment God grants us children, it seems as if they just can’t wait to get their balance so they can stand on their own. And husbands and wives, even those whose commitments last a lifetime, are ultimately separated by death…The undulating transition b/w leaving and cleaving…leaving and cleaving…has been fashioned by an all-wise God to remind us that there is only one ultimately unchallenging relationship: our relationship with Him.” (p.80)
God has made His will clear to us: He desires us to leave our parents and cleave to our husband. What does this mean for us in our daily living?
Leaving
“The command to leave plays out in a marriage in thousands of seemingly insignificant ways. From dividing up household tasks like taking out the trash (in my home that was a man’s work!) to praying with your children before they fall asleep, we each come into the marriage with preconceived ideas, expectations, and prejudices that have the potential to create significant discord.” (p.83)
*Do you compare your husband to your father?
*Do you think that the way you learned to do things is better than the way your husband wants to do them?
*Do you long for your old home and for the comfort and ease of familiarity you had then?
*Do you become angry with your husband when his decisions don’t please your parents?
*Do you speak in ungodly ways to your mother about your husband?
*If you had trouble resolving conflict or yielding to your parents’ authority, do you see this as a problem you have in your marriage also?
*If you didn’t have a father while you were growing up, can you pinpoint ways that you’ve brought unrealistic expectations into your marriage?
Cleaving
“For they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate." (Matthew 19:6)
“Joining together” means clinging, sticking with, staying close to. The noun form is glue and the more abstract ideas are loyalty, devotion, affection.
We are now to “stick like glue” to our husband. Not only abiding with him in the same proximity, but also includes our devotion.
Being devoted is so significant that Paul teaches that the married woman’s devotion is divided between the Lord, whom she is to love preeminently , and her daily concern to please her husband. (1 Corinthians 7:33-34)
Being devoted to them, helping the, loving them, doing them good, and assisting them in fulfilling their calling to serve the Lord is part of what it means to be a helper.
*How devoted are you to your husband?
*Where does concern to please your husband fall in your list of priorities for the day? Does it take a prominent position?
*What are your husband’s material and spiritual goals? Have you embrace them as your own?
*Your love and devotion to your heavenly Husband is the ground out of which your devotion to your earthly husband will blossom. As you nurture your spiritual life and dedicate yourself to growing closer to Him, you’ll find your love and affection growing for your husband. How consistently do you spend time with the Lord in prayer and Bibles study?
It’s easy to be closely committed to our children and girlfriends. Often they like us the way we are, girlfriends are similar to us, if we disagree, we’re not called to be one with them to the same degree as spouse.
*What women are you close to? What is it about them that you enjoy? Are you closer to them that you are to your husband?
*Do you stay close to your husband emotionally and mentally?
*Can he count on you to stand by him when everything else caves in?
*How do you respond when he seems to be going in a direction that displeases you?
*What were your expectations of marriage before you were married? |
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| Redeemer Women's Morning Class |
[Feb. 2nd, 2009|11:43 pm] |
Welcome to our class discussion!
Take the opportunity to read the book, Helper by Design by Elyse Fitzpatrick, even if you are unable to be in the class and please share your comments on this blog by clicking on "comment".
Tuesday January 6, 2009 Preface and Intro
This topic of marriage has the potential to be painful for some. The Lord may shine light on areas of your life that you’ve neglected. There are areas in each of us that we’re going to have to work through—much that desperately needs to be redeemed.
In our class discussion we went around the room to each woman (our class size was about 27) and answered this question:
What are your general feelings as we approach this topic of marriage: excited, frightened, or something else?
Our newer wives were excited to learn more. Those who have been married for twenty plus years were more fearful. They recognize a tendency to forget their calling as helpers to their husbands as their season of life changes to one of empty nestors. At the same time many younger and more seasoned wives both shared similar struggles in their calling as wives.
We break up into mentoring groups of 3 or 4 women each week. To prepare for this we read Titus 2:3-5 and we each took two minutes to jot down some things from this passage that we long for or feel convicted about. In Titus 2:3-5, older women are commanded to teach younger women to love their husbands. This may intimidate the “older” woman in each mentoring group, but it is a calling we are all called to at some time. We can point each other to the Lord and to His Word even in our failures. We can teach from both our failures and our victories.
January 20, 2009 Chapter One In His Image
We are all called to reflect God’s image. We are called to rule like God
or reflect God as we rule in our callings, to relate like Him, reproduce like Him, reflect like Him, rejoice like Him, and rest like Him.
We started out our mentoring groups with this assignment: Share a characteristic found in your husband that you were first drawn to.
We then took a few minutes to jot down our husbands’ strengths and weaknesses and compared them to our own strengths and weaknesses.
We discussed this question: Share how your husband’s strength compliments your weakness and vice versa.
Some shared how the Lord has changed the anger over their differences into an appreciation for their differences and a recognition of God’s kind sovereignty in bringing two very different people together to make a more whole marriage.
January 27, 2009 Chapter Two His Companion His Helper
Fitzpatrick gives us the example of Jenny.
“When asked to contemplate how God meant for her to be a companion and helper to her husband she realized that though she was there physically with her husband the purposeful intimacy that conquers loneliness really wasn’t occurring.” (P.33)
What about you? Can you relate to Jenny? Are you praying for and pursuing a purposeful intimacy that conquers loneliness with your husband?
“The mundane operations of running a household are necessary and meaningful, but unless they are bolstered by concrete knowledge of biblical truth and your calling, these chores can seem pointless and superficial. “(P.34)
Class discussion that arose from a question asked: how do you focus on helping and ministering to your husband when you are very consumed by your children?
Some thoughts from the group in an effort to address this: take opportunities to think about your husband and pray for him in the day. We can resist some of the preoccupation by being intentional with thought and prayer on our husbands. Action needs to start with right thoughts.
Read Genesis 2:18-22
What was it about Adam’s aloneness that was not good? (bottom p.35)
-“Adam was made to reflect God to the rest of creation. A solitary being can not adequately reflect a triune God. The mutual love honor purposeful accomplishment and communal joy that can be seen in the Godhead can’t be experienced or displayed by one man alone.”
-“there weren’t any creatures he could share his calling to rule, relate, reproduce, reflect, rejoice, and rest. God intended that Adam learn the joys of dependence, fellowship, diversity, and unity together with someone who complimented or corresponded with him. Eve completed and harmonized with him. She was a good gift from God.
Read Gen 3:12 and Prov 18:22
A wife can take steps toward helping her husband by seeking to understand the specific ways in which God has called him to rule, relate, …(the r’s)
Look at the questions on p. 37
Did anyone, when reading this section, ask her husband about these questions or come up with new ideas or convictions? Take 3 minutes to jot some answers down.
Did her remarks on top of p. 38 resonate with anyone? “No hope for us. So far from these things.”
When you think of being a “helper” to your husband, what things come to mind? (do you see it as being beneath you?)
God is our helper
Read bottom of p.38. When Bible says God is our helper it means He is protects, aids, supports, surrounds us. These words depict strength, competence, and a wealth of resources. These are strong proactive words.
Read the Scriptures on p. 39
Read paragraph below the Scriptures on p.39
Read Prov 31 description on p. 40
The Holy Spirit is our helper
Helper translated counselor comforter, intercessor, consoler, advocate.
How would your husband’s life change if you focused on these 4 endeavors?
Parakletos (greek for helper) literally means called to one’s side. Suggests capability or adaptability for giving aid. HS sent to our side, right there, close by, helping, comforting, aiding and guiding. We need to adapt ourselves to our husbands so that we can provide aid, comfort, counsel.
Class discussion: how can you help your husband in particular rest? What kinds of things give him real refreshment?
NT women who distinguished themselves as helpers
Phoebe and Priscilla
Another helper from the new Adam—Jesus calls the church, his bride, to serve and be the means through which He completes His father’s will to build a kingdom that will glorify His name forever and display the magnitude of His love.
The church is also called to be helper to Jesus by caring for one another through biblical fellowship. To make disciples.
Being a helper is a high calling. In being a companion and helper you are imaging all three members of the Trinity.
Discuss Question # 1 on p.45 in your mentoring groups.
Chapter 3 A Covenant of Companionship
“The wife is often the most powerful human influence in her husband’s life. When she neglects her calling to direct him toward faithful living, a wife has great potential to harm.” (p. 49)
If an outsider observed your daily routine would he say that befriending your husband is important to you? How would he be able to tell?
Have you committed yourself to stand by him throughout all the trials he faces?
How do you often respond to your husband’s imperfections? Shock, anger, compassion, recognizing your own?
“We will never deal gently with our husband’s failures if we haven’t first drunk deeply of God’s gentleness with us in Christ. We will never deal gently with him if we don’t see ourselves as that adulterous bride God lovingly betrothed to himself.”
Question: Do you extend this grace to your husband?
Plead with God to help you grow in His image. Hebrews 13:6 |
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| Isaac update |
[Nov. 16th, 2008|12:14 am] |
Thank you for all your prayers for Isaac and our family. The Lord has been very gracious in giving Isaac to us and allowing him to live and thrive. He is now five and a half months and about 13 lbs. He is healthy and his cheeks are nearly down to the floor. He no longer has to see the eye doctor every ten days. His retinas have matured and the areas that were diseased in his retinas are fading away. He saw a surgeon regarding a possible hernia in the groin—which is common for preemies. But the surgeon found Isaac to be free of any hernia problems. He gets the antibody for a virus called RSV every month with a home nurse. He’ll get these until he is two. RSV is hard on babies whose lungs are premature, and he would have to be in the hospital for a month, possibly, if he gets RSV. Lord willing, he will catch up in development to other babies his age when he is about two years old.
Our family is so excited to have Isaac in our house. We all get very distracted by him since we have to constantly stop and smooch him and get him to smile at us. He is a picture of Jesus Christ’s grace and lavish love for us and all his children. The Lord did not have to say yes to our request for a baby. We asked Him for five years and in His kindness He said yes to us. In His wisdom He brought Isaac to the world at just the right time in his development. His premature birth and long fight in the hospital (ten weeks) have given us many occasions to trust Christ and declare His praises to anyone who would listen.
How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God.” Psalm 146:5 |
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| Isaac update |
[Jul. 18th, 2008|03:19 pm] |
He is not home yet--maybe ten more days. He is doing
very well at 4lbs. 8 oz. now! He is out of the incubator and can breast
feed and take a bottle. He still gets some feedings through a tube when he
gets too tired, though. He had a couple of sleep apnea spells two nights
ago so we keep asking the Lord to strengthen his breathing.
I go in to the hospital everyday for his 11am and 8pm feedings to
breastfeed him. The nurses weigh him before and after to see how much he
drinks.Then he bottle feeds the rest of his required amount (just the
right amount to gain weight)of my stored breast milk. I love the time
with him every morning. I pray for him, tell him all the news of the past
day, sing a few hymns to him and just enjoy him. He responds to my
conversation with coos, grunts and funny goat noises. Bob and the kids
come along for his 8pm feeding--Bob usually feeds the bottle to him.
He is a beautiful child and he is such a delight to us. We are chomping at
the bit for his homecoming. But the Lord continues to sustain our waiting
hearts. We praise the Lord for being so kind to give us Isaac and for His
great wisdom in the timing of his birth. He knows what He is doing. As all
the heavenly hosts say, (in the book of Revelation)"all His judgments are
righteous and true."
I just keep praying that I would be prepared to mother him when he arrives
to a very busy household. I beg the Lord to make me a mother with a gentle
and quiet spirit, one that trusts in the Lord for all the demands in the
day. One that rests in God even when the house is a mess and there is
plenty of work waiting for me and questions and requests being made. One
that speaks goodness and instructs with wisdom. I so easily succumb to the
stresses of managing my household and the burden I feel for the church
ministry and those souls that aren't right with the Lord who are in my
life. I want to be faithful to the Lord--I don't want to waste my life and
dishonor Him who deserves all our hearts. But I know that the Lord will
supply all that we need to please Him. May we pursue knowing the Lord and striving to please Him with our every breath, every minute of the day! |
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| The Lord is sustaining and blssing Isaac! |
[Jun. 11th, 2008|11:01 am] |
Isaac is doing really well. The Lord is blessing Him! Everything looks
normal and he is progressing. He gained 3 ounces since birth and is taking
my milk through a feeding tube down his nose to stomach and also has an
IV. We just pray for continued maturity of his digestion and breathing. He
is up and down with tolerating food and being able to digest it, and he
has sleep apnea episodes a couple of times a day. He forgets to breath
when he is sleeping sometimes. This is all normal and common for his age.
Doctor says he should be able to transfer to a less critical care unit at
a hospital nearer to our house in about two weeks and come home at the end
of July/beginning of August! We praise the Lord for sustaining his life
thus far and giving him to us. He is so darling, especially since he has
gotten a little bit chubbier in his face!
Thank you all so much for holding us up in prayer. The Lord is good always!
Isaiah 26:3 |
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