Mixed Messages August 29, 2008

The following is an excerpt from Sharon Jayne’s book, The Power of a Woman’s Words:

I am amazed how quickly we women can flit back and forth between blessing and belittling, praising and putting down, cheering and critiquing – all in a matter of seconds.  God has given us incredible power in our sphere of influence, and it begins with the words we speak.  Few forces have as powerful an effect as the sounds that pass our lips.  Our words can spark a child to accomplish great feats, encourage a husband to conquer the world, fan the dying embers of friend’s broken dreams into flame, encourage a fellow believer to run the race set before her and draw a lost soul to Christ.

I invite you to explore one of the mysteries of the feminine mystique – the power of a woman’s words. . .

Are words powerful?  Yes!  Just how powerful?

A careless word may kindle strife;

A cruel word may wreck a life.

A bitter word may hate instill;

A brutal word may smite and kill.

A gracious word may smooth the way;

A joyous word may light the day.

A timely word may lessen stress;

A loving word may heal and bless.

Author Unknown 

Spiritual Intimacy August 27, 2008

This morning I received a devotional from Charisma Magazine that is really awesome and I wanted to share it with you.  After the brunch on Saturday, I think that it is important that we establish an intimate relationship with God.  Our relationship with him is the place where we become empowered to answer the charge to help ourselves and one another.  Ladies, we are on the verge of a breakthrough.  Be blessed to day and everyday.

This is written by Mike Bickle.  It is a simple yet powerful message.  Enjoy!

Twofold Prayer for Spiritual Intimacy

After the maiden in the Song of Solomon awakens to fervency, she prays a twofold prayer: “Draw me after you and let us run together” (Song of Sol. 1:4, NAS). The order of that prayer is very important.

First we are drawn to Him in intimacy, then we run with Him in ministry. If we are to become colaborers with Christ, running with Him, we should first focus on being drawn as worshipers, consecrated in purity with affectionate passions.

It’s easy to pray, “Let me run. Increase my sphere of ministry and influence,” without also fervently seeking the Lord to draw us near to Him. But as we are drawn to greater intimacy with God, we have a greater spiritual depth and touch other people’s spirits more effectively.

That is what “running,” or real ministry, is all about— bringing deliverance to the hearts of human beings so they can know and worship God intimately, too.

On the other hand, some believers say, “Draw me,” but never go on to run with the Lord as a partner with Him in His work in the earth. The Holy Spirit does not draw us so we can hang up a “Do Not Disturb” sign and sit in our little comfort zone singing love songs to Jesus the rest of our lives. As fellow heirs with Christ, we are drawn into intimacy, then empowered in ministry to bring others into intimacy with the Lord.

 

TODAY’S PRAYER:
Lord, after You have drawn me into Your presence, let me run with You into the harvest fields. Use me to change my world for Christ.

Finding Your Own Voice August 18, 2008

There is a part of us that is never heard.  Ladies, its time to find our voice.  How many of us have carried things around inside our hearts and our spirits because we had no voice by which to speak them?  How many of us go about our days wearing masks while dying a slow painful death on the inside?  How many of us are hiding inside ourselves because the pain we already carry is too powerful to process?  So, we go about our days being a person we don’t even know.  We are in denial.  We are hiding from ourselves, from God and from others.  Yet, there are circumstances that come into our lives that trigger the pain.  God wants to heal us. 

1. Reconcile yourself to your history.  Our personal history will never change but to deny it will hinder your access to your God-given destiny.
2. Ask the Holy Spirit to search you and to show you…Crisis is a defining moment that can either usher you into a process that will set you free from the limitations that confine you or it can help you die in the midst of the wilderness.
3. Understand your history or you will sabotage your destiny.
4. Prepare yourself – you must feel the pain.

Welcome Ladies! August 18, 2008

Welcome to our Sister Speaks Blog.  Join us often as we intend to bring issues to the table that are common to us as women in the Body of Christ.  We invite you to speak your mind and thoughts, vent your issues and to help each other grow in our journey towards a life in Christ.  We would ask, however, that you be mindful of how your comments and your interactions with each other will impact your sisters in Christ.  We want to be a help and not a hindrance.