December 31, 2012

The Women's Ministry wishes you and joyful and happy New Year!

With love & blessings,

Jacqueline Heider

Women's Ministry Director

Christmas from the Magi's Perspective 

Read:  Matthew 2:1-13

What do we learn about who the Magi are from this passage?

-Wise men from the east (not necessarily three -we are not given a number)

-Seeking the king of the Jews

-Saw His star in the east

-Came to worship the King

-Found Jesus, worshiped Him and presented Him with gifts

-Warned in a dream not to return to Herod with news of Jesus' whereabouts

What do the Magi see?

A star that leads them to Jesus

How do the Magi respond?

They are seekers - They leave the east following a star, seeking the King of the Jews.  

They rejoice - Once the star rests of their final destination, they rejoice exceedingly.

They worship Christ the King - They enter the house, bow down in worship and present Jesus with gifts.

What can we learn from the Magi's perspective?

Like the magi/wise men, we too are seekers.  But the question becomes, what are you seeking?  Matthew 6:33 instructs us to seek first God's kingdom and righteousness and all other things will be added to us.  What things?  

Read Matthew 6:25-33 and make a list of "these things".

What did you discover?  We are told not to be anxious or worried about provisions and care while on this earth.  Our God will clothe and feed and provide for us just as he does the flowers of the field and the birds of the air.  We are to concentrate on seeking Him first!  But so often we find ourselves seeking the things of the world, and it can become all-consuming.  A better house, car, job, vacation ... the list can go on and on.  Like the Magi, we need to make Jesus our priority pursuit and trust Him to provide all we need for this life and eternity.

Psalm 9:10 says "Those who know Your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you."  Psalm 34:10 tells us that those who seek the Lord "lack no good thing".

Are you making it a priority to seek the Lord?

The Magi also worshiped the King.  What we are seeking or pursuing can often become what we worship.  We will all worship something in life.  The question is, what are you worshipping?  Are you pursuing and worshipping the temporal things that will never truly satisfy or bring you joy?

Romans 12:1-2 tells us to "present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind..."

As you prepare for 2013, I encourage you to ask yourself a few questions:

What are you seeking?

What is your priority?

What are you worshipping?

How will you make seeking God and spending time in His Word a priority for this next year?

Rejoicing in Him and wishing you many blessings for the New Year!

Susan Cady

Women's Ministry Bible Study Team

December 24, 2012

Well, it's Christmas Eve!   I pray you will take some time today to reflect on the birth of our Savior.  In all the hustle and bustle, let us not forget to be watching and waiting expectantly for Jesus just as Simeon and Anna did so long ago.  Be blessed as you read Susan's devotion below and give thanks to God for His indescribable gift!

Blessings,
Jacqueline Heider

Women's Ministry

Christmas from Simeon and Anna's Perspective

Read Luke 2:21-38

   

Christmas is upon us! What's the anticipation level like at your house? Do you have little ones who can hardly sit still? Will some in your household find it difficult to sleep tonight? Our passage this week speaks to this very idea of anticipation and the blessing and benefits of patiently waiting for a gift of indescribable worth!

What do we learn about Simeon and Anna from this passage?

Simeon:

• a righteous & devout man
• at the temple when Jesus was brought for dedication
• waiting for consolation of Israel
• Holy Spirit was upon him
• had been told he would see the Messiah before his death
• praised and blessed God
• blessed Mary and Joseph & told them of Jesus' destiny

Anna:

• a prophetess, daughter of Phanuel from tribe of Asher
• elderly widow
• lived at the temple worshipping, fasting and praying
• praised God

What do Simeon and Anna see?

They both encounter Jesus when he is brought to the temple for his dedication according to the Law of Moses.

How do the Simeon and Anna respond?

Simeon recognizes Jesus as the Messiah. He takes Jesus in his arms and blesses God. In verses 29-32 we read his prayer, but we need a little background to truly put this encounter in perspective. God's promise of redemption had been long awaited. It had been 400 years since there had been any word from the Lord for his people. They had been waiting a very long time for the Messiah who would be their Savior and Deliverer. But this salvation was not for the Jewish people alone. We learn in verse 32 that Jesus is a light of revelation to the Gentiles. The Gentiles-unless you are of Jewish heritage-that's you and me! Salvation had come! Immanuel, God with us, was a reality!

Can you imagine waiting so long? Simeon knew the truth of God's law and the promise of a Messiah. Simeon was an old man, and he had been patiently waiting to see the salvation of the Lord. Salvation had arrived and his name was Jesus!

Anna was an elderly widow who spent her days and nights in the temple worshipping, fasting and praying. She was a prophetess. A prophetess was simply one who gave out the word of God. She had been doing this for at least 60+ years -waiting, praying, fasting, worshipping and sharing with others the Word of the Lord.

Anna sees Jesus and immediately begins to give thanks to God. Then in verse 38 we learn that she begins to speak of Him to all who had been waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

The long awaited day had finally arrived! Do you think it was as they had envisioned? Were their expectations fulfilled? I believe so. We find that they both praised God and told others!

What can we learn from Simeon and Anna's perspective?

Simeon and Anna were two people who had learned to patiently wait, to persevere by believing and trusting God and His promise to fulfill his long awaited promise of redemption. Waiting can be so difficult, especially for those of us who like action and results! God's word has much to say about waiting and its blessings and benefits. What are you anticipating or waiting on? Follow the example we find in Simeon and Anna. They faithfully served in God's house. They praised and worshipped God. They fasted and prayed day and night and shared the truth of God's word with others.

If you would like to study further the benefits and blessings of learning to wait on God, I encourage you to download the attached topical study While You Wait. Discover for yourself what God has to say about waiting in His Word.

Merry Christmas!

Susan Cady

Women's Ministry Bible study Team

December 17, 2012

Happy Monday!
I hope you are enjoying this WOW Weekly Moment Christmas series written by Susan Cady.  I loved looking at the story of our Savior's birth from Mary's perspective last week, and this week we get to see the story from the viewpoint of the shepherds.  Enjoy and remember to glorify and praise God in the midst of your Christmas season!

Blessings,
Jacqueline Heider

Women's Ministry

Christmas from the Shepherds' Perspective

Read Luke 2:1-21

   

When reading this part of the Christmas story, I have to tell you, I can't help but see the Charlie Brown Christmas special in my mind. I love thatCharlie Brown Christmas quotes this passage of scripture almost verbatim. What a great childhood memory for me! And one we shared with our children as they were growing up. And...I still watch it every year! Back to our passage...

What do we learn about the shepherds from this passage?

• In the same country as Mary & Joseph at the birth of Jesus
• Abiding in the field
• Keeping watch over their flock by night
• An angel of the Lord appears to them
• Given news of Jesus birth
• Go to Bethlehem to see the baby Jesus
• Tell others about their experience

What do the Shepherds see?

An angel of the Lord appears to them while they are in the fields tending sheep giving them news of Jesus' birth.

How do the Shepherds respond?

The shepherds respond with great fear! The wordfear in this verse is "phobeo" meaning to be struck with fear; to put to flight by terrifying; to be afraid of one; to be exceedingly afraid. I love the rendering in the King James version, "they were sore afraid".

Once again this is a natural and expected response. The angel of the Lord had just come upon them and the glory of the Lord had shone around them. Remember when God revealed his glory to Moses in Exodus? Moses had to be shielded by the hand of God in the cleft of the rock and afterwards his face shone for days. That's pretty overwhelming. But what struck me was that they were quietly tending sheep in the field, still, calm and ready to hear. How often during this season I find the exact opposite to be true of my life. I'm rushing, busy, planning, decorating, trimming, shopping and on and on.

The shepherds believe God and take Him at His word. In verse 15, we see they decide to go seethis thing that has happened. But the word thingis not being used in a flippant manner. The word in the original language is "rhema". It means aspecific word given by God. It is speech in which God, through someone declares His mind. It can be a promise or a command. It means a reality.Scripture is full of God's "rhema" words to us. The shepherds believed this word from God and took it as reality!

The shepherds act on the news they have been given. In Luke 2:15 they say to one another, "let us go over to Bethlehem to see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us". They get up and go! They are some of the first to see the Savior. We also see in verse 16, that they "went with haste" to see this reality.

The shepherds share the good news. In verse 17 we read, "they made known the saying the that been told them concerning this child". The word for saying in this passage is again our word "rhema". They didn't just see the Christ child, stand in awe and wonder of this glorious event, and then leave warm-hearted and comforted in their spirits. No! They shared this good news with others. And they made it known in a big way! Look at their next response.

The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God. They were not just telling others this good news, but they were singing and shouting about it -praising God and giving him glory. Glorifying is the word "doxazo" meaning to make much of, to make renowned, to honor, to cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to be make known and acknowledged.

What can we learn from the Shepherds' perspective?

As a believer in Christ, we have been given good news that has changed our lives! The promise of God to redeem us and give us eternal life is a reality!

Have you been overwhelmed by something lately? Can you trust and believe the God of peace, the One who created and rules over the entire universe, who saves and redeems, to calm your fear or anxiety?

How often do you share the good news of Jesus with others? Do you sing God's praises to others? Do you make much of Him and seek to make His worth and renown known to those around you?

Has God given you a "rhema" word, a promise or command that you need to believe Him for and act upon?

I know I need to take a cue from the shepherds. I need to slow down, take God at His Word and act in faith on it. I'd like to end by sharing a poem my daughter wrote years ago about this story of the Shepherds. It convicts me every time I read it and reminds to me slow down, listen, and act. I hope you enjoy!

Click here to download, One Silent Night.

Rejoicing in Him!

Susan Cady

Women's Ministry Bible study Team

December 10, 2012

Do You See What I See?

Lessons from the Nativity

  

Over the next four weeks we will present a series titled, Do You See What I See? We will examine briefly the lives of those who first encountered Christ, the Messiah, the One who became flesh and dwelt among us, our Savior. Each of these people had different encounters, at different times and from different perspectives. Join us as we learn to walk worthy through some of the lessons we learn from the Nativity.

Christmas from Mary's Perspective - Read: Luke 1:26-55

What do we learn about who Mary is from this passage?

• From the city of Nazareth in Galilee
• A virgin, betrothed to Joseph from the house of David
• Favored one of the Lord
• Relative of Elizabeth and Zechariah, parents of John the Baptist
• A humble servant, blessed
• Mother of Jesus

What does Mary see?

The angel of the Lord appears and tells her the Lord is with her and she has found favor with God. She will conceive a child, bear a son, name him Jesus and he will be called Son of the Most High. He will reign over the house of Jacob and of his kingdom there will be no end. Quite a proclamation!

How does Mary respond?

We read that she was greatly troubled - a natural response, I would say!  How would you take such news? Shock, disbelief, dismay? But we see more in her response ...

Mary is humble before God - She calls herself a servant of the Lord. Literally, a bond servant, one who gives himself or herself freely to another as a servant. In verse 48, she identifies herself as His humble servant. Humility characterizes the manner in which she accepts this news -unlike Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, who has a similar encounter earlier in the story.

Read Luke 1:8-20. Zechariah questions that such a thing could ever even happen. He is later made mute until the birth of his son because of his unbelief.

Mary believes God - In contrast to Zechariah, Mary does not question who God is, what He is about to do, or the fulfillment of that act. She simply asks how. She accepts it will be accomplished. Her response in verse 38, let it be to me according to your word!

Mary praises God! Read Luke 1:46-55. Mary's Song of Praise, also known as, The Magnificat.

How does Mary view God?

Mary believes God! She magnifies Him and rejoices in Him. Look at the many attributes she rehearses in her song of praise. He is her Savior. He is mighty and has done great things. He is holy. He is merciful to all generations. He shows His strength. He humbles the proud and exalts the humble. He satisfies and fills the hungry with good things.

What can we learn from Mary's perspective?

Humility before God. Even when things don't go as we expect, planned or desire, we need to remember that apart from God we can do nothing. He is the sovereign ruler of the universe and His plan is perfect, always for our good and His glory.

                 

Believe and trust in God. Our level of trust in God is based upon our knowledge of God and belief in God. Mary knew her God. Mary believed God!   As you read the Bible look for how God reveals himself and then make it a practice to rehearse and remind yourself of who He is! This naturally leads us to Mary's next response -praise.

Praise of God! Praise always takes the focus off ourselves and our situation as we focus on the greatness and majesty of God. Praise takes us into His very presence! 

Do you need to humble yourself before the Lord? 

Is there an area of your life where you need to trust and believe Him? 

Spend some time praising the Lord. Mary's song of praise is a great way to begin. As you pray through this hymn of praise, reflect on each of these attributes of God. 

For Further Study download Becoming a Humble Servant. 

Rejoicing in Him!

Susan Cady

Women's Ministry Bible study Team

December 3, 2012

What's at the Heart of Your Christmas?

  

This week's WOW Weekly Moment was written by my mother, Eloise Fleming. Enjoy!

Jacqueline Heider

Women's Ministry

___________________________

Often during the Christmas season we start the celebration and have a tendency to leave the Good News of Great Joy - Jesus and Emmanuel, God with us - out of the details of our celebration.  Many times we focus on the "what" of Christmas rather than the "who."

Read Luke 2:1-20.

As I was reading, there were five truths that stood out to me in this very familiar story. I'd like to share them with you. Think about these and ponder them in your heart as we begin this Christmas season.

1. We have good news of great joy! We actually have THE Good News, Jesus, and His life should cause us to live with joy in our hearts all year long. (1 Peter 1:8)
2. Jesus was born for all people. Jesus didn't come for a select few. He came so that all may know Him. (John 3:16)
3. Jesus' birth was and still is a praiseworthy event. Until His return, Jesus will be the most magnificent gift we will ever receive. ( Isaiah 9:6)
4. We are to spread the Good News. Because we know Jesus, we should tell others of His birth and life so they can know personally the Savior of the world. (Matthew 28:19)
5. The birth of Jesus is to be treasured in our hearts. (Matthew 6:19-21)

So, I ask you again ... 

What's at the heart of your Christmas?

Do you get so caught up in the event that you leave out the reason for the season?

What will you do this year to insure Jesus remains at the center of your Christmas?

Below are some "Heart Warmers" that I hope will get you started on your journey to a Jesus-filled Christmas.

• Revisit the Christmas story and marvel at the gift of Jesus, a gift of sacrifice and love every day.
• Share the story of Christmas with a child and color pictures with them explaining the real meaning of Christmas.
• Reach out to ALL people and share the gift of Jesus this Christmas season.
• Sing praise songs as a way of focusing your heart on what Christ has done in your life.
• Read about God's promise to Mary in Luke 1:45-55 and treasure these in your heart thinking about them often.

Ultimately, we all yearn for this Good News of Great Joy.  We long to feel God's presence in our hearts. This year may we celebrate Jesus from the manger to the cross and thank Him for being at the heart of our Christmas!

With blessings,

Eloise Fleming