Kyle gave us great instruction this weekend on the word baptism in Matthew 28:19-20. We're so excited to see those who are responding and praying this week as many are, I'm sure, deciding if they will follow the tugging of the Holy Spirit as He works on hearts!
Matthew 28:19-20 is our great commission, ladies. "Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I commanded you." It is the reason we have Women's Ministry at the Oldham Campus. We are here to make disciples.
When you read these verses in the original language you notice that there is one command with three supporting participial phrases:
Command- make disciples
Supporting phrases- 1) go, or literally, as you are going; 2) baptizing and 3) teaching
The way our English translations are written it can appear that there is more than one command. Why does that matter? It's important because we need to be very clear on what God has called us to do so that we can be about our Father's business. He has commanded us to make disciples and He instructs us by supplying three components for getting that job done.
As part of the vision for Women's Ministry at OC we've allotted "extra" weeks for completing studies so that as you are going you can make disciples. We want to give you plenty of "as you are going" time - windows of opportunity for praying, building into, answering questions, looking up verses, modeling, helping make practical applications, sharing God-at-work stories, doing all the one-anothers of Scripture, growing our prayer lives and being led by the Spirit.
Ministry is relationships. Relationships aren't scripted. They happen as you are going.
So just a reminder: it's not about filling in the blanks, completing the assignments, or checking all the boxes. It's about Jesus and people. Christ in you, the hope of glory impacting the women He's entrusted you to shepherd. Now that's exciting!
Try not to stress about schedules and details as we wind down toward the end of this semester of study. I know they're important and part of your job is to oversee these particular needs of your group. Still the best thing you can do for your group is to continue to seek after God with your whole heart daily and then moment by moment. Model that for them. And PRAY. Pray like crazy for God to show up and do His unusual task, His extraordinary work (Isaiah 28:21)!
You are an amazing vehicle for God's grace in this world and we love an appreciate you!
For His Great Glory, Kristen
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Prayers of the Saints
"...Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." Revelation 5:8b
I can not get this verse out of my head today as I sit thinking and praying for you and your ladies. Sometimes I am not sure we realize what our prayers really are or mean to God. Here in Revelation it says our prayers are like incense, a sweet smelling fragrance.
If you are like me so many times before I pray I have gotten caught up in my location, who is there, what I am going to say, and a host of other things. Sometimes I get nervous that I will say the wrong thing or what I say will not make sense to those around me. It's almost like the prayers I am about to pray are not really for God, they are for me and those listening. When I get into that mentality it freezes me and I find it so hard to pray out loud. I allow fear and pride to bind me up and render me and my prayers ineffective.
For me the key to overcoming this kind of thinking has been consistent out loud prayer in my tent time. This is the place where I can open my weary soul before Jesus and lay it all at his feet. I sit in silence and let him speak, repent, pray verses of scripture over myself and my family. This is the place where the battle is won. Sometimes I just don't know what to pray. In those moments I open the Word of God, usually to the Psalms, and I just pray/read them. The more we commune with the King of Kings in our secret place the easier, I believe, praying in the public place becomes. It is no longer about me and my image. It's about him and my love and prayers being a sweet incense before his throne.
I want to challenge you and your ladies to try to pray out loud daily in your tent time. It may be awkward or uncomfortable at first, but persevere in it. Try praying a Psalm out loud, or one of Paul's prayers in Ephesians or Philippians. These are great places to start! We already know these prayers are inspired by the Holy Spirit. Remember this, YOUR prayers are like sweet smelling incense to Jesus even if they don't feel that way. He loves to hear your voice! It is lovely to him!!
Dear Father,
Thank you that we can come to you through prayer. Thank you that you hear us when we call to you and that you say our prayers are sweet to you, like incense. I pray that you would help each lady involved in Women's Ministry at Oldham Campus to grow in their prayer life. I pray that wherever they are that you take them one step deeper and closer to you during the rest of this study. That we would become a community of people who pray with reckless abandon. Because you are worthy to receive the prayers and praise of your people! So that we can see your glory manifest throughout Oldham County and beyond. That you would awaken our souls to the truth of how you can and will move if we will come before you and pray. That we would lay aside all that hinders us to run the race toward you and your heart. I pray the enemy would not be able to blind our minds with lies of fear and insecurities. I pray your Holy Spirit would speak the bold truth of who we are in you!!
For the Glory and Praise of YOUR name!
Amen
I can not get this verse out of my head today as I sit thinking and praying for you and your ladies. Sometimes I am not sure we realize what our prayers really are or mean to God. Here in Revelation it says our prayers are like incense, a sweet smelling fragrance.
If you are like me so many times before I pray I have gotten caught up in my location, who is there, what I am going to say, and a host of other things. Sometimes I get nervous that I will say the wrong thing or what I say will not make sense to those around me. It's almost like the prayers I am about to pray are not really for God, they are for me and those listening. When I get into that mentality it freezes me and I find it so hard to pray out loud. I allow fear and pride to bind me up and render me and my prayers ineffective.
For me the key to overcoming this kind of thinking has been consistent out loud prayer in my tent time. This is the place where I can open my weary soul before Jesus and lay it all at his feet. I sit in silence and let him speak, repent, pray verses of scripture over myself and my family. This is the place where the battle is won. Sometimes I just don't know what to pray. In those moments I open the Word of God, usually to the Psalms, and I just pray/read them. The more we commune with the King of Kings in our secret place the easier, I believe, praying in the public place becomes. It is no longer about me and my image. It's about him and my love and prayers being a sweet incense before his throne.
I want to challenge you and your ladies to try to pray out loud daily in your tent time. It may be awkward or uncomfortable at first, but persevere in it. Try praying a Psalm out loud, or one of Paul's prayers in Ephesians or Philippians. These are great places to start! We already know these prayers are inspired by the Holy Spirit. Remember this, YOUR prayers are like sweet smelling incense to Jesus even if they don't feel that way. He loves to hear your voice! It is lovely to him!!
Dear Father,
Thank you that we can come to you through prayer. Thank you that you hear us when we call to you and that you say our prayers are sweet to you, like incense. I pray that you would help each lady involved in Women's Ministry at Oldham Campus to grow in their prayer life. I pray that wherever they are that you take them one step deeper and closer to you during the rest of this study. That we would become a community of people who pray with reckless abandon. Because you are worthy to receive the prayers and praise of your people! So that we can see your glory manifest throughout Oldham County and beyond. That you would awaken our souls to the truth of how you can and will move if we will come before you and pray. That we would lay aside all that hinders us to run the race toward you and your heart. I pray the enemy would not be able to blind our minds with lies of fear and insecurities. I pray your Holy Spirit would speak the bold truth of who we are in you!!
For the Glory and Praise of YOUR name!
Amen
Monday, October 3, 2011
October 3 ~ Sure felt like winter this weekend but today reminds us of a perfect fall day doesn't it? Crisp, clean, fresh air and the brilliant colors in the leaves on the trees as they fall to the ground and under your feet. One foot in front of the other-walking-walking behind our Father.
Are you finding yourself in step with Him. Are you allowing Him to lead you by His spirit. I need gentle reminders often---to slow the pace down and listen intently and quietly. How are you doing in these areas yourself? Take this moment to access/pray:)
How are your ladies doing? Do they sense trust? Are they opening up more and more each week? Is their tent set ----do they have some God stories to share?
Are they hearing from Him?
These are all questions we want to have some good open discussions on weekly from here on in our small groups. These types of conversations that are focused build our faith because we hear what God is doing among us all. Take note, because you as DL's will encourage your ladies before CELEBRATION to begin praying about casually sharing these God Stories with all of us. CELEBRATION will be Friday, November 18th at Oldham from 6:30-8:30. We will celebrate God's extraordinary works in our tiny little lives, worship together, pray, and have dessert! It will be a fall theme to get us ready for Thanksgiving. Please write an invitation for each one of your ladies for this event. It is our culminating event-----an event we won't want any of them to miss. If you are excited about this night it will be contagious----so talk about it now and have them save the date. Please have your invites out by the end of next week (if you can get them out this week that is super too!) We will need each group to bring 3 finger desserts. We will not be "sitting" so it needs to be items that can be picked up with a napkin and eaten with fingers (ex. cookies, brownies, bars etc).
We have a little over a month before fall study groups end!!!!!! Can you believe it? News is NOT on the streets yet, but we want you all to be in the loop regarding next semester. The number of ladies in study depends on our leaders. We will be offering God Seeker, Discerning the Voice of God, and a new prayer study titled OMBI. Our purpose is to disciple these women and we know that takes time. It would be very powerful to take your group through all 3 studies. *The OMBI study will be available for those who have already been in God Seeker and Discerning the Voice of God. Think about where our ladies will be in their walk after a series of seeking, listening and praying. What an incredible foundation for them to build on and to share with others in their community. Would you like to walk with your ladies through this season of their life? Can we count you in for the spring as a DL? We will be asking for your commitments by October 23rd. PRAY and seek Him in this decision--we want you to be excited about this journey and helping our ladies to learn, live and then lead. (EZRA 7:10)
Looking forward to hearing from all of you on the blog~and seeing you for coffee and danish on Sunday, October 16th!
Praying for each one of you and all that are in your groups that the Lord will rise up, rouse himself, to do his work his strange work and perform his task his strange task in each of our lives (Isaiah 28:21)
Love~Marcie
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