Spiritual Insight|Spiritually Speaking | Prayer Requests | Bible Studies |
IHQ Call to Prayer | World day of Prayer
"What makes a swan beautiful, The color of its feathers? Its beautiful long neck? The graceful way it glides across the lake? Perhaps.
What makes a woman beautiful? Is it the color of her hair, the shape of her eyes, or the complexion of her skin? No. These things are only temporary. What truly makes a woman beautiful is who she is in Christ. As Christ enters a woman's life, something lovely is created within her that cannot be changed by earthly things. As a woman grows to become a disciple, she finds an assurance, hope, and a peace that only comes from the Lord. These are the elements of true beauty - inner beauty." Chris Adams - Women Reaching Women Page 9
In his book 'The Divine Mentor' Wayne Cordeiro says: "A daily exposure to the Lord's heart and ways begins a transformation process. We begin to diminish; He increases. But that's the process of authenticity it comes slowly." Page 132.
These are designed for women to discover a closer relationship with Jesus Christ,"Transformational discipleship leads women into a life that reflects Christ through their thoughts, words and actions." Chris Adams - 'Transformed Lives' - Page 8
As you visit these pages may you be enriched and inspired to seek after God, who says, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13 NIV
Spiritual Insight
Creative Connection by Letitia Suk
How I changed my picture of prayer.
For years, my prayers were scattered. I'd start with the crisis of the day, then mentally spin off to groceries I needed or calls I had to make. Then I'd nod off for a short nap, and wake with the resolution to "pray harder" next time.
That all changed the day I leafed through a stack of family photographs.....To read more click here.
The Wisdom of Depending on God by Gail Rodgers
Carrie was frustrated. Anger played at the edge of her heart. Why didn't God answer her? Why didn't He rescue her in her situation as she begged Him too?
She began to pray less. One day she realized she had stopped praying except for her habitual prayer before meals. She realized she had quit expecting anything from God. Her trust in His goodness had melted away in the heat of her struggle and God's silence. To read more click here.
How to Spend a Day With the Lord by Katherine J. Kehler
Usually our days are filled with the demands of life crying for our attention; that's why we need to plan personal retreat time to be with the Lord - four, eight, or twelve hours with nothing on our agenda except to bask in His love, to thank and worship Him, to listen to Him, to intercede for others, to lay your life and activities before Him and let Him give directions. To read more click here.
Spiritually Speaking
Spiritually Speaking is a weekly column for women, written by women for women each week giving insight, encouragement and spiritual guidance from God’s word, the Bible.
Spiritually Speaking is ideal for personal reading or a spiritual resource for women. Each Spiritually Speaking has questions related to the thought or text that can be used as a basis for a study.
This week’s Spiritually Speaking – A Singing God?
Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)
The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save
He will take great delight in you
He will quiet you with his love
He will rejoice over you with singing.
Around the time of the birth of our first child, Christian singer Amy Grant released a song including the line: ‘You are the sunshine of my life, and forever you’ll stay in my heart’. (I am aware that this ‘dates’ me.)
We used to play music for our children’s bed-time from the time they were born. On one occasion, I was preparing my recently born child for bed and Amy Grant’s song was playing. I remember singing the song to our child while I danced around the bedroom with her. The words had a double meaning for me—they referred to my God, but I was singing them to my daughter, overcome at the awesome mystery and miracle of my perfectly formed baby. My song arose both out of a thankful heart to God and as a response of joy and love for my child.
When I read the last phrase of Zephaniah 3:17 “I will rejoice over you with singing” I have this picture of God who does this for me, who delights to joy over me in singing, simply because I am his child and I belong to Him.
There is another meaning to this verse. It is referring to the restored and purified remnant of Judah, after judgement has occurred. These were God’s people, and they were now living, as God desires his people to live, in harmony with his purposes.
As a child of God, this verse can also be applied to you and me. God rejoices over you with singing. I wonder what song he sings over me. I wonder what the message is of the song that he sings over me.
A God who sings over his children is not a picture that is frequently communicated—at least not in my experience. This reminds me that God reveals himself through his Word, using concepts that may challenge my preconceptions. A God who sings over me with joy paints a picture of himself as extravagant and generous to his people, a God who delights in his relationship with his children.
How significant, special and cherished we are.
Joy in God’s love for you.
Questions:
-
1. Think of the name of a song that God might be singing over you.
-
2. What is the message of this song? Write a few words which encapsulate the theme of the song.
-
3. What is it that causes God to rejoice over you?
- 4. In what ways does the phrase “God rejoices over you with singing” challenge your understanding of God.
Major Winsome Merrett
This week's Spiritually Speaking - Print Version
Last week's Spiritually Speaking - Parent Extraordinaire by Major Winsome Merrett
To View Previous Spiritually Speaking Click Here
Prayer Requests
"Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the centre of your life."
Philippians 4:6-7 (The Message)
Are you worried or troubled?
"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."
1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)
Do you have any cares?
"Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven’t stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to His will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works."
Colossians 1:9 (The Message)
Bible Studies
Living Beyond Yourself DVD Set. Originally offered as a print-only study, LifeWay has expanded the format of this study to include video segments featuring the author and other components similar to other popular Beth Moore studies. It's a powerful resource that will equip believers to come to know the freedom of a life filled with peace, joy, gentleness, and other positive characteristics (Gal. 5:22-23). By encouraging participants to develop and maintain an intimate relationship with the Spirit of God, this study will help them to nurture and cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in their daily lives.
The DVD set contains six DVDs containing 11 teaching segments recorded in Beth's home church. Using session titles like "A Composite of Peculiar Patience", "Gentle Giants", and "The Crucible of Self Control", Beth walks participants through each trait listed in the Fruit of the Spirit passage from Galations 5:22-23 and teaches what they look like in the day-to-day
challenges of life.
.gif)
To Live is Christ is the book adaptation of the bestselling, video-based, interactive Bible study by the same name. Tracing Paul's life from childhood to martyrdom, the book looks at how the apostle's life can give readers a renewed sense of purpose in God's plan. His undying passion for Christ continues to inspire and challenge those with a deep spiritual hunger for the things of God. Readers will be greatly refreshed by the obvious mercy of God that causes those who have failed Him to repent and serve Him wholeheartedly and effectively.
WOMEN'S MINISTRIES RESOURCE CATALOGUE
To help get ready for 2009 check out the Women's Ministries Resource Catalogue. Contact us for your free copy of this catalogue.
Contact details:
Phone: (03) 8878 4539
Email: women’s.ministries@aus.salvationarmy.org
or complete the ‘contact us’ form
IHQ Call to Prayer
Dear Colleagues,
From the WPWM - notice of Calls to Prayer 2008
As you know, women's ministries has strongly supported the General's Calls to Prayer for Peace in 2007, and the Calls to Prayer for Victims of Sex Trade Trafficking in September 2006 and 2007. These prayers are ongoing. I can also now tell you, with the General's permission, that he is planning to call the Army to prayer again in the month of September 2008:
Sunday 21 September 2008 Call to Prayer for Peace
'I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven' Matthew 5: 44 - 45 (this year our call to prayer for peace coincides exactly with the annual United Nations International Day of Peace, 21 September)
Sunday 28 September 2008 Call to Prayer for Victims of Sex Trade Trafficking
'Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one' Ephesians 6: 16
(USA National Headquarters, who initiated this annual call to prayer, has already chosen this final weekend in September)
This advance notice is to help you in your thinking and planning. The formal calls to prayer, with Bible verses and suggested poster designs, will be announced in due time and through the usual channels, probably in May or June.
God bless you all. Thank you for your faithful prayer and concerned action on behalf of the suffering and oppressed.
With love in Christ,
Helen Clifton
'See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!' 1 John 3: 1
Helen Clifton
Commissioner
World President of Women's Ministries
World Day of Prayer
The theme and the country for 2009 as announced on the World Day of Prayer website are as follows:
2009 'In Christ, there are many Members, yet one Body'
Papua New Guinea
