Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending! - Carl BardThe message was built around three women in scripture. Rahab, the Prostitute; Bathsheba, the eventual wife of King David; and Ruth, daughter-in-law of Naomi.
He then discussed how Rahab had made the choice to prostitute herself for whatever reasons (Joshua 2). Bathsheba was the victim of King David’s choice not to go off to war when he was supposed to (2 Samuel 11). Ruth was put in a position to make a choice due to something she had no control over - the death of her husband [simply put…a life circumstance] ( Ruth 1-4).
HOWEVER, it is significant to note, as Bro. Bobby pointed out, that in Matthew 1, five women are mentioned in the genealogy of Christ… Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba (wife of Uriah) and Mary (mother of Christ).
WOW! Somewhere Rahab, Bathsheba, and Ruth made a new ending to their story. I want to encourage you as Bro. Bobby encouraged us Sunday. Most things in life aren’t “do over’s”. Remember as a kid playing ball you might call out “do over”! Well, we may not be able to have a do over with that marriage that ended, or the lost of a job, or even those life circumstances that have knocked the wind out of us. But we can make a brand new ending from this day forward! God’s word tells us to “finish strong”. Never doubt that if God tells us to do something then He will grace us for the journey! You, my dear one, are being molded into the image of Christ. Get up! Dust the lies of the enemy off your britches, and “make a brand new ending!” Amen!
Please begin to pray as Pure Joy heads to Africa in March of 2011. Our Theme is “Faith” from …Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Pray that God will meet our financial needs for sponsoring the missionary women that will attend the retreat. Praise God for the opportunities we have to go into an area where the women can fellowship, relax, worship and be challenged and renewed by the Living Word of God without concern of persecution.
We have 4 ladies sponsored as of this writing. We have 46 more to go. So I’m going to do something we have never done because desperate times call for desperate measures. Starting this week I am going to ask everyone reading this blog to please send $20 dollars to the ministry this week. Then I’m going to skip a week and ask you to send $20 again, then another week and $20 again. Truth be known, most of us spend $20 a week and don’t have a clue where it went. This way you still get to spend your twenty but it is intentional and for God’s Glory! All funds that are coming in right now are being designated for the Africa Retreat unless you tell us to put it someplace else (all donations tax deductable). There is your challenge! I will keep you posted on how this challenge is going.
When Patty (Financial Person for the ministry) reads this blog before posting it she is probably going to think I’ve gone off the deep end! But, dab-nab-it, I think it is time for us to challenge each other when it comes to accomplishing the things of the Lord. I’m giving up Starbucks from today until we leave the country for Africa and donating my money that I would normally spend at Starbucks to the Africa trip! If you know me you know this is NO SMALL commitment! Would any of you make such a commitment regarding the giving up of something until March 2, 2011, and donate that money to a missionary towards her being able to attend this retreat FREE of charge. All they have to do is get to the location of the retreat. Meals, rooms, materials are all taken care of for them. Give it up folks! Remember my last blog before Christmas! Times are getting tougher and we believers are going to have to get tougher to be able to “Encourage one another daily as long as it is called today so our hearts will NOT BE HARDENED by sin’s deceitfulness.” Heb. 3:13
I love you all,
His,
vickie
Take the challenge!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment