Beauty From Ashes
First of all I want to say don’t you feel beautiful after reading these three chapters? We have gone through the benefits and obstacles, then on to the ancient ruins and broken hearts and now after we have dug everything up, we are preparing to be the bride.
How did you feel when you read about Tamar, David’s daughter? It makes me so angry to think that Amnon could be so hateful and to top it off Absolom wanted her to keep quiet about it and King David did nothing! Tamar lived out her life a desolate woman. There is so much demoralization to women in our society. This also makes me very angry! You see it on TV, magazines, billboards, etc… I believe Satan uses all these venues to tear women down because we have so much to offer. I think we scare him. So lets start scaring him some more. I am sure there are Women in this Bible study that have been worn down into thinking they don’t have a lot to offer, but you do! We are sensitive (some more than others J I always tell Russ that this is my gift), intuitive, thoughtful, etc … That is how we were created. They are gifts that speak into other peoples lives. There are many times where I helped keep Russ from problems in the ministry because I “just had a feeling”. It goes along with what we are studying at Canyon Creek about listening to the Holy Spirit as he empowers us to listen, make choices, say and do the right things. But back to Tamar. Beth Moore writes “The quality of our lives usually grows from what and who we believe we are.” King David was responsible for her desolation. “God is also furious when women are abused and mistreated. The difference is that we can trust Him to do something about it—His way, His time.” If you were in last years Bible study you will remember the verse Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” We are not fighting this war alone and we should not be fighting each other. I am reminded of what Di spoke on yesterday. First of all Di, you are amazing to share on a weekend where so much has gone on in your family and secondly talk about perfect timing! Satan wants to target the church and its families. Where can he target women but to make them feel unwanted and unworthy, also ladies, yes I am going to say it, the tongue! A lot of the hurts in the church start out as little problems and because of our tongues they end up hurting people. There are several of you that have been hurt in the church. I am one of those people, but with Gods help I am healed! It is so awesome to say that. I made a choice to use the experience for good and not to let it eat away at me. The experience has made me stronger. Once in a while I will allow negative thoughts creep in like “You’re not good enough to be used” “How could God use you. You have nothing to offer” these are just a few of the thoughts but I can honestly say that when I feel those thoughts creep up, I get a little excited because I know I must be doing something right. I know that sounds crazy but why else would I have thought of doubt unless God was about to use me and the enemy didn’t want me to have a clear mind. The important thing is never give up on the Church. Get committed, follow-through, and invest yourself into relationships at church. Don’t let fear rob you of what God has for you. Something that jumped out at me the Beth wrote was, “If you are not royalty, He is not King” “If Satan has convinced you to see yourself as anything less than the handpicked daughter of the King of all kings, you have something in common with Tamar…What you may have in common is a stronghold.”
Now to be a beautiful bride! “God wants to restore dignity, virtue, and honor to women in a world that continually demoralizes them. You don’t have to be personally violated to buy into the world’s negative propaganda.” Like I said earlier we have so much to offer but we are bombarded with garbage that infiltrates our minds. Who are we? Think about that when you see that question what comes to mind? We are the bride of Christ! As we are making ourselves ready we are developing that relationship. I didn’t just meet Russ and then boom get married. We spent time together and had fun learning about each other. I introduced him to my family and he introduced me to his. Then one evening at Lake Washington during finals at Northwest College he asked me to marry him. Awe how sweet! In order to be a bride we need to develop that relationship with Christ. In Revelation 19:4-8 the bride is making herself ready or preparing herself for the wedding. Song of Songs is about the love between the bridegroom and his bride. Some of the words the bridegroom uses to describe his bride is my lover, my beautiful one, my bride etc…Picture yourself getting ready for your wedding day. Wouldn’t you want to tell everyone and look your best! Let’s not spend time on letting our hurts fester up or listening to the lies of the enemy. Let’s prepare to be the bride. Let your mirror image be the face of Christ. You are a masterpiece! One day at a time!
Assignment:
Write down in your journal what this lesson is speaking to you about. How does it make you feel?
Write down some thoughts that has kept you away from feeling important. Now look at them. Ask God to help you in these areas. Now rip them up when you are ready signifying that you will not believe those lies anymore! You are important! You are the bride of Christ! You are royalty!
Share your thoughts on the reading or lesson. Please I would love for you all to share something. Make my life feel important! (Was that pressure or what:))
Join Di and me in memorizing Is. 61. Di has completed it and I am on verse 9. It is an incredible passage!
I want to hear from you.
Rhonda
How did you feel when you read about Tamar, David’s daughter? It makes me so angry to think that Amnon could be so hateful and to top it off Absolom wanted her to keep quiet about it and King David did nothing! Tamar lived out her life a desolate woman. There is so much demoralization to women in our society. This also makes me very angry! You see it on TV, magazines, billboards, etc… I believe Satan uses all these venues to tear women down because we have so much to offer. I think we scare him. So lets start scaring him some more. I am sure there are Women in this Bible study that have been worn down into thinking they don’t have a lot to offer, but you do! We are sensitive (some more than others J I always tell Russ that this is my gift), intuitive, thoughtful, etc … That is how we were created. They are gifts that speak into other peoples lives. There are many times where I helped keep Russ from problems in the ministry because I “just had a feeling”. It goes along with what we are studying at Canyon Creek about listening to the Holy Spirit as he empowers us to listen, make choices, say and do the right things. But back to Tamar. Beth Moore writes “The quality of our lives usually grows from what and who we believe we are.” King David was responsible for her desolation. “God is also furious when women are abused and mistreated. The difference is that we can trust Him to do something about it—His way, His time.” If you were in last years Bible study you will remember the verse Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” We are not fighting this war alone and we should not be fighting each other. I am reminded of what Di spoke on yesterday. First of all Di, you are amazing to share on a weekend where so much has gone on in your family and secondly talk about perfect timing! Satan wants to target the church and its families. Where can he target women but to make them feel unwanted and unworthy, also ladies, yes I am going to say it, the tongue! A lot of the hurts in the church start out as little problems and because of our tongues they end up hurting people. There are several of you that have been hurt in the church. I am one of those people, but with Gods help I am healed! It is so awesome to say that. I made a choice to use the experience for good and not to let it eat away at me. The experience has made me stronger. Once in a while I will allow negative thoughts creep in like “You’re not good enough to be used” “How could God use you. You have nothing to offer” these are just a few of the thoughts but I can honestly say that when I feel those thoughts creep up, I get a little excited because I know I must be doing something right. I know that sounds crazy but why else would I have thought of doubt unless God was about to use me and the enemy didn’t want me to have a clear mind. The important thing is never give up on the Church. Get committed, follow-through, and invest yourself into relationships at church. Don’t let fear rob you of what God has for you. Something that jumped out at me the Beth wrote was, “If you are not royalty, He is not King” “If Satan has convinced you to see yourself as anything less than the handpicked daughter of the King of all kings, you have something in common with Tamar…What you may have in common is a stronghold.”
Now to be a beautiful bride! “God wants to restore dignity, virtue, and honor to women in a world that continually demoralizes them. You don’t have to be personally violated to buy into the world’s negative propaganda.” Like I said earlier we have so much to offer but we are bombarded with garbage that infiltrates our minds. Who are we? Think about that when you see that question what comes to mind? We are the bride of Christ! As we are making ourselves ready we are developing that relationship. I didn’t just meet Russ and then boom get married. We spent time together and had fun learning about each other. I introduced him to my family and he introduced me to his. Then one evening at Lake Washington during finals at Northwest College he asked me to marry him. Awe how sweet! In order to be a bride we need to develop that relationship with Christ. In Revelation 19:4-8 the bride is making herself ready or preparing herself for the wedding. Song of Songs is about the love between the bridegroom and his bride. Some of the words the bridegroom uses to describe his bride is my lover, my beautiful one, my bride etc…Picture yourself getting ready for your wedding day. Wouldn’t you want to tell everyone and look your best! Let’s not spend time on letting our hurts fester up or listening to the lies of the enemy. Let’s prepare to be the bride. Let your mirror image be the face of Christ. You are a masterpiece! One day at a time!
Assignment:
Write down in your journal what this lesson is speaking to you about. How does it make you feel?
Write down some thoughts that has kept you away from feeling important. Now look at them. Ask God to help you in these areas. Now rip them up when you are ready signifying that you will not believe those lies anymore! You are important! You are the bride of Christ! You are royalty!
Share your thoughts on the reading or lesson. Please I would love for you all to share something. Make my life feel important! (Was that pressure or what:))
Join Di and me in memorizing Is. 61. Di has completed it and I am on verse 9. It is an incredible passage!
I want to hear from you.
Rhonda
posted by Rhonda | 2:08 PM
1 Comments:
I was touched by the last chapters as well. I don't think i have ever thought of it that way. But it made me think back to the way that i felt when i was dating Jon. Jon was my first and only boyfriend and the first guy to tell me i was beautiful. It took me a long time to see it thru his eyes. It is def. something that i still have to work on.
Why is it that women feel so much preasure to live up to some made up thing out there and always are so hard on themselves. I can honestly say that i think all women are only as beautiful as what radiates from within. I have meant some pretty sunning women, who came across as crap to me because the attitude and spirit was sooooo horrible.
As a side note to Sonya.
I have never viewed you as overweight. I think you are beautiful. I'm sure it is hard because you judge yourself off of what you were before. But i have only met you and that is my take. And anything you do to make yourself feel better in those jeans or whatever will only intensify that. You are a wonderful person. I hope to get to know you better.
Rachel
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