COGWC Welcome's Administrative Bishop Keith L. Ivester

Church of God Worship Center Welcome's Keith Ivester on Sunday June 28th. Mr. Ivester will be preaching this coming Sunday Morning. Sunday School begins at 10Am with the regular church service starting at 11AM. Hope to see you all there.

Women of the Bible (Martha)

Martha

Meaning: bitterness

the sister of Lazarus and Mary, and probably the eldest of the family, who all resided at Bethany (Luke 10:38,40,41; John 11:1-39)

From the residence being called “her house,” some have supposed that she was a widow, and that her brother and sister lodged with her.

She seems to have been of an anxious, bustling spirit, anxious to be helpful in providing the best things for the Master's use, in contrast to the quiet earnestness of Mary, who was more concerned to avail herself of the opportunity of sitting at his feet and learning of him.
Afterwards at a supper given to Christ and his disciples in her house “Martha served.” Nothing further is known of her.

"Mary and Martha are representatives of two orders of human character. One was absorbed, preoccupied, abstracted; the other was concentrated and single-hearted. Her own world was the all of Martha; Christ was the first thought with Mary. To Martha life was ‘a succession of particular businesses;’ to Mary life ‘was rather the flow of one spirit.’ Martha was Petrine, Mary was Johannine. The one was a well-meaning, bustling busybody; the other was a reverent disciple, a wistful listener."

Paul had such a picture as that of Martha in his mind when he spoke of serving the Lord “without distraction” (1 Cor. 7:35).

Women of the Bible (Lydia)

Lydia

A woman of Thyatira, a “seller of purple,” who dwelt in Philippi (Acts 16:14, 15).

She was not a Jewess but a proselyte. The Lord opened her heart as she heard the gospel from the lips of Paul (16:13). She thus became the first in Europe who embraced Christianity. She was a person apparently of considerable wealth, for she could afford to give a home to Paul and his companions.

Mother's Day At COGWC

Easter Snapshots

Will add more later...

Some Random Pictures

I wanted to share this pic I found of our Pastor's wife Vicki pictured here with their daughter Deidre.

Pictuered below is Les and her mother Linda.

Pictured below is Martha taken after one of our church services.

Pictured below Judy with her grand daughter.

April 11-12 @ 6PM (Watch The Lamb)

Today Is Palm Sunday

On Palm Sunday We celebrate the Triumphal Entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, the week before his death and resurrection. For many Christian churches, Palm Sunday, often referred to as "Passion Sunday," marks the beginning of Holy Week, which concludes on Easter Sunday.

The Bible reveals that when Jesus entered Jerusalem, the crowds greeted him with waving palm branches, and by covering his path with palm branches. Immediately following this great time of celebration in the ministry of Jesus, he begins his journey to the cross.

The biblical account of Palm Sunday can be found in Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; and John 12:12-19.

Women of the Bible (Leah)

Leah

Meaning: weary

the eldest daughter of Laban, and sister of Rachel (Gen. 29:16)

Jacob took her to wife through a deceit of her father (Gen. 29:23). She was “tender-eyed” (17). She bore to Jacob six sons (32-35), also one daughter, Dinah (30:21). She accompanied Jacob into Canaan, and died there before the time of the going down into Egypt (Gen. 31), and was buried in the cave of Machpelah (49:31).

Women of the Bible (Jael)

Jael

Meaning: mountain-goat

The wife of Heber the Kenite (Judg. 4:17-22) was named “Jael.” When the Canaanites were defeated by Barak, Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, fled and sought refuge with the friendly tribe of Heber, beneath the oaks of Zaanaim. As he drew near, Jael invited him to enter her tent.

He did so, and as he lay wearied on the floor he fell into a deep sleep. She then took in her left hand one of the great wooden pins (“nail”) which fastened down the cords of the tent, and in her right hand the mallet, or "hammer," used for driving it into the ground, and stealthily approaching her sleeping guest, with one well-directed blow drove the nail through his temples into the earth (Judg. 5:27). She then led Barak, who was in pursuit, into her tent, and boastfully showed him what she had done.

Welcome Dr. Hollisa Alewine

How Great Is Our GOD!!!!

A lesson on LAMININ...

A friend sent this to me and I felt so compelled to share it that I'm going to post it here and on the mens site as well.

Talk about a AHA Moment... This was one for me.Please scroll down the Page first and pause the music before clicking on the link here. You will be AMAZED...I guarantee you will receive a blessing into this within 5 to 6 minutes.

Thank You So much for Sharing this with all of us Lisa Brown. I was so blessed.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e4zgJXPpI4

Women of the Bible (Hannah)

Hannah

Meaning: favor, grace

This was the name of one of the wives of Elkanah the Levite, and the mother of Samuel (1 Sam. 1; 2). Her home was at Ramathaim-zophim, whence she was wont every year to go to Shiloh, where the tabernacle had been pitched by Joshua, to attend the offering of sacrifices there according to the law (Ex. 23:15; 34:18; Deut. 16:16), probably at the feast of the Passover (compare Ex. 13:10). On occasion of one of these “yearly” visits, being grieved by reason of Peninnah's conduct toward her, she went forth alone, and kneeling before the Lord at the sanctuary she prayed inaudibly.

Eli the high priest, who sat at the entrance to the holy place, observed her, and misunderstanding her character he harshly condemned her conduct (1 Sam. 1:14-16). After hearing her explanation he retracted his injurious charge and said to her, “Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition.” Perhaps the story of the wife of Manoah was not unknown to her.

Thereafter Elkanah and his family retired to their quiet home, and there, before another Passover, Hannah gave birth to a son, whom, in grateful memory of the Lord's goodness, she called Samuel, i.e., “heard of God.” After the child was weaned (probably in his third year) she brought him to Shiloh into the house of the Lord, and said to Eli the aged priest, “Oh my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord. For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him: therefore I also have granted him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he is granted to the Lord” (

1 Sam. 1:27-28, R.V.).

Her gladness of heart then found vent in that remarkable prophetic song (

2:1-10; compare Luke 1:46-55) which contains the first designation of the Messiah under that name (1 Sam. 2:10, “Annointed” = “Messiah”). And so Samuel and his parents parted. He was left at Shiloh to minister “before the Lord.” And each year, when they came up to Shiloh, Hannah brought to her absent child “a little coat” (Hebrew: meil, a term used to denote the “robe” of the ephod worn by the high priest, Ex. 28:31), a priestly robe, a long upper tunic (1 Chr. 15:27), in which to minister in the tabernacle (1 Sam. 2:19; 15:27; Job 2:12). “And the child Samuel grew before the Lord.” After Samuel, Hannah had three sons and two daughters.

Women of the Bible (Elisabeth)

Mary visiting her cousin Elisabeth.

Meaning: God her oath

Elisabeth was the mother of John the Baptist (Luke 1:5). She was a descendant of Aaron. She and her husband Zacharias (q.v.) “were both righteous before God” (Luke 1:5, 13). Mary's visit to Elisabeth is described in 1:39-63.

Women of the Bible (Dinah)

Dinah

Meaning: judged; vindicated

daughter of Jacob by Leah, and sister of Simeon and Levi (Gen. 30:21)

She was seduced by Shechem, the son of Hamor, the Hivite chief, when Jacob's camp was in the neighborhood of Shechem. This led to the terrible revenge of Simeon and Levi in putting the Shechemites to death (Gen. 34). Jacob makes frequent reference to this deed of blood with abhorrence and regret (Gen. 34:30; 49:5-7). She is mentioned among the rest of Jacob's family that went down into Egypt (Gen. 46:8, 15).

Women of the Bible (Bilhah)

Bilhah

Meaning: faltering; bashful

Rachel's handmaid, whom she gave to Jacob (Gen. 29:29)

She was the mother of Dan and Naphtali (Gen. 30:3-8). Reuben was cursed by his father for committing adultery with her (35:22; 49:4). He was deprived of the birth-right, which was given to the sons of Joseph.

Women of the Bible (Athaliah)

Athaliah

Meaning: whom God afflicts

The daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, and the wife of Jehoram, king of Judah (2 Kings 8:18), who “walked in the ways of the house of Ahab” (2 Chr. 21:6), called “daughter” of Omri (2 Kings 8:26).

On the death of her husband and of her son Ahaziah, she resolved to seat herself on the vacant throne. She slew all Ahaziah's children except Joash, the youngest (2 Kings 11:1,2). After a reign of six years, she was put to death in an insurrection (2 Kings 11:20; 2 Chr. 21:6; 22:10-12; 23:15), stirred up among the people in connection with Josiah's being crowned as king.

Easter Play Practice

Our Easter Play is in the works and each year Rosetta L. puts her heart and soul into making it a little more special each year. Rosetta has such a vision and passion for making things come to life. You will be so touched by the Performance of WATCH THE LAMB. Practice is on Monday's at 7PM. So if you want to participate please be there. Our next practice will be a full run of the play so be sure to attend. If you are needing a costume made please make sure to get your material together for our seamstress.
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Elva R.

I think I speak for most everyone when I say that each time Elva R. gets up to sing we get such a blessing just from watching her. Someone once said there are times it looks like she is walking on water.

Poems From Lisa Brown

A Woman In Christ

I am a child of God
A woman in Christ
By standards of society
I will not be defined

The beauty I possess
Is not determined by man
Nor can it be bought
By a surgeon's hand

For the Son has painted
A glow upon my face
His artistry has captured
My portrait of grace

With each stroke of His brush
My flaws dissapear
My features are transformed
Time I no longer fear

What the mirror beholds
Will surely diminish with age
As lines cover youth
And golden locks turn gray

For every reflection is merely
A season in life
But I will always be beautiful
A woman in Christ

Copyright by Lisa Brown
All rights reserved

Patterns of Life

The patterns of my life
So intricately woven
Sewn by the smallest detail
Defined by every moment

Errors that I have made
Trials I did not choose
Time I took for granted
Mountains I prayed to move
Tears I cried in despair

Memories I cannot forget
Days I still cling to
Some I have come to regret
Yet, I am thankful for my life

For every circumstance
For the lives of those
Carefully placed in my path
For the pieces of my life

So uniquely designed
Form an intricate pattern
Where God and I intertwine

Copyright by Lisa Brown
All rights reserved

View From The Top

Standing in the valley below
I could see the mountain just ahead
And being discontent with my life
I decided to leave behind

The ground which I had tread
So I began my journey
Holding on with both hands
Out of breath, battered and bruised

Struggling to keep my footing and
Losing my balance time and time again
With each step I came closer
I was determined not to stop

For all things worthy come with a price
And I knew I just had to see
The view from the mountaintop

Copyright by Lisa Brown
All Rights Reserved

Good Morning!!!

Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the ground each morning the devil says, "OH CRAP, SHE'S UP"!

Kevin Hertz

Please Remember Kevin Hertz in your prayers. He is a remarkable 13 year old boy from Michigan who is battling a brain tumor. Our church has been praying for him for quite sometime now. He is about to undergo surgery to take a biopsy of the tumor to see what form of chemo they can use next. Please pray for GOD to Heal him.

Here are some Helpful links to some more info on Kevin's Story.

http://benefit4kids.proboards41.com/index.cgi?board=events&action=print&thread=174

http://www.b4k.org/kids.htm

Megan H. Personal Testimony (6)

Photo Credit/RYCO Photography

Many people tend to lose their faith in God when their prayers aren’t answered as quickly as they would like for them to be. I am here to tell you not to lose your faith in God, for he will help you in your time of need.

Being only 14 years old, God has already performed an outstanding miracle in my life, and I cannot thank him enough for that. He saved me from a life threatening experience, and I hope my story will inspire you not to make the same mistakes that I did.

In August of 2008 I developed an eating disorder, harming not only myself, but my family as well. By October, the disorder had taken over me and I was no longer capable of controlling my actions. It was so dangerous for me because I was only a few weeks away from death.

The doctors had lost all hope in me, and planned to send me off to a hospital until I fully recovered. My parents decided in the end not to send me off because we still had faith that God would heal me soon.

Just days after they had planned to send me away, my mom had an emotional break down. I had put my family through so much pain, and she could simply no longer take it. Luckily, that night they were having a ladies meeting at our church, and mom and I drove down there to be prayed for. While they were praying for us, it felt like a 50 pound weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I immediately knew that I was healed, and that God would take care of everything.

The following Friday I went to the doctor’s office to be weighed, as I had for months, and I was still continuing to lose weight. We couldn’t understand why my condition was getting worse, when we absolutely knew that God had healed me. Despite the numbers on the scale, we still never lost our faith, and hoped for a better outcome the following week.

When Friday came along again, I went to be weighed. This time, I had not gained weight, but I hadn’t lost any either. I had actually maintained my weight, which was a big step up from losing up to 8 pounds a week. This brought forth a new shed of hope to my family and me. As the weeks progressed, my weight finally began increasing, in large amounts too.

God had blessed me so much that I was gaining over 5 pounds a week. It was only weeks later that I had finally reached my ideal weight. I am now currently as healthy as I ever was, and I thank God each day for what he has done for me. Without him, I wouldn’t even be living right now.

For each person that reads this, I pray that if you do not know God, that you get to know him. He is simply the best person to have in your life.

-Megan H.

Linda F. Personal Testimony (5)

THE LORD! MY WONDERFUL, MARVELOUS PHYSICIAN.

Sometimes God has a way of getting our attention and I thank him for that. When I found out I had Melanoma CANCER I'd had a mole on my chest that had doubled in size in about three months. I went to the doctor and had the mole removed. The doctor then sent it off for test to be run.

The test came back and it was Melanoma Cancer and it was already in the third stage of four.

I was at work when the Doctor called with news that the test had come back positive for cancer. I know only the Lord could help me get through this. I hadn't told my family until a couple of days after. They didn't even know that I had went to the doctor. After I had told my family I was on every Church's prayer list around. I know I felt so much stronger just in knowing that others were praying for me. It just kinda takes that fear away or at least it did for me.

With Prayer you are not alone. When you have people praying for you I just knew without a shadow of a doubt that the LORD was going to Heal me.

Through this process the Doctors continued to run tests around the area that he had removed the mole. The test were showing that the cancer had progressed into my lymph nodes under my left arm.

The first surgery was performed and the lymph nodes were taken out and they came back positive for Melanoma as well. In three weeks the doctor wanted to go back in and remove all the lymph nodes.In between this time.... I WAS HEALED!!!!! I told the Doctor.. He still wanted to do a Pet Scan that would show if I had Cancer anywhere else in my body. The test was done and everything came back NEGATIVE. I didn't have any Cancer anywhere. The Lord had Healed me. The doctor still wanted to take out the lymph nodes because the cancer had been there before so I let him remove them.

Even though no cancer was found the Doctor still wanted me to take treatments. BUT I CLAIM MY HEALING!!!! I am holding on to it for GOD is the Healer and My PHYSICIAN..

I Thank HIM and Praise HIM!!

Every now and then the LORD wants to get our attention and getting us back where we need to be which is with HIM.

He has always been there when I call on HIM. He has taken care of me and my family. We can never give him enough Praise for all that he does.

I Praise HIM!!

Valentine Banquet is in the Works

Just wanted to send out a big Thank You to everyone involved in the planning. This is sure to be an evening filled with fun and laughter.

Women of the Bible (Anna)

Anna

Meaning: grace.

This is the name of an aged widow mentioned in the Bible. She was the daughter of Phanuel. She was a "prophetess," like Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah (2 Chr. 34:22).

After seven years of married life her husband died, and during her long widowhood she daily attended the temple services. When she was eighty-four years old, she entered the temple at the moment when the aged Simeon uttered his memorable words of praise and thanks to God that he had fulfilled his ancient promise in sending his Son into the world (Luke 2:36-37)

Women of the Bible (Abishag)

Abishag

This was the name of a beautiful young woman of Shunem. She was chosen to minister to David in his old age, to attempt to nurse him to health and to keep him warm (1 Kings 1:3-4, 15). She appears to have become David's closest attendant.

After David's death Adonijah (his son) persuaded Bathsheba, Solomon's mother (and David's wife), to ask the king to give Abishag to marry. Solomon suspected in this request an aspiration to the throne, and realized that his brother was still a traitor plotting with Abiathar and Joab, and therefore Solomon ordered that he be put to death (1 Kings 2:17-25).

Women of the Bible (Abigail)

This was the name of two biblical women:

The sister of David, and wife of Jether an Ishmaelite (1 Chr. 2:16,17). She was the mother of Amasa (2 Sam. 17:25).

The wife of the Nabal, who lived in the district of Carmel (1 Sam. 25:3). She showed great prudence and delicate management at a critical period of her husband's life. She was beautiful and “a woman of good understanding.” After Nabal's death she became the wife of David (1 Sam. 25:14-42), and was his companion in all his future fortunes (1 Sam. 27:3; 30:5; 2 Sam. 2:2). By her, David had a son called Chileab (2 Sam. 3:3), elsewhere called Daniel (1 Chr. 3:1).

Women of the Bible (Mary of Nazareth)

Mary of Nazareth was the mother of Jesus Christ.

She is one of the few women in the ancient world whose life story has been told. We have stories of her as a young girl, a mother, and a mature woman. It is important to realize that we carry different images of Mary in our minds - such as
* the woman Mary, a historical figure who lived in first-century Galilee

* Mary the mother of Jesus in the stories of the New Testament

* Mary who has been venerated throughout the history of the Christian Church as the Mother of God.

Mary of Nazareth was a Jewish peasant girl. She lived in a world in which about 70% of people were peasant farmers. She worked hard at a range of tasks, and she loved and looked after her family.

The small, conservative town of Nazareth had a population of no more than 400. Mary probably knew everyone in the town, especially the women with whom she worked and lived. Women have been involved in agriculture and food production since prehistoric times, and she and other women in her family group had the responsibility of farming any land that the family owned, whether it was fields, orchards or vineyards (olives were the largest crop produced in Galilee at this time).

The historical Mary was probably physically robust, strong-minded, practical, respectful of tradition and loyal to her family – all characteristics of scriptural women in general.
Mary would have spoken Aramaic, a language with a strong poetic tradition. Her society valued the oral transmission of tradition, ideas, stories and news. Being able to talk well was a valued skill in the ancient world.

She would have known the Jewish Scriptures, especially the stories and prayers in them, and been aware of the women in these stories, many of them favourite role models. Mary probably knew the stories and prayers by heart, rather than by reading them. Reading was a specialized skill, necessary for men so that they could read the Torah, but not necessary for women, who were concerned with developing more practical skills. Scriptural stories were not just ‘religious’ to Mary. They were entertainment as well. People told the stories and acted them out for pure enjoyment.

There were three main social levels in Mary’s world: the rich, who were usually landowners and/or entrepreneurs; the poor, who worked on the land or at a variety of trades; and the destitute, who had neither land nor job, and who survived by begging. Mary and her family belonged to the middle group.

In the gospel written by Luke, Mary was a model of what a follower of Jesus ought to be: she had faith in God, she thought deeply about what was happening to her, and she co-operated with God, holding nothing back. She was also a very human figure, experiencing distress and joy as she watched over her child.

Mary promised herself in marriage to a young man called Joseph. He was a ‘worker’ in wood, metal or stone, producing practical objects for agricultural or domestic use. But Mary’s life was not to be the normal one a young Galilean woman might expect.

The gospels say that an ‘angel’ came to her, telling her that she was to be the mother of an extraordinary man, one who would be called the Son of God. This event was called the Annunciation.

'The angel said to her “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus”.’(Read Luke 1:26-38)
Mary became pregnant, even though she and Joseph had not yet known one another.

Being an unmarried mother in that culture was very difficult, much more so than in today’s society. People were not seen as individuals as they are now, but members of their group/clan, and any action of an individual reflected on the whole group. Mary’s family would have found it very hard to believe that there was no human father; her pregnancy would bring dishonor to all of them.S oon after this, Mary went to visit an older cousin of hers, Elizabeth.

When Mary and Elizabeth met, there was a moment of mutual recognition, where each woman realized that the child of the other would be a person of great importance. Mary spoke the words of a beautiful prayer, expressing her wonder at what had happened. The prayer is called the ‘Magnificat’.

Mary and Joseph had to attend a census-taking in Joseph’s ancestral town, Bethlehem, and Mary gave birth to her son there. This census may or may not be an historical fact: possibly it was a device to situate them in Bethlehem, from which the Messiah would spring, for the birth of Jesus.

In traditional portrayals of the birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph were the only family members present. In fact, Mary would have been helped during the birth by a group of her female relatives.

All the stories about Jesus’ early life convey the idea that he was extraordinary. Their message is that Jesus was more than an inspired teacher and thinker. While he was fully human, he also came directly from God, and represented God in a unique way. By saying that Jesus’ birth was miraculous, Luke presented Jesus as divine.

After the birth of Mary’s son, he was taken to the Temple in Jerusalem. A religious ceremony for the women followed the birth of a Jewish child. This marked the end of the post-partum period, and the resumption of relations between wife and husband. As a devout Jewess, Mary observed the rituals surrounding the birth of a child. During the ceremony in the Temple two people, Anna and Simeon, foretold an extraordinary future for Mary’s son.

After this, Mary and Joseph returned to Nazareth, where they lived with their family. During these years, Mary lived the normal life of a Galilean peasant woman.

A Jewish woman had the responsibility of giving her children their basic education. Jesus’ introduction to the richness of Jewish religious ideas came initially from his mother, with male teachers later educating him in Torah. Mary and her family seem to have been conservative Jews who took their religious duties seriously. Jesus was about twelve when they made the journey to Jerusalem. They travelled with a group of pilgrims to visit the great Temple and make sacrifices there.

For a woman from a small town in far-off Galilee, Jerusalem would be confusing, noisy, full of strangers, but also exciting, with strange sights and new experiences. On one of their visits to Jerusalem, Mary’s son Jesus stayed behind when the other members of his family set out for home. His absence was not noticed for some time. Men and women spent the major part of their lives in groups of their own sex. Jesus could have been with either group. As a child, he spent most of his life with the women’s group, but as a boy near adulthood, he could have been with the men’s group.

Mary and her family looked for Jesus, and when they found him they all returned to Galilee. Mary continued her life as a normal Jewish/Galilean woman. Now read Luke 4:16-30, where Jesus was rejected at Nazareth, and Luke 8:19-21, where the family of Jesus visited him during his ministry.

The gospel of John developed complex ideas about Jesus: who he was, and how this was evident in his life. The emphasis was on the divinity of Jesus, with not many stories about Mary. But the stories we have show a woman who was sure of herself, and confident about her place in the community.

Wedding Feast at Cana', Jan Vermeyen

One story tells about a wedding that she and Jesus attended in a town in central Galilee, called Cana.‘When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants “Do whatever he tells you.” Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.’(Read John 2:1-11)

The story of the wedding at Cana gives us an example of Mary’s assertiveness as she insists that Jesus help in a difficult situation. Mary has often been represented as quiet and submissive in iconography and tradition. As a Jewish peasant woman, it is unlikely that she was either of these things.

Mary watched her son during the three years he spent teaching and traveling around the country. She saw that the authorities viewed his actions and words with mounting apprehension.

The Jewish authorities were in a difficult situation. They were trying to maintain a delicate balance of political stability between the Romans and the Jewish population. They saw Jesus as a threat to this stability.

The situation became progressively worse. Mary saw the danger coming, but was unable to protect her son. Eventually, during an incident in the crowded city of Jerusalem, Jesus was arrested, given a swift trial, and executed in the hideous manner reserved for criminals.

‘Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother “Woman, here is your son.” The he said to the disciple “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.’(Read John 19:25-27)

Mary saw her son tortured and killed. Jesus had been her baby, the boy she educated, the young man she was so proud of. She now saw him tormented and executed by brutal soldiers. It is impossible to imagine how she felt as she watched the full horror of the crucifixion. After the death of her son, Mary lived in the home of one of his friends.

Women of the Bible (Miriam)

Miriam is a woman of the Bible who doesn’t always get the recognition she deserves, being overshadowed by her famous brother, Moses. In the Bible stories, she is quick thinking, a leader, a songwriter and a prophetess.

We first meet Miriam, although she is not named, as she is keeping a protective watch over her baby brother Moses as he floats in a waterproof papyrus basket. His mother had hidden him there to protect him from the Pharaoh’ slaughter of all male Israelite babies. Miriam was watching when Pharaoh’s daughter found Moses and took him in as her own.

Miriam was a brave little girl to walk up to Pharaoh’s daughter to suggest that she could get a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby. With the affirmative answer, Miriam got her mother, who was then paid to nurse Moses until he was old enough to be weaned. Exodus 2:4-8Miriam was said to be a prophetess and grew into a leader in the Hebrew community.

(The role of a prophetess was to encourage the people to obey God. Prophets and prophetess did not necessarily predict the future. Their main purpose was to speak for God, proclaiming His truth.)

When the Israelites fled the Egyptians, God allowed them to walk through the Red Sea on dry land but drowned Pharaoh’s army. As Moses sang a song of victory, Miriam picked up her tambourine and sang to the women who then followed her, dancing with their tambourines.

We all make mistakes in our life. Even the best, even the prophets have their times that they aren’t proud of. Miriam’s came when she became jealous of her little brother’s special relationship with God.

In Numbers chapter 12 there is a story of Miriam and Aaron talking against Moses because of his Cushite wife. The real reason for their complaining is revealed in the tongue-lashing God gave them. Miriam learned that one does not speak against God’s anointed leader. She was punished by being given leprosy, a skin condition that turned her white as snow, and by being confined outside the camp in disgrace for seven days before she was healed.

After 40 years in the wilderness, Miriam did not enter the land of Canaan, the land that was promised to the Israelites. She died and was buried at Kadesh in the Desert of Zin.

However, I’m certain that she entered the Promised Land with God and lives there still with her ancestors. It’s a Promised Land that we can all look forward to, even if we make mistakes along the way. I look forward to meeting Miriam there someday.

Monthly Supply Items

Last night at our Ladies Meeting we ended up with a pretty good start of monthly supply items.
At this point I think we are ok on the dish towels, dish cloths and aprons. So please try to focus on the other items listed at this time.

Women of the Bible (Bathsheba)

Bathsheba was the beloved wife of King David and the most powerful woman during the period of the monarchy. After his death she occupied the most prestigious position a woman could hold, Queen Mother.

She took part in court intrigues and influenced political events that gave the succession to her son Solomon.

The story of Bathsheba has special significance for Christians. In the gospel of Matthew, four women are included in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:2-17). Bathsheba is the fourth of these women.

King David was on the roof terrace of the palace above, looking down - windows of palaces were often screened by latticework (the mother of Sisera in Judges 5:28 watched the road through a lattice, and a statue found in the northern city of Ugarit shows a woman at a latticed window).

When David saw Bathsheba bathing he may have been screened from sight by a lattice, so that she did not know he was there. Or she may have been quite aware she was being watched. In any case, David saw her and desired her.

At the time, Bathsheba’s husband Uriah was away, fighting with the army - something David knew. Bathsheba was summoned to the palace. She went. Did she go willingly? Some like to think she was a victim taken to the palace against her will, but the text gives a clue that she went willingly. The sentence reads '...David sent messengers to get her, and she went....', suggesting that, though young, she was ambitious and strong-willed enough to seize her chance - even though it must have meant ignoring the pleas of the other women of Uriah's household.

While at the palace David knew Bathsheba. Afterwards, she returned to her home, and we hear no more until a few months later, when she realized she was pregnant. She sent a message to David to tell him, and David responded by sending for Uriah.

When the soldier-husband arrived in Jerusalem and reported to David, the king told him to go down to his home and wife. He hoped that Uriah would know his wife, and that the child might be passed off as Uriah's.‘But Uriah slept at the entrance of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.’

Uriah seems to have known what was going on, and why he was summoned. There were plenty of people to tell him - outraged family members who had seen Bathsheba go to the palace, soldier-friends who had watched her pass through the guard-house at the entrance of the palace. Bathsheba and David's messenger could not have passed through without the soldiers seeing them. The events of that night would have been known to many people.

But Uriah did not confront David with what he knew. Instead, he took the line of passive resistance. He told David he would not break the rules of soldiers on active service - ancient people believed that intimate relations robbed a man of some of his physical strength, so during active service soldiers were required to abstain from it.

Uriah would not visit his wife and have relations with her, since he was still technically on active service. Despite every inducement, Uriah stuck to this line of behavior, and David found himself backed into a corner. Enraged, he secretly ordered that Uriah be killed in battle. When, soon after Uriah had returned to the army, he was sent into battle to storm the walls of a city. Under secret instructions from their commander, the soldiers around him pulled back and left Uriah alone, so that he was cut down by the enemy. ‘When the wife of Uriah heard that her husband was dead, she made lamentation for him.'

Did Bathsheba know that David had arranged to have her husband killed? Did she mourn for the death of a good man? Or was her mourning just pretence? It is impossible to tell. The story of Bathsheba's seduction as we have it in the Bible was edited by court story-tellers during the reign of her son Solomon, and doubtless influenced by Bathsheba and her son. This is why it is so hard to tell what really happened: we only know two things: what Bathsheba wanted us to know, and what she was forced to concede because it was already public knowledge.

With Uriah now dead, David married Bathsheba and she went to live in the harem of the palace - a relatively small harem, since Israel at the time was only an emerging power. The baby she was expecting died soon after birth, but she had a second son whom she named Solomon, ‘his replacement’ - a replacement for the baby who died, or for her murdered husband? The choice of name is ambiguous.

Years passed, and Bathsheba and King David grew older. We hear nothing about Bathsheba's life during these long years, and know only that she lived in the royal harem and produced a number of children to David.

Women of the Bible (Hagar)

The story of Hagar took place during the late Bronze Age between 2000 and 1550BC, corresponding to the Middle Kingdom period in Egyptian history.

Hagar was an Egyptian girl who was a slave in the household of Sarah, a Hebrew princess. Sarah may have acquired Hagar as part of the generous bride-price paid to her husband Abraham by Pharaoh in Egypt.

It was an accepted practice at the time to give servants and slaves as part of the dowry of a wealthy young woman. If Hagar was a gift from Pharaoh, she was probably an accomplished servant with valuable skills. Becoming the servant of a nomadic tribeswoman may have been a step down socially for her.

Hagar was always disadvantaged among the Hebrew women because she was a foreigner and a slave. This must have seemed ironic to her, since she came from a land that was socially and politically advanced and possessed cities, temples and elaborate burial sites. Egypt had a complex economic system that regulated trade and commerce throughout its empire, and its theology and religion were sophisticated and well ordered. Hagar must have found the living conditions of the Hebrews quite primitive by comparison.

It seems that Hagar's new owner Sarah could not conceive a child, which was after all the primary function of a tribal leader's wife. She was a failure, and her barren state was a constant torment. She decided to offer her slave Hagar to Abraham as a sort of surrogate mother. Hagar would bear the child and look after it, but it would belong to Sarah and be accepted as the child of Sarah and Abraham.

To modern people, the idea of giving another woman to your husband to bear a child seems strange, brutal, but in ancient Near Eastern family law the practice was common and acceptable.

Something went wrong between Hagar and Sarah after Hagar became pregnant. Sarah was daily confronted by the other woman's success at conceiving a child, and believed that Hagar no longer gave her the deference she deserved. For her part, Hagar may have enjoyed being treated with respect for the first time in her life, and did not bother to hide her pleasure.

The women fell out, and Sarah berated Abraham for what had happened. It was all his fault, she said. He pointed out, quite rightly, that it was not in his power to do anything, since Sarah was still in charge of the women of the tribe, and Hagar was under her jurisdiction, not his. This gives us some inkling of the property rights and social power of the woman who led the tribe. She, not her husband, ruled the other tribal women and was responsible for them.

Sarah humbled an Egyptian, as the Egyptians would one day humble Sarah’s descendants. What this 'humbling' entailed we do not know, but it was enough to drive Hagar away, fleeing from the relative safety of the tribe out into the bleak landscape. Pregnant as she was she headed south, in a desperate attempt to get back to her lost home and family in Egypt.

She followed the road to Shur, which was one of the trade routes passing through the Sinai peninsula. Alone and unaided, it was a heroic effort and a tribute to her tenacity that she got as far as she did.

Despite this, Hagar very nearly made it to Egypt, as the map above shows. But eventually, exhausted, she stopped at a spring of water in the wilderness of Shur. At this moment, an 'angel' spoke to her, telling her to return to Sarah and have her baby among the Hebrews. It would be a special child, a child with a great future. So she retraced her steps and returned to the tribe, and to Sarah.

Hagar was able to return to Sarah, because she now had a purpose in life:

to bear a child who had an important destiny

to rear that child who would have descendants without number.

Sarah's son Isaac would be born some fourteen years later. But until then, Hagar’s son Ishmael was Abraham’s son and heir, and Hagar’s status in the clan or group was solidly established.

Despite Hagar’s return, the rivalry between the two women was unresolved. Later, the birth of Sarah’s son Isaac (Genesis 21:1-7) upset the balance of power, and the problem resurfaced.

For fourteen years Ishmael was seen as the future heir of Abraham. He and Hagar were accustomed to being treated with respect. But when Sarah had her own son, everything changed. The question was, who would be Abraham's heir: the first-born son, or the son of the principal wife? This was a question that would surface continually to plague Israel throughout its history.

Sarah had no doubt about the matter. She saw Ishmael as a threat to her son, and the old enmity between the two women reappeared - now even more savage than it had been before. One telling detail is the way that Sarah never speaks directly to Hagar or says her name - never once in the whole story. ‘The child grew and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had born to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. So she said to Abraham ‘Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac’.

We do not know the details of the bitter power struggle between the two women, but we do know that Hagar lost. Neither of the women had ever trusted or liked each other, but now Sarah had a murderous hatred for Hagar, and actively sought her death. In a climactic scene, Sarah insisted that Hagar and Ishmael be sent away from the tribe.

Abraham was uneasy about expelling Hagar and Ishmael into the heat of the open desert, since they had virtually no chance of survival. He argued against it. But Sarah's power over him was still so strong that she could make him do it. He gave Hagar a gift of bread, the food staple, and a skin of water, a symbol of life - not so much for eating and drinking, but as a signal to the tribe that she remained under his protection, despite her expulsion from the tribe. It was a warning to Sarah's servants that they might not kill Hagar when she was out of sight of Abraham. This incident has been popular with artists.

Alone in the desert, Hagar and Ishmael soon used up their tiny supply of water. Hagar searched desperately for more but found none, and saw her son begin to die of thirst. There was nothing she could do to save him except place him in the shade of an overhanging bush and wait.
When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat… a good way off… for she said ‘Do not let me look on the death of the child’.

In what she believed were the last moments of her life, she lifted up her voice and called to God for help. God heard her, and heard the weak voice of her dying son. Then her eyes were opened, and she saw something she had missed before: a well of fresh water. She refilled the skin that Abraham had given her with water and took it to her son, gently coaxing the water through his lips. Then she drank the water herself.

She and her son continued on their journey, knowing they had only God and themselves to rely on. They spurned life in a town but lived in the wilderness of Paran instead, where the boy grew to manhood. When it came time for Ishmael to marry, Hagar took good care to find him a wife from her own people, not from the people of his father.

Hagar was never fully accepted into the Hebrew group despite being the mother of Abraham’s child. In the end she was rejected completely, and expelled. But she was protected by God against the hatred of Sarah, and in the end lived as a free woman, no longer a slave.

Peggy R. Personal Testimony 4

I believe God allows us to go through events in our life to make the person stronger in faith and that somewhere in the future you will be able to help some one with your testimony.

My husband was laid off in 2007. Our insurance coverage was cancelled in September 2007. I worked for the state during this time, so in order for me to receive coverage I had to apply in October and coverage would not start till January 2008.I became sick around the first of October 2007.

The pain in my lower right abdomen at times was unbearable. My thoughts was cancer because this is where my mother hurt with colon cancer. I knew that going to the doctor was not possible due to no insurance coverage.

I turned to the great physician...God.

When you are at your lowest and no where else to go this is who you put your faith in. I would pray Lord you know my sickness and it is in your hands. What do you want me to do about? He laid it on my heart to anoint my side with anointing oil every time I hurt and pray. I was also led to fast. What ever he put on my heart to do, I did.

The month of January came. My insurance coverage had started, so I made a doctors appointment. The doctor sent me for a CT Scan. I went for this the following Friday. After the CT Scan was performed, I went to work. I was at a patient's house when the phone ringed. My supervisor called to say my doctor was trying to get up with me. The test had came back bad. I went home immediately to call the doctor. When I got up with her, she said,"Mrs. Runion it is your appendix. We do not know how you have lived in the shape you are in ." I said " I do. It is because of prayer and faith." She gave no response other than I had an appointment with Dr. Graham at 4pm that evening and should keep it.


I went to see Dr. Graham that evening. He said they could not get the results of my CT Scan . He said what I had was a smoldering appendix. He set me up for the following Monday for surgery. The surgery would remove my appendix through my navel, thirty minutes in and thirty in recovery. I would go home that night. This sounded good.Monday came and I went for the surgery. I was in surgery 2 hours for a 30 minute procedure. The doctor told my husband that my appendix had been ruptured for 5 weeks and he was sending it off to pathology for possible cancer. I told my husband this can not be. If my appendix was ruptured that long I would be dead. I stayed over night in observation. The nurses could not tell me nothing about my appendix being ruptured 5 weeks.


The next morning Dr. Graham's PA Holly came to discharge me. I asked her what they found during surgery. She said " Mrs. Runion we started through your navel and had to pull out. Your appendix had already ruptured. We made an incision and found that your appendix had been ruptured for about 5 weeks. When it ruptured, it crusted itself over and isolated it self. We just do not understand how you have lived." I told her it was because of my faith in God and praying.

( The pathology report came back no cancer!!)

I believe with all my heart that if I had not obeyed God when he laid it on my heart to do something, I would have not received my healing. Obedience is better than sacrifice. I might have come close to death but it is worth my suffering to know that my testimony would make a difference in someone's life. I can tell it has made a difference in my family especially my husband.

PRAISE GOD!!!

Women of the Bible (Naomi)

Have you ever gone through a famine in your life?

This is the story of how God turned one woman's famine into a bountiful harvest. We will learn how, even in her darkest hour, God's plan was working to shine His light on Naomi's life. Though she felt abandoned, He had in no way forsaken her. In all of her darkenss, God had left Naomi a ray of hope.

A testament of how GOD gives hope in life's driest seasons.

It is rather symbolic really, because, like the crops in Bethlehem and Judah, Naomi had to watch as those around her that she loved and cherished began to wither and die.

Taken to the strange land of Moab in search of a better life, it was there that she experienced her first lost. It was her husband, Elimelech. Now, Naomi was a widow. She was miles away from any family, and was left with two sons to raise - Mahlon and Kilion.

Eventually, her boys became men, and took wives of their own from among the pagans of Moab - Orpah and Ruth.

Though Naomi's story only begins in Ruth 1:1. By Ruth 1:5, before either of her sons could even bless her with a grandchild to carry on their family's lineage, "both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband" (Ruth 1:5 NLT).

Can you even imagine? She's out in the middle of no where, in a land of pagans and idol worshipers. And, now, every member of her family is gone. She feels like she has been left with nothing.

Have you ever felt like that before? Like everything in your world was crumbling around you.

Have you ever known a grief so deep that you felt there was no hope for restoration?

That is how Naomi felt. And Naomi blamed God.

Now the head of her family, Naomi decided to take her two daughter-in-laws, and move back to Judah. She had heard that the Lord had once again caused Judah to prosper and produce food, and decided to return to her true home.

But, as they began to travel, Naomi realized that she had nothing left to offer these young girls. No wealth for them to inherit or sons for them to marry. So she pronounced a blessing over them, and told them to go back to their families, and their gods.

After much insisting from Naomi, Orpah agreed to leave, but Ruth did not. You see, Naomi was not alone after all. Though she thought she had been forsaken by all, she did have someone left who loved her, and refused to leave her side. Her daughter-in-law Ruth pleaded with her.

Regardless of how Naomi may have felt, God had not utterly abandoned her. In Ruth, He had left her a hope.Though God's plan to restore Naomi was indeed in motion, she herself could not see it. All she could see was her own pain.

Sometimes when we are in our darkest hour, all we can see is the dark. We can not see God at work, shining His light into our darkness.

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

God had not abandoned Naomi, and He was not going to let her be destroyed. God had a plan to restore her and bring her hope.The beginning of that hope was revealed in Ruth, and it was completed in a man named Boaz.

Boaz was related to Naomi's husband. Under Jewish law, he was one of two men who had the right to marry Ruth. In modern day society, it can be hard for us to understand why this is significant to Naomi. Why would she care if her daughter-in-law remarried? But, under Jewish law, if Boaz married her son's widow, it would "restore the name of the dead to his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from the gate of his birthplace"

Whatever child born to Ruth and Boaz would be considered Naomi's grandchild, and restore her family's lineage. And there was indeed a child born.

Naomi's grandson was Obed - The grandfather of King David -

The ancestor of Jesus Christ. God did not leave Naomi empty as she had thought. God used her to bless the world. God had a plan, as He always does. His plan was to give Naomi "beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness"

And, He has a plan to do the same thing for you.

Women of the Bible (Ruth)

Ruth was poor, a foreigner, and a woman, and all this counted against her, but she was helped by an older woman to overcome the difficulties she faced. She had the good sense to listen to the advice given to her by Naomi, and the older woman was rewarded by Ruth's unfaltering loyalty. Her story illustrates the triumph of courage and ingenuity over adverse circumstances. She has special significance for Christians. In the gospel of Matthew, four women were included in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:2-17), and Ruth was one of the four.

Naomi and her family suffered great misfortune in a foreign land. Ruth, a girl from that foreign land, decided to migrate with Naomi to Bethlehem. They arrived in time for the barley harvest.

Ruth, a young widow, met Naomi's relative, a rich man called Boaz. It seems to have been love at first sight for him, and he ordered that Ruth be well treated when she worked in his fields. The older woman Naomi saw immediately what had happened, and encouraged Ruth to continue working in Boaz's fields.

The name Ruth means "mercy." The story shows that God’s grace and mercy extend beyond Israel to include all peoples.

Ruth can be read as a drama in four acts, with a prologue and epilogue attached. The prologue tells us how Naomi, her husband and two sons went to Moab, where her sons married. Eventually, Naomi’s husband and sons died, and she decided to return to Bethlehem in Judea (1:1-7).

In the first act, Naomi tells her Moabite daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, to stay in Moab. Orpah eventually agreed, but Ruth refused to leave Naomi and accompanied her to Bethlehem (1:8-22).

The next act sees Ruth gathering barley in the fields of Naomi’s relative, Boaz, who showed special concern for Ruth (2:1-23).

The third act takes place at the threshing floor where, at Naomi’s instigation, Ruth hides until Boaz falls asleep and then quietly lies down by his feet. When Boaz awakes, Ruth expresses her desire to marry him according to the custom of the kinsman-redeemer. But Boaz tells her that another man has a prior claim (3:1-18). Finally, at the city gate, the other relative renounces his claim, and Boaz marries Ruth (4:1-12).

The happy ending Boaz proved as good as his word, and he and Ruth were married. She had a son called Obed, and Naomi cared for the child, who would grow up to be the grandfather of King David.

GOD can do ANYTHING!

Friends,

April Shepherd, has a 4 year old little boy, Hayden Nicholas McQueen, who has an aggressive form of brain cancer, an astrocytoma, which he has had since birth. It wasn't until he was a few months old when local doctors mistakenly diagnosed him as a "failure to thrive" child. As the weeks passed, Hayden was not eating, growing, or gaining any weight.


After extensive testing, doctors and oncologists at UK Children's Hospital discovered that Hayden had an inoperable brain tumor behind his eyes. The tumor, which has star-like tentacles, had grown so large that it was pressing against Hayden's eyes causing them to jerk uncontrollably to the left and to the right (like a bobble head doll).


The doctors and oncologists advised April from the beginning that Hayden would be a lucky little boy if he reached the age of 3 years old. In all likelihood, he would die before his 3rd birthday.


They began an aggressive regimen of chemotherapy and put in a feeding tube.

After 2 1/2 years of month after month of chemotherapy and countless prayers, the doctors finally found a type of chemotherapy which did not cure Hayden, however, it stopped the growth of the tumor and it had begun to shrink somewhat.

With the faithful prayers of our friends and family members, Hayden surpassed all odds and reached his 4th birthday. In celebration, the Make A Wish Foundation gave Hayden the choice of an all expense paid vacation for Hayden and his family to Disneyland in Florida or a shopping spree at Wal-Mart.

Before Hayden made his decision, he asked the Make A Wish Foundation rep, Bill, if he could buy his little brother, Trevor, a Spiderman big wheel. The rep told Hayden "anything you want little man." Hayden replied, "well, then, Bill, I want to go to Mal-Mart."


During their shopping trip, for every item that Hayden bought, he bought his little brother, Trevor, one just like it. Even through the countless chemotherapy treatments, Hayden was always smiling, cheerful, and inquisitive. He soaked up information around him. Hayden is very special to me because his mom, April, lived with me, Michael, and Ashley, for 2 years.

Ashley considers April her big sister and Hayden her "adopted" nephew. As we are prone to doing, when things seem like they are at their greatest, old Satan swoops back in and kicks us in our backsides to remind us that he is ever present.

Last week, April took Hayden back to UK Children's Hospital for his 6 month checkup and an MRI. Yesterday, she received the devastating news that the astrocytoma has begun growing again at an alarming rate. However, this round, Hayden, this little, precious, 4 year old boy, will have to endure adult strength chemotherapy.

WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS!!!!

Please pass this on to everyone you know who has faith and believes that through Christ all things are possible. I believe with the help and prayers of our spirit filled people that Hayden can and will be healed.

May God bless and keep you, and please "PUSH" PRAY UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS

Women of the Bible (Mary Magdalene)

Mary Magdalene's name may identify her as "of Magdala"—the town some believe she came from, on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee—and thus distinguishes her from the other Marys referred to throughout the New Testament.


In Luke 8:2-3 Mary Magdalene is mentioned as one of the women who "ministered to Him [Jesus] of their substance." The same passage also refers briefly to an act of exorcism performed on her, on an occasion when seven demons were cast out.


These women, who earlier "had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities." later accompanied Jesus on his last journey to Jerusalem (Matthew 27:55; Mark 15:41; Luke 23:55) and were witnesses to the Crucifixion.


Mary remained there until the body was taken down and laid in a tomb prepared for Joseph of Arimathea. In the early dawn of the first day of the week Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother ofJames, came to the sepulchre with sweet spices to anoint the body. They found the sepulchre empty but saw the "vision of angels" .


As the first witness to the empty tomb, Mary Magdalene went to tell Simon Peter and "the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved" (gaining her the epithet "apostle to the apostles"), and again immediately returned to the sepulchre. She remained there weeping at the door of the tomb.


According to John she was the first witness of the Resurrection appearances of Jesus, though at first she did not recognize him. When he said her name she was recalled to consciousness, and cried, Rabboni. She wanted to cling to him, but he forbade her:


"Jesus said to her, 'Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, "I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God."'"


This is the last mention in the canonical Gospels of Mary Magdalene, who now returned to Jerusalem. She is probably included in the group of women who joined the Apostles in the Upper Room in Jerusalem after Jesus' ascension.

Women of the Bible (Drusilla)

This name is also spelled Drucilla or Drusilla. It means fruitful or dewy-eyed.

She is found in the New Testament here:

"Some days later, Felix arrived with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him talk about faith in Jesus the Messiah."International Standard Version Acts 24:24

Druscilla was born in the year 38.

Six years later her father died and promised her in marriage to Gaius Epiphanes, the prince of Commagene on the condition that he convert to Judiism. When he refused, her brother broke the engagement and gave her to the King of Emesa after he agreed to follow Jewish tradition.

But, still in her teens, she left the king and married Felix. Apparently Felix had seen her at her brothers court and was stunned by her beauty.

Felix was the governor for Judea and sent a friend to persuade her to leave her husband and marry him. He promised she would have a happy life. He knew that Druscilla and her sister-in-law did not get along and Druscilla was miserable. So that is how Felix persuaded her to leave the king, although it was against all Jewish law. She married Felix at the age of 22. They had a son who was named Agrippa after her brother.

That is the first version of her life. Here is another.

Druscilla was a princess of Mauretania and the only child of the king. Mauretanis was on the Mediterranean coast of north Africa. Its people were called "mauros" meaning black in greek.
According to this account, her father was executed when she was 2 years old. Drusilla was probably raised in the Emperor's home.

When she was 15 the Emperor arranged for her to marry Judea Antonius Felix a former Greek. After a short time he divorced her in favor of a Judean princess. She later married the King of Emesa (now Syria). Emesa was on the coast and was an important city at that time.

According to the People's New Testament: It is possible the interest she had in Paul was due to the fact that her father had been a persecutor of the Christians, and his death had been pronounced a judgment.

The Geneva Study Bible describes her as a "harlot and very licentious woman"-probably because in the first story she was still married to the King according to Jewish law.

Then Wesley's Notes state: "She was the daughter of Herod Agrippa, one of the finest women of that age."

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary described the couple as "the oppressive judge and his profligate mistress, in need of repentance, forgiveness, and of the grace of the gospel."

So what's the point?

Well, she seems to me to be a testament to the ease of being led astray. It appears the first story is most commonly accepted. In it she left a genuine lawful marriage to run away with this man Felix. It is so easy to believe that the grass is greener in another field. And I know it is not.

Then on the posotive side, through Felix she was able to meet to Paul and learn the story of Christianity.

The thing to remember is that God was with her throughout her life. At any time all she had to do was ask for His help and strength.

My proverb for the day is this, "Without God I am weak, but with God I am strong."

Women of the Bible (Deborah)

The Prophetess


Deborah was called a prophet and a leader of Israel. A prophet in those days was a person who served as an intermediary between God and the people. In addition, the Israelites came to her to settle their disagreements. At that time they were under the rule of an evil and cruel King named Jabin. Deborah asked to see Barak, one of the men. She asked him to gather an army because she had been given a plan by God to obtain freedom from the king. Barak said he would assemble an army only if she came to the battle.

She said "no problem, but when we win the battle the honor will go to me, a woman."

So she took the army into battle and followed the directions given by God. Every single man from Jabin's army was killed except for their leader who ran from the battle field.He went to one of Moses' decendents and asked for shelter because he thought they were supporters of the king.

Jael, the lady of the house, brought him in, gave him a drink, and hid him under some robes where he fell asleep. Once he was asleep, Jael took a hammer and tent peg and nailed it into his head. When Barak came by looking for the man she led him to the body. Soon after Jabin was destroyed by the Israelites and they were free.

There was peace in the land for 40 years.

I think we can all be prophets today. Many times I am given instructions from God when I am still and listen. Not to lead an army into battle, but to talk to a friend about my experiences, or to bring flowers to a neighbor.

I think Deborah's story reminds me to follow through with what God asks of me. I am just one woman, but I am so much more when I allow myself to be an instrument of God.I don't plan to lead the nation, but I know that there is evil in the world and perhaps just writing what I learn will inspire others to follow God's path. Then one by one we will follow our God and out number those who follow evil. Perhaps that sounds a bit dramatic, but it just involves daily choices.

When I make a decision to do what I know is the right thing, I strengthen the spirit of God in me and others. Also by resisting negative and derogatory options I take power away from evil.

It's like you are on a scale. Each step along the beam causes it to lean one way or the other.

The closer you get to God the less significant the other power becomes.

Women of the Bible (Delilah)

The story of Delilah is very short, and not much is known about her, not even her nationality.

Basically, Sampson, an especially strong soldier fell in love with her. She was offered money by his enemies to find out the secret to his strength. Although he lied to her three times, he eventually told her his strength came from not cutting his hair and by avoiding wine consumption.

While he was sleeping she had her servant cut off his hair and then turned him over to the Philistines. Presumedly she was paid. Her name means "One who weakened, uprooted or impoverished.

But has come to mean "a treacherous and cunning woman .

So our lesson doesn't lie in knowing her background or what became of her later.

I think the lesson God wants us to understand is from the planning and execution of her betrayal.

How often do I betray those who trust me? It doesn't take much.

Any time I promise not to tell anyone some personal information and find myself sharing it with someone else I have betrayed a trust. Isn't that what Delilah did? Any time I talk about my man(love) in a less than favorable light I have betrayed his(their) trust.

I build my relationships by letting go of my boundaries. My walls come down, and I am able to be me, with all the good, the bad, and the ugly open to be seen. It is not always pretty because I can not be perfect. I trust that when I show my lack of perfection in those private times only those I love and trust have seen it and will continue to love me in spite of it. I count on their love to keep my actions and words to themselves. That is the vulnerability of trust.

When I promise to keep some information to myself I am promising to hold a friends self esteem and confidence in my hand. Real trust takes time and work but is shattered so easily. Betrayal is not just the breaking a trust, it is stomping all over what my friend holds close to his/her heart, and consequently I have made a permanent scar on my friend's confidence in how the world behaves and interacts with them.

I ask myself: Would you take out an add in the newspaper sharing this information? Would you write posters with it, sign your name, and hang them up on public bulletin boards? Would you put it on your website?The effect of sharing confidential information is the same whether it is published publicly or whispered in a hallway.

When I know I certainly would not publish some information it becomes clear that sharing information that belongs to some one else without their permission is not acceptable.

God asks us to love one another. Love involves trust and respect. That is what Delilah has to teach us. Respect the love and trust given to you by your friends and loved ones. It is not for sale.

Women of the Bible (Esther)

Not just Esther but Queen Esther.

Esther's parents were killed when she was just a child..

She was raised by her uncle, Mordecai. They lived at the farthest edge of the kingdom because Mordecai had been sent away because of his religion. He was a Jew.

The King locked up his wife because she didn't obey his command. In search of a new Queen, he decided he would have all the young girls brought to his harem. After they were all bathed, dressed, and properly prepared the girls would be introduced to the King. This preparation would take 12 months. 6 months of oil treatments and six months of perfume and cosmetics.

Esther was gathered up with the other girls and taken to the palace.

She instantly became a favorite of the man in charge of the harem. He provided special food and beauty treatments and gave her 7 maids to attend to her every need. Uncle Mordecai warned her not to say she was a Jew. So she did not. Remember that the Jews were considered lower than servants at that time.

The girls were presented one by one. Each would go to the palace for the evening and then return in the morning to the harem. The only way a girl would see the King again is if he asked for her by name.

When Esther's turn came she instantly became the King's favorite. He made her Queen and a great banquet and celebration was prepared. Biblical Inspiration: Mordecai was never far away. He stayed close to the palace. One day he overheard two of the guards talking about killing the King. He sent word to Esther who told the king and gave credit for the information to Mordecai, still not revealing her relationship to him, or that she was a Jew.

As time passed Haman, one of the nobles asked the King to make a law that everyone had to bow when they saw him. Although it was a silly request, the King agreed. Mordecai refused to bow. He explained that he was a Jew and could not bow to a man. Haman was told about this, and became so angry that he wanted kill all the Jews because this man wouldn't do what he wanted. So Haman told the King that there were people scattered throughout the kingdom who refused to obey his laws. He said he would give a great amount of money to the King if his men destroyed all the Jews. The King replied that Haman could keep his money and do whatever he wanted to the Jews. The law was written that all the Jews would be killed on a certain day. Mordecai found out about it and asked Esther to go to the King.

She was surprised because everyone knew that if you went to the King without being asked you would be put to death, unless the King held out his hand.

But Mordecai reminded her that perhaps God had chosen her to be Queen for just this occasion. She asked Mordecai to meet with all the Jews near the palace and to fast and pray for her. They should fast for three days, and so would she. When the three days were up she would go to the King.

Imagine how scared she was when she went to see the King. He could very easily turn away from her, but instead he immediately held out his hand to her. Then he offered her anything she wanted. Queen Esther asked that Haman and the King come to a banquet she was giving that night.

At the banquet the King again asked what he could do for her. Esther promised to tell him the following night at another banquet with Haman present.

Haman thought he was so wonderful. Not only did the King think he was special, but now the Queen had invited just he and the King to two banquets. As he gleefully left the palace he noticed Mordecai just outside, neither fearful or respectful of him. He was mad. When he got home he invited all his friends over so he could boast about what a great man he was. During the party he told everyone about Mordecai, and how rude he had been. His wife and friends told him to build a gallows and hang this man in the morning. The idea appealed to him, and he gave directions for gallows to be built. He then returned to the palace to get the king's approval for the execution.

Meanwhile the King had been reviewing the court records and found the information that Mordecai had given him regarding the plot to kill the King. He asked how the man had been rewarded, and was told he had not. At that precise moment Haman entered the palace.

The King asked what Haman thought he should do to honor a loyal servant. Haman was certain the King was talking about him, so he told him the servant should be dressed in one of the King's robes and paraded through the city streets on the finest horse available. "Great! " said the King. "Now go get Mordecai who sits at the gate and make sure your suggestion is carried out." (oops, obviously Haman was not going to be able to hang him.)

The banquet that night did not go as Haman would have liked. When the king asked what his Queen wanted she told him about a law had been written to kill all her people and asked him to save them. The King then asked who in the world would make such a law.

She pointed to Haman. The King was so angry he went out for some air. At this point Haman knelt at Esther's feet and begged for his life.

When the King returned he found Haman hanging on to the Queen and pleading with her. As any husband would do, he thought Haman was making a pass at her. Haman was taken to be hung from his own gallows and the Queen explained who her uncle was.

So the Queen became owner of Haman's property, and Mordecai became part of the royal council. One problem remained, and that was the law that the Jews were to die on the day that had been appointed by Haman.

Knowing she could be killed, Esther again approached the King. Again, he held out his hand to her. She asked the King to write a law to save her people.

The King turned to Mordecai, gave him the official ring and told him to write the law. So the Jews not only lived but were allowed to defend themselves against the people that came to kill them.

After the battles the Jews were told to proclaim a holiday and always celebrate that day to remember how their lives were saved. That holiday is still celebrated in the Jewish faith and is called "Purim."

Why is Esther Special?

Esther was just an ordinary girl-just like you and me. She had some obstacles to overcome, like being an orphan. She was given a huge gift (becoming Queen and living in a palace). Then she was asked to be willing to give her life for others, literally.

She didn't do it right away. What sane person would? But after being reminded of God's gifts and expectations she gathered enough faith to do just that, not once, but twice. That's special.

That's a special we are asked to do every day. We are asked to have enough faith to get up and do whatever we are asked to do. No matter what. Listen, Pray, Fast, Meditate, Journal, and get out of bed every day with me and we'll take one step at a time together. Remember to look for gifts. Remember to celebrate life.

Women of the Bible (Eve)

You know the story of Adam and Eve.

Adam was created by God in His image to rule over the other animals. He was lonely, so God took one of his ribs and created Eve. They lived happily in a lush garden called Eden, where all their needs were provided for and they were content.

Evil already existed in the new world, and it could not leave these two to God. In the form of a serpent, evil approached woman and began to manipulate her. This woman was not that different from you and me. She was content and living in a beautiful place, but easily began to wonder, "What if?"

Always start a conversation with the person's favorite subject. That will get them relaxed and talkative. It works great. Eve and the serpent begin to talk about God. Once the conversation is rolling the serpent slowly turns it from the positive (God) to focus on the negative.

Sure woman had everything she could ever want, but did she have everything?There's that one tree with the good looking fruit that she can't have. We're just like kids, aren't we? If something is forbidden it has to be really good.

So by focusing on what Eve couldn't have rather than what she did have her whole outlook on life changed. Her motivation changed.

Suddenly it wasn't fair. Why shouldn't she eat some of this fruit? God loved her and provided for her. He wouldn't really care if she tried it, right?

I think we as women prefer not to be alone. We will always invite someone else to come with us. So when Adam came by, Eve offered him some fruit. The fruit tasted great, and as an added bonus it gave them wisdom.

But God was angry. He saw to it the serpent would always be a snake. He told the mother of mankind that she would give birth only after suffering great pain. He told Adam his life would no longer be easy. Man must now work hard every day to provide the things his family needed. And to top it off, they had to leave Eden.

Many times I too, have been easily turned toward the negative side of life.

Gossip is definitely an evil women participate in easily. There is nothing good about gossip, or we wouldn't do it in hushed tones without the topic of conversation present. Another negative I have been swayed toward is focusing on all the bad things that are happening in my work environment rather than looking for, and helping to make, positive changes.

Eve gave birth to two boys. Then she has to endure the death of her son Abel. She gave birth again to a son named Seth when she was 130 years old. Imagine trying to keep up with a toddler at that age!

The woman disobeyed. She endured child birth three times. And she buried her son, a pain no mother should have to live with. I know that if I had been that woman, I too would have been easily swayed.

God asks us to turn our hearts toward Him. Where you focus is where your life is headed. Good or evil, right or wrong, positive or negative. The choice is ours.

Women of the Bible (Rebekah)

When I think about Rebekah, I remember the miraculous love story that paired her with Isaac:
When Isaac was grown and his mother Sarah was dying, Abraham decided it was time to choose a mate for his son. Because of his age, Abraham sent his servant to his brother's home to pick an appropriate woman. Understandably nervous the servant prayed for guidance.

As done so often in the old testament he asked for a sign: That the girl who comes to the well and not only agrees to give him water, but offers water for the camels also is the girl God wants him to bring to Isaac. The Bible says Rebekah appeared immediately and fulfilled all the requirements.

Rebekah's brother accepted the bride price, but asked that she be allowed to stay with them another month. Perhaps because of this request, or in fulfillment of the law, Rebekah was asked if she would return with him immediately. She agreed.

She did not have to travel to the next town, she had to go more than 800 kilometers away. Roughly 500 miles. There was no telephone, e-mail, or organized mail system. She gathered up her things and moved 500 miles away from her family.

As she approached her new home she saw a man in the distance doing his midday prayers. She was instantly impressed with Isaac's devotion and asked who he was. She fell in love. Isaac fell in love with her immediately, also. His mother, Sarah had died in the interim and he had been missing her terribly. It is thought that his new wife filled the empty space in his heart that the loss of his mother created.

So that is the story I choose to remember about Rebekah.But it doesn't end there.
There are two very different interpretations of the name "Rebekah." One is that her name means "young cow" which was the symbol for fertility. Another source says Rebekah or Rivkah in Hebrew means to bind, or captivating (She was noted for her beauty)

Although Rebekah was not particularly fertile, she was one of the matriarchs of the Hebrew nation. It took her up to 20 years to conceive. When she did she carried twins. These were not identical twins. They couldn't be more different. According to the story they were so active that Rebekah could not rest and went to God asking what was going on. That's when she got the news that her children were going to become two nations that would always be in disagreement. The oldest would end up serving the younger.

When the twins were born Esau, meaning "red" because of his complexion, was the first to be born. He grew to be a strong outdoors man who was closer to his father, Isaac.Jacob, meaning "he who grabs for something," was born holding on to his brother's heel. He grew to be thoughtful and scholarly and had a close relationship with his mother.

Rebekah took a very active role in well being of the whole tribe.Esau married two women who were not Hebrew. Which caused unending problems between the wives, Rebekah, and Isaac.
The part I would rather not remember about Rebekah's story is the role she plays in deceiving Isaac. I am a strong believer in honesty, and do not look kindly on manipulation. Here's what happened.

Isaac became old and feeble and his eyes were unable to see. He decided it was time to pick his heir and hand over leadership of the tribe (give his blessing). Traditionally the first born takes this role, so Isaac called Esau and told him to go hunting for a celebration dinner and he would give him his blessing when he returned.

But when Rebekah overheard she went to Jacob and the two of them made a plan. Rebekah believed that Jacob should be the leader because of his intelligence and because he was not easily provoked. She dressed Jacob in his brother's clothing, and because Esau was so hairy she draped animal skins over his neck and arms. When he went to his father, Jacob received the blessing. So the conflict between the two brothers escalated even more. Esau plotted to kill Jacob, but his mother found out and sent Jacob away to the safety of her family.

Like I said, I don't like what she did. But life isn't easily divided into right and wrong, is it? I believe Rebekah was a good woman. Her motives are understandable.

But what does it say of her faith if she felt she had to step in and trick her husband at the time of the blessing? We believe that God has a plan for our lives, the big picture. Doesn't faith ask us to trust that He is in control, and to step back and allow His plan to be fulfilled?

So the next time I look at a situation that I think is going to turn out badly, I hope I stop myself from manipulating the outcome into the way my narrow vision would complete the picture.
I hope I can "Let go, and Let God," because I believe that is what Faith calls me to.

Prayer

"May today be all you need it to be. May the peace of God and the freshness of the Holy Spirit rest in your thoughts, rule in your dreams tonight, and conquer all your fears. May God manifest himself today in ways you have never experienced. May your joys be fulfilled, your dreams be closer, and your prayers be answered. I pray that faith enters a new height for you; I pray that your territory is enlarged. I pray for peace, healing, health, happiness, prosperity, joy, true and undying love for God."

Valentine Banquet Update

The date for the Valentine's Banquet is set along with the theme.

For More information scroll down the page to the first post.

Watch & Communion

We brought in 2009 with a Wonderful watch service and those that were there participated in Communion. We heard amazing testimonies and spirit filled messages from some of our Ladies. Pictured Below is Beverly and Keta.

A Look Back at our July Ladies Rejuvenation Conference

In July, we had our first Women's Summer Rejuvenation Conference. Ten women from our Church gave their testimonies of how God brought them through different tragedies of life, to name a few, "Overcoming the Death of a Child," Overcoming Divorce, and Overcoming Drug and Alcohol Addictions.

The food along with the themed beach decorations were pretty good as well.

Woman

One woman can change anything.
Many women can change everything.

Shirley B. Personal Testimony 3

Don't tell God how big your storm is. Tell the storm how big your God is!!

From 2000-2003 I was at my spiritual peak. I was praying for spiritual growth constantly, "GOD take me as high spiritually as I am capable of" was my daily prayer. I wanted to know the mind of GOD. I wanted to connect more than I had ever desired. By 2003 I felt as if I had so much love and peace that it sometimes scared me to think on it. In the fall of 2003 I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.No family history. No smoking. No real risk factors. It was a challenge and a hurdle....

It was a NIGHTMARE. I remembered making this statement to a friend a few months earlier "I have nothing I can't get rid of" This was going to make that statement resonate in my mind for many months because I lost 2 things I had never considered losing and really never considered them of value until that moment.

There was much to endure and the bad just got worse. The hardest part was watching how the deterioration of my physical body was also hurting the ones I loved. The mental agony was unbearable at times, but I found strength in what I already knew. I knew what God's word said and I was certain I was his child but the medicine would prove to overcome reason at times and I could not pray.

I lost so much weight that at one point I weighted 98#'s. My husband looked at me through tears one night and said "You can't die". I didn't know what to say, I just said I won't. But would I? At that time it was about 4 months into my illness I realized that I was in a BAD STORM. I began to cry out to GOD. "You've got to get me through this, Help me!" Show me what to tell my husband.

I was home alone sitting in my comfortable chair in despair when GOD sent me a vision. This is what he said/did:
The day was sunny and beautiful, I was outside and the Lord walked up to me, reached out his hand to me and said come. I took his hand and we walked a bit the sun and wind felt do wonderful on my face. He led me to a huge FIRE, the flames were everywhere. When I looked at him, we laughed and he bend down so I could get on his back, AND HE carried me on his back through the fire with the flames all around us-WE LAUGHED. On the other side he sat me down and faded away.
That was my confirmation that he would carry me through, but the biggest thing was I wasn't afraid of a storm actually I love a storm that's why he showed me a fire. I am afraid of fire and it was worse than I thought. It was the most wonderful experience and I felt such peace. Later that day I went back to my bible as I did frequently during the day and as I allowed it to fall open it opened to Judges, my eyes fell on a verse I had never noticed. This is what it said "Thou shalt not die".
I just began thanking the LORD. I couldn't wait until my husband came home to tell him. And I held on to that until it came to pass.