Purposeful Womanhood

 By Julie Mangrum Currently I am reading through the gospels. Right now I am in the book of Luke, and each time I read the gospels, I find new things and my heart is awakened to truly meditate on Jesus' words and actions. What has struck me the most is the notion of His "upside- down" way of life He calls His followers to. What I mean by this is that when He stepped on the scene, His teaching challenged everything the Jews, and particularly the Pharisees 'thought' was the truth of God's Law (see The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5). Thousands of years had past, they had twisted the meaning, forgotten or interpreted it in a way that benefited 'them' (the pharisees and religious leaders) while neglecting a love for God's truth (Matthew 15:1-6). A Much Needed Heart Change Jesus was not afraid to point out on many occasions that these people (chosen by God) had lost their love for God, and their hearts were far from Him and His truth, as He rebukes th...

By Carrie Moyer   Without light,      earth was shapeless and empty. Without light,      darkness covered the deeps. Without light,      nothing. Nothing to give. Nothing to show. Nothing to be.      Nothing.           Just                Nothing. Then, God's Spirit visited. He knew the shadows,      comprehending their depths. For darkness is as light with Him. God sent His Word      into the darkness. "Let there be light,"      and there was light. And God saw that the light was good.      He is the light,      and He is good. And God separated      the light from the darkness. God is light,      and in Him is no darkness at all. The light shines in t...

 By Jessica Edwards   Recently I got on an empty elevator and could still smell the pleasant fragrance of perfume from the lady who had just left the elevator. I began to think about what God has to say concerning our fragrance -- our smell -- and what odor we send up to Him and out into the world.  Does God Really Care About My "Smell"? In the Bible there are many verses about the pleasant aroma of sacrifices to the Lord (Lev. 1:9,13; 2:2; Num. 15:3). David says in Ps.141:2 (ESV), "Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!"  The Apostle Paul says in 2 Cor. 2:14-15 (ESV) "But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing".  He then goes on to say that to the unsaved we stink and smell of death...

 By Allison Flowers   May I ask you a question? When something unexpected happens in your life, and it leaves you shaken, what do you do first? Do you immediately call your spouse, friend, or family member? Do you immediately post on social media asking for advice or prayers?   None of these are necessarily wrong. We need people in our lives who can provide biblical counsel and prayer when our world is shaken (Proverbs 11:14).   But the point is what do you do FIRST? My friend, God needs to be your first thought and action. He needs to be the first person you turn to when life starts to crumble. Depending on the circumstances, turning to God may be hard, but I urge you to run to the One who has all the answers.  Joseph set a great example. Joseph was a young man who knew in all situations, God was to be kept first. Joseph’s life started out smoothly. Joseph was loved by his father and had been chosen by God to rule as was revealed to him in his dreams (Genesis ...

  by Carrie Moyer Many Suffered, yet Only One was Chosen  "There is in Jerusalem... a pool, [beside which] lay a MULTITUDE of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. ONE man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there... he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?”... "Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked... [He] told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him." (John 5:2‭-‬15 ESV, edited for brevity) . . . Only One? . . . Out of MANY,      Christ chose ONE. I'm tempted to ask, "WHY?" But then I realize . . .      He didn't have to choose ANY! NONE are WORTHY of His healing GRACE. The Creator of all FORMED this man      with a specific PURPOSE in mind. He PLANNED him and CHOSE him      with the FAITH to be healed      and to PROCLAIM the name of his HEALER. God FULFILLED His purpose for him ...