Sisterhood - Beth Messiah, Columbus OH

05/17/2020

Encouragement

04/08/2020

Shared from Instagram

04/08/2020

12/13/2019

Week 8

This week we studied Proverbs 9. In our book "Your Scars are Beautiful to God" we began Chapter 4 (pg 47- top of page 55 just before "From the Tombs to the Town"). The chapter is titled Redeeming the Pain by Investing in Others and we learned that there are really 2 parts to our scars. As Lola so wonderfully painted a picture: when you first get an injury, it is painful and hurts to the touch and is very sensitive. But a time does come when that injury heals and it doesn't really hurt as much. Sure the scar is still there as a reminder of the injury and maybe at first you will hide it, cover it up so no one else can see it. But the true healing will come when you don't need to hide it anymore and when someone asks about the scar, you may even be able to share your story of how it happened and how it healed. And maybe they have a similar injury and this will help them to uncover theirs as well and finally be "free" and accept true and complete healing. Let us be ministers to others through our pain, knowing that God does indeed work all things for good if we are willing to trust Him and see the other side of the healing.
We also learned how to defeat Satan's lies in these circumstances:
Remember that " When God doesn't hold the key to unlock your hurts and secrets, then Satan will and he will use your vulnerability for harm."
And we must also tell ourselves " I am not the only one going through this. There are others who understand help me through this. Yeshua has already conquered the greatest evil- death, so surely He will help me conquer this!"
Do you have a scar that still hurts a little? Pray about it and see who God brings into your view to help you to have complete healing.

12/13/2019

Week 7
We studied pages 35 ("Wendy's Crisis of Belief") to the bottom of page 41 (just before "When Forgetting is not Enough") in our book group. The Proverbs group studied Chapter 7 and will begin Chapter 8 next week.

In our book we read about a woman who had suffered a terrible physical offense against her by an attacker and how she began to question God. She came up with 3 possibilities:


God is not all powerful and is unable to protect me.

God is all powerful but didn't care enough to intervene.

God is all powerful, He loves me, but He allowed this to happen to me.


She was able to see, many years down the road how God used this tragedy for good. She is now a great advocate for women that go through these experiences, she provides counseling in support groups, and is able to help others find God in the midst of their suffering.

We discussed Romans 8:28 "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose". The writer posed the question, " What are all things...all things are the good, the bad, and the ugly." Consider the story of Joseph- may you imagine yourself in his shoes at the time of his being sold- sent far away from his family, to a foreign land and language, where no one worships the God of Israel. Could you see the "silver lining" at that moment? Of course not, but may we all be able to see the big picture and focus on the work that God is doing through our suffering.

Proverbs study
Proverbs 7 is titled " the Wiles of the Harlot" and how we must keep guard and always remind ourselves of the commandments so as not be enticed by beauty and flattery that can so easily lead us astray and ultimately to the path of death.

11/09/2019

Week 6
We picked up in Chapter 3, Page 31, beginning with the paragraph "A third consideration..." and finished on Page 35, just before the section titled "Wendy's Crisis of Belief".

Today we discussed fear and trust, which are antonyms of each other, biblically speaking. We read Isaiah 41:10 "Do not fear, for I am with you..." and asked ourselves these questions: What do you fear? Where is your trust?

We recalled Luke 24 when Yeshua had risen and was walking alongside two of his disciples, but they were so focused on the problem (Yeshua was now gone), that they couldn't see that He was right there in their midst, walking this journey with them. How often are you in a situation and you just can't see God in it? We must learn to practice day by day, moment by moment to trust in God. When the battle is going on in your mind, begin to say out loud, " I trust You. I trust You."

Proverbs study
The Proverbs study today focused on Chapter 7

11/09/2019

Week 5
Today we studied pages 27-31 in our book "Your scars are beautiful to God". This chapter focused on the 'Purpose of our scars'. Isn't that an odd statement, to consider that our pain has a purpose? But it does. We wrestle with God while we are going through hardships and disappointments, even physical pain and illness, but in the end, we know that His will is perfect, and He uses all things for good and for His glory. We must come to a place of healing where we can say to Him " I will trust you even though I do not understand".
Often, we ask the question, "Why do bad things happen?" Unfortunately, there is no real concrete answer for that, but we do live in a fallen world and no one is immune to the evils that exist. And God Himself, often disciplines us "for our good so that we may share in His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” (Heb 12:10-11)
And let us pray for one another, even our adversaries, as they are deceived by the evil one and in need of revelation as well. As we put on the full armor of God and proclaim "...our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places".(Eph. 6:12) Our scars are proof that God has conquered evil and won!

Proverbs study
In the Proverbs ladies’ group, we studied Chapter 5 today and will begin Chapter 6 next week. Chapter 5 also speaks of scars in a sense, but scars that cannot be overcome and have come as a result of our own rebellion in going astray and not following His discipline and teaching. It speaks of the rebellious one as he "who with perversity in his heart continually devises evil."(V.14) But God gives a way to return and overcome this deceit. Consider His wisdom, “My son, observe the commandment of your father and do not forsake the teaching of your mother...for the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; and reproofs for discipline are the way of life." (V.20,23) Who would not choose life over death, would you?

11/09/2019

Week 4
Today we had a wonderful study and covered pages 19-25 in our book "Your scars are beautiful to God". Next week we will begin Chapter 3. We discussed how often we are each faced with a situation at some point in our lives that cause us to ask " Why, Lord? Why?" We discussed 3 main points to view God's perfect plan in all of this.
1.- Paul's personal Story: He did many terrible things to the early believers, until Yeshua revealed Himself to Paul and made him a great testimony to others who originally thought and acted as he did before he believed.
2.- One last kiss: A young woman, recently married, and raising her first child lost her husband tragically at the age of 21. She was angry with God and couldn't make sense of how this could happen. She was torn between ending her life or being strong for her son. God revealed Himself to her in that moment in the words of Psalm 139: 7-10.
3.- One last disciple: All of the disciples had seen Yeshua in His resurrected form, all except Thomas. When Thomas heard this news, he refused to believe unless he could actually see and touch the wounds himself. Yeshua allowed this only because he knew Thomas' heart and he merely needed that nudge to fully convince him, and it did.
I encourage you to ponder these points and see how they may apply to difficult scars you may still be tending to.
Proverbs study
In the Proverbs group they studied Chapter 4 "A Father's Instruction" and discussed the importance of heeding God's word to us. We must humble ourselves and realize that it is wisdom and understanding that will guard our hearts and keep us on the path of eternal life. Are there areas in which you struggle to heed God's instructions for you? Pray that He may reveal them and pray for His guidance to overcome.

10/27/2019

October 25th-26th 2019

10/19/2019

Chapter 2 cont...

We had a very nice study today on our new book " Your scars are beautiful to God". (Pages 14-19) We learned of a family of unbelievers where the daughter came to faith. And she prayed for her parents to follow, although her dad struggled with many sins in his life. One day, her father really hit rock bottom in every sense and went to a church to ask for prayer. The pastor was unavailable, and he was directed to another pastor down the road.

After pouring his heart out and confessing his sins, he didn't know what to expect. Would he be shamed and scorned? Would he be judged and turned away? Was it all hopeless? But the preacher, after patiently listening, hugged the man and confessed his own past struggles and how Yeshua has freed him from those sins and given him a clean slate and new future.

Isn't that what God desires of all of us? That we would be willing to just come to him and pour our heart out and have him embrace us and say "It's okay. I forgive you."
May we be willing to humble ourselves and share our scars with others who have lost all hope and give them that same acceptance and assurance we were once given