Iron Rose Sister Ministries

Written by Geissa da Paz, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Who’s never heard the phrase “doing crazy things for love”?

A certain man loved his career so much that he literally killed people to prove his knowledge and gifts. He dedicated years of his life to get where he got; his level of importance was very high. Everything he did was about attracting and gaining the attention of the One he admired the most.

After a while he finally got that attention, but not in the way he thought he would get it. Even though he had dedicated his life to learning and practicing the things he read and wrote about, when he was called by Him, his life changed completely.

Yes, I am talking about Saul. We know he was a well-informed man that had a lot of love for the things of God. But his decisions and actions were wrong. He definitely made an impression, but not in the way he thought he did.

The one that loves, acts with wisdom, not by doing crazy things.

Acts 9 tells us about his conversion. Let’s pay attention to Saul, now under his new name Paul. After receiving a call to redemption, he shows fruits of repentance. He realized his mistakes in such a way he couldn’t even eat anymore.

“What have I done?”, must have been one of the questions that crossed his mind.
But if he did so many awful things, why is he still one of the most visible apostles in the Bible?

The difference between us (in some situations) and Paul is that he felt a lot of passion for what he did, and he was aware of his actions. Everything he did was dedicated to pleasing God. In the wrong ways, sure. But what he felt was true. And when Jesus opened his eyes to the Truth, he was set free. He started bearing fruit perfect for the palate.

The motivation was the same: doing the will of God, no matter what that meant for him on this earth.

Maybe this is a silly question if you’re already part of a spiritual family, but, would you be willing to live a life completely given over to God? Because being part of the body is not the same as really living in unity with the body.

Wouldn’t it be easier to choose to live a life that pleases God before choosing selfish pleasures and having to renounce them to live like God wants us to? It may seem a little blurry, but that is the way the Father chose for us. Jesus promised us it would be hard. He made it all clear, but we still choose this life. So, why do we make things blurrier?

Let’s choose to live a life with Christ, before renouncing the things to which we probably have dedicated our lives for years and years. When you devote yourself to doing what pleases Him, you won’t have time to do anything you would regret.

Obedience is better than sacrifice. (1 Sam. 15:22-23).

By His grace we are saved, because while there is still life, there is opportunity to straighten our path. You can choose what kind of life you want to live, but you can’t run from the consequences of your actions.

“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.” (2 Co. 2:14)

How wonderful it would be if our consequences were love, peace, and goodness wherever we walk. Thanks be to God for His Spirit that guides us.

Paul lived in a time where miracles were visible. Today, we live by faith, or at least we should live by faith. What about you? Do you do crazy things for love or act with wisdom by the same motivation?

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #SaulPaul #wisdomandlove #guestwriter #blog

Written by Kat Bittner, Board Member and Volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Colorado

Sometimes I ponder my path to redemption. Raised in a strict but loving Christian home, my parents did well to instill in me an unwavering belief in God. I’ve never questioned His existence or how this world came to be. Never have I debated the authority or majesty of God. I grew up with absolutely no doubts about who Jesus is and the necessity of Him. With a biblical upbringing like mine, one would think that my sound and sure faith would suffer little in consequence of sin. A strong, solid foundation ensures an unbreakable structure. That couldn’t be more wrong! While a firm foundation does increase the likelihood a structure remains intact, there is no guarantee it won’t be vulnerable at some point in time. Especially when that firm foundation isn’t as sound as it seems.

You see, my “firm” foundation became a crutch. I took for granted the things I knew to be true would be my stronghold. I didn’t truly appreciate my faith. I allowed sin to creep into my life unfettered and unceasing. There was a season of time in which I dabbled in just about everything that could be deemed unredeemable. I was wont in filthy language, sexual immorality, underage drinking, gluttony, smoking, drugs, dishonoring and disrespecting the name of God. Whew! That’s just the short list. I was completely indifferent to all my sin and wrongdoing. The choices I made were self-serving and totally satisfying. The fleeting pleasures were more important than the subdued faith I believed to be living (Heb 11:25). After a while, I began to get comfortable in my constant albeit undisclosed rebellion. And after years of living selfishly, I figured God would never be pleased or satisfied with me. He would never forgive me. As a life-long affirmer in Him and one who chose to then walk away from God for a time, I was convinced I was unredeemable. I was like a field bearing thorns and thistles. Useless! All that’s left for the farmer to do is burn and destroy it (Heb 6:8). In the inevitable doom of my soul and the hidden despair I felt because of that belief, I came to understand through a wonderful spiritual mentor that no sin at no time in no quantity, that is repentant, is ever unforgiven. And I am always redeemed by the blood of Jesus.

“He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever…” (Ps. 111:9, NKJV)

God forgives unequivocally. It is without condition or exception if we are truly repentant. And we are redeemed through the blood of Christ in much the same manner. We are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb who sacrificed Himself undeservedly and unmistakably. Jesus did this “…once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption” (Heb 9:12, NIV) and we who choose to follow Christ are forever redeemed. To be close to God and be saved from the consequences of our sin, a sacrifice of blood was necessary. That’s why Jesus died for us. No manner of sin can undo what Jesus did for us if we remain true to God. We cannot no longer be redeemed simply by considering our sinful nature for if redemption was temporary or provisional it would make Jesus’ sacrifice in vain.

“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So, I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.” (Gal. 2:20-21, NLT)

I know that Jesus’ sacrifice was not in vain. I know that all my sins of the past are forgiven. And I know that my sin now is not ever unforgiven nor is it remembered so long as I continue to walk in the light of Jesus. I do my best to live daily in acceptance of God’s grace. I try to be a testimony of the redemption made on my behalf by Jesus. I know that I am forever redeemed. How will you show yourself forever redeemed?

#IronRoseSisterMinistries #HIStories #redemption #pardon #guestwriter #blog

Written by Ana Teresa Vivas, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Canada

In my home country of Venezuela, there is an expression, “If you walk with wolves, you will learn to howl.” You surely have a similar expression in your country. It like what 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character’.” We are not talking about that, but by my way of thinking, it is very related to what we are talking about: making disciples.

Evangelize (share the good news of salvation), love God, obey God, build friendships based on love and obedience to God, serve and grow together, get to know each other better, mentor, teach, convey God’s love. Put all of these things in a container and stir until well mixed. Prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit should not be neglected. Repeat as many times as necessary. Make disciples.

When Jesus decided to be accompanied throughout His ministry, He lived day in and day out with twelve men. And they were called disciples. A disciple is a student, an apprentice, or someone who pays attention to what the teacher says and does, and imitates him.

We, as followers of Jeuss, are His disciples. We love Him and we imitate Him and if we lose perspective of who we are and for whom we live (Gal. 2:20; Acts 20:24), we have a command in Matthew 28:19-20. 19 ”Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

However, the passion to show others the treasure that we have is difficult for some people, for many various reasons. Whatever the reason, if you are not delighting in the joy and full life that comes from obedience to this command, you are losing one of the most glorious moments possible. You are losing out the opportunity to see someone born again by faith, see it grow and witness this new creature mutliply the “butterfly effect”* in others. We know the blessing and privilege of seeing a new life come into this physical world, one of the most beautiful miracles to witness. But how much more glorious and grand to be part of and witness spiritual birth, to contribute to the rescue of souls for which Jesus also died! Yet these souls will not have a chance to know and enjoy the Kingdom if our lips are not opened to announce and teach about the abundant life that Jesus gives.

John 10:16, “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” John 10:10b, “yo he venido para que tengan vida, y la tengan en abundancia.”

If you walk with wolves, you howl. If you walk with readers, you will also read. If you walk with Jesus, you will make disciples. It is inevitable; it’s part of the new nature God has given us. It is not about competing for numbers: how many I have taught, how many have been converted, how many have remained faithful, etc. NO! It is more about how we live each day, finding the opportunity to share the Good News or to help someone in their faith, so that it grows. Or, simply walking with someone and being present, showing Jesus with your life. Show others your most precious gift, share it and keep learning from our Lord, Teacher, and Leader: Jesus.

Someday, we will share more and we will hear stories of blessings and peace. Stories of transformed lives. Stories from the spiritual realm that are not seen, but are felt.

----------------------
* Butterfly effect: 1. The metamorphosis that occurs in the life of a catepillar when it becomes a butterfly; 2. Refers to the smallest things that have a greater effect and impact.

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #makedisciples #walkwithJesus #walklikeJesus #discipleship #guestwriter #blog

Written by Kara Benson, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas

What is your love language? As a freshman in college, I heard my Bible professor ask our class if we knew that God had a love language. Most students silently stared at him while a few glanced around the room to observe puzzled facial expressions. Our professor smiled, opened his Bible to Hebrews 6:10, and read, “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” One of God’s love languages is acts of service for His people. Since then, that verse has become one of my favorites because it helps me understand how to love God—serve His people.

My friend lived out that verse in the following school year. During finals week, Lydia asked if she could come over to my dorm before our health and safety check. Even though I was feeling overwhelmed and busy packing for spring break, I said that she was welcome to come. When I walked into the living area, I discovered that she had washed all the dirty dishes and cleaned the toilet for all the girls in our suite. What kind of a friend does that? A true friend. I almost wished she hadn’t because I did not feel deserving of her friendship. However, I am so thankful that by what she did, she taught me about service.

Years ago, I read a book entitled Love Does. That title has stuck with me because of the clarity of its message. Love is busy. Love is active. Love is not simply having good feelings for someone. Love does. Before the Passover Feast, Jesus washed His disciples’ feet (John 13). When He had finished, He tells them, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (13:14). Galatians 5:13 teaches us, “[we] were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” Instead of pursuing self, pursue serving brothers and sisters in Christ.

Romans 12:9-13 highlights serving others as a characteristic of love. It says, “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” Let’s focus in on verse 10. Can we honestly say that we are lovingly devoted to our Christian family?

Devotion to our Christian family requires action. Faith without works is dead, as we learn from James 2:17. James explains that the combination of Abraham’s actions and his faith in God is credited to him as righteousness; “You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did” (2:22). James emphasizes this point again in verse 24, teaching that “a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.” Unlike the demons’ belief in God (as described in verse 19), true belief in God will manifest itself in our actions. Jesus teaches, “Whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:27-28).

Earlier in Matthew, Jesus teaches us to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things [food, drink, and clothing] will be given to you as well” (Matt. 6:33). When we look at our lives, what fills our time? When we look at the weeks and weekends on our calendar, what do we see? Are we busy seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness? Or have we become more consumed with social media, hobbies, traveling, sports games, and entertainment? If we truly assess how we spend our evenings and weekends, we may find that we are giving too much of our precious time to the pursuits of this world rather than storing up treasures in heaven.

We might not be spending our time doing something sinful. However, our adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Pet. 5:8). If Satan cannot convince us to abandon our faith, he may very well distract us from living out our faith. Let’s not allow even the good things of this world to keep us from following our Lord. Let us “be very careful how [we] live—not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity” (Eph. 5:15-16). Let us redeem our time by helping the Lord’s people and thereby showing our love for God.

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #service #action #lovelanguage #guestwriter #blog

Written by Therese Martin, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Washington

We use lots of different imagery to describe our relationship with God. Parent/ child, groom/bride, shepherd/sheep, potter/clay; these are all useful and true, but how often do we think about the one Jacob encountered one night…grappling partners?

In Genesis, chapter 32, we read about Jacob wrestling with “a man” who is usually assumed to be the Lord in some form. The passage certainly implies it. “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God, and with men, and have prevailed” (Gen. 32:28). The grappling match went on all night, leaving Jacob with a painful hip where his opponent touched him. It’s significant enough that, in the Jewish dietary laws, the sciatic nerve of meat animals and its surrounding tissues are not eaten, in remembrance of this famous grappling event. Aside from the prohibition against consuming blood, it’s the only dietary rule that predates the laws given to Moses.

I can relate to this in so many ways. First, I have chronic hip pain, from sciatica and femoral acetabular impingement. It gets bad enough that I sometimes can’t walk, and I often use a cane. Pain is a daily reminder of so many things! Time is passing, and I’m older every day. Bodies are frail, no matter how much we try to strengthen them. And I sometimes need a reminder that life isn’t easy, that for most of the world it’s a daily struggle against many kinds of adversity, from health problems and economic concerns to natural disasters, wars, and injustice.

I haven’t given up. I still practice karate, which brings me to the second point; the match itself. It’s late at night, and Jacob is camping in the wilderness. A man shows up, and what do they do? Do they sit by the fire and chat? No, they wrestle. There’s no mention of why. Did this stranger just walk up and say, “Hey there, let’s wrestle”? Apparently so, because they keep it up all night.

I can see that happening, at least with my family. All four of my sons have trained in martial arts; three black belts, one brown. My oldest has a second-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He teaches law enforcement officers and military personnel how to subdue without damaging the subject. His teaching style is extremely gentle and encouraging, but relentless. They learn. And sometimes it’s painful.

This led me to the third point. Are we accepting our Lord’s invitation to grapple with Him? Sounds crazy, but sometimes that’s how He rolls. Literally. In Jiu Jitsu, they use the term “rolling” to describe the training they do on the mat. “I rolled for a couple of hours on Saturday” means the person grappled on the mat for two hours with instructors or fellow students. It’s challenging, to say the least. And I wonder if some of the challenges we face in life are God’s invitations to step on the mat and spar with Him. He teaches us through these challenges, and we learn things we could never learn otherwise.

And what about the times we challenge Him to a match? When we say, like Jacob, “I will not let you go until you bless me!” (Gen. 32:26) We know that we ought to do something, but we don’t want to. We struggle with it, even though it may be clear that it’s what God wants. We sail away from Nineveh, or put out a fleece to see if anything unusual happens to it. We wrestle with God, and it’s always a learning experience.

Maybe pain is a reminder that we learn from the process of grappling with the challenges of life, not from avoiding them. When I take that first step in the morning and pain shoots up my leg, should I just get back in bed? Or should I take it as an invitation to step on the mat, and to accept my sparring partner’s offer? “Let’s roll!”

Yes, Lord. May I always be willing to grapple with the gift of Your sparring lessons!

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #pain #grapplingwiththeLord #wrestlingwithGod #guestwriter #blog

Written by Débora Rodrigo, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arequipa, Perú

All the women around her were mothers. Being a mother is what gave a woman of her time and her culture her reason for being, her value in the family and in society. But Hannah had no children. Hannah was empty. She was alone. She felt useless. A waste of society. Good for nothing. Her husband could not understand that feeling of helplessness that devastated her heart. He asked her, why do you need a child? Am I not enough for you? But of course, he had his own children; another woman had given them to him. She was unable to do it. She felt watched, singled out. When she walked through the streets, she felt how other women looked at her with pity. She knew what they were thinking. There was Hannah, the one who couldn't give her husband children. The one who would never feel the baby kicks in the womb, the one who would never breastfeed her children. Some women made fun of her. We do have children. Not like you. Something must be wrong with her. Or at least that's what she felt.

The anguish grew with the passing of time. The chances of the miracle occurring diminished considerably as the months progressed. The years continued to pass without stopping. Hope was diminishing. Impotence grew, and along with, it desolation. Little by little Hannah’s heart filled with anguish. Loneliness. Bitterness. No one could understand how she drowned the deep weight of sadness. It was impossible to explain. There was no way for others to understand this terrible bottomless tunnel that Hannah walked through every day. Alone.

Like every year, Hannah, along with her husband, who was also accompanied by his other wife and the children she had given him, traveled to the Shiloh sanctuary to worship God. It was a family custom, an appointment they didn't miss. But this year Hannah was traveling completely devastated with hardly any energy, without even the courage to feed her own body. Upon arrival, she could do nothing but retire to the sanctuary and pray to God from the silence of her solitude. She needed to free herself from that deep sadness. Soundless words came out of her mouth and mixed with the tears that flowed from her eyes without rest. There, in the midst of her loneliness, Hannah poured out her heart before God. She emptied it completely. She begged Him to take such a heavy load. There, Hannah finally felt understood. As her prayer flowed, a vibrant energy strengthened her body and soul. Finally, little by little, Hannah allowed the sadness to leave her mind and her being, emptied of the anguish that had taken possession of her for so long. Hannah let God give her encouragement and even joy in the midst of her terrible suffering. Anyone who saw her like this, completely abandoned in the arms of God, would have considered her crazy, or even drunk, as the priest himself thought she was. But she was just a devastated woman surrendering to a God who loved her and understood her suffering. The only one who could comfort a heart as broken as hers.

After praying for a while, Hannah wiped away her tears, got up and went back to her family. But this time with renewed strength, without the heavy burden of the abyss of sadness. Her appetite returned and she felt motivated enough to keep going. God had comforted her heart. At last, the heavy burden of sadness had become more bearable, and even light. Although her desire for a child was still just as strong as before, that suffering was much more bearable. She knew she wasn't alone. She knew she was loved and understood.

Only a few years passed before Hannah returned to that same place and stepped on that same ground that had seen her cry inconsolably and find the comfort she needed. This time however, the tears were of joy. The words, inaudible one day, were now clear and firm, the phrases that before implored help, now gave exclamations of gratitude and joy. Gratitude for that son that Hannah now embraced. Joy for a heart that found in God the hope it had lost. That son that she had felt growing within herself belonged to God and she gave him to God. God had replaced her anguish with inordinate joy. Now she felt complete, overflowing with joy.

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #Hannah #motherhood #sadnesstojoy #guestwriter

Written by Francia Oviedo, Creative Assistant with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Honduras

I have heard that women use 20,000 words a day and men 13,000. I can assure you that I hit that mark (haha). Wow, but how many problems have those 20,000 words gotten me into when I don’t use them wisely, when I allow my words to be guided by the flesh and not by the Spirit? This reminds me of Balaam.

Balaam was a words guy, so much so that three chapters are needed in the Bible to tell his story, found in the book of Numbers, chapters 22-24. Balaam was a man known to use his words to bless or curse peoples. He was just the man Balak, the king of Moab, needed in order that his words might be used to curse the people of Israel.

22:5 sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River, in his native land. Balak said:
“A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. 6 Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.” (Num. 22:5-6)

But Balaam pledged to go to that place and do that deed even when God had not allowed it. Such were the circumstances that God had to give him a lesson and make his donkey talk! Finally, Balaam obeyed God and was unable to pronounce any words that God did not allow him to speak.

But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God.” (Num. 22:18)

Fortunately, he obeyed and used his words in accordance with God’s will. Instead of cursing the people of Israel, he ended up blessing them three times. Thankfully, God led Balaam to use his words wisely, and we all have that power in our mouths. Most of us use 10,000, 20,000, or even more words per day and, like Balaam, we should seek God’s wisdom to choose well whatever we say.

Every word that comes from our mouths has the power to create, to give life, to encourage, to bless, but also has the power to darken, to discourage, to hurt, to curse others or even ourselves. Proverbs tells us, “The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly” (15:2) and it also says, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (18:21).

Like me, I’m sure you can remember a personal story when you used your words in the wrong way, but like Balaam, we always have the opportunity to choose the right words, ones that reflect the love and wisdom of God, ones that create, encourage, and give life. It is a daily choice. I encourage you to remember, the next time you think about how many words you say a day, that you can choose ones that will be a blessing to those around you, and also to yourself.

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #wisdom #words #powerofthetongue #bless #Balaam #guestwriter #blog

Written by Deanna Brooks, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas.

What do you think of when you hear the word “humble” or “humility”?

Humility is defined as: not proud or arrogant… expressing an attitude of deference… modest… unpretentious… not looking at others as inferior to oneself (or not thinking of self as better than others).

Humility does not mean a person debases himself or puts himself down. It is possible to recognize our skills and strong points… and to be happy with our talents, but still be humble because we have an attitude of thankfulness for what we have, and we realize we are blessed. It gives us a healthy perception of ourselves.

In both the Old and New Testaments, humility is a quality to be desired. It is essential for establishing a right relationship with God and a healthy relationship with others. It also describes a character quality that properly and accurately values oneself while recognizing one’s sinfulness… sinfulness that is covered by the blood of Jesus Christ when we are immersed for remission of sins.

Humility does not demand everything go my way… it does not think first of self. Selfishness is one of humility’s opposites, because it puts self first.

When pregnant Hagar was told to return to Sarai and submit to her, she did (Gen. 16:9). Years later when Ishmael was laughing at Isaac, and he and Hagar were sent away (Gen. 21), we have no record of her rebelling or arguing, but in humility she took the provisions Abram gave her and left.

Moses shows his humility when God is angry with the Israelites and threatens to destroy them and start anew with Moses, and Moses pleads with Him not to do it (Ex. 32).

Twice David stopped his men from killing Saul (1 Sam. 24, 26) saying, "I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the LORD's anointed" (24:10b). David was much loved, and he could have done it and become king, but he chose to let God be in control.

John (the Baptizer), cousin of Jesus, had quite a following, but he said about Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

Jesus is our ultimate example in humility. On the night He was betrayed, He took a towel and basin of water and washed His disciples’ feet… knowing Judas would betray Him, Peter would deny Him, and they all would run except for John (John 13).

Paul wrote: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped (held on to), but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:5-8).

James, the brother of Jesus, wrote: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).

Proverbs 11:2 tells us: “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.”

Isaiah 66:2 reads, “All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”

In Philippians 2:3 we read, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”

Ephesians 4:1, 2 reads, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.”

Colossians 3:12 tells us, “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.”

Micah 6:8 says, “What does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

It’s easy for us to want our way, to demand our rights, to want to be noticed.

In Luke 14 Jesus tells a parable about choosing a seat of honor at a banquet, then being asked by the host to move, because that seat was for someone else. In verse 11, Jesus says, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

As we give honor to others, people will notice, and most importantly, we will be pleasing our Heavenly Father.

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #humility #guestwriter #blog

Written by Pamella Sevillano, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in João Pessoa, Brazil.

Have you ever thought about the love and care a mother has for her children?
If you’re a mother, you know what I’m talking about, and if you’re not, you can imagine it.

When we are expecting, we think about every detail for their arrival. Where their room is going to be, where they will sleep, what clothes they’re going to wear, and lots of other things.

When I start thinking about my experience as a mother, and the preparation for my kids' arrivals, I can imagine how God prepared everything for Jesus’ arrival here on earth. How He chose the way His Son would come to the world, how He chose Mary and Joseph as his parents, in what cultural and political context Jesus would come, and how He prepared just everything for His birth. God is a caring Father and we can see this clearly in Jesus’ earthly life.

Just like some of us mothers are always making sure our kids have the best opportunities for growth, always wondering if they are okay, if they are in good company, if they are eating well enough to be healthy. We can also see that as Jesus grew, God provided new paths and relationships that helped Him evolve in all phases of life.

Nothing compares to the love of God, but something similar is the love of a mother for her children.

Isaiah 49:15 says:
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!”

And the intense love God has for Jesus is the same love He has for us as His children.

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (1 John‬ 3:1)‬

Just as God loves us intensely and we love our children intensely, we also want our children to love us and the Lord. We want them to seek us in moments of happiness and sadness, of relief and distress, of peace and pain…the same way Jesus looked for the Father.

There are several examples of this in the Bible:

• After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. (Matt. 14:23a)
• Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35)

And even in one of the most well-known times, when he went alone to the Mount of Olives and prayed:

• “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)

We long to embrace our kids, care for them and love them. Jesus knew the power of God’s embrace, and He always made sure to seek it. The Lord’s embrace is transformative. Most of the time, life is still going to be hard (Jesus Himself still had to go through the cross), but the love and protection we receive when we submit ourselves to Him is healing, like a mother’s hug.

May we, as sons and daughters of God, never forget His love, care and protection. And know that He loves us unconditionally, as He loved Jesus His Son.

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #loveofGod #Godsembrace #loveoftheFather #guestwritter #blog

By Johanna Zabala, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Ecuador

Do you know what is the first thing that our Heavenly Father formed in us? The heart. Yes, our heart, this being the first purposeful organ that God himself designed in the fertilization process. How wonderful! Let's look at Psalm 139:13-24. From the womb of each mother, He formed us. What a blessing! All details, thoughts, purposes, plans, and tests are and will be in Him and for Him.

Also, in the book of Jeremiah in chapter 1:5-10 (CEV), it says:

““Jeremiah, I am your Creator, and before you were born, I chose you to speak for me to the nations.” I replied, “I'm not a good speaker, Lord, and I'm too young.” “Don't say you're too young,” the Lord answered. “If I tell you to go and speak to someone, then go! And when I tell you what to say, don't leave out a word! 8 I promise to be with you and keep you safe, so don't be afraid.” The Lord reached out his hand, then he touched my mouth and said, “I am giving you the words to say, and I am sending you with authority to speak to the nations for me. You will tell them of doom and destruction, and of rising and rebuilding again.””

Given this text, it is extensively highlighted that we are of God, as His most beautiful creation, so we must continually seek to purify ourselves in His presence. Over time, I have taken a close look at the compelling need In each facet of life… that we should strive that our hearts be in the likeness of God's heart, as expressed in Proverbs 4:23.

I have considered that especially when we are growing up, a large percentage of information that we own automatically is acquired from our environment, from the good and the bad of everything. In that learning, dad and mom will always have a significant role in the individual structure of each person.

Every day we see many marital situations in any family, and some are even narrated in the Bible. When reading the book of Acts, specifically in chapter 5, verses 1 to 11, there is the couple Ananias and Sapphira, a union like any other, with possible spiritual struggles; and they, based on the context, had material possessions and properties. Both belonged to the church that met to serve the Lord. However, their hearts were far from what God wanted for them; dishonoring the Holy Spirit, when He knows everything about us.

Feelings and desires come from the human heart, marriage being one of them. It is a Christian duty to keep the marital union set apart for God inside and outside the church. We are all called to show the identity of Christ. It is not an easy task, but it is necessary with a pure and respectful heart.

From the testimony of Ananias and Sapphira, we must never let go of the relationship with the Heavenly Father from our intimacy; this is essential. We can be tempted to stray from God's blessing to the curse. If we, as women of God, allow marriage not to be an example in everything and not to be a team of faith and trust in God, or we let Satan fill the heart of either one, lying, pretending, and not loving the will of God, we can fall and die irretrievably.

The marriage that God designed for us is a supreme plan of Himself. He wants it to be for a holy purpose. He wants us to be a team, to be one with Him.

All this invites us to be aware of what we are and what we have under the presence of the Creator and His immense love for each one of us. In other words, each relationship requires sincerity, love for one's neighbor, obedience, and intimacy with God in every decision and action. Adding that we have an opportunity for changes for the Heavenly Father, which leads us to constantly heal our hearts. Over time it has been contaminated and, if we don't realize it, it can make us sick both spiritually and physically.

Ananias and Sapphira died both spiritually and physically. They had their attention on having money and not on the truth of the Lord. Free will is true, but lying greedily and without repentance, is something God hates and destroys.

Let us ask the eternal Father in prayer that we don’t fill our hearts with evil but with Him. Likewise, that we may be purified daily and that He keep our marriages in holiness and love, in Christ Jesus. Let us never delight in a lie, however small it may be; for the father of lies is Satan (Jn. 8:44).

Let's analyze this then: who do I serve, the Father of Truth or the father of lies? Am I irreverent in the presence of the Creator? Do I allow the Heavenly Father to search my heart? Do I work in fear and love of God? Am I really going to be the right help for my husband?

#IronRoseSister #HIStorias #lies #truth #holymarriage #pureheart #guestwriter #blog

Written by Eliuth de Valencia, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Colombia

“But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.” (Ps. 13:5–6)

The challenge of balanced, Christ-centered parenting is not without its ups and downs. With three children, we have experienced difficult situations at the family level, wanting to always be obedient to God. Currently we still have two little ones under our care, with the definitive supreme calling to instruct and correct them with reverent fear of the Lord. However, we overlook some situations.

We took it for granted that talking about disability was enough to be conscientious with each other. Without realizing it, moved by the fragility and vulnerability of our youngest daughter, we made room for favoritism, putting aside our son's own needs. Thanks to the Lord who invites us to self-assess ourselves as parents, we were able to reconcile this misguidance and offer all our children equal love.

However, what seems to be a bad trend, gave us a great life lesson for more real evangelism: Life will not always be fair. There will be more disappointments and frustrations that you will experience throughout your life; people will have favorites, at school, at church; some classmates will take credit for something they didn't do; they will give the promotion they have worked so hard for to someone else. For decades, the world's most popular evangelistic message has been drawing people with the promise of God's wonderful plan for their lives. But behind the façade of the “wonderful plan” message is the reality of the trials, temptations, and persecution that Jesus promised (1 Pet. 2:21). How can we reconcile the two?

There is an absolute truth in the whole universe: God works all things according to His will, having control of all past, present and future events of our lives. We see this in the constant narrative throughout the second half of Genesis that aims to show one of God's attributes, His sovereignty.

God blessed the family of the promise. The many sons of Jacob show the beginnings of God's promise to make Abraham's descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. Also, throughout the narrative, we are distracted by the fragility and humanity of each of its members from generation to generation. Despite this, God has purposes in their lives, but before using them greatly, he had to work on their character. This leads me to think that we do nothing to earn any of the goodness that He gives us, yet surely, He blesses our obedience. It is transformative to be shaped by trials even if the greatest challenge is to love others. This helps me find out if this common approach to the gospel fits with real life, and with the Scriptures.

Constantly, as a woman, I find myself struggling to understand these truths. My sinful nature is frightened, anxious about obstacles, and has a hard time resting in God. But something changes when I go to Him and He teaches me to understand that His time and His way of working are different from mine and that, at every step, His care will not depart from me, even in the hardest trials, allowing everything to work toward a perfect purpose.

There is a particular story that has given me lessons at every stage of life, and that I bring to my mind to understand and remember that God cares for His children fulfilling the purposes that He orchestrates in an extraordinary way; that is the story of Joseph (Gen. 30-50). I will highlight some aspects of this story:

Of the sons of Jacob, Joseph was God's chosen leader in his generation, and God revealed this calling to Joseph through dreams. Joseph was obedient to God and faithful with his responsibilities, honoring his father and doing what he asked. At that time, Joseph was still young, about seventeen years old, and lived in his father's house with many of his brothers.

Jacob favored Joseph, and this caused division in his house. Because of this, Joseph's brothers had their “it's not fair” moments seeing their younger brother being treated with blatant favoritism and living with the fact that their father clearly loved Joseph more. Furthermore, he was having multiple dreams indicating that one day the entire family would bow down to him. And while Jacob witnessed how parental favoritism (Isaac and Rebekah) destroyed his own family relationships (see Genesis 26), he practiced the same kind of behavior and produced the same kind of division among his children.

The brothers' hatred went unchecked and resulted in a horrible crime out of their frustrations. Their actions reveal the intense fighting and jealousy within Jacob's family; a scenario raised between their mothers (Leah and Rachel) who constantly competed. His brothers rejected Joseph, unaware of God's call on his life. Joseph's obedience and faithfulness contrast with the wickedness of his brothers when they conspired to kill him, sold him into slavery, and deceived their father (Gen. 37).

One cannot help but notice parallels between the stories of Jacob and Joseph:

• Jacob manipulated his brother for his birthright and then stole his blessing. Joseph's brothers tried to destroy the brother to whom the blessing belonged.
• Jacob was persecuted and deceived by Laban, and although Jacob was not innocent of the deception in his actions, God saved and protected him. Joseph was persecuted by his brothers who later deceived their father, but Joseph was innocent, and God was with him as well.
• Even after Esau wanted the death of his brother Jacob, we see God's mercy in giving Jacob a new name, Israel. With the burden of his previous actions towards his brother, Jacob wanted to repay producing a deep reconciliation. Joseph also reconciles with his brothers, “And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you” (Gen. 45:5).

When you feel ignored, separated and defeated, remember Joseph as an "archetype" of Christ: who went from suffering to glory, becoming the savior of his brothers who had rejected him and left him for dead.

It does not have to be difficult. Work on the things you can change. Get closer to God, read His Word, strengthen your character, refine the gifts with which He has blessed you, and practice being faithful in difficult times—even the small and invisible ones shape you. God is working in our lives and situations. He is a God who sees, cares and is moving. We can see this in the life of Joseph and find encouragement for our own circumstances. No matter what we face today, we can demonstrate our faith by continuing to believe God's promises. God will continue to carry out His purposes. His faithfulness in the past is a model and a promise for His faithfulness in the future. It will keep working, even when we feel like we're in the pit. As the psalmist proclaimed, we can trust in His faithfulness and His coming deliverance, singing His praises when we are vindicated. One day you will be able to look back and see how God prepared you for something more than you could ever imagine.

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #challenges #trustGodsplan #Joseph #guestwriter #blog

Written by Michelle J. Goff, founder and director of Iron Rose Sister Ministries

We do not know who wrote the book of Hebrews. Considering his extensive knowledge of Jewish customs and practices, the author was most assuredly a Jew. Furthermore, he saw his Judaism as an opportunity to appreciate Christ more deeply as the fulfillment of all the Hebrew prophecies and the archetype for all foreshadowing in Hebrew teaching.

When the Holy Spirit inspired this author to pen this letter to the Jews, his primary purpose was to provide assurances based in the Torah and the Prophets. His explanations are rooted in what we know as the Old Testament. His points regarding the supremacy of Christ emphasize the importance of keeping Christ at the center of everything. But why?

The Hebrew audience had grown discouraged. They were doubting whether Jesus of Nazareth really was all of who He said He was. And not many years had yet passed since Jesus’ resurrection. It is traditionally believed that the book was written during the second half of the 1st century. This is less than one generation after Jesus had died.

It doesn’t take long for us to get discouraged. And to forget. If we don’t intentionally remember, we will forget and lose faith. Therefore, we celebrate the God stories in our lives. We delight in sharing with others how living and active God is. We marvel at the power revealed through the stories of the Bible.

The first nine and a half chapters of Hebrews set the stage for the primary encouragement of the letter: Keep the faith!

Allow me a one-sentence summary of each chapter as a preamble to his greatest admonition to keep the faith.

1. Superior to the angels, Jesus was the Son of God.
2. Jesus was 100% God and 100% human.
3. Worthy of a greater honor than Moses, Jesus is the faithful Son over God’s house.
4. Jesus was the ultimate high priest and atonement for our sins.
5. Please believe in Jesus, the source of eternal salvation.
6. God is unchangeable and had this plan from the beginning.
7. Jesus is the guarantor of a better covenant, living to intercede for us, a high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
8. Jesus was perfect and is the mediator of the new covenant.
9. Eternal redemption is possible through the blood shed by the perfect sacrifice, Christ.
10. We are made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Yet no matter how much evidence there is, no matter how many arguments presented, there is no way to convince someone with total assurance about the Christ. Why? Because no one can believe without faith.

When our faith wavers, we can reflect on God’s faithfulness. When we get discouraged, we can remember the times when Jesus was discouraged and looked to His Father.

The author of Hebrews recognized that many Christian Jews had become discouraged, and their faith was teetering on the edge of giving up.

He reminds his readers:

19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

After summarizing the first ten chapters in these three verses (10:19-21), the author begins his encouraging admonition to the Hebrews.

22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Heb. 10:22-25)

The solution?

• Draw near to God. Don’t isolate.
• Recognize the lies and remember our cleansing.
• Hold onto hope. Let go of discouragement.
• Remain faithful as God is faithful.
• Encourage one another. We are not alone!
• Keep our eyes fixed on Jesus (Heb. 12:1). Everything else pales in comparison.

Which admonition from Hebrews is most encouraging and hope-filled for you today?

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #keepthefaith #runtherace #eyesfixedonJesus #Hebrews #MichelleJGoff #blog

Written by Kathy Thompson, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas

What challenges you? What seriously tests the limits of your patience?
Maybe it’s a job environment that is often in conflict, or a strained or even broken relationship with someone you love. Maybe it’s a physical disability or an extreme financial situation. Maybe you’re mourning the loss of a loved one, or heartbroken for a loved one who has turned away from God.

Joseph was no stranger to challenges. It started early in life for him, at age 17. We read in Genesis 37 how he was his father’s favorite son, among 12 sons. His father openly showed his favoritism for Joseph by giving him lavish gifts, like a coat made with beautiful colors and ornaments. Then came the first serious challenge in Joseph’s life: his brothers turned against him and sold him to some passing traders! My guess is he had to grow up really quickly then, being suddenly torn from his family and even his culture, and carried off to a foreign land as a slave! No more favored status for him but now he was degraded down to someone’s property. Imagine the depth of betrayal he felt! Betrayed by his own brothers!

But he didn’t turn away from God. The Scripture doesn’t tell us, but I imagine that he grew closer to God through this ordeal. Because the next thing we see is God blessing Joseph in his new role as slave. “The Lord was with Joseph and made him successful…the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake…” (Gen. 39:2-5)

And then there is another hard challenge. Since “Joseph was well built and handsome” (Gen. 39:6), he drew the eye of his master’s wife. I’d like you to notice what he says to her after her repeated advances. “How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (Gen. 39:9) It was his Creator he did not want to sin against—that was his first concern. Then, his second concern was his master’s reaction.

So now he finds himself in prison. Not a good place to be. He must have been screaming on the inside “This is so unfair! I’ve done nothing wrong!” He may have even succumbed to self-pity for a period of time. He went from a darling son to being a slave, sold by his own brothers! Then it got even worse than that; from a slave to a prisoner! But through it all Joseph trusted God. And even in prison, God blessed him. “But the Lord was with Joseph...and gave him favor in the sight of the warden…” (Gen. 39:21).

But the hard challenges aren’t done yet for Joseph. God allows him to interpret dreams, during his time in prison, and he does just that for two men from Pharaoh’s court. Knowing the cupbearer would be returned to duty, he asked him to remember him and his wrongful imprisonment. Imagine the hopefulness Joseph had in his heart to think he might be able to get out of this dungeon that he’d been in for 11 years now! For something he didn’t even do! But his hopes are deflated, as he slowly begins to realize that nothing is going to happen to release him from prison. As each day passes and nothing happens, Joseph begins to lose hope. Two full years go by and still nothing. He may have been disappointed, but you know Joseph just clung more tightly to God than ever.

And we know the rest of the story, how it was God’s design to bring the Israelites down to Egypt and He’d been using Joseph all along to accomplish that. How Joseph was raised to great power and had a happy reunion with his father and brothers.

My question is: How do we react to hard challenges in our lives? How do we react to the gut-punch of betrayal from a loved one? To the hot outrage of a false accusation? To the heartbreak of being forgotten?

The Scripture has a lot to say about suffering:

It is for our testing: 1 Peter 4:12-16 “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you. But to the degree that you share in the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.”

It is for our spiritual maturity: 1 Peter 5:9-10 “But resist him [the devil], firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace. who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”

It produces endurance: James 1:2-4 “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

It teaches us obedience: Hebrews 5:8 “Although He was a Son, he learned obedience from the things which He suffered.”

It has eternal results: James 1:12 “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

Joseph persevered and was abundantly blessed in the end. Sisters, I’d like to encourage each of us to do the same. Persevere in whatever difficult situation you are in, holding tight to our Father; watching, waiting, and even expecting to see God’s resolution. The blessings will multiply and before we know it, we’ll be with Him where trials are no more.

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #challenges #persevere #blessingsthroughchallenges #Joseph #guestwriter #blog

Written by Gisela Millán, volunteer of Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Venezuela

When we talk about a crown we refer to: authority, power, reign, reward.

How incredible that something can be taken away from us that was given to us. Just as a young woman prepares herself physically, spiritually, and academically to compete for a crown, so must we, dear sisters, also prepare ourselves. Although they compete for a corruptible crown, we do not compete. But it is a race for an incorruptible crown. When a king is crowned, his children become his princes and princesses, thus becoming heirs to his kingdom. This is how our heavenly Father made us part of His kingdom, but was it just like that? For being beautiful? Or for just being His daughters and that's it? No! First, we recognized and accepted by believing in the words and promises of Jesus Christ.

In my personal and spiritual life, the enemy has wanted to discourage me so that I toss my crown to the ground, the crown I was given when I decided to believe and receive Christ in my heart. He whispers in my ear, “Look how you are: ugly, spent, you can't keep going; give up already!” He tries to unsettle my emotions, because he knows that's where sickness wins, but God says we are called according to a purpose (Rom. 8:28). I think that winning my crown is not easy if I don't understand what and why I am fighting for. If we don't treasure or hold tight to our sword (Heb. 4:12), how can we fight and conquer? When Joshua went to conquer the promised land, what God reminded him the most was to meditate day and night on His words, to believe them and keep them in his heart, and he did so.

Beloved, I have been fighting for my crown for 6 years, I keep my eyes on the award,
because God says that we are His workmanship, that He is that Warrior who fights for us (Josh. 5:15) and the Lord Jesus Christ made us His daughters. When we faint, and we believe Satan’s lies, that's where we throw our crown down, that's where we lose it. So, what is the use of talking about it and not doing it? We must persevere and not allow anyone to take away from us what was given to us with pure blood. It is a promise that is given with love.

Notice how Jesus Himself tells us, “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown” (Rev. 3:11).

As I mentioned at the beginning, a girl prepared to win the crown in a beauty pageant. Once crowned, do you think she gets it and that's it? Is the job finished? Does she lose it? No, my sisters, she must keep that award or accolade for a while and keep working. We should do likewise in ministry, at work, in our homes, but mainly within ourselves.

Jesus sends a message to the church in Philadelphia, which means "brotherly love." The Lord is telling them that He is coming back soon, and although it is not an immediate return, if we read this passage today, tomorrow, or a year from now, He speaks to us in the present, encouraging this church to endure. How wonderful are His words that are also a promise for us! That is why we must continue working on ourselves, because we were made new creatures, daughters of the King.

And what is it that we must guard? They say that the church of Philadelphia had little to no strength. I imagine they were a humble, low-income congregation. However, they had received and accepted the Lord Jesus Christ and kept His words. And it was what the Lord admired about them. For this reason, He tells them that He loves them, because they were a church that resisted in brotherly love. They say that the name of that church was changed, but they kept the word of God in their hearts, trusting in the promises of Jesus Christ.

John continues narrating and says, let no one take your crown. So, did the Lord leave this church crowned? Or does He crown us when we receive Him and keep His word? I believe that this church is praised by our Lord Jesus Christ, because it remained obedient, loving, enduring, and trusting, my beloved sisters. The truth is, we have a crown, but we must work to hold onto it, because another sister cannot take it from us, but rather the enemy that sows doubts and distrust. 2022 years have passed, but we must continue believing every day in the promises of Jesus Christ and not neglect ourselves! For indeed these are the days of confusion. These are dangerous days. These are days when you and I can stray from the path that God has established for us. Well, is it that the chosen cannot be deceived at the end of time? The way to avoid this is by being close, walking and talking with our Lord Jesus.

God says in His word: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (Jn. 10:27). Listen to the indication of the Holy Spirit, who will guide and direct you, and will establish your feet firmly on the path that He has established for you.

Furthermore, Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 4:1, “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.”

Indeed, if we work and strive, it is because we have placed our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all, especially for those who believe. Christ Himself gives us the assurance. “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” (Jn. 5:24).

The Judgment Seat of Christ has nothing to do with salvation. Instead, it has to do with rewards for service, for constant growth in grace, for patience in doing good. Our just God will forget our work of love, if we have done it out of love for Him.

My beloved ones, let us continue to hope together, working in brotherly love keeping the word of God and practicing it every day, serving God, taking care of that crown that was placed on us.

As Isaiah 62:3 says, "You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God." Amen.

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #daughtersoftheKing #crownoflife #princessesofGod #guestwriter #blog

Written by Aileen Bonilla, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Ecuador

The story of Sapphira and Ananias is very short but full of a great message for us in these times (Acts 5:1-11). At that time the faithful believers brought their offerings so that the apostles could administer them in the best way. This offering was voluntary and the most beautiful thing of all is that they were conscious offerings. That is, each believer gave of his possessions because he understood that the church had a need, and above all, that it would serve to continue to spread the glorious Gospel of Christ (Acts 4:32-36).

However, God shows us that despite the fact that many understood this truth, there were also those who wanted to be seen and applauded by men. The intention of Sapphira and Ananias was not sincere or complete before God. It was not wrong to give only part of the money. What's more, I would say, they didn't even have to do it. But they decided that perhaps this offering would be useful. However, they forgot that everything we do for the Kingdom must be handled with simplicity and in secret, waiting only for God's reward (Mt. 6:3-5).

Sapphira and her husband thought that their hypocrisy would go unnoticed, they thought that they could deceive God. Hypocrisy is not only an evil that affects our interpersonal relationships, but also affects our relationship with God. He hates it when we try to think of Him as an object to be mocked, and even more so if we teach this horrible attitude to others.

Let’s look at this text: “There are six things the LORD hates, no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kills the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family” (Prov. 6:16-19, NLT). In this text there is an incredible order. First, we are shown that God hates arrogant eyes, followed by a lying tongue. For those who suffer from pride, their life will usually be full of lies.

Pride has always been man's worst enemy, since this defect prevents a person from being corrected, instructed, or grateful. Sapphira and Ananias's attitude was pride disguised as generosity. Therefore, God purged His Church in this way, as this brings blessing to all.

Half-truths are also lies. It seems to sound strong because many times we have gone down that path, perhaps to look good or not look so bad in some situation. The fabricated lies are very dangerous and, above all, the Lord greatly hates them.

Arrogance, as the Proverbs text shows us, brings serious consequences to our lives, not just for telling lies. It also brings discord in the family. Since the Church is the family of God, He will not let this evil grow out of proportion. Like Sapphira and Ananias, we can have that attitude.

We can have a false pride in being humble, and this is also very detestable for everyone. It's like a bad perfume that permeates the whole room. Cheap perfume is scandalous, and nauseating. In the same way, pride in our faith and humility becomes like that cheap perfume. Would you rather be a subtle and delicate perfume or a cheap and scandalous one?

Jesus said of Himself: “Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart,” (Mt. 11:29). Sometimes we assume we know everything, perhaps due to the years we have been in the church, but the truth is that our earthly life is a time for continuous learning. That is the true key, to never stop learning.

On the other hand, only Jesus can authoritatively attribute these qualities because He is the source of everything, be it knowledge, wisdom, goodness, love, humility, meekness, among other wonderful characteristics. So, it leads us to reflect that if we don’t spend time with the Teacher, then falling into lies and pride will be much easier.

Let’s not run to do evil, I imagine this couple trying to get where the apostles were to give them this supposed gift. They were eager to be recognized by the people, as were many Pharisees of the time. But, in this new Kingdom it was no longer going to be like that.

God tells us that we are new creatures through Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:17), this translates as a reprogramming in our being. That is, if before we loved to brag about our achievements, now this should no longer be valuable in our eyes. Let us enter the Heavenly home not by means of our "good deeds" nor by our "titles," but by faith or trust placed in Christ Jesus.

It is sad to see how many Christians lie about irrelevant things. In the different ministries, many make excuses for not getting involved, as if saying that they really don’t want to or don’t feel prepared for what they see as difficult. Also, I have been able to observe the other extreme, those who do everything with pompoms and tambourines to appear as the most generous or the most concerned about their neighbor. One more reason why God decided to uproot this couple in the early Church.

Finally, Sapphira should have been that wise and prudent woman advising her husband to do the right thing before God. This teaches us how true the advice of Proverbs 14:1 is. As women we must ask God for a lot of wisdom, through the study of the Word, meditation, prayer and fasting. These four components together will help us connect with God in an incredible way.

Join me in praying: Lord, help us to be more like You. Our hearts often think about the evil, but we know that you can change that reality. Cleanse us from evil every day and help us to be able to be more committed to Your work. In Jesus, amen.

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #pride #humility #liesandtruth #guestwriter #blog

Written by Lisanka Martinez, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Venezuela

As a teenager, I heard a story in which a man cheated on his wife with a cousin of hers. Shocked, I discussed it at home and we remembered a family situation from when I was a child: my aunt's husband tried to make her younger sister fall in love with him, who, offended, told her sister, but she did not believe him and preferred to trust the word of her husband. This kept them as enemies for some time and all of us in the family were involved in one way or another. That memory allowed mom to free herself from another memory that she had preferred to hide from us while we were younger: In her family there had been the shameful case of a man who had children with 2 sisters. I couldn't understand it, it seemed so horrible to me. I described the man as a depraved monster and the women as stupid, submissive, fearful, and even scoundrels who accepted that situation for years. Mom tried to justify them due to their ignorance, coupled with fear and loneliness. I was left very confused and reluctant to accept this type of behavior in the middle of the 20th century.

Years later, being a Christian and preparing for some Bible classes, I had the opportunity to learn and analyze a little of Jacob's story. There I found out that he had been married and had children with 2 sisters. What an ugly story for a relevant character in the Bible! Oh! The poor man had been deceived, but why did he continue with her? And poor Rachel, how bad her father had been in making that change. She, as a daughter and a woman, could not disobey him and protest. Poor dear! I hardly even thought about that older sister who was also a main character in that drama. When I thought of Leah, I saw her as the accomplice of the father who had stolen his sister's happiness, perhaps out of selfishness, perhaps because of the tradition of that time that determined that the eldest should marry first. I saw her as a bad guy in that story. In my critical and romantic mind, I reasoned that she should have warned Jacob of the deception so that the marriage would not be consummated and help him plan on how to achieve happiness with his beloved Rachel.

Sometimes we, as humans, want explanations adapted to our understanding of the facts that God shows us in the Bible. We act with such arrogance that we dare to question divine purposes without remembering how fortunate we are that He loves and forgives us. There should be no doubt of that.

Sometime later, preparing a class on domestic violence, I had the opportunity to re-analyze this story. Now, I dedicated myself to thinking in more detail about each character and, of course, I got another perspective on Leah.

Etymologically her name means: tired, languid, melancholic, and hardworking. These four characteristics can define someone who is not happy or appreciated, and who does not have much support, perhaps someone who feels lonely even when surrounded by many people.

Leah was the oldest sister and the first thing that is said about her is that she had "delicate" eyes, for which some authors affirm that she had downcast, sad eyes; perhaps due to some disease. There is no certainty of this, but it is certain that Rachel was more beautiful and vivacious. What a disappointment for Jacob. And what about how Leah felt? Perhaps she was the most disappointed, but she couldn't protest. She could only obey her father.

The Bible tells us that Leah was despised and that she was comforted by God (v.31). Sibling rivalries are common. What is not common is that they stay strong as adults. Let's imagine Leah feeling underestimated and competing with a rival, not only more beautiful but also loved. There is a lot of loneliness in the person who does not receive enough love!

Despite these circumstances, Leah learned to rest and seek comfort in God. This is noticeable in the names that she was choosing for her children. Each name is a wish that her husband stop belittling her, but also that she is sure of having divine favor. We can see in them her personal and intimate relationship with God.

Just as Leah learned to cope with the rivalry with her sister, her husband's lack of love, and her initial loneliness by taking refuge in God and in loving her children, we too can learn to depend solely on divine love, knowing that we must take all our cares to God instead of complaining or being bitter. We can know with certainty that the best option is to rest and trust in God.

It doesn't matter if we are single, married, or single again, loneliness can sometimes creep up on us and bring us negative consequences in our walk with Christ. It can make us feel belittled, worthless, unloved. However, all these are tricks of the enemy.

What can we do when loneliness creeps into our lives? Or when we have unreciprocated love, or we are not valued in our workplace, or we are not taken into account for service in the congregation? Are we going to feel depressed or defeated? Or, on the contrary, will we understand that we are all valuable to God, that we are unique and there is no one exactly the same in the world, that God loves us, sees us, listens to us, and provides for us? Isn't all this a sign that we are not alone?

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #loneliness #Leah #loveofGod #guestwriter #blog

Written by Kara Benson, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas

We are messengers. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:17-20).

We need to use our tongues. As messengers, we use our speech to carry God’s message of truth, hope, love, and redemption to the world. There is a popular quote that says, “Teach the gospel at all times. And if necessary, use words.” However, at some point, the words have to come out of our mouths. Paul writes in Romans 10:14, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” We should use our tongues to share the good news with those around us. Living a good, moral life simply is not enough. Being described by our neighbors and coworkers as a nice, hardworking person who doesn’t cuss simply is not enough. If we do not share the gospel, then those around us might not come to know our Creator and His message of reconciliation. If we are waiting for someone to notice our good, moral life and ask us about it before we share the message… that day may never come. We are called to be a city on a hill, the light of the world, and the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13-14).

Reflection question: Do your neighbors know that you are a Christian? Or could you be confused for a “good, moral person” who happens to be gone on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights?

As messengers, we need to be careful how we use our tongues. Recently, I had an interesting encounter with someone at work. When I approached the front counter, I welcomed an individual to our café and asked what he would like to order. He replied that he was not there to order, but instead handed me his daughter’s uniform. I thanked him and wished him well. “Have a blessed day,” he said before turning and walking out the door. Little did I know that just before walking into our café, he had cursed out someone over the phone. I share this anecdote as an example of the danger of hypocrisy. We should examine ourselves and ask the question, are we silencing our witness with our own words?

James writes, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water” (James 3:9-12).

Many of us may not struggle with profanity or cursing others. But do we struggle with complaining? I, for one, am certainly guilty of complaining. A few months ago, I listened to a sermon on this topic. The world does not need more complainers; it needs more light and joy. Philippians 2:14-15 says, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.” In these verses, complaining is contrasted with being pure, unblemished, and shining like stars.

Reflection question: What is the message we are bringing? Are we consistently bringing a message of hope, joy, and peace, or are we frequently bringing a message of frustration, worry, and annoyance?

Let us remember that we are Christ’s ambassadors and we carefully use our tongues to deliver God’s message to the world.

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #messenger #tongue #sharethegospel #guestwriter #blog

Written by Vivian Arcila, volunteer with Ministerio Hermana Rosa de Hierro in Canada

“So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”(1 Sam. 1:20)

Before I became a Christian, I had two children. Six years after being baptized for the forgiveness of sins, I prayed to the Lord asking Him to give me a third child, if it was His will. In 2006, God responded to my prayers and I had a beautiful, healthy baby boy. However, at that time, I was 38 and when I was three months pregnant, I had facial paralysis and since I was pregnant, they couldn’t give me the treatment because it might affect the baby. The result was that I have still not recovered full mobility of the left side of my face. This saddened me because I liked to be happy and smile. Additionally, the world had recently entered into the digital stage where people were sharing pictures on social media, but my face would likely never look the same. The happiness from my motherhood was eclipsed by this unexpected change in my life. They were difficult months in which I had many mixed emotions: the joy of having a new baby in my arms and yet feeling that I no longer had beauty in my face. I was active in the church, especially in the area of evangelism, but with my new appearance, I didn’t feel sure of myself nor excited to share a conversation with someone.

Those dark months led me to seek the Lord’s presence, to seek Him in prayer, and to read His Word. It was also a season in which I could examine myself in the light of the Bible and repent for areas in my life in which I was not being obedient. My insecurities led me to disconnect from the world, but at the same time, I was getting to know God more. In His Word, we discover that at times, the answers to our prayers are Yes, as He answered Hannah, Samuel’s mother, and me with my pregnancy. But at other times, like He said to Paul, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’”(2 Cor. 12:9)

What a beautiful revelation! And so, I prayed again to the Creator and I said, “Lord, if you aren’t going to return the mobility in my face, please give me Your grace so that I can draw closer to others with a new smile in the Spirit that they will notice.” From that moment on, I began to be filled again with the immutable joy of the Lord, that is found in Christ’s sacrifice for our sins and that brings us hope of eternal life, which is not changed by any temporary or permanent situation happening in my life.

It is true that God, as a kind and merciful Father, responds to our requests through dreams or goals in this world, but these answers are not always in line with what we want. There are women who have prayed that they could be mothers, but they have not gotten pregnant; others for a husband, but have never married; others for healing from an illness that has not come about; and others for reconciliation in marriage or family relationships that have not been resolved. Therefore, we may ask ourselves, is His grace sufficient for us? Is the power of God being perfected through our weakness? Am I living joyfully in the Lord or am I frustrated because my personal goals are not being achieved? Is God’s plan for my life and others’ lives more important than my human aspirations?

So, is the source of my joy in motherhood or in marriage? In beauty or in a successful career? Maybe in not having any illness?

It's not that it's a sin to have aspirations in this life. The problem is when we live frustrated for not achieving them and lose the joy of our salvation, or when these earthly goals take the Sovereign Creator’s place in our heart.

According to the world’s standards, we will always lack something in order to feel complete: be taller, a beautiful face, a husband, a child, a grandchild, more or less weight, a university degree, a promotion, my own home or a bigger home, but the Word of God in Colossians 2:9-10 tells us where our fullness comes from: “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.”

What is most important to us? Personal success or to be transformed into the image of Christ?

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #Hannah #motherhood #truejoy #guestwriter

Written by Sabrina Nino de Campos, Brazil Coordinator for Iron Rose Sister Ministries

Just like in every reconstruction story, mine also involves a pain that is still very present. And even when I don’t feel it all the time, and may even forget it sometimes, it is constant.

I’ve been very blessed in my life. I had the opportunity to grow up in a family that loves God, and I remember that many times as a kid, whenever I felt troubled about any situation in life, I would always thank God for the family He gave me. Ever since I was a kid, I felt like I had a very strong relationship with the Father, especially in prayer. Even in the moments when I felt so far from Him, I don’t remember going to sleep without praying. It had been something my parents taught me, and it became a habit. And that habit kept me close to God during many years of frustration and life changes.

When I graduated high school and had a decision to make as to what I wanted for my future, I decided to enter a missions program called AME. I really wanted to make my own path, after so many years admiring the work my parents did with the church. During those years I participated in the mission work in Bolivia, met my husband, moved to Argentina to partner with the church there, etc. God did great things in my life, and even though in some moments, doubt crept into my mind (just like everyone else’s), I felt like my faith grew stronger every day. And the peace that flooded my life made me more and more confident that obstacles didn’t matter if I could put them at Yahweh’s feet.

Well, all of that changed in August 2019. When my mom, who had been my best friend and biggest supporter, suffered a cardiac arrest and had no oxygen for 33 minutes. My husband and I had to move out of Buenos Aires in less than 48 hours, leaving me with no time to say goodbye. Our journey was interrupted.

We stayed in Brazil for 6 months, where I felt like all hope was lost and felt the worse pain of my life. My mom did wake up from her coma, but she wasn’t herself anymore. Because of the lack of oxygen during those 33 minutes, she had suffered major brain damage that hinders her from being able to remember things for more than just a few seconds. She barely remembers the faces around her. And since I had been away from home since 2015, she doesn’t remember me. She knows my name, but doesn’t know who I am.

I don’t feel like God had prepared me for something like this. How could I ever be ready for this situation? I still don’t have an answer to that question. And since that day, and with all the things that came after that, I don’t feel like it gets any easier. I feel like my prayers have, many times, been like this one on Psalm 88 (ESV):

[…]
I am shut in so that I cannot escape;
my eye grows dim through sorrow.
Every day I call upon you, O Lord;
I spread out my hands to you.
[…]
But I, O Lord, cry to you;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
O Lord, why do you cast my soul away?
Why do you hide your face from me?
[…]
You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me;
my companions have become darkness.

My faith was destroyed in an unexpected way. And that was the first time I felt like the faith I inherited from my parents would no longer be enough to uphold me all my life. I needed to rebuild it. This situation I’m living is not what I wanted, I want a miracle. But that’s not what I’ve received, even though I still wait on Him. What I have received was an invitation to Rebuild my faith. I have learned a lot of new things about God, I have read His Word like I had never done before, with different eyes.

Sometimes I feel like Paul when he was Saul and even though he had good intentions, then Jesus comes and takes his vision away. And whenever he gets his vision back, his perspective is so different. I feel like I’m recovering my vision little by little, and sometimes, honestly, it feels like I’m going blind again. And God once again shows me His light.

The process of rebuilding is painful. It involves rebuilding my relationship with God; it involves my prayer life, the way I think about how God moves, the way I live my faith. But the most important thing I’ve learned is that I don’t need to be on this journey alone. I have brothers and sisters that are also going through this process. And better yet, God wants to accompany me through this process. Just like the psalmist that prays his pain, God also wants to hear my voice even if it’s full of sadness and even anger towards Him. We can’t rebuild a friendship by deciding to ignore the other person. Communication is needed.

Let’s not be afraid of rebuilding our relationship with God. Maybe you had something painful happen to you, something that changed your life story. Or maybe you just want to relearn how to pray, read, or listen to God in a more honest way.

No matter what, Yahweh wants to be by your side, just like He does with me too. And let’s not forget, God knows pain all too well. But just like He promises us pain (John 16:33), he also says, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20b, ESV).

Written by Abby Baumgartner, volunteer for Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Lifting my head out of the water, I breathe and open my eyes just in time to hear the questioning cries from the shoreline: “Master Naaman! Are you healed?”

I look down at my arm and see that, for the sixth time now, I’ve gotten my hopes up; the pale, pink spots of leprosy still cover my arm. I turn towards shore, shaking my head as choruses of “That’s ok,” “That was only six. You’re supposed to dip seven times,” and “Seventh time is the charm!” drift back to me from the shore.

But this is ridiculous.

How did I—the commanding general of the Syrian army—end up washing myself in the Jordan river with an audience on the shoreline? Good question.

It all started when I discovered spots of leprosy on my arm. With no cure, this disease decays the skin and is a horrifying death sentence. I immediately began searching for some way to be healed, and no idea was too crazy to try. My wife’s servant, an Israelite girl my army captured in a raid, spoke of a prophet in Israel who could heal leprosy. I decided to seek healing from this prophet, after all, what did I stand to lose?

Armed with a letter of recommendation from the King of Syria and gifts of silver, gold, and fine clothing, I went to Israel and met with the king. I read him the letter and offered the gifts, but instead of answering me, the king declared he could not help me. We were at a standstill, and I started to think I’d wasted my time, until a messenger came before the king saying, “I carry with me a message from Elisha the prophet “Let him come now to me that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel” (2 Kings 5:8, ESV).

So, I packed up again and traveled to meet Elisha, but when I arrived at the prophet’s house, he wouldn’t even come to meet me. Instead, he sent another messenger to say, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean” (2 Kings 5:10b).

Humiliated and with burning rage, I said, “Behold, I thought he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord, his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Demascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” (2 Kings 5:11b-12a).

Having said my piece, I turned to go, but one of my servants said, “Do not be angry, but,
My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” (2 Kings 5:13b, NIV).

I turned and looked back at my servants and the messenger. That same servant spoke again saying, “He’s not asking you do accomplish some super-human feat; he’s just asking you to wash.”

“But it makes no sense!” I replied, “Why—”

“Why not! We’ve all heard of the power of the Israelite God and the miracles worked by His prophets—this may still be your best chance,” he said. “And even if it doesn’t work, the only negative is that you’ll get a little wet.”

So, now I stand here in the Jordan River. I’ve dipped six times with no change in my skin, and I feel like a fool. Just one more time, I tell myself. As I sink into the Jordan a seventh time, a momentary wave of peace washes over me, then all too quickly, I rise from the water again. Before I even open my eyes, I hear calls from the shore, “Master Naaman! Are you healed?”

Fearing the worst, I look down at my arms. My skin is clear again! I jump back to the shore shouting, “The leprosy is gone! It’s all gone! Praise the Lord, God of Israel!”

I run to Elisha’s house, and this time he comes to meet me. With a knowing grin, he asks, “Naaman, have you washed in the Jordan seven times?”

“Yes!” I reply, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant” and I offer him the gifts of gold, silver, and clothes (2 Kings 5:15b, ESV).

Elisha says, “No. As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none” (2 Kings 5:16).

Now I understand. My healing wasn’t something I could manhandle through feats of strength or buy with gold; in fact, I could not earn my healing at all. Nothing I could do would measure up. Washing in the Jordan was so simple, and yet it brought a healing that I couldn’t gain in any other way.

It was ridiculous. It made no sense to me, but maybe that’s part of the point, too. I have to trust that the Lord is greater and stronger than I am, and I have to obey His call, even if it doesn’t make a lot of sense in the moment. Healing only came when I surrendered, let go of my pride, and obeyed.

“Thank you, Elisha. I understand now that I cannot repay you, so I will instead ask one more thing. [P]lease let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth,” I say (2 Kings 5:17). “Because from now on, I will only worship and offer sacrifices to the Lord, God of Israel. And I ask that even when I have to enter the temples of false gods with my king, that the Lord will forgive me.”

“Go in peace,” Elisha tells me, and I do (2 Kings 5:19).

What seemingly ridiculous thing is God calling you to obey?