Iron Rose Sister Ministries

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Published: 01 August 2018

• guest writer
• small groups

One night, in a small-group Bible study, I shared a lesson with Hispanic sisters at a church in Houston. The class was about truth and lies and contained some of the same material that would later be included in Who Has the Last Word?.

The class was well received and at the end, I asked each of the ladies to partner with the woman next to her and share a lie of Satan she personally battles. They were also instructed to find a verse in the Bible that spoke a truth to cut through that lie, just like in the Lie/Truth Chart. It was beautiful to see them sharing and flipping through their Bibles.

As they were finishing up, two women excitedly asked me to come over and talk with them. They just had to share with me that they battle the exact same lie: that they don't have time to read their Bibles! They were able to encourage each other mutually in the truth and promises of Scripture. Phone numbers were exchanged so that they could continue to encourage each other during the week. Before I walked away, they read me the verse that gave them so much hope and joy—the truth that cut through Satan's lie and gave God the last word in their lives:

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Josh. 1:7-8)

God gave Joshua a beautiful reminder for the third time in that chapter, “Be strong and very courageous.” May God continue to bless each of us with encouraging reminders, as He did for those two ladies that evening. And may He continue to use Iron Rose Sister Ministries to equip, inspire, and empower women in their relationship with God and others.

My question for you today: Would those ladies have been impacted as greatly from that verse and convicted in the lie if they had been doing it alone?

Last month, we looked at lies and truth through the book Who Has the Last Word? Yet the greater value of that study comes in the context of small groups.

This month, as many prepare for their fall Bible studies, we will look at small groups: the blessings, the challenges, and the biblical support for how to do them well.

#IronRoseSister #smallgroups #community #truth

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Published: 30 July 2018

• guest writer
• Who Has Last Word

In conclusion for this month, I am going to share one final story from chapter 12, Who Has the Last Word? Her story serves as an excellent example of recognizing the lie, replacing it with truth, and remembering the truth through God´s Word.

Linda’s Story
The enemy is so deceiving. He is aware of our weakness and ready to charge when the gates are open. “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). God has entrusted in us to keep Him as our gatekeeper.

When I thought my gate was secure, I had myself in a very vulnerable position. There is most likely one main reason why I was so vulnerable: I wasn’t allowing God to be Lord of my life.

My husband and I had been raising three beautiful children. Dan worked hard to provide, so that I could be a stay at home mom: a privilege I dreamed of being. We were trying our best to raise our children up in the Lord, attending church, making sure they were in Sunday school, involved in youth activities, paying for them to attend a private Christian school, active in our service for God, and surrounded by Christian friends.

We had learned the “way of the Christian life.” It was challenging. We had both been raised in loving homes but did not have the example of what a Christian home looked like. I am very grateful for these privileges God granted and blessed us with. And the mercy He had on our
parenting skills.

From the outside, our lives looked pretty well intact. But I had learned to act the part. In other words, I was not in a deep enough relationship with God to know Him very well, and to rely on Him, rather than on myself. So one of the first lies I believed that my life was “good enough.” Especially when I compared it to my parents’, I was doing so much better than what I had been taught. Oh, the sin of arrogance.

My husband had been running his own business for several years. Being self-employed has many of its own challenges, and it definitely takes much of your time and energy. So, to make this long story short, and so that I don’t write my own book within Michelle’s book, I will just put this right out there: I fell into the sinful relationship of an affair.

It was a very selfish choice on my part and there are no good excuses. I blame no one but myself. But on the other hand, and brighter side of this story, I have repented, been forgiven and redeemed by the love, grace, and mercy of our amazing and victorious God. My husband and family have also granted me that same love and forgiveness. Our marriage is restored! All glory and honor to God!!!!

It was shortly before my oldest graduated from high school. My kids were becoming more independent, and I wasn’t feeling as needed by them. My husband was working very hard to provide and manage his business, so I started feeling lonely and believing many lies:
 Lie: I’m not important to my husband.
 Lie: I’m not a priority.
 Lie: I feel so empty.
 Lie: My husband doesn’t care about what I’m doing each day.
 Lie: All he wants from me is sex.
 Lie: I deserve better.
 Lie: This other man has become a better friend than my own husband; he cares more about me.
 Lie: This other man knows me and understands me better than even my own family does.
 Lie: God must have brought us together.

I truly believe if I had been into God’s Word and seeking Him for fulfillment, I would not have fallen. His word is truth and it has the capability to empower, strengthen, protect, and change. And without it, I would have no hope. If I had continued down that road of sin, I would not have the power of God within me to see the truth of His promises now. He brings goodness, mercy, grace, and faithfulness.

I am forever grateful for God’s loving compassion, and His patience. He says He will never leave us. That is a promise, and I believe it! Although I had turned from Him, God still pursued me and fought for me. He loves each and every one of us that much! I praise God for the truth of His Word that brought me out of a slimy pit and back into His loving arms. Even after heading down the road of repentance, I still had to battle with the lies.

 Lie: I hurt too many people to be forgiven.
 Lie: My sin is too big to recover from.
 Lie: Even if God forgives me, no one else will.
 Lie: I was so foolish. I should’ve known better. How could I have done this to my family? (Forgiving myself was a huge battle.)

With the support and patience of my loving husband and family, as well as other people in my life that had my best interest at heart, they constantly pointed the way to God. My willingness and desire to surrender my heart back to God allowed Him to speak truth back into me. Just a few of the verses, marked in my Bible, which spoke truth, hope, and love over me were these:

 The truth is, God means what He says. “Every word of God is flawless” (Prov. 30:5).
 The truth is, nothing I do or don’t do can change the love my God has for me. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is     the GIFT of God, not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).
 Truth: I don’t have to rely on my own strength. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).
 Another truth: God understands me and loves me, a lot! “But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (Ps.         86:15).
 Truth: There is hope when I submit to God, and He will restore what I’ve messed up. “... in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Prov. 3:6).
 Truth: God wants to protect me and bless my life. “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness” (John 10:10).
 The truth: God knows I will fall and He promises to catch me. “The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. The Lord upholds all who fall” (Ps.           145:13-14).

Praise God for His most perfect gift, the Bible! There is no other avenue more convicting and empowering than God’s Word.

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all,” (2 Cor. 13:14) as you embrace the abundant life He offers. Amen.

This month, we are highlighting various portions of the book Who Has the Last Word? Cutting through Satan’s Lies with the Truth of God’s Word. We invite you to gather a group of women this fall and walk together to Recognize the Lies, Replace the Lies with Truth and Remember the Truth through specific scriptures.

#IronRoseSister #WhoHastheLastWord #rememberthetruth #truth #WLW