Iron Rose Sister Ministries

Written by Ana Alfaro, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in El Salvador

Daniel was a young man, a prince of Judah, taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon. His name was changed to Belteshazzar (Dan.1:7). Daniel, despite his youth, proved to be a determined young man with character and strong conviction. He maintained a consecrated life and constant prayer to God, which caused much jealousy and envy amongst those around him.

Daniel, studying the book of Jeremiah, learned that the destruction of Jerusalem was coming to an end (Dn. 1:2) and decided to fast, dressed in sackcloth and, sitting in ashes, pray to God.

Daniel came to God with pleas and prayers, confessing his sins and the sins of the people, thereby showing humility and shame for having disobeyed God and turned away from His commandments (Dn. 9:4-6). Iniquity, rebellion, disobedience, were sins that Judah and Jerusalem committed against God when they did not obey God's servants (the prophets).

“We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.”

Sin brings shame, pain and separation from the presence of God leaving us alone, sad and helpless… at the mercy of Satan. Daniel knew what God had done with his ancestors (Dan. 9:15). What He had done to him and the young men who were also taken prisoner (Dn. 3 and Dn. 6). Daniel had full confidence in God. That is why he said: Great God, worthy to be feared. Daniel acknowledged God's mercy, His justice, His faithfulness (Dn. 9:4,7 and 9); Daniel pled for God's mercy so that His wrath would not fall on Jerusalem (Dan. 9:16-19) .

“Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us. “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.””

Like Daniel, we must learn to know the qualities of God so that we can confidently come before Him knowing that, if we show true repentance, He will hear us, forgive us, and restore us. “If we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and righteous, will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn 1:9). God's response to Daniel was prompt, it did not take long.

While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill— while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision.” (Dn. 9:20-23)

Daniel's faithful prayer allowed God to answer him quickly. God continues to listen to the fervent prayers of His children when He is loved and sought with all our hearts; however, it should not be forgotten that any transgression of His word has a consequence. We must trust in His love, His mercy, His faithfulness, when we have sinned and approach Him with an attitude of humility, confessing the sin or sins that we commit.

Like Daniel, we must remain determined to continue praying to God; live a life of continuous prayer, trust in His mercies, and love Him. We will be heard in the hour of our tribulation, receiving an answer to our plea within God’s will.

May God bless you and allow us to continue learning more from His Word every day.

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

When we think of David, we often think of the shepherd boy… the youngest in the family… who killed Goliath, spent years running from Saul’s anger, became king, took another man’s wife, and had him killed in battle.

There is more to David than those events. There is his heart—a heart devoted to God in constant communication.

Samuel told King Saul in 1 Samuel 13:14 (ESV), “The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart.” This was said when David was still a shepherd, before he slew Goliath. God saw David’s heart.

In 1 Chronicles 17:16, we see David’s HUMILITY. Nathan told David he couldn’t build the temple, but the Lordwas building a house for him: a dynasty of kings. “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that you have brought me this far?“

In Psalm 73, we find a description of David’s relationship with the Father and why Samuel described him as a man after God’s own heart. Additional passages show David’s constant communication with God in various situations:

LOVE and TRUST:

Psalm 18:1, “I love you, O LORD, my strength.”

Psalm 37:3, “Trust in the Lord and do good.”

RECOGNITION for WHO GOD IS:

Psalm 9:1, “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.”

Psalm 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”The rest of this Psalm continues to proclaim the majesty of God.

Psalm 40 is a prayer of THANKSGIVING for deliverance:

“I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart, I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation” (vs. 10).

OVERWHELMED by betrayal:

In Psalm 55, David pours out his heart because of the rebellion of his son Absolom. Ahithophel, one of his thirty mighty men and a trusted advisor, sided with Absolom.

He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me. God will give ear and humble them… My companion stretched out his hand against his friends; he violated his covenant. His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords… But I will trust in you. (55:18-23)

PROTECTION when fleeing from Absalom:

Psalm 3:3, “But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.”

REFUGE:

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea…The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Ps. 46:1-2,7)

THANKSGIVING for God’s MERCY:

Psalm 103:8, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”

WORSHIP and PRAISE:

Psalm 106:1-2, “Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord, or declare all his praise?”

Heartfelt words of REPENTANCE after his sin with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah:

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! … Restore to me the joy of your salvation.(Ps. 51:1-2, 12)

THANKS for ANSWERED PRAYER:

Psalm 116:1, “I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.”

Psalm 119 is a prayer of GRATITUDE for God’s Word: “Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!(vs. 1) Then in verse 11, David gives one of the keys to knowing and doing God’s will, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

Being TRANSPARENT:

Psalm 139 closes with, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (vs. 23-24)

David allowed his life to be an “open book” before the Lord.

The Psalms show how David walked with God in all stages of life. He turns to God as we often do to a close friend who knows all our joys, hurts, and secrets, and that open communication molds David into a man after God’s own heart.

The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (29:13). David’s life is one of seeking relationship with God through constant communication in complete faith and trust. Are you developing your relationship with the Father through regular communication?

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

When I was growing up, I had several misconceptions about baptism. Although I was raised attending church services and Bible classes, no one had ever explained it to me. For example, I thought that if you sinned after you were baptized, you somehow tainted your salvation. Consequently, I would practice how long I could go without sinning to see if I was ready to be baptized. A day, perhaps two, would pass. By the third day, though, I would inevitably mess up and realize that I was not ready for baptism.

Of course, we know that this is not the reality of baptism or the life that follows. Striving for holiness does not mean perfection or that we will never sin. It is a lifestyle, a direction in which we walk. A certain preacher repeatedly says, “Repentance is linear.” I would venture to include holiness in that category as well. If it were to be depicted on a graph, pursuing holiness is not represented by a single line shooting straight upward toward heaven, but rather a line that zigzags while moving in the upward direction.

If something is holy, it is set apart, sacred, dedicated, or consecrated to God. In short, holiness for Christians means that we are different and devoted: different from the world and devoted to God.

Different. Ephesians 5:3 says, “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any king of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.” Philippians 2:15 exhorts us to be “blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.” As Christians, we should look different from the world. We should not dress like the world, in revealing clothing that is sensual in nature or calls attention to our bodies. We should not sound like the world, whether in foul language, coarse joking, or speech that is dishonoring to God. We should not act like the world in our decisions and conduct. We should not find ourselves fitting in with worldly people because “friendship with the world is enmity with God” (James 4:4). Instead, we should look like our God who calls us to be holy in all we do because he is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16).

Devoted. According to Ephesians 5:26-27, Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her “to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” A wife is supposed to keep herself pure for her husband and vice versa. Likewise, we as the church and the bride of Christ need to keep ourselves pure for Him. 2 Corinthians 7:1 teaches that we should “purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” There should be nothing evil or impure within us because we are the temple of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. Imagine the saints in heaven from every nation, tribe, people, and language. They are wearing white robes that represent their purity. To be holy as Christians, we are to be wholly devoted to God (pun intended). Colossians 3 :17 says, “whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

When we obeyed the call in Acts 22:16 to “get up, be baptized, wash [our] sins away, calling on His name,” we committed to pursuing holiness. Let us allow our pursuit of holiness to redefine us as different from the world and devoted to God.

Written by Wendy Neill
I am a regular at the pharmacy. The lady behind the register sees me coming and heads straight for the “Last Name of N” bin. The twins of Chronic Illness and Pain have made themselves at home in my house, so we spend more than we would like on prescriptions and vitamins to appease them.

One day, while waiting in the pharmacy, I spotted a collage on the wall of smiling faces of all ages. Underneath, it said: “Celebrating happy, healthy people”. Then, in beautiful cursive, was a quote: “The groundwork of all happiness is health.”

I whispered to myself, “Don’t believe it.”

Written by Wendy Neill

That’s an odd title for a post about wisdom, isn’t it? Solomon was the wisest man who ever walked the earth, so why would I tell you not to be like him?

In my daily Bible reading plan, I am currently in the books of Ecclesiastes and Proverbs, alongside 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles. Every time I get to these stories about Solomon, I get a knot in my stomach. His story is painful for me to read. Why? Because he had it all... and he gave it up.

Solomon’s father David had taught him about the Lord. “If you seek Him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever” (1 Chron. 28:9).

God himself blessed Solomon more than anyone on the earth and spoke to him personally: “I will give you a wise and discerning heart so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for - both riches and honor - so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life” (1 Kings 3:12-14).

Solomon even preached this same message to all the people when he dedicated the temple: “May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers; may he never leave us nor forsake us. May he turn our hearts to him to walk in all his ways and to keep the commands, decrees and regulations he gave our fathers” (1 Kings 8:57-58).

So far so good. This is a guy I want to emulate. But then comes the phrase that breaks my heart. Six words: “and his wives led him astray” (1 Kings 11:3b). Read the rest of that chapter to see what God had to say about it. I can’t bring myself to type it here. It makes me so sad.

Written by Jocelynn Goff, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas

Did you know Elijah suffered from depression? Elijah had numerous mountaintop experiences. Yet, he became depressed and had a low valley experience shortly after a significant mountaintop event.

First Kings 17-19, 21, and 2 Kings 1-2 tell the stories of Elijah. His list of mountaintop experiences in partnership with God include:

• Being fed by ravens and water from a brook during a drought.
• Praying for jars of flour and oil not to run out until rain comes again, and it happens.
• Raising a widow’s son to life.
• Challenging and winning the battle between Baal and the LORD God at Mt. Carmel.
• Hearing the people after the battle proclaim “The LORD – He is God! The LORD – He is God” (1 Kings 18: 39b).
• Praying for rain to return after a 3+ year drought and it happens.
• Running over 30 miles fast enough to beat a horse.

This is quite an impressive resume. Yet, immediately after all of this, when he heard the threats of Jezebel to take his life, he runs far away, actually over 100 miles. It is then we read, “I have had enough, LORD. Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors” (1 Kings 19:4b). He has run into the desert and sits under a broom tree. It is here he experiences a valley or wilderness experience. He is afraid for his life, exhausted in spirit, mind, and body, disappointed in his inability to keep Israel faithful to God, and plagued with feelings of being completely alone.

He has stepped into an extremely negative perspective of his life. Intellectually, we know as we read Elijah’s story that God is in control and yet we feel his pain, despair, and deep depression. God does not hide depression or mental illness in the stories of His characters in the Bible. James 5:17a tells us, “Elijah was a man just like us,” and we get to see his depression in this story. David, Moses, and Job were other faithful heroes who struggled with depression.

We can take comfort and learn from the overall story and lessons from Elijah’s valley of depression. Let’s consider what perpetuated his depression. First to consider, he hears a threat against his life and he’s afraid. He knows Jezebel and her ruthlessness so he knows this is a valid threat. His fear paralyzes him from any other thought so he runs.

Secondly, he’s exhausted. Often the energy involved in a mountaintop experience drains your reserves to fight off negative emotions and thought processes. Specifically, the Mt. Carmel battle lasted a full day. Then, after God’s success, he climbs to the top of Mt. Carmel to pray for rain. As soon as he hears there’s a small cloud, he sends word to Ahab but ends up running ahead of Ahab, who’s on horseback, over 30 miles to Jezreel. Additionally, he runs 100 miles after hearing the threat of Jezebel. I doubt he was merely plagued with shin splints after all that running. No, he was seriously exhausted!

As Elijah ran those 100 miles, he was running away from his community. In other words, he was isolating himself both physically and psychologically. This removed him from hearing any voice but his own that was quickly spiraling into negativity and depression. He began convincing himself that he was alone and the only one left, plagued with the futility of the task.

“I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected Your covenant, broken down Your altars, and put Your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too” (1 Kings 19:10).

What can we learn from Elijah’s experience with depression? First, God is there with Elijah and He will be with us. Elijah rightly presents his pain, frustration, and feelings of aloneness and worthlessness to God. God is the first one for us to share our burden.

God provided rest and nourishment for Elijah before anything else. He allowed him to sleep, then sends an angel to encourage him to “get up and eat” (1 Kings 19:5b). Elijah ate and slept again. Then “the angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “get up and eat”, for the journey is too much for you” (1 Kings 19:7). Elijah complies with the instructions from the angel. We should look and listen to those messengers of truth through His Word—friendships, trusted spiritual guides, and mental health counselors can also be a needed resource. At times, medication is a useful and necessary tool, either for a temporary time period or longer term. A psychiatrist and mental health counselor are valuable sources for this assessment.

Elijah travels 40 days and 40 nights and sleeps in a cave. It is then that The LORD begins to speak to him. However, it isn’t spoken through a powerful wind, nor an earthquake, nor a fire but in a gentle whisper. Even though God spoke in an overt display of fire at Mt. Carmel, this time He speaks in a quiet way.

God begins by giving him a mission. He is to anoint certain kings and anoint Elisha as his successor. We all need a purpose in our life, something that helps motivate us each moment of each day. We also need a partner in the Gospel. Someone that encourages and reminds us of our common mission for our LORD. It is after giving him a purpose and Elisha as a partner in the Gospel that God refocuses his perspective with the truth that he is not alone. “Yet, I reserve seven thousand in Israel – all whose knees have now bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him” (1 Kings 19: 18).

Since, “Elijah was a man just like us” (James 5:17a) we can take note of not only that he suffered with depression but also recognize the signs of depression. Then, we can also learn through Elijah how the Presence of God gives rest, nourishment, mission, partnership, and assurances in the healing process.

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #depression #mentalillness #Elijah #guestwriter #blog

Written by Jocelynn Goff, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas

Waiting on God’s timing? His Perfect timing? Over and over again we are in seasons of waiting in our life. From the time we were little, we wait for the all-important events. Some that top the list are school to be out for the summer, a loose tooth to come out, Christmas, and our birthdays. Then as adults, we are still in the waiting game. It just seems as the stakes are bigger as we are waiting for a career after schooling, Mr. Right to come along, an Amazon order, the birth of a child, a health diagnosis, a promotion, a new apartment or home, a resolution to a relationship crisis, or all of the above, and sometimes all at the same time! The good, the bad, the long, the short all involve waiting and getting through the waiting. Many characters in the Bible have had their own seasons of waiting. Abraham, Noah, and Joseph are some of the first ones that come to mind. There are also women of the Bible that have this same life story. Elizabeth is one of these.

Elizabeth, wife of Zechariah and mother of John the Baptist, was in a lifelong season of waiting. What do we know about Elizabeth? The first thing we know is from Luke.
In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years. (Luke 1:5-7)

For many of you reading this, you know personally the long season of uncertainty, rollercoaster emotions, and often painful waiting for a child to bless your marriage and life. We imagine Elizabeth also felt the emptiness, the stares, the whisperings, and questioning of why not me? While I grieve with you in your waiting and do not want to ignore your commonness of this season in Elizabeth’s life, I want to focus our attention on Elizabeth’s life while she was waiting because there is so much more to her story. So, what are those life lessons Elizabeth can teach us while we’re in seasons of waiting?

The first lesson in her story is of Faithfulness in Obedience. As we see both Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah were “upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations” (Luke 1:6). Whoa! This is even recognized by God as not-for-show but from their hearts. All of us can attest to the nobleness of this life and one we each strive for. Obedience can be easy if things are going well and the path is smooth. However, as we all know, we have moments of weariness in our waiting, which can lead to weakness in whose voice we listen to and obey. Another testimony of Elizabeth’s obedience was when it came time to name the baby. “But his mother spoke up and said, No! He is to be called John. They said to her, there is no one among your relative who has that name” (Luke 1:60). Elizabeth knew from her husband’s encounter in the temple with the angel Gabriel that the child’s name was to be John. “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John” (Luke 1:13). Elizabeth’s emphatic “No!” was a statement of obedience to comply exactly with what the angel had directed Zechariah and she was in agreement to help make that happen. She had to be the one to speak up since her husband had no voice until all had been fulfilled. She did her part in obedience.

The second life story lesson is Faithfulness in Old Age. The end of the passage in Luke 1:7 says, “and they were both well along in years.” These are people who have not retired from God in their older years. Like Simeon who was also old but lived in anticipation of seeing the “Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:26b) and Anna an 84-year-old widow who “gave thanks to God and spoke of the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38) Elizabeth did not buy into the prosperity gospel that if we obey God then He will give us what we want. This could’ve distracted her in earlier years and yet her story is one of faithfulness all of her years.

Our third life story lesson is Faithfulness in Thanksgiving. When Elizabeth did become pregnant, her first words were, “The Lord has done this for me” (Luke 1:25a). Recognizing where our blessings come from and giving Him the praise and honor due Him is paramount in our Christian walk. Additionally, Elizabeth knew how to demonstrate a mature level of thankfulness as she practiced “rejoice with those who rejoice” (Rom. 12:15a). Even though Elizabeth had incredible, unbelievable news of her own, she did not hesitate to rejoice with Mary, the mother of Jesus.

“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” (Luke 1:41-45)

Not only did Elizabeth rejoice but she did it loudly. She couldn’t help but rejoice and be glad.

A key for all of us to understand is that another word for wait is hope.
“And we hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, Whom He has given us.” (Rom. 5:2b-5)

It’s the power we receive from His Spirit to be able to continue to bring glory to Him while we are waiting. May we all reflect the life story lessons learned from Elizabeth while she was waiting. Even though she did not see the hand of God acting, she continued to trust the heart of God and stayed faithful in every season of her story.

#IronRoseSister #HIStories #waiting #Elizabeth #whilewewait #guestwriter #blog

Written by Jocelynn Goff

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:23-25

This scripture always brings to mind a particular Wednesday night. Before church I was speaking with a friend on the phone and then had occasion to speak with her on the phone afterward as well. In the after church conversation, she said that I sounded less tired and more energetic. She said that it must've been the fact that I had been to church and had gotten encouragement. I agreed with her totally. I had been with brothers and sisters who loved being in the Word and being together.

Written by Emma Grace Steil, Ministry Assisstant to Iron Rose Sister Ministries, and Spanish student at Harding University

Esther was born into a time and place where she and her people were in exile in the land of Persia. The Jewish people were by some as less than, and by others as equals. That is still held true in all cultures between people of native descent and those whose ancestry is of another origin. During the reign of King Xerxes he banishes his queen from his kingdom, and begins to look for a new queen.

He invites many young virgins into his palace for what is, essentially, a beauty pageant to find who the new queen will be. Esther proves to be the most beautiful in heart and in her physical beauty out of all the other women brought into the palace, meanwhile, she is keeping her identity as a Jew a secret. Notice, she is not considered less than by anyone in the palace, but because of the beauty in her heart she is awarded a high position in the kingdom of Persia, a land she did not come from.

Meanwhile, Mordecai (cousin and caretaker of Esther) is in a fight with the Second in Command of Persia, Haman. Haman knows that Mordecai is a Jew, and he despises Mordecai because of where he comes from, his customs, and the way he worships. When Mordecai refuses to bow to Haman, Haman decides to not only kill Mordecai, but all Jews.

Haman approaches King Xerxes hoping to pass his law to kill the Jewish people. King Xerxes passes the law with the seal of his signet ring (this is a permanent promise that even the king cannot retract). Through her smarts and beauty she reveals to King Xerxes that she is one of the people Haman is trying to kill. The king becomes enraged and Haman is killed because the plan he made would have killed the queen, Esther. The king decided to make another signet-ring-promise that the Jewish people would be able to fight back on the day of their planned annihilation.

My favorite part about the story was that the King and Haman were blind to the fact that Esther was a part of the Jewish people that they had planned to kill. The king did not seem to care where Esther came from, but loved her for who she was and was able to see past what differences that might have separated them. Esther came into a position of power because God put her there. He made it possible for Esther to live the life of a hero in a land where her people were exiled. This story shows that though we may appear different, physically, we are truly defined by what is in our hearts.

God can use anyone, and God loves everyone. He does both these things despite who we are (by earthly terms), and what we have done. He always has and always will.

Written by Rianna Elmshaeuser, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Colorado

You are the main character in your story. Everyone in your life is a supporting character or background extra. But rather than asking ourselves what everyone else’s role is in our lives, the question we need to be pondering is, who am I in God’s story? Am I a background character? Am I a lead role or an extra? There are natural objections to this idea that will come to the mind of the average Christian. After all, God has an important role for each of us—a purpose—and that is absolutely correct.

But let’s take a moment and imagine a movie that has only the lead character in it. It is flat and uninteresting. There is no one to help move the plot along, no one to create drama, no colorful characters having coffee in the background of a coffee shop. Extras, background characters, supporting roles, and lead roles are all crucial to creating a vivid and exciting story.

Keep this thought in mind as we look at the relationships of Paul, Silas, Barnabas, and Timothy. The partnership between Paul and Barnabas begins in Acts 13 and continues until they have a falling out in Acts 15. Their partnership begins at the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:2 tells us, “…the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them’” (ESV). After this event, they are sent out into a whirlwind of ministry and trouble. They would enter a city and preach, then be forced to flee from persecution. Throughout these chapters, it is only Paul’s sermons that are recorded.

The Apostle Paul was the greatest evangelist of the early church, if not of all time, aside from Jesus, of course. But would Paul have been able to keep on through persecution and being stoned without so faithful a friend as Barnabas? When Paul was lying on the ground outside the city where the Jews had thrown his mangled body, assuming him dead, would he have had the strength to get up without his friends surrounding him? Perhaps we are not a Paul, the lead role who stirred up every city he entered, converted thousands upon thousands, and wrote a large portion of the New Testament. But the Pauls of today need a Barnabas beside them, encouraging them, picking them up when they are down, and standing beside them when hard times come.

Silas had a similar role in God’s story. He was a partner and friend to Paul after his disagreement with Barnabas. Again, none of Silas’s sermons are recorded, only Paul’s, but they were together in the thick of it. When they were both beaten and thrown in prison, would either of them have found the strength to continue without the other? Imagine being in the dark in chains, badly beaten, and then you hear the clinking of chains and feel your friend’s hand on your arm as they begin to pray with you. As you pray, your hearts grow lighter and you both break into song, praising God. Friendships are of utmost importance and can serve as the guardrail that keeps people from careening over the edge into darkness.

Lastly, consider the relationship of Paul and Timothy. Paul and Silas met Timothy in Derbe and Lystra. Timothy was a young man whose mother and grandmother were believers, but his father was not. He was well spoken of by the church and Paul took him under his wing. We know from 1 Timothy 1:2 that they grew so close that their relationship became that of a father and son. Paul refers to Timothy as, “…my true child in the faith.”

Perhaps you are the one that needs mentoring or maybe you know someone that needs a mentor. On the hero’s Journey, there is always a mentor for the young hero who passes on wisdom to the upcoming generation. Today we do not have to look very far to find a young person struggling along in need of a mentor. Even young ones who come from a believing home need a mentor. Parents cannot be everywhere and see everything all the time. They need others to fill in the gaps.

If you have asked yourself, “What role do I play in God’s story,” and concluded that you are not a lead, rest assured that your role is just as important as someone in the spotlight. Even the people who are not mentioned by name had important roles in the ministry of Paul. They sent money, prayers, and letters encouraging him and other saints. Every person has an important part to play in the story of God, even if it seems negligible by human standards. What is your role in God’s story?

#IronRoseSister #teachthroughrelationships #learnthroughrelationships #intentionalteaching #mentoring #teachbyexample #PaulandBarnabas #PaulandSilas #PaulandTimothy #blog #guestwriter

Written by Jeana Poole, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Colorado

“I can see really good because of my far away eyes,” my four-year-old told me.
“Your what?” I asked.
“My far away eyes. It means I can see through things to spot something I need to see.”

‘Far away eyes’ have become a sort of running joke in our family, but something about that phrase has always struck me as deeply theological. To see through things to spot something we need to see. Isn’t that what we’re called to do as Christians?

We’re told in 2 Corinthians 4:18 that “we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (ESV). It’s all too easy to focus on the things we can see. They’re right in front of us!! But we are told to do the harder thing, to look at the unseen things.

Take the story of Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings 6:8-17 as an example. Syria (Aram) is getting ready to go to war with Israel, but Elisha keeps warning the Israelite king about which way to go so that the Syrians (Arameans) can’t attack. The Syrian king is troubled by this and decides he needs to capture Elisha, so he sends horses, chariots, and a great army to surround the city where Elisha is staying. Elisha’s servant wakes up, sees this great multitude and, to put it mildly, freaks out. Elisha tells him,

“Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:16-17, ESV)

The servant wasn’t using his far away eyes. He was so focused on what was in front of him, that he couldn’t see what God was doing around him. I wonder how many of us are like the servant, too focused on whatever the enemy is doing in front of us and forget to open our eyes to what God is doing around us.

As we close out 2021, I challenge us to use our ‘far away eyes’ going into 2022. Let us focus our vision on the unseen things. Let us ask our Father to open our eyes to what is around us, to see through whatever obstacles are in our way.

Where will your far away eyes take you in 2022?

Written by Wendy Neill, Advancement Coordinator for Iron Rose Sister Ministries

Immigrants, refugees, and exiles are found throughout the Bible. Abraham, Ruth, and Daniel all ended up living as foreigners, far away from home.

Daniel was part of the first deportation after the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 1:1-2). It seems unfair that Daniel, a true follower of God, had to suffer for the sins of Judah’s leaders, but he did. We often do too.

Daniel found a balance between peacefully submitting to this new earthly power and still remaining faithful to God (1:8). He was able to discern the difference between adjusting to a new language, new customs, new clothing, and more while still being a citizen of God’s heavenly kingdom. He drew the line at defiling himself with the king’s food (chapter 1), he continued to pray even when it was against the law (chapter 6), and he spoke the truth, even when it put him in mortal danger (chapters 2, 4, and 5).

God is very active in Daniel’s story. He caused the chief court official, Ashpenaz, to show favor and sympathy to Daniel (1:9) and he gave Daniel knowledge, understanding, and the ability to interpret visions and dreams (1:17, 2:19). He dramatically saved Daniel from a horrific death by shutting the mouths of the lions (7:22).

Many of you reading this are far from home. You may be an immigrant, a refugee, or an exile. You might long for home, though you can’t go back — at least not for now. In reality, we are all living on foreign soil. Heaven is our home. We have to find ways to balance humble submission to earthly powers while remaining faithful to our true King. God is sovereign over all nations and is always near and at work. Daniel’s story is HIStory. So is yours.

Do you feel like a foreigner where you are living right now? How well do you balance humble submission to earthly powers while remaining faithful to your true King?

Written by Katie Forbess, IRSM Board President

February is Prayer Month for IRSM and has been for the last eight years. One of the greatest examples in my life of fervent prayer is Iron Rose Sister Ministries itself. Our mission to equip women to grow closer to God and one another more deeply was an answer to the desire of my heart. At a time when I thought that I was crying out to God and He wasn’t listening, He was putting things in motion that I could never imagine.

When my heart was broken, leaving Bolivia to return to the states, I had many ideas and thoughts. In my original plan about how I wanted to help women grow closer to God and one another, it was for the state of Arkansas. IRSM is international in our reach, and this year, we have added a third language: Portuguese!

I think one of the amazing gifts of fervent prayer is that it transforms us when we open our hearts and say with purpose and with power—the power of God—what we need and what we want.

God knew when I walked across the stage at a World Mission Workshop that I wanted to dedicate my life to Him. I wanted to be a missionary in a foreign land. He knew what that meant, and He knew more even than I did why. My spirit was talking to His Spirit. That was a fervent prayer. I didn’t know how God was going to answer that.

God is listening. He is listening to our fervent prayer, just as when a baby cries and everyone must listen to hear the tone of the cry. Or the child that repeats over and over again, “Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy,” until you have to say something. You have to answer. Someone has to answer. In the same way that a teenager does little things to get your attention and if you are paying attention, you totally see them, especially if it’s your nephew or your son. You know! Those are fervent pleas and that’s what we do with God. When we do it transparently, we grow, and we change, and we know that God sees the desires of our hearts.

This year we are studying Our Story and it’s only making me look back and think more and more about how my prayer life has been changed through praying for IRSM. Everything from the inception and the deciding 501c3 vs for profit to last week deciding the theme for something or a computer program that we need to use because we are growing, and we need to be able to communicate effectively within the organization and outside the organization. There are so many ways that I know that God is hearing our cries.

I have called myself a glorified cheerleader but maybe I should change that to a glorified fervent prayer warrior because sometimes when I can’t do all the other things that I want to do for Iron Rose Sister Ministries, what I can do is pray.

And that prayer can be for anything. It can be for a sister I don’t know in another country. It can be for Michelle for many different reasons. It can be for any of the team members, the board members, for a project we are starting, or for a conference we have. The prayers are unlimited, and the importance of those prayers is that they are fervent and that I believe that there is power behind them.

God wants our passion. Hannah showed so much passion that Eli thought that she was drunk (1 Sam. 1:13). Passionate may be a good word for me since I have been described as “a little extra” in my life. A little extra for people who can't take me the right way. They don’t understand me or think I’m a little much. I have learned how to handle that better, but God wants me to be to be “a little extra.” God can handle it, especially in prayer!

With Job, the beautiful talk between God and Job when God says, “Well, hey dude, but remember who you are,” God never says, “I don’t want to hear you.” He never says—now He does say be quiet—but He never says, “I don’t want to hear you, I don’t care about what you're saying, I don’t want you to share your thoughts with me.” But He does say, “Hey dude, I want to remind you who I am.” And that is what happens through fervent prayer: you spill out your passion and your thoughts and your feelings and your everything else, and then you remember who you are praying to, and you say, oh, yeah, “He’s God…” And it puts everything in perspective.

I want to leave you with one last thought: I can only pray fervently to and be passionate about a God that I know and love. That’s another thing that that fervent prayer does. It brings my first love to mind, and it reminds me what is actually important and what is actually going to be powerful and Who will make things happen.

Finally, when it comes to fervent prayer, Hannah is a beautiful example. I could have talked about my own example of miscarriage, but the thing that I think is most effective is to tell you about how prayer is an integral part of Iron Rose Sister Ministries, Ministerio Hermana Rosa de Hierro and the Portuguese version that I may or may not be able to pronounce. We all want and need fervent prayer. This ministry is not based solely on my fervent prayers. I am one piece of a team of a multitude of people who have prayed and wanted and needed IRSM before it even began and have carried IRSM through their own passion and their own fervent prayers. Thank you for being a part of that! God is listening.

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 Johanna Zabala, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Ecuador 

Based on my life experience, I often think about the fact that each child is a product of the relationships, education, and environment that were influenced by the adults with whom they grew up.

Beloved sisters, each of us has gone through the childhood phase when we were able to grow and move forward. I consider those first years of life to be of great importance in developing the various interpersonal relationships we find and develop later in each subsequent cycle of life. These relationships become the foundation for the young person or adult that we are today.

When I look back on the age of childhood, many memories come to mind. However, there are other events that I cannot remember, likely because those moments were not significant in my early life. No doubt, my learning process as a child was different from yours; but for each of us, learning will continue as we acquire additional information and attitudes that we can put into practice as time goes by.

I learned everything from my environment: walking, talking, and responding to my surroundings, fundamentally influenced by my maternal grandmother who demonstrated a wide variety of teaching patterns.

As a result of growing up in a dysfunctional family, I experienced significant consequences for not knowing how to control my natural fears. Fear was one of the first emotions that caused me a lot of insecurity, emotional blockage, and mistrust in communications within my environment. This is what I continue to struggle with: letting the Holy Spirit heal my fears so they don't become obstacles to doing what I need to do or passing them on to the ones I love.

But despite my challenging childhood, the negative impact of absentee parents, an inflexible upbringing, and a lack of attention to my need for communication, I grew up. Today, through understanding, forgiving, and breaking away from past situations of great uncertainty which have threatened to wreak havoc on my present relationship with Christ, I can strengthen my conviction, having been rescued from the destructive influence of my earthly parents. This aligns with what I have read and reflected on in 1 Peter 1:18. To become a person approved by the Heavenly Father, I have decided to live my new life in Christ, as described in 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV), “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

Every day, comforted by the quotation above and in my relationship with the Lord Jesus, I feel the need to continue to learn to be free from what damages the soul, mind, heart, and faith in God. We must not forget that we are free and that there will always be freedom in Jesus Christ, as stated in the letter to the Galatians, chapter 5 verse 1, which reminds us again that "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

When we are aware that in the old life before knowing Christ, there were moments of destruction of what was good and pure, which came from God, we can strengthen ourselves and experience the freedom to be and act according to God's heart, which is a great blessing.

To be free is to not repeat the sin that separates us from the presence of God. It is knowing how to choose between good and evil and being called to freedom to serve one another out of love. Being free, we are separated from evil, not allowing the slavery of sin or guilt to lead us to do the opposite of the will of our sovereign God.

To be free is to be filled with the Holy Spirit, whom we receive in our new birth in the waters of baptism (Acts 2:38). He frees us from fear and assures us that God is with us until the end of the world and that He redeems us for eternal salvation.

There are many blessings from God's freedom in the Christian life; it is a privilege of the immense love of our Creator, who knows us and always covers us with eternal love (see Jeremiah 31:3).

To conclude, I encourage you to remember what was admirable from your childhood and to always cultivate innocence, humility, forgiveness, and a smile, so you can become like children in order to enter the kingdom of heaven, fulfilling what is mentioned in Matthew 19:14.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Written by Rachel Baker

I felt very blessed at Thanksgiving this year because my entire family was able to gather and eat together. And like all good southern Americans, the main beverage option at our table was sweet tea. There was a (much smaller) pitcher of unsweet tea for those who provided a doctor's note restricting their sugar consumption (bless their hearts). Because we're hospitable like that here in the South.

There were a lot of people who wanted sweet tea, so the available amount decreased quickly. This is the point at which the hostess begins to stress because making more tea takes time. Sure, she could dip a few tea bags into cold water with sugar and serve that, but it would be a poor imitation of what she wanted to give everyone. Who would benefit from weak tea with grainy sugar? No one is happy with the results, and the hostess is left feeling like she could have done better.

So she took the time – the water boiled, the tea steeped, and the sugar dissolved. And there was much rejoicing.

As we move into this holiday season of giving, may we all remember the lesson of the sweet tea. It is easy to rush around from one event to the next, and there are always plenty of opportunities to give of our energy, money, and time. Are you also being intentional to replenish these resources? Just as no one likes a cup of cold, grainy, weak tea, it benefits no one if you are giving from a place of stress and exhaustion.

Set aside time to rest. Do things that bring you joy. Find a few minutes to be still with God, and let His peace surround you in the midst of a hectic schedule.

The Thanksgiving guests were grateful to have a hostess who took the time to make sweet tea, and the people in your life will be so thankful to receive the sweetest parts of you.

*Written by Rachel Baker for Iron Rose Sister Ministries blog, Dec. 2019

Written by Mackenzie Lancaster
Matthew 28:18-20
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The Great Commission. A very daunting yet inspiring verse in the Bible that we hear so often. Whenever I hear these verses read aloud, the person reading it always says “go” as if it were in all caps, bolded, and underlined three times. The same emphasis is put on the word “go” in all the images I see of the verse. Like this one:

Putting emphasis on “go” is so very inspiring and yet...so incomplete.

Written by Wendy Neill
I have always been fascinated by butterflies. Without making a sound, they loudly proclaim the existence of a Creator. Those intricate patterns and brilliant colors are no accident. Then there is the process of metamorphosis, which just blows my mind. An ugly caterpillar is able to wrap itself up and later emerge with those beautiful wings, taking flight for the first time!! Wow.
When we lived in Colorado, my husband and I took a hike up to “Hanging Lake” outside of Glenwood Springs. It was a beautiful day in June and there were butterflies flitting around us throughout our hike. They would come close and I would hold out my finger, daring to hope one would land so I could look closer. I knew it was unlikely, but I kept trying anyway.

Written by Marbella Parra, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Honduras

In the course of our lives, we find many promises that lead us to put our trust in someone, based on something happening in the future. There are promises we make to other people, and promises that have been made to us. Some have been fulfilled and others, on the contrary, have been forgotten. For this reason, we decide if we can trust someone or not since, after someone hasn’t fulfilled their promise, we are more careful with that person the next time.

We can surely think of many different opportunities in which we hoped in something that never happened and moments in which we felt let down because they have failed us. However, I am sure that we have also had many moments in which a promise has confirmed that we are with the right person and, at the same time, our confidence in that person grows.

If we had the opportunity to put our full trust in someone that will never fail us, that ideal person is definitely God. There is no doubt that He is the greatest example we have of faithfulness to His word. From the creation of the world, He has fulfilled all the promises He has made. The history of God’s people allows us to realize the plan that He has for the salvation of the world and the blessings for His people. In middle of that whole story, we can note the special love that God shows for humanity and how everything He does is in fulfilment of the promise that one day humans will be able to enjoy a better world—a perfect world together with Him for eternity. To that end, He promised to send a Savior, His Son Jesus Crist. This promise can be seen from the Old Testament and we can also see how each word was fulfilled in the New Testament, a promise so great that it reaches all the nations of the Earth.

In the gospel of Matthew, one can see how God’s plan was realized, shown through the genealogy of Jesus and the important role each person had, at their time, and how each one was used by God to fulfill His word. In chapter 1, it is highlighted in this way,

“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”)” (Matt. 1:22-23).

These words remind us that the Lord has always been present and has shown His love for humanity. Through the incarnation of Christ, one of His most important promises was fulfilled. Even more interesting is that this promise is confirmed again at the end of Matthew. In Matthew 28:20, it says,

“…and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Twice it is stated that He is with us, and we already know that the word of God is trustworthy. We can be certain that everything that God has prepared and has promised previously will be fulfilled.

Now, the question we must ask ourselves is, are we willing to trust in Him unconditionally? If He is the one who has shown, since the beginning of the world, that He wants what is best for us, that He wants to grant us salvation, and that He wants us to be with Him for eternity, are we willing to be faithful to Him no matter what our circumstances? He does not promise us a rosy, easy life in this world. So, without considering the disillusions that we have faced, or that we will have to face while we are on this earth, are we clinging to Him, trusting that He has better things prepared for us?

It doesn’t matter how many people have failed their promises, we have complete confidence that we have a God who never lies and has made us beautiful promises.We need to not allow difficult things in life to cause us to forget what is waiting for us in eternal life. Rather, we should remember that the Lord is with us, guiding our steps, lifting us up when needed and taking our hand to lead us forward.

He is giving us unconditional love every day. If we continue to be faithful, trusting that everything we believe has not been in vain, and that an incorruptible crown is waiting for us in the presence of our Lord. In the same way that God fulfills His promises, we also should be faithful to the commitment we have made to our heavenly Father until the end of our days.

And you, do you trust in the Lord’s promises?