Iron Rose Sister Ministries

The Bible is a love story, offering hope to a world without purpose or direction.

And this time of year, in the midst of the commercialism that surrounds the holiday, we are given the opportunity to remember and to share that message of love and hope with others.

Hope came in the form of a child, a babe wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger (Luke 2:12).

Love came down from heaven, became flesh and dwelt among us (1 John 4:8, John 1:14).

Emmanuel, God with us, was born as the Messiah, the fulfillment of prophecy and promise of hope.

Love from the Father, personified in the Son, reinforced through the Spirit.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. (2 Thes. 2:16-17)

Take a moment today to share that love and hope with at least two people you know—a reminder to someone who already knows and an invitation to someone who doesn’t.

Weary. Tired. Beaten down. But never alone.

Through the video series “Victorious and Joyful in Battle,” we acknowledged that everyone is facing a battle in their lives. Our battles may look different, but the struggles are the same. And in the midst of the battle, we get weary and forgetful. The struggles consume us because we are in survival mode and can lose sight of what we are fighting for.

The hope of victory may feel like a distant, even nonexistent reality. However, we can wait in hope and eager expectation of the victory we have in Christ!

This past weekend, we celebrated the victory of the resurrection—the ultimate victory over death. And if we have been united with Christ in His death and His burial, we are promised the victory of the resurrection (Rom. 6:1-4)!

Yet Jesus, in His humanity, even though He knew with absolute certainty the promise of the resurrection, He and His disciples became weary in the battle.

We do not have to feel guilty for feeling weary! And when we do feel beaten down and exhausted, Jesus reminds us of three keys during the weary stage of the battle, as we eagerly anticipate the victory of the resurrection.

Jesus’ example shows us that
1. It’s okay to admit our weariness. “Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death... The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt. 26:38a, 41b).
2. It’s okay to ask for help. “...and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him... Stay here and keep watch with me” (Matt. 26:36-38).
3. Prayer is vital for keeping our perspective. “So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing” (Matt. 26:44).

I rejoice with you in the hope of the resurrection and the victory we share through Him.

Wednesdays are often the day in the middle of the week in which we feel weak. Our energy and motivation are lacking. The weekend seems far away. The snooze button gets hit one more time.
When we were kids, Wednesdays were often the day of the week in which mom would make crepes for breakfast since it was an added motivation for us to get out of bed.

You may be going through a “Wednesday” in your life right now—a time in which your faith feels weak and your motivation is lacking.
As we look at faith, hope, and love this month, I would like to offer you hope through a verse from Hebrews 11. We look to those men and women as heroes of the faith. But there were often times when their faith was weak.

At those times, faith, even as small as a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20), can help that weakness be turned to strength.
And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. (Heb. 11:32-38, NIV)

On the eve of a New Year, we are offered the opportunity to begin anew. We have hope of a new life in Christ and faith in God’s abounding love. Yet, there may be thorns that are holding us back, areas in which we long to grow in our faith, hope, or love.
Over the next few days, I challenge you to get with a Christian friend, an Iron Rose Sister, and encourage one another through the Common Threads. How can you be iron sharpening iron for one another in the New Year? What daily prayer can you lift up for and with each other?
I want to bloom in God’s love so that it becomes an outpouring of love to others.
I pray that I can remove the thorn of unbelief, knowing that it hinders my personal growth and that of the ministry.
And I encourage you to serve as iron sharpening iron in my life, as my Iron Rose Sisters, reminding me of God’s faithfulness in the past, as He demonstrates His faithfulness in the future.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Heb. 11:1)
Faith, as the author of Hebrews defines it, is based on things that we cannot see or tangibly know to be true. We believe them to be true and trust that we can place our hope in God and His truths found in Scripture.
However, what happens when our faith waivers—when we start to focus on what we can see and not on things eternal? Is it because we are not exercising our faith and keeping it in the forefront of our minds?
How many of you studied a 2nd language in school? How much do you remember of that language? There is an expression I have often quoted to those whom I have taught Spanish. “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” This is not only true of a 2nd language, but is also true of our faith.
If we do not exercise our faith and keep it at the forefront of our minds, we will lose it. We will lose faith in He who is faithful and we will become less certain of what we hope for and less sure of what we do not see.
So, how can you exercise your faith today? Make a quick list of three basic truths about God on which you can always rely.
Here’s my list:
God loves me.
God is infinitely wise.
God is in control, so I can always put my hope in Him.

During the process of transformation, we leave the ugliness and the pain, and move toward freedom. However, if things do not progress exactly as we had hoped, fear takes over and we long to go back to the familiar, no matter how bad things were before. We are not the only ones to fall into that fearful trap. The Israelites had it bad in Egypt. They were slaves and the conditions were getting worse. Deliverance came through Moses, but even before they got very far out of Egypt, their hope of deliverance faded and fear screamed louder than faith.
As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” (Exodus 14:10-12 NIV)
What are you enslaved to? What aspect of your life needs transformation and a dose of faith, not fear. I want to encourage you with Moses’ response in the next two verses:
Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:13, 14 NIV)

I have had those words from the David Crowder Band song, "How He loves us," playing over and over in my head recently.  I have been forced to reflect more on their meaning and why I might be focused on those words.

I Corinthians 13 says that love does not envy.  Envy and jealousy are often referred to in similar contexts, but I encourage you to consider how they are different.  Envy is the emotion behind coveting what someone else has.  Even the Ten Commandments spoke against coveting.

On the other hand, jealousy means that you want something all for yourself.  This can, of course, be a very self-centered and unhealthy emotion, but love is also not self-seeking.

God's love is a jealous love because He wants me all to Himself.  He doesn't want me to have any other gods before Him.  He is my loving Creator and gracious Father who wants what is best for me.  He is jealous for me.

Today, let's makeover what we are allowing to be jealous for us. We can start anew and allow God to love us with a jealous love and return His love with exclusive love and dedication.

I’m done. I’m out. I quit. I have lost all hope.

Have you been there? Done that?—if even for a moment.

There are some situations that feel truly hopeless.

The famine and siege the Israelites faced in 2 Kings 7 even led two women to decide to eat their sons! (Later, one mom reneged on her decision – 2 Kings 6:26-29.)

What seemed a desperate situation, God redeemed by making the Arameans, who had the Israelites under siege, flee. Then Israel, at the prompting of four lepers, enjoyed the riches and spoils the Arameans had abandoned.

Abraham, the father of many nations? He and his wife were old and childless—quite the hopeless situation. But against all hope, Abraham, in hope, believed.

Abraham’s son of promise did not come until the covenant had been made between God and Abraham. Ishmael, Hagar’s son, was born before Abraham was circumcised. Actually, father and son were circumcised on the same day (Genesis 17:26). And in the very next chapter, we see the angels of the Lord visit Abraham and promise that by that time next year, he and Sarah will bear a son.

When we trust God and enter into covenant with Him, God takes impossible, hopeless situations, and has the power to bring about outcomes beyond what we ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20-21).Just ask Abraham and the Israelites.

What hopeless situation can you bring to Him today?

Eighteen times in the book of Job, the word hope is mentioned.

Job cries out for hope.

“What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What prospects, that I should be patient?(Job 6:11)

And in the words of his friends, Bildad, and Zophar,

Hope is for those who remember God.

Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless.(Job 8:13)

And there is security in hope.

You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.(Job 11:18)

However, their words of hope are intermixed with accusations and their own interpretation of why Job is suffering.

In chapter 42, God chastises these friends, but does not mention Job’s young friend Elihu. This is likely because he spoke up in God’s defense.

It is Elihu’s mention of God’s love that begins to change Job’s perspective and the conversation turns toward hope (Job 37:13).

So, while we, like Job, long for hope in the midst of suffering, hope is unattainable without a focus on God’s loveand our trust that He is in control.

God’s love is the ultimate source of hope.

Eighteen times in the book of Job, the word hope is mentioned.
Job cries out for hope.
“What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What prospects, that I should be patient? (Job 6:11)
And in the words of his friends, Bildad, and Zophar,
Hope is for those who remember God.
Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless. (Job 8:13)
And there is security in hope.
You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety. (Job 11:18)
However, their words of hope are intermixed with accusations and their own interpretation of why Job is suffering.
In chapter 42, God chastises these friends, but does not mention Job’s young friend Elihu. This is likely because he spoke up in God’s defense.
It is Elihu’s mention of God’s love that begins to change Job’s perspectiveand the conversation turns toward hope (Job 37:13).
So, while we, like Job, long for hope in the midst of suffering, hope is unattainable without a focus on God’s loveand our trust that He is in control.
God’s love is the ultimate source of hope.

My house is no longer under construction!

The paint smells are dissipating; the dust has settled. The colors schemes and plans have come together.

Back in April, when I learned of my sister and brother-in-law’s imminent move, a course of events were set in motion that have culminated in yet another major change for me personally and a blessed transition for IRSM.

The ministrythat has equipped more than 1,500 women in conferences in 2015 and touched the lives of hundreds more women through the interactive Bible study books, blogs, and other resources, has grown to the point that we needed our own space.

My parents and my dad’s business, Integrity Home Services, have helped make this move possible and have facilitated the transformation of this house into a home for me, and a base of operations for IRSM.

The cleaning and some unpacking are still in process, but I am now much more equipped to host you here in Searcy.

With this month’s blog theme as Hope and Love, the culmination of this project is a definite hope fulfilled and a tremendous demonstration of love.

Several have asked if my parents have been so instrumental in the process so that I will stay living near them in Searcy for many years to come.

While I think this is part of their inspiration, the bigger motivation, I know, is their love for me and for the Lord’s work through IRSM.

With the move to Searcy, IRSM has also been blessed in the following ways:

·     A stable home base with lower cost-of-living

·     Office space and storage space for our inventory

·     Spare bedroom for an intern

·     Connection to bilingual Harding University students who seek to be mentored

·     Connection to people and groups traveling from Searcy on campaigns that can transport books

·     Guest lecturing in missions, Spanish, and women’s ministry classes at Harding to inspire, equip, and empower students

Thank you for your continued prayers and support for Iron Rose Sister Ministries!

P.S. The new address is 1 Susan Dr., Searcy, AR72143

Tomorrow is the close of 2015. The year has flown and we now will have to get used to writing 2016 on everything.

As we begin a new year and chapter in our lives, we have the chance to start anew.

But this opportunity is not just because we are turning the page on a new year.

When God gives us hope and a future (Jer. 29:11), the hope is for redemption and the opportunity to begin each day with a clean slate. His mercies are new every morning and great is His faithfulness (Lam. 3:23).

Satan is the destroyer who would love to keep us trapped in the discouragement and guilt of our failures.

However, God is the Great Redeemer who pulls us out of the muck, providing us the hope to start anew. We have been born again and equipped with the Spirit to walk in newness of life.

It is never too late. And we never run out of chances to be washed by the blood of the Lamb, forgiven, and made new.

What a blessed hope to celebrate!

Love hopes (1 Cor. 13:7).
Faith, hope, and love are the three that remain (1 Cor. 13:13).
And in Romans 5, we see that love is the source of our hope and the reason our hope is not fruitless.
And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:2b-5)
So, if you are lacking in hope, overwhelmed by suffering, struggling to persevere, or lacking in character, I invite you to be bathed by God’s love.
May the Holy Spirit pour out so much of God’s love in your heart that it overflows abundantly in your life, filling you with hope.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Rom. 15:13)

Love hopes (1 Corinthians 13:7).

Faith, hope, and love are the three that remain (1 Corinthians 13:13).

And in Romans 5, we see that love is the source of our hope and the reason our hope is not fruitless.

And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:2b-5)

So, if you are lacking in hope, overwhelmed by suffering, struggling to persevere, or lacking in character, I invite you to be bathed by God’s love.

May the Holy Spirit pour out so much of God’s love in your heart that it overflows abundantly in your life, filling you with hope.

I remember my affliction and my wandering,

    the bitterness and the gall.

I well remember them,

    and my soul is downcast within me.

Yet this I call to mind

    and therefore I have hope:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,

    for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

    great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;

    therefore I will wait for him.”

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,

    to the one who seeks him;

it is good to wait quietly

    for the salvation of the Lord.

It is good for a man to bear the yoke

    while he is young.

Let him sit alone in silence,

    for the Lord has laid it on him.

Let him bury his face in the dust—

    there may yet be hope.

Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him,

    and let him be filled with disgrace.

For no one is cast off

    by the Lord forever.

Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,

    so great is his unfailing love.

For he does not willingly bring affliction

    or grief to anyone.

Lamentations 3:19-33

The five-year-old waits for Christmas morning. The mom waits for a full night’s sleep. The grandpa waits to see his grandkids again.

The student waits for the semester to be over. The employee waits for a promotion. The hard-worker waits for a vacation. The stressed-out wife waits for this season of life to pass.

We are all waiting.

We wait in anticipation of what is to come. And most waiting is filled with hope and excited expectations. However, the patient that waits for news from the doctor may prefer to extend the waiting and not hear that her cancer is back. The young wife who has been trying for years to get pregnant is not looking forward to another month of waiting to see if their dreams will be realized.

We are all waiting.

In Scripture, we learn of a host of the faithful who waited and never got to see what was promised:
“And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect” (Heb. 11:39-40).

Today, I am reminded that waiting is about trusting the One who sees the big picture.
During this time of year, we are reminded of the anticipation, the waiting, the expectation of the coming Christ child. God’s timing was perfect.

We may not know the exact date that Jesus came, but we know that God was waiting and planning for the precise moment.

We may not know the exact date that our waiting season will end, but God’s timing is perfect. And even if things don’t turn out as we would like or expect (I mean, who sends the King of Kings to be born in a manger?!), we can trust that God is bigger than all circumstances and that any amount of waiting will be worth it.

Love is Eternal

Written by Wendy Neill
I remember the “Aha” moment. I wrote it in the margins of my Bible beside 1 Corinthians 13:13. It was September of 1998 and Brother Ira Edwards was teaching Bible class in Delta, Colorado. I was a mother of a one year old, so I was probably struggling to stay awake, but Brother Ira was a wise teacher and I enjoyed hearing what he had to say.

1 Corinthians 13:13 says “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” There are a lot of reasons love might be considered the greatest (and Michelle has provided us with a great list in her recent post). But the reason Brother Ira pointed out that day really spoke to me. He said, “Love is the only one of the three that is eternal. In heaven, there will be no more need for faith and hope.” Wow. Have you ever thought about that? When we get to heaven, we will be face-to-face with God who IS love. We will no longer need faith, because our faith will be replaced by sight. We will no longer need hope, because all of our hopes will be fulfilled. But his love for us will last forever and we will soak it up like a warm bath.

I wrote a blog post here last year about my friend, Effie. This year, Effie went home to the Lord. I miss her, but it is a thrill for me to think that she no longer needs faith and hope, because she is in the presence of Love. And so is Brother Ira. And so I will be someday.

In Mark’s account of the Greatest Command, he highlights the depth of love we should have for God.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30)
What does it mean to love God will heart, soul, mind, and strength?
I interpret that to mean that I should love Him with everything I feel (heart), who I am (soul), what I think (mind), and what I do (strength).
But can I love Him that completely if I don’t give Him my time?
If I add the phrase, “Love the Lord your God with all your time,” I am brought to a whole new level of application for what it means to truly and deeply love God.
This week, as many are making plans for the New Year, and as we have been recently reminded of one of God’s ultimate demonstrations of love by sending His Son to earth—I am going to reflect on what it means to love the Lord my God with all my time. That seems like a greater sacrifice of love than heart, soul, mind, and strength.
How can you love God with all your time this week and into next year?