Iron Rose Sister Ministries

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

When we read through Scriptures, we see God has pursued a relationship with man from the beginning. He walked with Adam and Eve; He called Abraham to follow Him; Moses was chosen by God to lead the Hebrews from Egypt and become His people in the Land of Promise.

The Old Covenant was given through Moses; the New Covenant came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17).

Under the Old Covenantthey had:

• A set of laws written in stone where God outlines acceptable behavior and sinful behavior.

• An earthly high priest through the line of Aaron, who had to offer a sacrifice for his own sin first (Heb. 5:1-4) … and these sacrifices were repeated over and over with communication through priests and prophets.

• Rituals of purity and cleansing; sacrifices were offered for illness, childbirth, and sin. There were times of required fasting. The Sabbath was to be holy and a day of rest. Men went to Jerusalem three times a year.

• ONLY the High Priest was allowed in the Most Holy Place where the Ark of the Covenant was and where God came down to receive the sacrifice.

For centuries a curtain hid the area where the high priest entered once a year to make sacrifices for sin (Lev. 16), where God came down and hovered above the mercy seat to receive the sacrifice. The people never entered into this holy area.

But one Passover when the priests were offering the sacrifice of the lambs for the sins of the people, the thick, heavy curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom. It was torn in two because another lamb was being sacrificed not too far away on the hill of Mount Calvary, and that lamb was Jesus—the perfect lamb—the perfect sacrifice which was being offered for all men for all time. Because of this sacrifice, Jehovah God proclaimed Jesus both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36).

And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. (Matt. 27:51 ESV)

This 30-foot-tall curtain was ripped from top to bottom, as though the hands of God reached down and tore it open, inviting you and me to have direct access to Him. Because the curtain was torn, we have direct access to the Throne of Heaven!

Because of that perfect sacrifice, our purification is through the blood of Jesus Christ which cleanses us as we are baptized into Him. Jesus' sacrifice was one time for all men. Our baptism is a one-time event that washes us clean. Our life of faithfulness and confession keeps us clean.

Under the New Covenant we have:

• Laws written on the heart (Heb. 10:16).

• A sinless Heavenly Priest (Heb. 9:24, 28, 10:12) who offered one sacrifice.

• The opportunity to meet with other disciples on the first day of the week to share the Lord’s Supper and worship our Heavenly Father.

• Adoption by God (Gal. 4:5). When we become followers of Jesus, the Hebrew writer says, “For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers” (Heb. 2:11).

• Jesus Christ, our Messiah as our sacrifice … not a bull or goat, as we read in Hebrews 10:10-12.

…we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.

In verses 19-23, Hebrews 10 goes on to say that because Jesus is our sacrifice, one sacrifice for all of us, we have access to our Heavenly Father through Him.

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

In 1742, Charles Wesley wrote a hymn that contains these words: “With confidence I now draw nigh and ‘Father, Abba Father’ cry!” Those who lived before us under the Old Covenant could not have sung those words.

So, the important question for us is: Do we take advantage of our access to the Throne of Heaven as children and heirs of the Heavenly King?

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

Breaking the generational cycle of disobedience is a very big responsibility placed on our shoulders by God. However, He promises to be by our side at all times, and not only this, He also promises to lighten our load because His yoke is easy (Matt. 11:28-30) and His grace is sufficient (2 Cor. 12:9-10).

With this in mind, let me share some thoughts about the generational cycle between Saul and his son Jonathan. The scriptures tell us that God chose Saul to be the first king of Israel. King Saul had serious character flaws, so why would God anoint such a man to rule His people? The answer may not be totally clear to us, but it is evident that God allowed this situation so that His people would realize that no human king could compare to Him, and that absolutely no one could be as good as God Himself.

Saul was an arrogant man. However, the position he had been given was not what made him prideful; it simply exposed what was already in his heart (Prov. 23:7). Being the first king of Israel certainly must have reinforced his pride. This king did not trust God: he made foolish and unwise oaths (1 Sam. 14:24), and he did not comply with God's commandments. This leads us to conclude that he did not fear God. He did not value even the life of his own son (1 Sam. 14:44); however, in spite of this, Jonathan decides in his heart not to be like his father.

The Bible describes Jonathan as a brave, strong man, and a good warrior, but it also describes him as a man of love (1 Sam. 18:1), a loyal friend, and a good son. Above all, he was a young man who feared God and lived to assure that nothing or no one would hinder Jehovah's purposes.

Jonathan knew that the Spirit of God was no longer in his father. Recognizing this truth was very critical, because everything Saul did was subject to his human nature, rather than out of a desire to please God. As a result, it was impossible to trust him. Jonathan decided not to be like his father. To make such a crucial decision, his bond with the Lord must have been very close since God is the only one who can help us break these generational chains.

Any one of us can choose not to follow the same destructive path as our parents if we grew up in a non-Christian family. Asking God to help us break those unfaithful generational cycles will bring light not only to our current family, but will also build future generations of believers, and God will pour out His blessings on all of them. It all begins with creating a close relationship with God. Then He will show us what sinful attitudes we have inherited from our unbelieving ancestors which will enable us to break the generational cycle and be transformed into faithful followers.

This is also a way of fulfilling the command of Jesus when He says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple”(Luke 14:26 NIV). Jonathan was not willing to sacrifice obedience to Jehovah for the unholy whims of his father. Many times, without realizing it, we carry bitterness in our hearts, because our parents were also bitter. We downplay the importance of church involvement because we do not believe that God requires this, and as if that were not enough, at least in Latin America, faithfully congregating every Sunday with the Lord’s church is no longer a priority.

Jonathan was clear about his purpose on this earth—to give glory to God at all times—even to the point of offering his own life so that his best friend David could live, assuring that the messianic lineage would continue its course until it reached Jesus. In the same way, we must fervently ask that God show His purpose for us so that we can live giving Glory to Him, and above all, accept His grace every day to break family yokes that are not healthy. Building a spiritual life that transcends for many generations depends on our effort and courage, but above all, it depends on the openness and sensitivity of our hearts toward the voice of God.Saul closed his heart to Jehovah; therefore, the Spirit of God left him.

Today, I first encourage you to pray and ask God to show you His purpose for your life. Second, ask Him to help you live for this purpose and, in this way, He will break every chain that ties you to the past.

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

The word covenant in the Hebrew language is "berith" and it means alliance, specifically God's alliance with man. It also denotes God's steadfastness in fulfilling His promise (“Berith,” online resource).

Jehovah in His sovereignty sought Abram to make a covenant that would be a blessing to all humanity. It is incredible how God, despite knowing how unfaithful we are, continues with His plan to fulfill a specific purpose.

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”(Gen. 17:1-2 NIV)

God asked Abram for two things: faithfulness, that is, not following other gods, and holiness. We may think that it would have been easier to be a woman of faith living in the time of Abram, possibly because it seems that there was not as much evil in the world, and there was no influence of social media. But the reality is that the amount of evil was the same then as we face today. There were many gods, and it was easy to be persuaded to follow them. But despite those temptations, God still demanded fidelity and holiness from Abram.

If we look at the order of the words in the Genesis passage, we understand that without faithfulness to God, it is impossible to have a life of holiness. These words are not independent of one another, but quite the contrary, they go together. We will not be able to lead a blameless life if we are constantly unfaithful to God. We may not be worshiping clay or ceramic gods, but in our hearts, there may be many idols that significantly interfere with our spiritual growth. These idols can be disguised as people, work, professions, social status, etc. I'm not saying that these things are bad—not at all. For example, who does not need to work to live? As long as we don't place our trust in our profession, it will not hurt us.

To serve God correctly, in the way that He desires, it is necessary to abandon our gods or idols. Then our hearts will be open to a pursuit of faithfulness and holiness.

Recently, in the ministry where I serve with my husband, I went through a difficult time. I put my trust in a brother who was very special to us. I thought he would defend our work, but ultimately, he didn't. Perhaps because he came from a family lineage that set a great example and he always seemed to show a pacifying nature, I realized that I was holding him up as an idol in my heart. I learned with much pain that I needed to leave this struggle to God, who judges everything fairly. I learned not to depend on human beings, but to directly ask guidance from the Provider of all things, and to understand that God in His sovereignty has everything under control. I also learned that when I want to control everything, I am not giving God space in my life.

God's wonderful promise to Abram was a firm, everlasting covenant that would bring an incredible blessing— innumerable offspring like the stars in the sky. Because of his and Sarai’s old age, this seemed impossible. Once again Abram did not understand that it was not about what he could do with his own strength, but about the power of El Shaddai. Abram had not done anything extraordinary to deserve this covenant—El Shaddai sought him out and completely changed his life.

After God's first visit in Genesis 15, when Jehovah promises them a son, Abram and Sarai continued to make mistakes. One of the most obvious was when Abram had sexual relations with his Egyptian slave, even though God promised him that he and Sarai would have an offspring. We can see that we lose focus quickly despite knowing God's promises. Sarai wanted to control the means by which Abram would have a son, forgetting that Jehovah is the One Who can make all things possible. She was eventually reminded that Jehovah is not a human being, He does not lie, and His covenant is eternal (Num. 23:19). Let us not forget that our hope should not be put in human beings, but in the Giver of Life.

At that time, El Shaddai promised Abram offspring too numerous to count. Today we see this promise reflected in the church through the wonderful redemptive work of His Son Jesus Christ. Therefore, let us put our trust in God and not in people, especially not ourselves.

Written by Ann Thiede, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas

Every day that Jesus lived on earth, for about thirty-three years, He chose not to sin. He could have, this One who was fully man and fully God. As the writer of Hebrews says,

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin” (Heb. 4:15)

We all know the powerful pull of the flesh to be drawn into sin, whether in our minds, words, or actions. So how did Jesus do it, day after day? The following scriptures hold a key. Paul speaks of Jesus in Colossians: “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17)

And then the Father asked His Son, in our desperate need, to enter this world as Philippians 2:6-8 beautifully states:

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!”

There is no doubt Jesus’ relationship with God in the spiritual realm built a strong foundation of love and trust that was essential when He became man. May you find some treasures that not only helped Jesus but may also help you draw closer to Father God and farther from the pull of sin.

We hear the first words from Jesus as a twelve-year-old when His parents found Him in Jerusalem’s Temple, astonishing the rabbis with His questions, answers and understanding. He said,

“Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I mustbe about My Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49)

Early in His ministry around the age of thirty, Jesus called others to follow Him, that they might be with Him, learn from Him, and see Him in action. Was this God’s business, calling followers? A resounding yes! Jesus was with God when He called Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Israel), Moses and prophets such as Isaiah, to name a few. All received God’s call in different ways but were obedient, going where He called them to go even if they weren’t sure of the way, or the way was hard and full of challenges. A beautiful thing happened when Jesus said to Philip, “Follow Me” (John 1:43, NIV). Philip found Nathaniel in the same manner that Andrew had found his brother, Simon Peter, and brought him to Jesus. They had to share with someone; it was impossible to keep Jesus to themselves.

For Jesus, being about the Father’s business involved complete dependency on God, going where the Father wanted Him to go, doing what the Father wanted Him to do with a submissive heart. I love what He says in John 5:19-20a,

“Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does.”

Jesus and God had an amazing love relationship before time began; the relationship needed nurturing when Jesus walked this earth, going about His Father’s business: opening hearts of men and women through His teachings, calling others to follow Him who in turn called others to follow Jesus, and praying often to His Father with humility and submission. His ultimate obedience? The cross. His reward? Resurrection and a glorious reunion with God!

How can you nurture your relationship with God and be about His business?

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

The entire Bible is the story of our relationship with God. In the beginning, He formed a perfect world, then created a man and a woman to multiply, reign over it, and walk with Him in relationship. But they betrayed Him, and they unleashed evil in the world. He had to banish them from the Garden of Eden and the relationship with God was damaged.

Throughout the Old Testament, we see the cycle of betrayal and restoration between God and His people. God gave them specific laws regarding sacrifices to atone for their sins so the relationship could continue. Those sacrifices only covered the sins already committed, not future sins, so they had to regularly go back and offer sacrifices again. Eventually, God’s people quit bothering. They started worshiping other gods and completely lost track of God’s Law. In 2 Chronicles 34:14-21, Hilkiah the priest stumbled across the Book of the Law while bringing out the funds to repair the temple. I can almost picture him in a temple storeroom blowing the dust off an old book on the shelf.

To get a glimpse of how bad things were between God and His people, read Ezekiel 16. God said He was fed up with His “wife” who acted like a prostitute, and He was going to let her lovers destroy her (fulfilled with the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.). But even at the end of that chilling chapter, God says, “Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you” (Ez. 16:60 NIV).

It wasn’t just Israel that was estranged from God. We were all estranged from Him: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). God sent His Son to re-establish that everlasting covenant and to restore our relationship with Him.

And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.... All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. (2 Cor. 5:15, 18-19a NIV)

I am so grateful to live on this side of the cross and to know the saving grace of Jesus! I can have a restored relationship with God because of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice. All past and future sins are covered if I remain in Him. But it doesn’t stop there. Let’s read the next few verses.

And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:19b-21)

Paul is talking about himself and his fellow teachers, but we also can share this message of reconciliation with those around us. This is the gospel, the good news! We don’t have to be afraid of God’s wrath any longer if we remain in Christ. In the final chapter of the Bible, we find that we can live with God again in a perfect relationship, unmarred by sin:

No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. (Rev. 22:3-4)

Our blog theme for this year has been “Teaching and Learning through Relationships.” How can you rejoice and teach others this week about our restored relationship with God through Christ?

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

Relationships can be difficult to foster. And often they are the hardest things to keep tied. Even the best relationships can be knotty at times. Relationship with God, though, is far less complicated. It’s also the most valuable. A personal relationship with God means unconditional love by Him. It means redemption from the worst we’ve done. It means adoption into a family in which we are heirs of a great inheritance (Gal. 4:4-7; Rom. 8:17). Most importantly, relationship with God means life.

We are given the gift of God’s grace, and we undeservedly receive God’s mercy (Eph. 2:8; Rom. 9:16). And we are also given the hope of eternal life (1 Pet. 1:3). To obtain that life, though, we must enter relationship with God, and we can only get to God through Jesus.

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me“ (John 14:6 NIV).


This is my favorite scripture because it encompasses what I can expect and what I can do to truly live. If I expect to have truth and life, I can only do so by way of Jesus. Because of what God did for me in sacrificing His Son to die on my behalf, I’ve come to acknowledge the need to be more selfless. The truth is, if left to my own inclinations, life would be spent doing all the things that please me. I’d go where I want, when I want, and do what I want with very little consideration for others. Rather than make a home and life for my husband, children, and grandchildren, I would make a home and life that best suits me. I’d be overcome by my addictions (food) and proclivities (controlling). Singing on the worship team, teaching the toddlers’ Bible class, and serving in the women’s ministry at my church would all be meaningless. Ministries near and dear to me like Ciudad de Angelesand Iron Rose Sister Ministries would be inconsequential. My job, my social life, and my pastimes would be centered solely around my personal gain rather than how I can do those things to serve others.

To that end, I rely heavily on my relationship with God. I’ve come to appreciate that my relationship with God keeps me focused on what truly matters. It keeps me grounded on more holy things and ensures those things take precedence because one who “pursues righteousness... finds life, prosperity and honor” (Prov. 21:21).

Through Jesus, I’ve come to know God more freely and intimately. I value my relationship with Jesus because, without Him, I would not know God. Jesus said, “The Father is in me, and I in the Father” (John 10:38), so to know Jesus is to know God. Personally, I don’t know who I’d be otherwise. Lauren Daigle beautifully expresses in her song, “Thank God I Do,” the value of knowing Jesus.

You're my safe place, my hideaway


You're my anchor, my saving grace


You're my constant, my steadiness


You're my shelter, my oxygen

I don’t know who I’d be if I didn’t know you, I’d probably fall off the edge.
I don’t know where I’d go if you ever let go, so keep me held in your hands.
I don’t know who I’d be if I didn’t know you. Thank God I do.

It’s because of Jesus that we “may have life and may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10 NKJV). Life abounds because of Jesus! I relish that thought because it means that while everything is not always good in life, life is always good. And because I am in relationship with God, I can be less stressed when life goes awry. I certainly do try!

“Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.” (1 Thes. 5:16-18 MSG)

As in any valued relationship, we should be mindful of what’s necessary to keep the relationship strongly tied. I grow spiritually when I am seeking daily to know God better. My Bible studies, my prayer time, and my relationships with other Godly women all help foster my relationship with God (1 Tim. 4:13-16; Titus 2:3-5; Ps. 119:1-2; Ps. 18:6; Ps. 15:29). And I have found that the less time I spend fostering my relationship with God, the more likely my life is to become complicated—or at least the more likely I am to become anxious about those complications. Ultimately, it’s a ploy from the enemy to distract me from growing in my relationship with God. God is worthy of so much more in our relationship than for us to worry about life. And no human trouble is greater than God’s power to overcome it.

“Nothing in the affairs of men is worthy of great anxiety.” (Plato)

What strides will you make to draw closer to Jesus? And thereby God?



Written by Michelle J. Goff, Founder and Director of Iron Rose Sister Ministries

In Matthew 28, we hear the final words of Jesus before His ascension. Verse 18 reminds us that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him.

¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matt. 28:19-20)

“Go” and “make disciples” are the two commands of ultimate importance as Jesus’ final instructions. The two ways in which we fulfill the command to make disciples are baptizing them and teaching them. Then finally, we hear the promise that Jesus will continue to be with us. Amen!

These facets of the Great Commission are integrally connected to the Greatest Command: to love God and love others. Can we truly make disciples outside of relationship with God or others? The teaching would be limited to lists of instructions or rote information without relationship. “Teaching them to obey” is different than “telling them what to obey.”

I cannot properly teach someone how to make an arepa without first introducing them to this Venezuelan staple. I could tell them what to make, even provide detailed directions, but both of our levels of frustration will be high if I cannot demonstrate how to make it. Subsequently, if my pupil felt defeated and her arepas didn’t turn out well, she will be less likely to make them again on her own.

Conversely, if I explain how to make arepas, step by step, standing by her side and illustrating with my own dirty hands how to prepare the masa and form the arepas, when to flip them, and when they were ready to eat, my student will feel better equipped to continue in the process. Then, we sit down and continue our time together by eating and deepening our friendship, a memory is made, and a connection is built.

The next time my student friend wants to make arepas, she has been set up for success and, if she has a problem, she knows exactly who she can call! We even celebrate together when she sends me a picture of her family eating her imperfectly formed arepas. She is practicing and developing her skills. And she is not alone. Her growing confidence in how to follow the instructions has been encouraged by her teacher. They delight in sharing a good meal and both are inspired to do it again.

The teaching and the learning happened in relationship.

Iron Rose Sister Ministries’ vision is to equip women to connect to God and one another more deeply. The founding principles of that vision and our 2023 theme draw from the Greatest Command (Mark 12:30-31) and the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20), inspired by the imagery of Jesus as the True Vine and us as the branches called to bear fruit (John 15). We cannot fulfill any of those commands without relationship! Through the blog posts, virtual events, and other resources, we will emphasize the relational aspects of these three biblical texts: “Teaching and Learning through Relationships.”

First and foremost, our relationship with God is foundational.

⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. ⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5)

Secondly, the “much fruit” of our relationship with God will be more disciples, which brings us back to the Matthew 28 text. I love how God ties it all together and brings it full circle!

Thirdly, the ongoing relationships with God and with one another are reiterated throughout the remainder of the New Testament.Luke’s narration of the early church, Paul’s letters, Peter’s reminders, as well as John’s and James’ instructions all provide affirmation of the important of relationship.

If you are not familiar with these scriptures or have not known the blessing of these relationships, we invite you to connect with these promises and commands. Ladies, we especially want to illustrate these foundational truths in the ways God has called us to teach and learn through relationships.

This year, we will follow the same pattern established in 2022 for our blog posts. Tuesdays will describe teaching and learning through relationship(s) in the Bible. Thursdays will illustrate a similar relationship dynamic from one of our stories. Bible stories and God stories… there is so much to teach and to learn!

Thank you for joining us! We will continue to introduce the topic through Jesus’ own example in January. Then, February, our well-established prayer month, will continue the Bible stories and God stories, especially in our relationships and communication with God.