Blog

• Who Has Last Word

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

Introduction:
As a part of my civic duty and in fulfillment of a jury summons, I spent a full day at the local courthouse, most of it in courtroom 406 where a judge explained the judicial process, defined legal terms, and asked pertinent questions of the jury pool after reading the charges for the accused. It was a complicated criminal trial that would take a full week’s service.

I was later dismissed and left with the curiosity of how the trial would end, but relieved to not have to spend a week in court weighing the facts and determining, based on those facts, the guilt or innocence of the accused.

I have always been fascinated by crime shows and mysteries—ones that I can watch at a distance and that don’t hit too close to home. However, as a different judge mentioned that morning, “If you’ve ever watched Law & Order, they don’t show this part on TV because it is boring and there’s nothing we can do about it.” He was right. But I found myself not bored, but rather intrigued by things I observed that day.

While the judge in courtroom 406 reminded everyone of the judicial process and the attorneys asked their probing questions of the potential jurors, what most caught my attention was the number of times someone referred to truth and lies.

The question was asked: How do you determine if someone is telling the truth? Can you trust the testimony of someone that has a prior conviction? What if someone changes their story? What about their body language might indicate that they are telling the truth or not?

These and many others are valid questions that are not faced exclusively in a courtroom. In our own heads, we serve as judge and jury every time a thought crosses our mind. We must discern whether the thought is a lie or truth, then act accordingly. Just like the little angel and the little devil on each shoulder in many cartoons, we have competing ideas, which go to war and can steal our peace.

Satan has always been quite adept at convincing us that a lie is truth. He works his wiles and devises his schemes to distort truth and introduce doubt. The good news is that Satan does not have the last word.

In a courtroom, the judge has the final say in the verdict. He helps the jury judiciously arrive at truth. In life, Jesus is our Advocate, our Mediator—the One who has the final word.

Who has the last word in your life? I invite you to join with me and other Christian sisters as we explore these chapters together and cut through Satan’s lies with the truth of God’s Word.

We will learn to recognize the lie, replace it with truth, and remember that truth when attacked. We will learn tools to help us remember those truths by creating Lie/Truth Charts, through the Common Threads, and by hiding His Word in our hearts.

Are you ready to live the abundant life of faith, hope, and love that God promises? To start out the month, I will share one of the stories from chapter 9 that illustrates how we Recognize, Replace, and Remember.

Valley Time (from chapter 9, Who Has the Last Word?)
While I could share from some of my personal experience, please allow my friend, Sherry to describe her own situation near the end of 2009.

I was in a very dark place. There were battles on every front and I felt as though I was losing every battle. One day I decided I didn’t want to fight anymore. I was tired. I packed a bag and placed it in the trunk of my car while no one in my household was present. Later in the day I announced I was running an errand when in actuality I was running away. I did not tell my husband or my closest friends where I was going. The truth is I did not know myself.

My first stop was the Grist Mill at Stone Mountain Park (Atlanta, Georgia). It was one of my favorite places to retreat and pray, and so I did. I stayed at the park for a couple of hours pleading with God for reprieve from the battle. While I was vigorously waving a white flag, it was as though it was waved in front of blind eyes. I was plummeting deeper into darkness.

It was decision time but I did not like the choices I was giving myself. I decided the safest decision was to give myself more time away from every person and every responsibility. I sent a text to my husband telling him I was fine but I still needed some time alone. He was very gracious. It was at that point I turned off my cell phone and I checked into a hotel. By the time I got to my room my voice mailbox had several messages from my husband and from one of my dearest friends. It was a couple of hours before I could listen to the messages and a while longer until I could respond. What words did I have to explain my behavior? None.

In their writings, both Oswald Chambers and C.S. Lewis describe something called the Dark Night of the Soul. They could write about it because it was their experience at one time or another in their own lives. It certainly describes my experience too. If you are like me you often equate darkness with evil and that does not bode well with this Christ-follower. The truth is even in my darkest moment, and in His silence, I sensed the presence of God or as I have since described it, the Shadow of God.
David paints the picture well in Psalm 23:
“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, and he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for YOU ARE WITH ME; your rod and staff they comfort me.”

On that day several years ago, God had not abandoned me. Looking back now I can see He made incredible provision. In the valley, He gave me a quiet place to lie down, His presence, and His Word and Spirit to guide me out of the valley and to a much better place. His faithfulness then is all I need now to remind me that any valley-time I face is still proof of His love.

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

#IronRoseSister #WhoHastheLastWord #WLW #psalm23

• guest writer
• restoration

My name is Mercedes Torres Sanchez. I am forty-three years old and I am Cuban. You can call me Meche, which is what Michelle affectionately calls me.

Since I was born, God had plans for me. I had a difficult childhood. I come from a non-Christian family and there was a lack of family love. I was in a boarding school. Yet, through it all, I grew up with the LOVE and care of our Father. Even though I didn’t know Him at that stage of my life, He cared for me and He was in control. He always showed evidence, even when I didn’t see it.

I have two wonderful kids: Cristian is 20 and Yordank is 18. I thank God for giving me the amazing opportunity to be a mother. He is always showing how He is in control.

But on June 16, 2016, I was diagnosed with cancer in my left ovary. When they performed the surgery, they realized that it had metastasized and so they performed a full hysterectomy, as well as removed connective tissue near my colon, rectum, and bladder. I received chemo treatments before and after the operation. Thanks to God, I was able to handle all of this.

During one of those very difficult days, a Christian neighbor I didn’t know well approached me. She asked if I wanted her to put me on the prayer list at her church and I said yes. Why would I say no? Even before I reached the point of spiritual growth and maturity where I am now, I always sought God and would even look up to heaven and ask for His help. Today, I know that He is everywhere, omnipresent.

A few days later, the preacher from the church that was praying for me, Osvel, and his wife, Madelin, came to visit me. It is the Church of Christ in Güines, Mayabeque.

Today, I say with great pride that I have been a Christian for a year and four months. My life was restored completely by all-powerful God. I have grown spiritually and in my faith in our Father, King, and Lord. He has blessed me even in the trials I have faced.

I overcame my illness, thanks to God and the strength that He gave me.
I always repeat this verse with lots of faith: I can do all things through Him who STRENGTHENS me (Phil. 4:13).
Thanks to God’s love and mercy, I am healed, out of danger and I am even receiving experimental vaccines against cancer. I give thanks to God for being accepted in this study.

I am very happy to have converted to Christ. By becoming a Christian, God restored my life and saved me. I thank Him for hearing my requests.
Today, I am a new person and my old life was left behind.
And today, I only believe in God and not in any images.
Jehovah has made me who I am and I grateful.
I have learned to lay my burdens at His feet because I cannot handle them alone. Rather, with Him, I can handle anything. In my prayers, I ask and wait for his mercy and restoration in my life (Job 33:36, Ps. 80:3).

I must also mention that I had the blessing of winning a marvelous educational book at a Ladies’ Day in Matanzas, Cuba. The book is entitled “In God’s Right Hand: Whom Shall I Fear?” written by sister Michele Goff.

As the title says, we have nothing to fear. Seek first the kingdom and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33). The story I most liked in the book was the one with the pearl necklace. It has a powerful teaching.

I encourage you to have a strong faith in the Lord (Rom. 10:9-10).
There are days in which I feel burdened and I begin to pray.
Sisters, God blesses us when, with faith, we ask that He renew our strength to keep moving forward. Thanks be to almighty God for His grace and mercy.
The BEST defensive tool is PRAYER.
Don’t want until you hit rock bottom to believe in and seek God.
Psalm 23:1, 4
Isaiah 41:10

May God bless you always and sustain you in His right hand.
Blessings to each of you,
Sister Meche.

#IronRoseSister #restoration #InGodsRightHand