Being a Titus 2 Woman

I do not take lightly the calling and purpose of my life. Last night I had the opportunity to fellowship with some of the tween and teen girls from church. For the past few weeks myself and my fellow youth leaders planned and prepared a lock-in specifically for our girls ages 12 to 15 entitled, Girls' Night In. The agenda included practical knowledge and teaching on purity from our Senior Pastor's Wife, an additional guest teacher, and a musical guest. The event allowed the girls to speak candidly about their experiences, receive healing and restoration, voice their desire to walk in purity and see the same manifestation in the lives of their sisters, friends, and generation. It brought to mind one of my favorite scriptures, Titus 2:3-5.

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Titus 2:3-5 NIV

This scriptural reference teaches women the following:

1. To live a reverent lifestyle. 

Our lives should bring reverence to the Lord at all times. This is related to our godly conduct, dress, and conversation. We are called to live our lives in holy fear and reverence to God. Proverbs 31:30 reads "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing: but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised."

2. Not to be slanderers.

As stated above, we must be mindful of our conversation. As women we must be vigilant not to be engaged in activities of gossip, fault finding, and false accusation. 

3. Not to live addicted lifestyles.

We are called to lives of sobriety. We should be watchful and receive any healing related to addictive lifestyles. This can include alcoholism, abuse and dependency on illicit drugs, abuse of food, and/or shopping. 

4. To be teachers of what is good.

We are teachers. This does not require formalized training, nor an ordered, structured, and/or arranged event. It is taking the time moment by moment and day by day to teach and to train those whom you mentor in what is good and pleasing to God.

The scripture directs the older women to teach the younger women to "to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands." Since the younger girls in which I mentor are not married I find that my role as a young and spiritually mature woman is to teach them the following: 

• To love God and their parents
• Be self-controlled and pure
• Be disciplined at home (comply with house rules, do chores, homework, etc).
• Be kind to others
• To honor and obey they parents

As I stated previously, I do not take this role lightly. I want to reverence God with my life and teach what is right and true to those who are younger so that the word of God may not be exposed to reproach (blasphemed or discredited)" as indicated in verse 6, Amplified Version.

Your Faithfulness by Jon Thurlow

While attending the International House of Prayer's onething 2010 conference in Kansas City, MO this past December, I encountered this song. A few teens from our youth group and I decided we would visit the Prayer Room. IHOP had been having 24/7 prayer for 10 years which has been the catalyst to revival, miracles, sign, and wonders. While in the Prayer Room, Jon Thurlow was leading Worship and the Word, and was singing this song Your Faithfulness. Here's a live performance of Jon and his team. Enjoy!!!

Jon Thurlow is a worship leader at the International House of Prayer and an artist on Forerunner Records. He can be seen a few mornings during the week leading worship in the Prayer Room at IHOP. To learn more about Jon visit www.ihop.org.

Teen Dating Violence: Date and Acquaintance Rape

Teachable Moment Tuesday

On several occasions I’ve come in contact with adolescent and young adult females who shared their stories that summed up to the definition of date rape. The variables were all similar, a young woman between the age of 13 and 19 years of age. This same young woman was attending a party with friends and/or acquaintances. This young woman was then coerced to engage in underage alcohol consumption to the point of inebriation, then encouraged to participate in sexual activity that could include everything from performing varying sexual acts to sexual intercourse. When confronted with the fact that they were in fact a victim of sexual assault and/or rape. They vehemently report that they were aware of what happened and they were in control. But, is that really true?

The Illinois State Police Department define date rape by the following:

Date rape is a form of acquaintance rape. It is the forced sexual contact by someone the victim is or has been dating. Regardless of the amount of time a couple has dated--in some cases, they may have just met and it may be the first "date," they may have been together for years, or even no longer a couple--when sex is forced on someone by the use of threats, intimidation, trickery, or in cases where consent cannot be given because of impaired judgment due to alcohol or drug intoxication, it is RAPE. And, it is against the law.

In most cases, the influence of alcohol or a chemical substance removes a person’s inhibitors, both physical and psychological. Being under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs is not an excuse for sexual violence.

Unfortunately, researchers have not been able to properly calculate statistics, because of many victims fail to report these incidents. However, the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA) provide the following statistics for sexual assault among adolescent:

· More than 70% of rape victims knew their attackers, compared to about half of all violent crime victims.

· 90% of rape victims who knew their attacker did not report the attack to the police.

· 38% of acquaintance rape victims are 14-17 years old.

· 90% of rape victims under age 13 knew their attacker.

· 57% of the rapes happened on dates

· Only 27% of the women considered themselves to be victims of rape, although their assaults met the legal definition of rape, which is indicated above.

 

So, how do we prevent further incidents of date/acquaintance rape from occurring among adolescents?

1. Educate.

Give yourselves to disciplined instruction; open your ears to tested knowledge. Don't be afraid to correct your young ones . . . (you) might save them from something worse than death.

Proverbs 23:12-14 Message

2. Support.

The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Proverbs 12:18 NIV

3. Guide them to the comfort of the Lord.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18 NIV

Trial by Jury: Decision Making

Ministry@Work Monday

It came in the mail. With dread I opened my call to serve Jury Duty. I'd received notices before. I had good excuses to avoid it in the past. My first notice came when I was an undergraduate at the University of Illinois at Chicago. At that time they excused my attendance due to my school schedule. The next time I was a stand-by Juror, and was not required to attend. But, this time I had to show up early on a Friday morning, and was selected to serve. With great protest within I went this morning only to take on a role that is a great benefit to serve someone else, their livelihood, and their future.

Jury is defined as a group of persons selected to make a decision, especially in the court of law.

Role of a Juror

• Responsible for gathering information.
• Accurately and objectively weighing details and facts.
• Determining the best and most suitable decision for the parties involved.

Initially, I was resistant to the idea of being involved in the decision making process of a law proceeding. However a consulted a few scriptures to support me and guide in prayer in relation to my role. I’m sure I not the only one whose faced with the responsibility of decision making. Daily in our work lives we must rationalize and reason information and facts that will impact our own selves and others.

And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.

Isaiah 11:2 KJV

Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

Colossians 4:1 NIV

The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Proverbs 28:1 NKJV

Secrets of the Vine for Women: Breakthrough to Abundance by Darlene Marie Wilkinson

Suggested Reading Sunday

Six years ago I received this great book for my 21^st birthday. This was an awesome addition to my growing personal library. The book is written by Darlene Marie Wilkinson, the wife and ministry partner to Bruce Wilkinson. This book was written as a counterpart for women to Bruce’s bestselling book, Secrets of the Vine.

The book in written based on Jesus’ teaching to the disciples in John 15. Darlene begins discussing the importance of a Spiritual Harvest indicating God’s desire to bring us to an abundant life. Darlene continued in discussing Jesus as the Vine, God as the Vinedresser, and we as branches as God’s desire for us to produce good fruit. According to Darlene, God’s desire and process to produce fruit was by His love. God’s discipline comes to root out sin and is confirmed that God chastisement is for those whom He loves, Hebrew 12:7-8, 11.

One of the key concepts discussed in Secrets of the Vine for Women was pruning. Pruning as related to gardening was defined as removing unwanted plant parts for a purpose. Darlene wrote “pruning is God’s way of making room in your life for more of what matters most,” in accords to John 15:2 that reads “Every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” The abundant production of fruit is highlighted to be birthed from abiding in Christ, having an intimate relationship. Lastly, Darlene shared that commitment to the process and time was necessary to bring forth a prized glorious harvest of fruit.

This is certainly an awesome study companion to the teaching of Jesus as the True Vine in John 15. Hope you can grab you a copy of this great book. Enjoy!!!

Who are you going to tell?

Ministry@Work Monday

This morning while reading the Gospel of John, I took a mental note of how John the Baptist, Andrew, and Philip once meeting Jesus instantly found their nearest of kin or a dear friend to share with them Jesus. Let take at look a John 1:35-51:

³⁵ Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. ³⁶ And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” ³⁷ The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. ³⁸ Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?” ³⁹ He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). ⁴⁰ One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. ⁴¹ He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). ⁴² And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone).⁴³ The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” ⁴⁴ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. ⁴⁵ Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” ⁴⁶ And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” ⁴⁷ Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” ⁴⁸ Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” ⁴⁹ Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”  ⁵⁰ Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” ⁵¹ And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Who was talking?

1. John the Baptist was the first to declare to two students with him that Jesus was the the Lamb of God. These two disciples were instantly compelled to follow Jesus and learn from Him. They called Him Teacher and dwelled with him for the remainder of the day. 

                       

2. Andrew thereafter went and found his brother Simon, whom he worked with as a fellow fisherman, and spoke boldly to him that they had found the Messiah.

3. Philip was found by Jesus and was commanded "Follow me." Philip was so awed by this encounter that he found a friend, Nathanael and declared with great exclamation “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

What are the benefits of telling?

1. People need to know that Jesus, the Lamb of God, has come as a sacrificial lamb, who bore their sin, and that they can be redeemed by grace through faith. 

2. People's identity can be transformed. Jesus when speaking with Simon, which mean hot-tempered, volatile, and violent, was called Cephas or Petros in the Greek or Peter which stable a rock or stone.

3. People's hearts can be revealed. Jesus upon meeting Nathanael declared that he was an Israelite without any deceit or guile which meant having an intent for trickery, cunning, and/or craftiness. 

These are just a few insights from looking at the first disciples and their instantaneous response to go and tell someone else about Jesus Christ. So, make sure to find someone to tell about Jesus whether at work, school, or in your community. 

Every Woman's Battle by Shannon Ethridge

Suggested Readings Sunday


Greetings!!! I've really been feeling a press in my spirit to share one of my favorite books. Every Woman's Battle  is written by Shannon Ethridge modeled after Stephen Arterburn's Every Man's Battle and Every Young Man's Battle. Every Woman's Battle: Discovering God's Plan for Sexual and Emotional Fulfillment was written to address the sexual and emotional compromise women face whether married, engage, or single. The books is written to encourage women to "keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life," Proverbs 4:23 KJV. 

The book begins with demystifying the myth that sexual compromise was just a man's battle. However, sexual and emotional compromise does present to be a problem with women. Ethridge then introduces the need for balance and integrity in the lives of women physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Etheridge continues with addressing seven myths women believe that intensifies the battle which could lead to compromise including everything from fantasy to inappropriate media material. Ethridge then indicated that need for a revolution by accepting and knowing who we are in Christ. 


Ethridge transitions and begin to introduce a defense against compromise which included taking thoughts captive, guarding your heart, being mindful of words/communication, and setting and keeping boundaries. The final section of the book address our need to release past pain, present pride, and future fears by surrendering to Jesus. Finally, to learn true intimacy with God and maintaining watch over boundaries. 



This is a great book. Every Woman's Battle can be used for small group and/or read individually. Every Woman's Battle can be studied with a workbook and there is Every Single Woman's Battle design specifically for unmarried women. I've also studied Every Young Woman's Battle which addresses the same need for adolescent girls to embrace and begin the process of guarding their heart and bodies against sexual and emotional compromise a sex saturate world.

Never Wanna' Leave this Place

Wonderful Worship Wednesday

WOW!!! It's been a really long time since completing a blog entry. I'd became very busy at work and wanted to complete some assignments before year end. Additionally, I traveled and attended the International House of Prayer's conference Onething in Kansas City, MO. It was AMAZING. It was truly a place of great prayer, praise and worship. I'll feature some of their artist in future post. However, today I wanted to share Never Wanna' Leave this Place by Valencia Lacy and Unquenchable Worshippers.

I heard this song ministered earlier in the week in an event I attended, and this song truly cried the desire of my heart. I truly love the presence and place of God. I really enjoy His intimate involvement in my life and love to rest in his presence. This song reminds me of a few scriptures:

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16:11 NKJV

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

2 Corinthians 3:17 NIV

Valencia Lacy is a dynamic worship leader who maybe more known by her featured appearance of Shekinah Glory's Yes. Valencia is accompanied by Unquenchable Worshippers, which is a community based praise and worship ministry founded and formed by Valencia.  This song can be found on Valencia Lacy and Unquenchable Worshippers' long awaited and anticipated album The Gathering of Worshippers. 

I hope you enjoyed!!!