Brave Women run in my Family: Abigail. Sisterhood-Bobbie. H 9/4/2015

Abigail - a woman described as intelligent, beautiful and a peacemaker. There is an ocean of wisdom to be drawn from her life.

As an aside to Bobbie's message on Abigail Bobbie spoke on the following;

When Bobbie comes back from Colour EU & USA, she's going to expand on, and grow our insight and wisdom with respect to, the men that we do life with. Remind ourself of what is needful. We cannot be an effective movement of women if we don't have a magnificent affect on the brothers. We must display a beautiful attitude and response to the brothers; even strangers.

She then flipped Prov 31 intelligent woman, 'who is she?', to the male perspective.

1. Godly women can disarm a world of indifference and aggression - Steve Penny. What do we disarm them with? What qualities should we possess? Examine the bigger picture that our interaction and impact can have on those we encounter.

We should be living epistles, walking examples of everything that is Christ-like, empowered by the anointing of God. His anointing breaks the yoke. We can carry the intangible (physically), touch/presence of God. We exhibit Gods' love and mannerisms by our response, in our tone and the words we choose to speak.

2. God has called us (women) 'Helper' for a reason. Gen 1.

3. The stature of the church in the days ahead requires us to be in a breathtakingly harmonious state of being.  What will be the distinctive tone of the church? Bobbie believes the defining aspect of the church will be; a) The irresistible, tangible presence of God, and; b) Literally felt and evidenced, peace, unity and harmony upon the people.
[Note: Bobbie is not referring to Hillsong she is referring to His Church, His Bride.]

Our walk with God, and the calling on each of our lives, boils down to the individual. It's about 'The One' (person), and how the truth of God translates to each.

Abigail was married to Nabal, whose name meant foolish, senseless, rough, mean and evil in all his doings.

Nowhere in the bible does it call a man an idiot. There are a few instances where people are described  as fools, unwise, or imprudent.

Why did Abigail marry a man like this, when she was described, in the bible, as intelligent, beautiful and a peacemaker?  I guess we all fall in love with the prince and wake up to realise that Prince Charming ain't that charming.  We fall in love with the perfect picture of love, but the reality of a relationship takes work.

‭1 Samuel‬ ‭25‬:‭2-3‬ MSG: "There was a certain man in Maon who carried on his business in the region of Carmel. He was very prosperous—three thousand sheep and a thousand goats, and it was sheep-shearing time in Carmel. The man’s name was Nabal (Fool), a Calebite, and his wife’s name was Abigail. The woman was intelligent and good-looking, the man brutish and mean."

In 1 Sam 25, we see the whole of the story laid out.  It's interesting to consider that one of Nabels' servants approaches Abigail, knowing that Nabel himself cannot be swayed, but this servant is obviously aware that Abigail is wise, and perhaps can convince her husband.

When Abigail meets David at the foot of the mountain, she lays prostrate on the floor, showing an action of submission.  She is physically showing her stance to David in order to calm his rage.  She then recounts what transpired with the interaction with David's men and Nabel, and advises that her husband lives up to his names' reputation.    1 Sam 25:25 "Let not my lord, I pray you, regard this foolish and wicked fellow Nabal, for as his name is, so is he—Nabal [foolish, wicked] is his name, and folly is with him. But I, your handmaid, did not see my lord’s young men whom you sent."

In verse 28 Abigail suggests to David that attacking Nabel may not be a good idea, in fact it wasn't a God-idea, and reminds David of Gods' Lordship over his life.  Abigail has David's attention so she takes the opportunity to speak over his life.

‭1 Samuel‬ ‭25‬:‭28-29‬ MSG: “Forgive my presumption! But GOD is at work in my master, developing a rule solid and dependable. My master fights GOD ’s battles! As long as you live no evil will stick to you. If anyone stands in your way, if anyone tries to get you out of the way, Know this: Your God-honored life is tightly bound in the bundle of God-protected life; But the lives of your enemies will be hurled aside as a stone is thrown from a sling. "

Abigail tells David 'don't screw up here'. Remember God. As women, we should speak to the prince (the son of the King) within our man.  How and 'who' you speak to, is who you get back.

And David said, “Blessed be GOD, the God of Israel. He sent you to meet me! And blessed be your good sense! Bless you for keeping me from murder and taking charge of looking out for me. A close call! As GOD lives, the God of Israel who kept me from hurting you, if you had not come as quickly as you did, stopping me in my tracks, by morning there would have been nothing left of Nabal but dead meat.” (‭1 Samuel‬ ‭25‬:‭32-34‬ MSG).

David realises that Abigail has been sent by God, and that she has blessed him with her good sense.

We can have Godly influence. After speaking godly wisdom to David, he accepted the gift she brought him and said, “Return home in peace. I’ve heard what you’ve said and I’ll do what you’ve asked.” (‭1 Samuel‬ ‭25‬:‭35‬ MSG)

So after taking an enormous risk, speaking life and 'godly hope', which could have resulted in her death and that of her countrymen, she returns home in peace.  Her actions and her courage, results in peace.

3 lessons from her life

Peace begins with us. God gives us a revelation that requires us to 'go' and will more likely than not be risky.  We have to remember that God is, and we are called to go regardless. We have to choose to be a peacemaker.

1. Peacemaking is not for the faint hearted. Abigail fulfilled a 'brave invitation' which resulted in changing her lineage. When we choose peace, we find there is life in peace. When we choose not to seek and follow peace, it's a dead end. It goes nowhere. Because Abigail responded, her actions protected the plan of God. There is nothing 'soft' about peace; to find peace, to make peace and to love in peace, is difficult.

Peacemakers are not wimpy. Peacemakers are Bold, Brave and Courageous. Peacemakers choose right over wrong.  They choose to take the higher (godly) way, over the lesser. They choose selfless over being selfish. They choose to seek wisdom (from God), over foolishness.  People who paint Jesus as this soft, wishy-washy, person, are clueless. Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons and daughters of God.

Consider: Abigail was riding into the fray, with the real possibility of massacre. [I believe she rode on a donkey to convey submission and passivity, because if she rode in on a horse this may have caused David to respond with aggression, being unaware that it was a woman on the horse (Sam)].

The 'God factor' within her, trusted that the 'God factor' in David would prevail.

Jesus = kind, generous & loving, but He is also the Prince of Peace. Jesus defeated the ferocity of hell. Therefore, Jesus is Fierce. He is the Lion of Judah.  There's no easy answer to the worlds problem.

Peace is defined as a state of tranquility and quiet. Harmony. An agreement to end hostilities. Abigail lay prostrate, in front of 400 warriors. Her action's spoke about her position of peace.

Ps 34: turn away from evil, search and work to maintain it. Heb 12:14: work at peace. Rom 14: make every effort to keep the peace. Ephesians: feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Praying and seeking. Applying peace where we can.

Peace starts with us, it is a choice. Bobbie likens our choices to those seen in the 'Sliding Door' movie scenarios. Choose this and go through this door or that. We choose between life and death.  Our words bring life or death; they can bring encouragement or discouragement.

Abigail, could have chosen a different response. Her lineage would have ended that day if she hadn't responded in the way she did.

2. Peacemaking is a sign of maturity. When you live with maturity the 'Prince of Peace' resides within.

If Jesus is allowed to be Lord, you will see the fruit of the Spirit within your life (Gal 5:22-25) fruit - love, joy, peace, etc. Keep in step with the spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭22-26‬ NIV)

The more in step we get with His spirit, the more we will have 'eyes to see'; the more effective we become.

Abigail rose quickly.  She displayed a willingness to response to God, and she used her intuitive gift to speak over David's life.

3. Peace is the gift this world will be lining up for. Rev 6:3. Given unto one to take away. Peace will shine brightly upon the witness of our lives.

It is possible to live within a non-harmonious marriage landscape, and bring peace. It is possible to be peacemakers with disquieted teenagers and kids. Peacemakers can affect change in a combative, hostile family.  As you walk with God, and align with His spirit, He can bring discernment and wisdom and allow you to take courage and bring peace.

Colour 2015 Friday morning: Sheila - Sydney

Sheila opens referring to the photo attached, in context of our walk with God and how life in general can distract us and take us off course.

What most of us really want is love, what we settle for is a series of distractions.

We are fully known, and fully loved by God.

We ask ourselves; What if The Lord saw all of me? So we hide.

The world tells us to deal with things in this manner in order to be accepted;

1) There must be nothing wrong with you

2) If you do have something wrong, Get over it!

3) If you can't get over it, then pretend.

4) If you can't pretend, don't show up, and hide yourself away

5) And, if you insist on showing up, at least have the decency to feel ashamed, and cower in the corner.

"I lugged around inside me a dead weight of not-good-enoughness" – Lewis Smedes

Shame: We need to learn to differentiate between shame and guilt. Guilt tells me I've done something wrong, shame says I AM something wrong.

Sheila then recounts a story from her youth when she was excited about going to the school dance.  Her father had drowned after escaping from a mental asylum when she was approximately 5 years old, and you could tell from her recount that she felt she was to blame, due to circumstances covered in her account which I cannot recall now.

As a result of circumstance and deep emotional heartache and pain, her Mum provided the best she could for her young family.  Her Mum bought her a beautiful frilly dress for the dance, which wasn't to Sheila's liking as it wasn't 'in fashion', but she graciously and gratefully accepted it as she knew how hard her Mum must have scrimped and saved in order to buy the dress.

Sheila paraded the dress around the home to show it off to her Mum, and set off for the dance.  Her Mum was proud as punch.  When Sheila arrived at the dance the differences between herself and the other girls seemed to be amplified as the other girls were wearing fashionable dresses.  So, Sheila spent the entire time hiding behind a school shed, not wanting to participate as she was embarrassed by her dress, but she didn't want to go home to her Mum as this would upset her.

In Sheila's adult life she was a successful Christian TV news presenter and one day she had a mental breakdown.  She went from a confident, from the outside, national Christian TV presenter who had it all together, to a 34 year old woman locked up in a mental asylum.

Throughout the next few years she had the opportunity of growing from her breakdown, and drew closer to God as a result, something for which she is grateful. 

Psalm 34:4 & 5: "I sought (inquired of) the Lord and required Him [of necessity and on the authority of His Word], and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant; their faces shall never blush for shame or be confused."

Gen 3:1-5: Is the introduction of doubt in the Bible. Did God say?

In the passages in Genesis to this point God had been referred to as the 'Lord God', however after the 'fall' God is referred to purely as Lord. [To me (Sam), this denotes that our position in relation to God went from 'walking with God' in the garden, as they did while in Eden, but after 'the fall' they felt they were subject to God, in a position of being dominated by God].

The enemy attacks your trust of God, assures you that you won't die, in order to tempt you to be led off course.  As a result of the disconnect from God, He then needed to create laws to protect us as He loves us, unconditionally.

 [I feel, though, that the laws written in the old testament are a combination of God-inspired laws and those that 'man created' in order to further the rules.  If there's one thing I know about Gods' children, and that includes every nation and tongue, is that when it comes to God we always put our own flavour and agenda on things, in order to further our personal cause and to appear 'more righteous' - (Sam)].

Every promise from God you can stake your life on. Even when we fall we can rely on what God has spoken and trust Him and learn to ignore the enemy. [Which is why I personally always refer to 'What would Jesus do?', as He came to restore us back to the Father, to remind us of who God is  and how to relate to Him. (Sam)]

The bible says "Resist the enemy and he will flee." The enemy will always attempt to undermine your understanding of God's unconditional love, by causing you to question Gods love.
[We, as human's, have so much difficulty comprehending unconditional love, as we are constantly bombarded with conditions on our love with one another, and the way we believe we will be accepted by people if we behave in certain ways. (Sam)]

The enemy loves to pick us off, take us away from our friends and family and church, and make us feel that we need to be alone.  The enemy wants to;

1) destroy our relationship with God and each other

2) and cause you to doubt your gift. 

Some of our masks are more expensive, but serve the same purpose in hiding our flaws and our pain.

The enemy wants to destroy your creativity; he wants to minimise you.

However, we need a guarantee. Within us is a gift.  The gift of the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 12:1-2: How did Jesus handle this? He reminded us that we have a great cloud of witnesses, those who have gone before.  Jesus Himself also went before us to make a way when there wasn't one, and He intercedes for us daily.

Jesus endured the cross. He was despised by men, and they put Him to shame.  [even in the garden of Gethsemane Jesus physically wanted to not go through with taking up the cross.  Jesus was sweating blood, as He knew what His physical body was about to endure, and He asked the Father to "take the cup from Him", BUT Jesus said "Your [Fathers'] will be done". (Sam)]

Endured in the Greek means to stay in a place beyond an expected point in time.

Jesus, in the bible, is referred to as 'despised by men'.  Despise in Greek means to think little of; to pay no attention to. Jesus didn't let the shame distract Him from His purpose which was to restore Gods Children to the Father. 

How do we live these days? Being vulnerable and living a life that is connected to one another, is the key to overcoming shame, as it causes us to feel safe when we share ourselves completely, without judgement.

Those things that attack you are the things to overcome. We don't have to get ourself out of the hole, Jesus will reach in and grab you out of it.

He is the Rock of Ages. "Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to thy cross I cling." Show up as you are.   Come as you are.

Remember who you are. The first drop of blood noted in the bible was when God killed the animals and fashioned clothes for Adam and Eve. Detours in our lives are bumpy. We tend not to walk His direct path, because we get distracted.  We think "Did God say?", or we get distracted by life, or family, or incorrect biblical teaching.

Sheila finished by encouraging us that we don't have to get it together. God killed animals in order to create the clothes. The bible says "the battle is won" and the "battle is His".  We don't have to fight, all we need to do is walk with God in His rest.

Colour 2015 Thurs Nite Bobbie.H

Bobbie shared on her journey over the past 12 months, and had been thinking if there were only a few things she could teach us, what would they be?

Bobbie's mandate, along with the Colour Sisterhood, has been to;

1) Keep rallying the troops

2) Make sure we remain on the path, or if there's danger, prepare us so that we don't fall from it. We are 'alive for such a time as this'

3) Gather everyone she is commissioned to (this refers to the harvest)

Gather, Equip and Mobilse. Ps 68:11 is a messianic psalm and is foundational to Sisterhood.  It is Gods heart for us, as individuals and as His church.

(‭Colossians‬ ‭2‬:‭2-4‬ MSG) I want you woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God’s great mystery. All the richest treasures of wisdom and knowledge are embedded in that mystery and nowhere else. And we’ve been shown the mystery! I’m telling you this because I don’t want anyone leading you off on some wild-goose chase, after other so-called mysteries, or “the Secret.” 

Mandate: Stay the path. Show the way home. 

(‭Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭1-9‬ NIV) Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?” “All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!” 

(‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭11-12‬ MSG) “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble. 

(‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭13-16‬ MSG) “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. 

Her heart for the Colour Sisterhood, as it's always been when God planted the seed in her heart nearly 20 years ago, is for the 'God colours and flavour's' to come to the earth, and when it does it comes with territory. Taking back territory that has been lost.

Be endlessly found in His words, shadow and footsteps. Walking with Him always.  Leaning and relying on Him always. Walk in His ways.

How engrafted into our personal being is His word? Imbedded into our being? 

Like a garden, His word requires it to be planted (by faith, a gift from God, and by reading), and watered (by walking in the Holy Spirit) and seeded (in order to carry the word to give to others).

(‭Matthew‬ ‭13‬:‭18-22‬ MSG) “Study this story of the farmer planting seed. When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn’t take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person’s heart. This is the seed the farmer scatters on the road.

“The seed cast in the gravel—this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it.

“The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it. 

1) Walk in His footsteps. 2) Love is on the way. 

1) Peter walked with Jesus every day, he knew Him intimately. Peter never thought he would walk into a trap.  Never would he have thought that he could doubt his Lord. Could we follow Him? Is it possible to get lost along the way?

Gods shadow bears no darkness. No angst, no fear. It is beautiful. Does not obscure the light, it IS the light. Psalm 91. Dwell in the secret place in the shadow of the Almighty.

2) Love is on the way. At the beginning of 2014 Bobbie preached a message about 'numbering our days' and God asked her "Do you not know that I wait for you in your future?" 

2014 was the most favoured, blessed and expansive year as a Couple, as the Church, and their Ministry. It was fraught with challenge and opposition, and it had a combative landscape. 

No vessel of honour can avoid the fire. She prayed that God would 'fire' us and 'strengthen' us for the next chapter. 

Daniel 3. Three Hebrew boys who felt the heat. They refused to bow down and worship the king and renounce God.  While in the fire, the king could see a forth person within, who was 'like a son of the gods' (perhaps this was Jesus).  

Ultimately king Nebuchadnessar realised that "there is no other God who can deliver in this way!".  And this is OUR promise, as we walk with Jesus. 

Brave Women run in my Family; Eve: Image-Bearer 10/4/2014

Sisterhood 10/4/2014 Bobbie. Houston

Eve - Image - Bearer

Within the pages of the bible we find many women, named and unnamed (the unnamed includes us all) whose lives left an imprint on our history. e.g. Mrs Noah doesn't have a name, but consider the impact of her life as Noah's wife.

An imprint = produce a mark or pattern by pressure.  We are delusional to think that there won't be pressure on our lives; it's through pressure that the potter (God) can mold our lives. A lump of coal becomes a diamond only under pressure.

Eve is our perfect and first example of value and identity.  Eve was fashioned to complete Gods creation.  Imago Dei (Latin) = made in the image of God; and we are imbedded with Gods own likeness at the very core of our being. We are 'imbued' with His image; we are divinely created daughter's, worthy of value.

The Sisterhood therefore exists to champion and protect every daughter.  Eve, the perfect and first woman was marred by the lie of the fall, but still redeemed by His grace. God didn't cancel His promise with humanity with the first bend (sin entering with the fall) in the road.

At Genesis 1 verse 27 man enters the frame.  So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27 NIV)

'Image' (in Hebrew) is Tzelem = representation in physical form but not necessarily physical resemblance.

Consider the scope and magnitude of the fact that no-one in history has ever looked the same or has the same finger prints.

Gen 1:28 we (women) are positioned with men, right from the beginning, not beneath or secondary.

Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. (Genesis 2:1 NIV). VAST ARRAY; both the physical and unseen likeness of God.

Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7 NIV)

The mere breath of God within us means that we live for eternity; forever to exist. We are part of reality for eternity.  

Consider: What happens to us in the afterlife? This is the great commission, the reason for our existence; to be advocates and voices of Gospel of Truth.  The Word must come alive in our hearts, allowing us to clearly hear the spirit of God, and engage the truth of God into the lives of others.

Gen 3:1-19 = the fall and the consequences thereof. The fall wasn't about the fact that they ate a simple piece of fruit, it was about obedience to God; protecting them from what they didn't need to know (from the tree of knowledge). God gave them everything to enjoy, with only ONE exception (the tree of knowledge). He is a holy God & His judgments are pure and just.

Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. (Genesis 3:20 NIV)

Adam named his wife after the fall and all of the consequences associated with that. Adam named her 'the mother of all the living'.

Eve didn't arrive in the garden needing to be brave, as she had everything that God provided, but after 'the fall' she had to learn to be brave, due to the consequences of the fall. Eve was created into the most perfect environment, but she had to learn to be brave, in the same way we need to learn to be brave due to our environment and as a result of our own consequences.

Eve - in the Hot Seat (Bobbie pretends to interview Eve)

Question: What was it like to open your eyes and be alive? From what we understand in the bible Eve didn't have a childhood, she was a fashioned woman (from Adam's rib). 

When God breathed life into Eve, she was 'face to face' with the creator.

Question: What were your thoughts as you beheld the creator and His creation for the first time? Consider perhaps the visual stimulus = stunning, or the sensual (senses) feast of creation.

Question: Did God say anything as He took you to meet Adam?  Did Adam get emotional as he saw you for the first time. [Bobbie makes reference to the 'Colour Opener,' and the visual representation of Gomer (wife of Hosea) returning to Hosea after running away, and his unconditional love for her, and acceptance, and likens this to the love shown by Adam to Eve.]

Question: How did you feel when it dawned on you that you were the crowning, finishing touch of creation? Eve was living in the glass house, and naked to boot!

Bobbie then asks us to consider the fact that we are created in His image and likeness.  As we walk the journey of our life we are continually learning and growing in that fact. 

Question: Did God spend time explaining the fact that we are in His image, or was that fact obvious in beholding God? 

Bobbie then encouraged us to consider: If we beheld Him more would 'in His likeness and image' become more obvious? 

In the cool of the day they saw God walking in the garden. Is that when they conversed and spent time with God?

Question: What went enough your head and heart when you realised you had violated the one (only) commandment?

People may be under the misunderstanding that it was only Eve that caused the fall, but they fell together.  From our standpoint it would be so easy to deem them a failure, but they were human.

Sometimes you don't know what you have until you lose it. They walked with God, we now have the Word to restore us.  In many ways we have no excuse as the Word is available for us to learn from the lives of those contained therein. 

Gen 3:20; Eve is the mother of all living. Eve was called the mother of all the living, and so she needed to move on from the fall.  She took a deep breath and pressed on regardless, and became the woman she was.

Eve = Life giver, life spring. Eve changed a desolate place (as a consequence of the fall the landscape of the environment changed, both flora and fauna) into a place of life. She had to be brave. We are called to bring more resource and be a well of salvation within the desolate places.

She pressed on to reestablish her relationship with God. Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” (Genesis 4:1 NIV) 'With the help of The Lord' suggests a restored relationship with God.

Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord. (Genesis 4:25, 26 NIV)

In the midst of those circumstances she maintained her relationship with God, resulting in the people calling on the name of the Lord.

1) Remember Gods' intent.  God loves us uniquely. We have His infinite likeness, His image, within us, which makes us beautiful. We have an outer and inner substance. What uniqueness can I bring to the body of Christ. There is a measure of His image and likeness within each of us, that is meant to serve His body. As we abide in Him, and become more in line with His likeness we can delve into the our 'treasure chest' to serve the Body.

The fall may have disrupted Gods intention, but Christ restored - Eden revisited and more.

God loved Adam & Eve so much that even after the fall He took care of them, by sewing skins and clothes for His children. God had always purposed that humanities redemption would come from His seed.

2) The enemies intent still remains. The thief at the end in Revelation is no longer a snake but is a beast. 

3) Remember redemption's intent through Christ and His word.

The bible is a mirror of God. Abiding in His word is a redemptive process; we are in the process of being changed, as we become more like what we behold (God). 

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV) AMP version. Every time we open His word we are changed by one degree of glory to another.

In a way, we are masters of our own destiny when it comes to reading the word. We can remain the same or choose to be transformed by it daily.

Worship and Witness - 27/02/2014

Bobbie. H. Sisterhood 27/2/2014

Bobbie starts by using the AMEX catch-phrase "don't leave home without it"; meaning that we shouldn't start the day without the Holy Spirit; without spending time with God.  She encourages us not to enter a new day without a devotion and commitment to bear worship and to be a witness.

Our daily habits and disciplines determine our lives. They affect our entire being. They set us up to win, or otherwise.

However we think about our day, it will be tainted with that brush. If our habit is to be negative about our day then we'll have a negative day;  our day will work out the way we think. If our habit is to think less of our-self, our day will be diminished, as will we, and we will draw back.

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.(Proverbs 23:7 NKJV)

Bobbie then encouraged us to arrest those things that will hold us back.  If we don't press in to God, empowered by His word, we will have nothing left in our tank. Our daily habits determine the quality of our days.

She then stated that 'We are Proverbs 31 women'. We know what our daily disciplines should be, but there are times when we forget to apply them.

In the context of not leaving home without a sense of worship of our lives, Bobbie encouraged us to:

1) Start the day and walk your 'path' with a sense of worship; with a heart set towards its true north. Lean in toward God; this is the most natural and beautiful way to be. 

Our 'True North' is the integral compass that sets you on success for life. It is your orientating point, and it helps you to stay on track as a leader. They are those things which are most important to you. 'True North' points you towards your purpose.  The Word draws us forward, it sustains us, and empowers us in everything. 

In the Gospel of John, Jesus is noted as 'the way, the truth and life', and we are called to take up our cross and follow Him. The Word says that God implanted eternity in our hearts, so it is within our being to naturally want to follow Him and commune with Him and be led by Him.
  

2) Worship is a heart set towards Lordship.  Keep me safe, O God, I’ve run for dear life to you. I say to God, “Be my Lord!” Without you, nothing makes sense. (Psalm 16:1, 2 MSG)

Bobbie then talks about Mary, and her acceptance of being the mother of the Son of God.  'And Mary said, Yes, I see it all now: I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say. Then the angel left her.' (Luke 1:38 MSG).  Mary accepted what the angel of the Lord had said to her, and desired for His will to be done.

When Mary visited her sister Elizabeth who was pregnant with John, Elizabeth stated that when she saw Mary the baby inside her leaped.

“Mary didn’t waste a minute. She got up and traveled to a town in Judah in the hill country, straight to Zachariah’s house, and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby in her womb leaped. She was filled with the Holy Spirit, and sang out exuberantly, You’re so blessed among women, and the babe in your womb, also blessed! And why am I so blessed that the mother of my Lord visits me? The moment the sound of your greeting entered my ears, The babe in my womb skipped like a lamb for sheer joy. Blessed woman, who believed what God said, believed every word would come true! (Luke 1:36-45 MSG)

These two women intimately knew the lord, they had allowed Him to have lordship over their lives; their stance was that of 'Your will be done'.

3) Have a heart that rehearses the engrafted word and puts it on like a garment. We are called to be clothed in salvation.  

Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. (Psalms 119:11 NKJV).  Your word is a light unto my feet a lamp unto my path (Ps 119:105). How beautiful are the feet that go upon the mountain and bring the word.

We have to be childlike.  Our worship is to rehearse His word. 

“Here’s what I want you to do: Buy your gold from me, gold that’s been through the refiner’s fire. Then you’ll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You’ve gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, really see. (Revelation 3:18 MSG) = Clothed in salvation.

Put your face on. Put on your countenance. Have happy feet and a happy face. 

Habit definition: A recurrent, often unconscious, pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition. An established disposition and character.

4) Leave home with a sense of being a witness. Bearing witness of our lives. Worship God and bear witness. 

In a documentary, James Cameron, in which he was likened to a Visionary, stated that he dreamed of 'the tree of life' many years before he was able to put it in his film 'Avatar'. He said that if you see something that is unique, or new, you are compelled to bear witness to it, you simply cannot keep it to yourself, and he feels that he is supposed to share everything unique that he 'sees', whether in reality or in his dreams.

Bobbie then asked us 'how can we bear witness to all the wonder, of all the aspects of God and not be empowered and impassioned to bear witness?'. We hold the mystery to life. When we commune with God and engraft His word on our hearts, we are exposed to His wisdom, His goodness, which brings health and well being to our body and soul, which makes us desperate to share all that we have with everyone we encounter.   He empowers us with the Holy Spirit.

The 'harvest fields' of the world are ripe, and we must communicate His goodness in a way that offers a sense of worship. 

John Stott wrote: 'The works of the Lord are to be the subject of our witness. Worship and witness belong together. We cannot possibly worship God—that is, acknowledge his infinite worth— without longing to go out into the world to persuade other people to come and worship him.  Worship leads inevitably to witness, but witness leads to worship, too. It is a continuous cycle of worship leading to witness leading to worship and so on. The two cannot be separated.'

Stott goes on to reference the witness of the cross, and the creator of our universe. We are all a witness of His personal work in us, and we should be compelled to share our testimony.

The greatest witness we have is our constant companion of the Holy Spirit.  He enables us to commune with God, intimately and constantly, and He causes us to speak on Christ's authority.

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 NKJV)

Colour Conference 2010 - Opener

Bobbie Houston: Thursday 18th March 2010 at the opening of Colour Conference Sydney.

• Heaven believes in you and so do we (being Sisters in the hood)
• Psalm 121 (AMP) A Song of Ascents: 1[a]I WILL lift up my eyes to the hills [around Jerusalem, to sacred Mount Zion and Mount Moriah]--From whence shall my help come? 2My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.
• Psalm 91: "HE WHO dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand]" Our days are full of peril but His hope is an anchor to our soul (Heb 6: 19-20)

We are encouraged in His word to gather by His Spirit. Zech 4:6.

Jesus said that "The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed One, the Messiah] to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity], 19To proclaim the accepted and acceptable year of the Lord [the day [a]when salvation and the free favors of God profusely abound." (Luke 4:17-21).

God's thoughts and plans for us; Jeremiah 29:11 (Amp) "For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome."

Bobbie encouraged us to give due diligence to what is in our hands, i.e. do diligently whatever you are doing, whether raising kids, working, socialising etc.

Ps 133: Where there is unity, God has commanded blessing. Unity, firstly, to His Spirit and secondly to one another. Psalm 133 uses the analogy of Aaron, the first high priest, where the anointing of oil drenched his clothing, causing it to cover his entire body. Aaron was literally covered from head to toe in the oil (representing the spirit of God and anointing).

[Please note: This blog was uploaded some year's ago in draft and never posted.  I am posting 'as is'.]

Sisterhood United Nite 26/11/2013

Bobbie spoke on '2 Poems, a Proverb and a Painting'

Bobbie quotes the first poem in context of a meeting with Roma Downey and her husband, Mark Burnett, with regard to their upcoming movie "The Son of God".  She paints a picture of a beautiful L.A. home, and describes the scene of seeing the mist of the clouds meeting the grey of the ocean at the horizon and the tranquility there.  She feels like she's 'in a romantic movie" and inquires of Roma "How did you cope with all the public scrutiny during the making of 'The Bible' mini-series?". [paraphrased]

In response Roma refers to the below Rumi poem:

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,

there is a field. I'll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.

Ideas, language, even the phrase "each other" doesn't make any sense.

Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi - 13th century

Bobbie, focuses on "the world is too full to talk about";

God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. (Psalm 23:1-3 MSG)
 

She encourages us to pursue the "Secret Place" in order to practice the presence of God. In that 'secret place' His words resound in my heart. 

Psalm 91. Describes that secret place as a safe refuge, a place of safety and relationship with God.

2) Proverb 31- noble woman of character. V 14 She is like the merchant ships loaded with foodstuffs; she brings her household's food from a far [country]. (Proverbs 31:14 AMP) 

A merchant ship in context of spiritual food. Port = He has us here for a reason. To load our lives so that others might be privy to His presence and promises.

3) 2nd Poem: 

Gone from my sight - Henry Van Dyke

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

 

Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone."

 

Gone where?

 

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.

And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone,"
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!"

 

[And that is dying...] - This final line is absent from Bobbies commentary.

This poem reminded her that God wants us to grow large in mast, hull and spar. The bigger the sail the faster it can go. Every boat, no matter the size of its sail, can reach its destination, however the higher it soars, and the bigger the sail, the more wind it can catch and the faster it can reach its destination.

Strong spar - height of the sail is proportional to the weight of the hull.

The more frequent our visits to the secret place, the bigger, higher and stronger our 'sails' will be, which will result in a greater knowledge and understanding of the power and presence of God and develop a depending love with our Father and His Son.

3) Painting: Brave men run in my family".

This represents, uncharted waters and the pioneering spirit. 

Bobbie ended by encouraging each of us to 'get your brave on!', in context of the full armour of God as depicted in Eph 6.

Colour 2014- the year of knowing His love in greater dimension.

She encouraged us to a greater tenderheartedness, developed In the 'secret place'.

Be a Servant in your every day life.
Brave the battlefields of Thy Kingdom come.