Messages He Gave Me

By Joan Hope

Joan Hope was born in Guyana in South America. She grew up in the Beterverwagting / Triumph area and attended elementary and high school in Georgetown.

In her first semester at Bishops' High, she attended the school's Bible Club meetings and there accepted Jesus as her Savior. She worshipped at Elim Pentecostal Church on Albert Street in Georgetown, was an active participant in the youth fellowship, and subsequently a part of the leadership. She loved to sing and became a member of the church choir.

She married Hamlet Hope, and they have one son, Darrel. When her husband was offered a job at the College of the Bahamas, the family moved to Nassau, Bahamas. She attended Bahamas Faith Ministries and served with her husband, first as ushers and later as cell group pastors. She was a part of BFM's Woman of the Word and a member of the island's Women's Aglow Fellowship. As she attached herself to the women's groups, she became aware of her heart for Women's Ministry.

The family migrated to the USA and in Georgia, attended The Redeemed Christian Church of God, in Douglasville where she was a part of the Women's Ministry leadership.

Joan, a professional teacher for many years, was a lecturer in microbiology and head of the Medical Technology Department at the University of Guyana. In Nassau Bahamas, she was head of the Science Department at Kingsway Academy and taught Biology, Mathematics, Agriculture, and Health Science. She established and still coordinates the Vacation Bible School for Children in The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Praise Chapel, Georgia. Her zeal for teaching is reflected in her sermons.

She is truly grateful to God for the opportunities afforded her over the years to be useful in various areas of His kingdom.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 25, 2022
• ISBN: 9781685702175

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Messages He Gave Me

Joan Hope

ISBN 978-1-68570-216-8 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-68570-217-5 (digital)

Copyright © 2022 by Joan Hope

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Women and Grandparents

What a Mother!

A Woman of Strength

The Sidonian (Syrophoenician) Woman

Anna

A Woman of Confidence

Extravagant Love

Sapphira

The Shunammite

The Queen of Sheba

The Purpose for Grandparents

Our Inheritance and Our Legacy

Spiritual Growth

A Victorious Life

Building a Healthy Relationship

A Closer Walk

Moving On from Good to Great

Just Enough

Learn to Lean and Learn to Stand

Reaching New Heights

In for the Long Haul

Who Are You?

Overcomers

Christian Living

A Name

The Best Places to Live

A Slower Pace: Rest

Things That We Must Do

Helping God

Complaining

Christians Under the Influence

Keeping Up Appearances

The Big Question

Looking Back

Who Is This?

What's in the Bank?

Encouragement

Never Alone

Come and Dine

Make a Difference

Working Behind the Scene

You Have What It Takes

Don't Go, Wait for the Blessing

Christmas Blessings

A Guiding Light

Come to Bethlehem and See

Our Christmas Gift to God

Wise Men Inquire

Window Shopping

The Forgotten Gift

Citations

To my husband, Hamlet; to my children, Darrel and Sheree; to my sister Elaine; and to my brothers, Edgar, Harold, and Fitzroy.

Foreword

At once hard-hitting and compassionate, Joan Hope's Messages He Gave Me reveals the practical challenges of living in a two-world situation: this physical world and God's spiritual world—worlds whose values are often at war. These are not necessarily large-scale wars between country and country, but the little wars which incessantly bedevil our very lives—troubles at the workplace and in our families, being unjustly rebuked, our addictive habits, ill health and disease, the rising cost of goods and services, our inability to rest, and our compunction to keep up appearances no matter what. Subjected to these wars, we often find ourselves in a state of perpetual conflict with each other and within ourselves, deprived of those qualities that God placed, wherein we can appropriate His values and promises for living a successful life in accordance with His tenets. How do we navigate these worlds? How do we glean the benefits of God's world while living in this world? Joan, with much insight, backed up by scriptural knowledge and personal experience, shows us the way—God's way. Citing copious examples, Joan guides us through various world locations, which attempt to seduce and pressure us into everything anathema to God's kingdom, which attempt to make us compromise God's values, and where such qualities as peace, security, and wealth are often jettisoned for the ways of the world. But as she skillfully reveals, God has already provided us with a spiritual passport, wherein our identity as His children is sacrosanct, wherein we have the ability to overcome and triumph over everything, every situation which tries to negate our God-given success. These are the messages, and this is the message He gave Joan and, thankfully through Joan, gave us: a world wherein we are more than conquerors.

—Dr. Karen King-Aribisala

Acknowledgments

I owe a special debt of gratitude to my cousin Dr. Karen King-Aribisala. It was at her suggestion that this book is now possible. Thank you, Karen, for the seed you planted in my spirit so many years ago. Thanks also for proofreading the manuscript and being gracious enough to agree to write the foreword.

My husband, Hamlet, thank you so much for your sweet, quiet patience and for always having an inspired word of advice and comfort whenever I needed it.

Darrel, my son, for all your encouragement when I struggled with doubts and for insisting that this could be a reality, I thank you.

Edgar Henry, my brother, all I can say is Thank you so much for the valuable contributions you made during the process.

I must especially thank Pastor Olutayo Fisayo, my pastor of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Praise Chapel in Douglasville, Georgia, for permitting me to share his pulpit once every quarter for several years. I was humbled, nervous, and overwhelmed every time I mounted that platform. He never gave me a topic on which to minister, nor asked to see my sermon notes, but relied on the Holy Spirit to lead me in a way that would impart a Word in season to the people. I thank him and his wife, Pastor Mrs. Oluremi Fisayo, for their encouragement to put the book together.

I am also grateful to Bro. John Femi Oke and the members of the Technical Ministry of RCCG Praise Chapel, Douglasville for helping with the presentations for the services and faithfully providing me with the CDs at the end of each message that was preached in church.

I really do not know if there is any way to adequately express my appreciation to my very dear friend, Rev. Dr. Marjorie Jones, director of Christian Education at the Charles St. AME Church, Roxbury, Massachusetts, who willingly agreed to edit this for me. She worked tirelessly as I sent her one installment after the other and returned them with clear insight and helpful comments. Marjorie, may God richly repay you for this selfless act.

Above all, I give the highest note of praise to my Lord Jesus for the inspiration of His Word. I thank Him for putting each topic in my spirit at a particular time and then giving me the direction in which to continue. I thank Him for anointing His Word and making it a blessing to many. I also thank Him for His prompting in helping me to be obedient and to follow His leading.

Introduction

One day, some years ago, seated around my sister's dining table in New York, I was having a conversation with my cousin, Karen, and mentioned that I was preaching the sermon in church on Sunday. She asked if it was my first time. I told her that I preached once a quarter. She asked, What do you do with the sermons after you preach? I told her that I placed them all in a drawer. She, being an author with many publications, suggested that I put them in a book. She said that if I put them in a book, many people, besides those in my church, could be blessed by the sermon messages. That was the time before our church services were on YouTube and available to the public. I dismissed the idea, thinking that I could never be an author like she was. One day recently, I looked at the accumulation of sermons languishing in the drawer and thought that they really might be of help to someone. They were not only sermons preached in my church, but messages I had delivered on other occasions. The realization that I might be denying someone a word of blessing, comfort, assurance, or salvation became the stimulus for the review, categorization, and compilation of the sermons.

The messages were preached in a simple conversational style. They deal with everyday topics and are meant to deliver a simple gospel with a view to encourage the pursuit of a close personal relationship with God while enjoying a victorious Christian life.

The Sunday morning sermons may be a bit longer than the ones preached on other informal occasions. Occasionally a similar thought may appear in another sermon, but they were preached many years apart to different audiences for different purposes. The messages contained in this book were preached over a period of ten years.

Each message was impressed on my mind in its own unique way.

Keeping Up Appearances was inspired by the British sitcom with that name. Motivation for The Best Places to Live came as I sat in an airport waiting for a flight and looking at the arrival and departure monitor. I wondered where the best place would be to live. I began to ponder on Psalm 23, got some paper and a pen, and began to write. Reaching New Heights was prepared for the beginning of a new year, and Building a Healthy Relationship was my contribution to a relationship seminar sponsored by my church. One year, as we prepared for our upcoming church anniversary and counting our blessings, the thought of Moving on from Good to Great was my urging. The messages in the section on Women and Grandparents were preached on some of the appropriate special days—Mother's Day and Grandparents' Day. Some of the messages in that section were shared at the Praise Chapel Women's Ministry Saturday breakfast meetings. Of course, those in the section Christmas Blessings were preached during the Christmas season.

Some messages resulted from my own struggles and challenges. I preached Working Behind the Scene to myself as well as to the congregation. That was a time when my husband's business was on the verge of collapse. As I encouraged myself that day, I prayed that any others with not much hope in view would be encouraged. Never Alone came when my husband's job took him away from home for long periods, and that message brought me a sense of peace. I was motivated to speak on A Slower Pace at a time when I felt physically tired and drained. God was showing me the importance of rest, and I wanted to share this with others.

I had always learned that whatever blessing God gives, especially in a message, is never for one's own benefit. If it is a word of promise, comfort, rebuke, encouragement, or anything else, it could be shared, and someone's life could be changed.

It is therefore with this in mind that I share Messages He Gave Me. During the delivery of almost all of these messages, there are some questions. Please take a moment to consider your answers. Don't just be challenged by the questions, use the answers in a way to make any positive adjustments you see necessary to your life. The intent of sharing the messages is to create hearts that are sensitive and responsive to God's Holy Spirit.

I pray that they prove to be beneficial in some way to all who read them.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

Section 1

Women and Grandparents

Chapter 1

What a Mother!

May 11, 2008

I am a mother biologically, but I know that every female here today has mothered a sister, a brother, a cousin, a nephew, a niece, a neighbor's child, and even many of the children in this fellowship. Therefore, to you, I would like to wish you a very, very, happy Mother's Day.

Today, in churches around the country, many sermons are being preached about Mary, the mother of Jesus; about Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist; about Hannah, the mother of Samuel. Some may be preaching about the attributes of a virtuous woman in the book of Proverbs, or about Eve, the mother of all living. But this morning, I want us to look at a mother who is found in the book of Mark.

For Herod himself, had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison, for Herodias's sake, his brother Phillip's wife, for he had married her. For John had said unto Herod, it is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. Therefore, Herodias had a quarrel against him and would have killed him, but she could not. For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and a holy, and observed him and when he heard him, he did many things and heard him gladly.

And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee. And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said onto the damsel. Ask of me, whatever you will, and I will give it thee. And he sware unto her, whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom. And she went forth and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist.

And she came in straightway with haste unto the king and asked him saying, I will that thou give me, by and by in a charger, the head of John the Baptist. The king was exceeding sorry, yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes of them, which sat with him, he would not reject her. And immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in the prison. And brought the head on a charger and gave it to the damsel and the damsel gave it to her mother. (Mark 6:17–28)

Today, I want us to just spend a little time looking at this mother. What a mother Herodias was! Herodias had married her husband's brother. Her husband was Philip and Herod had divorced his wife and Herodias had to divorce her husband so that she could marry Herod. So Herod and Herodias were married, and things were going along quite well for them, but up came John the Baptist who told Herod, in verse 18, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.

Now, John the Baptist was the last prophet in the Bible before Jesus. John and Jesus lived at about the same time, and John knew the law. John spoke the Word in season and out of season. He said to Herod quite clearly that it was not lawful for him to have this woman for his wife. That law is recorded in the book of Leviticus 20:21, and it reads, If a man shall take his brother's wife, it is an unclean thing, he hath uncovered his brother's nakedness. They shall be childless. Also in Leviticus 18:16, the law is spelled out there again. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife. It is thy brother's nakedness. A person should not marry his brother's wife, and if that was not good enough for Herod, there is the law in Exodus 20:17, and that's the one that everybody knows. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife. Thy neighbor's wife includes your brother's wife, and therefore, John the Baptist came to Herod and told Herod that what he did was unlawful. That criticism was not received very well by Herodias.

Responses to Rebuke and Criticism

The response of Herod

Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man. Herod paid attention to the things that John said and heard him gladly. Herod himself had sent forth those who laid hold upon John and bound him in prison for Herodias's sake. Herodias wasn't happy with John, and so to appease his wife, Herod had John put in prison.

Herodias's response

Verse 19 says, Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him and would have killed him, but she could not. In one translation, it says that Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to kill him. Her response to this rebuke was, first of all, resentment, and then she held a grudge and then it led to murder. She could not accept the Word of God, and she wanted to get even. That was her response to John's rebuke.

The responses to another rebuke

King David committed adultery and murder when he slept with Bathsheba and arranged the murder of her husband. When the prophet confronted him about his sin, David said in Psalm 32:5, I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid That was the response that Herodias could have made. That mother could have said, Okay, that's the law. I know I did wrong. I acknowledge my sin onto God and my iniquity, I would not hide. She did not do that, and there was a reason why she didn't do that. Let's look at 2 Corinthians 4:3–4. It says, But if the gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God should shine unto them. Because her mind was blinded, she could not believe and accept the criticism that John had given, and so her response to the rebuke of John was resentment.

With a rebuke there is room for improvement

With a rebuke you could see yourself as you are, and with the rebuke, you can try to change and do better. A compliment sometimes doesn't teach you anything. It just tells you how good you are, and you feel good about it. You don't learn very much when people compliment you, but with a rebuke, you can try to change your life and do something new and different. You see yourself as somebody else sees you, and you can accordingly be so much better in the kingdom of God.

The god of this world had blinded the mind of this mother, and she was just set to do exactly what she wanted. Herod, however, was at least willing to listen to John, but not this mother.

Herod had a birthday party, and someone said that the devil will always set the stage for an evil plot. Whenever there is an evil plot, whenever there's evil in your heart, the devil is going to find a way to make it happen.

Herodias wanted to kill John. She was upset with John, and she let everybody know it. She had John put in prison, but the devil worked it out in her favor and Herod had a birthday party at which he invited all the lords and the high captains and the chief estates of Galilee. They all came, and the daughter of Herodias came in and danced. It doesn't say that Herod and these people asked her to come in. We don't know how she came in. The Bible says she came in and she danced. She danced a dance that was worth half of a kingdom. I wonder what type of dance it was that was worth half of a kingdom.

We don't know how old this girl was. Her mother permitted her young daughter to come in and dance in the presence of all these men, a dance that was worth half of a kingdom. The men were so pleased, and Herod was so happy that he was willing to give her a half of the kingdom. Sometimes, we let our children do things and parade themselves before people. We think it's nice and cute, but sometimes we have to remember that these are our children. What will we permit or encourage our children to do? Is it to dance, showcase, and show off themselves in front of a crowd like Herod's?

Vashti's refusal to parade her beauty

As I was reflecting on this, I remembered the book of Esther.

On the Seventh Day when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven Chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, to bring Vashti the queen before the king, with the Crown Royal to show the people and the princes her beauty, for she was fair to look on. But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his Chamberlains, therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned within him. (Esther 1:10–12)

Vashti was a queen. When the king called Vashti, a grown married woman, to come in and show her beauty before all his drunken friends, she refused. We know what happened to Vashti. She was removed from the palace and from her position of queen. I can tell you one thing that I know for sure about Vashti. When she left that palace, she left with her dignity. She knew that what God had given to her, whatever beauty she had, was not to be put on a show and paraded for the benefit of people.

Herodias's daughter went to her mother for advice

This mother, Herodias, permitted her young daughter to dance, a dance worth half of a kingdom. After she danced and she was told to ask for whatever she wanted, she didn't know what to do. She was a young girl, and so she went directly to her mother and said to her mother, What shall I ask? and before she had finished saying it, her mother responded, The head of John the Baptist.

Our children come to us for advice on all sorts of matters. We need to stop for a moment and think about what kind of advice we give our children. Herodias's daughter went to her mother for direction. She didn't know what to do. She didn't go to her friends. She didn't go to the other people in the palace. She didn't go to any of those people. That girl went directly to her mother and asked for help. What shall I ask? The mother told her, The head of John the Baptist. Herodias did a terrible thing that day. She used her child to satisfy her own desire. She used her child, and sometimes, as parents, we use children to fulfill our desires. It is amazing the way in which children can and are being used in this world by parents and other adults.

Some ways parents use their children

When I came to this country for the first time, I got a job in a department store in a mall. The first week I was there, the supervisor said to me, You need to keep an eye out for mothers with children in their arms and pushing strollers. I asked, What am I looking for? She explained that mothers come in with strollers, drop items in the strollers, and then put the children in the stroller. They then go through the door with the items, and that was their way of shoplifting. I was surprised that a mother would use a child in that way.

Well, my surprise wasn't complete, because after a while I got a job in a bank. Once you work in the bank, one of the things that you go through very early is robbery training. They train you on how to prevent a robbery, what to do during a robbery, what to do after a robbery, and everything you need to know about a robbery. There is regular robbery training. One day we were having robbery training, and we were shown a video. A mother came into the bank with a child in her arms who was beautifully dressed. She took the child up to the counter and engaged the teller in conversation. The teller was saying, Oh, how sweet! What's the child's name? How old is this child? She was talking to the mother and admiring the child's outfit. While that was happening, her accomplice was at the next window robbing that teller. When the robbery was complete, the robber and the mother, with the child in her arms, ran out into the getaway car, and they were gone. I marveled that a parent could endanger her child's life like that and wondered how someone would use a child that way. There are various ways in which people use children for their own benefit. Some parents send children to take things that are not theirs. You didn't buy it, you didn't put it there, but you send a child to get it. We use children sometimes to do things to satisfy our own desires. Things that we know are wrong. Children are put in harm's way to do our bidding. How are we doing as Christians? We might think that we wouldn't do any of that and those aren't things that we would even think of, but maybe this might sound a little familiar.

Child, go and tell your father that his dinner is on the table.

Daddy, Mommy says your dinner is on the table.

Go and tell your mother I'm not hungry.

Mommy, Daddy says he's not hungry.

Tell your father whenever he's ready for it, it is there.

Daddy, she says whenever you're ready for it, it is there.

Just go back and tell her I don't want anything.

Mommy, he says to tell you he doesn't want anything.

Go and tell your father—

Daddy, she says to tell you something. I don't understand those words.

Now, why are we putting our children in those positions if there is an argument between adults? We are using them to do something that we do not want to do or we feel that we want to postpone. It is the same thing. We are using the children. That child should not be in that position, and we should never use our children in that way. That is not glorifying God. Sometimes we use children to live out our dreams. We wanted to be a great ballerina or a football player, and we try to force children to do these things, just so that we could live out our own desires and dreams.

Why do we have children?

Why has God given us children? God has given us children to teach them and to train them. Let us look at Deuteronomy 11:18–19. It says, Keep these words of mine in your heart and in your soul. Tie them as something special to see upon your hand and on your forehead between your eyes. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up.

To teach them and to train them. Why do we want to teach them? Why do we want to train them? Why should we take care of these children? The heart of that is in Psalm 127:3–5, which says. Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.

Arrows we know are weapons of offense When you shoot an arrow, it is going to cause damage, and that's what our children should be. Arrows in the hand of a warrior. We shoot them out when we send them out into this world. We send them to many different places. They must go to school, to college, they have to go to work, but as arrows are in the hands of the warrior, those arrows are weapons of offense. They will go and break down the barriers and the forces of evil. That's what the children are there for. They will be able to do great exploits for God. They will be prepared to meet the enemy, conquer and fight whatever situations they encounter, and make the world a better place. They are definitely not to be used to satisfy the desires and needs of parents.

To provide an inheritance for them. They are not to be our meal ticket. We do not educate them so that they can take care of us in old age. We have to leave an inheritance for our children. Let's look at 2 Corinthians 12:14. It is to the second part of the verse that I particularly want to draw your attention to. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. Parents are the ones to save up for children. Proverbs 13:22 says, A good man, leaves an inheritance to his children's children. Not just for his children, but for his children's children. We are blessed with these children so that we can provide for them an inheritance. Those are some of the reasons why God has blessed us with children.

Herodias was selfish

Herodias used her daughter in the most terrible way. Herodias was also a very selfish mother. The daughter went in, the daughter danced, the daughter got the reward. What did the daughter really get? All that happened was that Herodias got what she wanted. She was so selfish. That girl danced her best dance, I'm sure. She could get anything she wanted from the king, but her mother got nothing for her. She didn't even suggest that she get the head of John the Baptist and then get some jewels for herself. Nothing. All she told her to do was to get the head of John the Baptist.

Herodias was also selfish because she didn't consider that she was making her daughter responsible for someone's death, the death of John the Baptist. Such a selfish mother. In verse 28, we read that the daughter gave the head of John the Baptist to her mother.

Removing the problem is not usually the solution

Herodias killed John, but did it remove the rebuke? Did it ease her conscience? Did she get peace? Seeing that head I'm sure gave her much more grief than she ever imagined, because the words of John were the words of God and those words were there, and they were not going away. Although she had removed the problem, she did not have the solution, she did not solve the problem. So sometimes we think that we have a problem and we will remove the problem, but if we can get down to the real root of the problem, that will help us with the solution.

The mother-daughter relationship

This is one of the final things I want to talk about, and I think this is the essence of what I have to say today. The daughter went to her mother, asked for direction, she asked for advice, and that indicated that the girl trusted her mother. She had a certain amount of confidence in her mother. She knew that if she needed something, she could go to her mother. She didn't go anyplace else. That girl seemed to have a good relationship with her mother, and she went to her mother to know what to ask. As previously mentioned, we don't know how old she was. Maybe the Bible scholars amongst us can help with that, but the girl was very obedient. She was an obedient child. She did exactly what her mother told her to do. Her mother told her to go and ask for John's head, she went, and she asked for John's head. It was not the right thing to do. I don't know if the girl wasn't old enough to understand the implications of what she had to do. She didn't argue, there was no backtalk, nothing. Her mother gave her instructions, and as an obedient daughter, she complied. She brought the head and gave it to her mother. Her mother told her to get it. She got it; she brought it back.

Somehow, that is the essence of what I want to convey. There was a good mother-daughter relationship. Herodias had a good relationship with her daughter, but she did not know how to respond to the Word of God. Here is where sometimes we go wrong. We might be doing many things in the right way. We might be doing a good job bringing up the children, but how are we responding to God's Word? How are we doing as parents? Fine? How are we doing as citizens of the kingdom of God? That's another question. How are we handling things such as anger and malice, unforgiveness and pride, response to criticism, envy? Those are the things that we have to look at. This mother, yes, she was an awful woman, but in her mother-daughter relationship, it seems as if she was trying to bring up this child in a good way. We see a simple trusting obedient child. There is nobody who is totally bad. There is some good somewhere in there. We think about Herodias and say, What a wretched woman! but in there somewhere was the potential for good.

She was apparently doing something good until she married Herod and John came along. When she realized that this was criticism from the man of God, she kept resentment in her heart. We have to remember not to let these things fester within us because it is going to ruin whatever good might be in our hearts. In closing, I just have some questions that I want to ask as I recap.

Conclusion

How would we respond to men and women who have the courage to tell us the truth? How do we respond to the actual rebuke and criticism? Does it matter if it comes in the church from the pastor, from somebody else in the church, from brothers or sisters? What about if it comes from children? Are we using our children in any negative way? What messages are we sending to our children? Do we see children as God sees them? Do we see them as arrows that we will send out to do great things? When I thought about this message, and Herodias came into my spirit, I said to myself, Not Herodias on Mother's Day. The more I thought about it, the more I believed that we could learn from her. She is not a particularly good example to follow, but as we think about it, let us see how we can be inspired to be righteous women. Amen.

Chapter 2

A Woman of Strength

February 05, 2011

Strength in a woman can seem to some to be intimidating, especially if she is a strong purposeful woman. Should women be spiritually strong?

Anything that is strong needs a sturdy foundation. For example, houses, children, marriages. On a firm foundation you may be shaken, but you cannot be moved.

The foundation for spiritual strength should be biblical principles. This way no wind of change can move you.

How do we know if we are strong?

Here are some indications.

How do we react to temptation?

In the Bible, God tested some people to strengthen their faith. Deuteronomy 8:2 records, Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.

Satan tempts people to undermine their faith. Until Jesus comes, Satan has the freedom to tempt us to sin. The temptation itself is not a sin. Sin is to submit to the temptation.

These should be some of the reactions to temptation:

Use the Word of God. It is written.

Resist the devil. Walk away from the temptation. Eve should have done this in the garden of Eden.

"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13). We are all tempted; however, the way we weather the storm is what is important.

How do we react in adversity?

Stress and hard times are evident in adversity.

What comes out of us when we are pressed and squeezed? Is it frustration and bad language? We should demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit, but how easy is this to do? Galatians 5:22 says, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.

All of this depends on our foundation. We should not allow adverse situations to bring out the worse in us. Adversity should not cause us to sink into depression and discouragement.

How do we become strong?

These are just a few ways:

Bible study and prayer. We know the importance of these. Let us not neglect them. These are the cornerstones of our firm foundation. Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock (Matthew 7:24–25). When we have a deep knowledge of the Bible, that strong rock, we can say, It is written and defeat the enemy. We can call to our remembrance the promises given in Joshua 1:9, Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. All God's promises are recorded for our benefit, but we cannot claim them if we do not know them.

We cannot be strong without prayer. It is that connection with the Father that gives us power. If we are unplugged from our source, then there is no power flowing through us. 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 15:5). It is therefore clear that much cannot be achieved without prayer to the Father.

Self-control. Does this sometimes seem like weakness? The times when we say nothing! Like Jesus, He did not open His mouth when accused by His enemies.

We think that we need to talk, to defend ourselves. In quietness and confidence shall be your strength (Isaiah 30:15).

It is not every thought that has to be put into speech or action. Many times, if we follow through on our thoughts, we can end up with resentment, hate, malice, and much worse. There has to be control over our tongues, our thoughts, and our actions.

Love. This seems to some to be a mushy emotion and not have much strength. Love, as we see in the Amplified Bible Classic Edition, is very powerful as the apostle Paul pointed out in 1 Corinthians 13:4–8:

Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited, arrogant and inflated with pride; it is not rude [unmannerly] and does not act unbecomingly. Love [God's love in us] does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything without weakening. Love never fails, never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end. (1 Corinthians 13:4–8)

We are strong when we can manifest this kind of love.

Conclusion

With a good strong foundation, a woman is developed with not just strength, but with inner beauty. Many other attributes become evident. She is joyful as she embraces the fact that the joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

A woman of spiritual strength is not born. She is beautifully fashioned as she gives herself to Bible study and prayer, practices self-control, and demonstrates love. She is able to resist temptation and withstand adversity. May God help us as we strive to become women of strength.

Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power (Ephesians 6:10).

Chapter 3

The Sidonian (Syrophoenician) Woman

September 08, 2012

Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed. But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, Send her away, for she cries out after us. But He answered and said, I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, Lord, help me! But He answered and said, It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs. And she said, Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Then Jesus answered and said to her, O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire. And her daughter was healed from that very hour. (Matthew 15:21–28.)

Sidon was a Phoenician city not far from Tyre. It had a bad name in Scripture as it was a place of Phoenician idolatry and Gentile materialism. Sidon was about fifty miles from Nazareth.

The Sidonians Came to Jesus

But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him (Mark 3:7–8).

They had heard about Jesus and came with the crowd. They heard the reports and were anxious to be a part of what was happening.

They Came to Be Healed

And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases (Luke 6:17). It was not just idle curiosity that brought them to Jesus. They had needs and wanted help for their diseases. Among the Sidonians was a woman, sometimes referred to as the Syrophoenician woman.

This woman was a Gentile (Mark 7:26 says specifically a Greek), and at that time they were separate. Jews and Gentiles did not openly associate with each other. Many of the people present were from Judea and Jerusalem. This woman did not care. She came anyway. Do we sometimes allow the people around us to limit what might be available to us?

She Was Respectful as She Addressed Jesus

She acknowledged Him as Lord, as well as the Son of David, which was much more than some of the Jews in the crowd had done. She clearly and loudly stated what she wanted. She cried out to Jesus. She had a severely demon-possessed daughter. Can we hear the cry of suffering in her voice?

A mother will always do everything that she can for a child in distress. The initial response from Jesus was silence. What was her response to the silence of Jesus? She cried after the disciples.

She Was Making Sure That Someone Heard Her

The disciples heard her all right but were unwilling to help. Instead of asking Jesus to have mercy on her, they urged Him to send her away because it was bothersome to them. How often do we try to frustrate the cries for help from someone because we cannot empathize with their suffering? How angry do we become when others cannot relate to the depth of our own suffering? Why did she not give up in spite of the opposition?

This Was a Woman Who Had a Purpose

She was not going to be deterred. She obviously loved her daughter and wanted a normal healthy life for her. How persistent are we in praying? If we do not immediately get the result we expect, do we simply give up? It depends on how much the answer means to us.

Jesus Heard and Answered

When Jesus finally answered, He made it clear that His primary mission was to Israelites. His Father had sent Him first to the Israelites. The ministry to