With My Word as My Bait and God as My Rod PART 2

The thing about fishing is, you need to fish even if there’s only one fish in the lake. The same goes for teaching. You cast, you cast again, and you keep casting your line until you get that fish, and if the fish just won’t bite, then at least you know you tried. So just move on to the next lake. 1 Corinthians 3:6, “I planted Apollo’s water, but God gave the increase.” God commands us to try our best, and if our best can’t make a non-believer believe, then it’s not our fault, because in the end, it’s up to the fish and God.

In both cases- dealing with catching fish and teaching the gospel, you must be persistent! There is never a grey area! You cannot cast your line and then leave it unattended while you go in for a dip, you’ll never catch a fish that way! Be willing to sacrifice and give up pleasure to work towards the greater goal. This includes temptations. There will be plenty of obstacles in your way as you try to go God’s will, metaphorically, things like old tires, boots, and weeds that hook onto your line and tangle it, trying to pull you under. Do you remember that playground I mentioned earlier? Well, let’s compare it to the devil. It drew me away from my duties, presenting me with something much more exciting and appealing than what I was already doing. This is exactly what the devil does. He doesn’t like Joshua 1:16, he wants us to disobey God as much as we can, so he presents new schemes to ruin our ties with God with each new generation. But you don’t have to go it alone. We can relate my parents to fellow Christians. They helped me to stay on task, and smudged that tempting playground right out of the picture. You can always lean on other Christians to help you out, just as my parents encouraged me.

Motivation, persistence, commitment, discipline, and especially enthusiasm are all virtues necessary to carry out God’s will, and catch as many fish as you can. Like I said, enthusiasm is probably on of the most important characteristics. Just look at the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8, he didn’t know God, but he was so willing to, that he tried to learn on his own without anyone to teach him. That is how we need to be when teaching the gospel. We must want to teach it! It’s no good if you go out fishing just because your buddies want you to. In that case, you’re not very likely to have any fun and you probably won’t catch many fish. If the Ethiopian Eunuch hadn’t wanted to learn, he wouldn’t have been baptized that very same day. If you are truly enthusiastic about what you do, you’ll catch a whole ocean of fish and have a blast while doing it.

It’s funny how after 14 years of fun and exciting memories, I choose an old childhood fishing trip as my topic. Maybe that’s because it taught me an important lesson, one that I still haven’t forgotten. If I put effort into what I do, and truly care about my goals, I can accomplish anything. People fish for a lot of things: money, clothes, maybe even friendship. As for me, I fish for God, and I fish to lead others to, or back to God. I’ll close with this: Matthew 4:19, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”

--Kristina Kohl

With My Word as My Bait and God as My Rod PART 1

When I was four years old, my parents entered me into the local fishing tournament, meant for children of all ages, and trust me, there were all ages fishing that day, anywhere from four year old me to my 60 year old grandparents with the video camera. I remember how boring I thought it was, and how nobody in the whole competition had caught a fish yet. The glassy pond we were fishing in was just one of the many attractions of the beautiful park. There were also sidewalks, and fields, and, a four year olds dream- playgrounds. I begged and pleaded with my parents, trying to convince them to let me abandon my boring, un-moving, un-tugging, un-anything fishing rod, to go to the colorful jungle-gym, glistening in the sun, calling my name and pulling me towards it. But my parents refused, they saw my childish impatience. They told me to be persistent, to not give up, and if I stuck with it, I would be very happy. So, trusting my parents, I obeyed them and kept a firm eye on the rod.
~~~

An hour later I was holding a shiny gold and red trophy in my hands, gripping it with all of my heart. I was one of the only children in my age group all day to catch a fish- it wasn’t even a big fish, but it still mattered. I had a big old grin on my face the whole time, loving that my parents’ promise of happiness with persistence had come true.

There’s a lot to learn from this story, and when I first heard the verse, “All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.” (Joshua 1:16) I couldn’t think of a good topic, but as soon as I came across this memory, I couldn’t get it out of mind. Ideas and ways I could relate that verse to Christianity kept pouring over me until finally they were let loose through pencil onto paper. Joshua 1:16 is telling us that whatever god tells us to do, we need to do it. An example of one thing God wants us to do is in Mark 16:15, where Jesus says to, “Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.” So, Joshua 1:16 commands us to do what God commands, and Mark 16:15 tells us exactly what to do. Now, here’s where my story comes in. Fishing seems to be an awful lot like teaching the Gospel. You need a great deal of faith in order to teach the Gospel, because when times are hard and it feels like no one is listening, you must trust God, just as I trusted my parents, that you will be rewarded when the “fish” bites.

Written by: Kristina Kohl
LOOK FOR PART 2 NEXT WEEK!!!!

Women in the Church: Leaders or Followers?

Women in the Lord's church may be inclined to answer the question, "Are we to be leaders or followers?" with the response "followers." This comes from misinterpretation of scriptures concerning submission. Submission and leadership can and should go hand in hand. Jesus was the most effective leader this world has ever known, though was he submissive even unto death. He prayed, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me, nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done" (Luke 22:42). All Christians, not just women, are required to be submissive. Paul exhorted Christians, "that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and labors with us" (I Corinthians 16:16). As you can see from Jesus' example, leadership and submission are not exclusive of one another. A submissive leader is a more effective leader.

Aspirations of leadership do not mean one desires the God-given appointments of leadership positions in the church, such as deaconship or eldership. Certainly not! Christian ladies, please remember that leadership is actually influence rather than position. Ladies, we are in dire need of female leadership in the church today! We need willing and pure hearted ladies to influence and lead our younger ladies in doing what is right and good. We are to be followers of Christ but leaders of mankind. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ put Christians in charge of leading others to Him, sometimes referred to as the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20). Perhaps the Christian's lack of desire, motivation, or encouragement to become a leader in the Lord's church has placed His church at a disadvantage in areas of growth, numerically and spiritually.

Here at Arnold we are in the process of cultivating leaders of our youth in the new Lads to Leaders Program. Growing leaders in the very young, though, will require active modeling of leadership from their elders, including women. Remember what Paul said to the older women, "the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things-- that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed" (Titus 2:3-5). There is always a lady younger than yourself in whom you may exert much influence.

Many workers are required in this grand endeavor of growing leaders from our youth. John Maxwell, a leadership expert/speaker/author said, "The first step to leadership is servanthood." Again, Jesus was the supreme example of servitude. Hours before his crucifixion, Jesus left an everlasting example to his 12 leaders when he washed their feet. We often remember what our loved ones say or do right before they die. Don't you think that by washing their feet, he was teaching the disciples that a servant spirit is critical in spiritual leading? I do! This must have been an important idea he wanted them to always remember? We should emulate our Lord's attitude of service in leading which may include doing some undesirable works.

In what ways can we as women lead in the Church? There are so many! It's often said we should lead by example, and that comes from a very reputable source, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). Do not be a Christian who fails to practice what they preach. Have you proclaimed that being a member of the Lord's church is essential yet there are children looking for you at Sunday evening worship services or mid-week Bible study? Are you setting a good example for these little ones? (Matthew 18:6). Are younger ladies witnessing your spiritual leadership? Are you reading and studying your Bible as one would who cherishes their Christianity?

Why not become a servant-leader in the church today? Perhaps you could teach a Bible class or even one soul; mentor a younger lady; invite others to worship services; lead others by your example in attendance at worship services, faithfulness, and purity of spirit; offer your services to the Lads to Leaders program. Whatever way you choose to lead in His kingdom, the rewards will be plentiful. As Christian women, we should only desire leadership which is part of God's plan. If we seek to serve God with a willing heart and stay within the God-given leadership opportunities He has provided, we will please Him.

---Written by: Erin Holloway

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

Often times, two people can both view the same thing and one will find beauty in it while the other does not. Have you ever heard the statement “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”? How true that statement is! Beauty has always been defined by culture and time. What is considered to be beautiful in one culture might be considered unusual or awkward in another. Even within the same culture the styles change and things that were once popular become outdated.

Think about the women in South Africa that wear the neck rings. Every year the women will add another ring to help stretch their neck to an abnormally long length. They consider the rings as a sign of beauty, the longer the neck is the prettier the woman. Their opinion of beauty differs from the opinion of beauty in China a couple hundred years ago, where the girls, from a young age, bound their feet. This process of binding the feet took many years and was very painful. Once the girl’s feet were broken and bound she could no longer walk without aid. The foot binding made the girl’s feet appear to be smaller and she became completely dependent on her husband for transportation. This was considered beautiful because this was a sign of submission. Even if we may consider these processes as absurd, these cultures find the neck rings and feet bindings to be very attractive. In America, we too have things that are considered to be beautiful. The Media tells us to dress a certain way, to look as young and healthy as we possibly can, and to work to appear like the women we see on the covers of magazines. Some of the things that Americans do to try to reach these standards might seem a bit absurd to someone who does not live here. For example, some Americans will use Botox, a poison that is injected under the skin to deaden the nerves and reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles from the face. Or some might even have their face or body surgically altered. Americans may not find these processes unusual, but other cultures may see them as ridiculous as we might see their beauty processes as ridiculous. Beauty has always been subjective.

As women, we should desire to be beautiful, but not by the world’s definition. Who do we want to look beautiful for and what kind of beauty should we be putting our emphasis on to please this beholder? If God is our beholder there are a few things that He considers to be truly beautiful. He does not look at the outward appearance but instead looks at our hearts, (I Samuel 16:7). By knowing our hearts God considers the character of a person more appealing than the physical beauty. Those who serve others and posses the right mentality will be more attractive to Him than those who focus merely on themselves. How much time do we spend in making ourselves presentable before we leave the house in the morning? We might freshen up, fix our hair, or put on some makeup, wanting to look our best. But do we also consider how much time and effort we are putting into appearing beautiful for God? “Do not let your adornment be merely outward – arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel – rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.” (I Peter 3:3-4) Many other highlights of this incorruptible beauty can also be found in Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such there is no law.” (NKJV) Consider also the passage from Romans 10:15b “…How beautiful are the feet of those who teach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” God also sees beauty in those who share His good news with others. God’s word contains a great message and we should feel enthusiasm about sharing it and find joy in our lives as Christian women!

No matter how gorgeous or in shape we are, God sees the beauty in us when we are living for Him. It is comforting to know that even though we may never look like a celebrity, have that “perfect” skin, or be the “ideal” size or shape, we can be sure that if we are living the right life God will always find us to be women of beauty. For in good time, the beauty that the world chases after will fade away. The styles will become outdated and all of us grow older. But, if we wish to have it, the type of beauty that God cherishes can never be taken from us and will never fade. A life of serving God is the ultimate beauty!

“Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. “ - Proverbs 31:30

----Written by: Kendra Isenberg

We Are "Family" in the Church

After attending ladies class on Wednesday night and studying I Thessalonians 2:7,11; I was touched by the sincere words of Paul to the church of the Thessalonians. In verse seven, he speaks of their gentleness, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. And in verse 11, their exhortation and comfort, as a father does his own children. Upon meditating on those scriptures, I feel it speaks volumes to us as Christians in the church. When we look at how we treat our own biological family members, it is with love! Whenever we have a misunderstanding or disagreement in our homes we should and do look for ways to reconcile and forgive one another. Our biological families consist of natural relatives and possibly of “in-laws” and “step” family members, and as Christians we strive to keep harmony in the home. However, when it comes to our church “family” we tend not to have the same desire to settle our misunderstandings and accept our differences. If we treat one another as Paul’s example states in verses seven and 11, we would truly feel the love that God commands for us as His family. I John 4:21 and this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also! Our spiritual and emotional relationships in the Lord’s church should be as deep a commitment to one another as it is in our biological families. What a blessing – to have sisters and brothers that seek to build one another up in the hopes of an eternal home together! Let’s all strive to meet in heaven – our home sweet home!

--Beth Burmeister

Want to be Scared Stiff?

Keep reading.

Typing my notes from Dan Winkler's class on Hebrews, I came upon Topic #4 "Perseverance" dealing with Heb. 3:1-9. On that day’s notes there is a subtopic (point number III) entitled: “Remember What God is Like”

and then there is a sentence written underneath..

not bulleted, not emphasized... it just says:

He Will Send You to Hell.

Ouch. That's slightly intimidating. Okay, that is slightly more than intimidating.

However, I’m sure some of you might be thinking... ya know- I'm a Christian. I obeyed the gospel and I attend services faithfully... I read my Bible and pray...

I'm good.

Newsflash: He is looking into your heart.

HE IS LOOKING INTO YOUR HEART

yikes.

Your thoughts:

Like when your mind rolls it's eyes and the annoying guy who follows you around everywhere and look down on him because he's not socially gifted and cool.

When you race into services and get incredibly irritated when the clock hits 12:00 and you haven’t taken the Lord’s Supper yet.

Like when the pretty girl is flirting with that guy and you call her a slut in your mind.

When you don't want to talk to her because she's got an annoying laugh and too many problems.

When you don't have time for him because he's just such a jerk and why should you bother being nice?

Every motive, every intention, every thought, every action, every internal struggle, every notice....

The TRUTH about YOU... God is seeing it at this very moment.

We don't get to give excuses.

Have you ever had a broken heart? Know what it feels like for someone to abandon you and choose someone else because you just weren't enough? Do you know that hurt?

That is the same cruel abandonment and unjust pain that God feels when we choose to sin. Anytime we choose some THING over God- we abandon God for it, and that is exactly what we do to him time and time again. And no matter what you look like to us, no matter what I look like to you- He sees our HEARTS. So even when you act the part perfectly, and you do what you’re supposed to- if you’re not BEING who you are supposed to be and MEANING what you’re supposed to mean- then it’s not good enough.

It’s not even close.

Remember whose you are.

-----Written by: Jessica Phillips (Student at Freed-Hardeman)