Encouragement For Women

Luke 1:38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." I have been thinking on these words of Mary often this Christmas. Mary describes herself as the servant of the Lord….servant of the Lord. How did that play out in Mary’s life? She was probably ostracized for most of her pregnancy for being “supernaturally pregnant.” Scripture doesn’t say exactly what she endured, but it does record that God sent an angel to Joseph to explain to him that Mary’s story was real. So, obviously it was a big enough deal to require a heavenly messenger. We see in the Gospel of Luke that Mary had the joy of going on a trip during the later part of her pregnancy, birthing a baby in a stable, laying him in an animal trough, and being greeted by shepherds after giving birth. Wow, not exactly what I would have expected the mother of our Lord to have endured in order to welcome Him into this world. Not exactly what I like to think of when I

2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! II Timothy 3:2-5 There are no verses in the Bible that say we should love ourselves. That is because we have no problem with it, it comes naturally. The Bible does say to love others the same way we love ourselves. Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 19:19, Matthew 22:39, Mark 12:31, 33, Luke 10:27, Romans 13:9, Galatians 5:14 Really lessons 4 - the end of the Bible study boils it down to two choices; Love God or Love Self. If you love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength - loving others will be second nature. If you love yourself with all your heart, mind, soul and strength there won't be any love

God's word is profitable for; doctrine, reproof, correction and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be complete and equipped to do the will of God. II Timothy 3:16-17 Lesson three (of the Self-Confrontation Bible Study) is all about how the Holy Spirit empowers you to solve our problems. Being that the Holy Spirit abides in us and teaches us concerning all things. (I John 2:27) The Spirit reveals the deep things of God and gives us the mind of Christ. (I Corinthians 2:9-16). God's word reveals to us the promises and truth we have been given, the mind of Christ and freedom from the bondage of sin! We don't have to continue in our sin. We no longer have to be stuck in it. We don't have to say things like, "well, I just can't quit" or "_________ it's just an area of sin I struggle with, probably always will." No! We don't have to continue in it! Hooray! We just need to write the words of God on our hearts! I just n

6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. Colossians When I became a Christian there were things that immediately changed in me. I was acutely aware of my speech, I lost my desire to attend parties where alcohol was being served and my music collection was greatly sifted. No one asked me to do these things, no one told me to. These were just things that I was overly motivated to do. I believe it was the work of the Holy Spirit, guiding me to live a life pleasing to God. The sad thing is that after a number of yea