Tag Archives: Scripture

06/3/15

Community and Fellowship

I was thinking about the term fellowship. It’s purest reference is to men gathered together to pursue similar goals. In today’s climate fellowship has no specific gender reference. It is a group of individuals gathered together to pursue similar goals.

 However, if you truly wanted a term to describe a group of women in Godly relationship with one another,  possessing  common goals and aspirations in Christ,  I believe the purest representative term would be community. In community there is support and caring. There is awareness of each others needs and wants and a desire to meet those needs through Christ Jesus. Encouragement and a sense of humor is needed to keep everyone buoyant and feeling alive.

Here are some scriptures to encourage your heart today and forever:

“Only the Lord Jesus can give them this hunger for spiritual things and more of Him.”  Matthew 5:6 

“And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear” Isaiah 65:24

“Nothing is impossible with GOD”  Luke 18:27

“Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved”  Psalm 55:22

“He staggered not at the promise of GOD through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to GOD; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able to perform” Romans 4:20-21

                           Peace passing all understanding, for He cares for you

                                                                                             Charlene

 

King James Version  Public Domain

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05/20/14

Taking On The Armor of GOD

Taking On The Armor of God

 

 

 We walk in a hurting, disillusioned world where there is so much chaos and pain every day. It takes strength to traverse every twenty-four hour period, and if not for God’s hand in ours, we would be totally lost.

 

 

“[The Armor of GOD] Finally, be strong in the LORD and in His mighty power. Put on the full Armor of GOD, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  Ephesians 6:10-11

 

 

We all know how effectively we can do a work with the proper support at hand. In this instance, our greatest support is the Word of GOD, the Bible. In this sacred volume we can find scripture to assist us in overcoming every circumstance; to teach us how to live Godly lives, and to encourage others. We can also find instruction for those circumstances that take us by surprise, such as acute illness or death. GOD designed His Word to give us hope, mercy, and joy (Psalm 30) and we are given example of David, who found peace in Jesus (Psalm 23), yet GOD also gave us David’s example of falling short of  GOD’s grace, repenting, being forgiven, and moving forward in Christ. (2 Samuel 12: 1-24)

 

 King David acts as a role model of a steadfast warrior for GOD, but he also emerges as one who needed grace and forgiveness from GOD for his sinful acts, such as the killing of Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba.  David’s example, and GOD’s way of restoring David’s life because of his true repentance through GOD’s Holy Spirit, should give us hope. If GOD loved David this much; He will also love us. If GOD disciplined David as a Father should; He will also discipline us in a way that will encourage our spiritual growth. This will lead to learning how to apply Godly principles to our lives to become over-comers and victors on earth as in Heaven.

 

 

Let us endure for the Cross those things that are designed to encourage us to love one another, as Christ loves us.  Jesus is always willing to walk by our side. He is able to keep us from falling.

 

 

Have courage in Him, Charlene

 

 

New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

03/18/14

Why Study The WORD? Hebrews 4:12, John 1: 1-4, Galatians 5: 22-26, II Timothy 2:15

Revised for March 2014

 

 

Hebrews 4:12 NKJV

 


 

“For the Word of GOD is living and powerful,  sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”


 Every since the beginning of time as we conceive it , The Holy Trinity has existed, impacted, and interacted in our lives.  The Bible, dictated to the people of GOD as a means of revealing  GOD’s covenant with man, His precepts, commandments, and truths, is a timeless teaching tool to all the world benefiting whoever chooses to embrace it.  The Word of GOD, embodied in His Son, Jesus the Christ, is a lifegiver as well as a lawgiver. Why do we need the law? Not as a reason to beat and restrict ourselves but as a guide to right living. Right living produces good fruit and that good fruit will bear seed for the harvest. Lifegiving is the character of Christ. We should strive to embrace Him.

 

 

The Fruit of The Spirit

 

 

 Galatians 5: 22-26 NKJV

 

 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

 

 

The Fruit of the Spirit is what every Christian should strive to maintain in their heart and their actions.

 

 

The Word Sent The Comforter


It is through studying The Word, manifested as “The Son of GOD” in John Chapter One, Verses One through Four that we engage in the most truthful, most revealing relationship with the Holy Trinity.


“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. “

 

 

Jesus sent us The Comforter, The Holy Spirit to guide and to teach us in the way we should live. We must follow his lead and unction to bring others into the Kingdom of GOD.

 

 

Why Study The WORD?

 

 

How will they know unless there’s a preacher? The preacher depends on The Word to deliver the message. Without study there is no correct interpretation through the Holy Spirit–for He is the Teacher who dwells inside GOD’s people. Without study the people will not be able to discern false doctrine or false teachers when they cross their path. Without study there is no way to confirm the Truth.

 

 

Why study The Word? To know Christ is to know all there is to know. To have power from on High and to possess peace that passes all understanding. Why study The Word? This is the Highest Calling of all.

 

 

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to GOD, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth”   2 Timothy 2:15  NKJV

 

 

                                                                                                               

God Bless You,   

                                                                                                                                   Charlene

 

 

All Scripture quotations taken from The Women of Destiny Bible, New King James Version Thomas Nelson, Publishers

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2012-2014 Charlene Kirst
03/20/13

1 Peter 2 (Easy-to-Read Version)

1 Peter 2

 

Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

 

The Living Stone and the Holy Nation

 

2 So then, stop doing anything to hurt others. Don’t lie anymore, and stop trying to fool people. Don’t be jealous or say bad things about others. 2 Like newborn babies hungry for milk, you should want the pure teaching that feeds your spirit. With it you can grow up and be saved. 3 You have already tasted the goodness of the Lord.

4 The Lord Jesus is the living stone.[a] The people of the world decided that they did not want this stone. But he is the one God chose as one of great value. So come to him. 5 You also are like living stones, and God is using you to build a spiritual house.[b] You are to serve God in this house as holy priests, offering him spiritual sacrifices that he will accept because of Jesus Christ. 6 The Scriptures say,

“Look, I have chosen a cornerstone of great value,
and I put that stone in Zion.
Anyone who trusts in him will never be disappointed.”

7 So, that stone brings honor for you who believe. But for those who don’t believe he is

“the stone that the builders refused to accept,
which became the most important stone.”

8 For them he is also

“a stone that makes people stumble,
a rock that makes people fall.”

People stumble because they don’t obey what God says. This is what God planned to happen to those people.

9 But you are his chosen people, the King’s priests. You are a holy nation, people who belong to God. He chose you to tell about the wonderful things he has done. He brought you out of the darkness of sin into his wonderful light.

10 In the past you were not a special people,
but now you are God’s people.
Once you had not received mercy,
but now God has given you his mercy.[c]

 

Live for God

 

11 Dear friends, you are like visitors and strangers in this world. So I beg you to keep your lives free from the evil things you want to do, those desires that fight against your true selves. 12 People who don’t believe are living all around you. They may say that you are doing wrong. So live such good lives that they will see the good you do, and they will give glory to God on the day he comes.

 

Obey Every Human Authority

 

13 Be willing to serve the people who have authority[d] in this world. Do this for the Lord. Obey the king, the highest authority. 14 And obey the leaders who are sent by the king. They are sent to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do good. 15 When you do good, you stop ignorant people from saying foolish things about you. This is what God wants. 16 Live like free people, but don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Live as those who are serving God. 17 Show respect for all people. Love your brothers and sisters in God’s family. Respect God, and honor the king.

 

The Example of Christ’s Suffering

 

18 Slaves, be willing to serve your masters. Do this with all respect. You should obey the masters who are good and kind, and you should obey the masters who are bad. 19 One of you might have to suffer even when you have done nothing wrong. If you think of God and bear the pain, this pleases God. 20 But if you are punished for doing wrong, there is no reason to praise you for bearing that punishment. But if you suffer for doing good and you are patient, this pleases God. 21 This is what you were chosen to do. Christ gave you an example to follow. He suffered for you. So you should do the same as he did:

22 “He never sinned,
and he never told a lie.”

23 People insulted him, but he did not insult them back. He suffered, but he did not threaten anyone. No, he let God take care of him. God is the one who judges rightly. 24 Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross. He did this so that we would stop living for sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you were healed. 25 You were like sheep that went the wrong way. But now you have come back to the Shepherd and Protector of your lives.

 

Footnotes:

  1. 1 Peter 2:4stone The most important stone in God’s spiritual temple or house (his people).
  2. 1 Peter 2:5house God’s house—the place where God’s people worship him. Here, it means that believers are the spiritual building where God lives.
  3. 1 Peter 2:10In the past … his mercy See Hos. 2:23.
  4. 1 Peter 2:13people … authority Literally, “every human creation,” meaning rulers, governors, presidents, or other government leaders.

Copyright © 2006 by World Bible Translation Center

12/27/12

Psalm 103 NKJV A Psalm of David

Psalm 103

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Praise for the Lord’s Mercies

A Psalm of David.

 

103 Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

 

6 The Lord executes righteousness
And justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the children of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
9 He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

 

11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
14 For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.

 

15 As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
And its place remembers it no more.[a]
17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
On those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children’s children,
18 To such as keep His covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do them.

 

19 The Lord has established His throne in heaven,
And His kingdom rules over all.

 

20 Bless the Lord, you His angels,
Who excel in strength, who do His word,
Heeding the voice of His word.
21 Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,
You ministers of His, who do His pleasure.
22 Bless the Lord, all His works,
In all places of His dominion.

 

Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Footnotes:

 

  1. Psalm 103:16 Compare Job 7:10

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

05/28/11

Psalm 7

Psalm 7 (New International Version)

 The Psalms, especially King David’s songs, are such an aid to all of us who seek peace in time of trouble. As GOD delivered David from the hands of Saul, and from other enemies, He (GOD) will do the same for you. So do not despair that all is lost–you have a Father in Heaven who loves you beyond measure, Jesus, your Saviour, who intercedes on your behalf, and The Holy Spirit who dwells in you, counsels you and comforts you. Take Heart and rise with the Son who has healing in His wings.   Charlene

Psalm 7

Psalm 7[a]

    A shiggaion[b] of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning Cush, a Benjamite.

 

 1 LORD my God, I take refuge in you;
   save and deliver me from all who pursue me,
2 or they will tear me apart like a lion
   and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

 3 LORD my God, if I have done this
   and there is guilt on my hands—
4 if I have repaid my ally with evil
   or without cause have robbed my foe—
5 then let my enemy pursue and overtake me;
   let him trample my life to the ground
   and make me sleep in the dust.[c]

 6 Arise, LORD, in your anger;
   rise up against the rage of my enemies.
   Awake, my God; decree justice.
7 Let the assembled peoples gather around you,
   while you sit enthroned over them on high.
 8 Let the LORD judge the peoples.
Vindicate me, LORD, according to my righteousness,
   according to my integrity, O Most High.
9 Bring to an end the violence of the wicked
   and make the righteous secure—
you, the righteous God
   who probes minds and hearts.

 10 My shield[d] is God Most High,
   who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
   a God who displays his wrath every day.
12 If he does not relent,
   he[e] will sharpen his sword;
   he will bend and string his bow.
13 He has prepared his deadly weapons;
   he makes ready his flaming arrows.

 14 Whoever is pregnant with evil
   conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.
15 Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out
   falls into the pit they have made.
16 The trouble they cause recoils on them;
   their violence comes down on their own heads.

 17 I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness;
   I will sing the praises of the name of the LORD Most High.

 

Footnotes:
  1. Psalm 7:1 In Hebrew texts 7:1-17 is numbered 7:2-18.
  2. Psalm 7:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 7:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  4. Psalm 7:10 Or sovereign
  5. Psalm 7:12 Or If anyone does not repent, / God

New International Version (NIV)

08/23/09

Giving: Proverbs 11:25

Re-Featured for April 13, 2015

“The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.” Proverbs 11:25

Here is a great lesson, that to get we must give from our hearts; that to accumulate, we must scatter; that to make ourselves happy, we must make others happy; and that in order to become spiritually vigorous, we must seek the spiritual good of others. In watering others, we are ourselves watered. How? Our efforts to be useful bring out our abilities for usefulness. We all have unrealized  talents and inactive abilities which are brought to light through exercise of our spirit. Our strength for labor is hidden even from ourselves, until we venture forth to fight the LORD’s battles, or to climb the mountain of difficulty. We do not know what compassion we possess until we try to dry the widow’s tears, or soothe the orphan’s grief.

We often find that in attempting to teach others we gain instructions for ourselves. The lessons to be learned at the side of a sickbed! We go to teach the Scriptures, we come away blushing that we knew so little of them. In our conversation with those in need we are taught the way of GOD more perfectly for ourselves and get a deeper insight into divine truth. Watering others makes us humble. We discover how much grace there is where we had not looked, and how much more knowledge may reside in the poor. Our own comfort is increased through comforting others. We try to cheer them and we are cheered.

There were two men in the snow. One rubbed the other’s limbs to keep him alive, and in so doing kept his own circulation going, therefore saving his own life. The poor widow of Zeraphath gave of her scanty store to supply Elijah’s needs, and from that day forward knew poverty no more. Give then, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, and running over.

 

Charlene’s Source:  Morning Devotionals–Quick Verse–Parsons Software

07/27/09

Women Under His Wings Curriculum

During it’s eight year span Women United/nka Women Under His Wings has studied Rick Warren’s “Celebrate Recovery Series”, a twelve steps to wholeness program that was taught in conjunction with the “Extraordinary Women Series”; “Forgiveness”: written and taught by Charlene Kirst ; “Praying GOD’s Word” with Beth Moore; “Prayers That Avail Much” with Germaine Copeland, and presently “Learning To Trust”, Book 4 of “Daring Disciple Series” with Terry Powell and Bill Jones. We have studied “You Matter More Than You Think” with Dr. Leslie Parrott–‘What a Woman Needs To Know About The Difference She Makes’.

Women Under his Wings has also studied Joyce Meyer’s “The Confident Woman’, and is presently studying ‘Embrace Grace” with Liz Curtis Higgs, along with varied studies for women via Girlfriends in God.

 

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