Bags

Women’s Fellowship Meeting Devotion
By: Jocelynn Klaus

Well Ladies I think it’s time we talk about bags! The bags I want to talk about are the ones you have been toting around with you that are weighing you down. I want to talk about the emotional suitcase you have been letting get in your way—whether it be physical mental or even emotional. Today I want to take a huge step along with you ladies on throwing that garbage away and taking leaps forward. Not only for ourselves but for our walk with the Lord as well.

Maybe you are thinking, “What are some things that I need to let go of?” Here are just a few things that came to my mind concerning things that are hard to let go of?

Anger
Resentment
Loneliness
Jealousy
Envy
Hurt
Depression
Anxiety
A loved one
Family
Friends

Now, while you are taking time to think of what things in this list that you need to get rid of I would like to share mine with you.

There are so many things I have learned about myself since starting my walk with the Lord, and one of those things is that I have a lot of baggage. So much that it was hindering me from letting go and letting God do what he wants with me. One thing that I had to unload and leave behind is this feeling of never being good enough. That was a big thing for me. My entire life I have always felt like the black sheep. I felt like I did not belong. I felt that I was alone, and I let that hold me back from healthy relationships, friendships, mothering and even my work. I learned I need to let go and let God, because with him I was never truly alone. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and courageous. Don’t fear or tremble before them, because the LORD your God will be the One who keeps on walking with you—he won’t leave you or abandon you.”

Maybe your baggage has to do with the very thing we are discussing, which is letting go. Maybe you are someone who thinks that they cannot let go. Maybe you feel like you are not worthy of a better life, or maybe you feel that you deserve to have these feelings. That you somehow did something and now this is your punishment. I am here to tell you that is not the case.

Those feelings and doubts along with the anxiety or even anger you may harbor for certain things is the enemy trying to stop you from succeeding. He is trying to stop you from being who you are meant to be and living the life you deserve. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'”

That alone speaks volumes that you are worthy of a future that he has made for you! The hardships we have faced are to make us better and stronger but we cannot tote that luggage around. We have to let go and stop looking back. Isaiah 43:18 says, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.”

That one is a big one because I always focus on the past. Growing up I always heard people justify their choices with words such as, “Well my past made me this way. I can’t help it. That is the way I was raised.” That is not true! Every day that you wake up God is giving you another day to be who you are not what you were! Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV) says,
“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Sometimes we do not realize that our baggage is there, nor do we recognize the impact it has on our friends and family. Friends and family that is a big one! These are the people that God puts in our path that are supposed to help build us up or to teach us a lesson. It is on us to listen to God and figure out which of these purposes they are serving at any given time in our lives. Sometimes, even though they are family, we need to learn the lessons God showed us through them realizing that in some cases it is okay to let them go.

Someone close to me recently just had to explain to me that sometimes we need to love from a distance, and that hit hard for me. I am not saying cut people off and hold a grudge. I am saying accept what they have laid before you and forgive them. Let it be what it is. Whatever that may be. You don’t have to keep beating a dead horse expecting them to change.

These are also the people I find it hardest to forgive. It is difficult due to the feeling of our bond with them requires us to keep them in our lives. We may think that we have to just forgive them and maintain a relationship with them due to the titles that they hold in our lives. That is not the case. We absolutely do need to forgive them. That is what God wants us to do. This is also helpful for our own spiritual, mental and physical health. It is not about forgiving because what they did was right.

Sit back and think about something this for a moment: The last time someone made you mad or sad did they even know know that they upset you? These feelings really only damage ourselves because sometimes the other person does not even realize that they hurt you or upset you. Sometimes a person simply does not care that they upset you or hurt you! But here you are carrying around this anger and hurt from these things they have done or continue to do, and they are continuing on in their own lives unaware or uncaring acting as if nothing ever happened.

So, I just want you to realize that feeling these things in the moment is natural. However, letting them go is very important not only for your own well-being but for your walk with the Lord. It is important concerning your walk with the Lord because how can you give your whole self to him and love him when a piece of you is missing? A piece that is broken from being caught up in these negative feelings? How are you suppose to live by his word when you are hurt and distracted by all these feelings and emotions weighing you down? It is no secret that when you are down or upset your focus is often only on those negative emotions. Colossians 3:13 says, “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. “

You have every right to feel the way that you are feeling. The feelings themselves are not sins. What makes them sins is becoming consumed with these feelings and letting them continue to drag you down. Ephesians 4:26-27 says, “‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”

Memories

Luke Webb - used with permission.
Photo by: Luke Webb. Used with permission. Source: pexels.com

One summer day Old Bill was privileged to have a Moses kind of conversation with God. Bill was sitting on a bench at the local park he liked to visit. The place was usually teeming with people as Bill regularly put out seed for the pigeons. The park was mostly quiet even though the weather was sunny and warm with just a hint of a breeze.

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Stay Connected To Jesus!

Trees with cut branches on the ground.

Trees and other plants line the edge of the property behind the church. A volunteer cut the branches from the trees that were encroaching into the area behind the church.

My wife mentioned the importance of the scripture about continuing to abide in Jesus when she saw the dead branches on the ground that are in stark contrast to the living branches still connected to the trees.

Jesus said in John 15:1-8 . . .

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

Building You Up Not Tearing You Down

To make a point, please allow me to share with you a few details about what I remember learning about tree growth, muscle growth, bone strength and bone repair after a break.

You have probably seen small trees planted at new landscaping projects with guy wires holding them upright. Trees that cannot sway in the wind grow up weak. The wind causes microfractures to occur in tree cellular structure. The resulting healing fills in the damaged areas making trees stronger.

The same goes for muscles and bones. Muscles that bear weight get tiny little tears in the muscle fibers. The body fills in these damaged areas resulting in building muscle mass. So, those bodybuilders with the big muscles have gone through a lot of tearing and filling in. Bone density increases when microfractures occur as bones are subjected to stressors, such as weightlifting. The little microfractures fill in with strong bone.

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Panic and Worry and A N X I E T Y Oh My!

Introduction

I mentioned at our gathering that teaching on this subject was put on my heart months ago. Well, that was not the whole truth. I actually began to see the necessity of teaching people the biblical side of this very real problem years ago. I have a preliminary research file on my computer that dates back to May 9, 2014.

After an initial class teaching about the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder behaviors I had noticed in Christians, there were no more classes. The behaviors continued to exist, but it was as if very few wanted a solution. People would tell me about their fears, feelings of depression and other things, such as their OCD rituals, but they seemed to look at the symptoms as just being part of normal life.

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Pray, Fast and Fight!

Due to the many illness within our church and those who are affiliated with our church, whether it be physical, mental or spiritual, our Pastor has called for corporate fast and prayer to bombard heaven to make our requests known to the Lord regarding this situation.

This morning during my fasting and prayer time with the Lord, He spoke to me saying, “The battle is in array (to set in order an impressive display), and your victory is at hand. Your future is not determined by what the enemy plans but what I do next!”

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The Names of God Bible Study Series: First Lesson Introduction

Facebook livestreaming was not working for us on Wednesday November 6, 2019. That bible study was the first in a new series being taught by Pastor Frank Menhart on The Names of God. Christine Szakal prepared this introduction for those interested in the new series who watch by live stream in order to help them be ready for lesson two.

The Bible Study held on Wednesday, November 6, 2019, was the beginning of a new series titled: “The Names of God Series – Lesson 1 Elohim”.  Each of God’s names reveals a wonderful aspect about His nature that can meet your deepest needs, comfort you in times of personal tragedy, and release you to new heights of praise in times of joy.

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Guest Speaker Dale Cowher

Come on out to Blainesburg Bible Church on Sunday June 2, 2019 to hear a special message from Brother Dale Cowher.

Brother Dale is the CPA for our church, and he is a servant of our Lord who has a message for us. Pastor Frank had Brother Dale on his heart to be the one to speak to the congregation while he is away on the mission the Holy Spirit is leading him to accomplish.

Church starts at 9:30 AM with Sunday School. Come join us to worship God, learn his word and fellowship with brothers and sisters in the Lord.

Body Ministry Lesson 7

These lessons are part of a series of bulletin inserts at Blainesburg Bible Church. The online versions contain minor edits for the expanded online audience. This is the final lesson in this series that was originally released on April 28, 2019.

Introduction

Please read lessons 1-6 before reading this final one in the series on Body Ministry. The prior lessons give all the background needed for the application of this one to be effective.

Serving in Body Ministry

Over the years I have been learning to do what is needed. It does not matter what it is as the Lord has built into me a measure of versatility. When I began to be under Pastor Frank C. Menhart Jr.’s leadership as my pastor again, I told him I would do whatever he needs done. I told him I would clean toilets if that was what was needed. It was not a false humility, I committed to do what was needed. Why? Well, I have the examples of Jesus, the godly leaders in the bible, and of Pastor Frank and other men of God to emulate.

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