Professional Documents
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For Women
CONTENTS LESSON 1: LESSON 2: LESSON 3: LESSON 4: LESSON 5: LESSON 6: LESSON 7: LESSON 8: LSSSON 9: LESSON 10: Relating to God The Lord's Prayer- Part 2 Restoring our SelfImage Working with the Holy Spirit God's Plan for Families God's Plan for Children in Families We Were Created to Bless Knowing God's Will Be a Woman of Purpose An Offering that Pleases God
INTRODUCTION
Being involved in ministry has allowed me to have contact with hundreds of women. This brought me to the conclusion that every woman needs to sanctify every area of her life. We have been able to accomplish this at our Encounters. Listening to these ladies testimon ies, I have witnessed firsthand Gods Restoring hand resting upon their lives, as He restores their self -worth and dignity. They feel that in spite of their trials and struggles, they are able comprehend that someone is genuinely interested in them God. I believe that everyone who attends an Encounter can experience: miracles of transformation, restoration, and salvation. In one of the most difficult moment, in the history of Israel (where Satan had planned to destroy Israel through a perverse Haman) God raised up queen Esther to bring forth His people to experience an encounter with the Almighty. She led the nation to seek Gods favor during a three -day fast of consecration. After that fast, she stood before the king and boldly asked him to cancel the order to execute her people. Because of one womans encounter with God, (what could have turned into the greatest massacre in history) turned into a spiritual event, that brought personal benefits not only to Esther, but to her people. What Satan had planned for death, the Lord turned into life for all the Jews. What could have been a sad day of mourning turned into that greatest party that centuries later is still being celebrated Purim. The Encounter moves the hand of God, in favor of Hid daughters. Next, the Post-Encounter gives people direction. It also teaches them how to defend themselves against the enemys attacks and to celebrate their freedom, just Jews did in Esthers day. The objective in every lesson id to help those who have attended an Encounter maintain the deliverance and blessings they have received from, God. The Apostle Paul said, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith" (1 Peter 5:8, 9a). If every lady who goes to an Encounter makes a consistent and faithful effort to follow through with the next step, the Post-Encounter, then God will count on her and bless her mightily.
Claudia R. Castellanos
LESSON 1:
Relating To God
PRIMARY BIBLICAL REFERENCES: Matthew 6:9-13 ADDITIONAL REFERENCES: Psalm 16:11; Ephesians 2:1; Acts 26:18; John 1:12; Galatians 2:20; Romans 8:1 4; Peter 1:4; Isaiah 66:1; 1 Corinthians 4:20; Isaiah 55:11; Matthew 10:8; Matthew 6:22-23; Matthew 1:1 4; Matthew 16:19; 1Corinthians 15:43; Hebrews 11:34; John 3:3; Isaiah 60:5; Matthew 3:2; Matthew 13:19 Key Scripture: "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:9-10) To be honest with you, I always considered myself someone who had a good prayer life. But after having endured the experience my family went through in 1997when we suffered an assassination attempt on my husband's lifemy relationship with God was stretched and my prayer life intensified. That was a time when I determined to increase my daily prayer time. This experience was not only extremely impacting and extraordinary, it transformed me into an intercessor. I came to understand that through prayer we can change circumstances and receive God's direction in every decision we face. The Psalmist said it like this, "You will show me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 1 6:1 1). In prayer, we discover how true this is! Understanding What a Devotional Is The way we communicate with God is called prayer. The time we spend alone with God each day enjoying an intimate relationship with Himand expressing our hearts to Him is called our devotional time. During this time in His presence, He begins to reveal His will for our lives and shows us more and more of His unconditional love. In order for your devotional to be effective, I suggest you: Choose the time and length of your devotional. Have privacy. Get into the habit of doing it in the morning, prior to starting your daily activities. Be honest with yourself and with God. Keep a Bible and notebook close at hand to write down what the Lord speaks to you through His Word. Have a list of the prayer requests you will present to the Lord. PREPARING TO ENTER INTO HIS PRESENCE The Lord Jesus taught His disciples to pray. When He did, He instructed them to be honest and not to allow hypocrisy in their hearts. He also told them to look for a private place to pray. I believe it is best to pray in a private place, often called a "prayer closet." In that secret, private place, you will experience the true joy and rewards of being alone with your Heavenly Father.
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Jesus warned them that prayer was not about repeating senseless words, but about being alone with the Author of life. He encouraged them to speak to the Father without exaggeration or repetition and with a sincere heart.
2. "In heaven..."
When you think of heaven, what do you imagine? Heaven is a place where there are no needs, sadness, fears, oppression, and sicknessa happy place. Hell, on the other hand is full of affliction, bitterness, distrust, infidelity, jealousy, hate, rage, and misery. Hell is a desolate place, but God's children will not suffer there. God has appointed us to a glorious place, heaven. Get to know God who can do all things. The God of the Bible is a God who will help you in times of trouble. He will always be there in your time of need, but you must first learn how to relate to Him. You need to get to know the God of the impossible. What impossibility do you face in life? If you are not able to have children, remember that nothing is impossible for Him. If you feel like an old maid (because the years have come and gone and you are still unmarried), remember that nothing is impossible for God. If you are facing a financial crisis, God is your provider. Our God always responds and is able to change circumstances. He is a God who calls things that are not as though they were. God relates to those who put their faith in action. So
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arise and believe that the God of the impossible is with you and will help you. He wants you to ask Him for the things you need. Go to Him in prayer, worship Him and request His intervention. God has your best interest at heart and will always come through for you.
Happiness. Some people believe that being spiritual means being solemn, introverted, and isolated. Jesus was a normal person filled with because joy, happiness, and God's presence dwells in the entire home. Fear tends to rob us of our joy as do doubt, anguish, complaints, murmuring, and worry. We must overcome or eliminate that which prevents us from happy and keep joy alive in our homes at all times.
saturated with the Word His glory can fill it. -The key to access the spiritual world. Our contact with the physical world is through our sight, but with the spiritual world. the contact happens through faith. The New International Version (NIV) of the Bible states in Matthew 6:22-23, "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" God has given you spiritual eyes in order for you to see His kingdom, but you have to exercise that vision. Your physical sight will try to eclipse your spiritual sight, but you must clean your eyes because He has given you the ability to see His kingdom. God is Spirit, and only through faith you will see the spiritual kingdom of Godthe miracles you need, the physical healing, family restoration, fulfillment of your purpose, and everything else. Isaiah 60:5says: "Then you will look and be radiant." -The key and power to transform weakness into strength. When you enter into the kingdom of God, weakness is transformed into strength. The Lord said, "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart" (Matthew 13:19). I am talking about principles of the spiritual kingdom, principles that will let us conduct ourselves, in the supernatural with principles that will help transform our lives. Sometimes, when people do not understand and confess words, the enemy then takes the Word sown in them, (stealing it from their minds so they will not enter the blessings God has for them. These principles I am teaching you, I have put into practice in my own life and home, and I know they are effective. The Lord said: "It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power" (1 Corinthians 15:43]. This means that your weakness has to be sown and surrendered at the foot of the Cross. When your weakness dies, you resurrect in power, and your weakness becomes your biggest strength. For example, if your weakness is in dealing with money, this is because the enemy wants to attack your finances, so that you will not experience prosperity. If your weakness is sickness, it is because God wants you to understand those who are sick, as you pray for them. If your weakness is in administrating your ministry, it could be because the enemy is attacking your life, so you won t receive the multitudes God wants to give you. This is the principle Abraham lived. Neither he nor Sarah was able to have children, but God wanted to make them parents of nations, and Abraham s weakness became his biggest strength. The writer of Hebrews said that because of the faith of the ancient men, they got strength from weakness; they became strong in battle and made enemy armies flee. (Hebrews 11:34).
CONCLUSION Establishing an intimate communication with the Lord through prayer will let you experience in a real way, the power and greatness of God. Then, you will be able to see firsthand the miracles and wonders He has for you. APPLICATION Be determined, starting now, to separate a special time to initiate your devotional life, making sure you have a private place where you can pray alone. Have your Edible at hand so you can start to discover in God's Word the blessings He has for your life and for those you love. Questions: 1. According to Psalm 16:11, what do you receive through Prayer? 2. What is a devotional? 3. What can you do to make a devotional effective? 4. Choose the right answer. According to Matthew 6:5-7, in order to enter into God's presence, we should: 5. How can you bring joy to your life and home? 6. List three reasons why we can call God our Father. 7. Define what it is to be born again (look in the book The Revelation of the Cross). 8. According to your experience, have you been born again? How do you know? 9. Match the columns to the corresponding kingdom. 10. List the keys of the Kingdom and support them biblically. 11. What do you think is an impossible situation in your life? Pray specifically and continually for that need. 12. What is God's nature? 13. According to Exodus 34:27-35, what happened when Moses came down the mount?
LESSON 2:
requires a different response. When you are suffering adversity, it is important to discern if God is using it to bring growth and maturity to your life. That is why it is essential to prepare yourself to do God's will by knowing Him and His Word. Luke 12:47 says, "And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes." This passage talks about the servant who knew the wish in God's heart, but did not do it. The Scripture says he will experience the fruit of his procrastination by taking many beatings. Many people know what they must do for God, but still do not do it.
gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (James 1:17). Scripture also says, "The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it" [Proverbs 10:22]. God gives you the privilege of enjoying His blessings of good health, harmonious family relationships, inner peace and abundant provision. d. It was good to eat of the tree. God always wants the best for us; but in order to know it is good, we must taste it. You have to savor God's blessings or you will never know them. You can savor God's blessings in many ways and one of them is with your tithe. The Lord said, "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try me now in this...if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it" Malachi 3: 10). e. God wants you to find the Tree of Life. "For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the LORD" (Proverbs 8:35). The Tree of Life is represented in Jesus of Nazareth. That is why Jesus said that whoever finds Him, will find life. Look at the example of Job in the Old Testament. He went through many devastating economic and family losses. But God met him where he was, and Job was restored to God. You could say that Job had an encounter with the Tree of Life. Job trusted God fully when he repented of his fear and failures and after he repented, God gave him back everything Job had lost. For you to receive the Tree of Life, you need to repent, turning your entire heart, soul, and mind to God. This is how you become a branch in the tree of God.
wide open. He wanted to demonstrate His desire to freely grant forgiveness to all who would come to Him. But whom should we forgive? Simply stated, we need to forgive all those who have offended us. Usually, the people who hurt us the most are the ones closest to us. Generally, we don't feel resentful toward people we don't know such as store clerks or business managers. We feel the most offended by those living under our roofs. These are the ones we need to forgive. The Lord forgives our debts the same way we forgive our debtors. The measure of forgiveness you give to others is the same measure He will use to forgive you. When you are reluctant to forgive, all your transgressions will weigh you down. What you need to do is to forgive others and forget their trespasses against you. That is exactly what Jesus did with your sins. When God forgives you, He totally forgets that you have missed the mark. As far as the east is far from the west that is how the Lord forgets your rebellions and sins. As you embrace forgiveness, you will find that God will help you forgive with faith without fear of failure. But how does that happen? The Lord gives the answer: a. Recognize your need as the origin. Remember those moments of your life when you needed God's forgiveness. There is not one single person who can say she does not need God's forgiveness Every one of us has sinned and rebelled against God. We all need His forgiveness. b. Submit to God. When you submit to God, you are given authority to resist bitterness and its destructive effect on your life. c. Determine to forgive. Make the decision to forgive. Many people claim that they do not feel they can forgive, but forgiveness is not a feeling it is a decision of the heart. d. Confess that you have truly forgiven. It is important to communicate forgiveness from the heart. You may need to tell a person that you have forgiven her. There are times in which it may not be appropriate to express forgiveness with words; what you do in this case is to make the decision to forgive and say a prayer to bless the person, even if she isn't present. Keep in mind that sometimes you will think about the person you just forgave. It will appear that you are reliving the offense and that you haven't forgiven after all. it could be that the enemy is trying to deceive you by planting an idea in your head that is not true. Do not accept his tactic because you have already chosen to forgive. Realize that the offense is a debt, and when you forgave, you canceled that debt. (When you break a debt by paying it, you do not have to pay it again? Would you pay the same debt twice?) So, if you have already forgiven a person's debt, do not let the enemy deceive you into thinking that you have to forgive again. When you forgive a person, you pull a bitter stake of unforgiveness out of your heart. Leave it out. e. Do not go back to resentment. Do not let the enemy fill your mind and heart with arguments why you shouldn't forgive. You must totally forget what happened. Avoid snide comments and unkind words intended to hurt. Your forgiveness must be total. You must never again make room for resentment. If you have taken it to the Cross and forgiven from your heart, resentment has lost its power over you.
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f. Replace the negative with the positive. The Bible tells us that those who are forgiven much love much. When you believe that God has forgiven you a little, you will love Him just a little. But when you know God has forgiven you a whole mountain of sin, you love Him with all your heart! If a woman has offended you in a big way, forgive her in a big way. Make the decision to believe in her with all your heart and determine to never bring back her offenses. Bury those transgressions and you will see how complete God's restoration is in your life.
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Live a true life of faith. We cannot fake Christianity, because the Christian life is allowing Christ to live through us. The reason why we can live a life of faith is because it is Christ's character inside who empowers us to live a godly life. Note that from all the people who went out of Egypt with Moses, only Joshua and Caleb actually got to the Promised Land. Why? Well, they had a different spirit than the others did. They lived by faith and not by what they saw. Others perished in the desert because they did not please God by living by faith.
'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree'~." What happens through faith? Through Christ, we are given great and precious promises of victory over the evil one: We give up our sins through repentance and accept God's salvation. We give our weaknesses to Jesus and accept His strength. We give up our sicknesses and accept His health. We give up our anguish and accept His wonderful peace. We give up our needs and accept His provision. We give up our will and accept the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We give up our human knowledge and accept His divine wisdom.
10. "Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen."
Jesus boldly declares this strong and fundamental truth, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand" [John 10:27-28]. Even though Jesus died in seeming weakness, He raised up in power. Every tribe, nation, people, and tongue was given to Him. He has all power in heaven and earth. Under His feet are all principalities, authorities and powers. He rules over everything and His kingdom will never end. Scripture communicates boldly that all kingdoms, power and glory belong to God. Moses understood that. He prayed "Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God" (Psalm 90:1-2). One of the most beloved psalms proclaims the protection God gives to those who make Him their shelter: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, 'He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.' Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler" [Psalm 91:1-4]. These first two lessons have emphasized ten important principles from the Lord's Prayer. Apply them to your life so they will start to become part of you. Practice them daily until the prayer becomes your way of living. Know that the Holy Spirit will help you flow in His presence. CONCLUSION When you develop true communication with your Father and seek His will, He gives you provision, forgiveness, victory over temptation and deliverance from the evil one. Right now you must make the decision to establish that bridge of effective communication with the Lord that will drive you to God's mercy and His fullness.
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APPLICATION God wants you to enjoy His blessings. From now on, do not let a day pass by without having that special time in the secret place with your Lord. Get to know Him in an intimate, real, deep and permanent way, and your life will be transformed.. Questions: 1. What is involved in doing God's will? 2. List principles that will help you experience prosperity.
3. What should I do to forgive? 4. According to the last answer, make a list of the people you have found it difficult to forgive. Begin to pray over your list.
5. What does it mean to "lead us not into temptation"? 6. Christ redeemed us from the curse (Galatians 3:13). Fill in the blanks. We give up our __________ and accept His__________ We give up our _________ through repentance and accept His __________ We give up our __________ and accept His We give up our __________ and accept His wonderful ___________ We give up our __________ and accept __________ His __________ We give up our __________ and accept the guidance of the __________ We give up our __________ and accept His _________
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LESSON 2:
When you establish a relationship with God through the Holy Spirit, a fresh anointing comes to your life. This is not like the customs in biblical days when the people prepared vessels for containing their wine. They used clean skins of animals to contain the liquid, but if the skins were old and cracked, the wine could not be contained in them. Instead, the people were to prepare new wineskins that were pliable and would be useful for that purpose. Likewise, if you want the wine of the Holy Spirit in your marriage and in your home, you need to prepare your life so the Spirit of God can come down and live in it. Even if your marriage relationship has become dull, when the presence of the Spirit of God descends, it brings a sweet taste to your relationship that keeps your love alive.
3. What effect does a poor self-image have on a person and how does healing come?
"The story of the woman, whose self-image was smashed by her sin, does not stop there. The woman continued telling her story to Dr. Cho. "God gave me a husband now who has respected my life, but I feel that I do not deserve him," she said despairingly. Then, Pastor Cho with wisdom from the Holy Spirit told her, "Daughter, close your eyes and picture yourself in front of a lake. You throw a stone in the lake. You see how the stone falls down into the water and you hear the big sound it makes, 'clunk, clunk,' because the stone is a big one. Now, pretend I throw a little stone, which makes a smaller sound, 'pac, pac'.' Even though my stone is not the same size as yours, it also makes waves in the water, but the waves are smaller than yours. See how both stones sink down into the lake. Can you imagine that? That example can be compared to your sins and the relationship they have to the Cross. It does not matter the size of your sin; if you come to the feet of Jesus that big stone of sin is removed from your life. The Lord wants you to throw your heavy burden into the depths of the lake, so you never again will remember it. The same principle applies to a sin such as a small lie. Everything that you put at the feet of Jesus, whether big or small, will cancel the curse it brought with it." Until this woman truly understood Jesus had forgiven her, she could not be restored to the woman she
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once was. Now, she has a stable home with her husband and children. Both are now happily serving the Lord.
"Lord, I give you this secret that no one else knows because it brings shame to me. I feel bad about myself, but I give you this feeling. Forgive me. I am sorry I failed you. I need to be washed from all my sins with Your precious blood. Lord, please erase my rebellion. Jesus, thank You for restoring my self image. I feel peace because of Your great forgiveness. From now on, I will only care about how You see me. I pray in the name of Jesus, Amen. " CONCLUSION As you learn to see yourself the way God created you, you will be radically changed and your selfimage restored from the damaging effects of failure and sin. APPLICATION Be open to Gods restoration through the essence of your life your self-esteem. Be the woman God created. Yourself and others. Questions: 1. What is the image you have of yourself as a woman? 2. Does Ephesians 2:10 apply to your life? Why or why not? 3. What is guilt? 4. How can you take guilt out of your life? Consult the book The Revelation of the Cross. 5. In your life, what are the effects or consequences of your poor self-image? As you learn to see yourself the way God created you, you will be radically changed and your selfimage restored from the damaging effects of failure and sin.
6. Look up Isaiah 43:4. How does God see us? Be open to God's restoration through the essence of your life your self-esteem. Be the woman God created you to be before Him, yourself and others.
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LESSON 4:
be at our table, so He car bless our food and our fellowship around the table. He should be welcomed as we sit in our chairs during our resting moments. WE should prepare a lamp stand, so the Holy Spirit can be the one, which ignites the light in our mind. Now, this relationship with the Holy Spirit cannot be built overnight or even after a few weeks or months. It has to be cultivated by the way we live. You need to tell the Holy Spirit, "Lord, let my life be a dwelling place for You. Take control of who I am and use me to show Your glory." You need to invite the Holy Spirit into your life to such a degree that you let Him guide every step you take by faith. Walking in faith means "to move in the supernatural dimension of the Holy Spirit's guidance." This may not seem logical at times. Nevertheless, it is important to leave room in your life for the possibility of divine intervention. As you do, you will see extraordinary miracles and experience God's hand moving in every situation you go through. Scripture says this occurs "not by might nor by power" but by the strength of the Holy Spirit (Zechariah 4:61). Keep in mind that if you invite the Holy Spirit into your life, you need to be careful not to make Him sad. You grieve the Holy Spirit every time you do your own will. If He tells you what to do and you only partially obey Him, you cause Him sadness. Our obedience needs to be immediate and totally aligned with His will.
Three steps to live with the Holy Spirit. 1. Bear purity of heart. You need to be certain that your sins were cleansed and the wickedness of your past erased from your life. Then with a pure heart, you will be ready to receive the Holy Spirit. There should not be any vestige of impurity in your life that would block the Holy Spirit's entrance to your heart. 2. Ask. You need to ask for the fullness of the Holy Spirit. In Acts, the believers asked for the Spirit to come down to their lives. They persevered in prayer for ten days because they were claiming the promise Jesus gave them to wait for the gift His Father promise, which he had mentioned to them many times (acts 1:41).The one hundred and twenty who were gathered there, did not leave until God answered their prayers and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4) 3. Believe. If you have asked God for His Spirit, your part now is to believe. Believing is having the certainty that the Lord has come to live in your life as He promised through His Word. If you asked Jesus into your heart, then you must act in faith accepting that He lives there. The Holy Spirit is as real as any person could be in your life. He is going to give direction to your path and He will help you balance every area of your life. When the Shunammite woman received the prophet, she was received a person. And later, when she had a problem, she ran to that person. This is the same thing you should do with the Spirit of
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God. Run to Him and believe Him. CONCLUSION Having a genuine and real relationship with the Holy Spirit allows you to experience amazing miracles. APPLICATION Continue to set a special time aside to spend with God. Guard your devotional time. Keep your Bible at hand so you can start discovering in the Word the blessings God has for your life and for those who love you. Ask and allow the Holy Spirit to come into your life and guide you. Questions: 1. Who is the Holy Spirit for you?
2. During the Encounter, did you meet the Holy Spirit and receive His fullness? Explain your answer.
3. How do you consider your relationship with the Holy Spirit? Is it good, bad, or non-existent? Explain.
4. According 2 Kings 4:8-10, How did the Shunammite woman prepare for the coming of the prophet Elisha?
5. Relate the element and its meaning: Bed Chair Lampstand Elisha Bless the food, company Watch over your dreams Holy Spirit Light up the mindset 6. How do we grieve the Holy Spirit?
7. List the three steps necessary to have a good relationship with the Holy Spirit.
8. The Shunammite woman needed a miracle from the prophet she had welcomed. What is the miracle you need, and how can you receive the Holy Spirit's promise to work a miracle in your life?
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LESSON 5:
C. In the blessing (Psalm 128:3). The grapevine is a representation of happiness and fruitfulness. These two characteristics are abilities Siftings) that God has given to wives. Children are like olives, and this represents the anointing God gives the family to be strong and victorious. D. In marital love [Ephesians 5:28]. Love between husband and wife must be fed daily with words, attitudes and attention to little details. The couple needs to be committed to one another with the conviction that they will not allow their love to be diminished. E. In the woman's leadership [Titus 2:4]. The woman needs to allow the Lord to develop her ministry. It is important that she be equipped to train other women how she has learned to live under the blessing of the Lord.
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F. To maintain a committed ideal marriage (Mark 10:6-9). When a man and woman marry, they make a covenant before God to stay together. This kind of commitment keeps the possibility of a divorce low. It will protect the couple because as they turn to God. He will give them the strength they need to overcome every obstacle. Know that only God can give you true love for one another and this will help you develop the marriage and family you desire. G. To receive and demonstrate the unconditional love of God (Psalm 27:10). Even when parents put aside their primary responsibility of caring for their children, God never does. He enters situations to assume that responsibility and He brings healing and restoration through His unconditional love. God's hands are always open to give comfort to each one of His children who may have been abandoned. CONCLUSION If you establish your home according to God's principles and desires, you will be blessed and your family will be shielded from destructive things. This involves knowing God's purpose for each family member, understanding each family member's responsibility and establishing genuine commitment based in God's love. APPLICATION Initiate specific actions with members of your family that will let you fulfill God's purpose for them. Be determined to achieve your goals. Questions: 1. What is the significance of marriage to the Lord? 2. Have you experienced true love in your life? 3. According to Genesis 1:28, what are the blessings for the couple? 4. What was God's desire when He established marriage?. 5. Match the right Biblical verses: Column A Marital stability Descendants Blessed family Marital love Women's leadership 6. List at least four responsibilities of the couple. 7. How is discipline to be administered? 8. According to Proverbs 31:10-31, what are the characteristics of a virtuous woman? 9. According to your previous answer, what aspects need reinforcement in your life?
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Column B Psalm 128:3 Luke 14:27-30 Titus 2:4 Psalm 127:3-5 I Ephesians 5:28
LESSON 6:
From the first book of Genesis to the last book of Revelation, every word in the Bible is the inspired Word of God. It was written throughout a 1 600-year period. About forty holy writers participated in the writings, and they came from different cultures and historical eras. The social status of the writers varied from person to person. There were powerful kings, virtuous women, judges, governors, prophets, farmers and fishermen who were inspired to write God's words. He touched their lives and made them conduits through which His Word could freely flow. The Word of God changed them and it changes us today. The blessing God has for the family has passed down from parents to their children from generation to generation. It is every parent's responsibility to teach the Word of God to her children. It is important you consistently give the Word to your children until its teaching becomes a way of life for everyone in your home. Hosea 4:6 say, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children." Parents, please listen to this truth. If you forget the Word of God, it is difficult for God to bless your children. This hurts them by stunting their spiritual growth. What hurts parents most is to see their children hurt. We hear about men who did bad things, men who seemed to be cold and insensitive, but when their children were hurt, they became hurt as well. The children touched a place in their heart that was still sensitive. Let's be sensitive to our children's spiritual needs. Do not neglect to give your children what they need to be successful a steady diet of God's Word tempered with love.
As we mature in Christ, we get to a point in which we learn to depend on God for all our needs. We experience His daily provision the same way the Israelites experienced it in the desert. "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the-oracles of God: and-you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are grown, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Hebrews 5:12-14). In the natural world, solid food is for those who have grown up. In the spiritual world, solid food is for those who have exercised their faith and matured in Christ. Like athletes who strive to be crowned as champions [by completely dedicating themselves to their sports, we as God's champions wholly desire to be fed the Word of the Lord. We consistently press forward for the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus as we feed on the bread He provides. CONCLUSION It is important to build a balanced family in which your children can develop a healthy self-esteem, feel secure, communicate openly, and have real contact with the Word of God. APPLICATION Gather with your whole family and establish specific goals that will allow you to build a balanced home. Depending on the age of your children, focus on areas that include the spiritual, physical, personal, ministerial and secular aspects of their lives.. Questions: 1. How can children lose their family identity? 2. To help keep a balanced self-esteem in your children, you must: 3. List fundamental steps to activate communication with your. 4. Fill in the blanks: From the book of Genesis to ____________, it is all the Word Of God it was written in a period of _____________ years. There were __________________ about writers of the Bible. They came from different __________________. 5. What is one of the fundamental duties of parents? 6. Write and memorize 1 Peter 2: 1 -2. 7. What kind of attitudes should you avoid to prevent the spiritual milk from spoiling? 8. When does the Word of God become bread for our lives?
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LESSON 7:
In faith, you can put the celestial army to work, and hearts and lives will be transformed. You will see the glory of God in your life, in your home, your ministry, and in your business.
curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" [Genesis 12:1-33. To be able to fulfill His purpose of blessing His children, God always looks for a contact point, a person who has the faith to be an example for His descendants. The Hebrew word used in Genesis 12:2 for "blessing" is "berakah." This word means "to give the power of the kindness and favor of God. " Generally the blessing was transmitted verbally. The Hebrews saw that inherent in the spoken word, was the power to attract the good or to activate the evil. When a woman expressed God's blessing to another person, she was conveying her desire to wish God's favor for her. In the New Testament, James perceived the power of the spoken word for good or evil, "Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so" (James 3:10). We can use our words as weapons to destroy or as tools to build up. Therefore, it is our responsibility to use words that edify others. If you have purposed in your heart to walk in the ways of blessing, you must bless daily those around you.
to multiply our development in the ministry, M our spiritual lives and in our finances. Give us the anointing of authority to do your work. We ask you in the name of Jesus, Amen. Ask God to bless your husband. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 7:4 that a wife has authority over her husband's body and the husband has authority over his wife's body. If God gave us this responsibility on our husband's life, we need to use it in a proper way. The best way to do this is by blessing him. A good blessing spoken over him is found in Psalm 1 12. You could also use the following prayer as a pattern of "praying blessing" into his life: "My husband, I thank God for your life. I thank Him because He chose you to be my partner. Let God make you great, as He did with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. May you find grace in God's eyes and in the eyes of those around you. May the Lord bless the work of your hands and everything you do. You are blessed because you fear God and you delight in doing His commandments. You win reproduce yourself in three generations; your descendants and disciples wit be blessed. God will bless you with goods and wealth. You are a merciful man who has the anointing to rule. God has given you a kind heart to help those in need. God will lift you up with His glory and give you His justice throughout your life. " Ask God to bless your children. God gave us a family and it is our duty to bless each one of them. "Blessings are on the head of the righteous,' says Proverbs 10:6a. Jesus said, "I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are Yours" (John 17:9). Many patriarchs in the Bible prayed for and blessed their children. [See the example of Isaac, Jacob and Job in Hebrews 11:20-21 and Job 1:5. Similarly. The blessing you release over your children is a prophetic word on their lives. Paul said in Romans 10:8, "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart [that is, the word of faith which we preach." It is important that before you release a word of blessing over your children that you believe it in your heart first. You cannot do this just as a formality because we get bound to the word we speak. (Proverbs 6:2) it is also important that you bless each child individually and pray regularly. A. Ask God to bless your daughter. "Daughter, I thank God for your life. You are a gift of God in our home. May the Lord make you as Ruth or Esther, to have favor before the eyes of God and the eyes of men; may the Lord keep your emotions from any wounds; may the Father give you a husband who fears Him, a man who takes care of you, protects you and loves you. May you be an excellent wife, mother and leader. May the Lord give you prosperity and abundance in goods and wisdom. May He give you all the petitions of your heart, and make you a thousand times what you are now. In Jesus Christ, Amen." B. Ask god to bless your son. "Son, I give thanks to God for your life. I bless you with the blessing of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. May the hand of the Lord be on you and make you His servant. May the Lord bless you with wisdom, prosperity and peace. May you use, every day of your life, for making His Kingdom greater. May the Lord give you a virtuous wife, and may you be an example for her. May the Lord make you a thousand times what you are now. In Jesus Christ, Amen. C. Ask God to bless the people you mentor. The Bible gave Aaron and his sons a pattern to speak
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blessing over the children of Israel. "The LORD bless you and keep you the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). Jesus prayed for His disciples so God could always protect them. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth" (John 17:15-17). Our disciples become our spiritual daughters. We need to consistently pray for them and bless them because many of them are carrying the burden of the ministry. "Father, I thank You for each one of my disciples. I bless them today with the blessing of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I ask You that your power protect them from all danger and evil. I pray that they can understand the purpose of Your cad and that they will be able to fulfill it faithfully. I ask that You make them a thousand times what they are now. In Christ Jesus, Amen." CONCLUSION Ever since the beginning of humankind, God's purpose has been to bless His children with fruitfulness, multiplication, and authority. It Is In your hands to accept the challenge and become a channel of blessing for the ones you loveblessing them in the spiritual, physical, emotional, financial, personal, family, and ministerial areas of their lives.
Questions: 1. What does it mean to "bless"? 2. According to Genesis 1:28, explain the power of the blessing God gave. 3. Use the suggested prayers as a guide to help you write your own prayers of blessing. Activate the power of God's blessing as you pray your words. Your husband "My husband, I thank God for your life; may the Lord bless you, the work of your hands and everything you do. You are a Spirit-filled man and an excellent husband, father and leader. God bless you with health, peace, and may He make you a thousand times of what you are now." (Personal Prayer) Your son "Son, I thank God for your life. I bless you with the blessing Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. May the hand of God be upon you and may He make you His servant. May the Lord bless you wit wisdom, prosperity, and peace. May your life be an example In Christ Jesus, Amen (Personal Prayer) Your daughter "Daughter, I thank God for your life. You are a precious gift In OL home. May God keep your heart, take care of you, and protest you. May the Lord give you an abundance of goods and wisdom; May He give you the desires of your heart, and make you thousand times what you are now. In Christ Jesus, Amen.
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LESSON 8:
will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you" (Romans 8:9-11). A worldly woman wants to take care of herself without asking God'! Direction. Because she knows God does not approve of what she is doing, she prefers to live away from Him. The characteristics of the worldly woman are: She thinks about the things of the world. She cares for the things that produce death. Her plans are against God. She is rebellious and does not submit herself to the Law of God The sad outcome of practicing evil and living in the rebellious world nature is spiritual death. "For indeed, those who are far from you *God+ shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert you (Psalm 73:27).
1. Free to choose.
Our behavior is determined by the ideas we welcome into our mind. Continuing our story of Jacob and Esau, we are taught the lesson that God gives us a will that is free to choose or reject His ways. One day when both men were grown, Esau had come in from the field and was very weary and hungry. He asked Jacob if he could eat the stew Jacob had prepared. Jacob responded, "Sell me your birthright as of this day. " Esau responded, "Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?" (Genesis 25:31-32). Before Esau were two choices. His physical body desired food, and he was willing to give up his birthright for that one meal. The birthright would have given him the "first-son blessing" as his inheritance from Abraham and his father, Isaac]. The enemy had deceived Esau into thinking, "What have I obtained by being the first-born? It is better to sell my birthright before I starve to death." It is interesting to think that if Esau had chosen differently, God would be remembered as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Esau! But because Esau did not see the immediate blessing, he showed that he despised his birthright by giving it away for a morsel of food. After Jesus had spent forty days and nights fasting in the desert, the tempter said to Him, "If You are
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the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." Jesus answered, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God' " (Matthew 4:3-4). The strategy the enemy uses is to drop seeds into our thoughts. This is a bait to control lives. Satan used this trick with Job, saying, "Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life" (Job 2:4). The enemy uses the desires of the flesh to blind the eyes of the spirit. If we allow it, this blocks our understanding so we cannot hear the voice of God. We are then, led astray by the enemy. The writer of Hebrews warns us not to choose the ways of the enemy, as did Esau. Ablest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears" (Hebrews 12:16-17). Note that Esau's choice to sell his birthright was made without any pressure from God. God highly respects the freedom of choice He gave us.
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John said, "And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:17.) CONCLUSION When we live in the Spirit and not in the world, we can see the will of God. As we see His will, it is important to be willing to listen to the sweet voice of the Holy Spirit and follow His ways with persistence. We find victory in the spiritual dimension as we allow ourselves to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. We see that the will of God is good, pleasant, and perfect. Questions: 1. Explain the main difference between a worldly woman and E spiritual one. Give an example of each type of person from Genesis.
2. Complete the sentences. The worldly woman thinks of _____________. She cares of the things that lead her to ________________. Her plans are _____________. She prefers to live ____________from God. She is ______________and does not submit herself to God. 3. What are the characteristics of the spiritual woman?
5. According to Romans 12:2. what must you do in order to prove the good, acceptable and perfect will of God?
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LESSON 9:
Be a Woman of Purpose
PRIMARY BIBLICAL REFERENCE: 1 John 5:4 ADDITIONAL REFERENCES: Ephesians 1: 3; Ephesians 5:27; Matthew 4:4.7,10; 1 John 3:9; Philippians 4:6; Psalm 45:7; Numbers 13:30-3; 1 Corinthians-2: 11-12; James 4:7; 1 Corinthians 2:16; Isaiah 45:7; Numbers 13:30-31; Numbers 14:89,24,28. 29,33-34,36-38; Proverbs 12:1 4; Ecclesiastes 10:1; Proverbs 12:1 4; Proverbs 18:7 Key Scripture: "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the worldour faith" - 1 John 5:40 It is important that every woman find her place in the Body of Christ. We cannot be like isolated pieces to a puzzle; we need to be integrated in the Body of Christ through faith only then can we fulfill the purpose He has prepared for us. God's purpose is to bless each of His children. The Apostle Paul declared that God has "blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3.) The spiritual blessing includes the physical, emotional, family and financial areas of our lives. When you gave your heart to Jesus, He adopted you as His daughter. This gave you the privilege to experience all the rights God's children enjoy. These blessings are the result of surrendering your whole life to Jesus. The following truths will broaden your understanding of how the blessing of God comes to you:
gave the people. It has several key principles: A. Elis mercy will bring us through. We can only please God by living a life of faith, and a life of faith is in allowing total dependency on Him. When we do this, His best blessings are reserved for us. B. Do not rebel. When we do not want to conquer things the way God has told us, we are being rebellious. The people's negativity brought discouragement followed by rebelliousness. C. Do not fear people. When we are afraid of our enemies, we have to accept our inferiority to them. We cannot conquer if we are afraid. D. Enemies are our bread. This expression is an example of how easy victory comes when we know God is leading us to it. Joshua knew God was on their side, but the people would not listen to his words of faith. They would rather live in discouragement and complain because the language of faith bothered their ears. They chose to stone the messengers of faith.
thanksgiving fills your heart Joshua and Caleb were honoring God before the congregation b confessing His promises. And after forty years, they became the leaders of the generation who possessed the land. - Speak the words of the wise not the words of the fool. Wise Solomon gave us principles we need to guide our speech. He said, "A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth, and the recompense of a man's hands will be rendered to him " (Proverbs 1 2:1 4). He pointed out the difference between wise and foolish words. "The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool shall swallow him up" (Ecclesiastes 10:12). And he emphasized what happens when a foolish person's mouth leads him astray. "A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul" (Proverbs 18:7). CONCLUSION We need to guard our thoughts and attitudes in order to live victorious Christian lives. Let's make an effort to gain and retain the mind of Christ through the renewing of our mind in Him. Let's be willing to conquer the things that defeat us, allowing the establishment of God's will in our lives, families, and ministries. APPLICATION Resolve to have the mind of a conqueror. This involves hearing, believing and acting on the promises God has given you for victory in every area of your life. Questions: 1 Turn to 1 John 5:4. What does it say? 2. What does it imply to "be born of God"?
6. Ask yourself if your thoughts are like Jesus' thoughts. Say a prayer to Him, thanking God for the thoughts He has about you. Ask Him for wisdom to think like He thinks and to speak words of victors over your life.
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LESSON 10:
Hannah's attitude of prayer shows us what happens when we make an offering to God. She was telling the Lord if she had a son, she would give him to God totally. Her son would stay in the house of God for the rest of his life. She understood this offering would change her destiny, Even though she probably didn't know how the miracle could happen since she was a sterile woman, she wanted to raise up a generation for God. In response to her request, Eli, the priest, told her, "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him" (1 Samuel 1:17). Hannah got up, wiped her tears and left the bitterness and sadness behind. And her request was granted. "It canoe to pass in the process of time...Hannah conceived and bore a son" ? (1 Samuel 1:20.) Note this woman went to the house of God once a year to cry her heart out asking the Lord for a son. Let us remember in those days this distance was far and travel was hard. People walked or rode a donkey to travel to their destinations. Every year Hannah traveled to God's house, but this time the outcome was different because she made an offering to the Lord by faith. We need to keep in mind Hannah did not have anything else to offer God other than what she did. After the birth of the baby, Hannah told her husband she would stay home from the customary trip to God's house until the child was weaned. Then when the child was no older than three years of age, she went to the priest to show him the miracle, the answer to her prayer. Telling Eli the child was her offering to God, she explained he would remain in that place and serve the Lord. Every year she would visit her son to bring him a special tunic. This child became prophet Samuel. Not only was her destiny changed, but the destiny of a nation would be changed as well.
Samuel 2:22-36.) Their lives were cut short, and a generation was not raised up for God through them. Eli failed as a father because he was unable to teach them how to live life with the fear of the Lord. But God raised up a simple woman, who in spite of her sterility, could light up the faith in her heart toward God Here was a woman determined to give her son to His service for all his life. God accepted Hannah'5 prayer because of her offering, and her son became one of the greatest prophets in Israel. You must desire Hannah's heart and give God the best you have. Think about what you can give the Lordwhat is the mast significant thing in your life? Your offering will determine your destiny and it will move God's hand.
3.God provides.
It took five days for the Lord to create, with all detail, everything humankind would need. God was so generous that in the same creative act, He provided enough natural resources for everyone to live for thousands of generations. Paul tells Timothy to advise all the rich people to put their trust not in uncertain riches, but in the living God who gives us all things in abundance so we could enjoy them. (1Timothy 6:17.) True wealth can only be found in God, not in material things. Physical things will wear out, but our God stays forever. The wise King Solomon said, "Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty" (Proverbs 3:9-10.)
Sacrifice. Abel understood that the right offering involved sacrifice. He chose the best from his herd so it could represent his total devotion to God. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16.) The way God demonstrated His love to this world was by giving His only Son in sacrifice. When we give God our best, we are giving back to Him, in a way, that salvation offering He gave us. He obtained witness that he was righteous. As we saw it before, an offering speaks. Abel's offering was converted into a testimony before God, and that testimony made him righteous. When God tested Abraham and he was willing to sacrifice his son, God was pleased. "By Myself I have Sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only sonblessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies" (Genesis 22:16-17.) An offering spoken even after death. King Solomon said, "The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot" (Proverbs 10:7). Abel's offering remains speaking even after his death. If an offering is so important for God, we should always make an effort to give our very best.
attitude in giving. "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have abundance for every good work. As it is written, "He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever" (2Corinthians 9:7-9). The Bible also describes what happens to a person who has a readiness to give. "The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself" (Proverbs 1 1:25).
6. Learning to tithe.
For the people of Israel, it is very normal to separate ten percent of their income for God's work; they did this even before He established it in the Mosaic Law. Abraham tithed to Melchizedek, and he was blessed ( Hebrews 7:2-6.) Jacob tithed and made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and keep me-in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God. And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God's house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You" (Genesis 28:20-22). The Lord gave a wonderful promise that talks about the blessing He gives when we give. " Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house , and try Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," says the LORD of hosts; "And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land," says the LORD of hosts (Malachi 3:10-12, italics added). Let's study the blessings God has for those who have learned the importance of tithing. "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse." The storehouse represents the church or place where you are fed spiritually. That is the place you should bring your tithe. "That there may be food in My house." With your tithe, you support those doing God's work, and He will compensate your gift to you. "I will rebuke the devourer." The devourer is a spirit of ruin. The Lord promises to rebuke it from us. "and all nations will call you blessed." The blessing will be so obvious that it will extend to other nations. They will see God's favor resting on each of His children. "You will be a delightful land." This only happens when the curse is removed and the blessing is restored in our territory. CONCLUSION We can learn from the example of Hannah who gave an offering that cost much but in the end yielded a blessing that changed her destiny. We can learn what is pleasing to God as we study Abel's offering
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Hebrews 11:4). it is important when we give an offering that our heart is right, and we are encouraged to tithe so we may receive God's blessing. APPLICATION Take a few minutes to think about something that is costly to you that you would offer to God. Reflect on why or why not it is difficult for you to offer to God. Questions: 1. What does it mean to you to give an offering?
8. Think about your attitude on giving tithes and offerings. If you have failed in this area, ask the Lord to forgive you and make a commitment to enter into the blessing.
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