Aliene

She did it. She stood back up again. It happened slowly. One small step of faith at a time she conquered the rock-climbing wall of adversity she faced. She found a source of limitless strength and stability. By clinging to Jesus, she was able to climb.

Daily declaring His truth provided essential nourishment for her journey.

“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4)

Discover True Freedom through Jesus

Only by encountering Jesus and embracing his words through faith will we find true freedom. Finding your core identity and purpose is not about frantically striving to be someone; but surrendering to Jesus by allowing his Word to define who you are and the purpose for which you were created.

Jesus wants you to see yourself the way he sees you. When we receive his love for us, we find a freedom to give truly to others the way God intended.

As we close our Following Jesus Finding Life Weekly Word Series, allow His words to sow seeds of encouragement in your heart. Let this day and every day begin by declaring truth to nourish your heart. Print this and post where you can see and speak His truth. ONWARD!

Through Christ, I am a daughter of God Almighty. He has chosen me to be his child (John 1:12), ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20), and princess (Galatians 4:7; 1 Peter 2:9).

I am his treasure designed for a unique purpose (Deuteronomy 14:2; 1 Peter 2:9; Ephesians 2:10).

His love for me is unconditional and endless (John 3:16; 1 John 3:1; Ephesians 3:18), and his power is made perfect in all my weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9–10).

 In Christ, I am completely accepted and in right standing with my Heavenly Father (Galatians 2:21; Ephesians 1:4–5). I praise you for your grace (Ephesians 1:7) and your favor (Psalm 5:12) that surround me. Thank you, God, for the treasure of your resurrection power living inside me (Ephesians 1:19–20; 2 Corinthians 4:7).

I worship you as my healer (Matthew 8:17), my restorer (Psalm 23:3), and my Dream Builder. You alone are God and you are good. You are for me (Romans 8:31), and I can overcome because Christ overcame (1 John 5:4). I am redeemed (1 Peter 1:18–19). I was created for your glory (Ephesians 2:10). I am a new creation; the old has gone and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Open my eyes wide to the plan, provision, and purpose you have for my life. I trust your love and surrender my steps, big and small, that Christ may live through me. I choose today to listen to your voice above all others. I am ready to cut new paths—blazing a trail for your glory, resting in your strength. Give me the courage to believe I am your treasure and give me the commitment to follow you so I can be an avenue of your love as I live for you alone. Amen.

Follow Jesus. Find life and live as God intended!

Nourish Scripture: Luke 1:46-55

Do you want to connect to God’s Word in a way that transforms the way you live? Download Nourishing Your Heart today!

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Blog written by Aliene Thompson. Aliene Thompson is the founder of Treasured Ministries and the Author of the Nourish Bible Study Series. © 2019 Treasured Ministries.

In Jesus’ day, rabbis did not teach women. In fact, a rabbi would not speak to a woman if he passed her on the street. But as we peer into the gospels, we see story after story about how Jesus broke through every cultural barrier and social boundary to reach out to women and nourish their hearts with life-giving truth.

I love that about Jesus – don’t you?

Jesus Was Their Teacher

Mary Magdalene called him “Teacher.”

“Teacher!” Mary Magdalene could have called him Savior, Healer, Lord—but she called him “Teacher.” The gospel of John records that precious moment when Mary Magdalene could not bring herself to leave Jesus’ empty tomb. Weeping, she turned from the angels still in the tomb and saw a man she assumed to be a gardener. But when Mary realized the truth—that her Savior was standing before her—she turned to him and exclaimed, “Rabboni,” which is teacher in Hebrew.

Mary of Bethany also called him Teacher.

Martha pulled her sister, Mary of Bethany, away from the mourners, whispering, “The Teacher is here and He wants to see you” (John 11:28). Mary’s heart, saturated in sorrow, did not understand why Jesus had not come in time to save her brother, Lazarus. “Why” was echoing endlessly in her heart when Martha took her to Jesus, who wept with her. A short time later, Christ resurrected her brother from the dead.

Yes, women in the Bible who held Jesus close to their heart called him “Teacher.” Jesus is the Lamb of God, the Prince of Peace, the Bread of Life, the Good Shepherd, Emmanuel (God with us), the Redeemer, King of kings and Lord of lords, but in these moments of great despair, these women called him “Teacher.”

He Empowered Women

Jesus loved and valued women.

He taught them.

And with his words of truth, women were empowered to walk in a new way—by faith and not by sight. Through eyes of faith, these women began to see themselves differently. They saw their circumstances differently. They saw God differently. Their lives were never again the same because of their Teacher.

Today, women around the world continue to encounter Jesus as their Teacher . . . and their lives are forever changed. Through Jesus, these women have overcome all sorts of obstacles, adversity, and challenges with a strength the world cannot offer them.

Still today, when we allow Christ to redefine our identity and the purpose for which we were created, not only are our lives impacted—but also the lives of those around us. From that place of abundance, we can give to others the way God intended. We will join those who came before us, realizing Jesus laid his life down to fight for our heart, releasing us to live fearlessly for his glory as we look to him as our sole source for life.

Let’s step boldly forward to live out our authentic identity and leave blessings in our wake as we lean into and learn from Jesus. Only the Holy Spirit can teach us truth and package it to make a lasting impact on our hearts.

As we call on our Teacher, we will hold our heads a little higher today. We will walk a little wiser. And we will find direction for our decisions today—as we lean on and look to Jesus as our Teacher.

As we call on our Teacher, we will navigate through this storm today. We will find courage to carry on. And we will understand how to walk through this valley we face today—as we lean on and look to Jesus as our Teacher.

Yes, brave heart, today and every day the Teacher is here to see you. Let us, like women of old, treasure the fact that Jesus wants to teach us as we seek truth through his Word.

ONWARD!

Nourish Scripture: Luke 10:38-42

Connect to God’s Word and find the truth you seek. Download Nourishing Your Heart today!

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Blog written by Aliene Thompson. Aliene Thompson is the founder of Treasured Ministries and the Author of the Nourish Bible Study Series. © 2019 Treasured Ministries.

The things we feel ourselves wanting to hide from God are often times the things that should be propelling us into His presence.

What the enemy wants us to keep hidden in our hearts is defeated when we bring it to the feet of Jesus, there is victory found when our knees hit the ground at the throne of God.

The Woman Who Knelt at Jesus’ Feet

In Luke 7 we find Jesus, surrounded once again by the “perfect people” of that time, yet His focus is not on those with their heads held high, it is on the precious daughter that has lowered herself in His presence.

This woman, with the reputation that proceeded her, had nothing to give, yet gave everything she could.

 “A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.”

This woman, rather than running from Jesus in fear, was propelled by the darkness she carried, she was drawn to His feet and she brought with her the only thing of value she had. Her name, her reputation, her life had wasted away, she had run out of herself and so she ran to new life. She drew so close to Jesus that her hair was at His feet, and in that place of vulnerability she was not met with condemnation.

When the world around her met her act of love and devotion with judgement, Jesus was quick to affirm her in verses 41:47

“Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

When she drew near to Him He became her ADVOCATE, He became her DEFENDER.

It was her appreciation and acknowledgement of all her shame and all of His forgiveness that brought her to her knees, fearlessly thankful.

When we are willing to recognize just how dire of a situation our hearts were in before salvation, before Jesus, we are able to rejoice that much more in the freedom of our soul.

Call on Jesus and Cast Your Burdens at His Feet

It is the understanding of how heavy our burdens are that makes the act of casting them at the feet of Jesus so beautiful. Jesus will never be disappointed to find us at His feet, we are never unwelcome at the base of His throne, and our burdens, pain, and shame will never be left on our backs after we stand up.

May our hearts never be fooled into believing that the feet of Jesus are for the perfect, they are for everyone, they are for the weary hearts, they are for the wandering spirit, they are for the hidden pain.

Bring your heart, may the shame that binds it be the pain that propels you to call on Jesus again and again. May the still small call of the Father drown out the screaming lies that tell you to stay hidden, that tell you that you are too far gone.

The truth is, by all understanding of this world, we are too far gone, but that cross reached into the grave, into the “far gone” to pull you out. And no one can take that away from you.

Recognize forgiveness for what it is, the great pardon from death, and live as one who knows they have been pulled from the “far gone” into glorious life with Jesus.

Nourish Scripture: Luke 7:36-50

Enter into a glorious life with Jesus by finding nourishment in God’s Word. Download Nourishing Your Heart to discover the key!

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Blog written by Millicent Phillips. Millicent is part of the Treasured Ministries writing team. © 2019 Treasured Ministries.