Treasured Ministries

Offering women a biblical solution for inner healing

Live Treasured Podcast and Blog

Living Words

by

Dear Treasured Tribe,  

Imagine you knew you only had a short time left to live and wanted to share a last meal with loved ones.

  • Whom would you invite?
  • What meal would you share together?
  • And most important, what final words would you carefully choose to speak over those who graced your table?  

Words matter. But last words can leave a legacy to those you love.  

Of course, not everyone knows when their time on earth is coming to an end, but Jesus did.

Before the dawn of time, the Father designed a plan to redeem us from sin through the sacrifice of his one and only Son. Our Savior. Our Lord and Passover Lamb. The time had arrived on God’s kingdom calendar for perfect love—and the entire reason Jesus came to earth—to come to pass. The passion of the cross. 

“And Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father” (John 13:1 NLT).

The Last Words and Actions of Jesus

As with everything he did, Jesus intentionally chose his last actions on earth with divine precision down to every eternal detail to fulfill his Father’s plan, including the words he expressed to his beloved disciples over the most significant Passover meal in history. While the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke record the Passover meal itself, John’s Gospel expands the experience over five chapters of Scripture, zooming in to emphasize other events and details, including those last precious words.  

And those words breathed the very life of heaven into earth, singing a beautiful prelude to the New Covenant.

Living words.

Eternal words.

Healing words.

Life-giving words.

Glory-defined words.   

Tucked carefully inside the Gospel of John, the Holy Spirit preserved those precious words so you and I could savor them today.

Reflecting on these words is important. When we savor these last words, we are reminded of our glorious inheritance in Christ and can stand firm in who we really are and become all God created us to be. 

Welcome to “Last Words,” a Treasured Ministries Weekly Word Series for Lent on John 13–17. Come and prepare your heart for Easter by gathering around the table with Jesus and hearing those words once more. Let go of the old to embrace the new. In this series, you will . . . 

  • start your week with inspiration by receiving a devotion every Monday designed to draw your heart closer to Jesus as Easter approaches.  
  • savor those last words Jesus spoke as you apply the Nourish Bible Study Method to John 13–17. Want to discover the Nourish Bible Study Method to prepare yourself for your journey? Check out these resources. 
  • reflect and recapture the truth of your New Covenant position in Christ through truth found in John 13–17. 
  • understand the power of the Living Word, what that means, and how you can apply it to your life so you can share these truths with others during Lent to make a difference. 

I am beyond excited to share this journey with you!

ONWARD! 

Aliene Thompson 

Nourish Scripture: John 13 

Learn how to spend time in God’s Word in such a way that it IMPACTS the way you live by downloading Nourishing Your Heart today!

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.

Self-Sabotage: Part Two

by

Even though Jesus tells me not to judge, I confess I am guilty of doing it. Judgement has subtracted from my life long enough. Ahhh – but mercy is a multiplier and triumphs over judgement.

In today’s Podcast, learn how we can make room for God’s multiplication by exchanging the habit of judgment for a habit mercy. 

Podcast: Play in new window

Subscribe: Spotify | More

The End of Your Rope

by

It’s easy to find yourself at the end of a rope you’ve overestimated the length of your capacity. It’s an alarming reality to come to when we run out of ourselves in the face of the responsibilities we have taken on.

The strange thing about reaching the end of ourselves is that we reach that point countless times throughout our lives, yet still, we are caught off guard each time it happens.  

I hit the end of my rope again recently, and I learned my lesson all over again. And so I am writing this, not only to share and hopefully encourage, but to hold myself accountable with words to paper.

Burdens Rob Our Hearts of Passion

We take on responsibilities for the things that we are passionate about and then leave the things we put on our shoulders out of check. Before we know it our responsibilities become burdens and the burdens slip from our shoulders and invade our hearts, stealing the passion. 

It is when we leave our responsibilities unchecked that they rob our hearts of the joy of the passion we have been given. 

When our hearts are re-centered around what is not of God we have made idols of what was given to us to glorify him. Whatever our talents, they are GIVEN to us, we have no right to them. When God gives us these desires and passions, he does not intend for us to take them and run, leaving him behind, he wants to run alongside us.  

Because I can promise you this, you will run out, you will fail, and you will hit your wall. Try as we might, there is only so much of ourselves that we have to give, there is only so much space on our shoulders before responsibilities have to take up residence in our heart. 

We Are Meant to Follow

When I hit my wall I found myself resenting the role of leadership that I was in, the very role I had created for myself became my burden rather than my delight. I looked at those around me and envied them for being able to follow, for getting to learn and not teach. I was exhausted, and I was heartbroken to feel my heart weighed down, rather than lifted, by my role.  

I found myself on my knees, hastily praying for strength before having to go to my next responsibility, when God finally broke through the haze.  

It was when I was most tired of leading that I was reminded of the greatest role I have in this life: Follower.  

There is no obligation from me in this love of the Father other than to merely follow. I do not have to bring anything but my heart on this journey and I need not worry so long as the footsteps I follow are his. I get to be led my whole life, and whatever I am given to lead in the process of this should never be done ahead of the footsteps of the Father, but rather in line.  

Let your passions be spurred on by the Father and ignited by your actions, but do not allow them to rob you of your joy, to rob you of your purpose.  

Nourish Scripture: 2 Timothy 1

By Millicent Phillips. Millicent is a student at Liberty University and a member of the Treasured Ministries writing team. © Copyright Treasured Ministries 2019

Self-Sabotage: Part One

by

Are you self-sabotaging your success through self-deprecation? Sometimes I can be my worst enemy -can you relate? Self-judgement is a bad habit that will throw you off balance.

In today’s Podcast, we start a two–part series on how to break the habit of judgement to balance your thinking for a brighter tomorrow. 

Podcast: Play in new window

Subscribe: Spotify | More

Divine Disconnect

by

Eve Experiencing a Divine Disconnect in the Garden

A flaming sword closed the entrance to the Garden of Eden.

Adam and Eve stood beyond the angel-guarded gate with no way to return to Eden and the tree of life, a previous provision now severed by a sword strategically placed by God himself. Like bitter mingled with sweet, the flaming weapon stood with the mighty cherubim and created an unbreakable barrier to the bounty in Eden. 

God let the sword fall to protect Eve from her previous provision and move her forward to a new and greater provision. 

She had sinned. If she ate from the tree of life, she would have lived in a sin-filled state forever instead of experiencing the eternal life provided through a new source that would come—JESUS. 

A divine disconnect is often designed to protect us and reconnect us to greater provision.  

Trading a Past Provision for a Greater One

Have you been severed from a God given-provision that once fed your soul—and don’t understand why it happened?

  • Was it a job?
  • A relationship?
  • A place or position?

Did you try to recapture your past provision only to experience further rejection? 

I’ve been there . . . fist pounding at the door in prayer, desperate to understand why God closed a door in my life. Let me back in! Like being slammed by a fast-moving revolving door, anytime I tried to step back into my past provision—wham—I would experience a slap of pain that would send me swiftly backpedaling.

I was angry and living in regret as I pined over my past provision. I failed to keep my eyes on Jesus and take hold of my future.  

But now I’m on the other side—and can see. Now I understand. A divine disconnect is often designed to protect us and reconnect us to greater provision. 

Have you experienced a painful severing? Trust God, and invest your energy in moving forward by keeping your eyes on Jesus.  

Nourish Scripture: Psalm 91

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.

Losing My Religion

by

Weary? Be FAITHFUL to cultivate WHATEVER is front of you and find balance. The pursuit of life creates an endless chase making the world responsible for our happiness.

In today’s podcast, learn how to switch your focus and find real life. 

Podcast: Play in new window

Subscribe: Spotify | More

Holy Hold-Up

by

Have you ever thought of the hold-ups in your life as holy hedges of protection? Consider this—during holy hold-ups, the Holy Spirit is hovering and working on your behalf behind the scenes to build something beautiful. 

This is an area where I have to continually renew my mind. But I have learned that in the resting and the waiting—in those times in our lives when prayers don’t seem to be answered and we cannot see God working—the Holy Spirit hovers to bring forth a great work of God. 

God’s Timing Is Perfect

God created the world with the precision and order of a Master Planner.

  • Before there were plants, there had to be light to support the plants.
  • Before there was man, there had to be plants to nourish man.

Nothing was out of order—one step was completed before the next began. His timing was always perfect. And God hasn’t changed. Just as he was the Master Planner of creation, he is building our lives according to his divine purpose and detail. 

Sometimes when the Holy Spirit is hovering, I want to hurry and take matters in my own hands—and I get out of step with the Holy Spirit; worry and anxiety set in. 

When there are hold-ups in my life and I don’t see God working just yet—how would my attitude change if I consider these hold-ups to be holy?  

The Holy Spirit Has a Plan

The Holy Spirit was hovering over a nothingness blob before it turned into something beautiful (Genesis 1:1). When all I see are blobs, may I remember that the Holy Spirit is hovering and has a plan to create something beautiful. When I want to run ahead of God and make things happen, may I remember that the holdup is often a hedge of protection—a gathering of carefully planned provision from the Master Planner.

Rest and trust give us salvation. Often quietness is our strength (Isaiah 30:15). 

God is working his master plan and his timing is perfect. Thanking God today for the provision, planning, protection, and divine purpose that come from a Holy Hold-up!  

Nourish Scripture: Genesis 1

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.

Decluttering Your Life

by

What is cluttering your life, stealing your time, energy, and focus that you fear to release? Moving forward always requires courage to let go.

In today’s podcast, finding the confidence to release life’s clutter so you can live directed instead of distracted and make a difference. #balance #findingfocusfor2019 #shesgotcourage 

Podcast: Play in new window

Subscribe: Spotify | More