Daughters of Grace week 3

 

Week 3

Jael

§  Wife of Heber, a friendly to Sisera’s forces

§  She was a doer.

§  Confidence

§  She was not an Israelite.

§  Blessed woman

§  A heroine

§  Clever

§  Trustworthy

§  Brave

§  Resourceful

§  She was an instrument of God

§  Strong

Weaknesses

§  Kill someone

§  Married to a mercenary and opportunist

§  Unlikely heroine

§  Obscurity

§  Alone (didn’t have her husband's support)

Lessons from her life

1.      Jael saw her opportunity to act and seized it
2.      Act on the opportunities God puts in front of you
3.      Use the tools you've been given.
4.      We can trust God to give us competence
5.      Some things are more important than following rules.
6.      Our highest motive should be honoring God.
7.      Jael's story is a metaphor for how we should fight our spiritual battles
8.      Winning the Battle Against Sin (The only one who can help us do that is Jesus)
9.      Jael had her priorities straight. (prioritize God.)
10.  a girl must slay the giants in her life using whatever crude tools are available. Jael’s hands may have been bloodied in the process, but Israel experienced 40 years of peace because of her lion-hearted act.
11.  Sisera determined his fate by ordering her to stand in the doorway and tell any man who asked, "There is no man in the tent!" Once he was asleep, she killed him with a tent peg.
12.  In Judges, Jael is a heroine who did God's work.
13.  Ultimately, credit for the deliverance is given to God.
14.  She defeated the man who had oppressed the Israelites for 20 years.
15.  Deborah's Song says that Jael is "blessed above women." (5:24)
16.  God will use us right where we are with the gifts and talents HE has given us
17.  Jael is a woman of action - she goes out to meet Sisera, initiates conversation with him, invites him into her tent, and covers him up.
18.  When Sisera asked for water, she gave him milk.
19.  She disarmed him with her words of reassurance
20.  She was the instrument of divine deliverance.
21.  She knew who he was looking for and led Barak to the dead Sisera, robbing Barak of victory's glory.
22.  When Deborah predicted Sisera would be sold into the hands of a woman, most readers thought she was referring to herself. Jael was not yet on the scene.
23.  Those critical of Jael claim she violated customs of hospitality.
24.  Perhaps Sisera should have gone to her husband's tent instead—hospitality was generally a man's duty. But Sisera violated the rules, too.
25.  Good guests don't make demands (Sisera made two, one of which was to ask her to lie on his behalf).
26.  Considering his transgressions against the rules of hospitality, scholars suggest that Jael was justified in killing him to restore honor to herself and her household.
27.  Sisera was a great warrior who generally used and abused women. Jael might have believed he meant to do her harm. This, then, is not murder but a clear case of self-defense! This is made credible by the three-fold repetition of "he fell" at her feet (5:27). Oftentimes, this expression references sexual abuse.
28.  Deborah’s prophecy was fulfilled: the honor of killing the captain of Jabin’s army went to a woman. That woman was Jael
29.  Jael followed the law of God in murdering a general of a Canaanite – symbolic of taking away the oppression of the land and returning to the Law of God, and not choosing to follow the unquestionable law of hospitality that led only to abuse, oppression, detriment, and horror to women.
30. Remember that as a woman, you, too, have the ability and the right to discern God’s Truth and will, regardless of the war and chaos surrounding you. Be patient and wait for the opportune time when God will use you while staying faithful and steadfast to His laws and commands. You have the right to your mind, no matter what your husband says or does or where he takes you. You will have that defining moment in your life, just like.

R    Ruth

§  Ruth was a Moabite gentile. Boaz and Ruth are in the lineage of Jesus. Their son was Obed, Jesse's father and David's father.

§  Ruth was respected for being a godly woman, which is better than being famous or wealthy.

§  Loyalty (Ruth was willing to give up everything she knew to follow Naomi into a foreign country: her family, her people, her home, her country, her gods, her position in society (Gentiles were normally looked down on in Jewish society), and her chance to be re-married).

§  Obedience- Ruth followed her mother-in-law’s advice down to the letter. She didn’t trust herself, her own opinion, or her feelings but followed the older and wiser Naomi, even in such an important matter!

§  Love (2:10-11, 4:15)- Ruth showed great love to her mother-in-law. At any point, she could have left Naomi and pursued her goals. But she didn’t. She cared and provided for Naomi to such an extent that it was well-known throughout the town. The people even said Ruth was better than seven sons to Naomi!

§  Diligence (2:3)- Ruth was a very diligent young woman. She went out to the fields to harvest food for herself and Naomi. She worked hard throughout the days to sustain them. She didn’t sit and wait for help to come to her and Naomi, even though they were

Poor

§  Tolerant

§  Selfless

§  Hard worker

§  Bold

§  Humble

 

Weaknesses

§        Outsider (foreigner)

§     Helpless

§         widow

§  l  Lack of provision

§  l  Lack of protection

 

Lessons from her life

1.      God is concerned about everyone regardless of race, nationality, or status.

a)      Ruth was not a Jew. She was a Moabite. Even though many discriminated against her, God loved her just the same. God does not discriminate, and He loves all people just the same.

2.      Men and women are both equally important to God. (God cares about men and women all the same.)

3.      There is no such thing as an unimportant person in God’s eyes

4.       God saw her as important, and His plan for her life culminated in her becoming a part of the lineage of Jesus (as the grandmother to King David). God’s plan typically involves using people considered underdogs, unimportant, or unimpressive from man’s perspective. His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

5.      God uses “little” things to accomplish great plans.

6.      God has a Redeemer in place who can rescue us from the devastation of our own sin. (believe redemption is possible)

a) Ruth gives us a glimpse of our kinsman-redeemer and the hope he offers

7.      God is faithful amid tragedy

8.      Don’t let the past hold you back

9.      Be full of faith

10.  Value great character

11.  Leave a legacy (God brought her and Boaz together and they conceived a child. That child would be in the lineage of Jesus, the Savior of the world. Ruth, a Moabite, was made part of the lineage of Christ.)

12.  Loss is hard

13.  Keep your commitments

14.  Bitterness happens

15.  The man notices first (God had orchestrated Ruth’s location into Boaz’s presence. When he came into her life, she was minding her own business, looking to pick up leftover grain. “Boaz asked the overseer of his harvesters, “Who does that young woman belong to?”

16.  Honorable intentions (Ruth 2:8; Boaz’s first reaction of Ruth was to protect her)

17.  She made a move (Ruth 3:9)

18.  Noble character is important (Ruth11-16)

19.   He takes care of business (Boaz talked to the guardian-redeemer himself, and, as it turned out, that man did not want the land and Ruth. So, this gave Boaz the “go-ahead,” and he declared that he was there to buy the land and take Ruth as his wife!)

20.  Our decisions matter

21.  God can turn Naomi and Ruth's dark and lonely season into joy, love, and prosperity! Never underestimate the power of your decisions, commitment, humility, and integrity!

22.  Ruth is a love story

23.  Ruth is a portrait of beautiful, noble manhood and womanhood

24.  Ruth addresses racial and ethnic diversity and harmony

25.  Ruth displays the sovereignty of God

26.  Ruth displays radical acts of risk-taking love

27.  Ruth displays the glory of Christ

28.  Ruth shows us where to turn and what to do when life hurts

29.  Ruth gives us permission to be bold when we need to be

30.  Ruth demonstrated the beauty of humility and hard work

31.  Ruth proves that a woman doesn’t have to be beautiful to get a man’s attention

32.  Ruth teaches us the value of speaking our minds and opening our hearts

33.  Ruth makes it clear that patience is a virtue worth cultivating

34.  A story for singles to read and replicate 

 

Hannah

§     Mother of Samuel, Israel's greatest judge

a)      Hannah gave birth to Samuel and gave him to the Lord, just as she promised.

b)      Her son Samuel is listed in Hebrews 11:32 in the "Faith Hall of Fame."

§     Fervent in worship, effective in prayer

§     Willing to follow through on even a costly commitment

§     Hannah was perseverant. Even though God was silent toward her request for a child for many years, she never stopped praying.

§    She had faith that God had the power to help her. She never doubted God's abilities

§    Woman of prayer

§     Grateful

§     Faithful

§    Devoted mother

§    Kept her vow to god

§    Humble

§    Industrious

§     Joy

§     Sacrifice

 

Weaknesses

1.      Struggle with her sense of self-worth because she was unable to have children

2.      Barren

3.      Sorrow

4.      Victim of Peninnah's jealousy, incitement and ridicule  

5.      Jealous

6.      Low self-esteem and unworthy

7.      Like most of us, Hannah was strongly influenced by her culture. She drew her self-esteem from what others thought she should be like.

8.      Anxious

9.      Provoked

10.  Wept and would not eat because of difficult circumstances

11.  Bitter

12.  Did not make her husband feel as if his love was special to her

13. Long-suffering

 

Lessons from her life

1.      God hears and answers prayer

2.      Our children are a gift from God

3.      God is concerned for the oppressed and afflicted (in pain, go to GOD)

14.   She identified the Source of true strength: the depth of Hannah’s despair brought her close to God.

15.  She “plugged in to” the Source of true strength: Hannah believed in the power of prayer.

16. The change of her attitude may be attributed to:

a)      she honestly prayed to god (1;11)

b)      she received encouragement from Eli (1:17)

c)      she resolves to leave the problem with God. (1:18)

d)      This is the antidote for discouragement: tell God how you really feel and leave your problems with him, then rely upon the support of good, godly friends and counselors

17.  She depended upon and remained faithful to the Source of true strength: Hannah kept her promise to God.

18.  She kept our strength under control and used it in a God-glorifying way: Hannah’s attitude remained pure when accused.

19.  She is a great example of the strength that can be passed on by a God-centered mother: we remember Hannah most as the mother of Samuel.

20.  Hannah knew how to respond gracefully or not at all.

21. Eli, the priest, asked God to bless Hannah with a child more than once.

22.  Hannah had 5 more children after Samuel

23.  Hannah was the fourth woman in biblical history to suffer through infertility.

24.  Hannah’s famous prayer may have prophesied the coming Messiah

25.  Be careful what you promised God in prayer; God may take you up on it. But she kept her vow to God.

26.  Her husband (Elkanah) couldn’t solve her problem; he was insensitive due to his ignorance

27. She praises God for answering her prayer and is thankful for everything he has done.

a)      We should be like Hannah, confident of god’s ultimate control over the events in our lives

b)      be thankful for the ways God has blessed us; by praising god for all the gifts, we acknowledge his ultimate control over all the affairs of life.

28. Most of us would give up After years of praying for the same thing. Hannah did not. She was a devout, humble woman, and God finally answered her prayers. Paul tells us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17, ESV). That's exactly what Hannah did. Hannah teaches us to never give up, to honor our promises to God, and to praise God for his wisdom and kindness.

29.  Hannah remained faithful to God even during difficult times

30. Hannah did not get even with Peninnah; she knew that god was all-knowing and that he would judge all sin and pride.

31.  Hannah saw

a)      God as a solid rock

b)      The one who knows what we do

c)      Sovereign over all the affairs of people

d)      The supreme judge who administers perfect justice

32. Be a strong woman of God like Hannah to love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and learn how to spend time with HIM in the secret place.

33.  Have a secret place to have an intimate and loving relationship with the Father.

34.  Learn to stand in faith and, with bulldog tenacity, believe in the desires of our hearts. (Whatever you believe God for, ask and believe, and you receive.)

35.  Be a woman of our word even when it is hard

36.  Hannah simplifies grace

37. Learn to love God and have an intimate relationship with HIM.

38.  In due time—when it’s God’s timing for something to happen, it happens. His timing is usually slower than ours, as He teaches us to depend on Him while we wait.

39.  She is not just sending her child away to boarding school. She is actually lending him to the Lord. She is entrusting her son to God to be taught for His use and His glory. This is not to be confused with sending a child away for a better education.

40.  No matter how deep the trouble in our lives, we can always cry out to God for His help. He hears His children and will answer according to His will and timing.

 

The widow of Zarephath

§     Faith

§     Service

§     Trust

§     Obedience

§     Kindness

§     Selflessness

§     Hospitality

§     Joy

§    Widow with s son

 

Weaknesses    

§     Unclean

§    Widow

§     Hopeless

§      Sorrow

§      She was the mistress of a household

 

 

 

Lessons from her life

1.      Acting on counsel from the Lord’s prophets can require much faith.

2.      Unhesitatingly obeying the Lord’s prophets can bring great blessings.

3.      She had come to the end of her resources.

4.      She was a believer, and yet the Lord allowed her distress

5.      She had lost hope

6.      To suffer extreme poverty, famine, and the loss of husband and son.

7.      To experience repeated miracles of God's provision

8.      God doesn't ignore the needs of those who cannot help themselves. He doesn't urge them to pick themselves up and get going when they have no resources. He doesn't pat them on the back and say he's sorry; life is tough. Instead, he sometimes intervenes by miraculous understatement, in this case by making sure that a little bit of oil and flour—just enough for a small loaf—didn't run out.

9.      An unexpected check comes just when you need it. Another mother gives you her kids' outgrown clothing so you can clothe your own children. God uses something or someone to change your husband's heart just when you thought he didn't love you anymore. Our God is still a miraculous provider, granting what we need sometimes in the most unexpected ways.

10.  The Lord knew her, her situation, and her heart condition. He had been preparing her to be an instrument in His hand.

11.  Every day, we are dependent on God for our lives. Whether we recognize it or not, God sends us manna from heaven each day we are alive. We live by faith.

12.  God does not leave us alone. He hears our prayers and answers them, often in unexpected ways.

13.  We can receive personal revelation from the Lord. When we are obedient, he works miracles for us.

14.  Zarephath gives us a great example of what our faith in God should look like as His children.

15.  Trials of motherhood

A.    God feels our deepest pain

a)      The pain of sickness

b)      The pain of sin

c)      The pain of sorrow

B.     God hears our biggest prayers

a)      He prayed boldly

b)      He prayed fervently

c)      He prayed privately

d)      He prayed specifically

C.     God solves our toughest problems

God doesn’t always solve our problems by taking them away from us. He solves our problems by giving us the strength to make it through them and by bringing something good out of them (Rom 8:28)

16.  You don’t have to be somebody great to do some great things for God

17.  God’s commands will often take you to the limit of your desire

18.  You must get to the end of possible before God can demonstrate the impossible

19.  Obedience to God’s commands is always rewarded with blessing

20.  Past blessings are not a guarantee of future benefits

21.  Bad circumstances are not always the result of your sin

22.  At some point, God can allow such pain in your life that not even the preacher can explain it

23.  There is nothing too hard for the Lord

24.  The greatest blessings of serving God are the spiritual blessings

 

Esther

§     Sacrifice

§     Loyalty

§     Courage

§      prayerfulness

§      Meekness

§      Determination

§       Her beauty and character won the heart of Persia’s king

§ S    he combined courage with careful planning

§      She was open to advice and willing to act

§      She was more concerned for others than for her own security

§       Heroine

§      Love

§     Capable

§     Brave

§      Energetic

§       Strong

§     Selfless

Weaknesses

§     Orphan

§     Jewish

§    No security

§     Might be killed

§     Terrifying (1yr of pampering for prep for king)

§     Objectified  

 

Lesson from her life

1.        Serving God often demands that we risk our own security
2.      God has a purpose for the situations in which he places us. He has a plan for our lives
3.      Courage, while often vital, does not replace careful planning
4.      Fasting with faith and a purpose, along with prayer, blesses us and others for whom we call upon the Lord.
a)      Fasting and prayer bring clarity and hope for deliverance
5.      We are given moments to alter circumstance
6.      We all have important missions to fulfill in mortality. Being righteous, obedient, and courageous ensures that the Lord will help us to be successful.
a)      God demands obedience
7.      God uses everything and everybody for his divine purpose
8.      Esther is also an inspiring story about a remarkable woman willing to risk her life to save her people.
9.      She was a woman of principle who was willing to put the lives of others ahead of her own.
10.  She was an outstanding example of serving others despite the most stressful circumstances.
11.  There is preparation time (the refining of our character is very essential to god’s plan for our life)
12.  We need the favor of God
13.  God works in His own time and season
14.  Your background does not hinder your future with God (your background does not determine what God can do with you; your faith does).
15.  God provided and protected Esther. God protects amid difficulties
16.  We should be faithful to God even when we feel alone or don’t understand and see a solution.
17. Her story shows that God has bigger plans for his daughters and loves us more than men can provide.
18. Characteristics of Esther
19. She accepted her faith no matter what the consequences.
20. She knew when to ask for help spiritually through Fasting & Prayer
21. She made sure her physical appearance was good when she went in to see her husband
22. She submitted to Godly training from Mordecai, the cousin God had appointed in her life.
23. She knew how to gain favor with man
24. She submitted to beauty treatments and special food, which enhanced her
25. She trusted in the authority of Mordecai in her life
26. She had great wisdom to know how to handle any situation
27. She gave credit where credit was due
28. When she asked for something, it had a great purpose
29. She was wise enough to understand the whole matter before responding
30. She realized God’s timing
31. She knew God’s warning even when it came out of the mouth of his servant Mordecai.
32. She had courage
33. She required those closest to her to fast as she did
34. She knew how to set a plan for God to show his power
35. She knew what to use to gain an advantage for her request
36. She knew how to wait for the right moment to speak
37. She chose her words wisely
38. Her reward was great, but she did not mind passing on her blessing
39. She knew when it was time to weep & mourn
40. She knew how to speak sweet words to her husband to make him feel like a king.
41. She knew that the Lord would handle the rest after you had done all you could.
42. She knew when it was time for justice.
43. She knew when it was time to write a law down, decree a thing, & make it plain to establish the future of God’s people.