Together With God

“A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children” (Proverbs 13:22a).

What are some of the things your grandparents left you? I’m not talking about money or worldly goods but integrity, good character and Christian faith. My fathers parents were older in my growing up years and lived a great distance from us, but I did learn a lot from them. I am told out of 34 grandchildren I am most like my grandmother. For hours I sat and watched in silence my grandmother iron and exchange a cooled iron for a nice hot one that was sitting around the fireplace. In her 80’s grandmother carried two buckets of water from the well three times a day for cooking and cleaning. I lost them both when I was 20. They were almost 90. I never had the opportunity to let them know the inheritance they left me. All the years I observed Isaac and Mary Elizabeth they were training a future pastor’s wife. Now at 60 I wonder what I will leave my six grandchildren. Am I leaving them good Christian values and character? When I make my journey to heaven I hope they will remember maw maw loved Jesus with all her heart and that my prayer for them is they would accept Jesus as their personal Savior.

LaCrecia McFaddin
Tennessee

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray as you study and meditate on Scriptures and teachings from the September-October TWG study, “Understanding the Person Within You.”

“Children’s children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children are their fathers” (Proverbs 17:6).

Have you ever seen a crown adorned with gravel? I haven’t. All the crowns I have ever seen were made of precious metals and bright and beautiful gems set within the crown. It takes a lifetime to raise children/grandchildren. As grandparents we can help lead these precious children into the ways of the Lord. We must saturate them with prayer and be the example of good Christians. Many of us chose the way of our godly grandparents rather than the wicked ways of the world. Let’s give our grandchildren lots of love and help them to know they belong to God. Let’s show them how special their lives are to the Lord and that in due season they will be a crown to us all.

LaCrecia McFaddin
Tennessee

PRAY TOGETHER: Reports reveal about 30 Christians in Pakistan were beaten and robbed as they gathered to pray. Pray God’s protection on these believers. Psalm 91:1-2.

“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30).

Another evidence that the Spirit is a person is He can be grieved. There are things we can do that will hurt Him. The Spirit exalts Jesus. When we fail to do the same, we grieve the Spirit. It is not a matter of hurting His feelings. He is painfully saddened by this.

When we crowd Him out of His residence because we put the things of this world ahead of Him, it hurts. When there is time for everything else but little or no time for reading the Word and prayer, do you think that doesn’t grieve Him? We must take into consideration that what we do to Him goes deeper than we think.
He sees where what we do will lead us and that makes our grieving Him more painful.

Back in Bible times a seal was placed upon a person to show ownership. As children of God we are sealed by His Spirit until the day of His return because we have been purchased through the blood of Jesus. We belong to Him. The adoption process began. We are members of God’s family and our adoption will be fully realized when He returns to redeem our bodies.

The Holy Spirit is part of our identity as a Christian. We need His help to be all we can be for the glory of the One who sent Him. Reverence Him like you would God and live your life so you won’t grieve Him.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: South Carolina and West Virginia both have state retreats this weekend. Pray for speakers and attendees to experience renewal and refreshing.

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will shew you things to come” (John 16:13).

As I mentioned in Monday’s devotion, the disciples were going through a difficult time of sadness and bewilderment. The last thing Jesus wanted was to leave them dazed and confused. At times, I’m sure the disciples didn’t know what to believe.

The Holy Spirit has the same attributes of God and Jesus. He may have had a different personality. but, He didn’t come to earth with His own agenda. He came to glorify God and to lead His followers in all truth.

We may not have our faith tested as severely as the disciples, but, when it is, that same Spirit will be there to guide us, as well, into all truth.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Is God urging you to attend the WNAC National Retreat? Pray about what God would have you do, then register @ 1-800-588-7222.

“What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (I Corinthians 6:19).

With the Holy Spirit being a Person, He needs a place to live. What a God-given privilege we, as believers have, that God chose to live within our bodies.

I totally agree with this statement by R.A. Torrey, “I can think of no thought more humbling or more overwhelming than a person of Divine majesty and glory dwells in my heart and is ready to use even me.”

Are we taking good care of our “temple”? Is it fit for Him to live in? Have we turned control of it over to Him? The latter question may be hardest to answer if there are habits or attitudes we haven’t surrendered to Him. We’ve been set free from the bondage of sin. We now belong to Jesus who paid a very high price for our redemption. The Spirit of God desires to set up residence in your “temple”. Make it ready for Him so He will feel comfortable.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: September 2—October 1 marks the observance of Ramadan. Go to FWBIM’s website fwbgo.com for daily prayer items during this period.

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (I Corinthians 2:12-13).

Before we were saved, we lived by the world’s standards and man’s teachings. Once we became a new creature in Christ that was going to change. We were going to be entering into a relationship with One who would acquaint us with a whole new lifestyle. The world will never be able to discern “the things that are freely given to us of God”. How wonderful that we’ve been adopted into the family of God and we now have Someone who will be living within us to enlighten us about spiritual things.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: This year’s theme is “Taught by the Bible, Led by the Spirit.” Pray as you begin this series of study. Thank you, writers, for a job well done.

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him to you” (John 16:7).

We begin our study of the Holy Spirit by getting acquainted with Him for the Person He was sent to be. In our Scripture today, Jesus refers to Him as “Comforter” and He would send “Him”. This denotes “Person”, not force or power. Jesus was soon going to be crucified, rise again, and go to His Father. He shared with His disciples things they didn’t comprehend. They felt sad and bewildered for Jesus was going to have to leave them. Jesus had a relatively short time to help them adjust. In their sorrow, they weren’t grasping what He had to say. They were going to need a “Comforter” and He would need to be a presence they could feel. Life for them without Jesus was never going to the same. Jesus fulfilled His ministry on earth but His work would need to go on. Only in the loving, merciful wisdom of God would He send the Holy Spirit to live in the hearts of believers. The work of God would go on because of the presence and power of God in the form of the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for Danita High as she makes her first convention site visit to Cincinnati this month.

“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister” (Hebrews 6:10).

God is so good.  He rewards us for those things we should do without reward.  In this new year for WNAC and WAC groups across our nation there will be a lot of work to do.  Let us work together, work in love and work to glorify the name of the Lord.  Please remember whatever we do no matter how little or big the task our precious Lord will reward us for our labor of love for Him.

LaCrecia McFaddin
Tennessee

PRAY TOGETHER: Prayer is vital for maintaining proper focus within local WAC groups.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).

At this time, we are entering into our new year for WNAC. In our new yearly beginning we have a new executive secretary-treasurer, Danita High. As servants of His mastery through WNAC work let us present ourselves a “living sacrifice” unto the task. Let us encourage our WAC groups to send cards and letters of encouragement and support to our new leader. Let us recommit ourselves to our WAC and get behind our new officers and work, work, work! Let us be a faithful Woman Active for Christ for this is our “reasonable service.”

LaCrecia McFaddin
Tennessee

LaCrecia McFaddin
Tennessee

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for each family member during the next month. Make a list and see how God answers special needs.

“And the city had no need of the sun, neither the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof” (Revelation 21:23).

John the writer of Revelation caught glimpses of what Heaven would be like. With our limited minds, we can’t even imagine its beauty. John is as vivid as he can be with the details of its splendor. There will be no darkness there to mar its beauty. The Light of God will radiate every corner, and, it will be one eternal day there.

Until He returns, we must carry His Light to a world still in darkness. Unless we shine on for Him, many will not find the True Light that will eternally illuminate Heaven.

I close this devotion with the last verse of the familiar chorus, “This Little Light of Mine.”
“Keep it shining ‘til Jesus comes, I’m gonna to let it shine,
Keep it shining ‘til Jesus comes, I’m gonna to let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.”

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: If every woman brought a visitor, WAC attendance would double. Pray, invite and be a true friend.