Women and the Body of Christ

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Published: Wednesday, 22 May 2019 12:52

Written by Bethany Looyenga

"Because your heart was tender (receptive, penitent) and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I said against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and because you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I have heard you, " declares the Lord.

2 Kings 22:19

King Josiah was made king at the young age of 12. He was a Godly king and wanted to do the will of the Father. When the Book of the Law was found in the temple, it was read to Josiah. Josiah, realizing that Israel had gravely sinned against God, repented. He then sent five of his trusted men to inquire of the Lord. These five men, Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaish sought out Huldah the prophetess and she spoke to them about the Lord's will.

Hulda inquired of the Lord and he told her that castrophe would come upon the nation, but not while Josiah was king. Josiah, because of his humble and repentent heart, would be in peace.

First of all, I love how five men went to Huldah to inquire of the Lord. God loves to use women thoughout Scripture to bring His will to fruition. God loves women!

I am always astounded at how women have been so mistreated through out the ages, and even today in our own Body. It is dumbfounding how some in the Body of Christ have used Scripture to mistreat women, and not give them equal value in the church. This is NOT how God has functioned throughout history.

In just the Old Testament alone there are several women that God spoke to and were considered His prophetesses. According to Jewish tradition there were seven prophetesses in the Old Testament times. Sarah, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, and Esther. It is also said that Isaiah's wife, and the four daughters of Philip, were women prophets of the Lord. This continues in the New Testament with Anna, Rachel, Abigail, Elisabeth, and Mary. Two false prophetesses are also mentioned, Noadiah and Jezebel.

My point is, God has a desire for women to lead others to His heart. Women hear Him speak and rise up to tell others, even men, about it. They preach, they teach, they love, because God chooses them to.

Are you a women that hears from God? What is He asking you to do with His Word?

The Goodness of God

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Published: Friday, 17 May 2019 06:04

Written by Bethany Looyenga

And he said, "Please, show me Your glory." Then He said, " I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."

Exodus 33: 18-19

Prayer is a place of intimate favor and blessing with Jesus. It is a time to rest, laugh, converse, and find peace in His heart.  It is a time of assurance that the enemy is not in control, but surely the Saints have all authority in Christ Jesus! He gives us His goodness and His glory so we can rise up and be a light in the darkness, salt to the earth, and a beacon on a hill. 

Prayer has been an intimate connection to God for me. It has brought me through stormy days, and sailed me through long sleepless nights. With prayer, I have answers. The Holy Spirit speaks to my heart, and I have learned to discern His voice. Yet, still there are times I do not always know. I'll question if it's Him or me. That is when I am required to step out in faith. He will pass before me and show me His goodness and be gracious to me and show me compassion. He loves it when I step out, rise up, and move towards Him.  

God is good, His favor is upon us, and He is seeking a deep intimate relationship with His people. He seeks to show us His glory. Talk to Him today!

Naming God

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Published: Monday, 06 May 2019 12:38

Written by Bethany Looyenga

Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her. "You are God Who Sees", for she said, "Have I not even here [in the wilderness] remained alive after seeing Him [who sees me with understanding and compassion]? Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi (Well of the Living One Who Sees Me); it is between Kadesh and Bared. So Hagar gave birth to Abram's son; and Abram named his son, to whom Hagar gave birth, Ishmael (God hears.) Genesis 16:13-15

Recently, I read a book by Rachel Held Evens. I read it because Rachel was a proactive Christian for women and a very progressive thinker.  Sadly, she has died at the young age of 37, but the impact she left behind has been insurmountable.

In her book, Inspired, she tells the story of Hagar from a first person account.  I loved reading it. I loved it because of all the times I've read this story, I didn't think about the fact that Hagar is the ONLY one in the Bible that actually named God. She had an amazing encounter with God after running away from her mistress, who treated her harshly and humiliated her. Hagar retreated to the wilderness where an Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water on the road to Shur.  

The Angel said to her, "Go back to your mistress, and submit humbly to her." He continued by saying, "I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count."  The Angel then told her that she was pregnant and that she would have a son.  He instructed her to name her son Ishmael (God hears.)

Hagar then called the name of the Lord who spoke to her "You are God Who Sees. Have I not even remained alive after seeing Him [Who sees me with understanding and compassion.]?"

Hagar returned to her mistress and she did give birth to a son and she named him Ishmael.

Hagar was a servant girl, powerless. Yet, God saw her completely different. He had his eye on her from the beginning, and He never stopped seeing her. He gave her power through her womb, and she became a mother of a nation. She heard the voice and she believed it to be true, she rose up and she obeyed. For a young women that had only been used and overlooked, God saw her, and she named Him for it.

God is talking to you as well. He sees you. He hears you. Maybe there's something else that touches your heart in the way that He is there for you. What would you name God?

For me,  He is the God that speaks. When all else is silent and I have no idea what to do or where to turn, God speaks. I've been told that I'm not good enough to hear that voice of God, but I know that God isn't measuring me by the standards of what I've done or not done, He sees my heart and He speaks to me. I only need to listen.

The God Who Speaks!

The Family Promise

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Published: Tuesday, 30 April 2019 09:56

Written by Bethany Looyenga

Praise the Lord! Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who fears the Lord [with awe inspired reverence and worships Him with obedience], who delights greatly in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Light arises in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious and compassionate and righteous (upright-in right standing with God).

Psalms 112:1-4

The Psalms are packed with beautiful promises, I especially love Psalms 112.  We have five children and this chapter tells me that they will be mighty on this earth because my husband and I have humbly gone before them to our God with inspired reverence and worship and obedience.  Our generations will be blessed. They will have an uncommon wealth and richness within their homes, and a light that shines through all darkness. They will be in right standing with our God.

The chapter continues on:

He conducts his affairs with justice

He will not fear bad news, his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord

He gives freely to the poor

His horn will be exalted in honor

The horn is a symbol of power. When a righteous person used the horn in old testament times it meant prominence and a lasting sense of worth in his or her life. Isn't this exactly what all parents want for their legacy? When our children have the power of God in their lives they have prominence within the community.  When they have the power of God they know exactly who they are and how much they are valued.  

Being a parent is hard work. When we first started having children over 30 years ago we consciously decided that we would raise them as Christians in a learning environment.  We both knew that we had a lot to learn and many old patterns from our family history that needed to be broken.  God raised our children through us and has kept his promises.  He is good all the time.  He has blessed them and blessed us with a lasting legacy of love. I am so grateful.

Delight yourself in the Lord today, worship him and obey.  He will create a legacy that prospers for generations with light and hope.