Womens Missionary Band
Regional Cordinator
Sis. Marcia Brooks
The duty of the Womens Missionary Band is primarily to stimulate and solicit missionary funds for both home and world missions. This group of women assists the pastor in promoting each month’s mission offerings, promotes special mission drives such as March and October World Mission drives, and engages in other ways to raise funds.
Laboring for missions is not solely about collecting financial gifts. Ladies of the Womens Missionary Band collect clothing and other donations for home and foreign mission fields, engage in intercessory prayer, and actively assist in the visitation and outreach programs of the local church.
Additionally, the Womens Missionary Band recognizes the needs of women are vastly different today than the needs of previous generations. Women are aware of their personal needs as well as the needs of their families. The Womens Missionary Band recognizes this as the first and closest mission field and offers special ministry for the women of the band. Ministry programs serve to teach and train women to be effect women of God, wives, and mothers by offering answers the the most challenging questions of life.
Monthly Devotion
Womens Missionary Band
Regional Cordinator
Sis. Marcia Brooks
March World Missions Boost
2023
I AM hath sent me unto You
I was reading and thinking once again about our Women’s Missionary Band theme and scripture located in Exodus 3:14. As I read the account, I began to have several things speak to me. I want to share some of these with the hope of remembrance an encouragement for the Women’ Missionary Band and the March World Missions drive.
Exodus 3: 1-15 (Paraphrased) What was Moses doing and where was he going? He was tending his father in laws flocks. Leading the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to the Mountain of God, Horeb.
This is where the angel of the Lord appeared to him through the flames of fire in a bush. Moses saw that the bush was on fire, but it was not burnt up. Moses was curious and decided to go see this great site.
God called out to him. Moses, Moses? Moses said, Here I am. God told him not to come any closer until he had taken off his sandals, for the place he was standing is holy ground.
God introduces and tells Moses who He is. With the understanding of whom He was speaking, Moses was afraid, and hid his face.
God speaks to Moses and tells him He has seen the misery of His people in Egypt. He hears their cries and sees there suffering. God tells Moses I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians, their oppressors and I want to bring them into a good land, a land flowing with milk and honey.
I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people out of Egypt. Moses felt unable and not equipped to do this task that had been asked, but God told him, “I will be with you.”
He told him a sign would be that they would come back to this mountain to worship Him. He asks what shall I tell them if they ask your name. God said “I AM WHO I AM.” This is what you will say to them I AM has sent you. The God of your fathers-the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob has sent me unto you. “This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation”.
How can we remember and take encouragement from this account? First Moses is in a wilderness with a flock of sheep and takes them to the mountain of God, Horeb. I don’t believe it was an accident that Moses came to where he did. God led and chose him. God had a purpose for him. Here was where he had an encounter with the Great I AM. God’s glory, and light, His presence and will to be revealed for His people, the Israelites.
From the beginning of this scripture account, we can see the tending of flocks in a wilderness. Moses making his way to the mountain trying to make sure they are fed and properly taken care of because they belong to his father-in-law which he cares and loves. There at the mountain Moses finds the ultimate care giver. The God that loves each of us and wants to protect and lead us to safety too.
God has this encounter with Moses because He loves the Israelites, His people, and has heard about their bondage and suffering. God hears the cries and prayers now for the lost souls, those suffering and going through many trials. He sees all people. Sinner and saint. He is a God moved with compassion and love. He sent His Son, Jesus, to be our Savior and the Holy Ghost to be our help and guide. (John 3:16; 16:13). If we will believe in Jesus, His Son, believe that He died and rose again and repent of our sins, we can be set free from the bondage of sin and evil taskmaster of this world.
God’s plan, and goal is to lead them to the promised land where they can be at rest and be cared for. God has the same purpose for all who will love and follow Him. He wants to lead them out of bondage to a place of rest where they can be cared for. Some will choose to follow and be taken care of.
The Church and His people must share God’s Word, the full gospel to a lost world in bondage. We must share and bring them to the fold where they will have protection and care. God’s presence resides in The Church of God. While here on earth this is where He has chosen for all his people, His sheep, to gather. His will is that we gather under the love, protection and care that He has provided through His church. All God’s people will make it to their destination, heaven, if we continue to follow and do His will. We have not been left alone to do the commission, just as God said to Moses “I am with you” so He was. He tells us the same in Matthew 28:20, “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world”.
I like the symbolism of the burning bush. The fire represents God’s presence and light. It symbolizes God’s protection and power. God was showing Moses he was not alone but also that he would have God’s power when He went. We too through Jesus Christ sanctifying power can receive the Holy Ghost and fire. We can and should have this in us as we go and do His commission. We can have His power and presence when we raise funds for the cause and furtherance of the Gospel around the World. We need it. We must have it.
Moses hid his face because of honor and respect and realization of God’s great power. We see Moses being asked to take off his sandals because the ground was holy. What made the ground holy? It was God’s presence and power. For us to receive the Holy Ghost and fire we must be saved and sanctified. We must be cleansed completely by the blood of Jesus. We must be holy surrendered, and holiness must reside.
The Sunflower and the SONLIGHT
October 1, 2020
The sunflower has been written about many times. It is said the sunflower follows the sun from the east to the west. The next morning, as the sun rises in the east, we find the sunflower is once again waiting for the sunrise.
Why? because if the sunflower wants to live, grow, and reach maturity it must soak up the warmth, energy, and strength of the sun. When the sunflower is mature it produces seeds, which can produce more sunflowers. For us it can become an edible oil or food. It can give a feeling of happiness to those who love its beauty.
The sunflower is not tolerant of the shade or darkness and needs full exposure of the sun. Although it will still follow the direction of the sun on a cloudy day. It has a heliotropic head, meaning movement of the head in response to the direction of the sun. So, it follows the sunlight. Another interesting fact is that it has 5 stages of life cycle. Germination, Vegetative, Reproductive, Blooming and Harvesting. I will not be going into every detail of the phases but want to bring attention to some important facts.
As soon as a sunflower is planted it grows roots down and then in about eight days it pushes through the soil looking for the sunlight. After the Germination phase it will continue to grow as a seedling and produce its first leaves. The Reproductive stage occurs when a bud forms between the plant cluster of the leaves. This may initially have a star-like appearance.
In about thirty days your sunflower will be in its Blooming phase. This is the time to enjoy the beauty of the flower. It begins to become useful during this stage. Many people pick them and give them as gifts, and they are used in weddings and other events. Also, the bees pollinate the flower and fertilize the seeds in this stage.
An interesting fact about these sun loving flowers. The warmed flowers from the sun, get more visits from more pollinators. Their warmth draws the visitors. Also, when the sunflowers face east then their heads are illuminated by the morning sun. This also makes them attractive to all insects and pollinators.
Finally, the Harvesting phase is the time that the sunflower droops and turns brown. Many might say this is a sad time because they have lost their beautiful bloom. I disagree. This stage gives nourishment to people and animals. This stage produces seeds to continue reproduction of the sunflower’s life. The seeds gathered from this plant, season after season can be planted repeatedly, producing even more sunflowers. This flower must be planted each year, but sunflower lovers understand its worth. This plant gives food, beauty and feelings of warmth and happiness to all those who see it or partake of it during its life cycle.
Now let us look at some spiritual aspects. If we are a child of God, then we have repented and turned away from our sins. We no longer reside in darkness. We have accepted Jesus Christ as the Son of God. We now follow the Light, the SONLIGHT because it has given us life, everlasting life.
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 8:12
12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
After we make the commitment to Christ we continue to grow and mature in Him. He gives us strength and power in Jesus name to overcome the darkness of night. He gives us what we need to come through the cloudy moments of our lives when sadness or sickness come our way. The SONLIGHT gives us ability to make it through hardships, trial and even sufferings in this present world until Jesus comes back to get us as recorded in the Scriptures.
Matthew 24:27
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
1 Thessalonians 4:14-17
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
We should know that are eyes should always be upon our Savior waiting upon His return. We should have a desire to do the Will of God. We should pray, fast, read the Bible, and follow His commandments. One of those commandments is to go into all the world to teach and preach the Gospel. To bring people to the Light, the SONLIGHT, Jesus.
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
We must also share with them that God has given us a place of fellowship and protection with other saints. It is His church which he bought with His own blood upon the cross of Calvary. We must carry the full Gospel to the world. We should be illuminating His light with warmth and compassion for a lost people who are in darkness. We should be bringing them to the Light and planting seeds of faith everywhere we can.
2 Peter 1:19
19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
2 Corinthians 9:10
10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
In the scripture we have the Parable of the Sower, Mark chapter 4. It speaks of sowing in all ground no matter the outcome. We leave the outcome to God. He giveth the increase.
The seed sown on good ground brought forth much fruit. We should reproduce in our lives the goodness of God. Not only His goodness but His righteousness and truth. We are to be the children of the light.
Ephesians 5:8-11
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
In summary, we can see that the sunflower can be compared to us in some ways. We can see we need to follow Jesus, the SONLIGHT, all the days of our lives. We need the full radiating SONLIGHT shining upon us. We should have so much of Jesus radiating through us that we attract others to Him. We need to be able to share the full gospel, Jesus Christ, and His church. In our day to day lives we should be bringing others to Jesus who will love and follow Him too. We should be working as His return draws nigh. We need laborers in the fields. Those who see the beauty and worth of it. We must understand that there is life not just here on earth but a life everlasting to be gained. One to be shared and enjoyed in the SONLIGHT’S presence.
Matthew 9:37-38
37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
Matthew 5:16
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Sister Marcia Brooks
AZ/NM Regional W.M.B Coordinator
Grateful, thankful, blessed.
I was thinking about some of the words we hear and use around this time of year, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Christians and non- Christians alike will put up decorations with these types of words on them. They feel feelings of thankfulness because their families can be together during the season. They express gratefulness they live in a country of freedom and plenty. Many especially around Christmas feel happy and blessed when they receive gifts and can buy presents. They feel great happiness at the site of a Thanksgiving feast or Christmas trees and lights. I don't believe there is anything wrong with these feelings and words being used especially at this time of year. Unfortunately, it seems in this day and time these words are thrown around a lot without real depth of feeling and meaning. I especially hear them being expressed and spoken by people of the world who do not claim Christ as their Savior or those who live very worldly lives.
As Christians, you and I have been redeemed. We should feel more grateful, thankful and blessed then any person on earth. We can exclaim these words with every fiber of our being because we have ultimate freedom and knowledge of the greatest gift of all. We can feel the depths of true joy in Christ. Non-Christians and worldly persons have never felt the depths of this freedom in their hearts and lives. When I think of what I have received, I can't help but feel very sad and sorry for those who have not. The emptiness of their soul and their impending doom. This great feeling and gift I have compels me to find a way to reach them. How about you? What are your feelings and how deep do they go? Does it compel you to go even in the face of obstacles and trials in your cities and towns? Does your fear to speak or your lack of knowledge outweigh your desire to seek out the lost?
I have experienced fear in the face of speaking and also a concern for lack of knowledge. Each one of us have experienced the enemy speak to us. To try to put fear in our way. I was asked since being in Germany if I had attended seminar as if to say because I hadn't, I could not speak truth or have the proper knowledge to preach. I don't remember it mentioned in the Bible that the disciples had attended seminars. They remained close and learned from Jesus. We have the Bible, the power and wisdom of God and the Holy Ghost. Paul lets us know it is not earthly wisdom or man's wisdom. It is the wisdom and power of God working through us. God decided it would be through Him and the foolishness of preaching that souls would be saved. So we would know that the power is not of us but residing and working through us. They look to man's wisdom, but we look to the wisdom and power of God to speak truth. When the enemy comes and speaks lies, we must go down on our knees and cry out to our Savior for boldness. We do not possess it on our own. I cannot reach them without the help provided to me through the power of God and the Holy Ghost and neither can you. Lord fill again with boldness and lead me to seek and speak your truth. Let souls be saved and redeemed through your Son, Jesus Christ. Paul spoke many times of how his ministry and his speaking was not with enticing words or in man's wisdom but by the Holy Ghost. He knew he wasn't working on his own and in his own strength but in the power and strength of God. Do we understand that we can do nothing without the power of the Holy Ghost? We need boldness in the face of great obstacles. We need God's mercy and grace to be poured out on these poor souls who are ignorant of their need. I feel overwhelmed with the task but that is good because it makes me rely more on my Savior.
I recently moved to the country of Germany. I don't know the language, but I came to visit at Christmas a year ago and felt God tug at my heart for these people. So, with God's help I will learn the language and I will wait for God to move. Germany is a wonderful place and has great people, but most are without Jesus Christ. Let me give you a few statistics. According to the World Atlas, the two major religious groups here are Christianity and Atheism. One in three Germans are either Atheist or Agnostic which is about 35.4%. Roman Catholicism 28%. Evangelical Christianity 26.6% and Islam 4.9%. Christianity is said to be in a steady decline here and most young people are Atheist. The Church of God is not established here.
This same spiritual condition is in your county, your cities, and region. Maybe not to the same degree. Some countries are in far worse spiritual need and decline. Therefore we must pray for each other that God will open the necessary doors and that we will walk through them in the power of the Holy Ghost. We will have boldness and we will be given the words to speak. Then those the Lord sends to us can be saved. So, they too can feel and exclaim from the depths of their hearts I am grateful, I am thankful and I am blessed to be redeemed and a child of God.
Church let us pray for God's help! Women's Missionary Band get your prayer groups organized. Have them pray for souls and for the needs of the mission field. Have them pray for our leadership and every member to be saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost and power. Pray over your fund raisers. Pray over your services. Pray! Pray! Pray! Then work every work given in the power of the Holy Ghost.
Read 1 Corinthians 1:17-2:16
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
1 Corinthians 2:11-13
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 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.
13 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
2 Corinthians 4:7
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
Acts 4:23-31
23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.
24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:
25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,
30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.
31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
AZ/NM Regional W.M.B Coordinator
Sister Marcia Brooks