IronWifey Magazine- October 2017- Children of God- Issue 5

Page 1

AS IRON SHARPENS IRON, SO ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER

IRONWIFEY

OCTOBER 2017 -ISSUE 5- CHILDREN OF GOD ISSUE

CHILDREN OF GOD ISSUE

MAGAZINE

CHILDREN OF GOD


EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST OR THE MESSIAH HAS BECOME A CHILD OF GOD. AND EVERYONE WHO LOVES THE FATHER LOVES HIS CHILDREN, TOO. 1 JOHN 5:1 NLT


LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Hello Love, Thank you for reading the "Children of God" edition of IronWifey Magazine. This issue will break down what it truly means to be a child of God and challenge readers to remove the pressures of "adulting" and go before the Heavenly Father with confidence, as His Child. Each and every one of us are children of God. We were created, born, and designed to carryout His will for our lives. When it comes to being a child, most children don't worry about their next meal, or bills, or work. They wake up with joy, desire love and attention from their parents, and are provided with everything they need. Yes, they receive discipline from their parents, but it's done out of love and with the child's best interest in heart. We are children. It doesn't matter how old we get, or how accomplish we think we are, we are still a child in God's eyes and He still loves and cares for us as His children. There was a song I sang as a child that still resonates today and the words say: Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, all are perfect in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.

CONTENTS 04

AUTHOR: ELSONIA SWARTS

05

CHILD OF GOD COVER FEATURE: NICOLET YOUNG

06

FAMILY VALUES

AUTHOR: NCEDIWE MDLULWA

07 08

A LESSON FROM PARENTHOOD: WHAT OUR CHILDREN NEED. . .

CHILD OF GOD COVER FEATURE: TARIYA YOUNG

11

FOLLOW THE LEADER

AUTHOR: NCEDIWE MDLULWA

13

MY PRECIOUS CHILD, I CARRIED YOU. .

16

KEEP YOUR EYES ON ME

AUTHOR: DENISE DANDRIDGE

AUTHOR: MELISSA VOLMINK

Thank you for reading IronWifey Magazine! I'm praying for you always!

19

Check out the digital copy online

AUTHOR: NCEDIWE MDLULWA

10

18

Founder + Editor in Christ, IronWifey Magazine

A FATHER’S LOVE FOR HIS DAUGHTER

AUTHOR: JOANNE CHRISTIAN

As you read this issue, I pray that you tap into your inner child and trust your Heavenly Father. I pray that you feel his love and that you find joy in spending time with our Father. He will never leave you, nor forsake you, and He will always make sure that you, His child, are taken care of.

-Micayla Robertson

KNOW WHOSE YOU ARE AND WHO YOU ARE

17

A CITIZEN OF HEAVENLY REALMS AUTHOR: NCEDIWE MDLULWA

HIDE AND SEEK

AUTHOR: MICAYLA ROBERTSON

THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION AUTHOR: NCEDIWE MDLULWA

21

I AM AN HEIR OF GOD

AUTHOR: NCEDIWE MDLULWA 22

WALKING IN POWER

AUTHOR: ALISHA (LISA) MOORE

www.IronWifey.com

AS IRON SHARPENS IRON, ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER


PAGE 4

IW MAG

AS IRON SHARPENS IRON

Know WHOSE you are & Know WHO you are Dear fellow princesses, maturing into queens, I would like to remind you whose you are and who you are. Sometimes the different seasons we experience in life, especially the negative ones, can have us overwhelmed with emotions of despair, fear, worry and stress. It is during such seasons that we need to spend more time with God as His children and find comfort in His word and trust in His ways. It is especially during such times that we need to stand up tall, adjust our crowns and remember that we are daughters of a King and not just any regular king but a great King that is above all kings (Psalm 95:3 NLT)

By: Elsonia Swarts

Dear fellow sister in Christ, You need to know that you are God’s most expensive possession; His own masterpiece created in His image (James 1:18 NLT; Ephesians 2:10 NLT; Genesis 1:27 NLT). Because you are the daughter of a King, it makes you royalty (Romans 8:14 NLT) and due to your royal status, God, your father will take care of every need you have. You will not be in need of anything because the Lord is your Shepherd (Psalm 23:1NLT). “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need”. -Matthew 6:33 NLT Dear fellow sister in Christ, You need to know that, no matter the storm, you will come out victorious. “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world”. -1 John 4:4 NLT. You need not be afraid, because he is right beside you (Psalm 23:4). Yes, if God is for you, who can be against you my sister? (Romans 8:31 NLT). He promises that no weapon formed against you shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17), and not only that, He will prepare a feast before the eyes of your enemies; your cup will overflow (Psalm 23:5). Yes, greater is He that is within you than the one that’s in the world. God did not give you a spirit of fear, no, He made you bold and courageous (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT). Trust in His perfect plan to prosper you and not to harm you. His perfect plan to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT). Have dreams and know that your father will help you achieve your dreams! Dear fellow sisters in Christ, Know your worth! God knew about your existence way before you were even conceived: “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed”. -Psalm 139:16 NLT If only you knew the gifts that He has for you, you would ask (John 4:10 NLT). So yes, ask dear daughter of the highest God because He promises that He will open doors for you when you knock. He will give when you ask and you will find what you are searching for (Matthews 7:7 NLT). Dear daughter of the Most high God, know WHOSE you are and WHO you are. YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD! “And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me”, says the Lord Almighty." -2 Corinthians 6:18 NLT


IW MAG

ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER

MEET NICOLET

PAGE 5

Age 5. Kindergarten

This month IW Magazine received an opportunity to do an exclusive interview with Nicolet Young. See what she has to say about being a child of God.

A. Yes. Everybody is God’s child.

Q. What do you know about God? A. God loves everybody.

Q. How do you know that? A. Because he loves the whole world

Q. So how do you show God you’re his child? A. I act good. You’re supposed to act good, or else he’s gonna tell your teacher.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. -Ephesians BY : DENISE 2:10 DANDRIDGE

SLRIG GNUOY EHT -ERUTAEF REVOC

Q. Are you a child of God?


PAGE 6

AS IRON SHARPENS IRON

IW MAG

FAMILY VALUES By: Ncediwe Mdlulwa

As a child of God, I belong to a family of Believers “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers”. - Galatians 6:10 CSB Being a child of God is a realization that one comes from a family of believers rooted and grounded in Christ with a solid foundation. This solid foundation, found through the word of God, consists on values and standards that we as a family must uphold to honor our Heavenly Father.

Family Values in Christ Love Kindness Faith Honesty Diligence Accountability Transparency Joy-Giver Peace Maker Change Maker Spirit of Evangelism


IW MAG

ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER

PAGE 7

A FATHER'S LOVE FOR HIS DAUGHTER "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."Jeremiah 1:5

By: Ncediwe Mdlulwa

God is my father and I am his Daughter, Angel, and little Princess Since conception in my mother’s womb and throughout my life span till death, God remains that father that I will for ever have throughout and wherever life takes me. Thus, I am a daughter of the Most High God and that is my identity to preserve. As a child of God, one is created in the image of God to be a follower of Christ and to resemble everything he came to do on earth. For God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. The plan of God is to become more like him in this journey of salvation. Hence God created mankind in his own image as declared in the book of origins (Genesis). We have a Father-Daughter Relationship I refer to this relationship as a family affair because God is my parent. Our father –daughter relationship is similar to that of a biological father-daughter, and as I imitate my father, I become more like him (We become what we do the Most). I personally strive to do my father's business in order to be more like him as a child of God through spending time and bonding. Our time is precious and there is nothing more beautiful than my father’s love for me and all of His daughters. Photo of Darren Dandridge and De'Miya Dandridge


PAGE 8

IW MAG

AS IRON SHARPENS IRON

A LESSON FROM PARENTHOOD

By: Joanne Christian

WHAT OUR CHILDREN NEED AND OUR HEAVENLY FATHER DESIRES As I reflect back to my role as a parent, my most valuable asset is my children. In learning the ups and downs of parenting we can sometimes forget they are unique people outside of our own needs and desires. It takes the balancing of loving and disciplining them; but allowing them the ability to self-discovery. Our children’s desires are simply a reflection of what our Heavenly Father desires from us. When we accept that we are children of God, we can rest knowing God will take care of us, because He knows exactly what we need.

Confidence “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:19

Faith

When our children feel we are confident in them, they are naturally more confident in themselves. Christ is our High Priest, and through His intercession, we can approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Our confidence comes from our relationship with Him. Through that confidence and our trust in Him, our lives will take on new stability and focus. We’ll know not to put any confidence in our flesh, but have every confidence in the God, our Father, who made; called; saved and keeps us.

Raising children can be scary and sometimes we can get so caught up in fear we forget to have faith. We must know that faith builds character, and the process of character building starts during childhood. Without faith, we cannot please God. A child is full of innocence so they come to their parent trusting them completely to take care of them; protect them; provide for them; and correct them. Just as children have faith in their provider, we must also go to God with the same approach, as His children. God takes care of us physically (our bodies), emotionally (our feelings, minds), and spiritually (our spirits, souls, minds). When the Word speaks about fearing Him; it doesn’t mean being afraid or scared but to have a deep respect and understanding of God's power to be God. Newborns are placed directly on the mother’s chest after birth. It’s called

Touch

skin to skin contact, and studies show they had high scores on a measure evaluating their heart and lung function. Touch is one of the most important and grounding aspects of a relationship. God’s touch is better than the tenderest touch from a human. He fills every molecule in the air; so like that skin to skin contact, we must stay aware of His touch alland the full time.of compassion to those who fear “ The Lord is like a Father to his children, tender,

Him. For He understands how weak we are, He knows we are only dust.” - Psalms 103:13


IW MAG

ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER

Patience Parenting will continue to teach you the lesson of patience. It’s easier said than done because we often have an idea of how our children should be, which can result in us pressuring them to live up to the image we hold of them. However, our children need our patience, not our pressure. Sometimes we wonder why God is so patient with us. One minute we’re praising Him; the next we’re grumbling….what a mess! First of all, God doesn’t just show us patience; He is Patience. It’s how He’s defined. In His Word, 1 John 4:16 says that “God is love” and 1 Corinthians 13:4 says “Love is patient”, so that sounds like a formula we learned in school. If A=B and B=C, then A=C. So, God = Patience.

PAGE 9

Understanding Studies show that parents are the best teachers for their children because they help them to understand meaning and purpose in life. It is our role to teach our children right from wrong. Jesus promised us he would send us a comforter (The Holy Spirit) who will reveal the things that God wants to reveal to us. It’s the job of the Holy Spirit to release the knowledge of God directly to us. He will “teach us ALL things” which means He is willing to go to the extreme in order to transmit His knowledge to us. He’ll even go one step further to bring past situations back to your remembrance when you may need to refresh knowledge that He has already given to you.

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, HE WILL TEACH YOU ALL THINGS, and bring to your remembrance all things that I have said to you.” - John 14:26

Presence

Children love time and attention regardless if they are receiving it or giving it. Presence is important. Even in a technical world, there is no substitute for direct contact. Our relationship with God is unique, but also like a close relationship between a father/mother and child. It’s important for children and parents to have special “alone time” together. Spending time alone with a loved one provides the opportunity to truly come to know that person, so spending time alone with God is no different. When we’re alone with God, we draw closer to Him and get different BY : to J Oknow A NHim N EinCa H R I S T way I A Nthan we do in group settings. If you had other siblings in the house you know the special connection you felt when you got “alone time” with mom or dad. Just as a branch is linked directly to the vine and, through the vine, connected to other branches, we are linked directly to Christ. Spending time alone with God rids our minds of distraction so that we can focus on Him and hear His Word.

The more I identify myself as a child of God—as a child of love, forgiveness, long-suffering, and kindness—the more my self-worth feels solid and stable, which is built on something everlasting and unchanging. It’s something that is good, pure and true – it defines my very essence. Parenting is a reward in itself, but the rewards of being a child of God are immeasurable.


PAGE 10

AS IRON SHARPENS IRON

MEET TARIYA

IW MAG

Age 11. Fifth Grade

This month IW Magazine received an opportunity to do an exclusive interview with Tariya Young. See what she has to say about being a child of God.

Q. What does it mean to be a child of God?

Q. When you think of God, who do you think of? A. A person that watches over you and makes sure you do the right thing. And also a person that heals people. Q. Have you ever asked God for something in prayer, and he answered you? A. Yes. I prayed that I would pass and go to the next grade and it happened. I also like to pray for people that are harmed and injured and my family. Q. What do you want people to know about God? A. I want the people that don’t believe to believe because they just don’t know what he can do for them. If they don’t know him, they can learn all about him by reading the bible or going to BY : DENISE DANDRIDGE church.

SLRIG GNUOY EHT -ERUTAEF REVOC

A. I think it means to be like a person that God has made and a person that worships God.


FOLLOW IW MAG

ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER

EHT

LEADER

By: Ncediwe Mdlulwa

"Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children" - Ephesians 5:1 NIV

GOD IS HERE To be an awesome role model To discipline his children with love and affection To involve them in decision making and making our own choices such as choosing life (Jesus Christ our Savior) or death (Devil), which enables us towards taking accountability for our own actions

"You are to practice my ordinances and you are to keep my statutes by following them; I am the Lord your God." - Leviticus 18:4 CSB

Photograhpher: Ilya Yakover

As children of God, we must follow our Father's example in order to live a Christ like lifestyle and carryout His good works. "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.- Ephesians 2:10 CSB

PAGE 11

Become a reflection of Christ in everything you do and to everyone you meet and interact with Accept that you are a difference maker through the Word of God. Spread the Word as God’s angel and messenger Be cautious of the counsel you entertain Become a God pleaser and not man pleaser Make God your to-do list and first priority Seek God's Holiness Seek God's moral standards Spend time in prayer daily and have daily devotions Seek God's kingdom and His righteousness Read and meditate on God's word Become a Christ follower

12

KEYS TO LIVING LIKE CHRIST


FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND One night I dreamed a dream. I was walking along the beach with my Lord. Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me and one to my Lord. When the last scene of my life shot before me I looked back at the footprints in the sand. There was only one set of footprints. I realized that this was at the lowest and saddest times of my life. This always bothered me and I questioned the Lord about my dilemma. "Lord, You told me when I decided to follow You, You would walk and talk with me all the way. But I'm aware that during the most troublesome times of my life there is only one set of footprints. I just don't understand why, when I need You most, You leave me." He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you, never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you." Margaret Fishback Powers, 1964


IW MAG

AS IRON SHARPENS IRON

PAGE 13

MY PRECIOUS CHILD, I CARRIED YOU

By: Denise Dandridge

There are six specific words in the last few sentences of my favorite poem entitled Footprints, written by Margaret Fishback Powers. The words that resonate so deeply within my heart and mind are; "my precious child" and "I carried you." As I deep dive into those six words and look at each one individually I am overjoyed by the meaning of each word, and how they reveal just how unwavering and powerful God's love is for us. Webster dictionary defines MY as - of belonging to, being the personal possession of, made by, or done by me. Each of these definitions connotes God's way of claiming us as his own. As humans we were not just fearfully and wonderfully made by our Heavenly Father's creative hands (Psalms 139:14), but we were also created in His image (Genesis 1:27). PRECIOUS is defined as-having great value or worth, prized, highly esteemed, priceless and cherished. While both men and women were masterpieces in God's eyes he referred to his earthly daughters as being more precious than rubies (Proverbs3:15).. I guess that makes us his favorites. Webster goes on to define CHILD as being- An unborn or recently born person, a person not yet of age, one strongly influenced by another or by a place or state of affairs and one who is childish and immature. To be a true child of our Heavenly Father means that we must be born again of the Spirit. Jesus declared this in John 3:3 as he educated Nicodemus on what must be done to see the kingdom of God. It is this rebirth that places each of us in a child like state regardless of physical age, and totally dependent upon our Lord. Through God's guidance we mature in His word and put aside the childish ways of speaking, thinking, reasoning and behaving (1 Corinthians 13:11) and begin to embrace the destiny that our Father has for us. The definition of I or I Am refers to God the Divine Being, and our Heavenly Father. A father whose love was so unconditional that he allowed his Heavenly Son, Christ Jesus to die for our sins. (John 3:16). His agape love for us, his earthly children, transcends any level of love that we as mere mortals could ever begin to imagine. A "love that is patient and kind, one that does not envy or boast. A love that is not proud, does not dishonor and is not selfish or self-seeking. An Agape love that is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongdoings. A peaceful love that rebukes evil and rejoices in the truth, forever protecting, forever trusting, forever hoping, forever preserving and never failing.(1 Corinthians 13:4-8). CARRIED- to promote, advance or help forward to continue, to bear, to imply, import or contain, to lift up and transport, to hold, and secure, protect, deliver, and encompass. These are all of the things that our Heavenly Father wants to do for us. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is Jehovah Jirah our provider, Jehovah Rapha our healer, Jehovah Nissi our banner in victory, and Jehovah Shalom our Prince of Peace. God is waiting with outstretched arms to welcome us in from the storms of life and uplift us, transport us and transform us into the individuals that he created us to be. "Living our lives by his design and not from crisis to crisis" (Pastor Randy Morrison).

YOU means each and every one of us. There are no race barriers, no age limitations, and no financial statuses that can come between the relationship that can be obtained with God once we, as his children, finally relinquish our desires of self gratification. We must learn to "trust in him with all of our hearts, leaning not to our own understanding, but through total submission to God knowing that he alone will go before us and make our paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6). Once we become a true child of God Nothing can separate us from his love.


UOY DEIRRAC I ,DLIHC SUOICERP YM

PAGE 14

ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER

IW MAG

What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep." No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. -Roman's 8: 31-39 As a Child of God we have the honor and privilege of being able to personally experience Romans 8:31-39. Our Heavenly Father wants to love us and requires nothing more than our love and commitment in return. And while God knows we are not capable of the agape love that he demonstrates to us, he left His Word here on earth as an example for us to follow and emulate. God does not expect perfection from his children because he knows we are still growing and maturing in our walks with him and in our faith. Step out of your circumstances, your social or financial situations, your physical, mental or emotional states and ask God to come into your lives. Be his true child, one that he will delight in, and harness the pure love that only your Heavenly Father is capable of giving. An unconditional and unwavering love for his sons and daughters that never ceases, never fails and never gives up on. As a child of God you’re totally covered by God’s grace and protection. Even when you don’t know He’s there, He’s there; and in those times when you struggle, He’s the one who’s carrying you. Whatever you’re going though, you’re going through it for a reason and He is going through it with you. Those six words mean the most to me out of that entire poem. Just those words. My precious child. . . I carried you.


SEE HOW VERY MUCH OUR FATHER LOVES US, FOR HE CALLS US HIS CHILDREN, AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE! BUT THE PEOPLE WHO BELONG TO THIS WORLD DON’T RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE GOD’S CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY DON’T KNOW HIM. - 1JOHN J O H N3:1 3:1 NLT 1 NLT


KEEP YOUR EYES ON ME PAGE 16

IW MAG

AS IRON SHARPENS IRON

BY: MELISSA VOLMINK

This world gives us so much pain and we feel as though nothing can take that pain away. We are faced with heartache, sadness, illness,

worry, disappointment, and death. But even

through all of these trials, God is always there. As a father loves and cares for his children, that’s how God loves and cares for us.

I had drifted away from God because I felt as

though He couldn’t hear me. I felt lost, but after watching a movie called The Shack, I realized

A READ TO RECOMMEND "THE SHACK" Mackenzie Allen Philips' youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered

that no matter what has happened, God was

is found in an abandoned shack

right there all along.

deep in the Oregon wilderness.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,

and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn

from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” -Matthew 11:28-30

Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and

The movie gave me a new perspective on what God does not only for me, but for all of

walks back into his darkest

us. When we feel as though we’re alone and we have no one to turn to, He his right there

nightmare. What he finds there

holding our hand and protecting us.

will change Mack's world forever.

Our journey through life won’t be an easy one, and even though there will be times where we feel like giving up, always remember that we have a Heavenly Father who we can count on.

There’s a song by Jesus Culture called Freedom Reigns and the lyrics to this song are so true. It says, “Give your all to Jesus. Give Him all, there is freedom. Give your all to Jesus. There is freedom. Freedom reigns in this place. Showers of mercy and grace. Falling on every face. There is freedom.”

God is always with us, even when it doesn’t seem like it. The amount of love that He has for us is unimaginable and none of us can begin to understand what God does for us on a daily basis. He is working all things for your good, so keep your eyes on Him, because He’s there.

CHECK OUT THE MOVIE TOO!


IW MAG

ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER

PAGE 17

“THEY ARE NOT OF THE WORLD, EVEN AS I AM NOT OF IT” -JOHN 17:16

CITIZENS OF HEAVENLY REALMS

AS CHILDREN OF GOD WE ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE WORLD, BUT NOT OF THE WORLD BECAUSE OUR CITIZENSHIP IS FOUND IN THE HEAVENLY REALMS. DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD OR ANYTHING IN THE WORLD. IF ANYONE LOVES THE WORLD, LOVE FOR THE FATHER[A] IS NOT IN THEM. FOR EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD—THE LUST OF THE FLESH, THE LUST OF THE EYES, AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE—COMES NOT FROM THE FATHER BUT FROM THE WORLD. THE WORLD AND ITS DESIRES PASS AWAY, BUT WHOEVER DOES THE WILL OF GOD LIVES FOREVER”. -1 JOHN 2:15-17 By: Ncediwe Mdlulwa

-ROMANS 8:16 NLT


PAGE 18

IW MAG

AS IRON SHARPENS IRON

HIDE AND SEEK By: Micayla Robertson

20!

A game I always loved playing as a kid was hide and seek.

1...2...3...

They would always scream,

"Ready or not, here I come!"

Do you remember it?

4...5...6...

. . .and I would always be found.

~

My siblings and I would play at home and while one person counted to twenty, the rest of us would run to find the best hiding place.

Some of us are hiding from God, when instead we should be seeking Him.

7...8...9... Sometimes I would hide behind curtains or couches, sometimes I would hide in kitchen cabinets, sometimes I would be in a closet or a laundry basket, and sometimes I would hide under the bed.

10...11...12...

"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." - Matthew 6:33 NLT Some of us are hiding behind drapes hoping to cover up our sins, or under the influence of people cooking up schemes of evil. Some are hiding in closets, struggling with their sexuality, or allowing their dirty laundry to bury them in shame, instead of allowing the Lord to wash them and make them pure! Some are hiding under the bed of infidelity, lust and adultery, hoping

I would hide in a place where I knew I would never be found,

to fill a void that only God can fill; and all are silently dying

somewhere in the shadows or darkness, because hiding in plain

inside to the darkness in which they chose to hide. The beauty

daylight, would immediately blow my cover. Once I found my spot, I would be as quiet as possible, and whenever we weren’t playing the game, I would always keep an eye out for great hiding places.

13...14...15...

of hide and seek is, eventually we are found and see the light of the Lord.

Ready or not. . . God is coming. We as His children need to prepare ourselves for the Lord's return and stop hiding. He is with us in every hiding place. He will never leave us nor forsake us, and He has already delivered

Sometimes I would see my brothers and sisters hide, and

us from our sins, allowing us to inherit his Kingdom.

question whether they would be found before I was.

"But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” - Matthew 19:14 (NLT)"

16..17...18... And sometimes I would be the first one found and have to reevaluate my hiding strategies for the next round.

So stop playing Hide and Seek with God, and seek His glory

19...

for your life. Stop hiding from the Lord, and allow yourself to

Regardless of my hiding spot, I knew that once I heard the counter get to the number. . .

be found in Him through Faith.

"For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith". -1 John 5:4 NLT


IW MAG

AS A CHILD OF GOD, I UNDERSTAND I AM A SINNER AND HE IS MY SAVIOR: THAT IS GOSPEL TO ME To understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it is imperative to understand both the bad news (the bad ones being the fact that I am a sinner) and good news being the fact that God paid the wages of our sins by sacrificing his only begotten son Jesus Christ to die for us (God saved Us- He is our Savior) For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. - John 3:16 NLT I am saved because I have a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ! By: Ncediwe Mdlulwa

PAGE 19

NOITAVLAS FO LEPSOG EHT

ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER


THIS IS HOW WE KNOW THAT WE LOVE GOD’S CHILDREN: WHEN WE LOVE GOD AND OBEY HIS COMMANDS. -1 JOHN 5:2 CSB


IW MAG

AS IRON SHARPENS IRON

PAGE 21

I AM AN HEIR OF GOD By: Ncediwe Mdlulwa

for

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory”. Romans 8:17 CSB As a child of God royalty belongs to me –we are heirs in God's eyes and an apple of God's eyes. We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that we may declare the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9 CSB).

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. -Matthew 6:33 CSB I am a princess because I am Daughter of the king. My inheritance comes from seeking my Father’s kingdom and righteousness and accepting what my Father has for me. So as an heir, I will claim my inheritance: I have inherited the traits of our father in Heaven God’s Gene created me in the image of God so that I could become more like him I resemble our Lord Jesus Christ As a Child of God I have inherited his spirit – The Breath of Life

(“Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being”. -Genesis 2:7 CSB) I have the authority to conquer my enemies and I will walk in confidence, with the courage I have inherited from my King. ( “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you”. -Luke 10:19 CSB )

I am an Heir of God


PAGE 22

ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER

IW MAG

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You

Walking in Power By: Alisha (Lisa) Moore

I sense the presence of His Grace Upon this Earthly place I no longer fear the light As I know that my future is bright

I am grateful, faithful, and praiseful I now understand God's love for me And why He gave me this vision to see I won't back down in the face of adversity For God has created a time such as this for me I cry for those lost in sin But, I understand because I know where I have been.

W A L K

I N

P I am a girl, plain and simple Who finally knows her Temple O W I want to help those that are lost, broken and crushed in spirit E Because the Power in me is inherit R I will step up to heal the souls And deliver their minds from the things of old

I understand that I can change the world Because God said that the power that lives in me raised Jesus from the dead! I pray that all can see His Love illuminating inside of me. I am who I am because I have been Called Forth to show His EXCELLENCE!!

can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of

the darkness into his wonderful light. - 1 Peter 2:9

I dream of God using me To make His kingdom what it should be

are royal priests,[a] a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you

I see the person inside of me And I'm in awe of all her beauty


SO YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED A SPIRIT THAT MAKES YOU FEARFUL SLAVES. INSTEAD, YOU RECEIVED GOD’S SPIRIT WHEN HE ADOPTED YOU AS HIS OWN CHILDREN. NOW WE CALL HIM, “ABBA", FATHER. FOR HIS SPIRIT JOINS WITH OUR SPIRIT TO AFFIRM THAT WE ARE GOD’S CHILDREN. -ROMANS 8:16 NLT

DO YOU NEED PRAYER?

Being a child of God, makes you a member of the body of Christ. As a member, you are family, which means that you are never alone. We are here to pray for you and with you through any situation. If you need prayer, feel free to email us at: ironwifeymagazine@gmail.com


WWW.IRONWIFEY.COM


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.