Sister Barbara Counts
President’s Devotional (2024)
By: Barbara Counts
I have a Bible that has a section, “The Life of Women in Bible Times”. I would like to share some of Jesus’ treatment of women.
Jesus treated women with love and respect. While upholding the law, he ignored opportunities the law offered him to disgrace women. He chose instead to honor the heart of the law by honoring women as Children God. We remember the adulterous woman brought to him by the scribes and Pharisees in John chapter 8. She was caught in the act and the law said she should be stoned. They were hoping to catch him going against the law. Jesus knew their hearts and whatever he wrote in the sand they left one by one. When Jesus looked up he asked her “where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?” She answered no. Jesus said “neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” This is where the world doesn’t always look at what Jesus said. He was calling it sin and told her to go and sin no more.
Jesus was respectful and civil to women not only of his own ethnicity but also from surrounding nations. There is no better example of this than his conversation with the Samaritan woman at
the well, a woman he could have shunned based on her gender, nationality, or lifestyle. Instead, Jesus’ longest recorded conversation is with her. Multiple women were listed in the New Testa-ment. We, as women, have a work to do.
As many of you know, when Bro Counts retired we moved over to Coquille to be near the family. We started the process of building a house. That took over two years to accomplish. Not being the most patient woman in this world, I would become frustrated. Then the Lord and I would have to have a conversation with me asking for forgiveness and letting Him know that I knew He was in control. Being a slow learner we had that conversation many times over the last two years. He was gracious and did make me realize that there was a reason why it was taking so long. When Kayt had liver failure and I was there to take care of the little girls while she and her mom spent time in getting her where she could get answers, I realized that was why we were where we needed to be. God blessed us with Kayt finally getting to the doctors that could help her.
Our God is so faithful to watch over us. We are in our new home and feel so blessed that God has given us a very nice home. Now to just get settled in and it’s time for me to spend more time in his word and prayer. Finding my path he wants me on for the time I have left here in this world. Looking forward to what he has for us. I want to thank all of my sisters for the prayers and support you have given me these past two years.
By: Barbara Counts
I have a Bible that has a section, “The Life of Women in Bible Times”. I would like to share some of Jesus’ treatment of women.
- He had female students in Luke 10:38-39 we read where Mary sat at the feet of Jesus listening to him teach. Upsetting her sister Martha who was working. Do we sometimes
find ourselves too busy to sit at our Savior’s feet in his Word and let the busyness of this world distract us? - He accepted women as friends and ministry supporters. In Luke 8:1-3 we read (1)“And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, (2) And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, (3) And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, who ministered unto him of their substance,”
- He talked to foreign women. In John 4:7-10 we read (7) “There cometh a women of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (8)(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) (9)Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How
is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which as a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. (10) Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.” As we know Jesus went on to tell her of the living water that he gives. She wanted that living water and when Jesus told her to go and tell her husband we learn she had no husband and Jesus knew all about her. She ends up saved and goes into the city to tell others about Jesus. Because of her witness, others came to know Jesus. - After His resurrection, in a culture that rejected women as witnesses, women were asked
to help share the gospel. In Matthew 28:5-7 we read (5)”And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. (6) He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. (7) And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.” In Luke 24:10 it names Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them. - He overruled ritual impurity laws to help a woman of faith. In Mark 5:25-34 we read of the woman with the issue of blood for twelve years. She said if I may just touch his clothes, I shall be whole. In verse 34 Jesus says to her “Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole;
go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.”
Jesus treated women with love and respect. While upholding the law, he ignored opportunities the law offered him to disgrace women. He chose instead to honor the heart of the law by honoring women as Children God. We remember the adulterous woman brought to him by the scribes and Pharisees in John chapter 8. She was caught in the act and the law said she should be stoned. They were hoping to catch him going against the law. Jesus knew their hearts and whatever he wrote in the sand they left one by one. When Jesus looked up he asked her “where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?” She answered no. Jesus said “neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” This is where the world doesn’t always look at what Jesus said. He was calling it sin and told her to go and sin no more.
Jesus was respectful and civil to women not only of his own ethnicity but also from surrounding nations. There is no better example of this than his conversation with the Samaritan woman at
the well, a woman he could have shunned based on her gender, nationality, or lifestyle. Instead, Jesus’ longest recorded conversation is with her. Multiple women were listed in the New Testa-ment. We, as women, have a work to do.
As many of you know, when Bro Counts retired we moved over to Coquille to be near the family. We started the process of building a house. That took over two years to accomplish. Not being the most patient woman in this world, I would become frustrated. Then the Lord and I would have to have a conversation with me asking for forgiveness and letting Him know that I knew He was in control. Being a slow learner we had that conversation many times over the last two years. He was gracious and did make me realize that there was a reason why it was taking so long. When Kayt had liver failure and I was there to take care of the little girls while she and her mom spent time in getting her where she could get answers, I realized that was why we were where we needed to be. God blessed us with Kayt finally getting to the doctors that could help her.
Our God is so faithful to watch over us. We are in our new home and feel so blessed that God has given us a very nice home. Now to just get settled in and it’s time for me to spend more time in his word and prayer. Finding my path he wants me on for the time I have left here in this world. Looking forward to what he has for us. I want to thank all of my sisters for the prayers and support you have given me these past two years.