Follow In His Steps

More Gathered Gems

2011-12-22T06:42:00.002-06:00

Recently I was able to finish reading the book Kept for the Master's Use, and what a book! I found it to be so encouraging, convicting and uplifting. A book that I will definitely be recommending to others and one that I will be reading again and again. (And just as a little disclaimer . . . while there were a few things in it that I did not agree with [which seems to be pretty typical with most books other than the Bible :)] overall, it is an excellent book.)

When the last page of the last chapter was finished, I went back and read through all of the quotes that I had written down (and the large sections that I had written down page numbers for) . . . so many gems of wisdom that yet again, spoke to my heart. It is interesting to look back and see which chapters I gleaned the most from, and I wasn't surprised that "My Lips Kept for Him" was one of those!

Reading this chapter really spoke to my heart as being a person who is more of a 'talker' and who loves to visit with others, to have deep, thought provoking discussions, and more, and yet also one who has weaknesses in this area such as sometimes not thinking before I speak and times of being too passionate and/or not having my words be with grace, there was just so much encouragement and wisdom for me in these pages! Another aspect of it that was so applicable is with having a heart for evangelism and a desire to share about the Lord with others, there was much in this chapter that encouraged that.

Anyway, I hope that these selected portions from several of the chapters will be a blessing to you as they have been to me . . . .

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"'How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things!' [Romans 10:15]. . . if we want to have these beautiful feet, we must have the tidings ready which they are to bear. Let us ask Him to keep our hearts so freshly full of His good news of salvation, that our mouths may speak out of their abundance." (pg. 63)

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"And this is the way the Master keeps the lips of His servants, by so filling their hearts with His love that the outflow cannot be unloving, by so filling their thoughts that the utterance can not be un-Christlike. There must be filling before there can be pouring out; and if there is filling, there must be pouring out, for He hath said, 'Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.' (pg. 91-92; emphasis in the original)

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"Not one sentence that passes these lips of ours but must be an invisibly prolonged influence, not dying away into silence, but living away into the words and deeds of others." (pg. 95)

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"Literally, a consecrated life is and must be a life of denial of self. But all the effort and pain of it is changed into very delight. We love our Master; we know, surely and absolutely, that He is listening and watching our every word and way, and that He has called us to the privilege of walking 'worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.' And in so far as this is a reality to us, the identical things which are still self-denial in one sense, become actual self-delight in another." (pg. 115-116; emphasis in the original)

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"The love of Christ is not an absorbing, but a radiating, love. The more we love Him, the more we shall certainly love others." (pg. 154-155)

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"'For Thee!' That is the beginning and the end of the whole matter of consecration." (pg. 159)

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"For the Lord is our Keeper, and He is the Almighty and the Everlasting God, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. He will never change His mind about keeping us, and no man is able to pluck us out of His hand. Neither will Christ let us pluck us out of His hand . . . He that keepeth us will not slumber. Once having undertaken His vineyard, He will keep it night and day, till all the days and nights are over, and we know the full meaning of the salvation ready to be revealed in the last time, unto which we are kept by His power.

And then, forever for Him! passing from the gracious keeping by faith for this little while to the glorious keeping in His presence for all eternity! . . . we showing forth His praise, and He showing the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness towards us in the ages to come! He for us, and we for Him forever!"

(pg. 168-169; emphasis in the original)

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" . . . . henceforth it must be, shall be, and by His grace will be our true-hearted, whole-hearted cry -

Take myself, and I will be
Ever, ONLY, ALL for Thee!"

(pg. 185; emphasis in the original.)

-Posted by Sarah

How Do We Know the Bible is the Inspired Word of God?

2011-11-30T07:30:00.004-06:00

Awhile back on a forum for homeschool graduates that I am a part of, there was a discussion about the inspiration of the Bible. It was a little surprising how many did not believe that the Bible was, in its entirety, the inspired, infallible word of God, believing instead that none of it was true, or, that only parts of it were true and others weren’t. There ended up being quite a discussion about it (of which I was a part), and my last post in the thread I thought I would share here as well in the hopes that it may be an encouragement/help to someone . . .

This thread has been a little disheartening to read through and see the various responses that have been given. Much evidence has been shared by others showing the support for the inerrancy of Scripture, yet the evidences given have for the most part, not been examined, but have instead, been overlooked and/or ignored.

If the serious, unbiased seeker of the Lord and of truth would examine the evidences and would truly examine the Bible without presuppositions, they would find that it IS in its entirety, God’s infallible Word.

The Bible itself claims to be the Word of God, but that in and of itself does not prove that it is (as many of you have pointed out.) The Koran and other religious works also make similar claims, and logically, all of these cannot be true.

How, then, is the Bible different from other religions’ books? Simply put, the Bible, and the historical, logical, and archaeological evidences, show clearly that the 66 books of the Bible are the inspired word of God (and what is shared below is just a tiny glimpse into these evidences, and is also not an examination of the canonization of Scripture, though that makes a very fascinating study as well) . . . .

To make a bit of a starting point, try finding ten people in your own town with similar backgrounds and walks of life and ask them to, without talking to one another, write a short paper on a controversial topic, such as: what is man’s purpose in life, and then see if they agree in perfect harmony. I would venture to guess that they would not. :) Consider that, then, in light of this . . .

--The Bible, even with its great length (1196 pages in my Bible), has perfect unity. It was written down by men (as in, the hand of God did not pen it like He did the ten commandments) over a period of 1,500 years by more than 40 different authors with very different education levels, backgrounds, cultures, ages, and more. They wrote in different places – city, wilderness, prison, island. The writings composing the Bible were written on three different continents (Asia, Africa and Europe) and in three different languages (Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic.)

--The Bible is composed of 66 books that deal with a wide variety of topics, many that are controversial, but the central theme that can be found throughout the entire Bible is God’s marvelous plan of salvation for mankind through Jesus Christ. And when considering the above points, that in and of itself is amazing.

--The Bible (and historical evidence) shows the perfect fulfillment of so many of the prophecies given in the Old Testament (Lamentations 2:17. And the prophecies that have not yet been fulfilled are still awaiting their fulfillment.)

--The Bible has no contradictions (and the supposed ‘contradictions’ that have been shared in this thread are not truly contradictions – a thorough examination of these ‘contradictions’ will bring that to light.) To clarify this just a bit, one of the foundational laws of logic is ‘non-contradiction’ - a thing cannot be both ‘a’ and ‘not-a’ at the same time. For example, if the Scriptures said that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and then in another place said that He was born in Jerusalem, we have a contradiction and this would be a provable error.

This is where discernment and an unbiased examination of the evidence must come into play, however. Just because two statements may differ, it does not mean that they contradict one another. For example (and a rather simple one), I could say that “I went to the store today.” By that statement, someone might infer that I only went to the store today. Whereas I simply did not give the full information by my statement. A later statement (or statements) could give more information without contradicting the first statement. “I went to the park today” or “I went to the store today and yesterday” or “I didn’t go to the store this morning.” These do not contradict the first statement, but they do give a fuller and more complete understanding to what actually took place.

One additional point I would like to make to this is that our translations are not perfectly exact to the original texts (as in, an exact word for word translation – this is understood through even the translation today of one language to another, say, French to Spanish.) This is where it is helpful to have things such as interlinear Bibles, a concordance, lexicons, etc. that help us to understand the original Greek and Hebrew words that were used. Even with this, though, again, the Bible has no contradictions in it.

It basically comes down to the fact that there is irrefutable evidence that the Bible is true (and there is SO much more than the tiny little bit that was shared in this post that is evidence that the Bible is true . . . including in areas that were not even touched on here such as the archaeological, historical, and scientific evidences. There have been whole books written on these evidences, and I’d rather not write another one in this thread :) so this is but a brief glimpse into a part of it.) It is up to each one of us, then, to believe the evidences given, or to disregard them and continue believing that the Bible is false (or that parts of the Bible are false.) Each man has this choice to make . . . and the choice we make will have eternal consequences.

“I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book . . . if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19

For myself, I choose to believe and trust the indisputable historical, logical, scientific, and archeological evidences that abound and to take God at His word. Trusting that what He promised and what He has said is true . . . .

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:8

"So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but by men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” 2 Peter 1:19-21

-Posted by Sarah

Devoted to Prayer

2011-11-08T06:04:00.001-06:00

Awhile back, I had shared a post on my As Lilies blog about my Bible memory verse boxes and getting back into trying to memorize a verse a day (except for weekends which were for review – and I do miss days periodically as well). With doing this, I have found in my own heart and life, many blessings being reaped. So often, the verse (or verses) that I would be working on memorizing, or ones that were memorized earlier, would come to mind throughout the day and I would have the opportunity to meditate on them and look for ways to apply them to my life.

Recently, one particular verse struck a chord in my heart as it is an area I had been convicted to grow in and was also seeing the absolute necessity for it in order to have an active and growing life in Christ. This verse kept coming to mind and gave me a lot of opportunity to think about it and to dig deeper into it . . . .

“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” (Colossians 4:2)

Have you ever thought about what it means to be devoted to prayer? To be alert in it? As I repeated this verse over and over while working on memorizing it, those phrases seemed to be standing out in bold and really were convicting to me. The word “devote” is one that I have studied before, so I had a pretty good idea of what it meant. Yet when doing a bit of further study, I was surprised to discover what the Greek word itself means that was translated as this “devote.”

I looked it up in our concordance and found that the Greek word is proskartereo which means “to attend constantly.” As I read that, it was kind of like a ‘wow’ moment . . . one of those times where I just had to stop and think about the deep implications that that one word holds. It is so much more than I would have ever thought . . . so much further reaching, so very much a part of who we should be. To think the Lord has called us to constantly attend to prayer! How convicting this is!

Looking further, it was found that the phrase “keeping alert” simply means “to be awake, to watch.” This being devoted to prayer and keeping alert in it, then, seems to be a heart so close to the Lord, so intimate in fellowship, and so ready to, all throughout the day, go to the Lord in prayer for wisdom, strength, help, provision, and so much more, with whatever circumstances come our way during the day. Just like abiding in Christ becomes an integral part of our life, so should prayer become a constant aspect of our life in Christ.

For myself, there is a particular area that, as I thought about this “devoted to prayer” over the past weeks, especially hit home to me. It is related to speaking a word for Christ to others (such as people I meet in town, extended family, friends, acquaintances, etc.) and pointing hearts to Christ. This is something that is very important to me, but so often, opportunities come up to say something, and I miss them because I do not think about it until after the fact. This has happened so many times the past months when after having a conversation with someone, I would look back and see many ways where I could have turned the conversation to spiritual things, turned it to sharing the gospel, offered a word of encouragement, and more.

But then when I memorized this verse, I realized that if my heart was alert to prayer and if I had that constant, open communication with the Lord and turned to Him immediately asking for His Spirit’s guidance as soon as these types of conversations would come up, then I would know how to respond. But in order to be ready for these situations (and others as well), I need to be cultivating that heart now.

And this is just one tiny aspect of life that can be so affected through prayer! And that should be brought to the Lord in prayer. I am reminded of the verse in 1 Thessalonians “Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; emphasis added.) It is God’s will for us to pray to Him always with joy and thanksgiving. Should it not be our great delight to do so? Just think, prayer is communication with the Lord God! Not only the all-knowing and all-wise Creator of all, but our Lord and Savior! Our Redeemer and Friend. Just thinking of this beautiful relationship and the special avenue of communication that we fallible, yet redeemed, people have with Him fills my heart with awe and thankfulness to the Lord. That He has such care for us and love for us, that His ear is always open to our prayer. That even His Son, Jesus Christ, is our intercessor and mediator! With just knowing these beautiful truths, what a joy it should be to us, and how eager we should be, to indeed, be devoted, to be constantly attending, to prayer.

For me personally, this heart that is devoted to prayer is closely tied with having my mind set on things above, resting and abiding in Christ, and having my regular times with the Lord in His Word. It is like fabric on a loom where each strand is woven together to form the beauty of the whole. Yet if some of the threads are broken or missing, the strength of the fabric suffers and its beauty will be lacking. Oh, to remember to cultivate the strength of each of the threads in my spiritual life! Including having and cultivating this beautiful heart that is so close to the Lord that it is devoted to prayer to Him and alert in it with all thanksgiving.

-Posted by Sarah

Consecration

2011-11-01T16:15:00.002-05:00

Every once in awhile, I stumble across a gem of a book, and right now I am reading through one that is thus far, one of the most spiritually encouraging books that I have read. It is titled Kept for the Master's Use and was written by Frances Ridley Havergal in the late 1800's. She was also the author of the well-known hymn Take My Life and Let It Be. This book is actually based upon this hymn that she had written, and it shares about full consecration to the Lord in all areas of our lives.

I had begun the book awhile back and was about halfway through when I decided to start it over so I could take notes while I read. There were just so many convicting and encouraging portions of it that I wanted to be able to easily find later on!

This past Sunday evening while we were all gathered in the living room doing various things, I read through chapter one again and copied down several excerpts. One touched my heart so much that I shared it with my family after copying it down, and I thought I would share it here as well. (And to help keep it in context, remember that the title of the book is Kept for the Master's Use) . . . .

"We want our lives kept, not that we may feel happy, and be saved the distress consequent on wandering, and get the power with God and man and all the other privileges linked with it. We shall have all this, because the lower is included in the higher; but our true aim, if the love of Christ constraineth us, will be far beyond this. Not for "me" at all, but "for Jesus"; not for my safety, but for His glory; not for my comfort, but for His joy . . . Yes, for Him I want to be kept. Kept for His sake; kept for His use; kept to be His witness; kept for His joy! kept for Him, that in me He may show forth some tiny sparkle of His light and beauty; kept to do His will and His work in His own way; kept, it may be, to suffer for His sake; kept for Him, that He may do just what seemeth good with me; kept so that no other lord shall have any more dominion over me, but that Jesus shall have all there is to have - little enough, indeed, but not divided or diminished by any other claim. Is not this, O you who love the Lord - is not this worth living for, worth asking for, worth trusting for? This is consecration . . . ." (Kept for the Master's Use; pg. 22-23.)

Oh, to have such a heart as this! Each time I read through this, I find my heart so convicted and hungering after this kind of life and heart. Yes, the aim is high, and it may seem in our human minds difficult, if not impossible, to reach, but as the author shared just a bit earlier in the chapter:

"Consecration is not so much a step as a course; not so much an act, as a position to which a course of action inseparably belongs." (Kept for the Master's Use; pg. 14)

So I journey on . . . desiring and seeking to bring each aspect of my life into this full consecration to the Lord. And as I continue reading in this book, I am sure more portions of it will be shared here!

"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:1-2.)

-Posted by Sarah

A Few Verses from 1 Peter

2011-07-28T10:01:00.006-05:00

This morning when reading my Bible there was one passage that particularly stood out to me and convicted my heart, and I thought I would share it here as well . . .

"The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:7-11.)

-Posted by Sarah

Abiding and Working - A Quote from Andrew Murray

2011-06-28T16:44:00.010-05:00

I have been slowly reading through a book called Abide in Christ* by Andrew Murray, and have been so blessed, encouraged and convicted by it. Each chapter has had much that spoke to my heart, and that I have then been seeking to apply to my own life. The below portion (as well as many others) was especially convicting to me . . . I hope that it will bless and encourage your heart as it did mine!

"If we are abiding in Jesus, let us begin to work. Let us first seek to influence those around us in daily life. Let us accept distinctly and joyfully our holy calling, that we are even now to live as the servants of the love of Jesus to our fellow-men. Our daily life must have for its object the making of an impression favourable to Jesus. When you look at the branch, you see at once the likeness to the Vine. We must live so that somewhat of the holiness and the gentleness of Jesus may shine out in us. We must live to represent Him. As was the case with Him when on earth, the life must prepare the way for the teaching . . . .

"Living so, with our hearts longing to have Jesus glorified in the souls He is seeking after, let us offer ourselves to Him for direct work. There is work in our own home. There is work among the sick, the poor, and the outcast. There is work in a hundred different paths which the Spirit of Christ opens up through those who allow themselves to be led by Him . . . . Abiding in Christ, let us work."

Quote taken from the book Abide in Christ by Andrew Murray; pg.117

*As a little disclaimer, I do not necessarily agree with everything that is shared in the book, but overall, the content is excellent!

-Posted by Sarah

Gleanings from a Sunday Teaching

2011-05-11T17:12:00.000-05:00

What a blessing it is to be a part of the body of Christ, and Sundays when we gather together with brothers and sisters in the Lord are such wonderful and encouraging times . . . it truly is a family meeting together with a one another love for each other and for our God and Savior. When one member rejoices, the others rejoice; when one member suffers, the others suffer as well; when one weeps, the others weep with them; when one has a need, the others seek to support and meet that need.

I hadn’t realized how fully this could be realized in a church family until the past year or so when each of the families in our group went through significant trials and hardships. How beautiful it was to see how these trying times allowed for such growth in the Lord and growth in our relationships with one another. It also provided much opportunity for encouraging one another and building up one another in Christ.

In light of all that had taken place in everyone’s lives over the past months, one of the men was led to share a bit of encouragement to everyone the Sunday before last. The teaching that he prepared was so uplifting and so thought-provoking, and my pen flew across the paper in my notebook as I tried to keep up with taking notes. Afterwards, the thought came to mind that what was shared might also be good to share here as well. There is no way that I can type up what was taught as clearly as how it was presented on Sunday, but I thought I would attempt to, at least in part, share some of what was taught . . .

We began by looking at a number of verses that speak of how our hearts should be when we are going through trials, and then also what the Lord’s relationship with us is as we walk through these trials. Just the verses themselves spoke so much to my heart . . . .

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4)

Our trials can be reasons of great joy for us . . . simply look at what good fruit they can bring forth!

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, the God who is our salvation. Selah. God is to us a God of deliverances; and to GOD the Lord belong escapes from death.” (Psalm 68:19-20)

“Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah.” (Psalm 62:8)

“Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” (Psalm 55:22)

How beautiful, and how encouraging these verses are . . . the Lord daily bears our burden, He is our God of salvation, He is a God of deliverances, He is a refuge for us, He is our sustainer, and He will never allow those who are His to be shaken. What precious, precious promises.

This type of trust and rest in Him can come through the simple knowledge that God is God. We don’t always see what He is doing “behind the scenes” so to speak; we have no way of knowing what wondrous fruit He may be working in our lives through the trying and difficult circumstances that we may be going through. Nor what fruit they may bear in the lives of those who are watching.

After talking about this for a bit, we turned to 2 Chronicles and read through chapter 20 piece by piece. I had not thought of this chapter quite in this light before, and it was wonderful to see it ‘opened up’ as we dug deeper into the word of God. And how well this account applied to the verses that we had just read through!

“Now it came about after this that the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon, together with some of the Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat. Then some came and reported to Jehoshaphat, saying, ‘A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, out of Aram and behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar (that is Engedi).’ Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered together to seek help from the LORD; they even came from all of the cities of Judah to seek the LORD.” (2 Chronicles 20:1-4)

Can you imagine being the nation of Judah and then finding out that all of these mighty nations were joining together to come and attack you? What would your response be? To immediately begin planning how to defend yourself and what your plan of attack would be? I think that would be more of how I would respond. But what was Jehoshaphat’s response? Yes, fear did come into his heart, but his immediate response was that he “turned his attention to seek the LORD.” And not only that, but he led the nation of Judah to seek help from the Lord as well. What a beautiful testimony this is of Jehoshaphat’s close relationship with the Lord and also of his great faith in Him.

The chapter continues with sharing . . . .

“Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD before the new court, and he said, ‘ O LORD, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You. Did You not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever? They have lived in it, and have built You a sanctuary there for Your name, saying, “Should evil come upon us, the sword, or judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before You (for Your name is in this house) and cry to You in our distress, and You will hear and deliver us.” Now behold, the sons of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt (they turned aside from them and did not destroy them), see how they are rewarding us by coming to drive us out from Your possession which You have given us as an inheritance. O Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us: nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.’ All Judah was standing before the LORD, with their infants, their wives and their children.” (2 Chronicles 20:5-13)

Jehoshaphat prayed to the Lord and in that prayer, He acknowledged who God was and His power, presented the circumstances that the nation, Judah, was in, and beseeched the Lord for wisdom and direction. And where were Judah’s eyes throughout this time? Were their eyes on their problems and the impending attack upon their nation? No, but their eyes were on the Lord. What a declaration of faith this is.

In the passage above, great humility is also seen in that they recognized that they themselves were powerless; that they did not know what to do. Instead of trying to fix the problem on their own, to fight in their own might and strength, they turned to the One who is all-knowing and who is all-powerful, to the one true Savior. The God whom they knew could deliver them . . . and it was He whom they sought with all humility and trust.

The answer to the prayer of Jehoshaphat’s is found in the verses that follow it . . .

“Then in the midst of the assembly the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite of the sons of Asaph; and he said, ‘Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the LORD to you, “Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s. Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.” Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you.’ Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD. The Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel, with a very loud voice.” (2 Chronicles 20:14-19)

So many things are presented in this passage! A couple of points that were brought up by the one who was teaching were:

-We are to not fear or dismay in the trials that we are faced with

-We cannot fight our own battles in our own strength

-We must humble ourselves before the Lord

-Judah was told to: not fear . . . stand still . . . see the salvation of the Lord

-The Lord cares for His children; our ‘battles’ are important to Him. As children rely on their earthly father, so must we rely and depend unquestioningly in our heavenly father. For would He not have our best interests at heart? (This reminds me of the verses in the gospels that speak of the Father giving good gifts to His children that are so much greater than what even an earthly father would give.)

-If Judah had looked specifically at the ‘facts’ of the matter and had responded with their minds, then fear and dismay could easily come in. But instead, they looked to the Lord and had faith and trust in Him.

What follows next is an amazing act of the Lord to protect and preserve His people . . . to indeed, fight their battle for them . . . .

“They rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, ‘Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the LORD your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed.’ When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the LORD and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, ‘Give thanks to the LORD, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.’ When they began singing and praising, the LORD set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed. For the sons of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir destroying them completely; and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. When Judah came to the lookout of the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude, and behold, they were corpses on the ground and no one had escaped . . . So the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God gave him rest on all sides.” (2 Chronicles 20:20-24, 30)

Judah trusted in the Lord, they sang and praised Him for who He is, for His lovingkindness that is everlasting . . . and the Lord brought deliverance to them.

What a stirring account all of this is in 2 Chronicles 20, and when faced with our own trials and tribulations, may our hearts respond with the same immediate heartfelt earnestness that Jehoshaphat displayed. Turning our attention to seek the Lord, praying for His wisdom and deliverance, trusting Him, and keeping our eyes on Him to see what He would have us do.

After finishing reading through the account, we looked at a couple more verses to bring together all that had been shared so far . . .

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

No matter what the circumstances are, if we are His children, we can know that God will work these trials and hardships for our good . . . someway, somehow.

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)

The Lord loved us so very much to give His own Son to meet our greatest need . . . the need of a Savior. If He loved us so much when we were “yet sinners”, how much more so now when we are His blood-bought children! As this verse shows, and as it was shared on Sunday, if the Lord could do so much for us to meet our greatest need, how much more to meet our much smaller daily needs and trials.

“And my God will supply all your needs according to the riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

No matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, if we seek the Lord and for His wisdom and guidance, He will be to us a well-spring of wisdom, strength, peace, joy, comfort, and victory. It may not be a physical victory that can be seen as in Jehoshaphat’s and Judah’s case (in fact, most times it isn’t), but spiritual victory will most certainly be had. And as this verse shows, the Lord will supply our needs according to the riches in glory in our blessed Savior and Redeemer, Christ Jesus. Praise and thank the Lord for all of the many blessings that He so freely pours out upon us!

-Posted by Sarah

Proverbs 31 - An Example of Biblical Womanhood

2011-03-31T06:34:00.010-05:00

Proverbs 31 has always been an inspiring chapter to me, but sometimes it can be difficult to see how it relates to our lives today . . . how do the activities that she is doing apply to us? How is it applicable? When hearing the question posed recently by a young lady asking what Proverbs 31 would look like lived out in our lives today, it got me to thinking and then to eventually write out some thoughts regarding it.

One thing that has been a help to me in regards to seeing the application to my own life, is to not look specifically at what she is doing, but the principles behind what she does. Which I hope makes sense! :) In Proverbs 31, some of the things that stand out to me are her industriousness, her lack of idleness, her servant heart, her willingness to work, and her good care of her home and of her family. There is so very much in this chapter, and here are just a few brief thoughts verse by verse:

“An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels.” (vs. 10)

There will be more on this later. :)

“The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.” (vs. 11)

She is trustworthy and loyal to her husband, and thus, he has full and complete confidence in her. She is a genuine helpmeet, and because of how she fulfills her role, her husband will have no lack of those things which are truly of value. A thought that comes to mind as far as actual physical lack, is that it would appear that she is frugal and a good manager of their finances and resources.

“She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.” (vs. 12)

While this can be considered specifically to be for married women, it is applicable to those of us who are unmarried as even now, by the character we are developing, the things we are learning, etc., we can be doing good to the husbands that the Lord may have for us in the future. This also implies a continual doing of good . . . as every single day of her life, she is doing him good.

“She looks for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight.” (vs. 13)

This is one of my many favorite verses in Scripture, and simply for the last word in it: delight. How often that has come to mind as I am working on things around the house! (Scrubbing the bathtub/shower comes to mind . . . :) Here she is looking for labor to do, she is actively seeking, and the work of her hands is a delight to her. She delights in doing these labors as she possesses a servant heart, and she knows that she is fulfilling the role that God has given her as a wife and mother. This delight is defined as: eager willingness, great earnestness, cheerfully, and taking a high degree of pleasure in. As we go about our day to day household tasks whether it be doing the laundry or scrubbing the floors, may this be our heart as well!

“She is like merchant ships; she brings her food from afar.”(vs. 14)

She is resourceful and a planner . . . she is searching and looking for food. Perhaps this can be applicable to looking for ‘bargains’ in order to spend money wisely while providing food for her family.

“She rises also while it is still night and gives food to her household and portions to her maidens.” (vs. 15)

One could never accuse this woman of being lazy, could they?! :) She seems to be very industrious and is looking to others’ needs above her own. She sacrifices her own comfort to arise early to make sure that her family is well cared for and provided for.

“She considers a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard” (vs. 16)

From what is shared here, it appears that she is an entrepreneur given her purchase of land and then planting a vineyard. This also indicates long term goals and planning as a vineyard would take many years before it would begin to produce fruit. She also is a manager of finances. And she must manage well in order to have the money available to purchase the land.

“She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong.” (vs. 17)

This verse seems to indicate that she cares well for her body both through exercise and through what she eats, and that she has the physical strength necessary to perform her daily labors . . . there is also a principle of spiritual strength as well.

“She senses that her gain is good; her lamp does not go out at night.” (vs. 18)

She rests in contentment knowing that her labor is producing fruit which is good. The last part, though, is still a bit of a puzzle to me . . . one idea that someone once shared with me is that often a candle was left burning in the window as a sign of welcome to a passerby who may be needing shelter. Or again, it could be an indicator of her industry.

“She stretches out her hands to the distaff and her hands grasp the spindle.” (vs. 19)

Again, she is a woman of industry as she seeks to provide for the needs of her family through providing clothing and coverings for them.

“She extends her hands to the poor, and she stretches out her hands to the needy.” (vs. 20)

Here the passage seems to take a shift as the focus moves from first, her husband, and then second, her family, to now thirdly, towards others outside of her family. She sees needs and seeks to meet those needs, she has a heart of service, love and of generosity towards those in need. And I would imagine that this would not only be physical needs, but spiritual as well. “Extending her hands” is also an indicator of a sign of welcoming, and in another sense, stretching out to give a gift.

“She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She makes coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.” (vs. 21-22)

Again, those of her household are well provided for through her foresight and labor of love as she worked to provide for their needs; and she was prepared in advance. Her clothing being made of fine linen and purple suggests not just a ho-hum effort and sloppy work, but care and beauty in what she makes. One thing that also stood out to me in this is that first her household is clothed, and then she provides for herself. The unselfish, giving heart of this woman again shines through.

“Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies belts to the tradesmen.” (vs. 23-34)

She has a home business through which she sells the work of her hands . . . and it comes after her family and household have been well cared for and provided for. She uses her skills and talents to help earn an income and be a helper to her husband.

The passage continues with pointing out her trust and joy in looking to the future and her lack of fear and worry for she trusts in the Lord and knows that she has provided as well as she can for the needs of her family (vs. 25.) She is also clothed with dignity and strength, and it is shared that the words that flow from her mouth are words of wisdom and the teaching of kindness (vs. 26.) She is one who “looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness” (vs. 27.) Idle is in part to be slothful, avoiding work, not doing the tasks that you need to be doing, and being lazy. Instead of being idle, though, she willingly and joyfully serves her family and cares well for her household . . . in providing food, providing clothing, and I would imagine, caring for the cleaning, laundry, and other household tasks . . . and she does these tasks well.

Perhaps what stands out to me the most, though, about this chapter in Proverbs is found in verse 10 where it mentions her “excellence” or her being “virtuous.” Virtuous is something that is internal through which her actions, words, behavior, etc. flow from. It is having the virtues of God in her life . . . she is living and exemplifying the character that God has called her as a woman to have. When I think about that, the things that come to mind are the instruction given elsewhere in Scripture which speak of the character of a godly woman . . .

~A gentle and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:3-4)
~Sober/Dignified (1 Timothy 3:11)
~Sensible (Titus 2:5)
~Pure (Titus 2:5)
~Submissive (1 Peter 3:1-6; Titus 2:5, etc.)
~Kind (Titus 2:5)
~Reverent in behavior (Titus 2:3)
~Respectful (1 Peter 3:2)
~Gracious (Proverbs 11:16)
~Loving of husband and children (Titus 2:4)
~Modest (1 Timothy 2:9-10)
~Teaching what is good (Titus 2:3)
~Faithful in all things (1 Timothy 3:11)
~Not contentious (Proverbs 25:24, 21:19; etc.)
~Not a gossip (Titus 2:3; 1 Timothy 3:11)
~Temperate (1 Timothy 3:11)
~Having discretion (Proverbs 11:22)

Just reading through this list convicts my heart!

And one more to add to that list, and what is the summation of Proverbs 31, is being a woman who fears the Lord (vs 31) . . .

“Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.” (Proverbs 31:30.)

This is the part that convicts me the very most as it is foundational to all of the other things mentioned in this chapter . . . and all of the other instruction given by God in His Word to women . . . it is the very heart of the matter and that is our personal relationship with our God and Father. This fear of the Lord is a deep reverence and awe for the almighty and holy God, our Savior and Redeemer. And how very important it is for us to cultivate our relationship with Him! To humble ourselves before Him and honor Him as God. To earnestly seek to love Him and serve Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. And then to cultivate and strive after all of the many attributes that He desires us to have in our lives . . . including this beautiful chapter of Proverbs 31.

-Posted by Sarah

Thoughts on the life of a king

2011-02-23T07:07:00.008-06:00

The other morning, while spending time in God's Word, I was reading about the life of King Hezekiah. Now if you recall much of the history of the kings in the Old Testament, the majority were described as doing evil before God. But Hezekiah was different . . . Scripture describes him as one who put his trust in the Lord and did right in the sight of God. What caught my eye though, while reading about this man, was another small phrase that described his life. "For he clung to the Lord." What a statement to be the description of your life, to be passed down generation after generation!

As I began thinking about what it means to cling to God, the picture that came to mind was that of a small child clinging tightly to their parent. Unwilling to let go lest someone take them out of the sight and protection of the one they love and trust.

And I wonder . . . how often do I let myself get sidetracked with the busyness and experiences of life that I forget to keep my eyes on the Lord? Will I choose to cling tightly to Christ today, this very moment? Will you? What will others remember of us in years to come?

"You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him;
and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice,
serve Him, and cling to Him." Deuteronomy 13:4

-Posted by Leah

A Psalm to Share

2011-01-28T07:21:00.013-06:00

Last evening, as I opened my Bible to read a Psalm before bed, I found that the one that I was on for the day was one of my favorites . . . and one that I have memorized in song (only the New King James Version of it. :) I found myself singing in my head the beautiful and encouraging words as I read, and I hope that the words will be a blessing to you as well . . .

"O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
and are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
Even before there was a word on my tongue,
behold, O LORD, You know it all.
You have enclosed me behind and before,
and laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.

"Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
even there Your hand will lead me,
and Your right hand will lay hold of me.
If I say, 'Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
and the light around me will be night,'
even the darkness is not dark to You,
and the night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are alike to You.

"For you formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother's womb.
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
wonderful are Your works,
and my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
when I was made in secret,
and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
and in Your book were all written
the days that were ordained [lit. fashioned] for me,
when as yet there was not one of them.

"How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.
When I awake, I am still with You . . . .

"Search me, O God, and know my heart;
try me and know my anxious thoughts;
and see if there be any hurtful way in me,
and lead me in the everlasting way."
Psalm 139:1-18, 23-24

-Posted by Sarah

Not in part, but the whole

2011-01-17T07:30:00.006-06:00

This past week, I have had a song repeatedly coming into my thoughts throughout the day. Its message is stirring and thought-provoking, and also bears a challenge to each of us as followers of Jesus Christ.

All Of Me

All of me, Not a part but all of me
All the heart and soul of me
Jesus, I surrender

I believe, Lord, help my unbelief
On the altar now I lay
all I am today

So use me, Lord, use me anywhere at all
Though my place may be great or small
let me fill it gladly

Take my life, be it poor or be it grand
Let me live it by Your plan.
Shape it with Your hand

As I am, I come to Thee without one plea
Only that Thy saving blood
was shed for me

All of me, through the ages yet to be
I surrender Lord to Thee
I surrender all of me
All of me
I surrender all,
All of me

After reading the lyrics again, I took a moment to look up two of the main words in the song to see just what they mean . . .

Surrender: To give oneself up completely, to yield
All: Completely, Entirely, Wholly, without reservation

Indeed, that should be the earnest cry of the heart of every believer. And also something that we should be asking ourselves often . . . are we surrendering all to Christ? Have we yielded every part of our lives to be shaped by His hand? Or are there areas that we are holding back? I think it is safe to say that surrendering ourselves wholly to the Lord is something that we must do each and every day - it is not a one time thing. But day by day, we can come closer and closer to our goal and someday we will reach that point of complete surrender when we are with Him in glory. What a precious promise that is!

-Posted by Leah

Words and music by Mosie Lister
Photo by : Bruno Monginoux www.Landscape-Photo.net

In Tune

2011-01-12T06:27:00.004-06:00

Yesterday afternoon, Leah and I had been playing the piano together, and I pulled out my fiddle to play that for a bit as well. As with any stringed instrument, it needs to be tuned each time before playing it. Usually, this is just a tweaking and doesn't take long, but with our recent drop in humidity, all of the tuning pegs had slipped and the strings were loose on the instrument. As I worked to tune them back up to where they needed to be, the parallel between this fiddle and our spiritual lives came to mind.

Just as the fiddle needs to be 'in tune' in order to play the sweet melody that is pleasing to the ear, just so our lives need to be 'in tune' with the Lord in order to walk in obedience to Him and be pleasing in His sight.

The longer the instrument is allowed to sit without being tuned, the further out of tune it becomes . . . which again, is the same with us. The longer we spend away from the Lord, away from reading His word, away from prayer, the further 'out of tune' we become, and the longer it can take to bring our lives back into harmony with God's word.

When the fiddle slips as far out of tune as it had yesterday, it also needs several 'rounds' of tuning done . . . first I needed to tune each string and get them close to where they needed to be. Then came the fine tuning to bring them into perfect tune. And it took work, and time. It couldn't be done instantly or haphazardly, but was done carefully and according to what the tuner indicated needed to be done. Again, another parallel! Our maturing in Christ must be something that we carefully and thoroughly seek and strive after, and all according to the written word of God which acts as the 'tuner' for us. For as it is written in Psalms, His Word "is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105.)

As I shared these thoughts with my Dad last evening, he brought up another point . . . and that of the humidity. If the humidity had not dropped, my fiddle would not have been nearly as out of tune as what it was. He related this to outward influences that can hinder and/or damage our walk with the Lord and can lead us away from a walk of loving obedience to God. If we had been proactive and had been humidifying the air in anticipation of the humidity falling, the tuning wouldn't have been nearly as much of an issue.

Yet again, a parallel for us . . . if we are proactive, if we examine and test the things that come into our lives, if we hold "fast the faithful word" (Titus 1:9), if we continue in studying and applying the Scriptures, if we continue in striving to grow and obey, if we continue in prayer and seeking the Lord, these negative influences will have much less of an impact upon us. Or, aspects of them may become non-existent.

This all brings to mind a passage of Scripture that has been running through my mind quite a bit the past week or so . . .

"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to Thy word" (Psalm 119:9.)

It is through His word that we cleanse our way, and are able to become and stay 'in tune' with Him. The Psalm continues on to share:

"Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee . . . I will meditate in Thy precepts, and have respect unto Thy ways. I will delight myself in Thy statutes: I will not forget Thy word"
(Psalm 119: 11, 15-16.)

Oh, how very important and necessary His word is!

"The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul;

the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
the judgments of the LORD are true, they are righteous altogether.
They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
in keeping them, there is great reward."
Psalm 19:7-11

-Posted by Sarah

A Few Verses to Share

2011-01-06T16:45:00.024-06:00

When reading my Bible recently, the below verses spoke to my heart, and I hope that they will be an encouragement to you all as well . . .

"Though the fig tree should not blossom

and there be no fruit on the vines,
though the yield of the olive should fail
and the fields should produce no food,
though the flock should be cut off from the fold
and there be no cattle in the stalls,
Yet I will exult in the LORD,
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
The Lord GOD is my strength . . ."

Habakkuk 3:17-19a

-Posted by Sarah

Bearing Fruit in Every Good Work

2010-12-27T05:58:00.003-06:00

There is a phrase from a verse in Scripture that has been on my heart and mind lately, and it is from the book of Colossians. The first portion of the verse, Colossians 1:10, was written about here regarding walking in a manner worthy of the Lord and what it is to please Him in all respects. And the phrase that has been on my heart lately is quoted below in bold . . . .

“. . . so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

This “bearing fruit” is a part of what it is to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord . . . it is an integral part of our walk and life with Christ. As I thought about ‘fruit’, the parallel between this fruit of Christ and a fruit tree came to mind. For example, we have peach and apple trees planted on our property and in order for them to bring forth good fruit, certain care and attention must be given to them. Things such as watering, fertilizing, pruning, cultivating, protecting them from deer and other pests, and preventing and treating diseases.

The watering and fertilizing provide for the nourishment of the tree giving it health and strength and growth . . . this parallels our time spent in the word of God and taking in “the bread of life” (John 6:35) and the “living water” (John 4:10.) And not just reading the words, but taking them in as a part of who we are. For the water and nutrients can do no good to the tree, unless they are absorbed into the roots. This watering and fertilizing is also time spent with our Lord in prayer and in fellowship with Him. And in part, it can be time spent learning from those whom the Lord has brought into our lives for teaching and instructing . . . godly older men and women, our parents, and other brothers and sisters in the Lord.

Pruning, while necessary for the tree, also brings forth some loss and pain, but it is all for the good of the tree and the good fruit that will be produced. The pruning not only increases the fruit, but the tree is strengthened as dead, dying or non-productive growth is removed. This pruning is what the Lord also does to us, His children . . . He gently prunes us for our good and He refines us “like gold and silver” (Malachi 3:3.) And as we yield our lives to our loving Potter’s hands, He will mold us into vessels for His use. This pruning seems to also be something that we can in part do ourselves. For example, when we see bad ‘growth’ or ‘branches’ that negatively affect the tree, we can remove them from our lives. Much as Christ shared figuratively “if your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off” (Mark 9:43.)

Cultivating around the tree helps to remove the weeds and also softens and loosens the top of the soil to allow the water and nutrients easier access to the roots of the tree. How this brings to remembrance the parable of the sower and the seed! Once the ground was cultivated and the thorns and rocks were removed, the seed could then grow and bear fruit abundantly in this good soil. May we take to heart what is shared in this parable, and be seeking to practice this continual cultivation of our hearts, and thus, giving no time for the ‘weeds’ to become firmly rooted in our lives.

Protection of the tree from deer and pests is also so important as we found with our peach trees this year! The deer came and nearly destroyed one of the trees and ate all of the fruit. Yet if we had been vigilant and had put up some means of protection, this loss and damage could have been avoided. Yet again, this is the same in our spiritual life, as we put up a ‘hedge of protection’ of God’s word in our hearts and minds, as we seek to put up ‘barriers’ to prevent evil influences from infiltrating our hearts and minds, as we are careful of what things we watch, read, participate in, etc., lest they, like the deer, come in and bring destruction and loss.

Closely related to this is the prevention and treatment of diseases. With our trees, we have found that it is much easier to take care of the problem before it begins, or at least when it is just in its beginning stages, than later on when the disease is prevalent. May we be ever watchful so that these ‘diseases’ do not infiltrate and grow in our lives! The diseases of habitual sin . . . may we recognize what areas we are sinful in and seek in “the strength that God supplies” (1 Peter 4:11) to overcome them.

As we seek to practice all of these things in our lives, then the result will be this good fruit being borne for the Lord and for His glory. And what a comfort it is to know that the Lord does not demand perfection . . . He desires a striving after to maturity. “Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead . . . press[ing] on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13b-14.) We will never attain to perfection in this life, but with perseverance, we can have growth . . . and just like the fruit tree, it does not happen overnight, but it is a continual process with each of the aspects working together to yield the abundant and good fruit from the tree.

The verse in Colossians gives further understanding to this ‘bearing of fruit’ in that it is to be in “every good work.” We should be seeking in all things to bear fruit unto the Lord for His glory. There is so much instruction given in Scripture as to what this fruit is, yet there is specific instruction given to women of the Lord. There are certain fruits that the Lord desires us to be bearing in our lives which we should be seeking after. The fruit of a gentle and quiet spirit, a submissive heart, graciousness, fearing the Lord, prudence, discretion, being reverent in behavior, being sensible, pure, modest and kind, being a keeper at home and more.

With all of that said, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed and also to have the focus of our hearts become inward, in seeing all of these things that “we” need to do. But it should not be so, for it is only us bringing our will into subjection to Christ, and then Him working through us as we seek to grow in these areas. And it is a process, little by little . . . an infant cannot instantly become a mature man, but the growth and maturation take place over time through learning, training and practicing.

I have recently been reading through once again a book written by A. W. Tozer titled “The Pursuit of God.” There was a portion of it that kept coming to mind as I thought about the things that have been shared so far, and it seems to relate well . . .

“The pursuit of God will embrace the labor of bringing our total personality into conformity to His . . . I speak of voluntary exalting of God to His proper station over us and a willing surrender of our whole being to the place of worshipful submission which the Creator-creature circumstance makes proper . . . . The moment we make up our minds that we are going on with this determination to exalt God over all, we step out of the world’s parade . . . .

“ ‘Be Thou exalted’ is the language of victorious spiritual experience. It is a little key to unlock the door to great treasures of grace. It is central in the life of God in the soul. Let the seeking man reach a place where life and lips join to say continually, ‘Be Thou exalted,’ and a thousand minor problems will be solved at once. His Christian life ceases to be the complicated thing it had been before and becomes the very essence of simplicity.” (The Pursuit of God; pg. 102 and 103.)

So it isn’t about us, but it is all about Him. May that be our heart’s cry, our goal, to always be able to say “Be Thou exalted” . . . in our lives, our words, our actions. May we ourselves be a sacrifice unto Him, and all for His glory and His exaltation. May we be seeking and striving after this “bearing fruit in every good work.” For He is worthy of all that we are . . . He has redeemed us from the pit of destruction and covered us in His precious blood. What a very small sacrifice it should be, then, to give ourselves fully and completely to our Savior and Redeemer!

-Posted by Sarah

A Psalm of Encouragement

2010-12-12T07:36:00.007-06:00

The other evening when reading my Bible before bed, Psalm 89 was read, and the portions of it below especially blessed my heart, and I thought I would share them here in the hopes that they would be a blessing to you all as well . . .

"I will sing of the lovingkindess of the LORD forever;
to all generations I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth . . .

"The heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD;
Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies is comparable to the LORD?
Who among the sons of the mighty is like the LORD,
a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,
and awesome above all those who are around Him?
O LORD God of hosts, who is like You, O mighty LORD?
Your faithfulness also surrounds You.

"The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours;
the world and all it contains,
You have founded them.
The north and the south, You have created them;
Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at Your name.
You have a strong arm;
Your hand is mighty, Your right hand is exalted.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
Lovingkindness and truth go before You.
How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!
O LORD, they walk in the light of Your countenance.
In Your name they rejoice all the day,
And by Your righteousness they are exalted.
For You are the glory of their strength,
And by Your favor our horn is exalted.
For our shield belongs to the LORD . . .

"Blessed by the LORD forever!
Amen and Amen."

Psalm 89:1, 5-8, 11-18a, 52

-Posted by Sarah

Graciousness

2010-11-23T16:15:00.006-06:00

Do you ever have times when the Lord seems to be impressing a certain area, a certain thought, upon your heart? As of late, He has often been bringing to my heart and mind “grace” . . .

Grace is so often spoken of in Scripture, yet I find it interesting that it is specifically mentioned in regards to women in the book of Proverbs . . .

“A gracious woman attains honor, and ruthless men attain riches.” Proverbs 11:16

Being a gracious woman is a part of the beautiful, internal adornment that God desires His daughters to have . . . and it is an aspect of having the “gentle and quiet spirit” that is spoken of in 1 Peter. Yet what is this ‘grace’, and how should it be evidenced in my life? In my words, my thoughts, my actions, my service?

According to Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language ‘grace’ is:

“Favor; good will; kindness; disposition to oblige another”

And ‘gracious’ is defined as:

“Favorable; kind; benevolent; merciful; disposed to forgive offenses and impart unmerited blessings; expressing kindness and favor”

How convicting these definitions are! One with a heart that is gracious will have kindness towards others flowing from them . . . their words will be kind and merciful . . . they will be seeking ways to unselfishly serve and bless others . . . when offenses are done against them, instead of responding with anger, bitterness, or self-pity, they respond with love and forgiveness, giving and serving and “turning the other cheek” . . . imparting “unmerited blessings.”

As young women of God, grace should be such a near and real aspect of our character that it becomes our ‘disposition’ (as the definition of ‘grace’ shows), that it becomes a natural outflowing from us.

While this is our desire, how important it is to recognize where this wellspring of grace is derived from! It is only through our Lord . . . it is through Him that this grace is given, it is through His strength that we are able to have this grace, for God is the originator of grace. When looking in the concordance for verses that speak of ‘grace’, the vast majority are in reference to the grace of the Lord, and the grace that is bestowed on all of mankind, and specifically given towards us, His children. For He is “the God of all grace” (1 Peter 5:10.)

Recognizing that it is only from the Lord that we are able to have this grace, may our hearts be ever seeking to draw near to the Lord, seeking to walk in accordance with His word, and asking in prayer for the Lord to fill our hearts with His grace so that this grace can then be poured out to others. To our families, our friends, and yes, even our enemies.

One area that this grace is often evidenced (or not evidenced) is through the words that we speak. In the book of Colossians, exhortation is given for our speech to be with grace . . .

“Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.”
Colossians 4:6

One of the words that stood out to me as I read this verse yet again, was the word “always.” Grace should adorn our speech not only when it is easy, not only when we feel like we are in a ‘good mood’, not only when someone is deserving of grace, but always. Every word that proceeds from our mouths should be adorned with this grace . . . being kind, merciful, benevolent, obliging and giving towards others.

The parallel given in this particular verse is “as though seasoned with salt.” The thought that first comes to mind is that salt is a preservative, and gracious words spoken from a pure heart can preserve relationships, preserve good will, preserve our witness for Christ, and so much more.

Being a preservative also inhibits bacteria from growing and reproducing . . . our gracious words can do the same. A gracious word given to one who is downhearted can uplift and encourage. A gracious word falling from our lips when anger is present, helps to bring calmness and helps to dispel the tension there. Like an abundance of water upon a spreading fire . . . or a gentle and soft breeze on a hot day.

A gracious word spoken to ones who have wronged us also demonstrates love and forgiveness, and is a picture of the abundant grace and forgiveness that Christ has shown towards us. A gracious word spoken to those we love, allows the light of Christ to shine through us to them, and again, demonstrates to them our love and care that we have for them.

Salt is also something that enhances the flavor . . . and if our words are ‘seasoned’ with grace, they are more encouraging, more edifying, more uplifting to others than if they were absent of this ‘flavor enhancer.’

And again, it is only as our hearts are yielded to the Lord, that this grace can become a part of our character. May this be the earnest desire of our hearts, as young women desiring to be obedient to our Lord, to seek to adorn our hearts with this God-given grace . . . so that the next time the opportunity for hasty words or angry looks or an unforgiving spirit arises, we will instead let the grace of Christ flow through us to everyone that the Lord brings across our paths . . . first of all to our dear families, our parents, our brothers, our sisters; and to the church, friends, neighbors, strangers we meet on the street, the checker at the grocery store, to everyone. And with practice and the yielding of our will to Christ, may this adornment of graciousness become such a part of who we are, that it will be the natural outflowing from our lips and from our hearts.

-Posted by Sarah

Reformed Doctrine – Does Scripture Teach and Support it?

2010-11-16T06:25:00.028-06:00

As was shared at the beginning of this writing, apart from writing here for Follow in His Steps, the Lord often gives opportunities to correspond with others regarding different scriptural topics, whether it be in answer to questions that someone may have about a particular area, or if questions are asked about our family’s faith practice. A number of times these letters have later been shared here on this blog such as the ones on modesty, headcoverings, trusting the Lord, and most recently, on the Old and New Covenants.

As mentioned in the previous post, I had hoped to share a few of these letters . . . This particular one, which was written to a young lady whom I had corresponded with regarding this topic, has been ‘reworked’ since the original writing of it to take out as many personal references as possible, yet while still giving clarity to the writing. A number of ‘headings’ have also been added to make the readability a little easier.

And as the title suggests, this writing is regarding Reformed theology (otherwise known as Calvinism), and while it is fairly long, it barely scratches the surface of a topic that is so very broad and deep. So while it is not anywhere near an exhaustive look at this theological system, it is shared here with the hope that it will provoke thought and encourage us to earnestly search the Scriptures to discern what is indeed truth, and what is not . . . to earnestly seek to ensure that the foundation that we are standing upon, and the structure that we are building upon it, is solidly founded upon the word of God.

Thank you so much for sharing all that you did, in response to my question! I very much appreciated that. :) You brought up many points and verses that I would love to discuss further with you . . . .

. . . As I read what you shared (and again, I really appreciated it!), I realized that we believe quite differently on these points. For while we each have the same evidence (Scripture), we are interpreting that evidence differently. Here is what I had shared in my earlier e-mail:

Under the New Covenant, we see that Christ died for all of mankind (Isaiah 53:6; John 1:29; John 3:14-18; Romans 5:6; 1 Timothy 2:6; 1 Timothy 4:10; 1 John 1:9-2:2; 1 John 4:14) giving each man the choice to believe in Him for He draws all men to Himself (John 12:32; 1 Timothy 2:4; 1 Timothy 4:10; Hebrews 2:9). It is because of His great love for us and His drawing us to Him that we can recognize that we are sinners, in need of repentance, and in need of His salvation that comes through faith by believing in His name. Yes, He is faithful, but as we see repeatedly in Scripture, God does not force anyone to believe in Him (Matthew 23:37; Mark 10:17-22; etc.), nor does He force or coerce their heart to make them believe in Him . . . this is the man’s responsibility and was given to Him by God through His sovereignty. And the choice to either believe in Christ for salvation or to reject Him is a choice that each man has the ability to make and must, and will, make for himself. (John 7:37; Romans 1:16; Galatians 3:22; 2 Peter 3:9.)

Whereas you believe that God chose some to believe in Him, and chose some to go to hell. In a brief summary, you shared that:

God is the one who chooses who will be saved . . . Several passages in Scripture remind us, that we are chosen by God, and it is He who gives Salvation. (1 Peter 1:1-2, Ephesians 1:1-7, Acts 13:48, 1 Corinthians 1:2-5, 2:12, Titus 1:1, Romans 8:29, John 14:6) . . . It is God who decides who will be saved and who will perish. He has already chosen His elect. Just as it says in Romans 9:15, He is the decider of who will receive his compassion and mercy and who will not. . . . God chose each and every one of His people ahead of time. He convicts and opens, hearts, minds, and eyes. It is through His convictions we sense our need for Him, but we would never have been so, had He not chosen us . . . He allows us to make choices in our lives, but the choice of Salvation, is not our choice. It is God’s.

From these two explanations of what we believe, we can see that contradictions are present. Yet we know that if two things are contradictory, both cannot be true. Why is it, then, when we both have the same evidence, we can interpret that evidence in two different ways? The reason is that we both have our own presuppositions . . . that is, things that we have been taught, experienced, and/or see in the world around us which influence our interpretation of evidence. And as fallible humans, our interpretation is subject to error. I know on more than one occasion where I had a certain understanding of Scripture, but when challenged, or upon further study, I found that the understanding I had held to was either untrue, or it was an incomplete understanding. So how do we know if the interpretation that we have of passages of Scripture are true? Or in what way should we interpret Scripture? Well, God answers that question for us:

“But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation . . .” 1 Peter 1:20

“. . . they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scripture daily to see whether these things were so.” Acts 17:11

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

From these verses, and others as well, we can gather that our own interpretation of Scripture needs to be examined in the light of Scripture to see if it is true and right. And Scripture is adequate for training us in righteousness. We also know that there are no contradictions in the word of God for God is truth and there is no lie in Him, and therefore, His word is true.

So let us let Scripture interpret Scripture, let the living word of God (Hebrews 4:12) guide us into truth through the working of the Holy Spirit.

To begin, let us look at a verse that you shared that has apparent ‘contradictions’ elsewhere in Scripture (which we know can not truly be contradictory) . . .

Verse: “For He says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy” (Romans 9:15-16.)

Appearing Contradiction: “For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all” (Romans 11:32.)

Here is one example then, where our interpretation of one or both verses can be in error when considered solely by themselves. But when studied together, and in context, we find that they are in harmony with one another. (Hopefully we will be able to discuss these verses more later!) Again, we must let Scripture interpret Scripture to come to a correct and true understanding.

Letting Scripture Interpret Scripture

Like the above example, erroneous interpretations can come about by reading one verse that makes a statement without letting the rest of Scripture expound and explain that verse, or to let the verse be broadened and deepened by other passages of Scripture.

For example, I can say that “I went to the store today.” By that statement, someone might infer that I only went to the store today. Whereas I simply did not give the full information by my statement. A later statement (or statements) could give more information without contradicting the first statement. “I went to the store today, and I also went to the park” or “I went to the store today and yesterday” or “I went to the store today, but I didn’t go to the store this morning.” These do not contradict the first statement, but they do give a fuller and more complete understanding to what actually took place.

Examples of this type of scenario can be found in Scripture; and it is because of these that critics of Scripture often discredit the Bible (in that, it is just a book of tales and not the inerrant word of God) without investigating further. Such as in the account of Christ’s birth that is given in the gospels. The account in Matthew states that Magi visited Christ, and there is no mention of others visiting. When we go to the book of Luke, however, we find that shepherds visited Him, but there is no mention of the Magi. Is this a contradiction? No, but each book does not give all of the information. But if I read Matthew first and came to the conclusion that only Magi visited Christ since that is all that is mentioned, I would have an erroneous interpretation unless I also read and believed Luke and found that the shepherds also visited Christ. And yet another conclusion that could be arrived at is that the Magi and the shepherds were one and the same since they were never mentioned together in one account; but with careful reading and comparing of the texts, we find that they were most certainly not the same.

Unfortunately, yet often quite easily, this type of error occurs when we read and study Scripture. Sometimes it is through simply ignorance on our part, and sometimes it is through our own choice. Or it is through relegating one passage of Scripture to a higher ‘plane’ and if other verses seem to contradict or add more information, we simply say that we just do not understand them (and again, this is letting our conclusions rest upon our lack of understanding, our presuppositions, or both.)

The Drawing of God

One verse that this often happens to is the verse that has been shared from the book of John:

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44.)

When reading this verse from the understanding (or presupposition) that God only chooses to save some (the elect) and without preconditions (repentance, belief, etc.), it would be assumed, then, when reading this verse, that the Father would only draw the elect to Himself, as they would be the only ones who would come to Christ.

It is verses such as this one, though, where a thorough study and examination of the words used within it can be a great benefit. So let us take a look at the word “draw.” What is this "draw"? How is it applied? Who is it applied to? And again, let us let Scripture interpret Scripture.

The word ‘draw,’ as used in our English translations of the Bible, is translated from two variations of a Greek word and these variations are helkuo and helko, and both mean “to drag.” These Greek words are used eight times in the Greek texts (which are what our English translations come from) and of these eight times that helkuo and helko are used in Scripture, only two are used in the context of men being drawn to Christ. Interestingly enough, both of these two times were spoken only by Christ and are recorded only in the gospel of John.

One of these two uses is found in John 6:44 (which is the verse that we are discussing) . . .

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”

The second and last use is in John 12:32 . . .

“And I if I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to myself.” (John 12:32; this is a direct translation from the Greek text. All major Bible versions would support this translation [KJV, NKJV, NRSV, NASB, and NIV] as well as the three major Greek texts used.)

Here is a case of letting one verse (John 12:32) bring more understanding to another verse (John 6:44.) We see in John 6:44 that no one can (is able to) come to Christ unless first the Father draws (helkuo/helko—to drag) him. And we see in John 12:32 that this drawing (again, helkuo/helko—to drag) is applied to all men for Christ says “I will draw all men to myself.” (And remember that Christ stated “I and the Father are one” [John 10:30])

When we hold these two verses together, letting Scripture interpret Scripture, we find that God states in His word that no one can have the opportunity to come to Christ unless they are drawn (man cannot do it alone, meaning without this drawing of God, it is impossible to be saved); and He also states that everyone has the ability to come to Christ for Christ draws all men to Himself.

And it is clear that the usage of ‘all’ here does not identify a specific man or woman, or a specific factional group. However, all (meaning everyone or anyone) is used alone. Though the writers of the New Testament certainly use many other terms in Scripture to identify a specific person or people group; here, in quoting Christ, John did not use terms such as ‘brethren,’ or ‘believer,’ or ‘faithful,’ or ‘saved,’ or ‘predestined,’ or ‘elect’ to identify a uniquely identifiable group. He could and would have done so if any of these were the words of Christ, and, if the context required it. But John chose to use 'all' (Greek-pántes [which is gender neutral]), without using another identifying noun in transcribing the spoken words of Christ as he was inspired by the Holy Spirit—his choice of words, then, must be used, and must be used contextually with the rest of Scripture.

To quote John 6:44 again . . .

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”

So then, is everyone that is drawn to Christ raised up on the last day? There is another precondition that while not mentioned in this specific verse (John 6:44), when held in context with the rest of Scripture, it becomes clear who this 'raising up' refers to:

“For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:40)

The above verse is just a few verses earlier than John 6:44, yet it brings more light and understanding to who specifically Christ will “raise . . . up on the last day.” Yes, it is those who are drawn to Christ, but it is also those who behold the Son and believe in Him. And this is the choice that man makes after Christ “draws all men” to Himself. (John 12:32)

This is all a beautiful picture which exemplifies so clearly the great love, and the great mercy, of the all-powerful, all-knowing God. And one of the last verses in the Bible presents this in a poignant way . . . “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes to take the water of life without cost.” (Revelation 22:17.) Oh, what a precious Savior He is!

The Spirit of Man

Before going further, I would like to touch on the fact that in the beginning God created man in His image, and He placed in man the ability to know Him and recognize Him. Even after the fall, this ability to know God, and recognize who He is is still a part of mankind. The reason why, is that God has given us a spirit. This spirit differentiates us from animals (who have a soul [the breath of life] but do not have a spirit.) This spirit, which all men possess, gives us a conscience—the ability to recognize right and wrong, good and evil, and morality and immorality. Through this spirit, man is able to then recognize and know God.

For example . . .

“. . . because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them . . . For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations and their foolish heart was darkened” (Romans 1:19, 21)

“For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written on their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them” (Romans 2:14-15.)

“In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons . . .” (Acts 14:17.)

And in Christ’s words:

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling” (Matthew 23:37; also given in Luke 13:34.)

“I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality” (Revelation 2:21.)

But how would all of this fit with the verses that have been shared about being ‘chosen’? I would love to go into greater depth on and examination of those verses, but as this is already getting fairly long, I’ll share just a bit and save the rest for a later writing. :)

A Brief Look at Predestination

Those who hold to the understanding of God choosing whom to save and whom not to save, closely tie this choosing with predestination. And one of the verses that is often quoted by those who hold to Reformed theology, speaks of this predestination . . .

“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified” (Romans 8:29-30.)

A question that is important to answer in regards to these verses is, what were they predestined to? Is it unto salvation? And how/when did this predestination take place? According to verse 29, it is not unto salvation but it is “to become conformed to the image of His Son.” With this being the case, and given the fact that belief in Christ is a precursor to salvation, it would seem that this predestining is in reference to believers and that the Lord predestined that those who would believe in His name would be “conformed to the image of His Son.” This conforming is likely in reference to when our mortal bodies are changed to immortal bodies; when the corruptible is exchanged for the incorruptible (as is seen in Philippians 3:2, which is the only other place in the New Testament where the Greek word from which ‘conformed’ is translated in Romans 8:29, is used.)

More importantly than this, though, is the fact that the foreknowledge comes before predestination, foreknowledge precedes God predestining. God is an omniscient God, He sees and knows all (and He always has), and He knows what is going to take place in the future. Because God does know all, He also knows the choices that man is going to make, and thus, He can predestine certain things to take place based upon His foreknowledge of the free choices of man (for example, Job.) Not that God causes their choices to take place, but that He knows that they will take place so He predestines other events around them. While this may not seem to make sense to us how the foreknowledge of God works, we must recognize that there are so many things that our finite minds cannot comprehend about an infinite and amazing God! It is in areas such as this where we must have faith in the Lord that His word is true. Yet even if we do not understand all of these things, God has given us in His word what is necessary to know Him, to love Him, and to be obedient to Him.

Another important point, and one that is directly linked to what was just shared, is that in Scripture, predestination is based upon foreknowledge; and never once in Scripture is the predestination unto believing in Christ or unto a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. It is instead, always, without exception, to specific things that come to those who have already believed in Christ (such as the “becoming conformed to the image of His Son” in Romans 8:29.) [There is one verse in Acts (Acts 13:48) which would seem to not fit with this, but if we look at this verse in context with the rest of Scripture as well as examining the Greek words used (of which the Greek word for predestine is not used; and again recognizing that Scripture cannot contradict itself), we can understand what it means.]

The Choosing of God - What Does it Mean?

Having the understanding that predestination is based upon the foreknowledge of God, helps to form the foundation for understanding about the ‘choosing’ and ‘choice’ of God.

As we look at the verses that speak about the Lord choosing people, it is found that this 'choosing' is often in reference to the nation of Israel (and as mentioned in an earlier writing, not all of Israel was saved, so this particular ‘choosing’ of God was not unto salvation). This ‘choice’ or ‘choosing’ is also used in reference to Christ choosing the apostles which I’d like to touch on briefly here as it can, like what was shared earlier about Scripture interpreting Scripture, help bring a fuller and more clear understanding of the other passages that speak about ‘choosing’ . . .

In John 15:16 it reads “You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain.” When reading this verse (and all others as well), we should first ask ourselves “Who is being spoken to in this passage?”, and “What is the simple meaning of the text?” When we look at the context, specifically chapters 13-17, we see that Christ is speaking to, or of, the apostles specifically. The apostles were men that were chosen for a specific ministry by Christ, a ministry that was unique unto them—they did not choose to be His apostles, but Christ chose them.

Was this choosing of them as apostles also a choosing for salvation? If we always interpret the words “chosen,” “choice,” “choosing,” etc. as meaning for salvation (a presupposition), then, yes, this choosing of the apostles would have to be for salvation. But again, let us let Scripture interpret Scripture . . . If we look at the life of Judas, we see that the “choice” of Christ of the apostles was not for salvation: “Jesus answered them, ‘Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?’ ” (John 6:70). If the choosing of Christ was for belief in Christ and for salvation, then Judas could not have been “a devil.” As Scripture shows, then, just because the word “chose” is used, it does not mean that that choice is for salvation. In fact, from this passage it is clear that Christ chose someone, yet that person chose to reject Him.

With the above examples (Christ choosing someone and then them rejecting Him [Israel and Judas]; and also Christ’s choosing of the apostles), we see that when the words “choice”, “chosen”, etc. are used, it does not mean that it is for salvation. To assume so is again building on our presuppositions and not allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture. And as this is the case, we need to examine each and every time that these words are used to find out what is in actuality being referred to . . . what they are being ‘chosen’ to. Which brings us to looking at the passages of Scripture that speak about being chosen (or that use other similar phrases) . . . .

Examining "Chosen" in Context

When we examine the passages of Scripture that speak of the ‘chosen’ or being ‘chosen,’ there are some questions that can be asked while reading these verses that can help us to understand them better. Questions such as: “What are they being chosen to?” (we cannot automatically assume salvation as was seen when we looked at the verse about Christ choosing the apostles), and then some other good questions are “When is the choosing being done?” and “Is it based upon God causing things, or upon His infinite foreknowledge?” (as was shown in Romans 8:29-30.)

Let’s quickly take a look at one of the verses that has been mentioned:

“. . . who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood . . .” (1 Peter 1:1b-2.)

First, let’s ask: “What are they being chosen to?”

--to obey Jesus Christ
--to be sprinkled with His blood

There is no mention of being chosen for salvation, or being chosen to be drawn to God. And when we look carefully at the two things that they are chosen to, we find that both follow a genuine belief in Christ. In Scripture, the majority of times when obedience to Christ is mentioned, it is in reference to after belief in Him has taken place—this obedience is an outpouring of our love for Him (1 John 5:2-3, etc.); and the sprinkling of His blood, being washed in His blood and being forgiven of sin, also follows genuine belief in Christ.

“When is the choosing done?”

-- In this passage, Scripture does not mention when this choice is made here.

“Is it based upon God causing things, or upon His infinite foreknowledge?”

--Once again, we find that it is based upon His foreknowledge (and not His predestination) which is His knowing what will take place in the future. And as God knows who is going to come to believe in Him, He can choose the blessings that will come to those who believe in His name, such as, being "sprinkled with His blood." By examining the verse in this way, we find that it does not at all support that God chose some men to be saved and others not to be saved. And again, we must not add or subtract from the word of God, but let Scripture speak for itself, as well as interpret itself.

A similar examination of Ephesians 1:1-7, 1 Corinthians 1:2-5 (which does not mention 'choice,' but 'calling' which is another whole area for study! :), and Titus 1:1 will yield similar results. What I have shared here is very brief, but it is a good starting point and can help us understand a passage of Scripture more clearly. A much more thorough and complete understanding can be gained when we study specific words in the passage (what Greek words are used, their definitions, etc.) and how they are used elsewhere in Scripture, as well as examining the passage in context with the verses around it, the chapters, the book, and eventually, all of Scripture.

A Quick Look at “Calling”

Romans 8:29 also states that “these whom He predestined, He also called.” Let’s take a quick look at what this ‘calling’ is in reference to. First, the verse makes it plain that He called those whom He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. Yet it does not exclude the others. This verse cannot be taken to mean that He only called ‘an elect’ for it does not say that He only called a certain group of people. That is like saying (in a very poor analogy), “I called my sister.” This statement does not exclude my calling of anyone else, but instead that this is the information that accurately states (though is limited) the particular thought I am attempting to communicate at that time. And also, if everyone who was called was also justified and glorified, how would that be in harmony with Matthew 22:14: “Many are called, but few are chosen.”?

In Conclusion

Hypothetically, however, if the Reformed interpretation of Scripture was correct in that God chose who was going to be saved and who was going to go to hell, there arises some significant difficulties and apparent contradictions . . . how would the below be reconciled? (And we know that there can be no contradictions in Scripture as God is non-contradictory.)

--God desires all men to be saved and does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23, John 3:17, 2 Peter 3:9, 1 Timothy 2:4)

--Christ died for all (Isaiah 53:6; John 1:29; John 3:14-18; Romans 5:6; 1 Timothy 2:6; 1 Timothy 4:10; Titus 2:11; Hebrews 2:9; 1 John 1:9-2:2; 1 John 4:14)

--God is not a God of partiality (Deuteronomy 10:17, Acts 10:34, Romans 2:11, Galatians 2:6)

--God has revealed Himself to all of man (Romans 1:18-23)

--God chose the nation Israel, and they are not all believers in Christ (many verses)

--All the many, many verses that say if anyone, everyone, whoever, etc. is thirsty, hungry, etc. come to Me/believe in Me

As I mentioned earlier, this e-mail is quite long, so we can save a further study of the verses that you shared until a later point (I would love to discuss each and every verse that you brought up! They are all such wonderful ones. :)

. . . . And if there is one thing that I hope to express my heart clearly on, it is that all of Scripture is important in understanding God, His character and our (man’s) relationship with Him. We can never know all of who God is in our small, finite minds, but, God in His love has given us what He desires us to know of Him and all that we need to know of Christ . . . His love, His atoning work in conquering sin and death, and the glorious salvation that He has brought to mankind. May we continue to learn and grow in this understanding of Him!

*Edited to add: Given some of the comments and e-mails received, I thought it wise to mention here that while my family and I believe that Scripture does not support nor teach Calvinism, we do not hold to Arminianism either. Both are theological systems designed by men, and they are not the only two ‘choices’ of belief structure. My family and I hold to neither one, but instead, strive to hold to God’s pure and true Word alone. Just thought I should clarify that. :)

-Posted by Sarah

Should Believers in Christ Follow and Hold to Old Testament Law?

2010-11-06T07:47:00.024-05:00

Apart from writing here for Follow in His Steps, the Lord often gives opportunities to correspond with others regarding different scriptural topics, whether it be in answer to questions that someone may have about a particular area, or if questions are asked about our family’s faith practice. A number of times these letters have later been shared here on this blog (such as the ones on modesty, headcoverings, and trusting the Lord.)

As I haven’t had a great deal of time lately to write specifically for this blog, I thought that I would share a few more of these letters that have been written. This particular one has been ‘reworked’ since the original writing of it to a young lady, to take out the personal references as much as was able yet while still giving clarity to the writing. It is shared here with the hope that it will provoke thought and stir each one of us to search the Scriptures and to seek to learn more and more about our Lord and His Word . . .

Thank you for your gracious response, for sharing what you did, and for sharing your all’s website address. I visited the site, and found that, yes, we do believe differently in regards to the Law, the Old and New Covenants, etc. While we both have the same evidence (i.e. Scripture), our interpretations of that evidence are contrary to one another.

The interpretations of evidence that we arrive at are often based upon our presuppositions, or preconceived ideas, which can either arise from previous teachings that we have heard, commentaries, our own minds, etc. Presuppositions are those things that are already assumed and taken for granted before a thorough investigation of the evidence has taken place. These presuppositions are often influenced by, or arise from, the worldview that we have whether it be atheism, Catholicism, Judaism, etc., or any belief that we may already hold to (such as believing that baptism is necessary in order to attain salvation, etc.)—these types of previously held beliefs will very likely influence our interpretation of Scripture. Because of this, often as we read, instead of gleaning the pure meaning of the text, we read into God’s word these presuppositions, these previously held beliefs, that we already have. And as a result, they influence our interpretation of the evidence. Thus why it is so very important that when we read and study Scripture, that we let Scripture define and show what the true interpretation of it is. As Peter stated by inspiration of God “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation . . .” (2 Peter 1:20.) We must let Scripture interpret Scripture.

Having this as the basis for any discussion that one may have regarding God’s Word will help greatly as we study and examine Scripture together. And with that in mind, I have some thoughts that I would like to share. Please take to heart what is shared, prayerfully examine it in the light of Scripture, and set aside any presuppositions that you may have so that you may be able to understand the pure meaning of the Word. Whether it be in favor of your interpretation, or mine.

In a previous correspondence, one of the verses shared was Galatians 3:17-19:

“What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise. Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made.”

For a brief timeline, first came the promise that was to Abraham which was “by faith,” and then “four hundred and thirty years later,” was the establishment of the Old Covenant. And as the above verses show, the Law did not nullify the previously made promise to Abraham, the promise of Christ. We see that the Law was added “because of transgressions,” and it was to be in place “until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made.” That seed being Christ; and the promise being that which was made to Abraham.

To further support this, we find in Hebrews that “. . . on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment [the Old Covenant] because of its weakness and uselessness (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” (Hebrews 7:18-19.)

From these verses, it is shown that there are two separate ‘sides’ if you will, two contrasts, Scripture calls them ‘hands.’ On one side is the Law, which Scripture says was weak and useless (it made nothing “perfect”—it did not bring salvation), on the other side is the “better hope” which is Christ. Here is a ‘picture’ of both the Old and the New Covenants. And as God says in His Word, it is through the New Covenant that we draw near to Him, not the Old.

Scripture is replete with distinctions between the Old and New Covenants (as well as how the Old prepares the way for the New), and a key, and very foundational verse, is found just a bit further in the book of Hebrews . . .

“When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.” (Hebrews 8:13)

The Greek word that was used in this verse and from which the word “obsolete” was translated is palaioo which means “to make obsolete; to wear out, become obsolete, become old” (definition taken from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.) According to Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, it means “to declare a thing to be old and so about to be abrogated.” So here in this passage, God is saying that He has made (past tense) the first covenant obsolete and abrogated! Obsolete means “gone into disuse; disused; neglected,” and abrogated is to be “repealed; annulled by an act of authority” (definitions taken from Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language.)

Again, a clear and contextual distinction between the Old and New Covenants—the Old was made obsolete by God, to make way for the New which was established by Christ.

Christ Himself uses even more strong and clear language in Matthew to support this:

“But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results. Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.” (Matthew 9:16-17.)

This is a word picture given by Christ of the New and Old Covenants. As He states, the unshrunk cloth (New Covenant) is not compatible with an old garment (Old Covenant); and again, new wine (New Covenant) is not compatible with old wineskins (Old Covenant.) The two are incompatible. The purpose of the Old Covenant was to reveal man’s sinfulness, his inability to save himself, and to point to the Savior, which would be the induction of the New Covenant . . .

“Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made.” (Galatians 3:19.)

Elsewhere in Scripture it is also shared that the Law was a tutor to lead us to Christ, but now that there is faith, we are no longer under a tutor (Galatians 3:24-25); that the Old Covenant was but a “mere shadow” of the substance which was Christ (Colossians 2:16-17); and that the Law was only “a shadow” of what was to come, that being Christ and the New Covenant that He established (Hebrews 10:1a.)

Scripture instructs repeatedly that the Law was a precursor to the New Covenant; that it pointed to Christ, but was only a shadow. And again, as Christ presented so distinctly, the New Covenant and the Old Covenant are not compatible with one another. The Old instead prepared the way and led to the establishment of the New.

Which leads to a verse which is often quoted when this topic is discussed . . . but again, we have the same evidence, yet different interpretations . . .

“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-19.)

Words have tremendous meaning, and it is important that we have an accurate understanding of those words to fully and accurately understand what is being communicated. If we use our own interpretation of those words, we can, and likely will, run into error. In this particular passage, there are two very important and key words that we must know the proper defining of; those words being “abolish” and “fulfill” . . .

“Abolish” – kataluo - “to destroy, to overthrow” (according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)

“Fulfill” – pleroo “to make full, to complete” (according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)

Let us look at ‘abolish’ which is “to destroy, to overthrow” . . . first we must recognize that God's Word is always true and always good. Every part of it has a purpose, whether it be instruction to follow, things to watch for, historical accounts, prophecy, things to look forward to, etc. There are also different purposes in the different types of law given (mosaic law, ceremonial law, etc.) By using Scripture to interpret Scripture, we can discover what the purpose of each passage is. Knowing all of this, we can know for certain that the Old Covenant should never be destroyed as it is God’s word and it has a specific purpose, that being to not only give a history of what God has done and what foreshadowed and led to the New Covenant, but as mentioned earlier, it is to reveal man’s sinfulness, our inability to save ourselves, and to point to the Savior, Jesus Christ. As we can see by the definition, there is a significant difference between ‘abolishing’ something and ‘not observing and/or following’ it any longer; or as Christ makes so plain, between ‘abolishing’ and ‘fulfilling.’

Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language defines 'fulfill' as “to accomplish; to perform; to complete; to answer in execution or event what has been foretold or promised; as to fulfill a prophecy or prediction; to fulfill a promise” and “to accomplish what was intended.”

With those definitions in mind, let us look at this passage of Scripture in context. The verses that follow it contrast the Old Covenant (what had previously been held to and followed) to the New Covenant (what Christ was beginning) . . .

“You have heard that the ancients were told ‘You shall not commit murder’ (Old Covenant) . . . but I say to you (New Covenant) . . .” (Matthew 5:21 and 22)

“You have heard that it was said ‘You shall not commit adultery’ (Old Covenant) . . . but I say to you (New Covenant) . . .” (Matthew 5:27-28)

“Again, you have heard that the ancients were told ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord (Old Covenant) . . . but I say to you, make no oath at all (New Covenant) . . .” (Matthew 5:21 and 22)

“You have heard that it was said ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth’ (Old Covenant) . . . but I say to you, do not resist an evil person (New Covenant) . . .” (Matthew 5:21 and 22)

“You have heard that it was said ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy’ (Old Covenant) . . . but I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (New Covenant) . . .” (Matthew 5:21 and 22)

From these passages of Scripture, we are told and instructed that the old was fulfilled in Christ and the new was established. Christ was establishing a New Covenant that was different than the Old.

Going back to what was shared earlier about the fulfillment of the Old Covenant and the beginning of the new (“You have heard that it was said . . . but I tell you . . . .”) leads to a very applicable passage . . .

“Or do you not know, brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives? For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man. Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter” (Romans 7:1-6.)

We are to die to the Law . . . if one is dead to something, do they still take part in it? Do they continue to follow it? Do they hold it as a part of who they are? No, for just as new wine cannot go into old wineskins, we cannot hold to both the New Covenant (Christ) and the Old Covenant (Law.) We are to die to the Law and live to Christ, we cannot live both.

The question has also been asked “we are all saved by faith...the question is, ‘What does your faith cause you to do?’” As Scripture says, “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15.) If we love the Lord, we will strive to keep and follow His commandments; and that encompasses all of God’s Word (in keeping with the context that He has given.)

There is much, much more that could be said on this topic and a great many more verses that could be shared, but as this has already become fairly long, I will bring it to a close for now. Please, examine the Scriptures. Set aside any presuppositions that you may have, any man’s interpretation and commentaries that you have read or that you follow; go to Scripture and Scripture alone and find out what God says in His Word. Examine the passages shared . . . examine the words shared here, as a Berean, to “see if these things are so."

-Posted by Sarah

*Here are a few other verses that relate to this topic as well:

Galatians 3:24-25 – Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

Galatians 4:9-10 – But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.

Galatians 5:1-4 – It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

Galatians 5:16-18 – But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not be carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

Colossians 2:16-17 – Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day—things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.

The Level of Righteousness

2010-09-24T12:17:00.011-05:00

During my Bible reading as of late, I have been in the book of Isaiah which is a book that is full of beautiful and powerful imagery, convicting passages, encouragement, and much more. So many profound truths are presented in such a way that I find myself often needing to pause and consider what has been shared. One of the passages read this morning was one of those times. The Lord is speaking to Judah, and is giving them a warning, urging them to repent. Within that passage, He states . . .

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed [the stone being Christ]. He who believes in it will not be disturbed. I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level . . . .” (Isaiah 28:16-17a)

The portion quoted in bold is what especially stood out to me . . . justice the measuring line and righteousness the level. Both a measuring line and level are used in construction of houses in order to insure (if properly used) that the house is square; that it is true to the design or blueprint that is established for it; that the 'parts' fit together harmoniously in order to enable the stability and soundness of the structure; and much more. What a clear parallel this is to our spiritual life! Righteousness is that which is right with and is pleasing to God . . . and it is through the Lord’s word, the Scriptures, that we are enabled to discern what is indeed righteous and what is unrighteous; what is pleasing to God, and what is not. It is through the ‘level’ of God’s word when held to our lives that we can truly and accurately examine ourselves to see if we are walking in accordance with our Lord. If we are truly living in a manner that is pleasing to Him, and if we are walking in the “straight and narrow” path that has been established by Him.

As I read this passage of Scripture from Isaiah, I was reminded of a section in a book that I had read just a few nights before . . .

“Suppose you wish to determine whether any thing is straight; you lay a rule upon it that you suppose to be straight, and if they agree, that settles the matter. Your eye, comparing the object with the rule, determines whether it is straight or not. But if the rule applied is crooked, your eye is deceived, and you misjudge. Conscience is the eye of the soul, that compares an action with the rule. The conscience, then, must be well instructed. You must learn the rule of right from the Word of God . . .” (pg. 123 from How To Be a Lady by Harvey Newcomb; emphasis his.)

God’s word is our rule, our measuring stick, our level . . . it is His word that will give us the discernment to grow in Him, to “follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21), to, as Christ, “always do the things that are pleasing to Him (the Father)” (John 8:29), and we must learn the “rule of right” from His Word. How important it is, then, for us to read, study, and meditate upon the Word of God! To strive to place it into our hearts so that it can indeed by our ‘level’ showing us where and how we are straying from the Lord, and where and how we are “walking in a manner worthy of the Lord” (Colossians 1:10.)

What a blessed comfort and assurance it is to know that through this process, we have our Helper, the Holy Spirit, who is there to guide and instruct us “into all truth.” And that there is the promise that “Your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left.” (Isaiah 30:21.) And as the verse previous to this one shows, the Lord is “your teacher” (Isaiah 30:20.) May our hearts and ears be ever attentive to the Lord and to His word so that we can truly ‘hear’ Him! And may this be the ever increasing practice of our lives, to examine ourselves with this level of the Word of God, always and earnestly desiring to grow into a closer and more obedient walk with Him.

-Posted by Sarah

The Haven of Rest

2010-08-30T08:23:00.004-05:00

I first heard this song sung by The Booth Brothers, and it was so beautiful, so powerful, and it quickly became one of our favorite songs to listen to! How excited we were when we discovered that it was in one of our hymnals (which was a recent acquisition from a garage sale.) This song has been a great blessing to us, and I hope that it will be a blessing to you as well . . .

The Haven of Rest

My soul in sad exile was out on life’s sea,
So burdened with sin and distressed,
Till I heard a sweet voice, saying, “Make Me your choice”;
And I entered the “Haven of Rest”!

I’ve anchored my soul in the “Haven of Rest,”
I’ll sail the wide seas no more;
The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep,
In Jesus I’m safe evermore.

I yielded myself to His tender embrace,
In faith taking hold of the Word,
My fetters fell off, and I anchored my soul;
The “Haven of Rest” is my Lord.

I’ve anchored my soul in the “Haven of Rest,”
I’ll sail the wide seas no more;
The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep,
In Jesus I’m safe evermore.

The song of my soul, since the Lord made me whole,
Has been the old story so blest,
Of Jesus, who’ll save whosoever will have
A home in the “Haven of Rest.”

I’ve anchored my soul in the “Haven of Rest,”
I’ll sail the wide seas no more;
The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep,
In Jesus I’m safe evermore.

Oh, come to the Savior, He patiently waits
To save by His power divine;
Come, anchor your soul in the “Haven of Rest,”
And say, “My Beloved is mine.”

I’ve anchored my soul in the “Haven of Rest,”
I’ll sail the wide seas no more;
The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep,
In Jesus I’m safe evermore.

Written by Henry L. Gilmour; published 1890

-Posted by Sarah

A Few Verses to Share

2010-06-25T22:43:00.011-05:00

Recently, I have been reading through Hebrews and so many verses have caused me to pause and think about what is being communicated in them, to take to heart what is being shared and taught. And also, to thank the Lord for what He has done. Yesterday morning, the latter was often the case and especially when reading the below passages:

"But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" Hebrews 9:11-14

" . . . but now once at the consummation of ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him." Hebrews 9:26b-28

"Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful . . ." Hebrews 10:19-23

-Posted by Sarah

Walking in a Manner Worthy – Part 1

2010-05-04T06:52:00.012-05:00

“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;” Colossians 1:9-10

This passage of Scripture has long been a favorite of mine and is one that I have committed to memory as what is shared in it is so convicting as well as encouraging in one’s walk with the Lord. So much is contained within these few verses, and a central focus is upon walking in a manner worthy of the Lord. In the passage quoted above, Paul shares that he and others are having unceasing prayer for the believers in Colossae that they would walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. And when writing to the Ephesians, Paul again expressed a similar exhortation in saying: “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called . . .” (Ephesians 4:1.)

Several times in Scripture the phrase, or ones similar to it, of “walking in a manner worthy” is used. And from the two passages shared above, it is seen that walking in a manner worthy of the Lord is a significant and very important thing for believers in Christ. But what exactly does it mean? How would it be done? What would it look like? The passage in Colossians answers these questions for us as it continues with “to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;” (Colossians 1:10b.) Let’s take a look at the first aspect mentioned:

--Pleasing Him in all respects

Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language defines ‘please’, as used in Scripture, as “to love his [God’s] character and law and perform his will, so as to become the object of his approbation.” Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon defines the Greek word that is used in Colossians 1:10 for ‘please’, areskia, as “a desire to please.” Areskia is derived from another Greek word, aresko, which is defined (again by Thayer’s) as “to please, to strive to please; to accommodate one’s self to the opinions, desires, [and] interests of others.”

This striving and desiring to please the Lord begins in the heart, the spirit, and then can bear fruit in our lives through our words, our actions, our thoughts, in fact, all aspects of our lives. Pleasing the Lord is also foundational to the beginning of our Christian walk . . . In the book of Hebrews, it is shared that “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6.) and again, “those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:8.)

The verse from Hebrews is speaking of saving faith which brings one from a state of ‘lostness’ and condemnation, to one of salvation and eternal life. And the verse from Romans shows that those in the flesh (those who are not believers in Christ) cannot be pleasing to God. While both verses are speaking in regards to salvation, there is a principle that lies within them that applies to all aspects of our lives.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we are not “in the flesh” (meaning that we are not bound to its nature) as we have “the Spirit of God” (Romans 8:9) dwelling in us, but there are still aspects of the flesh that remain within us. And as the verse from Romans shows, the things of the flesh are displeasing to the Lord. 1 John 2:16 also expresses this truth: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is of the world.” Day by day, moment by moment, we have the choice to either walk according to the flesh, or according to the Spirit, – there is no middle ground to stand upon. And the things that are of the flesh are contrary to the word of God, while the things that are according to the Spirit are in obedience to the word of God.

So we see that first, in order to please the Lord, one must have saving faith in Him, thus becoming a born again believer in Jesus Christ. Then, in our lives as children of God, we are faced with the choice to either please our God and Savior through walking in obedience to Him, or to displease Him by walking according to our fleshly nature. This is a ‘battle’ that was well understood by the apostles as their writings to the church are full of exhortation to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to follow after the things of the Spirit, to strive after holiness, to seek to be obedient to the word of God, to set one’s mind on the things above, to practice diligence and perseverance, and much, much more. An example of this is found in a letter that Paul wrote to the Thessalonians . . .

“Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more” (1 Thessalonians 4:1.)

The “instruction” referred to by Paul that had been given to the Thessalonians is in reference to the Scriptures . . . the divinely inspired word of God. It is through this “instruction”, the word of God, that we can find how we are to walk and how we are to please the Lord. And as Paul exhorts here, we are to strive to excel still more in it. Never reaching a point of thinking that we have ‘arrived’, but always seeking and always pursuing a closer and more obedient walk with the Lord, seeking to “please Him in all respects” (Colossians 1:10.) In every single aspect of our lives we should seek to please Him . . . in our day to day life; in the words that we speak; in our relationships with family (parents, siblings, grandparents, husbands, wives, etc.), friends, other believers in Christ, and every other person that we come into contact with; in the things that we do; the books we read; the movies we watch; the attitude of our hearts; the fruit of our hands; the thoughts that we think . . . every single aspect of our lives we should earnestly desire to have be pleasing to the Lord, to be in obedience to Him.

And as always, may we follow in the steps of our perfect example, the Savior, Jesus Christ, Who said that “ ‘. . . He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him’” (John 8:29.) May this be the earnest desire and goal of our hearts to, like our Savior, always be pleasing to the Father in all things . . . “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3.)

To be continued . . .

-Posted by Sarah

Because He Lives

2010-04-05T06:12:00.013-05:00

I know I just recently posted a hymn, but this song has been on my heart quite a bit lately (and it's one of my favorites!), and then it was sung during our church yesterday as well. The piano music was also found at a garage sale last Friday which was a blessing as I had been really wanting the music to this song for quite awhile now! Needless to say, with all of these circumstances, this song has been kind of at the 'forefront' so to speak. :) I hope that the words to this song will be a blessing to you as they have been to me . . .

Because He Lives

God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living, Just because He lives!

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He Lives!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living, Just because He lives!

And then one day, I'll cross the river,
I'll fight life's final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to vict'ry,
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living, Just because He lives!

Words and music by William J. Gaither

What hope and what truth these words hold! Because He lives! Life is indeed worth living because our Savior lives . . . there is no need to fear, because our Redeemer lives . . . we can look forward to each new day, because we know our loving Shepherd lives. He lives and He reigns above all else, and He is indeed our peace, our comfort, our joy, our rest, our guide, our refuge, our hope, our strength. And with each passing day of our lives here on earth, we can look forward with expectant hope to being with our wonderful Savior and Lord in heaven! What a day that will be!

-Posted by Sarah

My Jesus, As Thou Wilt!

2010-03-20T15:17:00.004-05:00

Awhile back, I had mentioned our thrift store find of an old hymnal in which we have discovered many beautiful hymns that have been a blessing to us. Below is one that was especially so . . .

My Jesus, As Thou Wilt!

My Jesus, as Thou wilt!
O may Thy will be mine:
Into Thy hand of love
I would my all resign.
Thro' sorrow, or thro' joy,
Conduct me as Thine own;
And help me still to say,
My Lord, Thy will be done.

My Jesus, as Thou wilt!
Tho' seen thro' many a tear,
Let not my star of hope
Grow dim or disappear.
Since Thou on earth has wept
And sorrowed oft alone,
If I must weep with Thee,
My Lord, Thy will be done.

My Jesus, as Thou wilt!
All shall be well for me;
Each changing future scene
I gladly trust with Thee.
Straight to my home above
I travel calmly on,
And sing, in life or death,
My Lord, Thy will be done.

Written by Benjamin Schmolck

-Posted by Sarah

From Proverbs

2010-03-07T07:13:00.016-06:00

As I was reading my Bible the other morning, a particular passage in Proverbs stood out to me and it was copied down into my notebook . . . and I thought I would also share it here:

"My son, if you will receive my words and treasure my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; for if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will discern the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God." Proverbs 2:1-5

Notice all of the 'action' words that are given in these verses . . . receive . . . treasure . . . make your ear attentive . . . incline your heart . . . cry for discernment . . . lift your voice . . . seek . . . search . . . and then, as a result of these things, the fear of the Lord will be discerned and true knowledge of God will be discovered. These verses describe a heart bent on following hard after the Lord, on truly knowing Him as He has revealed Himself in His Word . . . someone who is like the deer that "pants after the water brooks," and who can declare "my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for the living God;" (Psalm 42:1-2a) and again "O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; my soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water" (Psalm 63:1.)

May this also be cry and earnest desire of our hearts! Above all else, seeking Christ first and seeking to have a heart as the one just described in Proverbs 2:1-5 . . . receiving God's words, treasuring His commandments, making our ears attentive to His wisdom, inclining our hearts to understanding His Word, crying for discernment and for understanding, seeking and searching for wisdom as for silver and hidden treasures . . . and then we will be able to discern what it is to truly fear the Lord and will grow in our knowledge of God.

"For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice, and He preserves the way of His godly ones. Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity and every good course. For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will guard you, understanding will watch over you . . . (Proverbs 2:6-11)

-Posted by Sarah

A Hymn . . . .

2010-02-03T12:46:00.016-06:00

This song has been on my heart and mind lately so I thought I would share it here. The words are a powerful reminder that, while it is sometimes all too easy to try to rely on our own strength, we always need the Lord.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sometimes when life seems gentle and blessings flood my way,
I turn my gaze away from You and soon forget to pray.
But when the sky grows darker and courage turns to fear,
My anxious voice cries upward with words you long to hear.

Lord, I need You when the sea of life is calm.
O Lord, I need You when the wind is blowing strong.
Whether trials come or cease, keep me always on my knees.
Lord, I need You. Lord I need You.

Lord, help me to remember I'm weak but You are strong.
I cannot sing apart from You, for Lord You are my song.
Although I'm prone to wander and boast in all I do;
Lord keep my eyes turned upward so I depend on You.

Lord, I need You when the sea of life is calm.
O Lord, I need You when the wind is blowing strong.
Whether trials come or cease, keep me always on my knees.
Lord, I need You. Lord I need You.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

-Posted by Leah

The song is "Lord, I Need You" by Ron Hamilton
Photo by : Bruno Monginoux www.Landscape-Photo.net

The Heart of the Home

2010-01-09T09:19:00.009-06:00

One book that has been a blessing to me is the book Homemaking by J. R. Miller, and in it there is a particular section that stood out to me in regards to home life:

". . . only the spirit of Christ in a household makes a truly Christian home . . . There are some fields of grass from which in summer days rises a sweet fragrance, although not a flower is anywhere to be seen. But when you part the tall grass and look down among its roots, there, close on the ground, hidden under the showy, waving grass, you see multitudes of small flowers, modest and lowly, yet pouring forth a delicate and delicious aroma filling all the air. There are homes in which there is nothing remarkable in the way of grandeur or elegance, yet the very atmosphere as you enter is filled with sweetness, like 'the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed.' It is the aroma of love, the love of Christ shed abroad in human hearts." (Homemaking J. R. Miller pg. 231-232)

This beautiful word picture brought the thought to mind that a house, a home, can be kept sparkly clean, have a fresh baked pie cooling on the counter, fragrant flowers adorning corners of the rooms, beautiful canned goods lining the pantry shelves, colorful afghans, quilts and other homemade items decorating the home, and it can look like a picture perfect house out of a magazine. . . but if Christ, His Word and a heart after Him is absent, what is all this worth? In the scope of what truly matters eternally, it really is worth nothing. It may be beautiful to the human eye, but without the foundation and the fragrance of Christ which lasts and endures, all of this is naught but like the grass that fades and the flower that falls off (1 Peter 1:24.)

This is a good reminder that in the midst of being busy around our homes and striving to help make them a haven for our families, to not forget about what the foundation of the home needs to be . . . that is, centered around the Lord and His Word. May we never forget where the focus of our hearts, our minds and our actions should be placed; as the apostle Paul exhorts: "set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:2.) As we seek to set our minds and hearts on the heavenly things, the things of the Lord, may our homes truly become a place of refuge and peace for our dear families; a place of refreshment, strengthening and fellowship in the Lord; and when others come to our home, may they not see so much the physical, but may they truly see and recognize that Christ is the foundation, the fragrance, of the home.

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing . . ." (2 Corinthians 2:14-15)

-Posted by Sarah

From the Archives: Submission - Part 4: The Attitude of the Heart

2009-12-22T16:00:00.003-06:00

In this fourth and last post on submission, we will be taking a look at what the attitude of our hearts should be when submitting. The definition ascribed to the word “submitting” by Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language gives a clear description of the heart attitude. Summarized, it states:

Submission is cheerfully yielding one’s will to the will and authority of another accompanied by humble and suppliant behavior without murmuring.

Two different aspects seem to especially stand out: one, that we are to submit cheerfully, and secondly, without murmuring . . .

Cheerfully

“In a cheerful manner; with alacrity or willingness; readily; with life, animation or good spirits.”*

How convicting this definition is! By it, we see that when we submit it is to be with joy, willingness, and in a cheerful manner (the opposite of this would be grudgingly with a negative or angry heart.) This type of true cheerfulness and joy comes from abiding in the Lord and walking in obedience to Him as Christ instructed:

“My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” (John 15:8-11)

It is not our joy, but His joy shining through us as we submit to our fathers (or husbands) in obedience to our Lord. When thinking of how this cheerfulness and joy would be expressed in our lives, what comes to mind is a smile on the face, a quickness and readiness to fulfill whatever was directed (or whatever we know that he would desire), and a willing heart that is seeking to submit and serve the one whom the Lord has placed over us.

Several verses from Proverbs came to mind while writing this that seemed to relate rather well:

“A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.” (Proverbs 15:13).

“A wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.” (Proverbs 14:1)

“It is better to live in a desert land than with a contentious and vexing woman.” (Proverbs 21:19)

By having a cheerful heart of submission, by not being contentious and vexing, and by building instead of tearing, our Lord will be glorified. The choice is ours to make – will we be ones who build up or tear down? Will we respond with contentiousness and vexation? Or with cheerfulness, love and joy?

Without Murmuring

Murmuring is: “uttering complaints in a low voice or sullen manner; grumbling; complaining”*

Complain is: “to utter expressions of resentment; to murmur; to find fault”*

I am sure that we all have been guilty of these two things at least at some point in our lives! Due to the sin nature of man, complaining and murmuring is a natural part of us. Paul, recognizing this, exhorted for followers of Christ to “Do all things without grumbling or disputing” (Philippians 2:14.) This is what we are to strive for . . . to do “all things” (including submitting) without grumbling or disputing.

Before we can overcome feelings such as these, though, we need to know the root cause of them. For how can we get rid of a noxious weed, without removing the root? It is the same with the negative attributes in our own lives. We need to discover the “root” of the problem so that we can work to remove it. So what is the root of a complaining and murmuring heart? It comes from selfishness, and in part, also a lack of trust in the Lord. Selfishness in that we are looking to satisfy our own wants and desires instead of following the exhortation in Philippians to “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;” (Philippians 2:3.) This chapter continues with the instruction to have the same attitude as did Christ who being God, humbled Himself to become a man even to the point of dying on the cross as "the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world." (1 John 2:2.) For He who knew no sin was made “to be sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21) that those who believe in Him might have “life in His name” (John 20:31.)

And we are to follow His example of humility; we are to “follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21.) We are to submit to our fathers (or husbands) in the same way that Christ submitted to the will of the Father. Cheerfully, willingly, completely and with readiness.

Another aspect that builds the foundation of a cheerful and non-murmuring heart is a resolute trust in the Lord. In His Word, God has given many promises, one of which is that:

“. . . we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

It is with promises such as this that we can have joy in our circumstances; that we can respond with cheerfulness and love when submitting to our fathers (or husbands.) For the Lord is not a God who is far off, but a God who is near and who has promised to be our help and stronghold as we place our trust in Him. May each one of us rest on His promises relying on Him to give us the strength to submit cheerfully and willingly.

So the next time our fathers (or husbands) request or express their desire for something (such as the things mentioned in Part 3), let’s put a smile on our lips, a song of joy in our hearts, quick and willing hands ready to serve and bless, and a heart ready and willing to follow. Let us, as ladies striving to be obedient to the Lord, adorn ourselves with ornaments of great price that are precious to the Lord . . . let us adorn ourselves, as did the holy women of old, with the beautiful quality of submission.

“In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be merely external – braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.” (1 Peter 3:1-6)

“Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything . . .” (Ephesians 5:22-24)

*All definitions taken from Noah Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language

**I would like to mention again that this series is in no way complete as there are several aspects of this area of submission that I do not yet fully understand, but I hope and pray that what was shared here was a blessing to you!

-Posted by Sarah

A Few Verses from Psalms

2009-12-15T12:26:00.006-06:00

"Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope for His lovingkindness . . . Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart rejoices in Him, because we trust in His holy name . . ." Psalm 33:18, 20-21

"O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! . . . The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned." Psalm 34: 8 and 22

-Posted by Sarah

From the Archives: Submission - Part 3: Practical Application

2009-12-02T10:38:00.005-06:00

Through the past two posts in this series, we have learned that we are to be submissive to the men whom the Lord has placed in authority and headship over us (fathers if we are unmarried and husbands if we are married*), as well as what submission is:

Submission is cheerfully yielding one’s will to the will and authority of another accompanied by humble and suppliant behavior without murmuring.

Submission begins with a yielding of the will to the Lord and then to our fathers (or husbands) . . . this yielding of the will is then lived out in our lives in every day situations. So what are practical ways that we can develop this quality of submission in our own lives? In this writing, we will be looking at different ways that a submissive heart would be expressed.

Following the counsel, direction, and plans of those in authority over us

This can be a difficult area to submit in for it often includes changing our plans to fit the direction of our fathers (or husbands). But it comes back to . . . do we really have any rights? As seen in the earlier post, no, we are the Lord’s, and we surrendered our will to Him when we turned to Him, believing in His name (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

With that in mind, and as those striving to be godly women with submissive hearts, our plans, desires, etc. need to be held with an open hand, ready to willingly change if needed to fit those of whom the Lord has placed in headship over us. (Even more so, we should be actively seeking to make the plans, desires and goals of our fathers [or husbands] our own.)

For example, let’s say:

1) You believe that the Lord is leading you to participate in such and such church function/ministry, yet your father (or husband) does not wish you to. What do you do?

2) What if you have certain desires or plans for after high school (remaining in your father’s household, attending college and/or having outside employment), yet these plans differ from your father's desires and wishes, what do you do?

3) What if you think hemlines on your skirts need to be at the ankle bone (or that is where you like them to be), yet your father (or husband) wants them at your calf. What do you do?

4) Some of your favorite music to play (movies to watch, books to read, etc.), are also ones that your father (or husband) wishes you to refrain from, what do you do?

5) Your father (or husband) wants your house arranged/cleaned in a certain way, but you like it done differently, what do you do?

In these few examples (and others similar), the Lord has an answer for each of them . . . submit. Let us look at two of these examples in a bit greater detail:

1) You believe that the Lord is leading you to participate in such and such church function/ministry, yet your father (or husband) does not wish you to. What do you do?

It is important to remember, that as the Lord has already commanded women to submit, He will not desire, lead, or command a woman to serve in a ministry or participate in some other activity while her father (or husband) is opposed to it. To do so would be to violate His very word. As God is truth (John 14:6, John 14:17) and “cannot lie” (Titus 1:2; also Hebrews 6:18), and He “does not change” (Malachi 3:6; also James 1:17), to command one thing and then to desire something different would be contrary to His very nature. So if we feel the Lord leading us to participate in some type of ministry or activity, yet our fathers (or husbands) are opposed to it, we can know for certain that the impression on our heart is not God’s will for us (at least at that time; it may be in His plan and will at a future time as He may work on our father’s/husband’s hearts.) With that knowledge, we can rest in contentment knowing that we are right where the Lord desires us to be; cheerfully living in submission to and respect of those whom He has placed in authority over us.

2) What if you have certain desires or plans for after high school (remaining in your father's household, attending college and/or having outside employment), yet these plans differ from your father's desires and wishes, what do you do?

Let's look at an example of this . . . after finishing high school, you desire to remain at home and serve your family, yet your father wants you to go to college. What should one do in this type of situation? Let us consider first: Is it best for a daughter to remain under her father’s covering until marriage? Yes. Is it better, though, than submitting to the wishes and desires of her father? When examining Scripture, specifically the passages that speak of submission, we find that no, it is not. To not submit to the authorities that the Lord has placed over us is in direct conflict to the command and instruction of God. So when finding ourselves in these types of situations, we may gently and submissively share our concerns and desires with our fathers, but then ultimately, submit willingly and cheerfully to their direction. And while to submit in areas such as this would be quite difficult and may present trials and hardships for us, the Lord will be our strength as we seek to follow and serve Him.

The other examples are fairly self-explanatory . . . in areas like these when the will, or even the desires, of our fathers (or husbands) is different than our own, we are to cheerfully submit; we are to “yield our will to the authority of another” in keeping with the command of the Lord to women.

Referring to our fathers or husbands for decisions

The definition of the word ‘submitting’ as defined by Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language brings a particular area to light . . . and that is referring to another for a decision. There are many decisions that we as daughters (or wives) are regularly faced with. Beginning when we were infants to present day, we have been trained and have learned principles that form the foundation for making the common decisions that come up on a daily basis (how/what to eat; how/when to take care of our household chores; proper conduct in manner and deportment; etc.) With the prior training and learning that we have received, these types of decisions are generally within our sphere of authority (it is important to remember, though, that if our fathers [or husbands] should wish us to do these every day things differently, we should certainly follow their direction.) Last evening as my parents and I were discussing this particular area, my Mom brought up an example which clarifies this type of decision making: through the years my sister and I have been trained to cook the meals, plan a menu and then make a grocery list . . . our parents have instilled in us the foundation to make the decisions associated with these tasks. So, when doing these things, we do not need to go to them and ask “What should we have this night, and this night and . . .”, “What ingredients should we get?”, “Which stores should we go to?” These types of questions have already been answered as we have been trained and have learned the principles to know how to respond to them.

However, decisions that are not these every-day ones need to be brought to our fathers (or husbands) with humility seeking their direction and wisdom. This should be done when faced with decisions (especially scripturally related ones) in areas such as dress, headcoverings, college, friendships, courtship, getting outside employment, activities to participate in, large purchases, inviting families over, trips, and similar things. And when asking for this counsel (or if they come to us and give it without our asking), we must make sure that our hearts are ready to cheerfully receive it and follow it.

Submission is to not only take place in the big things, but also in the little things. Day by day, moment by moment . . . we are to die to self, and love the Lord through submitting to our fathers (or husbands). And this submission is not simply an action, nor does it happen instantly, but it is a heart attitude founded upon the principles and teachings of God’s word that through practice and prayer will become a part of who we are. It is impossible in our own strength to have submissive hearts, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:57)

A heart of submission is one of these areas that we are to abound in . . . not just enough to get by, but it is to be a spring inside of us welling up in abundance. As daughters to our fathers (or wives to your husbands) we are called to honor them, to love them, to respect their decisions, and to humbly submit to their direction and guidance. As we follow the Lord by having a submissive, honoring and loving spirit to our fathers (or husbands), the Lord will be glorified and our hearts will be pleasing in His sight.

Coming Soon . . . Submission: Part 4 - The Attitude of the Heart

*It is important to add, however, that in some circumstances it may be to a relative, older woman, etc. as seen in the lives of Esther and Ruth

**I would also like to mention that this writing is in no way complete as there are several aspects of this area of submission that were not touched on here, and also ones that I do not yet fully understand.

-Posted by Sarah

From the Archives . . . Submission - Part 2: What is it?

2009-11-17T06:17:00.002-06:00

Through examining Scripture, we have already determined that submission is something that should be a part of a godly woman’s character. We have also seen who the submissive heart should be directed to . . . fathers if we are unmarried and husbands if we are married.

But what is submission?

The word “submit” as used in Scripture is taken from the Greek word “hupotasso” which means to subordinate; to obey. This word (and its derivatives) is used in reference to relationships such as:

--Believers in subjection to governmental authorities
--Believers in subjection to each other
--Believers in subjection to Christ and God the Father
--Children in subjection to their parents
--Young men to elders

And as used in this discussion:

--Women learning with all submissiveness
--Wives in subjection to husbands (which is also applicable to the daughter-father relationship as was seen in the earlier post on this topic.)

Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament furthers the definition of "submit" by defining it as: “to subject one’s self, to obey; to submit to one’s control; to yield to one’s admonition or advice . . . obey, be subject.”

All of these give a fairly good understanding of what submission is, but when looking up this word (and others similar to it) in Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language, I was blessed and convicted by several of the definitions. To summarize, submission is cheerfully yielding one’s will to the will and authority of another accompanied by humble and suppliant behavior without murmuring.

Yielding the Will

This is the heart of submission, a yielding of one’s will. Within that will are our desires, plans, ideas, likes, dislikes, goals and other such things. We have this idea that these things are ‘ours’, but we must remember, when we repented of our sins and gave ourselves over to Jesus Christ believing in His name, we surrendered all of our rights. We are not our own . . .

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Because of the beautiful and incomprehensible purchase of ourselves by God through the precious blood of Jesus Christ, we have no rights for they have been relinquished. We are the Lord’s and are to give ourselves for His glory. That should be our heart’s longing and calling to bring glory to His name by living in obedience to Him. It is not our will that we are seeking to satisfy and follow, but the will of the Lord.

In 1 Peter, it is written “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21). We have been called to follow Christ and the example that He set for us. When examining the life of Christ, the direction we are to follow is shown to be expressly clear when He declares:

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” (John 6:38; there are similar verses in John 4:34 and 5:30)

Christ’s whole purpose was to do the will of the Father . . . and so should ours be. So the heart of submission is seen to be a surrendering of our will to do the will of the Father, and then in turn, surrendering it to those whom the Lord has placed in authority over us.

Once we recognize that we are not our own and we have no rights, submission to another comes much more easily. We are no longer fighting to satisfy our own wants and desires, but we are seeking something higher . . . to please the Lord and lovingly submit to and honor the man who is our head. And through submitting to and following the leadership of the men whom the Lord has placed in authority over us, we are in actuality submitting to the Lord.

Examples in Scripture - Esther

There are many practical examples that can be given to illustrate how submission is to be lived out in our lives, and Scripture gives just that. Through reading and studying the accounts of the women who have come before us, there is much that can be learned as Paul in writing to the Romans shares: “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction,” (Romans 14:4a).

An example of this very topic of discussion was found one morning a few weeks ago as I was reading in the book of Esther regarding Esther’s relationship with Mordecai, the man who had taken her in and raised her when her parents had died. Esther had just been taken captive and brought to King Ahasuerus’s harem, when the first indication of her heart in this area is shown:

“Esther did not make known her people or her kindred, for Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make them known.”
(Esther 2:10)

Here, it is seen that Esther was following the counsel and guidance of the man who was in authority over her. She did not question his direction, seek to circumvent it, nor to outright oppose it . . . she simply followed. Her heart of submission is even further expressed in verse 20 of the same chapter:

“. . . for Esther did what Mordecai told her as she had done when under his care.” (Esther 2:20)

Despite the frightening and difficult circumstances Esther found herself faced with, she continued to respect and submit to Mordecai just as she had when directly under his care. Her deeply founded heart of submission eventually brought her into the King’s court at the very real risk of her life. The circumstances that follow are well known—they are basically summarized with Mordecai’s wise instruction, followed by Esther’s submissive obedience.* And this is what brought about the preservation of the lives of many, many people as well as the Jews’ victory over their enemies.

Submission is truly a beautiful attribute of a godly woman . . . a beautiful attribute that we are commanded by God to adorn ourselves with. Much as we may wish it to be, it is not something that just happens instantly. It is grown by dying to self instance by instance and day by day. It is a continual submitting and yielding of the will and desires to our Lord, and then to our fathers or husbands. Having a submissive heart is not easy (in fact, it can be very difficult), but as we submit to and yield our will to those whom the Lord has placed as head over us, we will be pleasing in His sight. Remember, just as Christ submitted to the Father, so should we submit to our fathers or husbands . . . cheerfully, humbly, and with love. What joy it must bring to the Lord when women love Him and serve Him within the bounds and guidelines that He has established!

Coming soon . . . Submission - Part 3

*It is important to note that Esther’s obedience to Mordecai’s instruction does not conflict with the headship or authority of her husband (this is for many reasons; for example, the king had not forbidden Esther from coming into his presence; also, through Esther's words to the king, we see that her heart was humble and submissive before him.)

-Posted by Sarah

From the Archives . . . Submission - Part 1: Why?

2009-11-09T06:15:00.006-06:00

As I thought and prayed about what to study and write about next, the Lord kept impressing on my heart the area of submission. And not only that, but for me to also once again reexamine my own life and to seek to continue to grow in this area even more. With that thought in mind, I thought it might be beneficial to revisit a series of articles again (which were originally posted in November/December of last year) in hopes that they will be a blessing and encouragement as we seek to grow in obedience to the Lord by practicing godly submission . . .

In Scripture, there is a specific command given numerous times to women that is not often spoken of, and even less, lived out in the true meaning of the word in the Christian culture of today. Within this specific command, there is a great promise, and by obeying it, wonderful things can come forth. This command is for women to submit to the men whom the Lord has placed in authority and headship over them.

As mentioned, this attribute is spoken of several times in Scripture, but perhaps one of the most beautiful passages that teach it is in 1 Peter (another is found in Ephesians 5:22-33):

“In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be merely external – braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.” (1 Peter 3:1-6; submission of the wives to their husbands is also taught in Colossians 3:18 and Titus 2:5)

While this passage is directed to wives, the application of it is just as true for us who are not married. In 1 Timothy 2:11-14, it is shown that submission is for all women:

“A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived fell into transgression.” (1 Timothy 2:11-14)

In the book of Numbers, the authority and headship of both the husband over the wife and the father over his unmarried daughter are seen. The passage is rather lengthy so it will not be shared here, but I encourage you to read Numbers 30:3-15. These verses basically state that if a daughter or a wife makes a vow to the Lord, the vow can either be upheld or negated by the father or the husband; thus showing the authority of the man over the woman. (It is interesting to note, that no other relationship is mentioned in this passage save for the father/daughter and husband/wife relationships [the former being a direct precursor to the latter]).

1 Corinthians 11 illustrates the different roles that the Lord has distinctly established for men and women:

“But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:3)

God has set in place an order of headship and authority of: God the head of Christ, Christ the head of man, and man the head of woman. Christ Himself submitted to the will of the Father; so should we, as women, submit to our head which is the man.

This order, of man as head over woman, was created at the beginning of time in the Garden of Eden: “Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper [or helpmeet] suitable for him.’” As we know, the account continues with Eve being fashioned from Adam’s rib—taken from the man and brought to the man as a helper. Not as a leader or a co-equal, but as someone who would aid Adam in his endeavors and the calling that the Lord had given to him.

The commands and order of headship (as well as the specific roles of men and women) established and given by God can be difficult for us to understand, and/or they may even be something that our heart rebels at, or perhaps, passively resists. There has been (and no doubt will continue to be!) much debating, discussion and argument against the scriptural teaching of submission . . . it is often said: “But it is cultural!”, “We are all supposed to submit to each other (Ephesians 5:21)”, “This is degrading to the woman!” Regardless, and despite the arguments against it, in His word, God has commanded woman (and not just once, but a multitude of times) to submit to the man that He has placed in authority and headship over her, and we are to obey Him. If we choose not to obey, regardless of our argument, we are walking contrary to the very commands of God and by that disobedience, are indicating a lack of love for Him. 1 John 5:3 states:

“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3)

And again in the book of John:

“If you love Me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15)

(Note, this does not indicate that we must be perfect in order to love the Lord; the Greek word used for ‘keep’ in the above verses is tereo which means: to guard, to hold fast, to attend to carefully, to observe, etc.; none of which indicate perfection in obedience.)

As women who love the Lord and desire to be obedient to Him, we should be striving to be submissive to those who are in authority over us; namely our fathers if we are unmarried, or our husbands if we are married. For this is pleasing to God and brings Him glory as we seek to follow His commands to have hearts adorned with the beautiful quality of submission.

Coming soon . . . Submission – Part 2: What is it?

This topic of submission is one that is so very broad and deep . . . and it is an area that I am continually learning more about and seeking to develop more in my own life. I have striven to (and continue to!) develop a scriptural understanding of submission, but being a young, unmarried woman, my experience in this area of submission is relatively small, and is not without the potential for misunderstanding and misapplication. With that, I would like to ask those of you who are older, if the Lord should lead, for you to share your understanding of this vital area. Much can be gleaned from the experience and wisdom of you older women!

Also, as an unmarried woman, the focus of this writing is for women in general and not specifically to wives, thus many passages such as Ephesians 5:22-33 will not be specifically expounded upon, but I encourage each one of you to read and examine this passage and others similar to it. And as this area of submission is so vast, what will be shared in this small series will in no way be complete, but my hope and prayer is that it will stir thought and convict the heart to scripturally examine this area of submission.

-Posted by Sarah

A Few Verses to Share . . .

2009-10-22T06:58:00.003-05:00

When reading my Bible yesterday morning, a couple of verses stood out to me and spoke to my heart. These are some of my favorite verses and no matter how many times I read them, they never cease to convict me!

May each and every one of us truly seek to present ourselves fully and completely to the Lord as a living and holy sacrifice to Him! And may we seek to not be conformed to this world, but to set our hearts and minds on the things above, walking in His ways and for His glory.

-Posted by Sarah

"A Charge to Keep I Have"

2009-09-30T07:23:00.006-05:00

At a thrift store recently, we came across a hymnal that was published in the 1920's. In it we found many beautiful, old hymns that we had never before heard of, and I hope to share some of these songs over the coming months. The one below is one that had a portion of it quoted in a book that I had read, and I had hoped to find the rest of the words and the music to it someday. How surprised and happy I was to find it in the hymnal! The words were convicting as well as encouraging to my heart, and I hope that they are a blessing to you as well . . .

A Charge to Keep I Have

A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify,
Who gave His Son my soul to save,
And fit it for the sky.

To serve the present age,
My calling to fulfill,
O may it all my pow'rs engage
To do my Master's will.

Arm me with jealous care,
As in Thy sight to live,
And O Thy servant, Lord prepare
A strict account to give.

Help me to watch and pray,
And on Thy grace rely,
Assured Thou'lt not my trust betray,
Nor shall I ever die.

Written by: Charles Wesley

-Posted by Sarah

Forbearance in Love

2009-09-12T07:27:00.001-05:00

This is an area that the Lord has been impressing on my heart as of late which led to examining forbearance more closely. There are so many little things that can arise to negatively provoke us on a daily basis . . . comments made, instances that occur, someone interrupting or ignoring us, slights made against us (whether real or perceived) and the list goes on. There are also more significant issues that are true trials and dark valleys to undergo. And all of these can be met with frustration, anger, or hurt; or, they can be responded to with forbearance.

The more I studied ‘forbearance’, the more I discovered the beauty and great blessing of this attribute. As well as the humility that must be in place in order to cultivate it in one’s heart, and the love from the Father that must be burning strong in our hearts to be able to have it become a part of who we are.

Forbearance (translated from the Greek word anecho) is not often directly spoken of in Scripture, but the few passages that do speak of it are powerful. One of these is found in Ephesians 4 . . .

“Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance [anecho—forbearance] for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3.)

Several important points can be gleaned in this passage. One is that showing forbearance, having it as the attitude of our heart, is to walk in a manner that is worthy of our calling, a manner that is pleasing to the Lord. We can understand then, that if the opposite of forbearance is expressed, it would be displeasing to the Lord, and not worthy of the glorious calling that He has given to us.

But what does the Greek word anecho mean specifically? According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, it has the meaning of “To hold oneself up against, i.e. put up with: - bear with, endure, forbear, suffer.” Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language defines ‘forbearance’ as: “The exercise of patience; long suffering; indulgence towards those who injure us; lenity; delay of resentment or punishment.” And lenity is defined as “mildness of temper; softness; tenderness; mercy.”

How convicting are these definitions! When cutting remarks are made to us; when insensitive or unkind words are spoken; when we are ignored; when we receive ill-treatment; when hurtful things are done to us; how should we respond? With patience, long-suffering, tenderness, and mercy. What a beautiful response this would be! A response that would bring glory to the Lord and would be worthy of the calling He has given us! Yet how often does such a response spring in our hearts? Our natural man would respond in anger, frustration, bitterness, self-pity, or other similar things. Yet these can be conquered through the power of the Holy Spirit. God, through Christ, has given us the ability to have victory over sin and to walk in obedience to Him. But to have this victory, we must submit our hearts to Him and “do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness of God” (Romans 6:13.) As we submit our hearts to the Holy Spirit’s leading, He will guide us and direct us; He will be our strength to have victory over sin.

There is another passage in Scripture that gives a similar exhortation to what was found in Ephesians 4 about forbearance . . .

“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with [anecho] one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity” (Colossians 3:12-14.)

In this verse, we find that forgiveness is closely linked with forbearance. For how could one truly express forbearance from the heart if feelings of ill-will, anger, bitterness or the like remain in one's heart toward the other? While outward actions may persist for a time, eventually the true heart of a person will shine forth. One may be able to have the appearance of patient endurance, of forbearing in love, for a time, but if the heart is not in line with these, eventually failure will come and the true heart will be shown. We cannot practice something that is first not a part of who we are, that is not an outpouring of what our heart is. For “out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). What is in our hearts will be expressed in our actions, our words and our attitudes. Even if we give the appearance of forbearing without it first being established in our heart, it will have an emptiness and lack of authenticity that can often be felt or noticed by others; and more importantly, such superficial forbearance is not pleasing in the eyes of the Lord.

Genuine forbearance, however, must first have taken root in the heart, before it can be expressed in our lives to others. But how would this forbearance spring up in our hearts? How do we cultivate it and make it a part of who we are? If we go back to the verse from Ephesians, we find that the forbearance is to be “in love.” Love must be the causing factor of forbearance. If true, Christ-like love is what is in our hearts towards others, then there will be fertile ground for forbearance to grow. And as we find in 1 Corinthians 13, “love bears all things . . . endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7).

In the book of 1 John, we find some wonderful and convicting words of encouragement about godly and true love. We find that this love is from God, it has no other source (1 John 7-8, 16); because God so loved us, we are to love one another (1 John 4:11); when we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us (1 John 4:12); we know that He abides in us because He has given us of His Spirit (1 John 4:13); by abiding in love, we abide in God, and God abides in us (1 John 4:16); through the abiding, love is perfected with us (1 John 4:17); we love, because He first loved us (1 John 4:19); and “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also” (1 John 4:20-21).

Love, true love from God, will arise in our hearts as we abide in Christ. And through that love, forbearance will grow and bear fruit as well. The source for both is Christ, and He will not disappoint or fail to provide the strength and means to do these things. So let us abide . . . let us abide in Christ, letting His love grow in our hearts. Let us seek to love even the most difficult of the ones around us. Let us set our minds on higher things, the things of the Lord and pleasing Him, instead of ourselves. Let us strive after and earnestly long for having a forbearance and a love that “endures all things.”

-Posted by Sarah

Am I a soldier of the cross?

2009-08-23T10:46:00.000-05:00

We sang this hymn a few Sundays ago, and the words are both powerful and convicting. It is so often easy to miss opportunities to speak of and boldly stand up for Christ and His Truth with those that we come in contact with. One of the last lines of the song stood out to me particularly . . .  "Increase my courage, Lord. I'll bear the toil, endure the pain, supported by Thy Word." What a stirring prayer that is! And God will give us all the strength necessary to stand firmly when we place our trust in Him.

Am I a soldier of the cross?
A follower of the Lamb?
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His Name?

Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas?

Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
To help me on to God?

Sure I must fight if I would reign;
Increase my courage, Lord.
I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by Thy Word.
-Isaac Watts

-Posted by Leah

Photo by : Bruno Monginoux www.Landscape-Photo.net

A Precious Promise

2009-08-03T14:18:00.007-05:00

"If I take up the wings of the dawn,

if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me."

"If I say, 'Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,'
Even the darkness is not dark to You,
And the night is as bright as the day . . . "

Psalm 139:9-12

-Posted by Leah

Photos by : Bruno Monginoux
www.Landscape-Photo.net

His Faithfulness . . .

2009-07-15T21:13:00.008-05:00

The below hymn was sung this past Sunday, and the truths that are spoken in it were a blessing to me . . . no matter what circumstances lie around us, no matter how turbulent the times we live, the Lord is indeed faithful. He does not change, nor do the promises that He has made to us in His word fail to hold true. His faithfulness, His truthfulness, and His lovingkindness to us always will remain . . .

Great is Thy Faithfulness

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father!
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not;
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see:
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided -
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see:
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided -
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see:
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided -
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

"Your lovingkindness, O LORD, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; Your judgments are like a great deep. O LORD, You preserve man and beast. How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings . . ." Psalm 36:5-7

-Posted by Sarah

Taking Our Thoughts Captive

2009-06-26T10:04:00.000-05:00

As believers in Christ, there are many aspects of ourselves that we are to seek to ‘train’ in righteousness with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit and the word of God. Aspects such as the words of our tongue, the actions of our hands, and the attitude of our hearts. Exhortation is also given in Scripture on several occasions regarding ones’ thoughts.

Thoughts are powerful things and can often shape, alter, or add to who we are as a person. Some thoughts may never be expressed verbally or in action—they may be something that no other person knows as they can be deeply hidden . . . yet the Lord knows each and every one of our thoughts. As the Psalmist declared: “O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down. And are intimately acquainted with all my ways” (Psalm 139:1-3). How very true this is! There is nothing about us that is hidden from the Lord . . . He is all-knowing, and He “searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts” (1 Chronicles 28:9).

Each and every day we have a great many thoughts, and the Lord knows each one of them; and these thoughts can either be ones that are pleasing to Him or displeasing to Him. As believers in Christ, it is our responsibility to follow the command to “examine everything” (1 Thessalonians 5:21) to find which of these areas our thoughts fall into. Is it a thought that is in accordance with Scripture? Is it contrary to it? Or is it a ‘neutral’ thought? Is it a thought that is in harmony with the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23)? Or is it a thought that is borne from our sinful and fleshly nature?

As the apostle Paul shared in 2 Corinthians: “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,” (2 Corinthians 10:5). This verse is perhaps one of the most powerful and convicting verses in Scripture in regards to ones’ thoughts, as it leaves no exceptions . . . every thought is being brought captive into obedience to the Lord. But, what does it mean to “take captive”? Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language states that ‘captive’ is to “take prisoner; to bring into subjection.” When something is taken captive, it is captured and is at the command and sway of whomever has captured it. Here in this verse, Paul is sharing what he and others are doing, which we should also do ourselves (1 Corinthians 11:1), and that is to strive, with the Lord’s help, to take captive all of our thoughts in obedience to Christ.

This is not an easy thing to do! It seems that thoughts can regularly pop into our minds and we wonder where they could have come from; or, the thoughts may arise from a condition of our hearts (whether they are angry thoughts, impatient ones, etc.). This is why the ‘taking captive’ is spoken of in the present tense as it is something that we must regularly do with all of our thoughts. It is not a one time occurrence, but is to be a continual part of our lives.

Practically speaking, though, how do we do this? Several things come to mind which include: prayer; commitment; reading, studying and applying the word of God to our lives; and seeking to fill and occupy our minds with those things that are pleasing to the Lord. The latter, working in conjunction with the others mentioned, can have a profound impact. We must train our minds in how and what to think, and we must put forth effort to transfer our thoughts to the things of heaven as opposed to that which is worldly. As it states in Colossians: “Therefore since you have been raised with Christ, keeping seeking the things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above and not on the things that are on earth for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1-2). If our minds are set and fixed on the things above, where will ungodly thoughts have a place? Where will they be able to find a stronghold in our life? Again, this “setting our minds” is not a one time occurrence, but it should be a continual practice in our lives. Just as a person cannot run a marathon without training, neither can we set our minds on the things above without training. And in order to run a marathon, consistent practice, work, and time must be given to reach the end goal. This is the same with us with any aspect of our walk with Christ.

A verse in Philippians specifically addresses what types of things we should be thinking about . . .

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:8

The definitions in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible of some of the words in Philippians 4:8 help us to gain a better understanding of what is being spoken in this verse . . .

Honorable (semnos) - reverend i.e. venerable, spec. serious

Right (dikaios) - correct, righteous [right with God], by impl. innocent

Pure (hagnos) - free from ceremonial defilement, holy, sacred

Lovely (prosphiles) - pleasing, agreeable

Good repute (euphemos) - well reported of

And in addition to these, anything that is true, of excellence and is worthy of praise.

These are the types of thoughts that as believers in Christ we should seek to dwell upon. These are the types of thoughts that please the Lord; and these are the types of thoughts that if our minds are filled with them, will leave no room for thoughts that are contrary to the word of God.

Ultimately, one of the most important reasons for seeking to set our minds on the things above, to dwell upon those things mentioned in Philippians 4:8, to guard our minds, and to bring our thoughts into subjection to Christ is because of our love for the Lord. Several times in Scripture it is said that obedience to Christ will be a result of our love for Him . . . “if you love Me you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15; see also 1 John 5:3). And the first and greatest commandment is this: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind’” (Matthew 22:37). Out of love for the Lord and of a desire to please our Father, may each one of us strive to, like Paul, bring “every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

“that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” Ephesians 4:22-24

-Posted by Sarah

A Quote to Share

2009-06-09T13:28:00.010-05:00

When reading a book the other evening, I came across the words from a hymn that were quoted in one of the chapters. This was not the first time that I had read these words, yet they still caused me to pause and consider them. They touched my heart and gave encouragement that the trials and affliction that the Lord allows into our lives can indeed work to draw one closer to Him and help one to grow in His ways. I hope that this verse blesses your heart as much as it did mine!

God in Israel sows the seeds
Of affliction, pain, and toil:
These spring up, and choke the weeds
Which would else o'erspread the soil:
Trials make the promise sweet;
Trials give new life to prayer;
Trials bring me to his feet,
Lay me low, and keep me there.

Words by: William Cowper

-Posted by Sarah

Discretion – An Attribute of Godly Womanhood

2009-05-19T08:27:00.006-05:00

“As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout so is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.”
Proverbs 11:22

This verse from Proverbs is one of many in Scripture that speak directly to or about women. And in this particular verse, there is a contrast presented between outward beauty and the inward beauty of godly character. While physical beauty is what is applauded and sought for by the world today, in the scope of what is true and genuine, it really has no value. Another verse in Proverbs stresses this point greatly:

“Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised” (Proverbs 31:30).

According to Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language, ‘vain’ means “empty, worthless; having no substance, value or importance.” And this is the word that is applied to physical beauty . . . it is indeed vain. But a woman who fears the Lord and one who is adorned with virtue and godly character, including this discretion, shines with an inward beauty that comes from but one source . . . her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

A physically beautiful woman, however, is likened to a ring of gold in a pig’s snout if she lacks the virtue of discretion. Would the ring of gold stand out as a beautiful object on the swine? As it is dragged through the mud while the pigs wallow, does it shine forth beauty? The answer is, no. This ring of gold is not pleasing and brings no beauty to the pigs . . . and such is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.

If we look further into this word discretion, we find that the Hebrew word for it, according to The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, simply means “judgment, discretion, discernment.” While judgment is a word that is familiar to most, the words discretion and discernment are not as well-known, nor as well-understood. The defining of these words also brings a much deeper and proper understanding to the more common word of judgment. Once again utilizing Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language, we find that discretion and discernment have deep implications . . .

Discernment: The act of discerning; also the power or faculty of the mind, by which it distinguishes one thing from another, as truth from falsehood, virtue from vice; acuteness of judgment; power of perceiving differences of things or ideas, and their relations and tendencies.

Discretion is: Prudence, or knowledge and prudence; that discernment which enables a person to judge critically of what is correct and proper, united with caution; nice discernment and judgment, directed by circumspection, and primarily regarding one’s own conduct.

And since discretion is defined, in part, by the word prudence, we also may benefit from examining that definition also:

Prudence: implies caution in deliberating and consulting on the most suitable means to accomplish valuable purposes, and the exercise of sagacity [quickness or acuteness of discernment] in discerning and selecting them. Prudence differs from wisdom in this, that prudence implies more caution and reserve than wisdom, or is exercised more in foreseeing and avoiding evil, than in devising and executing that which is good. It is sometimes mere caution or circumspection.

Both definitions of discretion and prudence use the word circumspection which means: “Caution; attention to all the facts and circumstances of a case, and to the natural or probable consequences of a measure, with a view to the correct course of conduct or to avoid danger.”

When reading these definitions that aid in defining godly womanhood, we see that there is much wisdom and knowledge involved with them. It is examining situations and ideas to determine truth from error. It is seeing and determining right from wrong. It is judging one’s own actions and words to see if they are according to God’s Word. It is not ‘jumping in with both feet’ so to speak, but approaching issues, decisions, and other such things with caution accompanied with “wisdom from above” (James 3:17). And this caution and wisdom is not in human strength, feelings or emotions, or ideas, but must be founded fully and completely upon the word of God to truly be classified as discretion.

Discretion, as with any other godly attribute, comes from the Lord. It is through His working in our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit that discretion can be learned and attained. The Psalmist expressed this truth well when he cried to the Lord entreating Him to “Teach me good discernment and knowledge, for I believe in Your commandments” (Psalm 119:66; the word 'discernment' in this verse is translated from the same Hebrew word from which discretion is translated in Proverbs 11:22).

We see that discretion finds its origin in the Lord . . . it is given by the Lord to those who seek Him. And He has promised “Seek, and you shall find” (Matthew 7:7). Discretion (or discernment) is also learned through the study and application of Scripture, which is God’s word to man. The writer of the book of Hebrews shares a powerful truth while giving a rebuke to those he was writing to:

“Concerning him [referring to Christ] we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” Hebrews 5:11-14

What convicting truths are found in these verses! One phrase that particularly stood out to me was “not accustomed to the word of righteousness.” Are we accustomed to, familiar with, and knowledgeable about “the word of righteousness,” God’s word to us? Are we practicing God’s word in our lives, practicing His truths, so that our senses are indeed “trained to discern good and evil”? Or are we choosing to remain infants partaking only of milk and not seeking to grow and mature in faith?

It is only through “the word of righteousness” and through the Lord’s working on our hearts as we seek Him, that true discretion will be borne in our hearts and lives as we mature in faith. Discretion is indeed a precious and important attribute for women to spiritually adorn themselves with. May each one of us truly take to heart the truths and admonition found in Proverbs 11:22: “As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout so is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion” . . . and may we seek after a true and lasting inward beauty which is not only pleasing to the Lord, but brings glory to Him.

-Posted by Sarah

Fellowship with the Lord

2009-05-01T20:58:00.004-05:00

In the last little while, the Lord seems to keep drawing my heart and mind back to a particular area in my walk with Him. Whether it is through songs sung, verses read, or things that others share, this thought, this area, keeps coming to the forefront. This area is directly linked with the earlier post on complacency, and it has to do with one’s relationship with the Lord.

As I was reading in 1 John awhile back, a verse that was read caused me to pause and examine it more closely:

“Indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3b).

When looking up the word ‘fellowship’ in our concordance, it was found that it is translated from the Greek word ‘koinonia.’ Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary defines ‘koinonia’ as “communion, fellowship, sharing in common.” Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language defines the word ‘fellowship’ as “communion, intimate familiarity.” Both definitions use the word ‘communion’ in them . . . this word is better understood by looking at some of its synonyms which include unity and spiritual union. The defining words of “intimate familiarity,” as used by Noah Webster’s dictionary, indicate a very close and deep relationship from the inmost part of ones’ being.

With these definitions, we see that the very word ‘fellowship’ bespeaks relationship; but not just any kind of relationship. Fellowship is deeper than knowledge and richer than acquaintance. It is the very heart (or spirit) of the person in communion with another . . . and in this case, it is with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

While not directly related to what is being shared here (believers in Christ growing in their fellowship with the Lord), principles that clearly apply can be found as we look further in 1 John chapter one. In verses 6-7, we find that fellowship has a relation to our walk with Christ. It is stated: “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:6-7).

In verse six, we see that walking in darkness would mean one not having fellowship with the Lord. Verse seven contrasts this by saying “but if we walk in the Light . . .” (1 John 1:7). As believers in Christ, we “are Light in the Lord” (Ephesians 5:8) and are exhorted to “walk as children of Light” (Ephesians 5:8). And as we walk in the Light, this increases a believer’s fellowship with the Lord. As we grow in Him, seek to love Him more, seek to submit to Him, and come to know Him more and more through study of Scripture and prayer, the fellowship cannot help but to increase, broaden, and deepen.

The life of a follower of Christ is indeed a journey. We embark on it as infants with just the beginnings of knowing and having this close relationship of fellowship with Christ. With time, study and prayer, combined with a heart that is seeking to submit to the Lord and to grow in Christ, maturation will come through the working of the Holy Spirit. And with this maturation, comes a deepening in this fellowship, this intimate familiarity, with the Lord.

A true and increasing fellowship with the Lord is not something that can come by living in apathy or complacency. It is the same as with any other relationship . . . it takes effort, time and commitment on our part. It is a relationship that grows and develops by walking closely with the Lord; by walking in the Light; by practicing His truth; by drawing close to Him in prayer; by studying and meditating upon His Word; by applying His Word to our lives.

When thinking of this fellowship, thoughts come to mind as to how this fellowship would be in part expressed: When difficulties arise, we run to the Lord in prayer seeking His guidance. When trials enter in, we first go to His word for His wisdom and counsel. In heart-rending or trying circumstances, we trust in the all-knowing and loving God. When blessings come, our hearts immediately lift in praise and thanksgiving to the One from Whom those blessings flow. When questions and doubts stir in our minds, we turn to the Lord for true answers and for His strength. Intimate fellowship with Christ such as this grows from the heart of one who has their mind “set on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2); from a heart that is tuned to ‘hear’ the Holy Spirit’s guidance and direction. From one whose life is consecrated to God seeking to know Him more, seeking to follow where He leads, and seeking, because of their love for Him, to grow in obedience to Him (John 14:15).

God is near . . . always near and ready to teach, guide and direct us in His ways. He is near to comfort and to give us strength. He is near to bestow upon us the richness of His love, kindness and wisdom. He is there for us to have this true fellowship with Him as we seek His face . . . and may each and every one of us earnestly desire and seek after growing in this true, abiding and lasting fellowship with the most holy God, the One who has bought and redeemed us through the blood of the Lamb. What joy and blessing can come through having such an intimate and close relationship with the Lord!

-Posted by Sarah

Psalm 89 . . .

2009-04-16T11:14:00.009-05:00

"The heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD;

Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies is comparable to the LORD?
Who among the sons of the mighty is like the LORD,
A God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,
And awesome above all those who are around Him?
O LORD God of hosts, who is like You, O mighty LORD?
Your faithfulness surrounds You.

The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours;
The world and all it contains, You have founded them . . .

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
Lovingkindness and truth go before You.
How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!
O LORD, they walk in the light of Your countenance.
In Your name they rejoice all the day,
And by Your righteousness they are exalted.
For You are the glory of their strength,
And by Your favor our horn is exalted."

Psalm 89: 5-8, 11, 14-17

-Posted by Sarah

Modesty in Dress

2009-04-04T16:30:00.018-05:00

We recently received an e-mail from a lady who reads our blogs asking a question regarding our style of dress . . .

Sarah...awhile back, I read with interest your post on head coverings, and the ensuing discussion . . . I've been wondering about why the ladies in your family never appear to wear slacks. Could you elaborate a bit on how you came to this decision, scripturally speaking? I would appreciate reading your thoughts.

In response, I sent her an e-mail explaining the reasons why we dress the way we do. It was suggested that perhaps we could also share this e-mail on our blog . . . it is shared here in the hopes that it will be a blessing and encouragement to you, and that perhaps it may also provoke thought and discussion on this very important topic:

Thank you for your question regarding our dress and what scriptural basis we have for it! (And thank you also for your patience in awaiting a response! :) I will do my best to answer your question . . .

First of all, I would like to share that we have not always worn dresses and skirts all of the time. It was a decision that we made about nine years ago after much study of Scripture and discussion together as a family. While Scripture does not say that women must wear dresses/skirts, there are many verses and principles that led us to this.

In Scripture, we see that women are commanded to dress in proper clothing, which as defined by Scripture, is modest and discreet: “Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness” (1 Timothy 2:9-10).

These verses show that our dress should be modest and discreet. Noah Webster, in his 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language, defined modesty as: “In females, modesty has the like character as in males; but the word is used also as synonymous with chastity, or purity of manners. In this sense, modesty results from purity of mind, or from the fear of disgrace and ignominy [public disgrace; shame; etc.] fortified by education and principle. Unaffected modesty is the sweetest charm of female excellence, the richest gem in the diadem of their honor.”

We see that modesty is first in the heart and is then expressed outwardly, and Scripture shows that this modesty is to be expressed in our dress. It is also closely tied with chastity and purity—both of which are to be expressed in the clothing that we wear.

For ones making a claim to godliness and seeking to follow the Lord, our dress should be reflective of that. Our dress should be in alignment with such godly attributes as sobriety (1 Timothy 3:11 and Titus2:5), gentleness and quietness (1 Peter 3:4), reverence in behavior (Titus 2:3), and chastity (1 Peter 3:2). One must examine their dress to find if it fits within these attributes . . . or does it instead reflect negative attributes such as boisterousness, looseness, worldliness, flirtatiousness, etc.?

Perhaps one of the greatest reasons to dress modestly (besides the fact that the Lord has commanded it) is to help men guard their eyes. Job hinted at the ‘battle’ that men must fight for purity when he declared “I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze at a virgin?” (Job 31:1). And in Scripture, Christ taught many times that looking at a woman with lust is adultery . . . so the act of simply ‘seeing’ can lead one to grave sin.

There is a passage in Scripture when speaking of sexual morality that exhorts all believers to not defraud a brother. It reads: “. . . and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification" (1 Thessalonians 4:6-7). To defraud a brother is to defeat or frustrate them wrongfully (definition taken from Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language.) Men do have a battle with their eyes, and they have a responsibility to guard their eyes. And as women, the way we dress has a profound impact on the men that are around us. As women of God, we should earnestly seek to dress in a manner that helps our brothers in Christ (as well as other men) guard their eyes and hearts. We should seek to not defraud them, but to help aid them in their walk with Christ. Dressing in a manner that draws attention to our form (tight and/or form-fitting clothing, low-cut tops, sheer outfits, slits in skirts, etc.) is contrary to this. Our clothing should reflect our desire to clothe ourselves modestly and discreetly. It should draw attention to our countenances and not to our bodies.

Another aspect of this is that we are to not be stumbling blocks to others. Christ declared “Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the man through whom the stumbling block comes!” (Matthew 18:7) By the way we dress, we can either be this stumbling block to our brothers in Christ (and other men), or we can strive, as much as we are able, to remove these stumbling blocks from before them by dressing modestly.

In the Old Testament, there is also instruction given that women are not to dress in the same manner as men: “A woman shall not wear man’s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman’s clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 22:5.) We can see in this verse that the dress of women should be distinctly different than that of men for women should not be dressing in the same manner as men do. Women should be dressing femininely and men should dress masculinely.

In light of what has been shared so far, when we examine whether pants are appropriate for women to wear, several things must first be looked at. First of all, we need to ask: “Are pants modest?” and “Could they defraud a brother?” After reading (and hearing from my Dad and brother) how women wearing pants can affect men negatively, we came to the conclusion that pants do not fit within the standard of modesty. Pants closely fit the female form, and even loose ones still show the form of a woman well. Pants/slacks regardless of how tight or loose they are become tight across the back when bending over (or in other similar positions also) which reveals the form even more.

While a much smaller, yet still valid, aspect to whether or not to wear pants is asking the question: “are pants a distinctly masculine form of dress?” It was only in the past seventy years or so that women in America (and many other countries) began dressing in pants and prior to that, they wore dresses. Pants were known to be the male form of clothing and skirts/dresses were known to be for women. (And in our culture today, dresses and skirts are known to be distinctly feminine dress.)

Even though Scripture does not give direct instruction in things such as how low is too low for a neckline, or how long skirts should be, or the answer to the above question of whether or not it is all right to wear pants, we can determine fairly well the answer to these things simply by examining them in the light of Scripture (such as the verses shared so far.) When examining the clothing that we wear, we should be asking things such as: Could this garment/style of dress cause a man to stumble or sin? Does it defraud a brother? Does it reflect the attributes of modesty, purity, chastity, sobriety, etc.? Is it feminine or masculine? In all of our dress—skirts, dresses, pants/slacks, tops, etc.—we need to examine it in light of all of these questions . . . and then dress accordingly.

This area of modesty is a very important one, and it basically comes down to a desire to clothe ourselves in a manner that reflects the attributes of a godly woman which is pleasing to God and also in a manner that will shield and protect the hearts and eyes of our brothers in Christ, and also other men. As believers in Christ, our “body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and . . . you are not your own . . . For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Our bodies are the temple of the Lord, and we should seek to clothe ourselves accordingly. To dress to honor Him in a manner that is modest and discreet. Dressing in a way that is not to satisfy or please ourselves (or others), but in a way that brings glory to God and in a way that is a witness to the world of the light of Christ shining through us.

I hope that helps to answer your question of what scriptural reasons we have for why we dress the way we do! If something is not clear enough or if you have any more questions, please feel free to ask—I would be happy to clarify something further or answer any other questions that you may have! :)

-Posted by Sarah