Trust the Lord

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil." Proverbs 3:5-7

-Posted by Sarah

A Question of the Heart

Of all the verses regarding the Proverbs 31 woman, the one that has always challenged and convicted me the most is verse thirteen.

“She looks for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight.” Proverbs 31:13

This verse shows that she was active in her work by using the words “looks” and “works”. But the word that really is convicting to me is the last one, the word delight. She was not just doing the labor, but had a God-honoring attitude to go along with it. So what does the word delight mean?

Delight: A high degree of pleasure or enjoyment; joy; rapture. Something that gives great pleasure.*

A high degree of pleasure, or satisfaction of mind; joy. To be greatly pleased or rejoiced.**

Delight is more permanent pleasure than joy, and not dependent on sudden excitement.**

By looking at these definitions, we can see that working with her hands gave her great pleasure, it pleased her, it gave her joy and satisfaction of mind. Why? Because she had the opportunity and the capability of serving others, of blessing them; she knew that it was pleasing to the Lord for her to delight in her activities. And because she knew that in each task of the day, she was not only serving her family, she was also serving the Lord.

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” Colossians 3:23-24 (emphasis added)

It is often difficult to keep this in mind while doing the mundane tasks of every day life. Certainly, we may take care of the dishes, do the laundry, dust the furniture, but scripturally, we are to do much more than that. We should view each act of service, each mess to be cleaned, each dish to wash, each piece of clothing to be ironed, as a way to serve our Lord and those around us.

While we may think that we are simply doing these things to serve our families, Scripture tells us that it is our Lord Jesus Christ whom we are serving! He is watching us, and He sees how we respond in different circumstances. 

He knows what the condition of our heart is as we respond to a request by our parents, or as we clean up one of the ever-occurring spills on the floor. He sees not only our outward actions, but He can see just as clearly what we are thinking and what we are feeling. (“for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts.” 1 Chronicles 28:9)

An attitude of delight is not an easy thing to have. It takes concerted effort and dedication on our part. To do it, we must put aside our own wants and desires, and instead seek to please our Lord, and the ones that He has placed around us. We are to have an attitude of delight and gratefulness that God has given us the abilities to serve our families and our Lord.

“I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart.” Psalm 40:8

* Random House

** Websters

-Posted by Leah

Love - Part 9: Does Not Take into Account a Wrong Suffered

“Love . . . does not take into account a wrong suffered,” 1 Corinthians 13:5

This is one more quality that comprises a true and godly love . . . and it encompasses having a heart of forgiveness. By definition, the phrase “not take into account” means to “not consider, to not take notice of” (taken from an online dictionary). 

On the contrary, though, when wrongs are done against us, our human, fleshly nature is so quick to take offense, to have hurt feelings, to respond in anger, yet God has called us to not even notice when a wrong is done to us. What love, forgiveness and grace!

As always, our Lord has given us in Himself the perfect example of forgiveness, of “not taking into account a wrong suffered”. The epitome of forgiveness is shown in Christ’s words as He hung upon the cross, bleeding, bruised and dying, bearing the sins of the world: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34). 

What wrongs have we endured that can compare with such as what our Lord has suffered? Yet, He revealed His heart of compassion and forgiveness with this petition to His Father.

Consider ourselves; we were condemned sinners under the just judgment and wrath of God. Yet God made His Son, Jesus Christ, “who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21). By this, “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). 

Christ died in our place that we might live through Him having believed in His name. He declared “ ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die . . .’ ” (John 11:25-26) for “He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2).

The Lord has commanded us, as followers of Jesus Christ, to “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32). Just as Christ has forgiven us, so should we forgive those who do wrong to us. 

This brings to mind the parable in Matthew chapter 18. A slave owed the king a great debt and upon pleading with him for mercy, the king “forgave him the debt.” Right after this act of great forgiveness and mercy that was shown to the slave, he proceeded to act corruptly and selfishly to a fellow slave who owed him but a small sum. 

From him, the first slave demanded immediate payment which the second slave was unable to give. The first threw the second into prison . . . did he not remember that just a short time ago he was in the same situation? Did he not remember what great debt had been forgiven him?

How often does this same response pour forth from our own hearts? When we choose to not forgive but to take into account a wrong suffered, the consequences of this unforgiving heart will be grievous. Not only is this heart in disobedience to our God, but it bears the fruit of anger and bitterness which will infiltrate their poison throughout all other areas of our lives.

God has called us to respond to any perceived or genuine wrong committed against us, not as our fleshly nature would, but with a godly love. If we truly kept in mind how great of a debt we were forgiven, forgiveness of others would spring willingly from our hearts and would flow from a deep gratitude to God for the forgiveness that He has given to us.

As women striving to adorn ourselves with true beauty which comes from “the hidden person of the heart” (1 Peter 3:3), how great should be our desire to adorn ourselves with this aspect of love: a forgiving spirit. Having a heart of true love filled with compassion, mercy, grace and forgiveness. In these is true beauty manifested and this will bring glory to our Lord.

“. . . as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.” Colossians 3:12-13

-Posted by Sarah

How Great is Our Lord!

"I will sing of the lovingkindness of the LORD forever; to all generations I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth . . . 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." Psalm 89:1, 14-15

-Posted by Sarah

Love - Part 8: Is Not Provoked

“Love . . . is not provoked” 1 Corinthians 13:5

Provoked – Excited; roused; incited; made angry; incensed (definition taken from Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language).

Angry words. Angry thoughts. Angry actions. Yelling at our younger siblings, parents, or friends. Giving someone the ‘silent treatment’. Angry countenances. Strife and violence. Paying someone back. Rolling our eyes at our parents. Criticizing. Hostility.

These, and other like internal or external responses, are reactions that I am sure that we have all expressed or felt in part or in whole at some time or another. So many things can stir up that tiny flame of anger in our heart. Someone takes something that belongs to you. Perhaps someone is spreading false rumors about you. Your plans that you had made were changed against your will. These, and other similar circumstances, all can provoke us to anger . . . to sin according to the flesh instead of exhibiting the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:19-23)*.

Proverbs is a book that is replete with instruction in regards to anger. Anger is shown to be the cause of many things including strife and further transgressions: “An angry man stirs up strife, and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression” Proverbs 29:22 (also Proverbs 30:33). But the child of God is called to respond not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit and righteousness. By doing so, instead of anger being the fruit borne, peace and love abounds which is pleasing to the Father:

-“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1

-“A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but the slow to anger calms a dispute.” Proverbs 15:18

-“He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.” Proverbs 14:29

Before going further, it is important to realize the root cause of anger. We can keep pulling off the ‘leaves’ of the problem, but if the root is not removed, no gains will have been made in this area. When we examine the causing agents of anger, we see that it stems from the thought that we have been wronged; something is done against us or against what we feel is right or best; our plans, our desires, are set aside and considered secondary by others. Do you see what the focus is here? It is ourselves. It is setting our minds on our own things and not the things of others. This is a direct conflict with what is instructed in Philippians 2 and elsewhere in Scripture. If we forget ourselves, forsaking our own desires and needs to serve our Lord and Savior and to then in turn serve and bless others, where would anger have a place? This is called denying self. Christ has commanded that " 'If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me’ ” (Mark 8:24). Denying ourselves so that we can serve the Lord is the only means to overcome anger and its cousins.

In Colossians 3:8, we are commanded to “put . . . aside: anger, wrath, malice . . .” and again in Ephesians 4:31-32 “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” This is action on our part (and goes hand in hand with denial of self) that must take place before victory can be made in overcoming the anger which destroys. As we yield and relinquish our will to the Lord’s will, He will give us the strength to respond in a righteous manner.

Each time that a situation arises that can provoke to anger, we are faced with a choice. And which will we choose? To protect and defend our own perceived ‘rights’, or to follow in obedience our Lord and Savior by displaying a true and godly love that brings glory to the Father?

“This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves . . . .” James 1:19-23

* As mentioned above, anger is of the flesh and therefore is a sin and not a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:19-23). However, there is a righteous anger (Ephesians 4:26) which is not covered in this writing.

-Posted by Sarah

A Fork in the Road

"Make me a crisis man, O Lord; not just a sign-post on the highway of life, but a fork in the road so that men who meet me will come to know Jesus Christ." -- Jim Elliot

This quote is one that has always been convicting to our family. May the life that we live demand an explanation. May we be that light shining in the darkness . . . Christ living through us.

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

-Posted by Sarah and Leah

Verses from 1 John

As I read in 1 John this morning, a great many verses stood out to me, encouraged me and convicted my heart. Even though 1 John is one of the smallest books in the Bible, it has in it a great deal of encouragement to the believer in Christ, much teaching regarding how we are to live in this present age and also about the blessed hope we have - salvation in Jesus Christ with the promise of eternal life.

Below is a small sampling of the verses, and they are shared with the thought that they may also be a blessing to you all. (Note: I am currently reading in an interlinear New Testament and decided to use the literal translation when sharing the verses here. The words in brackets are those that are not in the Greek, but have been added in by the translator to make it understandable for those accustomed to the English language. Greek is read and formatted much differently than English!).

". . . but whoever keeps the word of Him, truly in this man the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him. The [one] saying in Him to remain ought as that [one] (Christ) walked also [him]self so to walk." 1 John 2:5-6

"Love ye not the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him; because all which[is] in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vainglory of life, is not of the Father, but of the world is." 1 John 2:15-16

"By this we have known love, because that one (meaning Christ) on behalf of us the life of Him laid down; and we ought on behalf of the brothers the(our) lives to lay down." 1 John 3:16

"Everyone believing that Jesus is the Christ has been begotten of God, and everyone loving the [one] begetting loves the [one] having been begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, whenever we love God and we do the commandments of Him. For this is the love of God, in order that we keep the commandments of Him; and the commandments of Him heavy are not, because everything having been begotten of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory overcoming the world, the faith of us. And who is the [one] overcoming the world except the [one] believing that Jesus is the Son of God?" 1 John 5:1-5

"These things I wrote to you in order that ye may know that ye have eternal life, to the [ones] believing in the name of the Son of God." 1 John 5:13

-Posted by Sarah

Love - Part 7: Does Not Seek Its Own

“Love . . . does not seek its own” 1 Corinthians 13:5

This seems to be the recurring theme throughout chapter thirteen of 1 Corinthians. Unselfishness. As not pleasing ourselves, but desiring to serve and bless others has already been addressed to a great extent in this study, we will look at a slightly different aspect of this verse.

In Scripture, the word ‘seek’ and its various tenses are used numerously. There are many things that people (as a whole) and also specifically believers in Christ are instructed to seek. But what does it mean to seek?

Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language defines seek as “to make search or inquiry; to endeavor to make discovery; to make pursuit; to attempt to find or take; to endeavor to find.” Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary defines it as “to seek or strive after, endeavor, to desire; ‘seeking’ the kingdom of God and His righteousness, in the sense of coveting earnestly, striving after.” The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon also agrees with and supports these definitions.

We can see by the above defining that this seeking is an active effort on our part; it is an action. God has placed in mankind a spirit which separates us from the beasts, thus giving men alone the ability to seek Him, to know Him, to respond to Him. (This is a whole topic in and of itself!) He has given man a conscience (Romans 2:14-16). And He has revealed Himself to man (Romans 1:20). He has extended the call to man to “seek the LORD while He may be found” (Isaiah 55:6). This seeking does not simply ‘happen.’ It is not passive, and, it is not stationary. It is searching, striving after . . . is this the attitude of our hearts?

But what are we to seek? When looking through the verses on ‘seek’ in the concordance, the overwhelming number of usages are used in reference to seeking the Lord. There are two different aspects of seeking the Lord; 1) prior to salvation, and 2) after salvation (seeking to know Him more, etc.) Let us take a look at a sampling of verses from both of these categories:

1) Seeking the Lord which leads to salvation:

“And 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

“You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

Christ, during His ministry on earth, spoke also of seeking His kingdom and righteousness (being right before God/justified):

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you . . . . For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 6:33, 7:7 (see also Luke 12:31)

This seeking is an active effort on man’s part. God draws the man: “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” (John 12:32). Christ has drawn all men to Him, He has revealed Himself to all of mankind (Romans 1:18-23), but it is man’s responsibility to respond to that drawing; to “seek the LORD while He may be found” (Isaiah 55:6). The Hebrew word for ‘seek’ as used here is ‘darash’ which is usually used to mean ‘follow’ (for pursuit or search) (taken from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible). This brings to mind Christ’s calling to the rich young ruler to “go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” (Matthew 19:21). Christ called . . . the young man, however, made the choice to turn away. The cost was too great “for he was one who owned much property.” (Matthew 19:22). He had his heart set on earthly things instead of heavenly things. He was seeking the treasure of this earth, instead of the heavenly treasure. “. . . for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). We can easily see where this man’s ‘treasure’ was, and his heart was anchored there with it. Where is our treasure?

Christ has extended the same call to all of men “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:24-26a).

2) After becoming believers in Christ, we are to continue this seeking of, striving after, the Lord for the purpose of drawing closer to Him, growing in the knowledge of Him, and growing in obedience to His Word. “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1-3).

This seeking after God is not only spoken of in the New Testament, but the great majority of the verses related to this are found in the Old Testament:

“When You said, ‘Seek My face,’ my heart said to You, ‘Your face, O LORD, I shall seek.’ ” Psalm 27:8

“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

“Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face continually.” Psalm 105:4

“How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, who seek Him with all their heart.” Psalm 119:2

“At night my soul longs for You, indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently” Isaiah 26:9a

“The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him.” Lamentations 3:25

What a beautiful picture the above verses paint! To have such a longing after the Lord instead of the things of this world. To have ones’ eyes firmly fixed upon Him. To “thirst” after Him. Longing for Him. How convicting this is!

Is our heart cry the same? Or are we seeking our own desires; our own wants? Are we seeking to know the Lord more? Or have we set Him aside in an effort to seek after the things of the world? Are we seeking to serve, love and bless others? Or are we seeking our own interests? (Philippians 2:2-11).

After firstly seeking the Lord, there are other things that God has commanded us to seek after. Some of them are:

Wisdom - Proverbs 8:17

Peace – Psalm 34:14; 1 Peter 3:11

Knowledge: Proverbs 15:14; 18:15

Good and not evil: Amos 5:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:15

Righteousness, meekness: Zephaniah 2:3

To abound for the edification of the saints: 1 Corinthians 14:12

The good of his neighbor: 1 Corinthians 10:24

Self does not play a part in the above list, does it? In Scripture, all of the things that we are commanded to seek relate to either being made righteous (justified) before God, living righteously before Him (sanctification), and/or serving others. There is no room for seeking the desires and satisfaction of oneself.

May our heart’s desire be to firstly seek the Lord with all of our heart, diligently, and then seek to be obedient to His precepts and commands.

-Posted by Sarah

"Love . . . in Deed and Truth"

"Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We will know by this that we are of the truth . . . This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us."

1 John 3:18-19a, 23-24

(These verses, particular verse 18, have been on my heart this morning, and given the recent series on love, it seemed fitting to post them here. :)

-Posted by Sarah

Love - Part 6: Does Not Act Unbecomingly

“Love . . . does not act unbecomingly;”
1 Corinthians 13:5

When thinking about 1 Corinthians 13, this aspect does not seem to stand out as much as say, patience. But when closely looking at it, it is a vital aspect of love. The opposite of this “acting unbecomingly” is also specifically commanded to be portrayed in the lives of women who are followers of Christ (as will be seen later in this writing).Unbecomingly refers to a person’s behavior and how it is expressed in their lives. But what does ‘unbecomingly’ and like words mean?

Unbecomingly: in an unsuitable manner; indecorously*

Unseemly: indecently*

Indecorum: impropriety of behavior; that in behavior or manners which violates the established rules of civility, or the duties of respect with which age or station requires; an unbecoming action. It is something synonymous with indecency; but indecency, more frequently than indecorum, is applied to words or actions which refer to what nature and propriety require to be concealed or suppressed.*

This aspect of love, not acting unbecomingly, is to be the opposite of the above and to instead, “like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy for I am holy.’” (1 Peter 1:15-16). As God is holy, so should we be. As He is all-loving, so should we be. He is our example. He is the one whom we should strive to imitate in all our behavior—every moment of every day.

In 1 Peter 3:1-2, a like admonition is given specifically to wives (though the character principles can also be applied to all women) “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.” Chaste and respectful behavior. A heart condition expressed outwardly through behavior. Paul in writing to Titus exhorts that women are “to be reverent in their behavior” (Titus 2:3).

We can thus conclude that:

1) Women are to be noted by their respect.

Respect is: “Regard; attention. That deportment [how one carries themselves] or course of action which proceeds from esteem; regard; due attention; as, to treat a person with respect".*

Respect is a vital aspect of godly character especially towards one’s parents and elders. Unfortunately this quality is woefully lacking in today’s society. This is illustrated in the lack of things as simple as responding to others with a “Yes, sir” or “No, ma’am”; to parents with “Yes, Mom” and “Yes, Dad”; to speak to one’s elders with Mr. and Mrs.; to not interrupt when others are speaking . . . but all of this has changed. We as a society have lost the essence of respect and concern for others. Self is what is lauded. Self is what is to be appeased and satisfied. We are told that we must have ‘self-respect’ and ‘self-worth’ and often this is at the expense of others. How different, though, this is from the true and godly love that is spoken about here in 1 Corinthians chapter 13!2) Closely related to respect, and yet with a much deeper meaning and connotation, is the beautiful quality of reverence.Reverence is defined as “Fear mingled with respect and esteem”, with reverent being “ Expressing reverence, veneration or submission. Submissive; humble; impressed with reverence”.* This quality of reverence is a topic in and of itself as it covers the vitally important, but often sadly lacking, heart attitude and fruit of submission. (Prayerfully an article on submission will be written sometime in the future.) (Closely tied with this topic of reverence is the quality of a gentle and quiet spirit which has been written about previously. I encourage you to also read this article [part 1 and part 2] in conjunction with what is written here as it adds more completeness to the discussion).As followers of Christ, specifically as women, we must exhibit these aspects of “not act[ing] unbecomingly”. We must give respect and reverence to our fathers, and for those who are married, to their husbands. In addition to this, respect and reverence need to also be exhibited at all times in our lives, to all people. We should be characterized by behavior that is reverent and respectful.

3) Women are also to be chaste in all their behavior

Chaste: “free from obscenity. In language, pure; genuine; uncorrupt"* [also can refer to physical purity]. This is another beautiful, inward adornment of godly womanhood. Purity in heart which bears fruit to purity in action and word. Purity that is free from vulgarity and “filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting” (Ephesians 5:4); free from falsehood and deceit as it is genuine and true.

All of these, reverence, submission, respect, chastity, are expressed through our words, our actions, and our behavior. But it begins as a heart condition. If our hearts have learned wild, independent, disrespectful, dishonoring character/behavior, that is what will be expressed no matter how hard we try otherwise. One example in Scripture is in regards to the words we speak: "For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. " (Matthew 12:34b) If, however, our hearts have been trained in love that does not act unbecomingly, this is what will be seen by others.

May we all strive to “put on love" (Colossians 3:14), this “not act[ing] unbecomingly”, making it part of our character so that it becomes so ingrained into us that it becomes who we are. Women who have adorned themselves not with outward adornment (1 Peter 3:3), but with inward adornment that is expressed outwardly (1 Peter 3:4). Reverent, respectful, chaste and pure, pleasing in the sight of our Lord.

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


-Posted by Sarah

Words for Edification

“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29

This morning as I was reading in Ephesians, the above verse once again convicted my heart. This is an area that I have difficulty with at times - especially during times of tiredness, or when I am struggling with my emotions. Our words have such power - power that can bring devastation, or restoration. James tells us that “the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity” and that it is “a restless evil and full of deadly poison.” (James 3:6, 8) This type of tongue is our nature. Spewing out words that destroy and bring pain. Angry words. Bitter words. Arrogant words. Words that belittle. Often those dearest to us are the recipients of these words, namely, our families. When we speak words such as these, they cut to the heart of those whom we love, and can cause irreparable damage.

But God has called us to set aside our own fleshly desires, and to speak “only such a word as is good for edification”. Edification is the building up of others; encouraging and strengthening them by a cheerful and instructive word. “So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.” (Romans 14:19) We set our heart, our goal and aim, upon this. Striving to encourage and strengthen our dear ones in the Lord by speaking sweet, encouraging and instructive words to them. May our hearts desire not be to seek our own satisfaction, but to instead speak according to “the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”

“Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.” Psalm 141:3

-Posted by Sarah

Day by Day

This hymn is one of my favorites and such an encouragement to me, and I hope that it will also be an encouragement to you. :)

Day by day and with each passing moment,

Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for fear.
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best -
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Ev'ry day the Lord Himself is near me
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,
He whose name is Counselor and Pow'r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
"As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,"
This the pledge to me He made.

Help me then in ev'ry tribulation
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith's sweet consolation
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E'er to take, as from a father's hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till I reach the promised land.

*Words by: Carolina S. Berg, 1832-1903; trans. by Andrew L. Skoog, 1856-1934

-Posted by Sarah

Love - Part 5: Not Arrogant

“Love . . . is not arrogant” (1 Corinthians 13:4).

And the opposite of arrogance is humility. Arrogance is: “a feeling of superiority or an offensive exhibition of it; that species of pride which consists in exorbitant claims of rank, dignity, estimation or power, or which exalts the worth or importance of the person to an undue degree”*. While the definition of humility is: 1) “freedom from pride and arrogance; humbleness of mind”*. And in regards to our relationship with the Lord it: “consists in lowliness of mind; is a deep sense of one’s own unworthiness in the sight of God . . . penitence for sin, and submission to the divine will”*.

The greatest and purest example of humility is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, “who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8). This is true humility at its fullest. God Himself, the creator of the universe, became a man. Why? To give salvation freely to whoever would believe upon Him. He, being perfect, took all sin upon Himself and died in our place. In the preceding verses, believers are exhorted to “Have this attitude in [ourselves] which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). How do we do this? “by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:2-4).

In our lives, either humility or pride will be the essence of our character. It is up to us to decide which it will be and the rest of our character will be the result of which one of these is reigning in our lives. Because of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, pride is inherent in every person. It is our sin nature; pride in and of ourselves and the desire to please and satisfy our own wants and pleasures, this is worldliness. “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 from the world.” (1 John 2:16). “For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant . . . .” (2 Timothy 3:2). This pride is what caused Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. The serpent said to her, “You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4-5). First casting doubt upon the one and true God, the serpent also spoke to Eve’s pride; offering a tantalizing appeal to satisfy and glorify herself. And Eve was deceived (1 Timothy 2:14) and succumbed to the temptation. For “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate.” (Genesis 3:6). We too are daughters of Eve. Born with this same sin nature; this same pride and desire to please and satisfy ourselves.

If this is our nature, we must then exercise to overcome it. In Zephaniah 2:3, it is exhorted to “seek righteousness, seek humility”, and he who “seeks, finds” (Luke 11:10). This seeking is actively searching and studying; it is not passive. Colossians 3:12 states that we are to “put on a heart of . . . humility”. Put on. Active work and labor. We cannot put on our socks without effort on our part. We can sit there and hope and wish that our socks will get on our feet, but without performing action, I can assure you that it will not happen. Likewise, we cannot be humble, unless we put forth the effort to be humble. We cannot expel pride, unless we work on conquering it in day to day instances.

The prophet Daniel is an example of this. In a vision, an angel spoke to Daniel saying, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God . . . .” (Daniel 10:12). Like Daniel, we too are to “humble [our]selves under the mighty hand of God, that He might exalt [us] at the proper time,” (1 Peter 5:6). In the previous verse, verse 5, Peter commands “all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” God Himself has declared: “but to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.” (Isaiah 66:2b). Again in James it is stated: “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, ‘God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” (James 4:6). How, though, do we cultivate this humility? How do we practice it instead of pride? James gives the answer to these questions: “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:7-8a). By submitting our will to God’s will and by drawing near to Him, thence comes humility. Drawing near to God is aligning our hearts closer with His. This is brought about by the reading and study of His word, meditation upon it, application of it to our lives, prayer to our Father and communion with Him.

As shared in a previous post in this series:

A truly humble heart . . . knows that the One working through her is the Lord. And that in and of herself, her “righteous deeds are like a filthy garment” (Isaiah 64:6). The apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans echoes this thought in quoting Psalm 14:1-3: “ ‘. . . There is none who does good . . .’ ” (Romans 3:12). What does Christ say? “ ‘No one is good except God alone.’ ” (Mark 10:18). So as believers, any good that works through us, is because of our Savior, Jesus Christ, working in us through the Holy Spirit.

When we recognize this, there is no room for pride and arrogance in our lives. Instead our hearts bow before the Lord in submission, honor and reverence. All that we are is because of Him. He is the one who has redeemed us, has filled us with the Holy Spirit, and who guides us in His truth. Teaching us, disciplining us and loving us.

“but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 15:57

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. 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 for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 3:20-21 and 4:1-2

*Definitions taken from Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language and The Random House College Dictionary


-Posted by Sarah

Teach Me . . .

"Make me know Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day."
Psalm 25:4-5

-Posted by Leah

Love - Part 4: Does not Brag

“I played that song so well . . . Look at this beautiful dress I sewed . . . You should read the story I just wrote - it’s wonderful! . . .” Perhaps it is more subtle . . . “Didn’t you like the song I played? . . . Isn’t the dress I sewed pretty? . . . Wasn’t the story I wrote good? . . .” How often do words such as these pass our lips? I know that I have been guilty of such on more than one occasion. Yet all of the above are the opposite of love. They are words of bragging. Of bringing praise and attention to oneself. The former set of questions are more obvious, and the latter more subtle as by those questions, one is ‘fishing’ for compliments (praise and adoration for oneself). Even more destructive, though, is the putting down of others to raise oneself up: “I can play that song better than you . . . My dress is so much prettier than hers . . .”

But what causes one to brag? What is the root problem? It is pride in ourselves and in our own accomplishments. A truly humble heart would not even think to brag on her own accomplishments for she knows that the One working through her is the Lord. And that in and of herself, her “righteous deeds are like a filthy garment” (Isaiah 64:6). The apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans echoes this thought in quoting Psalm 14:1-3: “ ‘. . . There is none who does good . . .’ ” (Romans 3:12). What does Christ say? “ ‘No one is good except God alone.’ ” (Mark 10:18). So as believers, any good that works through us, is because of our Savior, Jesus Christ, working in us through the Holy Spirit. With that in view, who should we direct our praise to? Should we try to bring glory to ourselves or to our Savior?

“ . . . He who boasts is to boast in the LORD. For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.” (2 Corinthians 10:17)

Yes, may our boast be in the Lord and not in ourselves.

True love, the love of God, "does not brag" (1 Corinthians 13:4). The woman in Proverbs 31 is a shining example of this true and pure heart. She went about her normal activities working, serving, loving. Loving the Lord, loving her family and loving all those she came into contact with. Did she go about and seek praise? Did she laud her own accomplishments? No, she did not. What is said at the end of the chapter? “Give her the product of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.” (Proverbs 31:31). Let her works praise her. Our works, our labors, will speak about where our heart lies. Let others praise us for our works and not ourselves. And let us in our hearts (which can also be expressed verbally), direct the praise back to the Lord.

“But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Galatians 6:14

-Posted by Sarah

Blogging with a Purpose

Emily, over at A Heart of Praise, has so sweetly blessed us with the "Blogging with a Purpose" award. Thank you for thinking of us, Emily!

In turn, we would like to pass on this award to a few others. Both of these blogs have been a blessing and encouragement to us.


Maria Pauline ~ Beautiful Grace
Margaret Neufeld

And even though they have already received this award before, we wanted to share the following blogs with you as well as they also have been a great blessing to us.

Emily ~ A Heart of Praise
Under Southern Skies
Bethany ~ Blogging Beth


The rules for the award are as follows:
1. Awarded parties must nominate five people who have not received the award.
2. The blogs that receive the award must serve some purpose.

Love - Part 3: Not Jealous

"Love . . . is not jealous . . ."

Jealous is: "Suspicious that we do not enjoy the affection or respect of others, or that another is more loved and respected than ourselves.”* “Resentful and envious, as of someone’s attainments or of a person because of his attainments, advantages, etc.” **

Nothing can quite destroy like jealousy. Proverbs 27:4 states that “Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood, but who can stand before jealousy?” Who can stand before it? It is a bitter poison that infiltrates the soul and grows into bitterness and bears fruit to even more wickedness. In the life of Joseph, this is clearly shown. Joseph had special dreams. He was given special affection from his father. His brothers, seeing and hearing, began to have twinges of jealousy. “The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph . . .” (Acts 7:9). As these different instances occurred, that jealousy continued to grow and fester. Eventually this jealousy would cause them to plan to murder their own younger brother. And indeed, they would have become murderers if it had not been for the intervention of their brother, Rueben (Genesis 37:18-24). Instead they “sold him into Egypt” (Acts 7:9).

Jealousy begins small, but reaps grievous consequences. We must learn to not let even the tiniest seed of jealousy be planted in our hearts. And if it does happen to be planted, we must recognize this and then quickly uproot it. So often, though, it is easier to nurture and care for this jealousy, but by doing this, we are walking according to the flesh and not the Spirit. For “if we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another” (Galatians 5:25-26). Yes, let us not.

Let us instead “through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13b), may “each of us . . . please his neighbor for his good, to his edification” (Romans 15:2), and follow the second greatest commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). If we are cultivating these in our hearts, jealousy will not have the opportunity to grow and bear its fruit. The ‘soil’ of our hearts will not be suitable for it. Jealousy is conquered when we walk by the Spirit, thus bearing the good fruit of love.

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;” Philippians 2:3

*Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language
*The 1975 Random House College Dictionary


-Posted by Sarah

Colossians 3:1-4

"Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory."
Colossians 3:1-4

A Fragrance. . .

“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

“We are a fragrance of Christ.” That is a beautiful and compelling thought. What is it that comes to mind when you think of the word fragrance? For me, I think of the scent of a rose, the smell of the air after a rain, the aroma that comes from a newly lit candle. Even with our eyes closed, we can identify these things simply by their scent – there is no mistaking the mouthwatering smell of a freshly baked apple pie for the delicate fragrance of a hyacinth.

Just as we can identify these things, simply by their fragrance, so should we ourselves, as followers of God, be readily identifiable to those around us, by the life that we live, the love that we share, our attitude, our speech, our countenance, as we are the fragrance of Christ.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.” Matthew 5:14-15

The verse above tells us that a lamp will give light to “all who are in the house”. Everyone who was in the presence of the light, was also aware of the source of where that light was coming from. What is it that people see in us? Do they recognize us as being different, as ones who are radiating the light of the Lord?

Jesus Christ is the Light of the world (John 8:12), and one of our purposes as believers is that others may see the Lord in us, that they may see His light reflected through us. How do we do this? By living for Him, by striving always to be obedient, by learning what is “pleasing to the Lord.”

“For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:8-10

Now back to the original thought – being a fragrance of Christ. It is a beautiful picture of our relationship with the Lord. It is also a vital responsibility that is placed on each of us once we make the choice to believe and put our faith in Jesus Christ. God has given us the privilege, the honor of being His fragrance. May we all be striving to make the most of every opportunity, that those who see us may know that the love of Christ is in us, “for we are a fragrance of Christ.”


-Posted by Leah

Love - Part 2: Kindness

“Love is patient, love is . . . kind”. Kindness is the second aspect used to describe love in 1 Corinthians 13, and like patience, is also a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). And again, our God is the perfect example of kindness.

“Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance.” (Romans 2:4). God’s kindness, which He has shown toward mankind, leads us to “the repentance that leads to life.” (Acts 11:18). Because of God’s great kindness, He sent His only begotten Son to die in our place, taking our sins upon Himself; “when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy” (Titus 3:4-5a). He has “made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:7). Thanks be to God for the great kindness that He has bestowed upon us! May we follow our Lord’s example, “for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.” (Luke 6:35). May we practice the kindness that He desires us to have in our lives. For “the Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all . . . .” (2 Timothy 2:24).

God has also specifically instructed women that this aspect of love, kindness, is to be a part of their character:

“Older women likewise . . . encourage the young women . . . to be . . . kind” Titus 2:3-5

Godly women in Scripture can encourage us in this area of kindness by the testimony of their own lives. The woman in Proverbs 31 had “the teaching of kindness on her tongue.” (Proverbs 31:26). Tabitha (or Dorcas), was a woman who “was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did.” (Acts 9:36). (To read more on the life of Tabitha, please read “A Godly Example”).

We know that we are to be kind. We see that women are also specifically instructed in this area. We see examples in Scripture of kindness lived out in the lives of godly women. But what is kindness in actuality?

“Some words, such as kindness, are so commonly used, that many times we don't even entirely grasp the fullness of what they mean. Kindness is defined as: “that temper or disposition which delights in contributing to the happiness of others, which is exercised cheerfully in gratifying their wishes, supplying their wants or alleviating their distresses.”* From the definition, we can see that kindness would be having a servant's heart and a selfless attitude; looking to the needs of others, caring so much about someone else's needs that we go out of our way to bless them. It may even be something so simple as a smile, a loving note, or a helping hand.” (Quote taken from A Godly Example; emphasis added).

Kindness is not seeking to satisfy our own wants and desires, but instead having a heart of service to others. A heart earnestly desiring to bear the burdens of those around us. Desiring to bring comfort and rest to weary hearts. Looking for and seeing needs and meeting them, not only physical needs, but also spiritual and emotional needs.

Having this heart of kindness does not just happen instantly. Paul instructs “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 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). We must “put on” this heart of kindness. Actively seeking, actively working, actively practicing kindness.

“. . . applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5-8). What a beautiful truth! If we are practicing these attributes, which kindness is one, we are fruitful and useful for our Master’s use.

Solomon, in his God-given wisdom, says it so well: “Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.” (Proverbs 3:3).

*Definition taken from Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary to the English Language.


-Posted by Sarah