Living for Jesus

Of all the many wonderful hymns, there are some that have, over time, grown to be at the top of my list of 'favorites'. The hymn Living for Jesus is one of these, and as of late, the words of it have been on my heart quite a bit. 

I thought that I would also share the words with you in hopes that they will convict, encourage and bless your heart as they did mine . . .

Living for Jesus

Living for Jesus a life that is true,

Striving to please Him in all that I do;

Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free,

This is the pathway of blessing for me.

O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee;

For Thou, in Thy atonement, Didst give Thyself for me;

I own no other Master, My heart shall be Thy throne;

My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.

Living for Jesus who died in my place,

Bearing on Calv'ry my sin and disgrace;

Such love constrains me to answer His call,

Follow His leading and give Him my all.

O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee;

For Thou, in Thy atonement, Didst give Thyself for me;

I own no other Master, My heart shall be Thy throne;

My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.

Living for Jesus wherever I am,

Doing each duty in His holy name;

Willing to suffer affliction and loss,

Taking each trial as part of my cross.

O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee;

For Thou, in Thy atonement, Didst give Thyself for me;

I own no other Master, My heart shall be Thy throne;

My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.

Living for Jesus thru earth's little while,

My dearest treasure, the light of His smile;

Seeking the lost ones He died to redeem,

Bringing the weary to find rest in Him.

O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee;

For Thou, in Thy atonement, Didst give Thyself for me;

I own no other Master, My heart shall be Thy throne;

My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.

WORDS: Thomas O. Chisholm, 1866-1960
MUSIC: C. Harold Lowden, 1883-1963

May this truly be our heart cry, our goal, our aim . . . May we learn to deny ourselves and live for our Lord and Savior. May we follow Christ as He has called us to follow Him, and that in obedience to His Word . . . and all for the joy of serving and pleasing our Master and Lord.



-Posted by Sarah

Complacency . . .

This is something we have all probably been guilty of on more than one occasion, and sadly, it has the tendency to creep into our relationship with the Lord also. We reach a certain point and then we stop (or at least become less committed to) striving to grow in our walk with the Lord.

We lose the desire, the eagerness, the heart to “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14.) We allow the things of this world (whether it be physical, emotional or even ‘religious’ things) to cloud our vision. We become “stagnant”, allowing bacteria and other such things to take root and grow.

This spirit of complacency is a grievous state to find oneself in, for it leads to many negative things in our spiritual life . . . the lack of maturation through His word, closeness with the Lord, effectiveness for His kingdom, and the list goes on. 

At times such as these, I have oft found encouragement and conviction when reading in Scripture the heart cries of those who have come before us . . .

“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants after You, O God. My soul thirsts for the living God;” Psalm 42:1-2a

“O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; my soul thirsts for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1

What eagerness, desire and zeal lie in these declarations! As the deer thirsts for the water that sustains its life, so also should we thirst for our God . . . the living God. As the parched and cracked ground thirsts desperately for the life-giving rain to fall upon it and bring growth, so also should our hearts thirst and long after the Lord and His Word so that we can know Him more and grow, bearing fruit for His glory.

David also declared in the verse from Psalm 63, “I shall seek You earnestly.” The Lord, and He alone, should we whole-heartedly seek! For only in Him is life and the “living water" (John 4:10, 14.) Only in Him is truth.

It is also only through Him that we can “walk as children of Light” (Ephesians 5:8.) It is only through the “strength which God supplies” (1 Peter 4:11) that we can walk in obedience to Him. It is only through Him. Everything of lasting and eternal value and importance is only through Him. As those who have been “bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20), He should truly be our all in all.

When this earthly life comes to a close, it will not matter how big and well-decorated our homes are, or what kind of car we drive, or how many titles precede or follow our names, or how many awards and achievements we received, or how well we were known or received by men – all this will have no value or importance. 

All that matters, in the end, is our heart and relationship with and towards the Lord and how we glorified, served and obeyed Him in this life.

This should be the focus, aim and cry of our hearts! To know the Lord. And not just know about Him, but to know Him in relationship . . . as our Abba Father, our Savior, our Redeemer, our Lord, our Potter, our Master. 

Then through this intimate knowing of the Lord, springs the only response that can come from a heart set upon Him . . . obedience. “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3.)

May we truly strive after and long for this heavenly mindedness instead of earthly mindedness! May we have but one goal, one focus of our hearts . . . to glorify our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

May we be able to declare like Paul “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8.)

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

-Posted by Sarah

Gleanings from Proverbs

The book of Proverbs is full of wisdom and instruction in so many different areas of our lives. From what words we should speak, to being industrious vs. laziness, to the description of an “excellent wife”, to warnings against drunkenness and perverseness, to exhortations to walk in humility and not pride, to showing the difference between the wise and the fool. 

It is a book that we would do well to read again and again and to strive to apply the vast array of principles to our own lives.

Many verses in this book have been quite meaningful to me, particularly the ones that speak directly to women. The beautiful passage in Proverbs 31 is perhaps one of the most well-known of these, and it is so refreshing, encouraging and convicting! 

Then there are verses such as the one in chapter 11: “A gracious woman attains honor, but ruthless men attain riches” (Proverbs 11:16) and in chapter 14: “The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands” (Proverbs 14:1.) 

Also found in the book of Proverbs are several verses that speak specifically of women that are very similar to each other in context . . .

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

“It is better to live in a corner of a roof than in a house shared with a contentious woman.” Proverbs 21:9

“. . . the contentious of a wife are a constant dripping.”

Proverbs 19:13b

“It is better to live in a corner of the roof than in a house shared with a contentious woman.” Proverbs 25:24

“A constant dripping on a day of steady rain and a contentious woman are alike;” Proverbs 27:15

Contentiousness is the common theme throughout, and one thing that these verses all show so clearly is the seriousness of this negative attribute. It is compared with a constant dripping; it is said that it is better to live in a desert land or on a corner of a roof than with a woman who is contentious.

But what is contentiousness? Is it just arguing? Or is it something deeper and broader? And in one of the verses the word “vexing” is also used. What does it mean to be vexing?

The definitions of these words (and others similar) present a fairly clear picture of what these words encompass:

Contentious: Apt to contend; given to angry debate; quarrelsome; perverse; exciting or adapted to provoke contention or disputes;*

Contend: To dispute; to contest*

The definition of vexing is equally sobering:

Vexing: Provoking; irritating; afflicting.*

Vex: to irritate; to make angry by little provocations; to plague; to torment; to harass; to afflict; to disturb; to disquiet; to agitate; to trouble; to distress*

When we look at these definitions, I am sure that we can all see ourselves in at least some of them! And we also see that being contentious and vexing not only includes arguing, but also exciting strife – saying or doing things that would cause others to become angry or upset. 

The word ‘contend’ also extends the defining by describing it as to dispute or to contest. Meaning, that when someone says or does something, we contradict it; we challenge what they have shared or have done.

The defining of the word ‘vexing’ is what convicted my heart the greatest when studying these verses for it is a more subtle thing than being contentious, and can often sneak in unawares. Vexing is saying or doing those little things that we know irritate or bother others. It is to stir up controversy or to draw others into arguments or conflict by our own words and actions – by “little provocations.”

The contrast of vexing is to “aid, assist, help, please and soothe.”** When reading these words, I am reminded of a cool breeze on a hot day; a gentle rain on a parched earth. Gentle, calming, soothing . . . radiating the love of the Lord and love of others to those we are around. 

Other ‘opposites’ of being contentious are to be peaceful, submissive, and having a gentle and quiet spirit. This is what the condition of our heart should be which is then expressed in our words, actions and demeanor.

As ladies desiring to follow the Lord in obedience to His word, we must strive to rid our hearts of the negative attributes of being contentious and vexing. We must “pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another” (Romans 14:19.) We must “seek peace and pursue it” (1 Peter 3:11.)

When instances arise in our lives that would cause us to become contentious, argumentative or angry, pause for a moment, pray to the Lord for His peace, joy and love, and respond with graciousness. 

Speak words that do indeed make for peace and the edification of one another. And may each one of us, no matter the situation we find ourselves in, be “diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3.)

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful,” Colossians 3:15

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

**Taken from an online dictionary

-Posted by Sarah

Abiding in Christ

When reading in the book of John a few mornings ago, a passage that has always been an encouraging and convicting one for me spoke to my heart. I thought that I would share some of the verses with you also. The focus is upon abiding in Christ, in His love and in His commandments . . .

Abide - To rest in, to remain in, to continue in

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit . . . As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing . . . 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." Portions from John chapter 15

-Posted by Sarah

In Behavior as Becometh Holiness

There are many times in Scripture where specific instruction is given to believers in regards to their behavior. When looking at these verses, it is found that several of these are directed to women and are descriptive of what their behavior should be.

One verse that speaks in general to all believers is found in 1 Peter 1:14-16 in which Peter is exhorting believers “like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior.” The word “holy” in this particular verse is translated from the Greek word hagios. 

It was interesting to find that later in 1 Peter chapter 3 when women are being specifically addressed, a Greek word is used that is closely related to hagios. The passage reads:

“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.” 1 Peter 3:1-2

The word ‘chaste’ in this passage is translated from the Greek word hagnos which is derived from the same word that hagios (holy) is. Hagnos (the word 'chaste' in this passage) means to be “free from ceremonial defilement, holy, sacred” (taken from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.) 

Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary furthers this defining by describing it as: “pure from every fault, immaculate; pure from carnality, modest.” Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament defines it as “Pure; a) pure from carnality, chaste, modest; b) pure from every fault, immaculate.” 

Within this word 'hagnos' is not only purity and modesty in word, action and heart, but there is also holiness. In fact, it would seem that the purity and modesty would stem from the holiness that is spoken of earlier in 1 Peter 1:14-16.

Further on in 1 Peter chapter 3, in speaking of a gentle and quiet spirit and submission, it is shared:

“. . . just as the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves . . .” 1 Peter 3:5

Here, women of God are noted as being “holy”. The Greek word used in this verse is again hagios. This is the very same word that is used when Peter is calling all believers to be holy as God is holy.

As holiness seems to be the deeper meaning and underlying factor spoken of in 1 Peter 3:1-2, we will first take a look at this particular word. The question that comes to mind is: What does it mean to be holy? What is holiness? 

We have in Scripture a perfect example of holiness for the Lord God is the epitome of holiness . . . He is “holy” (Isaiah 5:16; Psalm 99:3, 5, 9) . . . He is the “Holy One” (Job 6:10.) And “like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior” (1 Peter 1:15.) 

As He is holy, so should we strive to be. Holiness for a believer in Christ has its foundation in a devotion and consecration to God, and it is exemplifying, living and having the character of God shining through us as we submit to the working of the Holy Spirit. Holiness is a casting off of the flesh and an adorning with the things of the Lord. 

Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language defines holy as:

Properly, whole, entire or perfect, in a moral sense. Hence, pure in heart, temper or dispositions; free from sin and sinful affections. Applied to the Supreme Being, holy signifies perfectly pure, immaculate and complete in moral character; and man is more or less holy, as his heart is more or less sanctified, or purified from evil dispositions. We call a man holy, when his heart is conformed in some degree to the image of God, and his life is regulated by divine precepts. Hence, holy is used as nearly synonymous with good, pious, godly.

In the first two passages that we looked at in 1 Peter, both say that this holiness and chasteness is to be in our behavior. Behavior is basically our inner heart expressed outwardly through our conduct, actions and words. It is the way we act, speak and carry ourselves; it is our demeanor and countenance. And as women, we are especially mandated that this holiness be expressed in our behavior.

Due to the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, our ‘natural’ behavior, the natural man within us, is contrary and opposed to the attributes of godly womanhood . . . attributes such as: sober, dignified, gentle and quiet, submissive . . . and as mentioned here: reverent and chaste. 

All of these descriptive words can paint a fairly clear picture in our mind of what our behavior as ladies of the Lord should be, yet for the most part, they do not come easily! It is through submission to the working of the Holy Spirit and practice and striving that our behavior can come into alignment with God’s Word. Not in our own strength, but only in the “strength which God supplies” (1 Peter 4:11.)

So as women of God, we see that we are mandated to be holy in our behavior. In the book of Titus, another exhortation is given to women which speaks specifically of their behavior. The NASB (New American Standard Bible) translates this passage as:

“Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior . . .” Titus 2:3a

This verse is speaking to older women, but they are instructed to teach and be an example to the younger women as we see in the following verse. While we may shrug this passage off and say that as we are young ladies it is not applicable to us, it is important to realize that each one of us will more than likely be an “older woman” someday. 

In a sense, it may even be said that we are “older women” to the younger girls that we are around. Regardless, this passage is speaking to women, and no matter our age, we should seek to bring our lives in alignment to this scriptural and God-honoring standard.

As we examine more closely this verse from Titus 2, we find that the Greek word from which 'reverent' is translated in this passage is hieroprepes. This word means: “suited to a sacred character” (from Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary; it is interesting to note that this particular Greek word is used only once in Scripture and that is here in Titus 2.) 

The King James Version translates this word in this passage as: “as becometh holiness”. We see then that this reverence is closely related to what was shared earlier in this writing . . . holiness.

The question then comes: Is our behavior that which is becoming to a woman of godliness? Is our behavior, demeanor and countenance exemplifying these attributes of reverence and holiness? Are we truly striving to become women of God who are reverent in our behavior and who are striving to be holy like the Holy One who called us? 

Day by day, moment by moment, may each one of us seek to grow in these areas . . . may we seek and strive to grow into godly ladies who bring glory to the Lord through our behavior . . . with all reverence and with all holiness.

“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but 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 1:14-16

-Posted by Sarah

Psalm 119:9 - Taking Heed . . .

Recently several verses that I had memorized many years ago from Psalm 119 kept coming to my mind, one of which was. . .

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

As the verse ran through my mind, I began to ponder the meaning of it, which then led to further investigation on the meaning of the words. [While this specific verse is speaking of young men, its application is still true for us as young ladies also.]

How shall we cleanse (zakah – to be translucent; fig. to be innocent) our way? By taking heed to the way in which we are walking according to God’s word.

The question that comes to mind then is: What does it mean to take heed to our way? What does it all entail? In this particular verse, the word “heed” is translated from the Hebrew word shamar which means to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; to protect, attend to; it can also have the meaning “to tend” *. 

This definition made a profound impression on my heart, two phrases in particular . . . to hedge about with thorns, to protect. Our lives, our hearts need to be surrounded with this hedge of protection. A hedge that keeps the evils of the world from infiltrating our hearts. A hedge that protects against selfishness, pride, worldliness and other sins.

But what is this hedge? Putting in the definition, it would read something like “putting a hedge of protection around our way according to God’s Word”. So we see that God’s word is the standard for what this hedge should be and what it should protect against.

When looking at Matthew Henry’s commentary on this verse, a portion of it seemed especially fitting to share here:

“They [those referred to in the verse] must carefully apply that rule and make use of it; they must take heed to their way, must examine it by the word of God, as a touchstone and standard, must rectify what is amiss in it by that regulator and steer by that chart and compass. God’s word will not do without our watchfulness, and a constant regard both to it and to our way, that we may compare them together.”

As children of God, we are to strive to guard our way, to examine it and purge the sin that is within, to “walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8) and “in a manner worthy of the Lord” (Colossians 1:10.) Not as one of the kings of Israel did as the Scriptures share that “Jehu was not careful [“shamar”] to walk in the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart . . .” (2 Kings 10:31.)

May each one of us, with the help of the Holy Spirit, take heed to our way according to the Lord’s word. May we, unlike Jehu, be careful to walk in obedience to God’s word with all of our hearts. Let us seek, with the Lord’s aid, to set up a protective hedge and guard around our hearts and minds. And for what purpose? To please and glorify our precious Lord and Savior.

*Definitions taken from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible and Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary

-Posted by Sarah

A Morning's Reading

This morning, when reading the book of Hosea, several verses particularly spoke to my heart:

"Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us . . ." (Hosea 6:1)

This verse shares that the Lord, while He does discipline, will also heal and bandage. The discipline can be considered to be parallel to gold being refined in the fire - in that it is for our good so that we may come forth pure with the dross being removed. It is because of the discipline that we can draw nearer to our Father.

" 'My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.' It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? . . . For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness." (Hebrews 12:5-7, 10)

Returning to Hosea:

". . . So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth." (Hosea 6:3)

This verse is especially comforting! Our Lord will come to us like the rain, the spring rain that waters the earth and brings forth refreshment and growth. This growth is much the same as that which was referred to in the verses from Hebrews: "that we may share His holiness"; that we may grow to be "like the Holy One who called [us]" (1 Peter 1:15.) This verse from Hosea shows so clearly the great love that the Lord has for us His children!

-Posted by Sarah

Submission - Part 4: The Attitude of the Heart

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 to Share . . .

This past Sunday morning during our time that we meet with brothers and sisters in the Lord, one of the men shared several verses from Ephesians and taught on them. The verses were quite convicting to me, and I thought that they might be a blessing to you also . . .

"Therefore I [Paul], 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 4:1-3)

-Posted by Sarah

Submission - Part 2: What is it?

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!

*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

Submission - Part 1: Why?

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

Crown Him with Many Crowns

The below hymn has been on my heart the past several days and was also one that we sang this past Sunday morning . . . I pray that it will be a blessing to you as it has been to me!

Crown Him with many crowns,
The Lamb upon His throne;
Hark! how the heav'nly anthem drowns
All music but its own!
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of Him Who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King
Thru all eternity.

Crown Him the Lord of love:
Behold His hands and side -
Rich wounds, yet visible above,
In beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky
Can fully bear that sight,
But downward bends his wond'ring eye
At mysteries so bright.

Crown Him the Lord of life:
Who triumphed o'er the grave,
Who rose victorious to the strife
For those He came to save.
His glories now we sing,
Who died and rose on high,
Who died, eternal life to bring,
And lives that death may die.

Crown Him the Lord of heav'n:
One with the Father known,
One with the Spirit thru Him giv'n
From His eternal throne.
To Thee be endless praise,
For Thou for us hast died;
Be Thou, O Lord, thru endless days
Adored and magnified.*


"For Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens, You who have done great things; O God, who is like You?" (Psalm 71:19)

"Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. Blessed by the name of the LORD from this time forth and forever. From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the LORD is to be praised." (Psalm 113:1-3)

*Words: Stanzas 1, 2, 4 by Matthew Bridges, 1800-1894; Stanza 3 by Godfrey Thring, 1823-1903

Music: George J. Elvey, 1816-1893

-Posted by Sarah