09/04/2010
Reflection Verses Perception
The following is a paraphrase of James 1: 22-25:
But be a doer of the word and not just a hearer only, deceiving yourself… for if you only hear God’s word, but you don’t do what you hear and read, and you continue to call yourself a Christian, you are deceiving yourself. You are just like someone who looks in the mirror, and you see what you look like, but you walk away and completely forget what you saw. But when you look into God’s perfect law of freedom, and you continue to look there, and you don’t forget what you hear and read, but you do those things that you hear and read, you are going to be blessed in all that you do.
The word of God is to be the true Christian’s mirror. That is where we should go to see the truth of what we look like. There we will get a clear picture, not a distorted one. But, sadly, too often that is not where we are looking to see our reflection. Instead we look at other sources; magazines of beautiful models reflect a distorted picture back to us. It’s like looking in those curved mirrors at the fair. We see ourselves from a distorted viewpoint. The models tell us either we are not beautiful enough or they may tell us that we are so beautiful and most certainly God’s gift to men.
Many times we look to our peers for our reflection. Sometimes others don’t like us or call us ugly names and we believe what they say as if it was our true reflection; when in reality, it is not a reflection we are getting but rather a perception.
A reflection in a mirror shows back what is apparent and is clear. A perception, however, is an observation or comprehension of someone. Reflections just show what is, but perceptions vary from person to person according to their understanding and viewpoint. It is not a reliable source to see ourselves through. If we begin to look to others to get an opinion of ourselves we are going to be much blinded and led into all kinds of disillusions.
Some will get too high of an opinion of themselves, ushering in pride and haughtiness:
“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Romans 12:3
And others will have a very low perception of themselves causing them to struggle with believing they are loveable.
Sometimes we look at our circumstances and let them be a reflection of who we are. If our circumstances are favorable, we feel special and loved. But if they are not going well we believe that God is angry or displeased with us.
“For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.” Job 6:4
Our circumstances are not a reliable source of who we are and where we stand with God. Just like in the story of Job. He couldn’t understand why God was turned against him, when all the while God was commending Job for being such a faithful servant.
Now, why do we look into a mirror at all? Usually, it is to see what we look like, to make sure we look OK. Sometimes when we look in a mirror, we spot something that is out of place- maybe some dirt on our face, or hair that is messy. And so we do what is necessary to correct that, all the while continuing before a mirror, until we are satisfied with what is reflected back.
And so it is with the Word of God; it is the only true and reliable source for a Christian to see who they are and what they are to God. It is the perfect law of liberty- of freedom; We will be set free from the false self views, some of what was mentioned above, when we continue prayerfully reading God’s word every day- and let that be our reflection.
Sometimes, we will read something and our heart will prick us, because we know that we are not reflecting back what we want to see. And so that is when we must not walk away and just forget about it, but continue to read and pray and seek God that the error we see might be corrected and made right.
That is the hard part.
Even in the natural man, sometimes we see something in the mirror that we do not like. Sometimes we feel we are too fat, or our nose is too big or something else we wish looked different. To take care of those things at times seem like an insurmountable task and even impossible.
But the miracle of Gods word is- “With God nothing is impossible!” It may take time and work, but we can keep at it until we see only reflected back- the beauty of the Holy Spirit of Christ.
But in order to ever get there, we must continue to look into that perfect law of liberty with an open and honest heart. We must resist the temptation to see ourselves through others peoples eyes and be devoted to seeing ourselves through God’s eyes alone.
And in doing that, the promise is “this mans deeds will be blessed.” The blessings of God will overflow our life! And we will begin to see, just how special and loved we really are to God, and just how willing he is to forgive us, to help us, and to care for us, and just how important our place is in his family. Nothing more, nothing less- it will be just right.
Let us challenge ourselves, that every time we begin to look elsewhere to see ourselves, we will turn to the Lord, and pray, “Lord, help me as I look into your perfect law of freedom, to see a true reflection; help me to see through your Holy Spirit and to seek only your approval.” Then, your confidence will flourish and you will be radiantly beautiful, illuminated by the Holy Spirit of God.
07/01/2010
I PLEDGE MY ALLEGIANCE
THIS WEEKEND MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE pledged their allegiance to our flag will be celebrating our country’s independence and freedom. Have you ever stopped to consider what a pledge of allegiance means?
TO PLEDGED MEANS TO PROMISE SOLEMNLY or formally. It means you are entering into a binding agreement. You are giving a very serious promise to keep something.
ALLEGIANCE IS THE ACT OF BINDING YOURSELF to a course of action; loyalty to some cause, nation or ruler.
WHEN YOU PLEDGE YOUR ALLEGIANCE you are basically making a vow of fidelity to whoever or whatever is the focus of your pledge. You are making and agreement to uphold what they stand for and what they do. You are saying, “I am one with them- in complete agreement with them, behind them and I will do all I can to defend them, even to the laying down of my own my own wants, my own needs, my own life.” That is a pretty serious promise, and one not to be taken lightly, nor made without some sober forethought.
WHAT ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN? Are we not entering into a binding agreement with Christ when we become a Christian? To be a Christian means to be Christ-like. All that you do is a reflection on your heavenly father. And just as our country has it’s laws and principals that a loyal American has pledged to live by, so God has his word, the Holy Bible, in which his principals of living are spelled out. When we study with an open heart to the Holy Spirit, the word of God, and drink in its truths, our hearts ought to be pledging there allegiance to every new principal we come to understand.
WHEN WE WAVE OUR FLAG OF ALLEGIANCE TO CHRIST, by saying that we are a Christian, we need to be very careful that our actions and our life reflects Christ. Is where we are going, what we are partaking of, what we are wearing, how we are treating others etc… reflecting a Holy Christ? We are to be living epistles that others may read the word of God just by looking at our lives:
“Ye are our EPISTLE written in our hearts, known and read of all men:” 2 Corinthian 3:2
WHAT WE PUT OUT THERE IS CHRIST; We are dead to our own ways and our own will; Our allegiance is not to our SELF, it is to CHRIST. We are not self-representing, but Christ- representing:
“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Colossian 3:4
WHEN AN AMERICAN SOLDIER IS OUTSIDE OF OUR COUNTRY, it is of utmost importance how he represents us as a nation; His representation is a reflection on America. So too, it is important how we represent Christ. As Christians in this present world, we are soldiers for Christ in enemy territory. We are pilgrims and strangers in this world and when someone sees us that is not a Christian, they should be able to identify that we are not one of them. We are not a part of the enemies camp at all. Our allegiance is wholly pledged to our King, the LORD JESUS CHRIST!
“No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” 2 Timothy 2: 4
“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.” 1 Peter 2:11-12
“Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” John 18:36
I pledge my allegiance to the cross,
and to the Heavenly Kingdom of Jesus:
And to freedom from sin,
for which it stands;
One Kingdom, ruled by God,
With freedom and deliverance for all!
06/07/2010
LIVING WATER
WHAT ARE YOU THIRSTING AFTER TODAY?
“Then cometh he (Jesus) to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.”
Are you thirsting after a vacation?
“Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.”
Are you thirsting after popularity or acceptance?
“Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.”
Are you thirsting after the temporal things of this world- a new house, car, clothes etc…?
“Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.”
Are you thirsting after some great preacher or man of God?
“The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?”
WHAT ARE YOU THIRSTING AFTER?
“Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
“The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.”
Are you thirsting after a boyfriend or a husband?
“Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
“The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.”
Are you thirsting after a particular church or religion?
“The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
“Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
WHAT ARE YOU THIRSTING AFTER?
“The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
“Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.”
God open our eyes to see the LIVING water…
“And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of WATER;…” Genesis 21:19
“I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of WATER, and the dry land springs of WATER.” Isaiah 41:18
That we may quench our thirst, forever….
“Therefore with joy shall ye draw WATER out of the wells of salvation.” Isaiah 12:3
WHAT ARE YOU THIRSTING AFTER TODAY?
“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters…” Isaiah 55:1
“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? Psalm 42: 1-2
“And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” John 6:35
05/01/2010
TO BE HELD
I BELIEVE under the toughest exterior, in our most vulnerable state, we women want to be held. We long for strong, caring arms to take us up and offer us love and protection. Many a young girl fantasizes over the day that her knight in shining armor will take her up in his arms and carry her through a threshold of safety and continual adoration.
BUT ALAS, knights in shining armor are for the most part just a fantasy and the reality of life often brings it’s bitter disappointments.
BUT DID YOU KNOW that God holds too? He is holding you and I close to His bosom. Consider the definition of “hold” in connection with God’s holy word:
1. to have or keep with or within the hands, arms, etc.; clasp “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” Is. 40:11
2. to support or bear, to hold a drowning man’s head above water “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee:” Is. 43:2
3. to maintain or be maintained in a specified state or condition to hold one’s emotions in check, hold firm “Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;” Ps. 30:11
4. to set aside or reserve “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1Peter 1:3-5
5. to remain fast or unbroken “For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” Ps. 91:11-12
6. to keep the attention of “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.” Ps. 34:15
7. to have the ownership, possession, etc., “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine.” Is. 43:1
8. to have the use of or responsibility for “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” John 10:28
9. to have the space or capacity for “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” Is. 55:1
10. to remain or cause to remain committed “For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.” Is. 54:10
11. to remain relevant, valid, or true “For I am the LORD, I change not;…” Malachi 3:6 Is. 41:10
12. to keep in the mind, to hold affection for someone “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before Me.” Is 49:15-16
13. to regard or consider in a specified manner “Even every one that is called by My name: for I have created him for My glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” Is. 43:7
14. to guard or defend successfully “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Ps. 46: 1
15. to continue to go, hold on one’s way “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Is. 41:10
Truly Jesus is our Knight in Shining Armor!
03/06/2010
FREE TO BE FEMININE
FREE TO BE FEMININE
FREE TO BE female, a woman, a girl – free to be feminine.
I FIND IT a sad case when I see women trying to look and act like men in order to prove their equality. There is no need to prove our equality to anyone. God already pronounced it in His word:
“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3: 26-28
THIS EQUALITY is talking about us all being children of God- it is in reference to the same thought that God is no respecter of persons. (Acts 10: 34-35) Meaning, as being part of the female species, we are no less loved and adored, appreciated and needed in the Kingdom of God. The Word of God does not put us on a lesser plane than the male species, nor does it exalt us above any other, but we are all equal in His sight.
THAT IS VERY freeing. That sets me free to be my full FEMININE potential, because one thing is for certain and it’s been proven even scientifically - God did create us differently. He created us with certain feminine qualities. But may I repeat, they are qualities and they were created for a purpose and can be used to the glory and honor of God.
“Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” 1 Peter 3: 7
THIS SCRIPTURE is talking about being heirs together – as one. “Giving honour unto the wife” (a high place of respect) “as unto the weaker vessel”- this did not say, as unto a weak vessel- but a weaker vessel. This isn’t a derogatory statement. It is just a well known, scientifically proven fact, that a woman’s vessel is not as strong as the male counterpart. These scriptures, and others like them, were never inserted to diminish the importance of females. The Bible teaches that everyone would be in subjection one to another. These scriptures as well as others, will help us, as the female gender, to be enabled to better glorify the Lord in our vessel. We have always had a beautiful part in the plan of God.
I PERSONALLY am thankful to be a woman. Unregenerated (unsaved) humanity throughout time has taken advantage of weaker vessels – whether female or not. But that is not a reflection of our Father in Heaven, but rather evidence of an evil heart. Here are some feminine qualities that I am thankful to have to use to glorify, honor and praise my God in:
Modesty, grace, affection, compassion, tenderness, consideration, self-sacrificing, beauty…
IT WAS A WOMAN that carried our dear savior for nine months and nursed and loved him in his childhood. It was a woman that washed the feet of our Savior with her tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head. How many of the disciples returned this act of service to Jesus after he washed all their feet?
IT WAS WOMEN who were first at the grave to tend to his body. It was women who served and ministered to his physical needs. And you know what Jesus said about being a servant?
“But whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant; Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20: 26-28
SO YOU SEE, women are a very important and integral part of God’s plan. He loves them. He talks specifically to them in many of the scriptures.
DON’T BE ASHAMED of your femininity, but rather thank God for it and use it to glorify and honor His precious and holy name. Let God keep you free to be feminine.
01/30/2010
WE MUST BE A DOER OF GOD’S WORD
A DOER OF GOD’S WORD
TO BE BEAUTIFUL in the eyes of God, we must be a doer of his word.
IT IS KNOWN, by and large, that the feminine gender can spend a great deal of time in front of a mirror primping and preparing themselves before going out into society. Hair, face, clothes, makeup, smile, profile, all must pass their scrupulous inspection. But there is one mirror that we all should spend much time in front of and that is the mirror of the word of God.
“For if any man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” James 1: 23-25
AS WE ARE SEEKING TO BE BEAUTIFUL in the eyes of God, it is important that we understand what true beauty is in God’s eyes. Just as when we seek to be beautiful on the outward appearance, it should be even more important and more time consuming to be beautiful on the inside. For our Heavenly Father is not so much interested on our outward appearance. He is looking at our heart.
“…for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”“ 1 Samuel 16:7
GOD’S WORD IS A MIRROR to our heart and soul. We must spend much time studying God’s word, and adjusting our heart and soul accordingly.
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4: 12
JUST AS SOMEONE MAY TELL YOU that he knows and loves you, yet spend no time getting to know you and finding out what pleases you, so many treat the LORD Jesus Christ the same way, proving to God and to the world that truly something or someone else is their God. They are not looking at God’s word and doing their best to follow His precepts but rather they are choosing their own way and in the end will find, as the scripture above states, that they have simply deceived their own selves.
MANY DO WHAT THEY THINK is pleasing to God, but they never take time to study his word and make sure that, by his word, they are seeing reflected back a true Christian.
“Many will say to me in that day, LORD, LORD, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these saying of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man…” Matthew 7: 22-24
“He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, THIS PEOPLE HOUNERETH ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR FROM ME. HOWBEIT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING FOR DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.” Mark 7: 6-7
YOU SEE, this is a very serious matter, because, if we have not taken the time to know and to do God’s will, he will not know us when the last day comes. He will tell us depart.
YET, GOD IS SO MERCIFUL and longsuffering, that even if this is the way we have been treating him up until now, as long as we are on this side of eternity, we can turn around, repent and serve God acceptably. And He is waiting, with open arms, to receive us as dear children.
“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Revelations 3: 20-22
ARE YOU LOOKING TO PLEASE GOD? Are you looking to hear him say, “Well done thou good and faithful servant?” Then consider the perfect law of liberty- liberty from everything that is sinful and defiling- liberty in Christ; and be a doer of his word and not just a hearer!
“Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.” Proverbs 31: 31
For Further Reading See: Behavior Modification Verses a Changed Life
12/26/2009
COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
AS I REFLECT back over the past year, a song comes to mind:
When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed;
When you get discouraged thinking all is lost;
Count your many blessings name them one by one
and it will SURPRISE you what the LORD has done!
YES, I CAN look back and see that life had its many billows; life had its sorrows, its disappointments, its stress and uncertainties. Yet, when I count my blessings, when I begin to name them slowly, one by one, what an encouragement! What faithfulness and how trustworthy the LORD has proven Himself to be. What blessings overflow my life even in the midst of all the billows.
All thy waves and billows are gone over me. Yet the Lord will command his loving-kindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. Psalm 42: 7, 8
WHEN IN A TRIAL, start counting those blessings right where you are, one by one, and soon you will be rejoicing in the loving-kindness of God.
ONE TIME I was having a particularly stressful day. It seemed to my mind that everything and everyone was turned against me. I remember driving in my car and I was beginning to fret in my mind. But I thought of this song, “count your blessings name them one by one,” and so I decided that was exactly what I was going to do. My mind scanned the day’s stresses and looked for the blessings: “Thank you, LORD, that I have this car to drive and it is working in good condition. Thank you, Lord, that I have my health. Thank you, Lord, that I live in America and have the freedom of choice. Thank you, Lord, that I have plenty of food to eat,” ect… and before I knew it, my cares melted away and my eyes were on God, loving and adoring Him.
HE WAS with me. He was blessing me, one blessing after another. Yes, the trials were there, but they no longer were so big and looming. Now my dear Heavenly Father was big – bigger than life itself – able to calm the wildest tempest; He was with me, loving me, taking care of me. And my prayer was unto the God of my life!”
AS WE LOOK BACK over our year, let us begin by counting our blessings one by one. Write them down. You will be pleasantly SURPRISED at what the Lord has done!
10/31/2009
KEEPING THE LONG VIEW
KEEPING THE LONG VIEW
“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4: 1
MANY TIMES, when you are young, and your whole life is yet before you, the “long view” is very difficult to keep focused. We all have a human tendency to feel like life is passing us by, or to want to attain certain things in this life, and feel as though they will never be accomplished.
WE ENTER INTO young adulthood with certain expectations and slowly but surely we find that those expectations are not all going to pan out the way we had imagined. Disappointment can set in.
AS A DAUGHTER of King Jesus we do our best to lay our life before him and let him know that we want our will and life completely submitted to him, all the while hoping He will see fit to grant us our own heart’s desires.
IT IS DURING this transitional period of life that it is so important that we keep the long view in mind and at heart. Our ULTIMATE goal is heaven, and in between that goal and where we are now, lies the path of life. Without looking out way ahead, we can set a course now that could potentially lead us into all kinds of untold heartache and frustration. We must prayerfully ask ourselves the question: “Where will this decision lead me down the road?
WE MAY GET our eyes on a boy and we just KNOW that he IS the one. But you need to consider that who you marry can make or break the rest of your life. It is so important that our decisions are submitted completely into the hands of God, who DOES see the long view and loves and cares about us. Not every “NO” that comes from God is a test. Many times it’s a loving Heavenly Father guarding us from danger ahead.
A HUSBAND IS not the only decision that is important. Whether or not to move away from home, where to work, if we should go to college, where we should go, what degree to pursue, making large purchases such as a car; What all will these decisions entail in the long view? The most important question they should answer is, “Could this decision lead me off the path of life that leads to heaven?” That is a risk none of us should take, for no matter how successful we are in this life, if we lose our home in heaven, we have lost everything of real value.
IT MAY BE difficult at times, but earnestly pray that God will help you, that you would be enabled to look at, not the things which you see and want, but the things which are eternal. Keep the long view always before you!
The FROM A MOTHERS PERSPECTIVE column appears once a month and is written by our featured editor Mrs. Elizabeth Ann, a Christian mother whose goal is to reach out to other young women and encourage them to be the beautiful person that God wants them to be.
09/26/2009
BEAUTIFUL IN THE EYES OF GOD PART II
TO BE BEAUTIFUL in the eyes of God, we need to get our focus upon Him. We need to put blinders on to everything and everyone else. We know Who we love and want to please, and just as in a marriage vow, we must forsake all others-
“… for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination with God.” Luke 16:15
WHEN OUR FOCUS is set on Jesus, not everybody else is going to be pleased with that.
“Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10: 38-42
MARTHA WAS UPSET at her sister Mary. She thought, “She needs to be busy like me serving the Lord. I am doing all the work and she is just sitting there listening to Him.” Martha had good intentions, and she may have been doing her best for the Lord, but Mary had her eyes on her love, Jesus Christ. She wanted to be near Him. She wanted to hear His voice. Many times when you have your vision squarely focused on Jesus, listening for his voice, waiting on him, other people will not understand. Sometimes even your own brothers and sisters will not understand what you are doing. Like Martha, they may believe you should be doing something different or something more than what you are doing and may show disapproval of you. But the important thing is that even though Martha disapproved of what Mary was doing, Jesus defended her and blessed her.
WE READ OVER IN Mark 14: 3-9 about a woman that came to Jesus carrying an alabaster box filled with very expensive ointment and she broke open the box and poured it all out on Jesus head. She was bringing the most precious thing she had to lavish on her Lord, but others who were watching found fault with her. They said,
“Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.” (4-5)
WHEN YOU HAVE your eyes on Jesus sometimes your hearts is going to just overflow with love and adoration for all He has done for you and all He means to you, and you are just going to pour out your heart’s best to Him. Others looking on may think you are wasting your time and resources, but the Lord Jesus Christ knows our hearts and when He sees us pouring out our love to him, He will again be our defense when others would criticize:
“And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? She hath wrought a good work on me… Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.” (6,7,9)
NOT ONLY did Jesus defend her, but He lifted her up in the eyes of all those that had cast her down, for all eternity.
She had her eyes on Jesus and she was beautiful in the eyes of God.
WE WILL never be able to please everyone no matter how hard we try, nor what we do. We may be able to please some, but there will always be fault finders of our efforts. So we might as well put our eyes squarely on Jesus and please and worship Him alone!
The FROM A MOTHERS PERSPECTIVE column appears once a month and is written by our featured editor Mrs. Elizabeth Ann, a Christian mother who’s goal is to reach out to other young women and encourage them to be the beautiful person that God wants them to be.
08/29/2009
BEAUTIFUL IN THE EYES OF GOD
BEAUTIFUL IN THE EYES OF GOD
“So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy LORD; and worship thou him.” Psalms 45: 10-11
MOST YOUNG LADIES desire to be beautiful.
THEY WORK HARD at having the right hairdo and the right clothes for their figure and complexion. They fret over their so called imperfections. In many a young girls mind lies a hidden fantasy that some handsome young man will see her beauty and fall hopelessly in love with her.
THE WORLD OFFERS a very cheap standard of decor.
THE WORLD DEVALUES femininity at every turn. Magazines, bill boards, media of every sort shout to our daughters, ” Show more! Paint more! Deck with more jewels!” The Spirit of the world has reduced the value of a lady to an object for it’s own pleasure, and so many have been ensnared in this dreadful lie. Many young ladies have succumbed and reduced themselves in their own eyes and in the eyes of the world to nothing more than a body for sell. Many catch their young man alright, along with a lifetime of disillusionment and heartache.
BUT IN GOD’S eyes you are very special and you can be very beautiful and desired of God himself.
“Hearken, O daughters, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house; So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy LORD; and worship thou him.” Psalms 45: 10-11
“FORGET THY FATHER’S house.”- this is the house of sin. Before we are saved our father is the devil (John 8:44). But the good news is, we can leave that house of sin forever and be adorned in new apparel by King Jesus himself. And God will be a Father unto us and the King will greatly desire out beauty. We shall be adorned with the beauty of holiness.
OUR VALUE in God’s eyes goes far beyond the cheap ways of the world.
GOD PAID A VERY costly price to redeem us- the precious blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. When we are saved, we now have a new way of living and God gives us new articles to beautify ourselves with:
“And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” Revelations 19:8
“Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” 1 Peter 3:3-4
“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;” Colossians 3:12
THE BEST beauty school around is the Holy Bible!
Next month we will continue our study on what it means to be BEAUTIFUL IN THE EYES OF GOD!
The FROM A MOTHERS PERSPECTIVE column appears once a month and is written by our featured editor Mrs. Elizabeth Ann, a Christian mother who’s goal is to reach out to other young women and encourage them to be the beautiful person that God wants them to be.
