Adventures In a Beautiful Life

Recently I started a study in my devotions on some Christian character traits with evidence from the Bible. The first one I am working on is Godliness. So for this study I wrote down all the passages that have the word godliness or some form of it (godly). Then the days that I do the study I do one passage at a time, there may be more than one verse in the context that uses the word godliness so they get done together. It has been a real blessing to me. The first day was especially a great day, it kind of set the goal of godliness in the believer's life.

I Tim. 2:2-3

"For kings, and for all that are in authority;

that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life

in all godliness and honesty.

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior."

I don't know about you but I want to live a life that is acceptable to the Lord. And as I began to study this passage (technically vs.1-3) the Lord pointed some great things out to me. I'll just write here what I wrote in my notes on the study. I hope they are as much a blessing to you as they were to me.
The word Godliness is the Greek means to Worship, to respect.
This passage speaks of a life that's good and acceptable to the Lord. Good here means beautiful, valuable. I want my life to be beautiful and valuable to the Lord. Doesn't everyone want a beautiful life? This life is a quiet, peaceable, godly, honest life. And this life should be our goal.
One way it is obtained found in verses 1-2, these Essential elements of Prayer:
1. Supplications - to make request, to beg
2. Prayers - worship, to earnestly pray with a wish
3. Intercessions - an interview, to confer withh or entreat
4. Giving of Thanks- gratitude,actively grateful, to bring well-favor on
...be made for all men, including those leaders with authority in our life. These four elements of prayer I believe lead to a godly life of peace and quiet. A beautiful life.

Top 10 Blessings from God that you will never Express Enough Gratittude For

Day 5 - Top Ten

Rom. 11:33-36

1.Salvation

Full and free, complete

 

2.The Word of God

Wisdom for every need

 

3. My Family

They are not perfect

but He saw fit to place me in one where

I would know him and serve Him with them.

 

4. My Beloved

I had dreamed of marrying a man my whole life

and had prayed, unknowing, many years.

I couldn't have picked a man so perfect for me,

only God could.

 

5. My Church

Many changes have taken place over the almost 2 years we've been here,

but the things I've learned and

the people I've met and fellowshipped with

have impacted my life.

 

6. Godly Parents

They were so invaluable to my life,

in shaping me for Christ,

Equipping me to follow His Will,

and teaching me to trust Him for all my needs.

 

7. God's Promises of Provision

He never fails,

whether it was college bills, emotional needs,

housing, work, food for family,

safety on mission fields.

He always provided on time.

 

8. The Hard Times

It's never easy to thank God in the hard times

but looking back I know each trial was for my good,

each trouble taught me lessons I needed to learn,

each hard time the Lord was there to Sustain me.

 

9. The Promise of Heaven

A new body,

A place that will permanently be home,

And I.Will.See. Christ.

I will see His wounds for me and praise Him for all eternity.

 

10. Ministries I have been involved in

Even in the seemingly short years of my life I have

been blessed to be involved in so much.

From behind the scenes ministries to the up front

visible ones.

And each one has taught me something different

and spurred me on to new.

To Serve is a Privilege.

 

Greatness

 

"This world has defined greatness to include achievements in either physical beauty or strength, or achievements in intellectualendeavors. what grieves God is that this same measuring stickis alsobeing used inthe church. Many Christian parents would be more proud of their children if they became famous in this world, or made a lot of money, than if they surrendered their lives to serve God."

Jerry Ross

Be A Follower

 

 

"The decision to follow Jesus is never made as a group.

 It always starts with one, then a handful.

 Each disciple chose individually to answer the call of Christ."

 Jerry Ross

  Is Your Youth Group Dead or Alive?

When You Feel Like Running Away From It All

I mentioned in a previous post how it seems like here lately we have heard a lot of discouraging news. It just makes me sad. We’ve had our own struggles here at church of our own the past few months and just recently I’ve heard of two other churches whose pastors have resigned. It leaves us all in a tough spot, in a rough storm on a raging sea. But it is comforting to know that my God has the power to calm the raging sea.

We've heard about friends who've had marital problems, and I have another friend whose dealt with this almost two years ago. It scares me. Terrifies me. These are good friends,who sat in the same Bible college classes we did, heard the same preaching we did. My Friend whose spouse left is such a testimony to me, not becoming bitter at what God had allowed to happen, but plunging into the ministries at her church, where the people love her uncondintionally. I know there are days where she probably wants to run away from it all. I'm not even in that situation, but hearing all the recent discouraging news makes me want to run away from it all, pretend it's not there. But I can't and you can't either when the trials and discouragement come.

I've learned something through these discouraging tidbits of information I received or went through, YOU CAN'T RUN IN THE MIDST OF BATTLE. We've got to stand strong, dig in and fight. It's really all the devil's work, He's having a hayday in good churches and homes. And let me warn you, he's not concerned about the mediocre, ho-hum, lower standard Christians; they aren't a threat. Satan after those who are trying to live their life according to the Bible in every aspect, trying to build marriages and raise children that honor God. He's on the attack and his goal is to make you fall, to destroy your life and your testimony. DON'T LET HIM! We've only got one surefire weapon that guarantees victory over Satan - we have the Almighty God on our side. Though Him we shall do Valiently, He will tread down our enemy! Be Strong!

I noticed I was really getting discouraged hearing these things, it feels like there is no hope for the church when I know there is. There is alway hope and there is always the joy of knowing heaven awaits us after all this turmoil. So what do we do now?

I'll tell you what I've been doing. Number one is keeping your time with God. Don't miss it for a day. For me it's not a struggle, it's a habit I've instilled in my life since a teenager. If it's not a habit in your life,make it one.

So for me I felt like I needed some more defenses. Like a shot in the arm, err, or a heavy dose of Vitamin C. I'm normally reading some sort of spiritual strengthening book with my devotions,(not for). Right now I'm reading one by an author I found a couple years ago when I stumbled on a book for sale in the college library, Fourteen Things Witches Hope Parents Never Find Out by David Benoit. The book I'm reading I found recently at goodwill called Who's Watching the Playpen?, also written by Benoit. If you can get your hands on either of these books, they are worth having in your home library. The one I'm reading talks a lot about how children are affected by New Age ideas through toys, books, and a lot of cartoons and movies for kids. Granted the book was written in '95 so most of the movies/cartoons and toys are ones that were made and on when I was younger. Most of them I wasn't allowed to have anything to do with, now I know why. He talks about how Christians have become numb,even embraced things that have magic somehow tied with it. Magic is real folks, and so are demonic spirits and they should have no place inour homes. Anyway, the book dealing with witches, touches on Wicca and their infiltration and influence on the same things. Remember Cabbage Patch dolls, trolls, Furbies, Smurfs, Barney, ect...there are underlying occult themes related to these items.



Well, enough of that, but really if you can get your hands on these books, it will be well worth your reading. And to tell you the truth it's hard to put it down, because I now know why I wasn't allowed to watch Disney's Pocahontas or Lion King, ect...

Another thing I've been doing recently is listening to more preaching and teaching at home. Most of us have access to the world wide web in some form or another, we have access to download good solid preaching and carry it with us in mobile form. That is one thing about our new phone I love, I can put preaching on there and listed to it whenever. Like Sunday, I had downloaded this umm, radio program about feminism in our society and how Christians are embracing it. It was really good and so I thought Working Man would be interested, so on the way to church Sunday night He had one earbud and I had the other and we listened to it on the way there and on the way home. And I was right, he did like it. One of my favorite places to download messages is sermonaudio.com. You can look by preacher, by topic (I looked up womanhood, just browse with caution, it's got stuff from everybody),and other choices. I tend to stick with people I know are sound.



Another helpful thing are ladies lessons. I want to be the best, godly wife I can be. And I need encouragement in that often. I don't want to be the next one someone hears of that's having marital problems. My friend here let me borrow some cds she had by Mrs. Lee Marshall, Mom of the Marshall family. I think there were a total of 4 full length lessons(about an hour) for ladies on each cd. So I have 8 total. I have listened to them NUMEROUS times and there is always something new to be convicted or reminded of. You can find these on their website, www.johnmarshallfamily.com . And then when we were up for Ressurection Sunday weekend in Pa, I remembered my mother-in-love had a set of cds on her bookshelves by a woman who wrote the book, Teachers of Good Things, Francie Taylor. Boy were these a blessing too! Her lessons are shorter about 20-30 minutes long but packed full of Scriptures and principles. I went to look them up on Sword of the Lord and found she has numerous cd series', the one I borrow was The Titus Woman. Let me just challenge you, load up your arsenal, and fight of the Devil. You can have the victory in this battle and we have no need to run away from it all.

Ordinances of Biblical Dress

Recently at Church Pastor preached a message on standards, specifically standards of dress. We both thought it was really good and different from the standard dress message you hear. I thought I would post my notes from that Wednesday night.

Ordinances of Biblical Dress



"Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things,

and keeo the ordinances, as I delivered them to you."

I Cor.11:2

"Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions

which ye have been taught, whether by word, or by our epistle."

II Thess. 2:15

Traditions: teachings or commands that are handed down.

Principles of Dress:

1. A Sense of Shame
I Tim. 2:9 "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness..."
Shamefacedness- a bashfulness, reverence, easily embarassed.
Adorn - To put in proper order, to decorate or trim
Modest - orderly, decorous, of good behavior
Apparel - costume, to put down
Gen. 2:25;3:6-11,21 Adam and Eve were unashamedly naked at first, then embarassed after the fall. Why? Their bodies were completely holy, no sin. There was nothing immoral, or unpure. But after the fall, the holiness left and they obtained bodies of sin. Thus nakedness became a problem because of unclean thoughts and actions. So they tried to fix it by making aprons.
Apron- a loin cloth
An apron didn't cover enough, God made them coats from a slain animal. Blood had to be shed for their sin.
Isaiah. 47:2-3 - nakedness was shameful Lev. chpts 18-20 - speaks of being modest within family
Ex. 28:42-43 - breeches were made to cover the priests nakedness under their robes.



2. A Distinction/Straightness
Deut. 22:5 "The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are are abomination unto the Lord thy God."
Yes, people in Bible times all wore robes. But the robes for men and women were different and distinct. And they were commanded not to wear each others clothes. A woman was not to put on her husbands breeches, or his robe. And he wasn't to put on her robe, which would have been longer and automatically identified as a woman's robe. So yes, they both wore robes but there was a distinction between the two.

3.For Chastity
Proverbs 7:10 "And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot..."
There's nothing wrong with being attractive, wellgroomed and dressed, but it is wrong to dress seductively. Your dress ought to be holy, pure, and not give anyone opportunity for impure thoughts.

4. Keeping From Strangeness/Worldliness
Zeph. 1:8 "And it shall come to poass in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, that I will punich the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel."
Lev. 19:28 - This goes for piercings and tattoos too.
Strange - like the world does

5. For Glory and Beauty
Ex.28:1-2 (Vs2)- "And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy borhter for glory and for beauty."
The clothing for the high priest set him apart to show glory to God.

Ps. 29:2b "...worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." Holy dress should be part of our lifestyle and it is a part of our worship to the Lord.



6. Dispell Confusion
I Cor. 14:33, 40 -God is not a God of confusion, but a God of decency and order. Our clothes shouldn't look like we were confused when we put them on. Our God is one of order, design, and laws.

Joy - A Missing Delight

 My mom and I talked about this the other day: having joy through everything you go through in life. The ups and the downs. The hidden desires and the present disappointments.  So I was wanting to read the book of Philippians. What better place to look for real, true joy than the Word of God?


The word Joy in Philippians can be used different ways.

 One of the ways it is used is the Greek word "Chara". This is used five times in the book. The meaning according to Strong's is cheerfulness. BUT the second meaning is what caught my eye today.

Calm delight.

 

 

When I think of the word joy I think of bubbly and happy, an active kind of joy.

Joyful children run and laugh and play,

but this calm delight?



 

It must radiate from within,

a peaceful strength,

a contented joy.

Oh, how I lack this but how I want it!

 

 

But here the Lord is showing that joy resides within

and it isn't always manifested actively,

but is radiated from within

in a joyful countenance,

A Calm Delighted Countenance.