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.

Wifey Lessons

Wife Lessons
I've been reading the book, The Power of a Praying Wife. I'm ashamed to say that I've had it for a couple of years but haven't read it. I don't even remember where I picked it up, I see it everywhere at the thrift stores. I've been trying to go through my books and reread some of them(or read them for the first time) so if they aren't as good as I remember I can get rid of them. Does anyone else feel like their bookshelves and movie cabinets are exploding and there is never enough room? This is why I am working on thinning out.

Anyway... back to my book. I wish I had read it sooner and I'm glad I am finally reading. I am so thankful for my husband,truly, but I think I take for granted the prayer needed to make him a great man, and my responsiblilty. So I though I would share some things I've learned so far.

It's easier to pray for your children than your husband because you have authority over your children but your husband is the authority over you.

We need to lay down our lives, as wives, in prayer for our husbands. Our prayers have a greater impact/effect on our man than anyone elses, including his mom's prayers.

There is much at stake if we don't pray, only one side of our marriage will be cared for and strengthened. It gives us a oneness the enemy hates and will try to weaken.

If your relationship with your husband isnt' what it was or should be check your prayer life/time for him. You can't help loving and caring for someone the more you pray for them.

When you feel a change is needed in your man, get on your knees and ask for a change in YOU.

Prayer is the ultimate love language, we enter the presence of God in prayer and He fills us with His Spirit of Love.

Let your husband be the head of the home, you get to be the heart of the home.

If your man does something that dissapoints you (A result of our high expectations), stop seething and remember his good qualities and the things he does for you.

Lessons of Shared Candy Bar

I like candy.

I really like chocolate.

The darker the better.

I was just thinking, maybe we should start training women not to be lured away by strangers waving dark chocolate candy bars. You know like we tell kids not to ever take anything from a stranger. Okay... back to what I was saying.

So the other day I ran into Target to grab a few grocery things sicne I was out that way. And when I was in the checkout, I saw one of my favorite candy bars (that I have a hard time finding) and it was on CLEARANCE. Don't you just love that word? So I grabbed one.

I finished my running and went home. I set the candy bar on the table and got busy doing other things.Maybe I was just building up the excitement of eating that thing, I'm not sure. Well, Working Man came home and I had his coffee made.

I just realized your mind is jumping to a conclusion, it makes me laugh. I didn't try to write it so that you would think what you thinking right now... He ate Her Dark Chocolate Candy Bar!

Sorry, he didn't. Well, sort of. I decided to eat my chocolate before I started supper. But as I peeled back that wrapper, I thought about how much my husband likes candy with coffee. But I knew he wouldn't appreciate that candy like I would, to him it's just a candy bar. To me it was a rare, special treat and I would savor each and every bite of goodness. (Kinda like Christmas tree cakes. Ha Ha!)

As I sat there enjoying the first bite, I was thinking on how glad I was to have a husband. I have friends who are still waiting for God to bring their man into their life. I could just eat that candy myself or I could share it with my husband whom I love dearly. So right then I decided that I would save half of the dark chocolate, vanilla nouget, caramel candy bar for my man. I'm glad I have someone to share my candy bar with.

My life with.

My ups and downs with.

My love of the Lord with.

So that's my lesson from a shared candy bar.

If I can figure out how to change things, any posts on marriage or wifely things will have this label or link.

I Am, Are You?

Matthew 13:45-46

 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
  Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it."

Christ came to seek me. 

I am 

"One Pearl of Great Price"

He sought me,

 

 Then He bought me with His own precious blood,

 

and I became a goodly pearl.

 

Isn't that wonderful?

 

We are pearls of great price, 

valuable to our Owner.

Amazing Counsel

Commentary on Psalm 144:12

Ver. 12. (first clause). To Young Men. Consider,

1. What is desired on your behalf: "Sons may be as plants", etc.

a) That you may be respected and valued. b) That you may have settled principles and virtues. Plants are not blown hither and thither. c) That you may be vigorous and strong in moral power.

2. What is requisite on your part to the accomplishment of this desire.

a) A good rooting in Christ. b) Constant nourishment from the word of God. c) The dews of divine grace obtained by prayer. d) A resolute tendency within to answer the God appointed purpose of your existence. --J.F.

  Ver. 12. (second clause). To Young Women. Consider,

1. The important position you may occupy in the social fabric: "As cornerstones."

a) The moral and religious tone of society is determined more by your character and influence than by those of men. b) The complexion of home life will be a reflex of your conduct and character, either as daughters, sisters, or wives. c) The moulding of the character of the next generation, remember, begins with the mother's influence. d) Let these facts weigh with you as a motive in seeking the grace of God, without which you can never fulfil your mission worthily.

2. The beauty which ought to belong to you in your position. "Polished after", etc. The beauty of,

a) Heart purity: "The King's daughter is all glorious within." b) A noble and modest conduct: "wrought gold", no imitation; real gold. c) Gracious and gentle demeanour.

3. How both the right position and right beauty are obtained. a) By yielding yourselves to God. b) By Christ dwelling in your heart. b) By becoming living stones and polished stones under the workmanship of the Holy Spirit. --J.F.