Category Archives: Thoughts From Scripture

The thief on the cross

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Between now and Easter, my pastor is preaching on the seven saying of Christ on the cross. Today he discussed His conversation with the thief on one side of Him:

Luke 23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

I had heard it pointed out, many times, that the thief’s conversion is an illustration of the fact that it is repentance and faith alone that saves us, not baptism or anything else the church asks us to do or we think we have to do. We do those things out of obedience, or to show forth what has gone on in our hearts after believing, but they are not a part of the salvation experience in themselves.

But I tended to leave the thief’s story at that. He repented, he believed, he gives me hope for some of my family who have not yet believed, he went to be with Christ in Paradise after he died. Wonderful! On to the next verse…

But my pastor pointed out this morning what happened just after the thief believed. Verses 44-45 say, “And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.” How frightening that must have been for everyone, to have sudden darkness for three hours, and then to have the veil of the temple suddenly torn — access to what was once only the domain of priests. That’s a wonderful truth now (“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:1-2). But at the moment probably no one realized what it meant, and it was just one of the many strange things happening that day.

Then Mark 15:34 records, “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

What must the thief have thought or felt? Confusion, fear. “This isn’t how I thought things were going to happen.” Yet none of that nullified the promise Christ made to him.

What food for thought is there. No matter what happens, no matter that I don’t understand what’s happening, God’s promise is always sure.

I have a preposition for you…

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I have always loved the study of English, but some people have a mental block of sorts when grammar is mentioned. I have a similar block with math beyond the basics.

But grammar is one of the best tools for basic Bible study. For instance, those lengthy sentences of Paul’s are a little more understandable when you find the subject and verb of a given sentence and then see how everything else fits around them.

Prepositions (by, beside, under) generally show the relationship of one thing to another. Before your eyes start glazing over, see if these prepositional phrases don’t bless your heart:

Deuteronomy 33:27b: The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Psalm 16:8: I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Isaiah 38:17: Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.

Isaiah 41:10: 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.

Isaiah 43:2 ; When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

John 17:24: Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

II Timothy 4:17: Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

Psalm 5:12: For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

Psalm 32:7: Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.

Colossians 1:27: Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Some of these came to mind as I was listening to “O the Deep Deep Love of Jesus” by S. Trevor Francis on a CD. One stanza says:

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!

Encouragement for homemakers

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I believe very strongly that a married woman’s first ministry is to her home and family, even if she’s working outside the home. The older women are instructed in Titus 2:4-5 to teach younger women “to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” I Timothy 5:13-14 says younger widows “learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.” It’s interesting to note the negative consequences of neglecting these responsibilities: God’s word can be blasphemed and the adversary has an opportunity for reproach.

The world in general devalues homemaking. Though books and magazines abound with housekeeping and organizing tips, the idea seems to be to spend as little time on it as possible so you can get to the important stuff. Believe me, I am all for streamlining my tasks as well. But those held up for admiration are often those who are doing something else. Homemaking is seen as drudgery.

And I have to admit, though I am where I want to be by choice, desire, and belief system, sometimes it feels like drudgery: when the laundry baskets are overflowing again two days after I got the laundry caught up, when I spend hours on a nice dinner that is consumed in less than 20 minutes and then have to spend more time cleaning up afterward, when nothing stays done, but the dusting and dirty floors and grocery shopping all have to be taken care of again and again. When I am doing something for our ladies’ ministry or something else that seems more “spiritual” in nature, I can get irritated that I have to stop and take time from the “important” stuff to stop and make dinner.

But all of those things are important. Someone has to do them, and everyone is ministered to when they are done well. Have you ever stayed in a hotel where there is pink stuff growing in the corners of the shower? Have you ever been to a restaurant where the waitress acts as though she’d rather be anywhere than serving you, and the baked potato is hard, the lettuce is limp and brown-edged, the meat unidentifiable by appearance and taste? When neither the process nor the recipients are valued, homemaking details devolve into chaos. What different results there are when people care.

I hadn’t intended to write an essay: I meant to just write a little prelude to some quotes I wanted to share that I will will encourage other homemakers as much as they have me. Though I kept note of the author of each quote, I failed to keep track of where I found the quotes.

One of the reasons that women writing about homemaking a century ago were so self-possessed is that neither they nor their readers were conflicted about the importance of their subject. A Victorian woman’s home was her eminent domain, and she ruled over it with as much confidence as Queen Victoria ruled the world.
~ Sarah Ban Breathnach, Romancing the Ordinary: A Year of Simple Splendor

Why do we love certain houses, and why do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in our surroundings.
~ T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings

The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest.
~ Thomas Moore

Homemaking—being a full-time wife and mother—is not a destructive drought of usefulness but an overflowing oasis of opportunity; it is not a dreary cell to contain one’s talents and skills but a brilliant catalyst to channel creativity and energies into meaningful work; it is not a rope for binding one’s productivity in the marketplace, but reins for guiding one’s posterity in the home; it is not oppressive restraint of intellectual prowess for the community, but a release of wise instruction to your own household; it is not the bitter assignment of inferiority to your person, but the bright assurance of the ingenuity of God’s plan for the complementarity of the sexes, especially as worked out in God’s plan for marriage; it is neither limitation of gifts available nor stinginess in distributing the benefits of those gifts, but rather the multiplication of a mother’s legacy to the generations to come and the generous bestowal of all God meant a mother to give to those He entrusted to her care.”
~Dorothy Patterson

No ordinary work done by a man is either as hard or as responsible as the work of a woman who is bringing up a family of small children; for upon her time and strength demands are made not only every hour of the day but often every hour of the night. She may have to get up night after night to take care of a sick child, and yet must by day continue to do all her household duties well; and if the family means are scant she must usually enjoy even her rare holidays taking her whole brood of children with her. The birth pangs make all men the debtors of all women. Above all our sympathy and regard are due to the struggling wives among those whom Abraham Lincoln called the plain people, and whom he so loved and trusted; for the lives of these women are often led on the lonely heights of quiet, self-sacrificing heroism.
~ Teddy Roosevelt, 1905

But housekeeping is fun……It is one job where you enjoy the results right along as you work. You may work all day washing and ironing, but at night you have the delicious feeling of sunny clean sheets and airy pillows to lie on. If you clean, you sit down at nightfall with the house shining and faintly smelling of wax, all yours to enjoy right then and there. And if you cook—that creation you lift from the oven goes right to the table. ~Gladys Taber, Stillmeadow Seasons

I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty and joy to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble.
~Helen Keller

The preparation of good food is merely another expression of art, one of the joys of civilized living.
~Dione Lucas

Cooking is at once child’s play and adult joy. And cooking done with care is an act of love.
~Craig Claiborne

“Family dinners should be planned with as much thought and care as company dinners.”
~ Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book, 1946

It is wholly impossible to live according to Divine order, and to make a proper application of heavenly principles, as long as the necessary duties which each day brings seem only like a burden grievous to be borne. Not till we are ready to throw our very life’s love into the troublesome little things can we be really faithful in that which is least and faithful also in much. Every day that dawns brings something to do, which can never be done as well again. We should, therefore, try to do it ungrudgingly and cheerfully. It is the Lord’s own work, which He has given us as surely as He gives us daily bread. We should thank Him for it with all our hearts, as much as for any other gift. It was designed to be our life, our happiness. Instead of shirking it or hurrying over it, we should put our whole heart and soul into it.
~ James Reed

Charles Spurgeon describes the excellent wife: “She asks not how her behavior may please a stranger, or how another’s judgment may approve her conduct; let her beloved be content and she is glad.”

Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way. ~ Booker T. Washington

Great thoughts go best with common duties. Whatever therefore may be your office regard it as a fragment in an immeasurable ministry of love. ~ Bishop Brooke Foss Westcott, b. 1825

The human being who lives only for himself finally reaps nothing but unhappiness. Selfishness corrodes. Unselfishness ennobles, satisfies. Don’t put off the joy derivable from doing helpful, kindly things for others. ~ B.C. Forbes

The trivial round, the common task,
Will furnish all we ought to ask;
Room to deny ourselves, a road
To bring us daily nearer God.
~ John Keble

What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow.
~ Martin Luther

IN little things of common life,
There lies the Christian’s noblest strife,
When he does conscience make
Of every thought and throb within;
And words and looks of self and sin
Crushes for Jesus’ sake.

J. B. S. MONSELL

Wheresoever we be, whatsoever we are doing, in all our work, in our busy daily life, in all schemes and undertakings, in public trusts, and in private retreats, He is with us, and all we do is spread before Him. Do it, then, as to the Lord. Let the thought of His eye unseen be the motive of your acts and words. Do nothing you would not have Him see. Say nothing which you would not have said before His visible presence. This is to do all in His name.
~ Henry Edward Manning

The best things in life are nearest: breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life’s plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life.
~ Robert Louis Stevenson

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(Since I have 13+ quotes, I am linking this to the Thursday Thirteen site.)

Snowglobe thoughts

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snowman_c

(Picture courtesy of the morgue file.)

No, that title doesn’t mean it is snowing again. It means my thoughts are swirling around like a snowglobe. I often sort things out in the process of writing, but I have a to-do list longer than the day, so there’s not really time…plus I am really trying to avoid long, long, long posts, believe it or not. So I may just hit some highlights — or I may delete this if it is not making sense and come back when there is more time.

Our church is having revival services this week, and in preparation I began what I thought was going to be a word study on the topic in the Bible last week. But the concept is much broader than the verses that mention the word “revive” specifically. Really, the idea of searching our hearts and getting things right with the Lord is all throughout Scripture. So, though I started a post about it last weekend, I didn’t finish — it was just too big for a blog post.

But I’ve been thinking, usually the need for revival stems from one of two things. Either there is some kind of sin in the life that needs to be forsaken and confessed, or we’ve “left our first love” even though we’re doing all the right things:

Revelation 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

In either case, the solution is the same: repentance.

If you’d like to study this out more, you can look for verses with the following words or phrases: revive, quicken, return (in Isaiah, Jeremiah, Revelation, and some other places), turn us again (you’ll have to filter out some usages of those words that aren’t talking about revival or coming back to the Lord specifically).

Then yesterday in a grand evidence of my own need for revival, I got colossally angry over a relatively small thing. There is not time to give a detailed account, but, no, it wasn’t with anyone in my family. It was at a store, and I was in the right, and I did something I don’t think I have done since childhood: I stormed off in obvious anger while the other person was talking. After a while I was smitten — I thought, what if that person happens to come to our revival services and sees me? I totally ruined my testimony — over $2.50 plus tax.

And this anger bubbling up, usually below the surface, has been happening all too often lately. So, I’ve been doing some confessing and going over Colossians 3, especially verses 8-17, and Ephesians 4:20-32.

And I was thinking, in the course of all that, how are you supposed to handle it when you are in the right? There is such a thing as righteous indignation. Many of the Scripture verses about anger refer to God’s anger, so anger in and of itself isn’t always a sin, though of course my reaction was a sinful one. Sometimes we are called on to suffer wrong or to overcome evil with good. As I was dressing and fixing my hair, I listened to the section of Jim Berg’s Quieting a Noisy Soul dealing with overcoming anger. He read the incident in Numbers 20:1-13 where the Israelites were without water and were complaining to Moses about it. Moses had just suffered the loss of his sister, Miriam, and the people were wrong in their attitudes and demeanor, but Moses reacted in a wrong way, striking the rock rather than speaking to it, and losing the opportunity to enter the promised land. People often say Moses was punished because he obscured the symbolism, but God says in this passage he was punished “Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel.” Berg brought out that unbelief was the source of his anger, and he sanctified something else rather than God. That’s what I did — I sanctified my “rightness” over “the principle of the thing” instead of God and His instructions to me about how to honor Him and conduct myself.

Then, looking unto Jesus as our example in all things, I thought how often He could have been frustrated when He walked the earth with all that was done wrong, yet He was longsuffering and gracious.

Later this morning as I was maiking breakfast, I was listening to the new CD by the Galkin Evangelistic team, Christ Only Always. The song “Come, Let Us Return to the Lord” really stood out to me last weekend, and then again this morning it was a balm to my heart. I’ll just include the chorus here:

Oh Come, let us return to the Lord.
Let our hearts yearn for the Lord.
Only His love will save us.
For though our lives are broken,
He will mend and restore hope again.
Let us return to the Lord.

(Words and music by Dick and Melodie Tunney)

Well — I’ve gone ahead and ended up with a long post, haven’t I? 🙂 It’s been a help to me. Hopefully it will be to someone else as well.

I’ll close with one of my favorite passages from my study last week:

Lamentations 3:40-41:
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.

Choking anxieties

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Busy, busy day today — I won’t be able to participate in the usual Friday memes. I will get around to visit you all hopefully later today or this evening.

In the meantime, I wanted to share something the Lord used to speak to me this morning. While showering and getting ready, my mind was running through the coming day, and I kept feeling anxiety well up and kept having to beat it back with Philippians 4:6-7. Then what should I come to in today’s reading from Our Daily Walk by F. B. Meyer but this:

PRACTICING THE PRESENCE OF GOD

“…the Lord is at hand. In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.”– Phi 4:5-6.

THE WORD anxiety comes from the same root as anger, and suggests the idea of choking. Worry chokes the life of faith. It does not help us to overcome our difficulties, but unfits us for dealing with them. No weapon that is formed against us shall prosper; every tongue that shall rise against us shall be condemned; our bread shall be given, and our water sure. God will perfect that which concerneth us, and His goodness and mercy shall never cease. Roll thyself and thy burden on the Lord, and leave them there. Too many take them back again!

In the darkening autumn evenings, we light our lamps earlier, or turn on the switch, and lo! there is a burst of light which had been waiting to be called upon. So let us keep a smile upon our faces. As we put off our heavy and rain-soaked clothes in the vestibule, so let us leave our anxieties with God, until we have to resume our destined path.

The Lord is at hand! Let us often repeat these words, amid the commonplaces of life, as well as when anticipating His near Advent! Say it when Euodia and Syntyche are giving you trouble! Say it when you are irritated and think that there is no reason why you should accept rebuffs and slights so meekly! Say it when you are worried and anxious! Say it, till you come again into that Presence, which is as the light of the morning when the sun riseth. Practise the Presence of God! Hold fellowship with Him! Even in business, or in the midst Of daily toil, often lift your heart for a moment into the atmosphere of His presence! There is a great difference between faith and its intellectual expression. We must rise above the intellectual into spiritual fellowship with God. It is not for us to excite a transient feeling of love towards God. This will soon evanesce. Our business is the absolute surrender of the heart to Him. Not the rapture of the mystic, but the consciousness of the spirit, which is aware of an unimpeded union with the life of the Infinite. To be ever, tranquilly, joyously, and strenuously, at one with the blessed Will of God–that is the Heavenly Paradise, and each of us, by His grace, may walk with Him in happy fellowship, as Enoch did of old, and then we can make known our requests!

Though I am a big stickler for reading things in context, in all the times I have read, quoted to myself, or heard Philippians 4:6-7 preached, it has never been coupled with verse 5.

The anxieties of my day are nothing major in the grand scheme of things: in fact, it is almost easier to trust the Lord for the major things. My mind has a tendency to get over-anxious about little things, and, as Meyer brought out, it has a choking effect. But the Lord is at hand! Therefore, on that basis, I can lay aside anxiety and trust everything to Him.

Then, I’ve been reading a little bit of Passionate Housewives Desperate For God by Jennie Chauncey and Stacy McDonald each morning, and in the section I read today was the NKJV translation of Psalm 94:19:

In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.

Praise God for his comfort, direction, and instruction.

Complete in Thee!

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Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:5-7.

And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power. Colossians 3:10.

Complete in Thee! no work of mine
May take, dear Lord, the place of Thine;
Thy blood hath pardon bought for me,
And I am now complete in Thee.

Refrain:
Yea, justified! O blessed thought!
And sanctified! Salvation wrought!
Thy blood hath pardon bought for me,
And glorified, I too, shall be!

Complete in Thee! no more shall sin,
Thy grace hath conquered, reign within;
Thy voice shall bid the tempter flee,
And I shall stand complete in Thee.

Complete in Thee— each want supplied,
And no good thing to me denied;
Since Thou my portion, Lord, wilt be,
I ask no more, complete in Thee.

Dear Saviour! when before Thy bar
All tribes and tongues assembled are,
Among Thy chosen will I be,
At Thy right hand, complete in Thee.

— Aaron R. Wolfe, 1821-1902
Refrain, James M. Gray, 1851-1935

Sound clip may be heard here.

No one understands like Jesus

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Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
Psalm 139:2

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:15-16

No one understands like Jesus.
He’s a friend beyond compare;
Meet Him at the throne of mercy;
He is waiting for you there.

No one understands like Jesus;
Ev’ry woe He sees and feels;
Tenderly He whispers comfort,
And the broken heart He heals.

No one understands like Jesus
When the foes of life assail;
You should never be discouraged;
Jesus cares and will not fail!

No one understands like Jesus
When you falter on the way;
Tho’ you fail Him, sadly fail Him,
He will pardon you today.

CHORUS:
No one understands like Jesus
When the days are dark and grim;
No one is so near, so dear as Jesus–
Cast your ev’ry care on Him!

Words and music by John W. Peterson. The story behind the hymn here.

Bible study on women

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I did a Bible word search this week just looking for verses with the words “woman” or “women” in them. I excluded the ones speaking about particular women or the ones with detailed instructions from the OT ceremonial law except for a couple where I felt the principle still carried over today. I was looking primary for general instruction to or descriptions of women in Scripture. Here is what I found, with little commentary:

  • Made in response to man’s loneliness (Gen. 2:18, I Corinthians 11:9)
  • Made a help meet or fit for man (Gen. 2:18 )
  • Made from rib of man (Gen. 2:22-23)
  • Affected by the Fall in the realm of marriage and childbirth (Gen. 3:16)
  • Offered unto the Lord with a willing heart (Ex 35:29)
  • Under authority of father or husband when making vows (Numbers 30)
  • Not to dress like man (Deut, 22:5)
  • Required, along with men, children, and strangers, to assemble to hear the Word of God, to learn, to fear Him, to observe His commands (Deuteronomy 31:12 and many other places)
  • Women in Jesus’ life ministered to Him (Matthew 27:55-56, Mark 15:40-41), ministered unto Jesus of their substance (Luke 8:1-3), worshipped (Matthew 26:7-13, Mark 14:3-9, Luke 7:36-50), lamented His crucifixion (Luke 23:27-28), watched at the cross (Matthew 27:55-56, Mark 15:40-41, Luke 23:49), followed afterward to see where He was buried and went home to prepare spices (Luke 23:55-56), came to the tomb Sunday morning (Matthew 28:1-10, Luke 24:1-11), continued ” with one accord in prayer and supplication” with the disciples and Mary after He arose (Acts 1:13-14)
  • Head of woman is the man (I Corinthians 11:3)
  • Prays and prophesies in church with head covered (I Corinthians 11:5)
  • Long hair is her glory and covering (I Corinthians 11:15)
  • There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. (II Corinthians 7:24)
  • Adorned with modesty, shamfacedness, sobriety, good works more than jewelry, elaborate hairstyles, etc. (I Timothy 2:9-10)
  • In the church is to learn in silence and not teach men or usurp authority over men (I Timothy 2:11-12; I Corinthians 14:34-35)
  • Good works: “Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.” (I Timothy 5:10)
  • Younger women encouraged to “marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.” (I Timothy 5:14)
  • Instructions to aged women: “that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” (Titus 2:2-5)
  • Subject to husbands (I Peter 3:1, Ephesians 5:22, Colossians 3:18 )
  • To reverence husband (Ephesians 5:33)
  • To have chaste conversation coupled with fear (I Peter 3:2) which will win lost husband more than words
  • To be adorned with the “ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price” (I Peter 3:3-6)

Negative descriptions of women

  • The strange woman: flatters with her words (Proverbs 6:24; 7:5, 21), forsakes the guide of her youth (parents?), forgets her covenant with God, her house and paths lead to death (Proverbs 2:16-19); her lips as a honeycomb, mouth smoother than oil, end bitter as wormword, sharper than two-edged sword, her feet go down to death, her steps take hold on hell; her ways are moveable – can’t know them; results in mourning when flesh and body are consumed; hunts for the precious life (Proverbs 6:26) wear attire of a harlot (Proverbs 7:10), is subtil of heart (Proverbs 7:10) loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house (Proverbs 7:11-12), impudent (Proverbs 7:13), fair of speech (Proverbs 7:21), wounds, slays, leads to death and hell (Proverbs 7:26-27); a narrow pit, lies in wait as for a prey, and increases the transgressors among men (Proverbs 23:27-28; 22:14); wisdom and discretion deliver from her (Proverbs 2:1-11; 5:1-2; 7:1-5); God’s commands will keep from her (Proverbs 6:20-24), also “evil woman” (Proverbs 6:24), “whorish woman” (Proverbs 6:26) “adultress” (Proverbs 6:26); (Ecclesiastes 7:26).
  • Outlandish women caused Solomon to sin (Nehemiah 13:26)
  • The adulterous woman claims to have done no wrong (Proverbs 30:20)
  • The foolish woman: clamorous, simple, knows nothing, lures men (Proverbs 9:13-18); plucks down her house (Proverbs 14:1; Job 2:10)
  • The discretionless woman is like a gold jewel in a pig’s snout (Proverbs 11:22)
  • A brawling woman (Proverbs 21:9; 25:24)
  • A contentious and angry woman (Proverbs 21:19), like a continual dropping (Proverbs 27:15-16)
  • An odious woman (Proverbs 30:23)
  • Careless (Isaiah 32:9-12)
  • Idle, wandering from house to house, tattlers, busybodies (I Timothy 5:13)
  • Silly women (II Timothy 3:6)

Positive descriptions of women:

  • “Willing-hearted” to give (Exodus 35:22)
  • Honorable women (Psalm 45:9)
  • “Wise-hearted” to spin fiber for the tabernacle (Exodus 35:26-27)
  • A gracious woman retains honour (Proverbs 11:16)
  • A virtuous woman crowns her husband (Proverbs 12:4), more valuable than rubies, trustworthy, does husband good, works willingly with her hands, brings food from afar, rises early, serves others, diligent, knowledgeable about fields and quality merchandise, industrious, helps the poor and needy, provides for her family, provides ahead of need, attentive to her clothing, strong, honorable, wise, kind, appreciated, God-fearing (Proverbs 31:10-31).
  • A wise woman builds her house (Proverbs 14:1)

Single Women:

With so much instruction to wives and mothers, what about single women whom God has not directed to or provided for marriage? Besides the general character instruction, the Bible says:

There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. (II Corinthians 7:24.)

All Christian life is to be a life of service, but the unmarried can serve the Lord “without distraction” (I Corinthians 7:35).

Some examples:

Anna (Luke 2:36-38 )
Mary and Martha
Lydia (Acts 16: 14-15)
Dorcas (Acts 9:36-42)

Thoughts on Inauguration Day

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  • For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another. Psalm 75:6-7.
  • Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. Daniel 2: 20-22.
  • I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 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 Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. I Timothy 2:1-4.
  • Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Romans 13:1-7.
  • It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes. Psalm 118:8-9.
  • Although Obama was not my choice for President, I believe ultimately God is in control of who is in office. For whatever reasons He has allowed Obama that responsibility for this season, our trust is in Him and not man. But He requires us to obey those in authority unless they ask us to violate Scripture (Acts 5:27-29), to honor them, and to pray for them.
  • Along those lines I can echo Melli’s prayer here and Albert Mohler’s here while sharing Linda’s reservations and concerns here.
  • Because we do live in a democracy, our leaders aren’t given carte blanche. We have the right, the privilege, and the responsibility to let our voice be heard in issues important to us in the years ahead.
  • I do celebrate the fact that, as a democracy, we can show the world a change of power without rioting and disarray in the country.
  • Although I differ with Obama in the areas of pro-life concerns and economics, I think he is personable and knowledgeable, and I celebrate the fact that an African-American has been elected. I still hope for the day when color truly doesn’t matter.
  • I’ve been dismayed by the attitude of the Bush-haters that I’ve seen on a few blogs and Facebook updates. My memory isn’t perfect by any means, but when Clinton was in office, for the most part I remember conservatives speaking out about his behavior and stands, but I don’t remember venomous comments against him as a person by more than just a couple of people. Then again, there weren’t blogs and Facebook then.

Repost: When afraid to surrender

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This was originally posted August 15, 2006. I am reposting it today because I needed to go over these thoughts again. I couldn’t sing “I Surrender All” last night in church — there was just a hesitancy to once again declare a relinquishment of everything, even though I have before.

Sometimes we wrestle with the thought, “If I really surrender all to God, what will He do to me?” Even if we have made that surrender before, that thought can come at odd moments. After all, Joni Eareckson Tada was paralyzed as a teen-ager and has been in a wheelchair for, I think, 30-some years. Elisabeth Elliot lost not one, but two husbands. A dear professor at BJU has had Lou Gehrig’s disease for 20 years before passing away. The apostle Paul’s ministry was certainly not all roses ands sunshine.….our minds can go on and on with other examples we know.

There have been whole books written about reasons for suffering, and we hear testimonies of God’s grace through those times. Yet that lurking fear or reluctance can still snake into our thoughts.

As I was pondering these things this morning, the thought came, “What’s the alternative, really?” Suffering will come to most of us in some form or another. We live in a fallen world and deal with its effects; we’re not in heaven yet, where there are no tears, sorrow, pain. We’re not going to stop these things from coming into our lives if we don’t surrender to God. We can’t somehow insulate ourselves or protect ourselves from any pain or trial.

But if we are the Lord’s, we can trust that He has a purpose in what He has allowed. We can trust Him for His presence, peace, grace, and help. If we’re surrendered to Him, we can face these things in a way that we can’t otherwise.

One comment that stayed with me from a forgotten article about a trial a lady faced was this: “I was glad, when this happened, that He was not a stranger to me.” It’s certainly better to face a trial with Him rather than apart from Him. Sometimes He does work through the trials of life to bring people to Himself from their position as a stranger to Him, or to bring His children back from a backslidden position, or draw His children closer. But after that, we can “glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:3-5).

We need not hold back our wills from the Lord for fear of what might happen. It’s futile to do so, really. But even aside from that, we can face whatever He sees fit to allow into our lives knowing that He will work all things together for good to them that love God (Romans 8:2) and by relying on His promises:

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 (Isaiah 41:10).
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (II Corinthians 12:8-10).

As I was going over this again, I thought sometimes the issue isn’t so much what He might do to me, but what He might ask me to give up. But, really, is anything worth holding onto if He wants us to relinquish it? When this life is over and we get to eternity, will we look back with regret over the petty things we let keep us from being fully and completely yielded?