I don't wear skirts to look weird and to not fit in...I really don't like sticking out in a crowd. I'd much rather fit in.
I don't want to be out of style, and be considered strange.
And I am not one to want to offend anyone. I love harmony and peace. I hate to cause division and I loathe arguments.
But I REALLY don't want to offend my Lord and my sisters and brothers in the Lord. And I am not one bit ashamed of the choices I've made.
These are a few reasons why I choose to wear shirts/dresses....each of these reasons should have a paragraph or more added for clarification, but for brevity sake, I will just list them.
1. History: my Mother and Grandmothers wore skirts all the time. They modeled respectful modesty to me. They are and were strong respected women.
2. Modesty: Skirts are generally much more modest for the female figure; I am glad that I am a female. God made many distinctions between male and females. We are to be glad and prosper in the decisions God has made for us.
3. Role Models: The women I honor in Christan ministry wear skirts all the time.
4. Signals: People are more respectful to a woman dressed in a skirt/dress.: I have seen this in my students, my colleagues and my acquaintances.
5. More signals: Men look at women's backsides... they can't help it I think...
I'd rather a man be drawn to my face and my smile; I want to reflect the love of God.
6. More signals: Pants generally emphasize a woman's backside, crotch and legs, so wearing pants draws attention to that part of one's body. Women usually desire men to look at them, there is nothing wrong with that, but to purposely draw a man's (other than your husband) attention to your body for impure reasons is morally wrong.
7. Modelling: My daughter wears skirts all the time. I want to be a role model of respect and modesty for the next generation.
8. Scriptures: The word "abomination" is used in reference to a woman putting on man's apparel. In the Scriptures...the word abomination means that God is sickened and repulsed by the behavior. Human sacrifice and idol worship are also considered abominations to the Lord. It is a strong word and it needs to be heeded.
9. Protection: The enemy of our souls and his demonic forces are attracted to rebellion of any kind and since I have a tendency to rebel, I want to RUN from doing anything that would attract evil. I want to attract the Holy Spirit and angelic powers.
10. My boys: My sons have never had to wonder about my role and identity. They honor me and their sister highly. Dressing modestly and respectfully has only raised their level of respect for women.
11. My husband chose me. I want to be the lady he chose. He could have chosen another girl with different values, but he chose me. I want to be loyal, true and faithful like the Lord. I want to be beautiful to him and to my Lord.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Stupendous on the outside, wormy rotten on the inside...
He was dazzling, so unbelievably good looking in his attire, and hair...well, the whole package was glorious. So glorious that those watching and listening to him began to worship him. Who am I writing about? Herod. Acts 12
He accepted the worship that God alone deserved and loved it. God struck him down and filled his belly with some type of worms which literally ate his internal organs and he died. Usually worms don't get to invade a body until it is dead. Perhaps this was God's mercy, so that Herod had a space of time to repent.
BEFORE THIS THOUGH, Herod had harassed the people of God and imprisoned the preacher, Peter. God does not like it when his people are in pain. When Peter was imprisoned for preaching the Gospel, the church people gathered and prayed and prayed for his release. Their prayers moved God to send an angel to open the prison gates and release him from the chains that were connecting his body to that of the guards.
Acts12: 21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 23And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
Job also mentioned worms; he knew that the worms would eventually come to his body too. Job 19:25-26 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
Job chose to believe God in spite of what his eyes told him. He was so rewarded and blessed for this faith...so blessed.
So what about us today?
Take everything to God in prayer.
Don't ever be tempted to worship a human.
Remember that what appears beautiful may be the casing of a bunch of very well fed worms.
I know people that are dating very good looking people that are rotten on the inside. Be deep, look beyond the outside...look for the one God has for you. They will grow more and more attractive as time goes on. That is God's way.
He accepted the worship that God alone deserved and loved it. God struck him down and filled his belly with some type of worms which literally ate his internal organs and he died. Usually worms don't get to invade a body until it is dead. Perhaps this was God's mercy, so that Herod had a space of time to repent.
BEFORE THIS THOUGH, Herod had harassed the people of God and imprisoned the preacher, Peter. God does not like it when his people are in pain. When Peter was imprisoned for preaching the Gospel, the church people gathered and prayed and prayed for his release. Their prayers moved God to send an angel to open the prison gates and release him from the chains that were connecting his body to that of the guards.
Acts12: 21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 23And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
Job also mentioned worms; he knew that the worms would eventually come to his body too. Job 19:25-26 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
Job chose to believe God in spite of what his eyes told him. He was so rewarded and blessed for this faith...so blessed.
So what about us today?
Take everything to God in prayer.
Don't ever be tempted to worship a human.
Remember that what appears beautiful may be the casing of a bunch of very well fed worms.
I know people that are dating very good looking people that are rotten on the inside. Be deep, look beyond the outside...look for the one God has for you. They will grow more and more attractive as time goes on. That is God's way.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Camp Galilee
The ministry we may have with the most enduring impact may be that of children and youth. Adults can be pretty set...even though they are hungry and may repent and follow the Lord.. it is children that are truly the heart beat of God and
when we bring God's love to them, they never forget His touch and influence.
I still remember those that were extra kind to me in school and church as a little kid. The tiny gifts and compliments are etched in my memory.
There are so many adults that push children aside...maybe not physically but in their attitude. Children sense and know who is really of God. Their tender spirits are so pure.
Ego in the ministry may be why many preachers overlook kid's ministry. A preacher can boast about how much money they raised and gave to some ministry or how many new buildings that were built or purchased....but to the Lord all of that can be washed away as quickly as the Japanese Tsunami.
It's the little ones that are the key!
I applaud those involved in Summer Bible Camps like Camp Galilee, Bible quizzing coaches, youth workers, evangelists, Sunday School and Kid's Bible hour teachers and all those that are quietly THERE with their prayer, love and support.
God Bless you all! Don't quit, keep going...our next generation needs you.
when we bring God's love to them, they never forget His touch and influence.
I still remember those that were extra kind to me in school and church as a little kid. The tiny gifts and compliments are etched in my memory.
There are so many adults that push children aside...maybe not physically but in their attitude. Children sense and know who is really of God. Their tender spirits are so pure.
Ego in the ministry may be why many preachers overlook kid's ministry. A preacher can boast about how much money they raised and gave to some ministry or how many new buildings that were built or purchased....but to the Lord all of that can be washed away as quickly as the Japanese Tsunami.
It's the little ones that are the key!
I applaud those involved in Summer Bible Camps like Camp Galilee, Bible quizzing coaches, youth workers, evangelists, Sunday School and Kid's Bible hour teachers and all those that are quietly THERE with their prayer, love and support.
God Bless you all! Don't quit, keep going...our next generation needs you.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Even God used credit cards.
Satan knew that God longed to do something about the state of man's lost soul. He knew the old prophecies from the Scriptures. He knew that nothing but blood would pay off the debts that had accrued. And not just any blood would pay this huge bill either; it had to be God's own blood! Did God have blood, no! God is a Spirit! But God knew how to attain that blood. He knew that if he became human, or flesh, he could pay for the huge debt of sin.
Romans 5:9," being now justified by his blood"
Revelation 1:5..."and washed us from our sins with his own blood."
Satan may have said to God, "Look in your wallet, God, whad'ya got? Got enough to pay me to free these slaves on MINE?" If God had a wallet, it was just full of credit cards. Each credit card was maxed out, too! To pay off the enormous debt once and for all, Jesus had to pay with HIS OWN BLOOD.
Yes, God used credit....every time there was a blood sacrifice in the Old Testament, God was pushing his debt ahead; he was buying time. He pushed ahead the price of atonement for sins. After a man came and brought his sacrifice to the priest, he left the place of sacrifice and worship free from sin....for the time being anyway.
Satan knew that Jesus was God incarnate; God with us. God had planned to make a body specially prepared to be used to pay the final payment. Hebrews 10:4-5 "For [it is] not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:"
Jesus was not one part of the Godhead, or a part of deity, he was GOD residing in a body!
Don't ever be confused by the writings of some "theologian". Read the Scriptures, they illuminate themselves! God prepared a body...to move into...to inhabit..to live in for a divine purpose. Bethlehem was the birthplace of God's flesh or Son. The Son of God was not separate from God, he was God with skin on. There is only one God!
Think of this for a minute...for the last few months of Jesus' life, Satan kept getting more and more anxious. He knew that Jesus could have called on his angels to rescue him. So, Satan was not really sure what was going to happen. But when Jesus did NOT call for angelic assistance, but rather took the normal course of human crucifixion, he was shocked!
Satan thought, JESUS WAS JUST GOING TO TAKE IT?
He really was going to let them KILL HIM????
So, when Jesus breathed his last breath, Satan got excited...very excited! He knew that he had KILLED GOD! He knew God had nothing left in his wallet, he was BROKE! Bankrupt!
When Satan saw Jesus arrested, crucified, and heard him say, "It is finished!", Satan thought he had truly killed God. He reveled in the "fact" that he had finally won the BIGGEST BATTLE. He was the WORLD'S HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION! Now he could truly reign on the earth. Now, "I will finally be the only one worshiped", he surmised.
But on the third day.....
THE DEBTS WERE PAID OFF IN FULL FOREVERMORE. Jesus arose from the dead, you see only the body or flesh, or Son had died, not GOD. God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself.
Jesus cut up his paid off credit cards to never need them again.
He had paid the ultimate price; never to need credit again. Everything was paid off and paid for, EVERYTHING.
Our salvation-redemption, healing, encouragement, miracles, eternal life, heaven, was paid for once and for all by the precious blood of Jesus.
How could anyone walk away from such a savior? Don't let doubts and fears block you from totally trusting Jesus, our REDEEMER.
1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Romans 5:9," being now justified by his blood"
Revelation 1:5..."and washed us from our sins with his own blood."
Satan may have said to God, "Look in your wallet, God, whad'ya got? Got enough to pay me to free these slaves on MINE?" If God had a wallet, it was just full of credit cards. Each credit card was maxed out, too! To pay off the enormous debt once and for all, Jesus had to pay with HIS OWN BLOOD.
Yes, God used credit....every time there was a blood sacrifice in the Old Testament, God was pushing his debt ahead; he was buying time. He pushed ahead the price of atonement for sins. After a man came and brought his sacrifice to the priest, he left the place of sacrifice and worship free from sin....for the time being anyway.
Satan knew that Jesus was God incarnate; God with us. God had planned to make a body specially prepared to be used to pay the final payment. Hebrews 10:4-5 "For [it is] not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:"
Jesus was not one part of the Godhead, or a part of deity, he was GOD residing in a body!
Don't ever be confused by the writings of some "theologian". Read the Scriptures, they illuminate themselves! God prepared a body...to move into...to inhabit..to live in for a divine purpose. Bethlehem was the birthplace of God's flesh or Son. The Son of God was not separate from God, he was God with skin on. There is only one God!
Think of this for a minute...for the last few months of Jesus' life, Satan kept getting more and more anxious. He knew that Jesus could have called on his angels to rescue him. So, Satan was not really sure what was going to happen. But when Jesus did NOT call for angelic assistance, but rather took the normal course of human crucifixion, he was shocked!
Satan thought, JESUS WAS JUST GOING TO TAKE IT?
He really was going to let them KILL HIM????
So, when Jesus breathed his last breath, Satan got excited...very excited! He knew that he had KILLED GOD! He knew God had nothing left in his wallet, he was BROKE! Bankrupt!
When Satan saw Jesus arrested, crucified, and heard him say, "It is finished!", Satan thought he had truly killed God. He reveled in the "fact" that he had finally won the BIGGEST BATTLE. He was the WORLD'S HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION! Now he could truly reign on the earth. Now, "I will finally be the only one worshiped", he surmised.
But on the third day.....
THE DEBTS WERE PAID OFF IN FULL FOREVERMORE. Jesus arose from the dead, you see only the body or flesh, or Son had died, not GOD. God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself.
Jesus cut up his paid off credit cards to never need them again.
He had paid the ultimate price; never to need credit again. Everything was paid off and paid for, EVERYTHING.
Our salvation-redemption, healing, encouragement, miracles, eternal life, heaven, was paid for once and for all by the precious blood of Jesus.
How could anyone walk away from such a savior? Don't let doubts and fears block you from totally trusting Jesus, our REDEEMER.
1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Monday, February 7, 2011
I know God rested on the seventh day, but what did he do while he was resting?
Have you ever thought of this? The other day I was thinking about the need and the blessing of having a day of rest and I began to ponder about the Lord's rest day; the Sabbath.
We are to enter into his rest, or as I choose to think, enter into his presence; give God our full, undivided attention. But God did not need to give himself attention. Or did he?
"For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his."....Hebrew 4:10
The writer of Hebrews states that God ceased or stopped doing his own works...God had been working feverishly for six creative days. Then he stopped his work his creativity and work to rest.
Health professionals tell us that a woman who gives birth expends so much emotional and physical energy that quite often she can suffer afterwards with a time of feeling very low. It has been called post-partum depression or "the baby blues". It's a time to restore and rebuild the heart, mind and body. It is a time for her family and loved ones to be extra kind and helpful.
God did not lose any strength while creating the world, but maybe he needed to step back and restore his perspective and reflect. No one really knows, but the Bible does say that we were make in the image of God. So, maybe the day of rest is to be a day of restoring our perspective and time of reflection. Whatever God did on his day of rest we may not know until we see him, but, he gave us an example to follow and I must say, that the Sabbath or day of rest is a wonderful day to be restored and refreshed.
We are to enter into his rest, or as I choose to think, enter into his presence; give God our full, undivided attention. But God did not need to give himself attention. Or did he?
"For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his."....Hebrew 4:10
The writer of Hebrews states that God ceased or stopped doing his own works...God had been working feverishly for six creative days. Then he stopped his work his creativity and work to rest.
Health professionals tell us that a woman who gives birth expends so much emotional and physical energy that quite often she can suffer afterwards with a time of feeling very low. It has been called post-partum depression or "the baby blues". It's a time to restore and rebuild the heart, mind and body. It is a time for her family and loved ones to be extra kind and helpful.
God did not lose any strength while creating the world, but maybe he needed to step back and restore his perspective and reflect. No one really knows, but the Bible does say that we were make in the image of God. So, maybe the day of rest is to be a day of restoring our perspective and time of reflection. Whatever God did on his day of rest we may not know until we see him, but, he gave us an example to follow and I must say, that the Sabbath or day of rest is a wonderful day to be restored and refreshed.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
If "faith without works is dead" then faith with works is abundant LIFE.
If it is impossible to please God without faith, then putting our faith in action must really please our Lord.
What are you having doubts and fears about? Try trusting God in a brand new fresh way! Walk out on that glassy sea and find Jesus there to hold you.
I am personally trusting God in a new way. I am a bit nervous, but I have seen the Lord come through for me so many times in the past, I'm convinced that is pleased already.
I dare you...try trusting God in a new way.
What are you having doubts and fears about? Try trusting God in a brand new fresh way! Walk out on that glassy sea and find Jesus there to hold you.
I am personally trusting God in a new way. I am a bit nervous, but I have seen the Lord come through for me so many times in the past, I'm convinced that is pleased already.
I dare you...try trusting God in a new way.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
When was the last time you felt overwhelming joy?
Has it been awhile? Has life and it's complications weighed you down to a point that your heart is heavy? Is your heart heavy right now as you read this? Financial problems? Relationship problems? Physical challenges? Spiritual problems? All of these and more can imprison our hearts.
It truly is God's will that our joy "might be full". The Lord knows that there will be plenty of things in life to weigh us down. We wouldn't know what joy felt like if there were never any problems. We can be in the middle of great difficulty and yet feel joy. HOW? BY KNOWING THAT GOD IS GOING TO BRING US OUT. Psalm 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. (read all of Ps.30)
Joy is God's will for us.
When we get trapped or tricked into doing something that is robs our joy, we look back and see our error, we CHANGE the only thing we can change; that is ourselves. We humble ourselves and make things right.
The joy will return when we go back and do it right the next time.
Maybe we were seduced into working at a job that was not God's will. Maybe we are in a relationship with someone who pulls us away from the Lord. Maybe we are using our human ingenuity and manipulation to do the work that only God can do.
Let's go back, repent and do it right this time. God will direct our lives by his still small voice. He will give us the right kind of friends that love us for who we really are. He will do a mighty work through us if we let him take control.
The joy is coming back to you...do you feel it already? Never let yourself be influenced and or deceived like that again.
It truly is God's will that our joy "might be full". The Lord knows that there will be plenty of things in life to weigh us down. We wouldn't know what joy felt like if there were never any problems. We can be in the middle of great difficulty and yet feel joy. HOW? BY KNOWING THAT GOD IS GOING TO BRING US OUT. Psalm 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. (read all of Ps.30)
Joy is God's will for us.
When we get trapped or tricked into doing something that is robs our joy, we look back and see our error, we CHANGE the only thing we can change; that is ourselves. We humble ourselves and make things right.
The joy will return when we go back and do it right the next time.
Maybe we were seduced into working at a job that was not God's will. Maybe we are in a relationship with someone who pulls us away from the Lord. Maybe we are using our human ingenuity and manipulation to do the work that only God can do.
Let's go back, repent and do it right this time. God will direct our lives by his still small voice. He will give us the right kind of friends that love us for who we really are. He will do a mighty work through us if we let him take control.
The joy is coming back to you...do you feel it already? Never let yourself be influenced and or deceived like that again.
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