"In every circumstance in life, prayer is the most natural outpouring of the soul, the unhindered turning to God for communion and direction. Whether in sorrow or in joy, in defeat or in victory, in weakness or in health, in calamity or in success, the heart leaps to meet with God, ...just as the child runs to his mother's arms, ever sure that her sympathy will meet every need." ~E.M. Bounds
"Master, which [is] the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." Matthew 22:36-37
"He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself." Luke 10:26-27
"He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." Matthew 10:37
I have decided to set a new goal for myself for each week in my pursuit of godliness and femininity. Most of you know my convictions about outward femininity, but the femininity I will be focusing on here is the inward femininity, the condition of my heart. I invite you to take this journey with me, and perhaps we can be of encouragement to each other along the way.
My goal for this week: Love Jesus More!
More than my husband, more than my children, more than things of the world. More than comforts, more than my own life, God is deserving of more. God created me, He formed me in my mother's womb. Before He gave me conception, He knew me and loved me. He gave me breath of life, He had guided and protected me thus far in my life, and He will not fail to continue to do so. He always has time to listen, to hear, and to respond to me, lowly me. Jesus did for ME on the cross, for MY sins and transgressions He was beaten and bruised and for ME He gave up the spirit. For me He conquered death and paved a way to Heaven if I would only believe! He has longsuffering toward me, He reprimands me and directs me to the correct paths. He is deserving of all of my love, devotion, adoration, and praise. Our Lord makes it clear that anyone who loves anyone more than Him is not worthy of Him, and oh how I strive to be worthy, although I know it is impossible, for in myself I would never be.
Of course, as a wife, my relationship with my husband should be a picture of the Church's relationship with Christ, so my wonderful husband is my second most important relationship to cultivate, to love Him as I would Christ, but my relationship with God still remains number one.
In the effort to keep the law of the Old Covenant, you miss the mark of Grace completely. In your fruitless effort to walk in the oldness of the letter {"But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not [in] the oldness of the letter." Romans 7:6} , you shun the Word of the New Covenant in favor of the impossible law of the flesh. I have given blatant statements from God's Word in the Bible which we call the New Testament, which is the New Covenant, covered in Christ's blood rather than the useless blood of sacrificed animals, and you have oh so eagerly disregarded, dismissed, and criminalized it as if it couldn't possibly say what it does. Is God's Word not meant to be taken literally except when otherwise instructed? Is the New Testament (synonymous with the New Covenant) any less God's Word than was the Old Covenant with the Israelites? No, but rather it is of MORE consequence to the saved, as it brings Grace in place of condemnation, and it brings the final blood of Christ, the fulfillment of EVERYTHING that the old letter, the law of flesh, stood to define and foreshadow!
When God said that there was no more Jew or Gentile, He did not say that saved Gentiles were transformed into Jews, or that saved Jews were to be held as Gentiles. No! Rather there is no longer EITHER in Christ Jesus! Once saved, we are now a "new breed," the Church, God's people of the New Covenant! Praise God almighty for Grace! Free from the bondage and condemnation of a law of flesh that NO MAN can possibly keep! ONLY in Christ does one find freedom from sin and condemnation that the law brings to sinners {"[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:1-2}, and since no one can serve two masters, NO ONE can serve under the old letter of the law, which condemns ANY that cannot keep it to the letter (which, if you remember, is NO ONE), and serve under the law of the Spirit in Christ at the same time. The old letter condemns, Christ offer's Grace that the Law shuns fervently, as evident in previous responses to the Scriptures of Grace and Liberty that I have offered.
It is IMPOSSIBLE to keep the Law, since we are fallible beings bound in flesh and prone to sin in the natural state of man, and since it is an all-or-nothing deal. THAT is what made Grace necessary. THAT is why a NEW COVENANT sealed in the Blood of Christ Jesus was made. Our Lord reiterated EVERY point essential to the New Covenant in His ministry on earth, as well as did the Spirit sent by Jesus as a Comforter and guide, moving in His apostles and disciples during their ministry. You ask "What are the specific 'Laws of Grace' and what are the specific 'rules' that I am suppose to follow under this New Covenant?" Honestly, the heart of that is saving works, which NONE of you will attest to, I am sure, but if you are truly seeking, just read your Bible! The New Testament under the Spirit-led understanding of what it is, a New Covenant to God's people! Especially the four Gospels, for that is the summary from Christ Himself!
Where the New Testament or New Covenant contradicts the old letter, the New Covenant letter takes precedent for the saved believer. And there ARE undeniable contradictions. The Old Covenant required much killing/stoning to death of sinners (adulterers, rebellious youth, those who would eat knowingly of food that had been sacrificed to idols, etc) as a purification because no amount of animal blood, no matter HOW spotless the lamb, could cleanse those people of their sin, it was a foreshadowing of the True Lamb of God. In stark contrast, the New Covenant requires Grace and Forgiveness instead of killing. Remember the woman caught in adultery? They were following the old letter (which was still in effect while Jesus walked this earth, mind you, the law was not fulfilled until He was crucified, buried, resurrected, and ascended to the right hand of God) which SHOULD have been perfectly acceptable, the punishment fit the crime, but NO! Jesus stepped in to make a CHANGE, to establish the New Covenant of Grace! You CANNOT have both! The old covenant commanded for God's people to abstain from eating certain meats, but in contrast (or in contradiction) the New Covenant of Christ expressly and specifically condemns this teaching (specifically for "them which believe and know the truth" or for the saved) and calls it no less than false teachings and hypocrisy!! (See 1 Timothy 4:1-7) You CANNOT have both! And those are only two examples!!
It is impossible for man to be joined to the old law and to Christ at the same time. The Bible outright calls it ADULTERY!!! "So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become DEAD TO THE LAW by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God" Romans 7:3-4 Once, God's people (Israel) were called to be joined or married to the law. NOW God's people are called to be joined to Christ, which is likened unto marriage as well. Just as a woman is committing adultery if she marries another while her previous husband is still living, so are WE as CHRISTIANS committing adultery against our LORD JESUS CHRIST if we seek to stay under the old letter, to be joined to Him as well as to the old law! Rather than commit adultery, at regeneration, the Spirit makes us DEAD to the law so that we may be joined together with Christ as His Church, as His Bride. YOU CANNOT HAVE BOTH!!!
The old letter of the law appeals to the flesh. The idea of do this, do that, to prove your faith to God. Does God not know your heart? I'm sure that we can all understand that it 'feels good' or pleases our flesh to feel like we are doing something to prove ourselves as worthy of this free gift that we undeservingly received at regeneration, but attempting to keep the Old Covenant while calling other believers who understand the Law of Grace sinners because they don't try to keep a useless (for the saved believer) law of flesh is NOT the answer! The answer for those who are seeking is grace, forgiveness, love, and charity! The answer is the Law of Grace, or the Law of the Spirit in Christ rather than the old letter of the law. You cannot have both.
The Law is not void. It has it's place to bring sinners to repentance under the Schoolmaster (which is the law of the old covenant), but when the Spirit enters in at the point of salvation in Christ, we are under the Schoolmaster no longer. {"But BEFORE faith came, we were kept UNDER THE LAW, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore THE LAW WAS OUR SCHOOLMASTER to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are NO LONGER UNDER A SCHOOLMASTER." Galatians 3:23-25} Attempting to keep the old law of flesh breeds pride and indignation, as proven by Israel's response to their Messiah, specifically the Pharisees (the 'holiest' of men of the time because they kept and taught the strict adherence to the law of Moses) that Jesus was constantly rebuking because they were missing the point(!), as well as the fellow Christian's response to this testimony of Grace vs. the law. The Pharisees ended up being the ones (as foretold) to murder our precious Lord Jesus (by His Will alone, He gave up His Spirit, no one took it from Him) because the Law is flesh, and the flesh is ALWAYS at war with the Spirit, even from the time and evidence of Cain and Abel.
The law is flesh, it was man's way to try to get into God's favor. It was all about what man must do to get to God. (Granted, it was all they had before Christ, but that's not the case with us, is it?) The Spirit ("law of Grace") [Romans 8:2] is Spirit. The flesh and the Spirit CANNOT live together, or be joined together. You cannot be both in the flesh and in the Spirit! It is IMPOSSIBLE!! {"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you." Romans 8:9a} The old covenant that was given to Moses at Sinai for God's chosen nation of Israel which was sealed in the spiritually worthless repeated animal blood offerings CANNOT live in union with the New Covenant given to ALL who would believe (God's 'new' chosen people because of the rejection of His own [remember the parable of the wedding banquet], the Church) which is sealed in the eternal cleansing Blood of the spotless Lamb of God, Christ Jesus, as the ONLY sacrifice to EVER wash ANYONE clean of their sins!! There is no union there, ONLY contradiction! You cannot live under condemnation (which the old letter of the law imparts to ANYONE under it, specifically it is intended for the unrepentant sinner to bring him to Christ, remember?) and be free from condemnation (which Grace through and by Christ Jesus supplies the regenerate believer) at the same time!! It is HYPOCRISY, as 1 Timothy calls it for the saved believer! It is ADULTERY as Galatians calls it for the saved believer!!!
As regenerate (saved, born again, redeemed) believers washed in the everlasting Blood of the Spotless Lamb of God, we are no longer under the Schoolmaster or the law (since the faith is come, see Galatians 3:23-25), or the condemnation thereof, but rather under the New Covenant of Grace in the Spirit through Christ Jesus. There can be NO double standard, and for those in Christ, there is only one: The New Covenant of the New Testament. I implore you, as regenerate believers, "choose ye this day whom you will serve," for you cannot serve both God and the flesh, you cannot serve both under the condemnation of the old letter and under the Grace of Christ as well. It is impossible. It is adultery. It is hypocrisy. It cannot co-exist because it contradicts. You are either a lost sinner under the condemnation of the law, or you are a saved, regenerate believer under the Grace of Christ.
This response is offered in humility and prayer as my final response on this topic. I already know it is going to be met with the same bitter pride, disdain, and disregard that have already been shown thus far, so I leave it in prayer out of a contrite heart. As a testimony, I have myself walked in the shoes of legalism. I am not proud of that, but it is true. I have been in your shoes, and not that long ago either. (Maybe a year or two ago?) I thank God for showing me the Truth, though, in light of the New Covenant of Christ. I have been in your shoes, and honestly, that is not something that you can say to me. I pray that the Spirit may work in your hearts and lead you to the law of Grace in the New Testament under Christ so that you too may experience the fulfilling FREEDOM in Christ. Amen.
"In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works."
1 Timothy 2:9-10
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another."
Galatians 5:22:26
"Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;"
Philippians 2:14-15
I have decided to set a new goal for myself for each week in my pursuit of godliness and femininity. Most of you know my convictions about outward femininity, but the femininity I will be focusing on here is the inward femininity, the condition of my heart. I invite you to take this journey with me, and perhaps we can be of encouragement to each other along the way.
My goal for this week: Philippians 2:14. I am going to do ALL things without "murmuring" or complaining. God put me where I am for a reason, and conditions beyond my control are not worth complaining about, and if I put myself into any undesirable situation, I have no one but myself to blame and don't need to complain because it's only myself to blame.
"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
Hebrews 13:5
"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need."
Philippians 4:11-12
I'm sure that it's safe to say that we have all experienced, ya know, "those days" where everything that could go wrong, well, DID! Kids were more "kid-like" than normal (disrespectful, disobedient, you know the type), the house looks like a bomb went off or a train hit it one, and it seems like every time you are turning around you are either comforting a screaming little or scolding another for doing something that they know they shouldn't do. Dinner is burnt because you had to spend the last ten minutes refereeing a squabbling match over who had the toy first, the husband comes home having had a bad day at work and seems to be blissfully unaware of the chaos surrounding the days events for you (God bless him!), and at the end of it all, once you have finally succumbed to the lull of fast food for dinner (that you know you can't really afford anyway) and wrestled the last of the offspring into bed with orders to stay put "or else," you just want to collapse, curl up in a ball in a corner and cry, or both!
Do you know those days??
I know I sure do.
Having trod this road for only five years, through the births of five little ones, the loss of one at nine weeks gestation, and currently carrying our next joyous blessing now, I have learned a bit of truth concerning days like this. I know that I am by NO means a seasoned veteran (yet!), but perhaps I can offer what little bit I have that has come to comfort and help me.
Lower your expectations.
Seriously, in all compassionate i'm-crying-right-there-beside-you honesty, days only feel as bad as we make them out to be.
1 - Kids will be kids, meaning that inherent natural state of man WILL show it's ugly head MANY times before the age of 18, and often after that as well! We cannot expect them to be perfect. We can't even expect them to follow the rules all of the time without constantly being reminded and reprimanded. They are children. Do you remember being a child? I do. I did a lot of stupid stuff that I KNEW would get me into trouble. Why did I do it? Just 'cause. I felt like it. I dunno. I HAD no reasons, because I was a child lacking True conviction. Just like all children do. Just like all unregenerate, unsaved people do. Expect your children to be children, and don't be surprised when you have to get on their case a LOT (especially on those days when you really need them to behave, cause they have a knack for honing in on those days and being especially disruptive!) and be firm (cause they will walk on you if they sense you are a doormat, be a pillar!), calm (because YOU are the adult and their role model, refuse to stoop to the same level as your whiny, screaming, sobbing [in front of them] loud children!), and consistent (because nothing sends discipline attempts awry like inconsistency in what you discipline and how) with discipline. If you have to, do what I have done this week after an especially defiant week and take all the toys away and have them sit on blankets, not to move unless potty break or otherwise instructed, looking at picture books. Note you will have to be with them at all times to prevent them from getting up and running around, but once they know you mean business, they will stay put. Tomato staking at it's best. Regardless of if you believe in physical "trips to the woodshed" type discipline, the concept of tomato staking is for everyone with small children, especially those rough and tough independent minded I'm gonna do it MY way type kids..... I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE!! lol <3
2 - The house WILL get messy during the day, especially when we have multiple children and we have multiple things going on at once all throughout the day. I do tidying during the day, the kids (when they have toy privileges) take four or five breaks during the day to clean up their toys (or else they lose them, because toys and "stuff" are privileges, and we need to treat that privilege with respect and obey our parents [Ephesians 6:1, have them memorize that one] or lose it.... cause that's how I roll.....) Save the major cleaning for AFTER bedtimes, even though I KNOW that you just want to fall into bed (been there almost daily!! I feel ya!), but Trust me, you'll feel a lot better plodding through an extra hour or two at night to be able to wake up to a clean house, ready to do it all over again! And at the end of the day, the house is still a house, your children are vessels of immortal souls. Which do you really think God will judge you more for on Judgement Day?? I'll give you three guesses. :-)
3 - Get over the crunchy mommy guilt and accept that fast food is okay periodically, as long as you are informed of the place that you choose. Personally, it takes a lot of money (that we don't have) to eat out, so I usually keep a stock of dry beans, bouillon cubes, and chicken or beef stock just in case we have a burnout night. Might not be the tastiest dinner ever, but even picky kids will eat anything if they are truly hungry. They won't starve themselves, that's for sure. ;-) They will learn that we have what we have, and that's it. Take it or leave it. Personally, I think that is a life lesson that needs to be taught at a young age, and with consistency throughout life, because it breeds contentment.
4 - MOST importantly, LEARN to be content. Content in everything. Content in whatever situation you are in, because situations, most of the time, cannot be prevented, but the way you take it and handle it can be altered. Content with what you have, because always wanting what is just out of your reach for the present time will cause you to miss out on everything that you DO have within your grasp. What seems insignificant now is what will really matter in the future.
I will leave you with a quote from Mother Theresa. One of those print it out and put it on the fridge type quotes:
"There is always the danger that we may just do the work for the sake of the work. This is where the respect and the love and the devotion come in- that we do it to God, to Christ, and that's why we try to do it as beautifully as possible."
"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."
1 Corinthians 10:31
Remember who your True Master is, and do everything for Him! Every time you wipe a runny nose, yes even the umpteen-millionth time, do it for God! Each time you correct your child, do so in boldness knowing that you are training up the next generation for Christ. Each dish is for the glory of God, even when the dish-washing machine is broken or even non-existent! Most of all, rest in contentment, knowing that circumstance are temporary, and we don't have to live under them, by God's grace alone we CAN rise above them and simply:
Do the best we can with what we have.
Without murmuring, without dispute, without complaint or ungratefulness, we can, by the power of the Spirit in us.
When you doubt your own abilities, turn and rest in God's ability through you, for we can do all things through Christ who strengthen us, right?
Of course it's right! It's in the Bible!
Be encouraged, be blessed, He will never leave us or forsake us, and the righteous who run to Him are safe.
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
2 Timothy 2:15
We are called to not only be Hearers and Doers of the Word (James 1:22), but also to be students of the Word.
This means that we are to crack open our Bibles more than just on Sundays, Wednesday nights, and at an occasional group Bible meeting. This also means independent, daily study. Yes, I said Daily. In addition to any family devotions that may be scheduled. The more time we spend in God's Holy Word, the better we can "rightly divide the word of truth" and the closer to God's will we will be. God leads no one apart from His Word, and without it as a daily constant in our lives, we will grow lukewarm and stagnate towards the things of God.
I am not saying that we all need to take hours a day to study out a whole book of the Bible, but I am saying that independent study is necessary, and it is up to us to figure out to what extent we can take it. Even if it is just reading a Psalm before bed, or in the morning when we wake up, or even while rocking or nursing a little one, it would all be beneficial.
Honestly, though, I believe this is something we can all work on. Yes, even me. It should not be about trying to fit God into your life schedule, it should be about fitting in your life around your time with God, your time at Jesus' feet. We take over three hours to consume food for the physical body every day, so why can we not take five minutes to feed the spiritual body the Meat of the Word? Why is it so difficult, and why do so many excuses present themselves?
I'll tell you why, Satan. He doesn't want you in God's Word, because then any temptation that he may dangle over your head will be more easily exposed. When you get closer to God, you get farther from the flesh and from Satan, and the Devil doesn't like that. Not one bit.
Will you take this challenge with me?
Will you take the first steps with me to getting deeper into God's Word as a student so that we may more rightly divide the word of truth?
One chapter a day, five minutes in prayer and reflection on that chapter independently (apart from family devotions), do you think that would be possible?
It's high time God got His place back in our lives as first and foremost, don't you agree?
Now, don't get me wrong. I am NOT at all complaining about my husband having a job. We are blessed with this opportunity for him to earn an income to support his family, and I am very thankful. However, these nights wreak havoc on my nerves. It's one of those things where every little sound makes me practically jump out of my skin, ya know? It's dark, it's quiet, not to mention I already have anxiety issues, and my husband, my guardian and protector, is not here. I have his gun, but I doubt my ability to use it. Not that I would hesitate shooting an intruder, but what if I couldn't get to it in time? I can't exactly carry his Glock 23 on my hip, I don't have a proper belt! Oh, I wish I had a BIG dog! I want to get one so badly. Especially now. :-/ Maybe a Great Pyrenees, a German Shepherd, or a Saint Bernard! I have always wanted a St. Bernard because after their puppy days, they are quite content and lazy animals, and my kids would love nothing more than a sweet neutered male to roll around on! LOVE their temperament. :-) We want a Great Pyrenees to raise with any livestock we might get to be the flock protector (when we have flocks), and German Shepherds aren't my first pick, but they are very protective and intimidating because everyone knows them as the Police Dogs. I have met some sweet German Shepherds in my lifetime, but they are a bit high strung for my liking, especially with small children.
God is my refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Still, counting the hours and trying to convince myself to sleep. Not likely with my brain on overload, but worth the wistful thought anyway. Off to finish tackling this mountain of clean laundry and put some good ol' Gospel music on the PC to try to ease my mind and stop my ears from hearing every. little. noise.
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