Young women are to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. – Titus 2:4-5
This is a great message by Paul Washer for all women, young and old alike to watch. Actually, men will benefit too.
Blessings, Pam
Recovering Biblical Womanhood by Paul Washer | illbehonest.com.
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the Glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31
How many of us can honestly say that all we do glorifies God? This causes me to question many things I do. Starting with the obvious things in my life.
1. My job. Do I glorify God at work? In my relations with other people throughout the day, do people walk away from me with a sense of joy they didn’t have before? Would others say of me that I glorify God? My actions, words and attitude should mirror that of Christ. Do they? I have to admit that they do not always. Many times I become influenced by my surroundings rather then my surroundings being influenced by me.
2. At home do I glorify God? Does my conversation with my husband bring Him Glory? Does my attitude towards my husband and children point to Christ? Not always. Home should be the first place to start in honoring the Lord in all things. I would hope and pray that my family sees Christ in me. In my reactions to stressful situations whether they be financial, personal or health issues etc…does the way I react bring the Lord glory and does it point others to the One who is in control of all things?
3. When I am among friends or just out socially, do I bring Him Glory? I can certainly think of ways I could improve on this one.
I want my life to be so saturated with Christ that it isn’t even something I have to think about doing-it just is the way I am. Scripture teaches that whatever we do-do it all to Glorify God. I take that to mean everything we do. When I’m out with friends, at work, at home, or even totally alone my life should be such that He is being glorified. If what I’m doing cannot and does not bring Him glory then it must cease from being in my life. If what I’m doing is causing me to not focus on Him but on me instead I must stop.
The reason we must bring the Lord glory is not only because He deserves it, but so that others may be saved.
Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. 1 Corinthians 10:32-33
Christian, all we do in our life has the potential to honor God. Seek Him.
Blessings In Christ,
I’ve been studying the book of John over the past several months. One story that sticks out to me is the account of the man who was born blind. It is interesting to me how these Pharisees literally refused to accept this man’s testimony that he had been healed.
The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, "Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?" Some said, "It is he." Others said, "No, but he is like him." He kept saying, "I am the man." So they said to him, "Then how were your eyes opened?" He answered, "The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight."
(John 9:8-11)
That is a pretty plain and simple, cut and dried explanation of how it happened and yet their pride would not allow them to accept this. They asked him again and again. Even going so far as to inquiring his parents about him.
The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" His parents answered, "We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself."
(John 9:18-21)
PRIDE once again. After questioning the man twice and hearing the account they could not accept they ended the whole conversation with this;
And they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from." The man answered, "Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?" And they cast him out.
(John 9:27-34)
Pride darkens our ability to see the truth. We are in the way. They stood on their pride rather than what was clearly before them, a man born blind given site by Jesus, the Son of God. In healing the blind man, Jesus clearly shows the blindness of the Pharisees.
The beautiful thing about all of this is that Jesus heard they had cast the man out so he found him. Offering salvation and he believed.
Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" He answered, "And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?" Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you." He said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.
(John 9:35-38)
We need to realize our darkness, our blindness before Christ saved us. He came to us, knowing we were cast out and away from the Father. We had no way to get to the Father; we were blind in our sin. Jesus found us, like the blind man, showed us our sin, opened our eyes to Him and we believed and were saved! Oh, how we need to worship Him like that once-blind man must have worshipped him on that glorious day when he received his sight!
Blessings Today
Tonight is my oldest son’s last night of Christmas break at home. After worship tomorrow he will head back to college and another semester. I really cherish these times. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Paul will be getting married in June. He has found a wonderful young lady and his father and I couldn’t be more pleased with his choice. (or rather hers) I do, however, find myself from time to time contemplating what it will be like in a year at the Martin house. Quieter no doubt and for sure less cluttered. With those things also comes the fact that my little family has changed and I already feel God preparing me for those days.
I’m reminded of a little elderly lady who lived next door to Jeff and I when Paul was just a baby. She had raised two sons as well, but they had longed moved away and she loved to watch Paul play in the yard. She would often come to the fence when we were out, usually swinging Paul, and smile and chat for a while. She would always say how she enjoyed seeing Paul play and warn us of how quickly he would grow up. Of course then I didn’t realize how true her words were.
So as I prepare myself I’m praying each day for the Lord to prepare me as only He can. What a blessing our sons are to us, and as I’ve prayed for them their entire lives God has always been faithful to hear my prayers. He has answered them more abundantly than I could ever imagine, so I have no reason to believe He will stop now.
Thank you Lord, for the blessings you provide in the form of our children. May you use them both in mighty ways for Your Glory.
Blessings, Pam
As the greetings of “Happy New Year” come in from friends and family I can’t help but stop and think for a while on what lies ahead. No one
can know for sure if it truly will be a happy new year, but only if we are trusting in God are we able to say that come what may, with my Saviour by my side will it be a joyous new year. What more could one ask?
CHRIST is my joy. I find as I get older and mature more in my faith in Christ, that He is the ONLY joy in this world. He is the provider of all the ‘little’ joys we have; our children, spouse, family and friends. All of these are given to us by Him and only when we give them back to Him are we able to experience true and lasting JOY. The world can only offer a longing for more as it can never satisfy the soul. Only Christ can do that, so it is Him we must seek diligently.
John 15:11 These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
John 16:24b …Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
Matthew Henry wrote, “The joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment, but the joy of those who abide in Christ’s love is a continual feast.”
Oh, Believer, how diligent we must be to abide in Him who provides this feast! Why would anyone desire to stray? How could the calling of the world and its short-term happiness be of any interest to those who have tasted the meal of Fellowship with our Lord? The meal of unending Joy. Joy that fills and satisfies.
The year 2010 promises to be one of many changes for me. My oldest son will be getting married and moving out for good. My youngest will graduate high school and move on to college and adulthood. As a devoted mother for the past 21 ½ years this will prove to be a difficult time for me. It will also prove to be a year of growth in the Lord and I look forward to what God will do in my life as I face these changes. I can already see God working in giving me a new focus and new interests for serving Him and His people. I’ve spent the past years devoted to my sons and they have been my mission field (I feel all Christian mothers have this calling, whether they realize it or not) Now, as they are flying out of the nest, I see new opportunities to serve the Lord and that is exciting. I am realizing that the only way I can get through this time of change is to lean more and more on Him. He alone must be my JOY.
As you face the new year don’t settle for just a happy new year. That is what the world has to offer, and it will not last. Seek the One who can provide a truly Joyful new year. A joy that completely satisfies for not only a year, but for ETERNITY.
