Friday, February 6, 2009

Strength and Honour

While I type this post, I'm sick - feverish, absolutely stuffed nose and head, tired and achy, and I need y'all to pray that I'll get better. Ü

Anyway... hehe....

What do y'all think when you hear of a "Virtuous Woman"? Proverbs 31 tells us of the virtuous woman. How many virtuous women do y'all know? After reading the Bible's definitions and after clearly comparing the women I know, I can tell you I know few. I myself am NOTHING close to being virtuous either, but I would like to be. I would love to be! In Proverbs 31, it states "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies." What a verse! What a standard to live up to as daughters of God! "She... worketh willingly with her hands." (she's not lazy) "She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms." (she takes care of her body - exercises, keeps herself fit and clean, etc.) "She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy." (she is compassionate and kind) "... in her tongue is the law of kindness." and "She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet." She properly cares for her family... "The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life." This is one of the most important verses in Prov. 31, I think. It also talks about her husband being known in the gates (in Bible times, the gates were where all the social events, gatherings and meetings were held - where it all happened), so I assume her husband is an honourable man. It doesn't say he is the richest or the handsomest, the most talkative or the most achieved. It just says that he is known (of course well known) when he sits at the gate. Surely he is respected and honoured. Right? It also says that her children rise up and call her blessed. They praise her and bless her name! What an honour for a mother's children to be so fond of her! But this virtuous woman is not pampered and pet by her family. She doesn't earn the respect her family holds by being pretty or eloquent. She earns all these blessings by being a Proverbs 31 woman. It is vital and necessary to be virtuous now as teenagers if we girls are to be known as Proverbs 31 women when we grow up. And as daughters of the King of Heaven, we owe it to God to be virtuous, so that we will cause Him nothing less than a figure of honour and majesty. We are his ambassadors, after all. I can't even begin to get into the deepness and importance of being virtuous. Look at the women in the Bible who God used to do great things - Esther, Ruth, Jael, Sarah, Mary, even Rahab (a harlot at the time!). All where chaste, discreet, diligent, and willing. All were virtuous. They bettered the world because of their heart conditions - virtuous heart conditions. Now, Jezebel, Sapphira, Athalia, and a few other women in the Bible made wrong choices - chose to be immature and dishonest, not reverencing their husbands and being cocky, lead to their defeat - their deaths. Being virtuous is not only something we should want for ourselves and our family, it is a wonderful testimony of a woman of God! I don't know about y'all, but I WANT that testimony to be MINE!!!! Let's pursue it together...



Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Godspeed

We're in a war at this time of life. A war that doesn't seem like it will end. But do not lose hope - God is in control. That is a wonderful peace. But right now, let's pray for the soldiers that are fighting. Many of my friends and family are fighting over in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and other places. All I want is for them to live their faith so that others might be saved, and for them to come home alive. Many people have lost loved ones, and it is a cruel and devastating tragedy to lose someone through war. But even still, God is in control. Let's pray and wish our soldiers Godspeed and send them our love. They are sacrificing themselves for our beloved freedom which we prize so highly. They are leaving their families and friends to go fight not only for them, but for me and you - someone they don't even know. Many will die with honor, with loyalty to America. Let's honor them and give them the credit due - to be remembered as heroes. Let's thank God for men (and women) who are selfless enough to go and fight for us. Godspeed to you, soldiers, and may God protect you, encourage you, and lift you up. The wars are fierce now, and the days are dark and seem hopeless. But God will save His children. Have faith and fight, soldiers. Fight for your country and your freedom which God has given you.
"For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee." Isaiah 41:14
"Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you." Isaiah 35:3,4
"...Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you."




Ways God Shows Himself

How has God shown himself real to you? Do you even believe in Him? If not, you may haven't ever given him a chance to prove Himself real. I have many proofs of His existence in my own life, and I'd like to share them with y'all. 1 - He saved my soul! 2 - He is merciful to all these wicked people that I know of. If I was in God's authoritative position, I'd have zapped those bad guys by now! 3 - And, God is merciful to me. I'm a wanderer, a prodigal daughter you might say. I am so unfaithful to my Savior, but every time I turn back to Him, He shows me mercy and opens His arms to me. The peace I get is enough proof, and you can see it in the Christian's face. 4 - I've seen him save a weak baby's life. I've seen Him save a man from cancer - the guy had a 15% chance of living! I've seen him give me the baby sister I prayed for even after my Mom lost a baby before her, and I had given up. I've seen shy, private and quiet family members of mine suddenly receive fiery passion for God that I never thought they were capable of. 5 - You can't possibly, truly believe that this beautiful world - all the rocks, trees and mountains - not even the heavens - got here by accident. How could one big bang create everything? Things can't just turn from one thing to another by it's own will. We cannot make one hair on our head white or black by our own will. (yeah, there are dyes, but that's not the point) You can't grow your hands into feet by free will. Evolution is IMPOSSIBLE! The Bible says creation speaks for itself, in that it was created. 6 - If evolution isn't real, ofcourse reincarnation is, right? NO! Explain how this is possible? That's what I thought - you have NO total, sensible explanation for that either. Yet, man strives for something more than life - more life! "PLEASE! Oh, let me live more! There must be something more to life than this!" And you people who think that way - wanting more life - are absolutely normal. It makes perfect sense that there is a soul in man, and the verse in the Bible "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord" makes perfect sense to me! And if we are present with the Lord, where is He? Heaven, where else? It is truth, my friends. And I will own to this - that truth is often stranger than fiction. Only some narrow-minded fool, who is too afraid to hope in something wonderful would reject this truth. Yet, many people do reject. And it breaks my heart, because they are causing themselves pain and hopelessness. Oh sinner, believe and come home to Jesus and receive His grace. You can't reject it - you know it's true. No man alive can truly reject this truth in their heart. There is a place in our hearts that is reserved for God alone - put in us when were created by Him. Only HE can fill that place, that empty place.

It's truth and it's no joke. God is real, and He proves Himself to us every day. In one of the books of Psalms, it says (speaking of God) "...who walketh upon the wings of the wind." God does. He is present in our lives daily. He gives us every day that we live, every breath is form Him. How sweet He is, and how merciful to let us wretched people live each day. We lie, curse and steal, murder and commit adultery, but God loves us and gives us second chances - many times a day. God shows Himself to us, He proves Himself. He is real, and the reality is terribly wonderful. So, the next time you feel a little lost in the maze of life, confused about everything inbetween, or just wanting someone to listen, remember God is always there, ready to help. The Bible says he is "...a very present help in trouble." He will show Himself very real to you if you ask him to.