Yes, But Currently . . .

"I want to re-introduce you to Meggan, whom you've already heard play this morning. She is the daughter of Wanda Jackson, a beloved member of our church. Meggan received her Bachelor's degree in Violin Performance from George Mason University and her Master's in Music from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. She loves the Lord and has been a joy to meet. Please make her feel welcome as she comes again to bless us."

~applause~

Yes, all of that is true but my life is not defined by the schooling I completed 6 years ago. Currently, by God's grace, I serve my husband by keeping our home and educating our children. This is my true and perpetual calling as a woman, wife and mother. The business of marriage and family is much more important than a music education. This mission is my top priority behind which all other pursuits take a back seat. The vocational ministry I do in my home will endure for generations and echo throughout eternity. It doesn't stop if I break a finger or when I die.

A congregation may be touched in less than three minutes by playing a wooden box in a church building. The tones communicated through the sound system and reverberated off the walls can sway those souls toward Christ today and the event may be remembered for a few days or even a few weeks. But serving my family daily until age and decay dictates that I'm no longer able, will bear such a greater weight of glory than a temporary mastery of a wooden box whether that's over three minutes or thirty years.

It's a great testimony. Yes, I'm talented. Yes, I have cultivated that talent through acquiring many additional skills through countless hours of private instruction, practice and public performances. But, like a growing number of women, I have placed the Word of God and His charge to be a submissive wife and nurturing mother first and foremost over the constant attendance of a lifeless wooden box. This testimony demonstrates the grace of God, the power of Jesus Christ risen from the dead. Receiving the gift of faith unto salvation is a miraculous work. But a great number of women today who have been so blessed of God to receive it, still cling to feminist ideology when the Author and Perfecter of our faith has clearly shown in His Word what He desires for us as women to do. Women are challenged to be obedient to the Word in its entirety, not just in the passages that are agreeable or convenient and to embrace its truth with joy and conviction.

The glory of a career will always dull in comparison to the glory of children and grandchildren who walk in obedience to the LORD. When the days are difficult and the children put me at wits end, I look back and complain, "I'm talented, intelligent, articulate and well educated. I could have done this or that and been successful. Then I wouldn't be dealing with this right now." But then I remember how lonely I was. And I consider that I would be no better off than all of those other feminists who become grumpy, bitter, lonely old women who only have their "success" to keep them company at night. That "success" does not endure to the next generation - it ends at their retirement. Now they are purposeless and bored. They look back with regrets and a sense of hopelessness.

I don't want to be one of those women. I want to be obedient to Christ even if it stands in direct opposition to what society tells me I should be doing instead. I fear God, not the looks of disdain behind pointed fingers and whispered name-calling between critical gossips. God will vindicate me as He has for many other women who choose the same. It is a high and noble calling to embrace being a wife and mother. There are so many moments of joy - I wouldn't trade it for anything the musical or corporate world could offer. This is what those grumpy, bitter, lonely old women come to realize, but for many of them . . . it's too late.

When lying on my death bed, will I ask for my violin to provide comfort as I journey from this physical body to the spiritual realm? No! I will ask to be surrounded by the people that had the greatest impact on my life: my beloved husband, my precious children, my faithful mother and my brothers and sisters in Christ. This is a true statement you can take to the bank: Feminism is antithetical to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me.

~~~~~

In Matthew 6:24 Jesus said,

"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."

There Is No Ease

Life is a vapor

passing like morning mist

Flies like chaff in the wind,

bubbling soda fizz.

The days are evil,

easy lives don't exist.

All have their own tasks

and it's my job not his.

This life is hard

and that's just the way it is.

When grass on the other side

greener you see

Don't get angry

with bitter jealous envy.

All grass must be mowed

and weeds there yet may be.

Before the Fall there was all

life, joy, peace and ease

Find these now in Christ alone.

Don't be deceived.

There Is No Silver Bullet

The deepest need that you and I have in weakness and adversity is not quick relief, but the well-grounded confidence that what is happening to us is part of the greatest purpose of God in the universe – the glorification of the grace and power of his Son - the grace and power that bore Him to the cross and kept him there until the work of love was done.

~ John Piper

In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.

Ephesians 1:8b-10

Be Angry & Do Not Sin, part 2 of 2

The following is the second portion of notes given from Brian Dempsey, the teaching elder at Christ Reformed Church, Lawrenceville GA. This study has impacted me and I just wanted to share. :-)

What Makes Us Angry That Shouldn't

• Violation of rights
• Disappointment with station in life
• Blocked goals
• Irritations
• Feeling misunderstood
• Unrealistic expectations
• Pathological/Psychological

Responding to Anger

• Keep control. "A fool always loses his temper, But a wise man holds it back." Proverbs 29:11, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23
• Overlook offenses. "A man's discretion makes him slow to anger, And it is his glory to overlook a transgression." Proverbs 19:11
• Avoid angry men. "Do not associate with a man given to anger; Or go with a hot-tempered man, Or you will learn his ways And find a snare for yourself." Proverbs 22:24-25
• Appease anger. "A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger." Proverbs 15:1

In what ways do we sinfully express anger?

A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.

Proverbs 29:11

A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression.

Proverbs 29:22

A man of quick temper acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated.

Proverbs 14:17

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.

James 4:1-2

Bitterness, fits of anger, sullenness, harsh words, overreactions, striking out, argumentativeness, profanity, resentment, withdrawal of affection/presence, etc.

How do we keep from sinning when we are angry?

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

James 1:19-20

Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

Proverbs 19:11

But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

Colossians 3:8

A soft answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Proverbs 15:1

Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

Proverbs 16:32

A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.

Proverbs 25:28

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Ephesians 6:11

When anger is present, no matter if the cause is offense from personal, selfish motives or holy, righteous ones, the response/expression of anger should be righteous. Our anger should propel us to do something righteous that will glorify God. We must learn to act with wisdom, discretion and self-control.

Do not let the sun go down on your anger. It doesn't mean that the issue must be resolved before bedtime - but to check the status of your attitude so that you are not responding with a sinful attitude even if the dispute/discussion continues for some time. Your attitude before God must be one that pleases him.

Venting anger and frustration only exacerbates the habit and practice of responding sinfully in anger. These are the fits and outbursts of wrath that are deeds of the flesh listed in Galatians 5:19-21. Those who practice these things do not inherit eternal life. Christ came and died to sin that we would be free from the bondage of sin.

Be Angry & Do Not Sin, part 1

The following is a portion of notes given from Brian Dempsey, the teaching elder at Christ Reformed Church, Lawrenceville GA. This study has impacted me and I just wanted to share. :-)

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

Ephesians 4:26-27

This verse is quoted verbatim from Psalm 4:4.

What makes you angry?

How often do you get angry?

With whom do you get angry?

How do you express your anger?

Where do you get angry?

Are there places where your anger is restrained?

Be Angry - it is a command. Some see it as a "when/if" but it's better to see it as a positive recognition that anger is a God-given emotion that is not, in and of itself, bad. It's okay to be angry. You will get angry and you should get angry at those same things that anger a holy God.

Anger is (not) in itself sinful, but . . . it may be the occasion for sin. The issue of self-control is the question of how we deal with anger. Violence, tantrums, bitterness, resentment, hostility, and even withdrawn silence are all sinful responses to anger. ~R.C. Sproul

And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

Mark 3:5

Do Not Sin - Here is the qualification. Notice, the command is not, "Do not be angry." We are not commanded to destroy our anger, but to sanctify it.

Pride is one chief cause of undue anger. It is because men are proud, and exalt themselves in their own hearts, that they are revengeful, and are apt to be excited, and to make great things out of little ones that may be against themselves. Yea, they even treat as vices things that are in themselves virtues, when they think their honor is touched, or when their will is crossed. And it is pride that makes men so unreasonable and rash in their anger, and raises it to such a high degree, and continues it so long, and often keeps it up in the form of habitual malice . . . If men sought not chiefly their own private and selfish interests, but the glory of God and the common good, then their spirit would be a great deal more stirred up in God's cause then in their own; and they would not be prone to hasty, rash, inconsiderate, immoderate, and long-continued wrath, with any who might have injured or provoked them; but they would in a great measure forget themselves for God's sake, and from their zeal for the honor of Christ. The end they would aim at, would be, not making themselves great, or getting their own will, but the glory of God and the good of their fellow-beings. ~Jonathan Edwards, The Spirit of Love the Opposite of An Angry or Wrathful Spirit

Surrender

The Holy Spirit brings an issue to your attention -- some area of your life where you previously assumed control out of selfishness, anxious distrust of God, or disbelief of God's wisdom, goodness, power and sovereignty. In response to this divine prompting, you repent, agree to surrender and become obedient by giving God complete control and deciding to be content with however His providence and glorious desire move.

After you've surrendered, how can you take back the control you once tried to exert and still walk in obedience? It is not possible to walk in disobedience and still experience the peace and joy of close fellowship with Christ, is it? No, but fear and anxiety loom over your head like a dark cloud -- the constant presence of the displeasure and chastening of God, who is lovingly wooing you back into a right relationship with Himself. In some ways, this is a comforting thought (Hebrews 12:5-6) knowing that we are, indeed, children of God and can be assured of our salvation.

But if you leave something at the feet of Christ, the foot of the cross, laid upon the altar (whichever analogy you choose) will picking it up again provide any comfort for you? Those who do not walk with Christ attempt to control every aspect of their lives as they chase after the vanity of the world. But we are called to be obedient as was Christ. Is it possible to live as the world and still be pleasing to God? In no way is that possible. I say it is better to remain obediently surrendered to the sovereign, pleasing will of God than to regain control. It is better to struggle with whatever outcome God designs to bring, than to walk contrary to the divine conscience under the heavy disciplinary conviction of the Holy Lord God Almighty. Ultimately, although we attempt to control our destinies, we are still subject to the awesome power and will of God who, with just a word, created all things and to whom we are all accountable for every word and action committed and omitted in this short life. Any attempts to do anything contrary to His secret will is vanity.

The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations:

He frustrates the plans of the peoples.

Psalm 33:10

"For the LORD of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it?

And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?"

Isaiah 14:27

Great Hymns Challenge Us

When Trials Come

When trials come no longer fear

for in the pain our God draws near

to fire a faith worth more than gold

and there His faithfulness is told;

and there His faithfulness is told.

This song has come into my remembrance lately as our family is still making adjustments to our newest addition. I was meditating on this verse the other night around 3 a.m. or so and considered this: God's faithfulness.

What is God faithful to do?

Or, to whom is God faithful?

God is faithful to Himself -- to His own will. It is by the nature and virtue of His perfect being and character. His wisdom is infinite and perfectly holy.

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1 Corinthians 1:25

So then the question is: what is God's will, as He is faithful to perform?

For this is the will of God, your sanctification . . .

1 Thessalonians 4:3

And since God is jealous for His own glory and in everything He does, He discloses some aspect of His glory, how is it that He would sanctify us? Not by our will and our way, because then we could have some room to boast in our own holiness. No. God is faithful to sanctify us using His means, His methods and according to His will, not ours. It's not about us. We are not in control. We do not have all power; if we did, we would not rely on Him at all for anything. There are no excuses we can make that give us a license to behave in an unholy, ungodly manner. We are still commanded and expected, as children of God, to obey our heavenly Father. "God says, "Obey."

Book Review: Attitudes of a Transformed Heart

Martha Peace presents a true Scriptural approach to different attitudes that should characterize the believer in Christ. She doesn't beat around the bush or allow excuses when we adopt other ungodly attitudes, although she does show compassion, guidance and truth in love to steer the reader towards repentance of ungodly attitudes. Martha Peace provides the perspective of a High and Holy, Lofty and Exalted God and we as His children who are called to obey, love, honor and take joy in our Creator, Redeemer God. It juxtaposes faulty views that secular and evangelical psychological models provide with that which the Scriptures provide for counseling towards better attitudes .

This book has really been helpful in that it connects the Scripture which we read daily with the application of how it should be manifest in our daily thoughts and actions, much like a sermon or a personal counseling session. It is written from a woman's perspective with the intent of a female audience. Although any man would greatly benefit from such a read, he might be forced to create personal examples to which he can relate.

This book would be a great small group study because of the broad volume of Scripture all throughout the text. Within each chapter there are charts to help show the opposing views between the negative and positive attitudes. At the end of every chapter there are study/reflective questions that could foster group discussion. Also at the end of the book there are Salvation Worksheets that cover the Person and Work of Christ, the Doctrine of Sin, the Assurance of Salvation and the dynamic of Putting Off and Putting On.

My only criticism of this book would be that perhaps it did not pass through the editing process as finely as most other modern works. There are quite a few grammar mistakes, although the intent is not lost in the process.

Overall, I give this book an enthusiastic two thumbs up. And commend it to any other women who seem to struggle with applying the Scripture to a specific area of habitual sin with which they battle daily.

Click HERE for a few quotes from this book.

Her more popular books include: The Excellent Wife and Becoming a Titus 2 Woman.

A Quote on Contentment

Contentment is an inward grace given by God that results in a mindset of being satisfied to stay in your circumstances for as long as God wills.

Biblical Principles on Contentment

1. We can learn to be content no matter how tough things are because God will help us. Phil 4:11-13
2. We are to be content with the necessities of life. 1 Tim 6:8
3. Be content with what you have today. Focus on seeking God and pleasing Him. Matt 6:25 and 33
4. A person who is content does not complain. 1 Cor 10:9-10 and Phil 2:14-16
5. True contentment means we do not have to sin against God. Job 1:20-22 and Job 6:10

Martha Peace. Attitudes of a Transformed Heart. pp 165-167.

Martha Peace on Thoughts & Attitudes

If you struggle with a bad attitude more often than you would like (like me) then the following excerpt may put it in perspective. One of the most impacting things I've learned from this book is that our thoughts have a direct correlation to our attitudes. (That should be a no-brainer, right?!) If our thoughts are holy, good, pure, honorable, positive, etc, then our attitude will follow suit. If not, then the opposite happens. Taking our thought lives captive to the obedience of Christ is the first crucial step toward gaining victory over our attitudes. Remember, God is HOLY and for just one, single, solitary sin Adam and Eve were cast out of God's presence and we find ourselves in our current sinful, "dead in trespasses" state and pass it on to our progeny. It is a serious matter to honor and obey God in this way and if you haven't committed your thought life to the Lord Jesus Christ, I commend you to repent now.

The battle that God's soldiers fight is for their minds to think the way that God would have them think - taking their wrong thoughts captive out of respect and obedience to their Lord, Jesus Christ. Thoughts, ideas, speculations, reasonings, philosophies, and false religions are our battle. It is a battle that is daily and ongoing until we go to be with the Lord. It is a battle that is fought by means of God's power through prayer and study of the Scriptures. The results are a renewed mind that thinks rightly, thus taking "every thought captive to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5).

One of the ways that, by God's grace, we develop a renewed mind is by preparing ahead of time what we are going to think during a difficult situation.

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:13, emphasis added

The apostle Peter wrote his letter (1 Peter) to Christians scattered throughout various Roman provinces. The persecution against Christians had heated up and would eventually become extreme. There is tremendous hope in Peter's letter that must have sent their emotions soaring as he wrote about the "precious blood, as of a Lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:19). There is also a very sobering call to prepare mentally for the coming persecution and in the meantime to live a holy life entrusting their souls to their "faithful Creator in doing what s right" (1 Peter 4:19). Peter was trying to prepare them ahead of time so that when the trials came they would think righty through them and give God great glory. It was as if Peter was telling them, "I have some really bad news and you need to prepare yourself for it - great persecution is coming and God will test your faith to see if it is genuine. He will give some of you a great privilege to suffer for His sake. You need to think about this now so that you will honor our Lord when the time actually comes."

Fearful people do not trust God. Instead of thinking through a possible future difficulty "fixing their hope completely on the grace to be brought to them," they let their thoughts wallow in the negative what-ifs (1 Peter 1:13). "What if this happens? What if that happens? I won't be able to bear it. I can't take it! I just know something horrible is going to happen!!" They worry and fret and panic about things that usually don't happen. Instead they should think that if a difficult or even extreme circumstance occurs, God is all powerful and faithful to keep His promises. Therefore, they can trust God completely knowing He would give them the grace they would need if such a difficulty arose. He is so good. He will not let His children be "tempted beyond what [they] are able to bear" (1 Corinthians 10:13, adaptation added). Therefore (as Peter said), prepare your mind through trusting God, and in the meanwhile live a godly, righteous life.

Excerpt from Attitudes of a Transformed Heart by Martha Peace pages 134-135. Copyright 2002 Focus Publishing, Inc. ISBN 1-885904-28-2. 134-135.

Martha Peace on Guidance

I can see and hear myself from years past saying, "I have peace about my decision;" or "I feel led;" or "There is no doubt in my mind that God wants me to . . ." Now I hear myself saying, "This is an area in which I have freedom;" or "What do the Scriptures say?" or "Lord, as best I can determine You want me to do . . .;" and lastly, "If You have a different plan I know You'll make it clear." I have heard others say, "The Lord told me to . . . " or "I saw a vision," or "The Lord spoke to me last night in a dream." There are almost as many views of guidance from God as there are Christians! The reason I chose this particular topic . . . is because the issue of guidance directly relates to knowing the will of God. The will of God is affirmed in our lives as good and acceptable and perfect to the degree that we have been "transformed by the renewing of [our] mind[s] . . . " (Romans 12:2, adaptation added).

If your view of how God guides you is not true to the Scriptures then you could wrongly discern His will and not even know it. You also could be giving out very definite advice and directing other people's lives in an unbiblical way that God never intended. . . . Is God speaking directly to us through a still, small voice? Does He lead us through our emotions and feelings such as "I feel led" or "I have peace"? Is He guiding us at all or simply leaving us to fend for ourselves?

When we consider how God guides us, we also must remember that our hearts deceive us. We are capable of believing and feeling that God is guiding us when really our consciences may have been taught error instead of truth. The only for sure way to know God's will is to go to the Scriptures.

It is a mark of maturity as a Christian to honor God by relying on what we know for sure rather than depending upon other methods of guidance which at the very best are unsure and dependent on using Scripture out of context. None of us can be transformed in our thinking if we are out of His will. The only way to know His will confidently is to embrace a biblical view of guidance and to trust God's Word and His providence instead of trusting some vague, mysterious impression, "check," or still small voice that we think we may have heard or felt. If we are to be renewed in our thinking and attitudes then it follows that we must "not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is" (Ephesians 5:17; emphasis added).

Excerpts from Attitudes of a Transformed Heart by Martha Peace pages 101 and 109. Copyright 2002 Focus Publishing, Inc. ISBN 1-885904-28-2.

A Dose of Encouragement

Day after day, you feel like it's the same thing. You get up, take care of the children, cook, clean, do laundry and the dishes. The next day, you do it all over again. Some days may not be as ordinary, repetitive and mundane: you might run errands, go to church and fellowship with other families and such. As wives and mothers we can easily feel like the tasks that occupy our time, day after day, caring for the needs of our families, goes unnoticed and unappreciated. It becomes especially discouraging when you see evidence that your work is taken for granted. You begin to doubt and ask yourself, "Why am I doing this?" Temptation comes to become bitter and listen to the lies of the devil, "You know that the burden outweighs the blessing. You should just give up."

And you get tired. Not just physically tired from the tasks of the day, but the kind of tiredness that carries over each day, more like a mental tiredness or exhaustion. You wake up the next morning still tired from the previous day's, week's and month's tasks, feeling unable to catch up in a way that you would be fully prepared physically, emotionally and spiritually to serve the needs of your family with joy. You cry out for an extended vacation or at least someone to help you bear your load.

Here is a little encouragement that I have received from God's Word.

Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."

Genesis 2:18

Now the man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.

Genesis 3:20

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

Mark 10:45

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against these things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10

Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.

Ephesians 6:5-8

Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands,so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

Titus 2:3-5

Women were created to be helpers as wives and to bear children. This is the will of God for all women (generally) because it is the reason we exist. This is the greatest way that we can glorify God, by taking up our created calling as wives and mothers.

In Christ we are able to put off the works of the flesh and to freely walk in the good deeds for which the grace of God was shown to us. In Christ, we now have the desire to do that which God wants us to do, to glorify God in Christ. His Word has revealed to us what those good works are which He prepared beforehand for us to practice.

Although slavery has been abolished many years ago, we can still feel like slaves to the daily work that we feel must be done. Our husbands are not holding us down, our Master is Christ. It is from Him that we must seek our approval. Although we may feel all our efforts are unappreciated and taken for granted, Christ sees them all. When we do them, we do them as unto Christ and not just for our families. Our families receive the benefits of our labor (read ministry), but in the end, if we remain faithful and gentle in our work, we will be rewarded in the end. Let our desire be to hear Christ speak these words as He looks us in the eye, "Well, done my good and faithful servant." And we may receive some of those awards even in the short-term when our children grow up considering it normal to serve, even desiring to serve others. Let's not grow weary of doing good, but let us persevere in hope. Before we know it these years will be gone and a new chapter of service will open up on our lives. Keep pressing on, looking to Christ.

Christians Who Don't Read?

I've had the privilege of befriending a young woman who works at the front desk of my gym. She's not a believer but does quite a bit of reading and we share many of the same interests. She typically reads non-fiction, self-improvement type books and was very excited when I shared a few small booklets, Resources for Changing Lives (NANC) entitled: God's Love: Better Than Unconditional and Motives: Why Do I Do the Things I Do? Both are excellent and Jeramy and I love to read these and glean new insights as well as distribute them through the ministry (at or below cost) and to individuals we may meet personally.

In the Motives booklet, Edward Welch brings the reader to the reality of idols - any time that we are serving someone or something else other than God. These Resources are great because it causes the reader to assume the authority of Scripture.

Sometimes we come across individuals who claim Christianity as their religion (I use that term loosely) but they don't read Scripture. The next question I ask myself is, "Are they serving some idol and not the revealed God of Scripture?" If we are not diligent to remain in the Word of God, constantly studying it for ourselves, interpreting Scripture by Scripture for a complete picture of who God has revealed Himself to be, then how do we know that the person we think is God really is God and not some idol we just call by the same name? The Enemy would just love to deceive us into believing that something else we call by the same name is God when it really is not.

We need to challenge the people we come in contact with, especially professing believers, that if they don't read the Scripture, then they won't know the true God.

. . . . . . . . .

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.

Deuteronomy 29:29

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

John 15:1-2, 4-7, 10-11

Joy Is a Fruit of the Spirit

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against these things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

This is no new revelation. But it is easy in this list to start concentrating on the other "harder" fruits like patience and self-control, where we immediately feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit. When we're having a particularly difficult day we can say to ourselves, "Today I'm exhibiting faithfulness and love by persevering in these things and self-control when I'm falsely accused and don't retaliate, vindicate or defend myself."

As we put off anxiety, exhibiting peace becomes more evident, too. The more we trust in the sovereignty of God, that He is in complete control of everything, the less we begin to worry about the small stuff and even the big stuff.

Kindness and gentleness may come more easily as a parent who naturally loves and feels compassion for your own children.

But what about joy?

Especially in those trying and difficult moments of the day or even during seasons of life where joy just seems to escape the expression of our faces and homes, are we convicted that we don't have more joy?

I can't put on a mask for very long. It looks fake and rightly so. If I don't feel it in my heart, I won't express it on my face or in my general dealings throughout the day. I want to have a joy-filled home and it must begin with me. I've heard it said that the husband was the head of the home and the wife is the heart of the home. "If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."

Joy comes from Christ and not our circumstances. Can we still have joy when things are not going the way we thought or wanted? Can we have joy despite the worst of times and we are hard pressed on every side trying to meet all the demands of life and complete all our tasks?

Yes. There is joy inexpressible in Christ! He is the only One who can satisfy thirsty souls. He is the only One that can understand whatever current sufferings we endure. And when we need encouragement we can cry out to Him and seek His grace. None of us have had the immense burden of enduring 33+ years of remaining sinless and holy in our actions and thoughts! None of us have had to endure the pain and torture of the cross carrying the sins of the people of God! He holds in His hands the keys of death and Hades!

Let us joy in the fact that, as believers, we are not on our way to utter torment in fire for all eternity! We are not trapped in the futility of our minds, darkened in our understanding and ignorant of the love and justice of God! We have an immeasurable number of blessings heaped upon us - the foremost being Christ Himself, greater than any material or immaterial blessing He could ever give. The amazing grace that He chose us when we didn't choose Him when He could have left our hearts hardened in our desire for sin and rebellion, like so many others who suppress the Truth in unrighteousness. He is perfectly righteous and exchanges our filthiness and inadequacy for His perfect righteousness and holiness that we could never even begin to achieve no matter how hard we try.

Imagine the beauty of His holiness! What it will be like to stand in His presence, face to face, seeing Him clearly and for that moment of sheer bliss to seem like an eternity of wonder - we will never want to leave and we won't have to! All our fears will be cast away! All our painful memories will be erased. All of the longings of our hearts will be sanctified and filled. We will be glorified and removed from the presence of all sin and no longer influenced by it's power.

Imagine that glorious Day of victory! When Christ crushes the Enemy under our feet! We will look down upon him in triumph at last! No more addictions. No more idols of the heart. No more deception. No more subtleties. We won't have to discern between good and bad, better and best. Our Redeemer lives! Death is swallowed up in victory!

Remember this and let it bring a smile to your face! And there are so many other aspects of Christ that can bring us joy! He is infinite. And He should be enough to make us smile when we don't feel like smiling. If we feel we need something more let us fall down and repent of our idolatry. He is more than enough for our weary, hungry, tired, beat-down souls.

Rejoice in the Lord always. And again I say, rejoice!

Submission to Biblical Authority

When we come to God's Word, do we allow it to shape our opinions? Or do we allow our opinions to shape the way we interpret the Scripture?

Do we open The Holy Book with open hearts, waiting and eager for what God has spoken to us? Or do we look to justify our actions and opinions with misinterpreted passages?

Are we willing to change our minds and actions when we clearly understand what God has said and it's implications when our minds and hearts might first conflict with what is written there? That is why the world doesn't read the Bible except for a literary or philosophical exercise - they hate being confronted with the reality of their own sin.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2

God's not only interested in the conversion of my heart, will and actions, but the conversion of my mind also.

Do we humble ourselves to seek a Biblical interpretation by trustworthy pastors and scholars when a passage is difficult to understand? Even when a passage is easy to understand, are we willing to accept, by faith and obedience, what it teaches and repent?

I will say that my degree at Southern Seminary was in music performance not Theology. But theology is required (praise God!) for all degree coursework and you know that some things do rub off on you when you're in that kind of environment. One of the most important things I learned while I was there was that the Word, Living and Active, who is Christ, is above all things Lord of everything. To Him we owe our allegiance, first and foremost. And the Word is all that God has spoken to us - we need nothing more.

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

Hebrews 1:1-2

I heard the DJ on the Christian radio station this morning allude to the words in red as though they were more important than the black ones. Christ is the Word - the whole Word. They are all important.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:1 & 14

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord

Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word

What more can He say than to you He has said

To you, who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

What a great and glorious day it will be when all the children of God, adopted by the Father, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, obedient to the faith and kept by the grace of God, forsakers of lawlessness, will be united with Him in the heavens and we all will be of one heart and one mind in Christ Jesus! Having seen Him face to face, beholding the glory of His presence, will be purged of the presence of sin and all it's myriad of influences from worldly philosophy, heresy and misconception. We will be one in Him as Christ and the Father are One.

Missing My Babies

This morning I woke up with an unexpected feeling of appreciation for my family. I almost didn't want to see them go while I was preparing their bags and things for Statesboro. "Would anyone call me crazy if I just called it off?" It was hard to say goodbye.

My babies have been gone just a little more than an hour and I already miss them. The first thing I noticed was the quiet. All I can hear is the ticking of our kitchen clock, the furnace turning on and occasionally the ice maker on our refrigerator. I ate an apple and Moriah wasn't begging for a bite. No battery-powered toys, happy squeals or whining.

Maybe Saturday won't come soon enough. . . .

Staying home is such a joy. There are so many blessings of being able to do so. I get to watch them play together, take care of each other. I love to watch Moriah give Lily things - toys, kisses, hugs, teach her things. I love to watch Lily walk around and open a book talking to it like she's reading from it. I love to hear them laugh and squeal as they play together, running around naked after their bath.

But there's so much work. Dishes, laundry, sweeping, mopping, cooking, cleaning, bathing, clothing, changing, errands, discipline, time-outs . . . relentless . . . every day . . . never-ending. It can be so tiring and frustrating and often more than I have patience for. When you wake up still tired from all the previous days tasks, mentally and physically, you just want to give up - throw your hands up in the air and quit. You feel unappreciated. There's so much that you do and you feel like none of it gets noticed. You give and give and give of yourself all day and when you try and take just a little bit of time for yourself, for some reason, you're made to feel guilty about it, like you're selfish. I am selfish. I admit it. I'm an only child, besides just being a sinful human being. And because of all of this, often my focus easily shifts away from what should be my top priorities:

1. That my hope lies in Christ.

Not in a clean house. Not in perfectly behaved children. Not a completely appreciative, affectionate, compassionate, manly, mind-reading husband. My joy, peace, and satisfaction come from Christ, not a clean kitchen or clean children.

2. God has called me to this task and He gives grace for me to complete it.

A day of physical rest will come, but for now God grace is sufficient for the calling to be a wife and mother. My purpose is to help, care for and enjoy them.

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS." Matt 11:28-29

"My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness " 2 Cor 12:9

3. Follow the Psalmist.

Cry out to Christ for strength. Hope in His salvation. Seek His face. Relish in His righteousness. Worship His holiness. Marvel at His redemption. Wonder at His choice of unworthy me. Desire Him above all things. Let Christ be my Rock, Fortress and Refuge. Know that the yoke of bearing my own sin guilt is easy and light. Seek His grace when I am distressed. Don't give in to doubt and fear. Don't give up. And don't look anywhere else for sympathy and encouragement. There is no worldly wisdom available for workers of the Kingdom, Soldiers of Christ in Truth Arrayed.

A Quick Devotional

An M. Div student at Southern Seminary sent out invitations to write a women's annual devotional. I accepted the invitation and was assigned October 29 to write about Psalm 119:113-120 in the Holman Christian Standard Version. The following is my submission. We were limited to 250 words total. I hope you enjoy. Please don't hesitate to tell me what you think.

Background passage: Psalm 119:113-120

Focal Verse: “I hate the double-minded but I love Your instruction” (Psalm 119:113).

At first glance it might be easy to consider that it may not even apply to us. Immediately we think the double minded are non-believers – worldly persons who use an inconsistent worldview in order to justify their actions when their own conscience bears witness against them just as Paul wrote in Romans chapter one.

But upon further meditation and in the context of the remainder of the passage we begin to understand that we ourselves are double-minded at times. What does it say in James? We should be “doers of the Word and not hearers only” and to ask from God without doubt lest we too become double-minded and unstable in our ways. How many times on a daily basis do we fail to act with faith and obedience and fall back into walking in our dead sin nature?

Here is the beauty of the perfect righteousness of Christ! In all His earthly life He never did anything apart from faith filled obedience and a single-minded determined holy will of God. And He has redeemed us from the power of sin!

Gracious Lord Jesus, forgive us for our pride and faithlessness. Cause us to remember that salvation is a gift of Your grace alone and to depend on Your grace to walk obediently in the pure narrow path of Your Word. Amen.

Meggan Anderson

MM Solo Performance in the Church Graduate

Thanks for letting me know about the formatting. I hope no one is left in the dark now. :-) Sorry about that.

Satisfaction for a Dissatisfied Heart

It struck me today as I was able to remain in 'bed' through the late morning hours, meeting no immediate needs: it is so easy to make idols out of what is experienced through our senses.

This is evidenced by the fact that often my heart is met with frustration, discontentment, bitterness and the like, none of which are any form of spiritual worship for a Holy God. Really, most people just want things to go their way: smooth commute to work, no unusual demands from the boss man, satisfying lunch, smooth commute home to a prepared meal and happy family with plenty of time to relax and go to bed at leisure.

Well, it might be different for me: uninterrupted night of sleep whereby I can get up at 5 or 5:30 a.m., have some quiet, private time in the Word, have an excellent workout, and shower all before the girls wake up. Then Moriah must not have any accidents, no whining, no hitting, pushing or begging, eating all her food and Lily must likewise be obedient and not poo in her diaper. All the dishes must be kept up with little to no mess on the floor, no pressing laundry or errands, no nausea . . . and this list could go on and on. I'm sure everyone's list of a perfect day would be as unique as the person and their specific role.

And if just one of these things is out of whack, there goes the whole day. All of us walk on pins and needles because things are not right. . . . There always seem to be dirty dishes collecting in the sink, dirty laundry that must be washed ASAP, grocery runs or other errands, whining, complaining, poo in the diapers, accidents on the floor, interrupted nights of sleep, another morning unable to get out of bed to workout or read, another strong urge to vomit, etc.

But things are like that everyday.

And everyday I fight for joy and contentment, for satisfaction and the knowledge that my efforts to raise up a godly legacy are not in vain. Sometimes it can appear that way. It is especially discouraging when I see that my girls have picked up certain ungodly traits when I strongly desire them to grow up and be godly young women, ready for their created purpose and to be satisfied in it. Sometimes it's really discouraging because we can examine ourselves, as Scripture says, and wonder why we don't exhibit more of the fruits of the Spirit. "I've been a believer for this long - why aren't I more loving, patient, kind, gentle, and exhibit more self-control?!" And doubt may begin to cloud our minds.

But then we realize the same thing Peter did, "Where shall we go? You are the One with the Words of Life."

How can we break out of placing all our satisfaction on physical things? How can we realize more fully all of those unseen things in which we should find all our satisfaction and joy?

I'm still learning this. It's easy to forget that everything physical was created by the unseen spiritual realm. There was a point in time where God, who is spiritual, took on a physical form and we were able to behold His glory. There is also a time in heaven for His children to behold His face clearly. But we're removed by time from seeing the Lord in bodily form for a while (unless He comes right now).

I suppose we just use the physical things to remind us of those spiritual unseen things and remember that everything physical is temporal, but everything that is not physical remains forever. The breath in my lungs is a physical evidence of God's sustaining power, love, mercy and grace upon me. The warm house and food in the pantry is another evidence of God's provision and expression of blessing. Not to mention all of the unseen spiritual blessings, God's foreordained knowledge of choosing a people by grace alone who would, as a result, come to faith in Christ Jesus and become His children.

Be satisfied in the unseen. Be a steward of the physical. Be content in the unmoving, unchanging Christ. And take joy in your role as helpmeet. I'm preaching to the choir.

You will make known to me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

In your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Ps 16:11

As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness;

I will be satisfied with Your likeness with I awake.

Ps 17:15

Just Say, "No!"

Today Jeramy and I watched the movie/documentary "Supersize Me". I know that we're behind on the times, but oh, my goodness! This man, Morgan, was a totally healthy man when he started out and after 30 days of nothing but Mickey D's, he almost killed his liver and put himself at serious risk for emergency treatments. He gained about 25 pounds, 12 of which was pure fat and ate about 30 pounds of sugar!!!!! Anyway, you'll have to check out the movie for yourself.

Jeramy and I both used to be overweight. In high school Jeramy lost about 25 pounds or so of fat with smart eating and exercise before entering the USAF Academy. Before entering high school, I lost about 16 pounds which I regained plus some before entering college. After meeting Jeramy, before our wedding, I lost about 34 pounds with true disciplined diet and exercise. Jeramy's motivation was entrance into the Academy, as an unbeliever. Mine was the glory of God and obedience to the Word, after coming to Christ.

In the movie there was one man interviewed who talked about how it is easier for people to confront smokers about the dangers and irresponsibility of smoking than to confront obese people (of which there are now soo many) about the hazards of their lifestyles. It is such a sensitive subject to talk to people about their not-so-healthy eating and exercise habits. It's almost as sensitive an issue as a couple's fertility. Why is this so?

Some say that obesity is not only a physical issue but a psychological and genetic one. My Dad tended toward a more heavy set figure. Does that play a part in my experience with childhood obesity? Yes. But I'll argue from personal experience and observation that it's not a genetic predisposition. A lot of fat parents have fat kids. Kids sit with their parents at the dinner, lunch and breakfast table (and every snack in between) and learn the same eating habits as their parents. They learn to make the same choices their parents make. I give my babies part of what I myself eat. I can't count how many times my Dad took me to 7-Eleven for a Slurpee, loaded with sugar, or fed me bacon or fried chicken or took me to Wendy's, etc. People learn to make bad choices because it's what their accustomed to - their appetite has been tailored to crave those things.

As far as psychologically and mentally, food brings comfort. When you're teased for whatever reason (including our obesity), that bag of Dorito's won't mention your shortcomings and it continues the whole terrible cycle. When you've suffered unnecessary hardship, nothing is going right in your day, you know that that bowl of ice cream is reliable and won't let you down. You can trust in the sweetness, saltiness, savory goodness of food and it's so easily accessible. People rejoice over food when things go right - they use food to celebrate (hence birthday parties, retirement parties, etc.). Sometimes, I suppose, people just don't have the right information to make smart choices.

I consider that at the moment, there is no rectification for this situation. How can we confront the people we love (with pure motives) about their harmful eating habits and lack of regular adequate exercise (30 min/day minimum)? I have no clue. I suppose as a believer talking to another believer, it is just as any other sin. You must have an established relationship with mutual love and trust, and for an issue this sensitive a deep level of confidence in the strength of the relationship. We could always take them to the Scripture and show them what God says about gluttony and laziness. And remind them that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit.

Most people will admit that they should seldom, if ever, eat fast food. But why do we consume so much of it anyway? We continue to make bad choices. Instead of preparing fast, good food to go, like a box of raisins or cereal bars or even a sandwich, we stop at BK or Chic-Fil-A (I love CFA) because we didn't come prepared or we see the signs and get a cravin' for a crunchin' munchin'.

Tim Hawkins did this bit (which I couldn't find on YouTube) about it: You're out and you're hungry. You didn't come prepared and you decide to go to a fast food joint. But you're psyching yourself out for ordering something healthy and you chant it to yourself, "A grilled chicken salad, yogurt and water . . . a grilled chicken salad, yogurt and water . . . " But when you get up to the window, it gets thrown out the window, "Yeah, I'll take a double quarter pounder with a slice of fat with a supersized heart attack and a jumbo caffeinated type 2 diabetes on the side."

Let us confront the people we love with this overweight/obesity issue. (Hey, confront me too people! During this pregnancy, my goal is not to gain weight during my first trimester and keep it around 15-20 lbs total. I have some residual from my previous two babies and a little holiday weight. You can keep me accountable.) Let's not make it such a sensitive subject anymore. Our weight is just as much public knowledge as our skin color, clothing styles or the model cars we drive. Let's speak out. Obesity has become America's number 1 (or 2) preventable death-inducing condition.

A Biblical Reaction to Betrayal

It hits you like a sledge-hammer and it can be so heart-wrenching! Family and friends that you trust and love - people for whom you would do anything within your ability financially, physically, spiritually - these same people that you thought would do the same for you, suddenly, without any warning, notion or premonition betray you. Trust is broken. And you discover that perhaps, all along, you have been deceived into believing that these people loved you and truly cared about you, only to find out the opposite: they hate you. You would have never considered them your enemies and now you begin to understand that they have made you one of theirs. Perhaps you had been all along.

I don't know what's more devastating: the betrayal itself, how suddenly it seems to come from no where, the deception of love or the consequences of whatever hateful actions/words are taken. In addition to this there may be financial obligations should such people take legal action against you. Betrayal can occur on so many levels.

For believers in Christ, betrayal hits us deeply. Whereas non-Christians may seek revenge after mourning the broken relationship and respond in hatred and bitterness, seeking revenge. Believers are called to love our enemies, pray for them and bless them. We need to run to God's Word for encouragement and instruction during this difficult time which leads so easily to honest prayer time. We can pray for the salvation of the betrayers if they are not believers, and conviction from the Holy Spirit and repentance if they are. For ourselves, we can pray for wisdom to handle the situation with grace, righteousness and justice, seeking from God the right course of action. We can also pray for the healing of our hearts as the love and trust has been broken, that we might not turn to hatred and bitterness.

We are called to live peaceably with all people, so much as it depends on us and not to repay evil for evil. We are reminded of passages that tell us that vindication belongs to the Lord and the grace to patiently trust Him for whenever that vindication comes, whether or not we are present to see it. We must trust that God is the righteous Judge and He will defend the cause of the weak and oppressed.

In some cases, it may be appropriate to take legal action against individuals who committed a wrong against you, if they are unbelievers. Perhaps some of these should be handled on a case-by-case basis using the Word of God as a guide for when this should be done and when it should be handled within the context of church government. But whatever action we take, we must always trust in the final authority of God as Judge, trusting in His timing and perfect justice.

And lastly but definitely not least we should look to Jesus example when He was betrayed. His circumstances were much different: He chose and knew who would betray Him, when and why, and He was in complete control the entire time. In this we can trust in God's sovereignty and remember that He has our best interest at heart - sanctification which leads to greater and greater holiness.

When Christ was betrayed, He restrained Himself and did not retaliate and seek His own vengeance. He waited patiently and trusted His retribution to come from God the Father in perfect timing. He submitted to God's will and kept it in view and knew the ultimate victory that would occur to the Father's glory. He knew that God's justice would prevail in the end.

Christ understood the real Enemy. From Adam, Satan had deceived the hearts of men and women, keeping them captive to a dead, sinful nature. He prayed for His enemies and still, in the moment of betrayal, called Judas, "Friend." Previous to this, He spoke in love truthfully and warned about the imminent judgment of his motives and actions, desiring their repentance.

Christ cried out to God the Father and He didn't put on a mask.

The betrayal Christ experienced is the worst that could ever be experienced by any person. When we are betrayed, we could still find some fault for which we must take responsibility. We have not behaved perfectly toward everyone that has ever come across our path. We are not infallible. But Christ was the sinless Son of God in whom is perfect righteousness, holiness, love, justice and truth. By His atoning sacrifice, which would not have occurred apart from God's will without the betrayal by Judas, our filthy-rags human righteousness is exchanged for true divine, Law-fulfilling righteousness by grace through faith. His grace is sufficient for us to accept the sovereignty of God by which the betrayal has occurred and to heal from it.

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:2-4

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2::5-11