God led me to an odd verse the other day, Isaiah 4:4, which in part says "The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion...".
Filth? What filth? What filth did the women have that the men of Zion didn't? And God, do I have any of that filth on me?
I wasn't sure what that "filth" meant, so I looked at the verse it cross-referenced in Isaiah 3:24..."Instead of fragrance there will be a stench; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of fine clothing, sackcloth; instead of beauty, branding." Further research painted a picture of women who were being led away as captives by the enemy and it made me wonder what kinds of things cause us, as women, to become prey to the enemy? I'm sure there are all kinds of things, but in this case, pride, focusing on outward appearance, and enticement seemed to have a lot to do with being led away, captive to the enemy. Things haven't changed much. That's something we, as women, can fall victim to today, as well, if we're not careful. We can easily fall prey to the idea that what makes us attractive is on the outside. We can become prideful in our appearance and want to attract others to us in order to "prove" our worth.
So what makes us attractive and of worth to God? What releases us from that kind of captivity? 1 Samuel 7 tells us, "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
Proverbs 31 tells of the wife of noble character. Verse 31 says "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
Father, teach us to look at what you look at...the heart. Help us to stand in awe of You.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Is the Counseling You Receive or Give Healthy or Unhealthy/Godly or Ungodly?
Healthy/Godly counseling should:
1) teach Godly principles and truths.
2) bring healing.
3) bring restoration.
4) bring deeper relationship with God and others, includung self.
5) bring blessings.
6) bring increase.
7) bring Godly insight, wisdom, and revelation.
8) bring unity in and through Christ Jesus.
9) bring forth the fruit of the Sprit as written in Galatians 5:22 (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control).
10)bring forgiveness.
11)increase faith in God and what He is able to do in spite of our weaknesses.
12)cause us to want to look and act more like Jesus.
Unhealthy/Ungodly counseling:
1) may appear Godly, but teaches ungodly truths and principles.
2) teaches you to take the easy way out when things are uncomfortable for you or are not going according to your plans.
3) teaches that it's okay to place your needs(self) above those of another.
4) encourages someone to think, "It's all my fault" or "It's all their fault" or "I didn't do anything to lead to this".
5) leads to, or increases, discord, dissension, division, withdrawl, separation, bitterness, anger, depression, despair, ungodly sorrow, feelings of rejection, shame, guilt, or unworthiness, etc.
6) causes anyone to fall away from, or be separated from God and His love for them.
7) teaches it's okay to break covenants/commitments to others.
8) exalts man's "wisdom" above God's.
9) does not bring healing, restoration, and/or forgiveness.
10)leads to an action that brings Biblical, generational curses.
11)creates doubt and unbelief in what God can do.
12)leads to, or increases, ungodly, unhealthy behaviors.
1) teach Godly principles and truths.
2) bring healing.
3) bring restoration.
4) bring deeper relationship with God and others, includung self.
5) bring blessings.
6) bring increase.
7) bring Godly insight, wisdom, and revelation.
8) bring unity in and through Christ Jesus.
9) bring forth the fruit of the Sprit as written in Galatians 5:22 (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control).
10)bring forgiveness.
11)increase faith in God and what He is able to do in spite of our weaknesses.
12)cause us to want to look and act more like Jesus.
Unhealthy/Ungodly counseling:
1) may appear Godly, but teaches ungodly truths and principles.
2) teaches you to take the easy way out when things are uncomfortable for you or are not going according to your plans.
3) teaches that it's okay to place your needs(self) above those of another.
4) encourages someone to think, "It's all my fault" or "It's all their fault" or "I didn't do anything to lead to this".
5) leads to, or increases, discord, dissension, division, withdrawl, separation, bitterness, anger, depression, despair, ungodly sorrow, feelings of rejection, shame, guilt, or unworthiness, etc.
6) causes anyone to fall away from, or be separated from God and His love for them.
7) teaches it's okay to break covenants/commitments to others.
8) exalts man's "wisdom" above God's.
9) does not bring healing, restoration, and/or forgiveness.
10)leads to an action that brings Biblical, generational curses.
11)creates doubt and unbelief in what God can do.
12)leads to, or increases, ungodly, unhealthy behaviors.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Crazy Idea Verified?
Over a year ago I had a dream. In the dream I was shown a root-bound plant in a 4-inch plastic container. The plant, however, was so root-bound that it would soon need to be taken out of its four walls, have its roots broken apart, and placed in bigger, richer ground OR it could stay where it was and risk strangling to death inside its four walls.
Ever since that time I've been thinking about that dream in a spititual sense and what it means... We can spend every Sunday going to church, being spiritually fed, and growing inside the four walls of our church, but there comes a day when you discover that you need to spread your spiritual roots further than the confines of the church's walls. You need to take what you learned, what has fed you, and caused you to grow so well, and take it outside those four walls to bigger ground. To new places.
This dream has made me dream of "a church without walls" and what that means. I see "church" being taken to those places where there isn't church. To places and people that can't, don't, or won't go to church. To people in nursing homes, to shut-ins, to kids hanging out at the park, to homeless people sitting downtown, to people in restaurants and stores...Sharing the "food"--the Bread of Life--that has caused me to grow so much...
This "Crazy Idea" to share Jesus outside the four walls of church doesn't seem so crazy to me anymore. I even find myself doing it. Sharing God's truths with people where I work, praying for people in Lowe's and at Perkins. And I'm now finding others who believe in taking "church" to people outside those sacred walls. They're doing it. They're going into homes to minister. Even to karaoke contests in bars. Isn't that what Jesus did? Share his Father and Himself with those who were lost and hurting? And in places you wouldn't always expect? Isn't that what we should do?
"Crazy Idea" verified.
Ever since that time I've been thinking about that dream in a spititual sense and what it means... We can spend every Sunday going to church, being spiritually fed, and growing inside the four walls of our church, but there comes a day when you discover that you need to spread your spiritual roots further than the confines of the church's walls. You need to take what you learned, what has fed you, and caused you to grow so well, and take it outside those four walls to bigger ground. To new places.
This dream has made me dream of "a church without walls" and what that means. I see "church" being taken to those places where there isn't church. To places and people that can't, don't, or won't go to church. To people in nursing homes, to shut-ins, to kids hanging out at the park, to homeless people sitting downtown, to people in restaurants and stores...Sharing the "food"--the Bread of Life--that has caused me to grow so much...
This "Crazy Idea" to share Jesus outside the four walls of church doesn't seem so crazy to me anymore. I even find myself doing it. Sharing God's truths with people where I work, praying for people in Lowe's and at Perkins. And I'm now finding others who believe in taking "church" to people outside those sacred walls. They're doing it. They're going into homes to minister. Even to karaoke contests in bars. Isn't that what Jesus did? Share his Father and Himself with those who were lost and hurting? And in places you wouldn't always expect? Isn't that what we should do?
"Crazy Idea" verified.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
John 3:34
God brought my attention to John 3:34. John the Baptist is speaking and testifying about Jesus. In this verse he says, "For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit."
John was referring to Jesus, but as born-again children and joint heirs with Christ, shouldn't we also have the same "Spirit without limit"? I know the Holy Spirit dwells within me, but I have not as yet seen it "without limit". Why is that? Was that "Spirit without limit" only for Jesus? Something in my spirit says, "No, it should be for us, as well." They experienced it in the first church in the book of Acts. Must God personally send us to speak the words of God? God has already done this through the Great Commission. Are we not experiencing "the Spirit without limit" because we are not speaking the words of God enough? Quite possible. Yet, still, it seems as though there's something more we're not grasping... There are plenty of men and women whom God has called to speak His words, and do just that, but still do not have "the Spirit without limit" that God gives.
Is it a case of "you have not because you ask not"? I don't know. But if that is the case, then, here goes: Father, I ask that You pour out your "Spirit without limit" on all your sons and daughters. We want so much more of You than what we have. We want You without limit. We want so much of You in us that we reflect You inside and out, even down to our DNA. Father, give us your "Spirit without limit" so that people will recognize that it's no longer us, but You who dwells within us. In Jesus' name, amen.
John was referring to Jesus, but as born-again children and joint heirs with Christ, shouldn't we also have the same "Spirit without limit"? I know the Holy Spirit dwells within me, but I have not as yet seen it "without limit". Why is that? Was that "Spirit without limit" only for Jesus? Something in my spirit says, "No, it should be for us, as well." They experienced it in the first church in the book of Acts. Must God personally send us to speak the words of God? God has already done this through the Great Commission. Are we not experiencing "the Spirit without limit" because we are not speaking the words of God enough? Quite possible. Yet, still, it seems as though there's something more we're not grasping... There are plenty of men and women whom God has called to speak His words, and do just that, but still do not have "the Spirit without limit" that God gives.
Is it a case of "you have not because you ask not"? I don't know. But if that is the case, then, here goes: Father, I ask that You pour out your "Spirit without limit" on all your sons and daughters. We want so much more of You than what we have. We want You without limit. We want so much of You in us that we reflect You inside and out, even down to our DNA. Father, give us your "Spirit without limit" so that people will recognize that it's no longer us, but You who dwells within us. In Jesus' name, amen.
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