“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7

Can you imagine giving birth in the conditions that young Mary must have experienced? With all the modern conveniences we have today, it is hard to imagine what it must have been like. We are not given many details of her birthing experience except this one verse. The Bible speaks of a manger and swaddling clothes. By these two clues, and that she could not stay in the inn, most assume they stayed in a stable or cave for shelter. The manger implies that there were animals near them. It is because of these possible scenarios that the nativity scene is thought of and has been presented in art forms over the centuries following.

We may also wonder why would the innkeeper turn them away? Or was there even an innkeeper at all that they interacted with? The text does not say. There are different speculations on how it all played out, but it’s important to remember that the entrance of the Messiah happened exactly how God intended. God placed Mary and Joseph in a place of complete reliance on His divine care. 

The earthly arrival of Christ Jesus was humble and secluded. If we think about it… what if Mary and Joseph had been in the inn? Would the birthing experience had been secluded? The text says “there was no room”. Therefore, the inn was probably crowded. Crowds tend to be noisy and germs will float in the air more. Was the place of seclusion planned as a place of protection? Was Joseph the only one helping Mary as she delivered the Babe or was there a midwife? That is another question which we do not know the answer. This one verse gives us a lot to think about.

It is truly amazing how this short verse can raise so many thoughts. Yet, the greatest thought about this pinnacle moment in creation history is that our Creator, God, became a tiny helpless infant babe!

John 1:1-14

1 Timothy 3:16

Colossians 1:13-17

Isaiah 7:14

Matthew 1:22-25

Philippians 2:5-11

This study is a great resource for women who want to learn what the Bible teaches about womanhood. The following a link to the study: https://a.co/d/0UPIeCC

Questions to Ponder:

Ephesians 5:15-16 “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. –

Do you walk with divine purpose? Is the time you are given spent focused on the purposes of God?

Ephesians 5:17-18 “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” –

Do you understand the will of God? Are you sober and aware of the work of the Holy Spirit in your life?

Ephesians 5:19-20 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;” –

Do you participate in the joy of the Lord with your Church family in song and rejoicing? Do you always walk in thankfulness, trusting in His sovereignty, no matter what trials may arise? (James 1:2-3)

Ephesians 5:21 “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” –

Do you submit yourself to the family of God in humility and fear of His Holy Word?

As women, God made us to nurture and care for our family and our home. We serve to meet the physical needs of our loved ones. We show hospitality by opening our homes to guests. These are wonderful acts that God instructs us to do, but God also expects us to prioritize our time and efforts to the one thing that is most needful in our lives.

The account of Mary and Martha is a good example of how we can become so focused on our serving that we lose sight of the One to whom we claim to serve.

Luke 10:38-42 “Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Martha was hospitable and desired to meet the physical needs of her guests. She opened her home, which is a gracious and humbling act in itself. Opening our home to guests is allowing others to get a glimpse of how we live. However, even though Martha did this humble and kind act, she quickly lost sight of Jesus. Her attention shifted from His presence to her busy tasks.

Mary’s focus was where it should have been. Jesus was teaching and Mary sat at His feet to hear Him. Martha was cumbered about, which means she was distracted and not really focusing on her guests, (Jesus). She did not go to Mary directly but instead, in her frustration, she interrupted Jesus while He was teaching. This was a bold move… interrupting Jesus Christ while He was teaching to complain about her sister?! Wow.

Jesus’s response to Martha was a serious yet soft rebuke. He repeated her name to bring her attention to Himself, and then corrected her behavior. All the physical needs that Martha was trying to tend to were not needful. Jesus said, “one thing is needful”.

Psalms 27:4 “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.”

What was motivating Martha’s good works? Was it really Jesus? Mary’s decision to stop and listen to Jesus was the needful thing. She chose the good part that will not be taken away! 

Ladies, our lives can become so busy with responsibilities at home, work, church, and other activities. These are not necessarily bad things, they are typically good things, but what about the ONE thing? Are your good works being motivated by your love for Jesus? Are you being guided by His Word in your works? Are you opening your Bible and sitting at the feet of Jesus? Are you listening as He teaches? It is the Word of God that sanctifies you to fulfill His priorities in your life. Are you choosing the good part?

Romans 12:1-2

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Remember, this world is not our home, and it contains nothing greater than our relationship with Jesus Christ. A living sacrifice to God is complete and total surrender to Him and His Word.

Oh, what peace it is to know that there is nothing or no one that can be taken away from us if we have surrendered everything we have and everything we are to Jesus Christ!

Before the assassination of Charlie Kirk, I knew very little about him. I saw his video clips from time to time and appreciated his desire to teach the next generation how to think critically. This is a much needed skill that has been decreasing in our nation. A lot of educational institutions have been teaching students what to think more than how to think.

Now after his tragic death, I have taken a closer look at his life story. I cannot say that I completely agree with his political views, but do agree with his Biblical worldview. Charlie Kirk was a God fearing, passionate man with great conviction and courage. He loved Jesus, his wife, his children, and his country.

Social media is now flooded with posts about him. I am seeing folks who appreciate him and folks who do not appreciate him. Many have went to the extreme of even hating him. Why hate Charlie Kirk? He was a debater, he was NOT a hater. He loved people and had a deep desire for folks to know the truth of Jesus Christ and His Holy Word. Why would those who want to supposedly coexist, think that Charlie should not exist? 

Charlie Kirk believed in the freedoms America was founded upon. He saw how these freedoms are being threatened more and more, specifically our freedom of speech. In fact, Charlie Kirk was murdered for legally exercising his first amendment right, in which he had fought so hard to protect. Not only was he killed, but his family was robbed. His wife was robbed of her husband and his children were robbed of their father.

Charlie has been accused of hate speech because he spoke what he believed. The only hate in his speech was the hate from those who hated what he had to say. Just like Charlie had the right to speak, those in earshot had the right NOT to listen. This is exactly why we have the first amendment. 

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Social media and artificial intelligence (AI) are now a communication highway that exercises this freedom. Some utilize it for good and some for evil. Because the heart of mankind is wicked, a lot of evil is traveling this highway, and it has become an instigator causing division and hate. (Jeremiah 17:9) Now in the aftermath of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the hate and division is increasing.

There are videos and quotes floating around that have been AI generated and even lies being told about him. There are videos of his debates which have been edited and altered in order to take his words out of context. These acts are wrong and disrespectful to his memory. They are stirring up more strife and conflict.

Thank God we have the right to exercise our freedom of speech here in America, but remember that freedoms come with responsibility. God will hold us accountable. 

Matthew 12:36-37 “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

Before we come to any conclusions about Charlie Kirk, we should each individually do our homework and discover his character through research from reliable sources. The communication age has taken on a new form in the last couple decades and the trajectory to which it is going is becoming more and more evil. We must be careful not to be deceived by the prince of the power of the air, who is Satan. (Ephesians 2:2) He is liar. 

Jesus told the religious leaders of his day who they belonged to…

John 8:44 “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

So who do you belong to? I urge you not only to be diligent about seeking the truth about Charlie Kirk, but be infinitely more diligent about seeking the one who is Truth, which is Jesus Christ.

John 14:6  ”Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

What we believe matters and what we believe, is seen in our actions.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Matthew 10:28 “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Do not fall victim to Satan’s schemes, arm yourself. (Ephesians 6:10-18) He knows his time is short and his mission is to deceive. Social media and AI have become weapons in the enemy’s hands.

Charlie Kirk, on the other hand, used this technology as a tool. He is an American martyr, a man of conviction and courage. He did not fear man, he feared God. We ALL should fear God.

Proverbs 14:27 “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.”

Charlie warned of God’s coming wrath upon the children of disobedience. (Ephesians 5:1-6)

Psalms 98:9 ”Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.”

Charlie called people to repent and place their faith in Jesus Christ. He knew that the only hope for America is Jesus Christ. (Psalms 33:12)

Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior?

I thank God for Charlie Kirk. A faithful man who stepped up to his calling in times like these. His martyrdom is now bringing many souls into the Kingdom. (John 12:24)

“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” ~ Tertullian

May The Lord raise up more men and women of great faith and conviction to stand firm in these last days. May we all seek Him for courage and strength to stand firm. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

As Habakkuk prayed for his nation (Judah), may we also pray the same. (Habakkuk 3:2) 

May God have mercy on the United States of America.

After being saved I began listening to the teachings of John MacArthur. They were foundational in my early Christian growth. In his 56 years of ministry, he preached through the entire Bible. His recent death is a great loss, but I am thankful to have gained great understanding of the Scripture through his expository approach to preaching over the years.

Not only was he a solid teacher, but he stood firm against the declining culture, even on controversial issues. I pray that the Lord will raise up more mighty men of conviction and courage to proclaim the Gospel in these latter days.

The longer we live, the more death we will see and the more grief we will experience. Grief and death will continue to plague us until the Lord’s return or until we finally go home.

However, we are not to live in grief and death, we are to live in Jesus Christ – the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6)

Grief and death are what God uses to help us to see our eternal need for His salvation.

Matthew 5:3-4 “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”

It is good to see all the tributes, old videos, and comments being made about John MacArthur. He will be missed by many! This particular post I am sharing below caught my attention. It was written by Scott Aniol. I hope you appreciate it too:

“I recently finished teaching through Genesis and was struck by how much attention is given to Jacob’s death at the end of the book.

In light of John MacArthur’s death, here is a thread on why it is good for Christians to mourn.

Why does Genesis, a book beginning with life, dedicate its final chapter to the long, elaborate funeral of Jacob?

Because Scripture teaches us how to face death: we accept it, and we defy it.

First, we ACCEPT death as the enemy it is. Our culture uses euphemisms and turns funerals into “celebrations of life,” trying to gloss over the tragedy.

But the Bible doesn’t ignore death. Death is the unnatural wage of sin (Genesis 2:17, 1 Corinthians 15:21). It is an intruder in God’s good world.

Because death is an enemy, it is good and right for Christians to mourn.

Joseph wept over his father.
The nation of Egypt mourned for 70 days.
At his friend’s tomb, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35).

Sorrow is not a sign of weak faith. It’s an honest response to loss.

But our mourning is fundamentally different. We accept death, but we also DEFY it.

Paul is clear: “…we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

Our grief has a limit: hope.

This hope in spite of death is anchored to an historical event: the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20).

Christ’s empty tomb is the guarantee of our own resurrection.

Jacob’s funeral modeled this. The deep sorrow acknowledged death’s sting. But the arduous journey to bury him in Canaan was an act of defiant faith—a down payment on God’s promise of a future inheritance, a “better country, that is, a heavenly one” (Hebrews 11:16).

So, Christian, mourn. Go to the house of mourning (Ecclesiastes 7:2). Feel the sadness of loss.

But do so with indestructible hope, standing on the promise of the resurrection. We grieve, but we mock the grave, for our King has already conquered it.

“O grave, where is your victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55).”

Psalms 116:15 “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”

“Death, for me, will be an escape into the presence of Jesus Christ, the greatest possible joy I could imagine in the universe.” — John MacArthur

Psalms 9:10 “And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.”

We do not trust that which we do not know. It is easy to say we trust God, but do our actions and obedience prove our trust in God and His Word? Every time we disobey God, we lack in trust of His Word.

The Bible says that “they that know thy name will put their trust in thee”. If we really know God, we will trust in Him. Evidence of our trust is found in obedience to His Word.

This verse does not say that they that know thy name “might” trust God. It says “will” trust God. This indicates that the more we know the Lord, the more we trust in the Lord. Knowing God brings about our trust in Him.

In order for us to know, we must seek, and God does not forsake those who seek Him. This is His promise to us. He will not leave us, nor forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)

Do you want to trust God more? Then you must seek Him more. God is found in His Holy Word. His Word is true and He keeps His promises. Trust in Him.

⚠️Unpopular Post⚠️

I saw the following post on TwitterX. We may or may not agree, but either way it’s a personal decision we all must make and eventually answer for when we stand before God one day.

“Halloween has become a season to make children comfortable with evil. 

This is why your local Home Depot and Target are covered in morbid, decaying witches, blood, and nooses. This is why my neighbor has a dead baby doll with spikes through its head and a knife in its hand. 

These people are sick. 

As Christians, we don’t celebrate what Christ came to conquer. Death, darkness, and evil are not our allies. In a world filled with murder, suicide, and violence, we must not commemorate or advertise acts out of alignment with God’s character and will. 

Parents, don’t nurture an appetite for darkness in your child. It may only be ghosts and scary pumpkins when they are young, but it grows into horror, gore, sorcery, deviance, fear, and immodesty as they age. Studies have shown the links between Halloween and horror movies and horror movies with depression and suicide.” -Dale Partridge

Ephesians 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

James 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

God gives His Wisdom bountifully. He is holding it out to us right now saying “take it”. 

James 1:6 “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”

Where can we find faith?

Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Are we reading God’s Word?

Proverbs 2:1-6 “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”

God is giving us His Living Word. Grab it while we can! 

Isaiah 55:6 “Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near:”

In 2022, I wrote a blog post about the Roman Colosseum and how it compares to the sports and entertainment in times like these. This YouTube documentary is a history lesson for us all.

Have you ever heard it said that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it?

The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 1:9 “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.”

In our day we tend to think we have progressed beyond historical knowledge, and are smarter than previous generations. When in fact we repeat historical mistakes because we refuse to learn from them.

Christian, do you see what’s happening? Are you spiritually prepared as America repeats the cycle of ancient Rome?

“The times look awfully dark indeed; and as the clouds grow thicker—the stupidity of the nation seems proportionally to increase. If the Lord had not a remnant here, I would have very formidable apprehensions. But He loves His redeemed children; some are sighing and mourning before Him, and I am sure He hears their sighs, and sees their tears. I trust there is mercy in store for us at the bottom; but I expect a shaking time before things get into a right channel—before we are humbled, and are taught to give Him the glory.” – John Newton (1725-1807)

Psalms 99:1-2 “The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved. The LORD is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people.”

Amen.

They are coming out at an alarming rate! Wiry gray and white strings, technically called hairs, which first began appearing just here and there in my 30s. Now after going over the hill of 50, these things are shooting out like fireworks! What is an aging woman of the 21st century to do?! Our society bestows a great pressure for keeping a youthful appearance. Aging is not welcomed, and anti-aging accommodations are a big business. There are creams, makeup, and hair colors to help hide and prevent the inevitable. Some will even go as far as Botox and plastic surgery to aid in their youthful appearance. How much money, time, and effort should a woman spend on this losing battle? Each Christian woman should take this question before the Lord, and see how our relationship with Him is being affected in this battle.

Nowhere in Scripture are we taught to follow the ways of the culture, but the pressures of popular culture can push us into the vain patterns of the world. (1 John 2:15-17) This is a constant battle for every Christian. Our flesh is dying, but our soul is eternal. We must be prayerfully discerning in our pilgrimage here not to fall into sin. We should study God’s Word and apply it to EVERY area (Proverbs 3:5-6) of our life, and this includes our appearance.

Psalms 71:18 “Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed Thy strength unto this generation, and Thy power to every one that is to come.”

God has each of us here for such a time as this. (Esther 4:14) We all have a realm of influence in this generation and the generations to come. My personal prayer is that with every springy gray hair that sprouts from my scalp, I will be reminded that as long as God gives me breath, I’m still here for HIS purpose. No matter how gray and wrinkled I become, I want my crown to bring HIM glory! 

Scriptures for Further Study:

Proverbs 11:22, 14:1, 16:31, 18:22, 19:14, 20:19, 31:10-31

1 Corinthians 11

Ephesians 5

1 Timothy 2

Titus 2:1-5

1 Peter 3:1-6

Matthew 7:21-27

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”

I’m doing something different this year in my new read-through of the Bible. This time through, I’ve begun journaling as I read. Kind of like writing a commentary, but in a personal way. I just completed my two week journey through the book of Job.

With each new read through of the Bible, the Lord gives me so much more to meditate on. The life of Job astounds me. He endured so much, but never lost his faith. He experienced what can be described as a “living death”. His words, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him”, reveals Job’s faith in God. There is so much in this book that can’t be condensed to a blog post, but I just wanted to send out an encouragement to those who may be struggling with your current circumstances, and don’t understand why God has you here.

When God finally answered Job, He never told Job what was going on in the heavenly with Satan, God never told Job the “why” of the suffering he was experiencing. Instead God asked Job a total 78 consecutive questions. In those questions God was basically asking Job if “he” was eternal, great, powerful, wise, and perfect. God’s questions not only revealed to Job who God is, but revealed to Job who he was – ignorant and weak. Even Job, who God considered upright, still held onto a pride in the midst of his suffering. Only when God revealed His mighty glory, did Job really see his own depravity.

There are many things we can glean from this book of the Bible, but the one thing that stands out most to me is the importance of perspective. We often times place our circumstances in front of our view of God. We do this when we fail to see that our circumstances are part of God’s divine purpose for our lives. As God never revealed to Job why he was experiencing so much suffering, God may never reveal to us the “why” of our suffering. Yet, do we trust Him?

When we see God for who He is, the sovereign Creator of all, we should be humbled and grateful for all that He has done. The questions will cease, and then our circumstances will no longer be our focus. Our focus will shift to His Glory and Majesty! When Job took his eyes off of his circumstances, that is when God showed up!

I’m not going to say, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”. What I am going to say is to, “Keep a Biblical perspective”. Your circumstances do not alter God’s purpose for you. Nothing you are experiencing surprises God, and nothing you’re experiencing is too difficult to endure, because He is holding onto you. If you’re ever struggling to understand the why of life’s suffering. The book of Job is a good book to read through. Many blessings to you in your Christian pilgrimage.

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

The more I study the Word of God, the more I realize that I need to study the Word of God MORE.

I saw this video clip of Paul Washer that really resonated with me, (Open the short video below to view by tapping on it). In my Christian journey over the years I’ve learned so much ABOUT God, but more importantly, He has drawn me closer in KNOWING HIM.

In Jeremiah 9:23-24, it reads, “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.”

There is nothing more important than knowing God, and what I have found in Christendom is that Bible knowledge is a mile wide, but only an inch deep. Bible verses are memorized, but not understood within their context. In fact, many verses are taken out of their context to support personal preference.

There are a lot of ministries with books, studies, and devotionals. Sadly, I’ve seen these resources more utilized by Christian women than God’s Holy Word. God has given the gift of teaching, but the best teacher is the Holy Spirit. One thing we must never forget is that the enemy wants to deceive us by using false teachings. Every book in the New Testament warns of false teachings except Philemon. This should cause us take notice and beware. Especially as we are warned of the continual increase of deception in these latter days.

I have dedicated many previous blogs, (I encourage you to look through these archives to see them) about false teachings and deception among Christendom. I have personally witnessed and even experienced so much of this over the years. It breaks my heart seeing so many women being swept away by their emotions into false doctrine. I personally, have been deceived and caught up in these movements. It is difficult to reach those who are immersed into deception. Only the Holy Spirit can reach and deprogram them.

I have witnessed firsthand how the enemy is infiltrating the church in America. Satan has been coming at us from many angles. The world has not only crept into the church through false teaching, but also through music and entertainment. Any crack the enemy sees, he will wiggle in. Biblical knowledge is our defense, and if we don’t know God’s Word, there will be cracks and infiltration.

As women we tend to be more emotional, we gravitate towards teachings that encourage us more than teachings that convict and challenge us. We need the WHOLE counsel of God. Remember, Satan is a defeated foe. Our own ignorance, pride, and selflessness is what hinders our walk with God.

I praise the Lord for His sanctification process. He continues to open my eyes and gives me discernment to navigate, study, and pray through. The more I study God’s Word and pray; the more I know Him, and walk in His wisdom.

As Paul Washer says in this clip, “Women need theology.” 

EVERY Christian should be a theologian!

2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

The chronological Bible reading plan that I follow perpetually has me in Revelation at the end of this year. It usually takes me over a year to read through the Bible, so this is a first for me. Revelation can be difficult to understand, so I like to utilize commentaries. I love the introduction in this commentary. Instead of reading Revelation like a puzzle, this time I want to fall before the Lord in worship as I meditate through this final book of the Bible. I want to be in awe and wonder of my glorious Savior! He is the Almighty!

Revelation means to reveal, not to hide or be obscure. In this book of the Bible, God pulls back the curtain for us to see a glimpse of His glory in this world- past, present, and future.

December this year, I look forward to celebrating the day when Jesus will come in the clouds along with the celebration of when He came in the manger.

No matter where you find yourself in your Bible reading plan, keep in mind that Bible reading should not be a duty, but a delight!

Are you resisting the devil or entertaining him?

I wrote this BLOG in October of 2022. It explains the origins of Halloween and why Christians should not partake of the festivities.

In just a year’s time, our culture has sunk even deeper into wickedness and paganism. With all of the evil in this world, why would we want to dabble with a satanic holiday? We should have great conviction to stand for truth and not have any fellowship with darkness. If you are a Christian that participates in this, I encourage you to pray about it. How is your involvement glorifying God?

Satan is a deceiver. Don’t let him deceive you into calling evil good. We are told to resist the devil and abstain from evil. Involving ourselves in the celebration of Halloween is not submitting to God. The Bible says to resist the devil, not accept him. The Bible also says to abstain from all appearance of evil, not endorse evil.

James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

1 Thessalonians 5:22 “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”

Dear Christian, beware.

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” – Matthew 24:6-8

Reading the words of Jesus is like reading the news headlines of our day… “Wars, famines, pestilence, earthquakes”, but then Jesus adds, “All these are the beginning of sorrows”. Just the beginning?!

The conflicts that Jesus speaks of in this text have always characterized life in this fallen world, but the key word to understand in this verse is “sorrows”. The word “sorrows” in this text means a birth pang, pain, sorrow, or travail. It refers to labor or childbirth. The events that must happen prior to Christ’s return have happened, are happening, and will happen. The world is in labor, and it began its groaning in the Garden of Eden. (Romans 8:22-23)

Jesus related the progression of these world conflicts to childbirth. There are stages in labor contractions. They begin slowly and gradually and then increase in pain and frequency until the child is born. Jesus used this illustration to help us understand that tribulations will increase in sum and severity before His glorious appearing. (Titus 2:13)

Jesus said, “…In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33^b) We do not know the extent of tribulation we will have to endure in this world before Jesus returns, but He promises us strength to endure until He takes us home. (Philippians 4:13, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

In the meantime, we strive to remain faithful (Luke 13:24, Philippians 1:27-28). Jesus never told us when He will return, but He did tell us to always be ready. (Matthew 25:1-13, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11)

At some point, this world will scream out its final labor groan, and the great trumpet cry from Heaven will be heard. (1 Corinthians 15:51-53) Are you listening?

Please, if you do not know Jesus, the Savior of the world, click here and learn how you can know Him before it is too late.

In the Ten Commandments, (Exodus 20:1-17) which God has given, there is something I have pondered about commandments one and two.

Exodus 20:3-4 “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:”

What does God define as a graven image or likeness? I have researched and read many commentaries about these two commandments and all of them have agreed on the fact that we should have no other gods before the one true God. The area I’ve seen interpreted a bit differently is that of having a graven image or likeness of God, crafting a god from our own ideas. — What does this look like?

Jesus warns of false Christs, (Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:22, 1 John 2:18, 4:3, 2 John 1:7) and the Apostle Paul warned about another Jesus. (2 Corinthians 11:4) We each have a view in our mind about who God is, but why do views differ? I think our views can differ because we’re not all getting our view from the same source. 

I’m a 70s baby, and for as long as I can remember I’ve seen many portrayals of Jesus through different mediums. I’ve been influenced by sculptures, pictures, paintings, plays, and movies. Some portrayals have been respectful and line up well with the Scripture. However, after reading the Bible cover to cover multiple times, I can say that most of the portrayals of Jesus which man has made, are not accurate, nor respectful. The problem with every man-made representation is that all of them are someone else’s view of Christ, and not all views get their source from the Word of God. This can lead down a slippery path of deception. True understanding of who God is, begins and ends with His Holy Word. God is Holy, no one is like God. (Isaiah 46:8-10) He has given us a Book to know Him. Beware of the mediums of man which can taint your view of God. Are you being conformed into the image of Jesus, or are you conforming a “Jesus” that looks more like you? (Romans 8:29)

We often will hear that God is love, but we rarely will hear that God is just. Yes, Jesus loves us, He humbled Himself on the cross. He was broken and became the perfect sacrifice for our sins, but it does not end there. (Philippians 2:5-13) He conquered death, rose from the grave, and is the Judge of the nations. (Matthew 16:27, John 5:22, 12:48, 2 Timothy 4:1, 2 Corinthians 5:10) This short 4 minute video clip attached to this blog post is of an evangelist and author named Voddie Baucham. Tap on the picture below to see how he lays it out straight. May we never let the culture define Christ for us. I urge you to study God’s Word. Make sure that you know the REAL Jesus.

If you want to know the REAL Jesus, this link will explain: Click HERE know Him.

Read 2 Timothy 3:1-7

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2 Timothy 3:6-7 “For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

These verses have always caught my attention. As a woman, I’ve pondered and researched this text many times using the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, the Vine’s Dictionary, and multiple commentaries. No where else in Scripture can I find that women are described as “silly”. When researching what the Apostle Paul meant, I have learned it is not a favorable description. The root meaning of “silly women” means weak, spiritually dwarfed, and foolish. 

In this portion of Scripture, the Apostle Paul is warning Timothy of the days ahead. In fact, most of Paul’s writings to Timothy were warnings. Warnings are not usually easy to hear when they come against our pride and sinful nature. This particular warning brings out that women are led captive by false teachings. These women are susceptible to deception because of sin and then led away by their lusts. They think they are learning, but they never really understand, nor are able to comprehend the truth.

The feminist movement takes great offense to God’s design for women. I could see this particular passage offending greatly. Even as a Christian woman, I too could take offense. It is not a complimentary description. Only by approaching this text in humility and with a teachable spirit can I receive understanding. I do not want to find myself in this category of women which Paul is describing. My desire is to understand, to love, and to obey God’s Word. We are living in perilous times and “truth” is under attack. Paul tells us in the previous chapter: 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

So, ladies, how can we avoid being silly? – Our spiritual maturity always comes back to devotion and understanding of God’s Word through the working of the Holy Spirit within us. Sanctification happens in God’s Word. (John 17:17) His Word will transform us and make us more like Jesus. (Romans 8:29, 12:2) I’ve been a Christian for over 25 years, and in my faith journey I’ve learned that God’s Word teaches me and transforms me. The hardest part of my walk is to stand with the Scripture in all things. This is because the darker and more hardened this world becomes, the more narrow this pilgrim road becomes. (Matthew 7:13-15, 1 Peter 2:10-12)

Earnest, consistent, immersion into the pages of the Scriptures will transform our entire being. God’s Word is alive and holds eternal answers for every living soul. Life only makes sense when we know the Creator of life. The question is do we really want to know? Do we want soft sayings that smoothly brush over and stir our emotions without making any real change within us, or do we want the truth, which pierces our heart and cuts away at the destructive disease of sin? Do we want the Holy Spirit to shine His light upon our sin and expose it or do we want to hide under the “victim” banner and never experience the power of the Gospel? 

Warnings about false teaching are throughout the Bible, and as we await the return of Christ, they will increase all the more. (Matthew 24) Paul said that sound doctrine will be hard for man to hear, and they will seek teachers who appeal to their lusts. 

2 Timothy 4:3-4, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

Though we are warned over and over again. Christians are still being deceived and drawn to teachers who are not teaching the full counsel of God. Deception is real and deception is rampant. Pride is the blinder that prevents us from seeing truth. Humbling ourselves is a continual action we must take. It is foolish to think that we are beyond deception. The heart is deceitful. (Jeremiah 17:9-10) If we say that we cannot be deceived, we are deceived already. 

“Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It’s knowing the difference between right and almost right.” ~ Charles Spurgeon

There are a lot of “almost right” ministries today, and from my observations, most of these ministries are actually women’s ministries. As the Apostle Paul warned, women even today are being captivated, led astray and imprisoned by false teachers. Women, are the weaker vessel. (1 Peter 3:7) We tend to be more emotionally driven. Granted, there are some exceptions to this generality. 

I have found about four or five women Bible teachers that I will read or listen to, but they are not what is considered a celebrity Bible teacher. They don’t have a large following or bestselling books, but what they do have is discernment and depth in their theology. They dig into the Scriptures and keep their focus on Christ. Yet even though I really appreciate these women teachers, I have actually gleaned more Biblical knowledge from Bible teachers who are men. I think it is because men are typically more straightforward.

A disturbing aspect about many false teachers of our day is that their materials are bought and used in many churches. On the surface they appear to be teaching the Bible correctly. It is only when we look deeper into what they are saying and search the Scriptures ourselves can we catch errors. It helps to know what their beliefs or statements of faith are in order to identify if they are doctrinally sound in their theology. However, you will find that it is hard to find this type of information on some Bible teachers. 

In our current church culture, women tend to gravitate more towards the teachings of women’s ministries. In 1 Timothy 2:11-12 women are instructed to learn in silence and not to have authority over or to teach men. In Titus 2:1-5 we read that the older women are to teach the younger women. These are specific commands for women that are not followed accurately, and sometimes even violated by many popular women’s ministries of our day. 

In the book of Titus we see that women’s ministry is God ordained within the local church. We tend to run into problems when we give too much attention to celebrity leaders outside of our local church. Several ministries led by these personalities have slipped away from being a ministry into being a business.

God has ordained local church leaders to oversee and protect His flock. Paul had great concern over wolves coming in and twisting the Scripture for their own gain. Paul’s concerns were so great that he warned night and day for three years in tears. Keep in mind, this is before the communication technology of our day. Paul’s concerns in that time were extremely severe, yet in today’s world the wolves are creeping in on the sheep from several new angles and mediums. This is why it is vital that we keep ourselves under the authority and care of our local church leaders. God has given them for our protection. (Acts 20:27-32)

God ordained the position of leadership in the church to qualified men. (1 Timothy 3:1-13, Titus 1:5-14, 1 Peter 5:1-11) We see in the Bible that the majority of the teaching in the church was done by men. In 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 we read, “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.”

The Apostle Paul was continually fighting against the pagan influences upon the church. These influences are still encroaching upon us. I think it is becoming even more prevalent as we approach the return of Christ. To my knowledge there has been no other time in church history that has seen such a saturation of women’s ministries. Most Christian books which have made the bestseller’s list over the past couple decades have been written by women. I believe that there is a deeper spiritual connection with this recent phenomenon that is indicative of the end times. 

To explain this connection would require more information than I want to introduce in this particular blog post, but I encourage you to open and watch this documentary entitled, “The Rise of The Divine Feminine”. It explains and exposes Satan’s ongoing scheme to try to destroy God’s design for men and women. This documentary goes into extensive details on the mystery religion that the book of Revelation speaks of, and how we can currently see these spiritual forces converging in the world today. The feminist movement has been around since the Garden of Eden and the doctrines of Satan are still working through the false religions of the world. The process has been gradual in America, but things are now ramping up. The end times Church should be wise and prepared.

I’m also going to add an article link, “Popular False Teachers & Unbiblical Trends”, to this post that examines and warns about false teachers. It has specific information about many popular women’s ministries of our day. As Christians we should do as the Apostle Paul instructed, mark and avoid false teachers. (Romans 16:17-18).

Ladies, doctrine matters. When I began this blog site about two years ago, my goal was to teach and encourage other women through short devotional blog posts. It is good for my personal study time, but also a way to hopefully get other women to read the Bible. I hear so many women go on and on emotionally about their favorite Christian music, Christian podcasts, Christian shows, and using Christian clichés. However, I hear very few women talk about their personal walk with the Lord and what portion of Scripture they’re currently reading. We should be women of the Word. We should be immersing ourselves into the Scriptures and feasting on God’s pages of nourishment. God gave us His Word to know Him and to obey Him. God’s Word is for His glory and for our good. There is great urgency for steadfast women who are grounded in the faith today more than ever before!

Ladies, don’t be led astray by false teachers and your own prideful lusts. There is no popular teacher in Christendom that is worth being caught up into false doctrines. The only Bible teacher we can completely trust is the Holy Spirit. (John 16:13-14) I encourage you to prayerfully go through the article and the documentary I’m sharing. The article contains sub-links to assist in your research. Never take a Bible teacher at face value. Research them. You may not agree with this article’s assessment, but don’t dismiss it without doing your own research. The documentary can be researched on the YouTube channel’s main page. Both the missionary and the blogger information I’m sharing with you, have many resources to investigate. Pray for wisdom and discernment.

I bring this information to you with grave concern about the false teachings entering churches. I think it’s more common than most of us realize and we are being affected by it more than we realize. The trajectory that women’s ministries have taken recently is extremely disturbing and I pray none of us are “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth”.

Alexis de Tocqueville, was a political scientist, historian, and politician, (born July 29, 1805, Paris, France—died April 16, 1859, Cannes). He is best known for writing the Democracy in America, 4 vol. (1835–40), which was a perceptive analysis of the political and social system of the United States in the early 19th century. In his writings he shared this fascinating discovery:

“I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers—and it was not there. . . . . in her fertile fields and boundless forests—and it was not there. . . . .in her rich mines and her vast world commerce—and it was not there. . . . in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution—and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.”

May the Lord revive His Church in America.🙏

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” ~ Jesus Christ (John 8:32)

This video of Missionary Paul Washer was recorded over 15 years ago, but this was not our first warning. What is a modern day prophet of God? – One who studies the Bible, obeys, and warns others of what is to come. Oh, how we need more men and women to stand and boldly proclaim God’s Word in times like these!

2 Peter 1:20-21 “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

1 Peter 4:16-17 “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”

God has spoken, yet we still walk according to the flesh. How long will we stick our heads in the sand? How long will we live in our ignorance-bubbles? How long will we just enjoy the pleasures of this world, and not warn others of God’s wrath? How long will we stay comfortable?

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.”

Jesus Christ

May we heed to the warnings.

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

Jesus Christ

On Saturday June 10th, 2023, the President of the United States of America tweeted a picture of the front of the White House with the following statement on his Twitter account:

“Today, the People’s House – your house – sends a clear message to the country and to the world. America is a nation of pride.” – President Joe Biden

Upon seeing this picture and reading the words of our current president, my first thought was – “Ichabod” which means the glory of the Lord has departed. (1 Samuel 4:21) Pride has stolen God’s glory.

Our President went against the Flag Code Section 7e, (the American flag is to be in the center of any display featuring multiple flags or pennants) and hung a LGBTQ+ progressive flag front and center on the White House (the People’s House) of the United States of America. This was done as part of Pride Month festivities which were happening on the front lawn of the White House. Debauchery was celebrated on the lawn of the People’s House for all to see.

This once great nation, which was founded on Biblical principles, is now being destroyed. America is under destruction so in President Biden’s words they can, “Build Back Better”. However, according to the Creator of all life, the plans of our current leaders will not end well. As God destroyed the earth with a Great Flood and later collapsed the Tower of Babel, the efforts of these prideful globalists will also plummet.

Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”

As world leaders stand on their podiums and speak with authority and power, what do you think God is doing? – God is laughing. (Psalm 2:1-5)

As a God-fearing Christian, I sorrow at the wrath that will come for these abominations. We are witnessing Romans 1:18-32 in America right now. The Bible reveals how God judges prideful nations – He gives them wicked rulers. God brings nations against nations. I do believe that America is currently under the judgment of God.

Proverbs 14:34 “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”

Psalms 11:3 “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

So what is a Christian to do? – Keep the faith! God has given us the gift of faith to exercise. The hardest of all obedience is to practice constant faith. Yet, it is vital to have faith in order to obey all the other commands. Our faith will be tested more and more in the days ahead. Hold on tight Christian! Don’t let go of God’s Word! Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the Word of our God shall stand for ever.”

We are seeing the judgement of God on display all around us with this pride movement, yet God has entrusted His Church to glorify Him. His eyes are on us. (Psalm 11:4-7) Let us be found faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the only hope for all nations! (1 Peter 4:16-17)

Satan brings great misery in the world, but he never breaks free from his leash. Remember, God is sovereign.

Should America be renamed to “Ichabod”? Has the Spirit of God left our country? – No. God is omniscient, He is present everywhere at all times. (Jeremiah 23:24) Even more than that, the Holy Spirit dwells within the Church of God, we are His temple. God will never depart from the Church which the precious blood of His Son is building. Matthew 16:18 “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Man may destroy America, but no one will destroy the Church of the living God! We are safe and secure in our Savior’s hands. (John 10:27-29) And even if we lose our grip on Him, the mighty hand of God has locked and sealed us into His “eternal” grip. (John 3:16, Ephesians 1:13, 4:30, Jude 24-25) God’s glory is infinite. Dear Christian, live for His glory today!

1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

Soli Deo Gloria!

Testimony and Devotion

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Since I was a little girl, I have strongly disliked my cowlicks. I could not wear bangs in the same way as my other little girl friends. Mine would not laydown straight. Instead, they would swirl up off my forehead. I remember my mom trying to fix my hair as a child and struggling with them. She never really explained what a cowlick was. So, in my imagination, I went many years thinking that “Buttercup”, my grandparent’s cow, licked my forehead when I was a baby. 

I still dislike my cowlicks, but I’ve learned how to manage them for the most part. My hair seems to be a daily challenge. Thankfully, over the years, I’ve become less self-conscious about my hairstyle, but it’s still an important part of my daily routine. As women, our hair matters. We can spend a lot of money on our hair. Our hairstyles take priority for a lot of us. Some cultures show the significance of a woman’s hair by keeping it covered. In the Bible we see that God states the importance women place on their hair. (1 Peter 3:3) In 1 Corinthians 11:15, we learn that the glory of the woman is her hair. 

We read of a woman in Luke 7:37-50, whom Bible scholars say was a prostitute. Her livelihood was from selling herself, her appearance was her measure of value. Yet we can see in this text that she was a woman broken by her sin which was ever before her. The Bible does not tell us how well she knew Jesus, but we can see here that she knew He was worthy of her worship. The woman approached Him in great humility. Her understanding of Christ’s deity may have been limited, but she did know that she was not worthy to come before Him. In her shame, the woman approached Jesus from behind. The onlookers did not even faze her in her desperation to reach Him.

We can see this desperation as the broken woman bowed at the feet of Jesus weeping. Her flowing tears fell upon His feet, as she wiped His feet clean with her hair. The Bible says that she even kissed His feet in adoration and then poured her expensive fragrance upon them. What a tender moment of worship this must have been. This wanton woman, who measured her value by her appearance and her promiscuous livelihood, forsook herself. She abandoned her earthly wealth and beauty. In contrition and sorrow of her ugly lifestyle, she found the place where true beauty lies, at the feet of Jesus. 

The woman in this story revealed her brokenness as she surrendered her glory (her hair) to Jesus. The magnitude of her actions in this act of worship is a wonderful picture of what it means to “glory in the cross”. She bowed her glory to the King of Glory. (Psalm 24:9-10)

Galatians 6:14 “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”

This woman who sinned much, also loved much. Her glory was placed at the feet of her Savior. She had found true value in her surrender. Jesus forgave this woman of much sin. Not long after this moment, the sin of this woman was nailed to the cross of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21, Colossians 2:13-14, 1 Peter 2:24)

The prideful Pharisee looked upon this woman in disgust and was appalled that Jesus would allow her to touch Him. His self-righteousness had blinded his ability to see her selfless act. The Pharisee’s response should remind us how pride can raise up in any of us. This usually happens when we fail to see the glory of the cross. We are led away by our own self-centered thoughts. (James 1:13-15) The cross of Christ is the place where the most selfless act of all eternity was performed. (Philippians 2:8) We have no glory but in the cross of Christ. If we humble ourselves before God, He will lift us. (Matthew 23:12, James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:5-7)

The woman knew that she was unworthy to touch Jesus, but she also knew that He was her only hope. The glory which she was holding onto in her life, was a fleeting despair. Her focus shifted from herself and her glory, to Christ. Though surrounded by a group of people, in those sacred moments of submission, it was just her and Jesus. (Psalm 51:3-4, Proverbs 31:30, Romans 6:23)

“There is no greater state than to get up from your knees knowing that God has forgiven every sin you’ve ever committed.” ~ R.C. Sproul

What we see happening in this story certainly brings the right perspective to priorities. Nothing mattered more to this woman than to be at peace with her Maker. 

Is this truth, true for you? Things in our lives that we consider important, or that we hold as valuable, have no value when compared to Christ. Jesus is everything! All things are from Him, and all things are for Him. (Colossians 1:15-18)

Our Creator, the Giver of life, died for our sins on the cross. The Bible says that we all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. (Romans 3:23) Only the Lamb of God is worthy to receive glory. (Revelation 5:12-13) This means the ground is level at the cross. The only difference between the Pharisee and the woman in this story is that the woman recognized her need and acted upon it. Whereas the Pharisee was blinded by pride and was unable to see beyond himself. 

When I think about this woman and her paramount priority shift, I’m embarrassed to admit that I still don’t like my cowlicks. Yet, I praise God that He is still working on me. I’m being sanctified. (John 17:17, Philippians 1:6, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, 2 Timothy 2:19-21, Hebrews 10:14) One day I will receive a crown, and this crown will cover all my cowlicks. (1 Corinthians 9:24-25, 2 Timothy 4:7-8, James 1:12, 1 Peter 5:4, Revelation 2:10) Selfishness and sin will be no more. The greatest aspect about the Lord placing a crown upon my head, will not be about receiving the crown. It will be that I can lay my crown at the feet of my glorious Savior. (Revelation 4:10-11)

“Soli Deo Gloria ~ Glory to God Alone”

“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His Kingdom; Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” – 2 Timothy 4:2-4

We cannot put God in a box, but He can put Himself in a box. God has placed Himself into the confines of His Holy Word. The Apostle Paul taught Timothy how to be a disciple of Jesus. In this passage, he was earnestly exhorting Timothy to proclaim God’s Word continually, whether it is a welcomed message or not. God gave His Word even though it is not always accepted, and when in those times of rejection, long suffering is required.

Paul said to reprove, rebuke, and exhort, because the people will not endure the truth of the Scripture. Instead they would look for teachers to scratch their itching ears. For their desire would be to satisfy their flesh, not their spirit. They would rather hear fairytales and soft speeches. Their lifestyles would become pleasure oriented, not God centered. Paul called these times “perilous”. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

Paul knew people would reject God’s Word, but he did not stop proclaiming. God’s Word is sufficient. He told Timothy earlier in this letter that the Word of God is inspired, meaning that, “God breathed”. The text of the Bible is God directly speaking to the hearer. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) This means that this Book is alive, it continually breathes. (Hebrews 4:12) God’s Word is the source of our faith. (Romans 10:17) Paul exhorted Timothy to study the Scripture and rightly divide the Word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

Before Jesus Christ came and fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament, God spoke through men. The prophets whom He had chosen. Now God speaks through His Son, the Word became flesh. (John 1:1-14) Jesus upholds all things by the Word of His power. (Hebrews 1:1-4) Jesus completed the redemption plan. The Scripture belongs to God, it is of no human origin. (2 Peter 1:19-21) 

“I will worship toward Thy holy temple, and praise Thy name for Thy lovingkindness and for Thy truth: for Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy name.” – Psalms 138:2

God’s Word is where the power is. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”(Matthew 24:35) God’s Word stands forever. (Isaiah 40:8) God’s word is settled in heaven unto all generations! (Psalm 119:89-90)

The Word of God has been under attack since the Garden Of Eden, when the serpent said unto Eve, “Hath God said?”. (Genesis 3:1) His Word is still under attack today. We are in perilous times and people are more interested in fables than truth. Just as Adam and Eve were not satisfied with God’s Word in the garden, today, people will go and look outside of the Scriptures for “experiences”. Thinking they are able to attain a special knowledge of God. This is why we are told to test the spirits. (1 John 4:1,1 Thessalonians 5:19-21)

God gave us a Book! He breathes through His Word to us! He has given us all we need! Yet some in their prideful lusts, want more. Folks will travel many miles to try and experience God in a new way, but God is omnipresent. He lives in His Word and the Holy Spirit dwells within born again believers of the Lord Jesus Christ. We don’t have to travel to the temple like they did in Old Testament times. We are the Temple! (1 Corinthians 3:16) If we want the manifestation of Jesus Christ in our life, He said to love and obey Him. (John 14:21)

We cannot put God in a box, but He has put Himself there. He lives within the confines of His Word. Everything we need to know about God is found in The Holy Bible. God is true to His Word. God has set His own parameters. If we are looking outside of His Word to experience Him, we will not find Him. We will only find wolves in sheep’s clothing sharing fables.

“If we don’t know the Bible, if we don’t know theology, it is virtually impossible for us to identify false prophets.”
~ Voddie Baucham

If we do not believe that God remains true to His Word, then we are not Bible-believing Christians, we are mystics. Our experiences do not interpret Scripture, Scripture interprets our experiences. Jesus DID NOT say, “Sanctify them in their experiences.” Jesus said, “Sanctify them in Thy Word, Thy Word is truth.” (John 17:17)

God has placed Himself in the box of His Word. His Word governs our knowledge of Him and gives us the expectations concerning how He will work in our lives. We cannot exhaust the Word of God. He lives in His Word and He is everlasting (Isaiah 40:28). If the Holy Bible is not enough for us, then it is not God we really want.

Oh, how we need to be sober and vigilant in these perilous times. (1 Peter 5:7-11) The first warning Jesus gave at His “Olivet Discourse” regarding the end times was deception. He warned a total of 4 times within only 24 verses about deception. No other warning that He gave was mentioned more than once. Do you think He wanted us to pay attention? (Matthew 24:1-24)

May we hold fast to the Word of God and be able to say as the Apostle Paul said, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.” – 2 Timothy 4:7-8

I recently heard that the month of May is Mental Health Awareness Month. I find that odd since February is the month that a lot of psychologists attribute the highest number of depression cases. Though I’ve not personally experienced the blues according to the season of the year, I have had mood swings which are affected by the weather. Our emotions can be influenced by our surroundings, whether it be the weather or our current circumstance. The science of psychology (study of the human mind and behavior) has been around for about 150 years. The beginnings of this practice originated in men who developed their views from an evolutionary worldview. So basically they would assess human behavior apart from any spiritual influence. A study based on atheism should be a caution to Christians. Psychiatrists have also been around for about 150 years, and they too approach treatment for their patients from an evolutionary worldview. The professional practice of psychology from a Christian worldview did not make it’s appearance until the 1960s. However, it is up for debate on how much even Christian psychology uses Scripture to counsel behavior. There is a wide array of Christian Psychologists, and they all are fallible humans. Therefore, if God’s Word is not their primary source of knowledge as they instruct human behavior, they can easily fall into unbiblical philosophies. As Christians, our sole source of knowledge and how to live out life is given to us in the Word of God. Human knowledge begins with the fear of God. God is ALL powerful and His Word is sufficient. We bear the image of God, therefore we need God’s Word to live.

I recently saw an article by the Pew Research Foundation about mental health concerns for children and reading the article led me to sadness. I was surprised to learn, according to this article, that 4 in 10 parents are worried for the mental state of their children. Of all the bad things that could happen to their child, mental illness ranked the highest of their concerns. I’m a mother, and of all the worries I’ve had over our children, mental health has not been one of them. According to NPR, mental health has become a national crisis among children. They attribute this to the Covid19 pandemic. Both of these articles assess their findings and the possible contributing factors to the problem. Each life situation is different. The answers for each individual will not always be the same, but if we look at each life situation with a Biblical worldview, we can find a solution to the problem. Not every child has a Christian parent that will seek God’s hand in the situation. Sadly, not every Christian parent will seek God first.

Like other areas of health, we can become quick to seek outside counsel and medication to fix us. We have grown accustom to our medicine cabinets. If I have an ache or pain, I’ll pop an ibuprofen first and then pray for relief. Do I believe what God says in His Word? Hasn’t He promised to supply all our needs? Medical science is a tool God may use to help us, but should it be our first go to? Especially when it comes to mental health, shouldn’t God come first? In fact, since the idea of mental health disorders is a more recent phenomena, should we not especially seek God for help? After all the Scriptures have a whole lot to say about our minds.

I have worked in the medical field for almost 17 years. After having many conversations about human health with a variety of doctors over the years, the majority of them have said that psychotropic medications are over prescribed. They have also told me the majority of our physical ailments in life are a result of our diets and lifestyle choices. When it comes to medication, as consumers, we should remember that there is always money involved. Wherever money is, greed can easily follow. So what does this mean for mental health? Let us use our minds to think through this whole topic.

I’ll start by sharing a personal experience. One of our children was about 16 years old, she was having stomach pains. Time and homecare did not alleviate the pain so I took her to a gastric doctor. The doctor examined her and prescribed a vitamin supplement and psychotropic medication for anxiety. Having knowledge about psychotropic medications, I did not have this prescription filled. I was surprised how quickly this medical doctor assessed our daughter and decided on this method of treatment. She only saw her for maybe 10 minutes. Our daughter was 16, her hormones were changing. The human body goes through so many changes in the teen years as we are entering adulthood. Hormones can affect our emotions. This is a normal body process, God made us this way. Having this personal experience with a physician supported what I had heard from other physicians.

Think about it. How much money do doctors make when they prescribe medications? How much money do pharmaceutical companies make? Are the people manufacturing and prescribing medications mainly concerned for the patient’s wellbeing? Hopefully most have the right motives, but should we trust everyone?

I find it disturbing that psychotropic medications can be prescribed without a physical diagnosis or bloodwork. The main method in diagnosing is from a behavioral evaluation. What I find even more disturbing is that side effects from these medications can actually cause depression. Recently, a new study came out that was barely mentioned in the mainstream news. This new study revealed that there is no evidence supporting depression coming from a chemical imbalance in the brain. This should be HUGE news since doctors have been so readily prescribing psychotropic medication to their patients they deem candidates. Article 1, Article 2, Article 3, Article 4, Article 5 Why is this study being ignored by most of the media outlets? Think about it.

I hope that the observations I have brought to your attention give you some things to ponder. Our minds and bodies were created by God. We are fearfully and wonderfully made! Should we not seek the One who made us first in all things pertaining to life? The issue of mental health seems to be an ever increasing problem in our society, but even though this is not going to be a welcomed comment, sin is also an ever increasing problem in our society. Is it possible that there is a connection? Sadness, anxiety, and depression are real emotions. Emotions are gifts from God, and sometimes God uses our emotions to teach us. Instead of trying to escape our feelings, maybe we should ask God why we are feeling the way we are and ask for His help.

I mentioned earlier that God’s Word has a lot to say about our minds. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-29 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Let us learn of Jesus.

Click on the questions below and find some answers:

Who is controlling your thoughts?

Is your thinking stinking?

How much time do spend in God’s Word?

What are you eating?

What is your screen time in comparison to your prayer time?

Who are you blessing today?

Do you love Jesus?

Do you have a grateful heart?

This video reveals some very disturbing things about this year’s Grammy ceremony. It was basically a celebration of evil. This is not a surprise since the culture has drifted so far from God and morality. Thankfully, we do not have to watch nor have fellowship with this darkness. In fact, as Christians, we are commanded not to.

Ephesians 5:11 “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”
2 Corinthians 6:14
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”

The Grammy ceremony portraying such evil this year is not the biggest concern. Bring your attention to a Christian music group named “Maverick City Music”. This increasingly popular group that can be heard in churches and on radio stations such as K-Love, partook of this wicked Grammy ceremony. This should be a red flag. 🚩

Deception is becoming greater and greater. The god of this world wants to extinguish the Light (The Church), and this seems to be happening through compromising Christianity.

Dear Christian, remember, it is better to do that which is right, than that which is popular. 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

This link contains a variety of Bible reading plans. I hope you find the one for you! https://michellelesley.com/2022/12/27/bible-reading-plans-for-the-new-year-2023/

The manger is empty.
The cross is empty.
The tomb is empty.
But the whole earth is full of His glory!

Revelation 22:20-21 “He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”

Read Isaiah 5:8-25, 6:1-9, 7:14

The prophet Isaiah was given a vision from God concerning Judah and Jerusalem. (Isaiah 1:1) In Isaiah 5:8-25 we see six woes of God toward Judah. The word woe is a word of exclamation and interjection, an abrupt lament. The people of God rejected His law and allowed paganism to influence them. They followed after their own selfish ways. Therefore, the anger of God was kindled. In God’s righteous anger, He lamented and identified their wicked acts.

Read through these six woes, do you see any familiarity within these verses to the world we live in today? If you’re a Bible believer, I think you would agree that the reason for these woes, though they may appear different, are still in practice today. 

Let’s Compare the Six Woes to Judah with the Possible Woes of Today:

1. Greed and Materialism (verses 8-10): advertising, coveting, spending, credit cards, debt, name-brand purchases
2. Pleasure (verses 11-17): food, restaurants, entertainment, vacations
3. Defying God and Ridiculing His Prophets (verses 18-19): disobedience and disbelief of the Bible, not attending church, persecution of Christians
4. Reversing of Morality (verse 20): divorce, pornography, abortion, faux marriages of homosexuals, library drag queen story-hour, Satan worship
5. Pride (verse 21): science, psychology, self-esteem, pragmatism, governments
6. Justifying the Wicked (verse 22): legalization of wickedness, celebration of sin, hate crimes, woke-ness, critical race theory

It’s easy to look through this list and think about how bad of shape our world is in. There’s so much evil in the world. The evil we see can overwhelm us, but we are not supposed to be gazing upon the evil.

Let us read on dear Christian. In Isaiah 6:1-9, God reveals His holiness an eternal glory. God is seated on the throne. He has not moved. He has not relinquished His eternal power. Our gaze should be upon God. In Isaiah 6:5, there we see another woe, but this woe is different. This woe comes from a humbled and broken man gazing upon the glory of God. A man who recognized his depravity and his utter helpless state. This woe from Isaiah’s lips led into cleansing and restoration.

Though others would not hear Isaiah’s message of repentance and salvation, Isaiah willfully obeyed God’s call. God was angry with His people, but yet God was not finished with His people. Moving on to Isaiah 7:13-14 we read,  “And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Immanuel means God with us. Here we see the foretelling of Jesus’s birth. (Matthew 1:21-23) 

Moving forward we read in Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

Dear Christian, you may become weary in your pilgrimage through this evil world, but this evil world cannot weary our mighty God! He had a plan from the beginning. (Genesis 3:15) God has given hope to this evil world. The greatest gift and the only hope for mankind was made available by the same God who has pronounced His woes to mankind.

Luke 2:10-14“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

The woes of God brought about the wonders of His love. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

As Christians, we see the evil around us, but do we look at and confess the evil within us? Isaiah recognized and confessed his own depravity and then the depravity of the nation. God then cleansed him and used him to prophesy. May we never lose sight that we are all sinners and fall short of God’s glory. (Romans 3:23) 

I encourage you to read through the six woes again. Instead of looking at the woes out there, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the woes within. 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

God told Isaiah that Judah and Jerusalem would not heed the woes, but this did not keep him from obeying God’s call. Isaiah’s gaze was upon God in all His glory. He trusted God’s sovereign plan. Dear weary one, it is not our responsibility to change the woes of this world around us. God has given us a Savior to deliver us from this evil world, we can have perfect peace through The Prince of Peace. Our responsibility is not to fix this world, it is to trust and obey. He has called His disciples to proclaim the woes and wonders of His love to the world around us. 

Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Romans 12:21 “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

During this season and all year round, keep your gaze upon the Lord. Don’t worry on the woes, gaze upon the Wonder!

The Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated once a year, but as Christians we should be celebrating Thanksgiving continuously. Our daily dress should communicate this. The Bible tells us in Ephesians 5:19-20, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;” Thankfulness is the song of the Christian. A grateful heart is one of the main indicators of someone who has been touched and changed by Jesus Christ. God says we should always be thankful. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 we read, “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

A life saved and delivered from sin should be wearing a garment of praise. (Isaiah 61:3-10, Matthew 22:11-13) We are reconciled to God. In Christ, we are made the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21) This truth should result in our lives overflowing with thankfulness! As born-again believers, (John 3) we are in this world, but not of this world, (John 17:16). Therefore, we should not look like this world.

What does the world look like? According to the Bible, and if we just look around us, we can see what the world looks like. The world is depraved with pride, covetousness, envy, anger, lying, stealing, wickedness, perversion, drunkenness, and blasphemy. (Romans 1:29-31, 2 Timothy 3:2-4) Sadly, this list could extend longer. The Bible reveals the depth of our depravity all the way from Genesis to Revelation. In Romans 1:21 and 2 Timothy 3:2, we see that unthankfulness is an identifying mark of the unbeliever. In Luke 6:35, the unthankful are categorized with the evil. In Romans 1:16-25, we read how God has revealed His glory through His creation. Yet some do not appreciate God’s glory, they are unthankful. As a result, their foolish hearts are darkened.

If our hearts are filled up with gratitude, there will be no room remaining for unthankfulness. Let us not celebrate Thanksgiving just once a year. Dear Christian, every day is Thanksgiving day to the redeemed soul. As you dress your turkey for Thanksgiving dinner this year, let it serve as a reminder to you, that our lives are not our own. We are bought with a price. Therefore, we are to glorify God. (1 Corinthians 6:20) Everyday we should dress ourselves in the garment of Thanksgiving!

This seems to be a question we all ask from time to time. As Christians our goal should be to live our lives according to God’s will. Yet sometimes we fail to realize that the Bible has already answered this question. God’s will is revealed throughout the Bible. Actual phrases that include the word “will” in relation God, can be found thirty times in the Bible. The specific phrase “will of God” is found twenty-three times, and the phrase “Thy will” can be found seven times. God does not give us specific details as individuals in regards to His will. For example, God does not spell out who we should marry or what career path we should take in the Bible. However, God does give us clear commands and principles He wants us to live by in the choices we make.

Too often I see Christians focus so much about what God wants for them in their individual life, that they lose focus on the fact that God is to be the focus. We are not the focus point of God’s will, He is. We were created for His purpose and pleasure. (Revelation 4:11) He is more concerned about receiving the glory rightly due Him, than He is about our self-centered ideas. Because of our pride nature, sometimes we forget that God does not need us to accomplish His will. God’s will, will be done, regardless of our involvement. 

We should always remember that we are privileged to have a part in HIS story. The continual theme throughout the Scripture in regards to God’s will for us first and foremost, is to obey Him. That has been His call from the beginning. That is how we glorify Him and that is His perfect will for each of us. If we miss this core command, we can miss His will for our life. We can ask God what His will is, but first we should listen to His question, “Lovest Thou me?” (John 21:15-17) God says,“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15, 1 John 5:2-3)

The Bible has given us all the answers we need. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

The life decisions we make as individuals should always line up with what He has already revealed to us in His Word. He created each one of us with specific skills and gifts for His purposes. As we make our life choices, whether they are big or small, we should do so in obedience to God’s Word. He will then direct our path. (Proverbs 3:5-6) King Solomon, in his great wisdom, concluded his life recognizing that God’s will for man came back to this truth. 

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

The thirty Scripture passages I mentioned at the beginning about God’s will, are listed below. I encourage you to read through these Scriptures, pray about God’s will for you as you meditate on them. Apply them daily in your life and watch God direct your path.

Mark 3:32-35, Acts 13:32-37, Romans 1:8-12, Romans 8:18-33, Romans 12, Romans 15:30-33, 1 Corinthians 1:1-10, 2 Corinthians 1:1-11, 2 Corinthians 8:1-7, Galatians 1:1-5, Ephesians 1:1-6, Ephesians 6:5-10, Colossians 1:1-17, Colossians 4:1-12, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-7, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, 2 Timothy 1:1-7, Hebrews 10:30-39, 1 Peter 2:13-24, 1 Peter 3:14-17, 1 Peter 4:1-2, 1 Peter 4:16-19, 1 John 2:15-17, Psalm 4:6-8, Psalm 143:8-11, Matthew 6:9-13, Matthew 26:36-42, Luke 11:1-4, Hebrews 10:1-17

Read Psalm 136

It is believed that this Psalm may have been written around the time that Solomon dedicated the temple to the Lord. (1 Kings 8, 2 Chronicles 6-7) It recapitulates the history of Israel and their exodus from Egypt up to where God had brought them to their own land, which was a place of peace. This chapter records their praise and exaltation of the Lord as they remember Him and His mighty works.

God is continually performing mighty works in His people. America is another example of how God called out His children from a place of persecution to a land of freedom to worship Him. Yet, just as Israel drifted back into idolatry and paganism, America has done the same. Every Independence Day celebration in the Church we hear the famous verse:

2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

The American Church has been quoting this verse for years, trying to apply it to our country’s moral decline. Yet our nation continues to drift farther and farther from the truth of God’s Word.—Why? Though this verse is a promise God made to Israel back in the dedication of Solomon’s temple, if the Church today is being the salt and light we are called to be (Matthew 5:13-16), we can have an impact in our current culture for Jesus. Christians often quote 2 Chronicles 7:14 , but do we really apply it? One way that I question the American Church’s application of this verse is how we respond to the worldly celebration of Halloween.

Halloween, along with some other American holidays, have their origins traced back to the Catholic Church. Constantine was the emperor of Rome from AD 306 to 337. He made Christianity the legal religion of Rome. Prior to this time, Christians were persecuted and martyred. In hopes to influence the pagans of the day, Constantine took their celebrations and tried to Christianize them. The most celebrated American holidays, (Christmas, Easter, and Halloween) were created by Constantine.

Since these holidays were derived from pagan festivals, the early Baptist and Puritan Churches in America, outlawed the celebration of these catholic holidays. Over the course of time these celebrations were gradually brought into a lot of Churches. This seems to be the continual progression of God’s people. We dedicate ourselves to God, live holy, set apart lives, but then with each little compromise we drift away from His Word. Christmas and Easter have their own pagan origins. However, Halloween is a holiday in which it is very obvious that its origins come from evil.

October 31 was the last day of the year for the ancient Celts. This was the eve of the festival of Samhain, the god of death, and the beginning of their winter. The Druids believed they could communicate with the dead. Samhain, the god of death, was believed to judge and dictate the afterlife of souls. The afterlife would either be human or an animal, depending on how they lived. The Celts also believed that evil spirits were sent out to attack humans. They could escape by assuming disguises and looking like evil spirits themselves. They could also offer them treats, such as food to avoid being attacked. Many thought that faces carved into turnips would charm the evil spirits away. Do you see any similarities here? Catholics celebrate November 1 as “All Saints Day” in honor of dead saints and brought about “All Saints Eve” in an attempt to Christianize the pagan practices of their day.

Though, we do not see these pagan practices right in front of our eyes today. We get a glimpse of them on Halloween every year, and there are people who do practice demonic activities all year round. In fact, it’s becoming more and more acceptable in our current society. Witchcraft and other demonic practices are being propelled into our culture through media and entertainment.

Disney is probably the best example I can give you. They began their demonic influence with the casting of a spell by a good witch, Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo in “Cinderella”, and are now blatantly glorifying antichrist with a show titled “Little Demon”. I personally have seen books of witchcraft in retail stores, right in midst of popular magazines and newspapers. Our culture is being desensitized to the occult. Yet we will look back at the Israelites in the Old Testament and wonder why they kept drifting from God’s commandments.

There is a lot of history about pagan rituals and the worship of false gods over the centuries. Pagan practices have been around since the times of the Old Testament. I think every Bible believing Christian should learn the history of world religions, and how God would have us respond to them. It is because of the ignorance of God’s children, nations have fallen. Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”

The exodus from Egypt was the beginning of God’s cleansing of the paganism that they had developed in their time spent with the Egyptians.

Deuteronomy 18:9-12 “When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.”

God was clear, “Do not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.” The things God listed in these verses are still practices of pagan worship today. There may be new gods and new methods of worship, but the end result still leads to destruction. Look below at the new terms to old practices.

1. Abortion– Maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire.
2. Fortune telling, crystal balls, tarot cards, palm reading, astrology, ouija boards- Divination, Observer of times
3. Wiccans, Wizards, Paranormal, Enneagram Personality Test, Psychology- Enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

God stated that He did not want Israel to do these things. God tells His children in the Old and New Testament that He does not want us to partake of pagan worship. He promised Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that if His people, would humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways… God would hear, forgive, and heal. Could one of the reasons God has not healed America is because the Church is ignorantly partaking in the abominations of the pagans?

The celebration of Halloween can be a divisive topic in the Church. Some Christians are oblivious to its origins or consider it harmless fun. Charles H. Spurgeon once said, “I believe that one reason why the Church of God at this present moment has so little influence over the world is because the world has so much influence over the church.” Christians who do not partake are sometimes labeled as legalistic. Leonard Ravenhill, a powerful evangelist said, “When there is something in the Bible that churches do not like, they call it legalism.”

The Christian’s decision on how to respond to Halloween is ultimately a personal conviction, and our convictions should come from God’s Word. This is why the Holy Bible was given to us. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” How we respond to the teaching of the Scriptures will affect our personal relationship with God, but as we read throughout Bible history, our personal response to the Scriptures has an affect on our nation too. Here are just a few passages that can be applied to our personal response to Halloween:

2 Corinthians 6:14 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”

Ephesians 5:11 “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”

1 Thessalonians 5:22 “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”

Since I’ve been following Jesus, my choices on how to navigate through this evil world have changed over the years. I guess it can be called my sanctification process. My convictions have changed, and I’ve been judged harshly on some changes by fellow Christians. I’ve been rejected and my feelings have been hurt. Following Jesus is not easy, and He is still working on me!

In the verses where Jesus tells His disciples that they are salt and light, the verses just prior to them, He tells the disciples that they will be reviled and persecuted for His name sake. (Matthew 5:11-12) In the world’s eyes, obedience to God’s Word is radical. However, if we are not obedient, we will look like the world, thereby having no influence. We each will stand before God one day and give an account for our choices.

This blog post might offend some of you, and for that reason my flesh doesn’t want to post it. But I need to obey what God is impressing upon my heart. I love Jesus more than my popularity. I pray that you will seek the Lord in how He would have you respond to Halloween.

(Read Psalm 37)

Psalms 2:2-4 “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His anointed, saying, let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.”

Most leaders of the world are far from God. In fact, I’m not aware of any nation leader who currently professes faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. In the Bible wherever we see that God laughs, it is a precursor to His judgment. When God laughs, it is not funny. During the perilous times we are living in (2 Timothy 3:1), I find Psalm 37 to be a wonderful Psalm to pray and meditate in. It reminds me that the battle belongs to God. He does not want me to fret over evildoers. To fret means to be angry with, worry about, or be jealous of evil doers. God will cut them off like grass, and they will wither away.

In verses 3-5 of Psalm 37, we are instructed to perform three specific acts of obedience.

1. Trust– “Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.” God has us at this time and place in history for His purposes. We are not to be overcome of evil, but to overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21) What is the whole duty of man? To fear God and keep His commandments. (Ecclesiastes 12:13) Our focus should be obedience, and He will take care of our needs.
2. Delight- “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” God wants us to delight in Him. To delight in God means to enjoy Him for who He is: the almighty, holy God, Creator, Savior, and Lord of all. This delight brings about a joy in our obedience to Him. Our heart’s desires will become sanctified and holy. When we long for Him, the things of this world become less desirable.
3. Commit- “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.” God wants us to hold true to His commands and carry out the call He has placed upon us. Each new day the Lord gives us, is a new opportunity to commit ourselves to Him. We are responsible to trust and obey. He is responsible for the outcome.

God is just, and justice will be served. We can rest in His promises. We can trust Him. For He alone is trustworthy! Vengeance belongs to God. (Romans 12:19) The wicked may plot against the righteous, but God laughs at their schemes. He sees their end. God breaks the arms of the wicked, they will perish. But God upholds the righteous, and they will receive the inheritance of the Lord forever. The Saints of God must hold true and not be ashamed.

With all the sadness and evil deception happening in this sinful world, it’s easy to get blurred vision, and lose sight of who is really in control. Next time you see the kings of the earth rejecting God, do not fret. Pray and wait on Him. Remember, the meek shall inherit the earth and God is laughing at the wicked.

Psalms 103:19 “The LORD hath prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom ruleth over all.”

If you have not placed your faith in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, do not procrastinate, this is the most important decision of your life. Please follow the attached link below, and learn what it means to be saved from sin, death, and hell. Jesus Christ is the only way in which you can be at peace with God, your Maker.

https://in-times-like-these.com/do-you-know-jesus/

If this powerful preaching clip does not stir you, there may be cause for concern. Faith in Christ alone, is our only hope!

The Bible says that we ALL have earned Hell, because we ALL have sinned.

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

We reject our Creator, and we choose evil. Therefore, we are on course to justly receive the salary we’ve earned. For the wages of our sin is death.

Romans 6:23a “For the wages of sin is death;”

God, the only righteous judge. The only Just One. The Creator of the human soul. He has appointed unto us ALL to die once, and then be judged. For He alone holds the right to our eternity.

Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”

The eternal Judge is the Just and the Justifier. He alone holds this position. He shares His glory with no man!

Isaiah 48:11 “For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.”

Psalms 24:1 “The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.”

He alone is worthy of ALL glory! Only God is Holy. Because He is Just and Holy, He has the right to damn us ALL. If He winked at our sin, that would make Him unjust along with us. God is nothing like us! He is set apart. He is self-existent. He depends upon nothing, and is eternally present. It is the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ that overcomes this eternal chasm between us and Holy God.

The Creator of the universe, became the created, Jesus Christ, in all His glory. He was fully man and fully God, sinless perfection. This is how God attained His position of being the Just and the Justifier.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ, is our only hope. It is this hope which our minds cannot fully perceive, yet our hearts so long to receive. The more we seek Him, the more we see the endless depth of His love. 

Romans 5:8-9 “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

How could a loving God send anyone to hell? The answer is, He doesn’t. We were all heading toward Hell, but because He is our Justifier, He snatches us from eternal torment with His mighty hand of Redemption-Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:24-26 “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

God does not send anyone to Hell. But God did send His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to save us from Hell. Hell is the place of everlasting torment. The punishment awaiting all who reject Jesus Christ.

Salvation is of the Lord.

God saves you for Himself.

God saves you by Himself.

God saves you from Himself.

Are you saved? Have you placed your faith in Jesus? Choose Christ today. Call upon Him now.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Mark 1:15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the Gospel.”

The Bible says that we ALL have earned Hell, because we ALL have sinned.

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

We reject our Creator, and we choose evil. Therefore, we are on course to justly receive the salary we’ve earned. For the wages of our sin is death.

Romans 6:23a “For the wages of sin is death;”

God, the only righteous judge. The only Just One. The Creator of the human soul. He has appointed unto us ALL to die once, and then be judged. For He alone holds the right to our eternity.

Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”

The eternal Judge is the Just and the Justifier. He alone holds this position. He shares His glory with no man!

Isaiah 48:11 “For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.”

Psalms 24:1 “The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.”

He alone is worthy of ALL glory! Only God is Holy. Because He is Just and Holy, He has the right to damn us ALL. If He winked at our sin, that would make Him unjust along with us. God is nothing like us! He is set apart. He is self-existent. He depends upon nothing, and is eternally present. It is the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ that overcomes this eternal chasm between us and Holy God.

The Creator of the universe, became the created, Jesus Christ, in all His glory. He was fully man and fully God, sinless perfection. This is how God attained His position of being the Just and the Justifier.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ, is our only hope. It is this hope which our minds cannot fully perceive, yet our hearts so long to receive. The more we seek Him, the more we see the endless depth of His love. 

Romans 5:8-9 “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

How could a loving God send anyone to hell? The answer is, He doesn’t. We were all heading toward Hell, but because He is our Justifier, He snatches us from eternal torment with His mighty hand of Redemption-Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:24-26 “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

God does not send anyone to Hell. But God did send His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to save us from Hell. Hell is the place of everlasting torment. The punishment awaiting all who reject Jesus Christ.

Salvation is of the Lord.

God saves you for Himself.

God saves you by Himself.

God saves you from Himself.

Are you saved? Have you placed your faith in Jesus? Choose Christ today. Call upon Him now.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Mark 1:15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the Gospel.”

Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.”

Revelation 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.”

We are God’s creation, we were created for God’s pleasure and purpose. Yet since the fall (Genesis 3), man has rebelled against God. 

God made the first human being, Adam, out of the dust of the ground. (Genesis 2:7) Everything that God made, He proclaimed good. However, there was one thing He said that was not good. God said it was not good for man to be alone. So God made a woman from the rib of Adam. Woman was not taken from the ground. She was created from Adam’s rib. Up to this point, all of creation was from the earth, but God specifically made woman to be Adam’s help meet. (Genesis 2:18)

There is a poem I’ve heard. I do not know the author, but I’ve heard it many times in regard to the creation of woman. I do think the poem somewhat helps to explain God’s intent for woman. 

“God made woman from man’s rib, not from his head that he should command her. Nor from his feet, that he should walk upon her. But rather from his side, to be his partner in life. From under his arm, to be protected by him. From near his heart, to be loved by him.”

This little poem has a nice sentiment to it, but God’s purpose for creating woman is by far greater than this poem describes. As we read earlier, we were created for God’s pleasure! When we begin to live out our place in this world with our own desires or when we start allowing cultural influences and ideologies to influence our beliefs, we are walking in rebellion to God’s will and purpose for our lives.

The role of womanhood has become a controversial subject in our culture. Gender roles have become a point of hostility in our society. Popular culture is trying to neutralize gender. We are seeing this aggressive push for gender neutrality in marketing, entertainment, sports, and politics. The most disturbing push in recent years, is that we are seeing these ideologies drift into the church too.  

The fact that churches are compromising, reveals the lack of Biblical literacy and of a Biblical worldview. The Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation reveal God’s designed order for His creation. This subject should not even be questioned. 

Womanhood can only be truly understood within the context of the Gospel. We can only understand our purpose as a woman by understanding our Designer. God made us for His story. We are privileged to be a part of His plan! Yet our sin nature is not content with God’s will.

God’s redemption story is seen throughout the Scriptures. If we disconnect any portion of God’s story, it will become distorted. This is what we are seeing in some churches. Folks will look at a text of Scripture through their own selfish desire without looking at the Bible as a whole.

God has created order and authority between men and women, but this does not mean one sex is inferior to the other. We were created in His image, after His likeness. (Genesis 1:26) Created equal, with different functions, but for the same purpose. To glorify Him!

We are His creation, reflecting His glory. He created us to be relational. To have relationship with Him and with each other. God created marriage as a holy covenant that mirrors the covenant Christ makes with His Church. (Ephesians 5:22-33) God is relational with us through Christ, but He is relational within Himself as Father, Son, Holy Spirit. The doctrine of the Trinity is woven throughout the Scripture. This doctrine brings our salvation. Each member (relationship) in the Trinity has a different function in the accomplishment of our salvation. As one function of the Trinity is equal to the other, each function is equally important. Each function of the Trinity is also equally necessary!

In 1 Corinthians 11:3 we read “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God”

As God is the head of Christ, the man is the head of the woman. Is Christ less valuable than God? Of course not! Each role of the Trinity is of equal importance, and each role is necessary for our salvation. 

When we try to alter the God given roles we have as women and men, we are no longer reflecting the glory of God. We are tampering with God’s created order and purpose. God’s sovereign plan created woman from the man. Woman was created to be a help meet. This is our function in God’s story. We are both created in the image of God to reflect His glory. We are created equal and equally valuable. 

Satan was the first to distort God’s designed order by tempting the woman. The weaker vessel. (Genesis 3:1-5, 1 Timothy 2:14, 1 Peter 3:7) The woman had been beguiled by Satan. God then foretold of His redemption plan through the woman’s seed. After the fall and curse of God were given upon His creation, Adam named the woman Eve. The name Eve means “life-giver”. Mother of the living. The work of her seed is Christ, who broke the curse of sin and brought everlasting life.

The very first commandment God gave man and woman was to be fruitful and multiply. (Genesis 1:28) God also made us “help-meets”. Fulfilling our roles are necessary in order to accomplish the purpose for which God designed us. The enemy has taken this glorious design that God made and inverted it. Our culture has become confused and corrupt.

When we no longer follow the precepts of Scripture, and instead we follow the ideologies of the world, we have this: Isaiah 3:12 “As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.” Who is leading today’s culture? Who is leading churches? 

Ladies, God made you for Himself. You are not your own, you have been bought with a price. (1 Corinthians 6:20) God created marriage, God created the Church. Both covenants are designed with a specific order and specific functions within. Each function is necessary to accomplish God’s purpose for which He created them. 

The office of Bishop (pastor) is for a man to hold. 1 Timothy 3:1 “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.”

God did not design women to rule over or teach men within the Church. This is not our function. 1 Timothy 2:12-13 “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve.”

Our functions were given in the beginning. We are “help meets” and “life givers”. The functions of women are described more specifically in Titus 2:1-5 “But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”

Ladies, are you functioning within your design, or are you trying to take on a role that was not meant for you? 

This subject has so much supporting Scripture throughout the Bible. I’ve only shared a glimpse of what the Bible reveals on this matter. I encourage you to go into my past devotional archives (Are You Awake?) and watch a documentary I shared about the “Divine Feminine”. The enemy is working hard to distort God’s created design. Why would we want to contribute to his efforts?!

Embrace your design and purpose to the glory of God! 1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

Hello Ladies,

Last week after learning about a recent decision made by the Southern Baptist Convention to reevaluate what a “pastor” is and if it’s really only meant for men. I posted a quick blog about the importance of us knowing and living out Biblical womanhood. A woman’s place in creation is clearly defined in Genesis, and Biblical womanhood is woven throughout the entire Bible. But probably the most straightforward Scripture about women not being in the office of pastor is found in 1 Timothy chapters 2 and 3. I encourage you to read through these two chapters.

I’m currently doing an extensive study on this topic that will take awhile to complete. There is so much Scripture to unpack on this topic and I think it’s important that every point to this subject be expounded on. The enemy is deceiving our society and the deception is also infiltrating churches.

The idea of womanhood has shifted drastically in the last 100 years and it has lost it’s original meaning in the popular culture. In fact, Matt Walsh, a journalist from The Daily Wire, recently did a documentary entitled “What Is A Woman?” I watched this documentary and was astounded by all of the people he interviewed…scientists, psychiatrists, surgeons, psychologists, professors, transgenders, homosexuals, etc… none of them could define what a woman is.

Our current president of the United States just appointed the first black woman for judge to the Supreme Court. Yet in her interview prior to being voted in, she was asked the question, “What is a woman?” and she could not or she would not give them a definition. This should make every Bible believing woman step back and say “What is happening to our country?”.

Ladies, we are under attack. The enemy is twisting the truth of God’s Word and His design for us. Yet so many Christian women don’t see the manipulation that is taking place within hearts and minds. Some are unaware, some are too busy to care, some just try to ignore, and some just hope the rapture will come before things get too bad. Ladies, do you think God wants us to handle the deterioration of our culture in any of these ways?

The Bible teaches us…

2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.”

I think it’s important that we understand the times we are living in. We should be wise and aware of what is happening and why it is happening. Most of us would agree that it looks like we’re in the end times, but do we really understand what is going on from a “Biblical” worldview?

It is going to take me a few weeks to put together the study which I’m compiling on Biblical womanhood. But I’d like to share with you a documentary from YouTube about feminism and the forms it has taken since the Garden Of Eden. 

This is lengthy and you may not want to watch it all in one setting. I encourage you… If you start to watch it, watch it all, even if you have to watch in segments. There is a lot of information in this documentary. All of it comes from a Biblical worldview. He takes the viewer through world history up to today. The man presenting the information is an Independent Baptist Missionary. He uses some special effects that might come across creepy but I think he does so to help the audience understand that we are in a spiritual war. The enemy is hard at work and a lot of Christians are asleep.

Ladies, this post is going to be short and to the point. In time, I hope to elaborate on this subject because it is a much needed topic that we as women should study out, understand, and practice.

For the past 25 years I have seen the rise of feminism within the church. Last week I learned that the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is going to take a year to decide what a “pastor” is. The Bible is clear on this subject. However a popular, wealthy, author, and pastor named Rick Warren, ordained two women to be pastors within his local SBC church in 2021. Now the SBC is wavering on the definition of what a pastor is.

God created women to be a helpmeet. Satan has been attacking God’s ordained authority since the Garden of Eden and the closer we get to the return of Jesus, the more we are seeing Satan’s attempts to twist and dismantle God’s design for humanity.

Do not be deceived ladies, we must strive to keep our lives aligned with His Word.

Lord willing, I hope to complete a detailed writing I’ve begun on this subject of “Biblical womanhood”, but today I share an article on the wife of Charles Spurgeon. Susannah Spurgeon knew and practiced Biblical womanhood.

Susannah Spurgeon

I remember the old fairytale “Snow White”, the wicked witch would look in the mirror and ask it who was the fairest woman in the land. Looking back at this children’s story today, I think about how it was a waste of time and that it taught me the false notion that being attractive was very important. Some would say it is harmless entertainment but when it is looked at from a Biblical worldview, it’s not harmless. Especially when viewed by young eyes that do not have the discernment to know better. 

Our culture has more regard for appearance than for substance. The image we portray has a higher value in our current society. This kind of worldview is especially esteemed among the women. Hollywood and the entertainment industry create an image for women that is not achievable for most.

Do any of you ladies ever have these kinds of thoughts about your image?

• I’m not thin enough

•I have to starve to lose weight

•My clothes never fit just right

•My skin is never smooth enough

•My makeup always smudges and wears off so easily

•My hair never looks the same as it did when I left the beauty shop

Why do these kinds of thoughts plague our minds? I think the problem lies in the first word of each bullet point. It’s me, myself, and I and this is exactly who Satan wants us to focus on.

The enemy has successfully taught that our outward appearance is more valuable than our hearts. Christian women have believed this lie too. 

A few years ago when my youngest daughter was in high school, we did a Bible study with some of her girlfriends. We talked about the importance of our personal devotional time in God’s Word, and in prayer everyday. They were all at the age of heightened concern over appearances, yet they also had a desire to seek God.

We were talking about how much time they would spend in devotions. I gave them a challenge to spend at least the same amount of time with God as they spend in the mirror everyday, or even better, give God more time than the mirror.

This challenge caught them off guard. We were reading in 1 Peter 3 and discussing modesty and how our outward apparel is a reflection our love for Jesus. But it all starts in our hearts. The more we seek the Lord, the more He changes us and makes us holy.

Proverbs 31:30 “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.”

We see in this verse that our appearance can be deceptive. Outward beauty is empty, it is only skin deep and it does not last. But a woman who worships God, she will be honored. 

I noticed a verse in Exodus during my personal devotional time this week that jumped out at me. Towards the end of the book God gave Moses specific details and instructions on how He wanted His tabernacle built. The Israelites were given by God, wisdom and skills that were needed to complete this divine task. One of those details included the pieces to the altar.

Exodus 38:8 “And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the lookingglasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.”

At the entrance of the tabernacle, ministering women assembled by the door. They were there ready to be used of God. They could have remained back at their tents with the majority of the tribes just going about their personal business, but they chose to be close to the place of worship.

The devotion and zeal of their worship is expressed in the parting of their mirrors. Looking at their own reflections were not a priority. The lookingglasses they owned were given and used for building the altar. The place of sacrifice.

Wouldn’t you rather spend time in worship, seeking God to perfect your heart through His Word? Beauty is fleeting but the heart goes on.

The vanity mirror will never reach your heart. I want to encourage you to look into the mirror of God’s Word. (James 1:23-25) Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!

1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

We see cross symbols in the form of jewelry, we see them made with stone throughout cemeteries, and we see them on most church buildings. The cross symbol is probably familiar to all, but to the redeemed, it’s not only familiar – the cross represents the mighty power of God.

JEHOVAH, the self-existent one. The “I AM”. (Exodus 3:14, Exodus 6:2-3) The one true God, Creator of the universe! The One who formed man from the dust of the ground, (Genesis 2:7) became a man Himself and died on a cross. A cross crafted from His creation, by His creation, in order to punish a common criminal. (Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19) The magnitude of this thought is mind-blowing and can only be appreciated when the Holy Spirit reveals the glory of the cross unto us. (John 16:7-16, Philippians 2:5-11, 1 Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 12:2)

The only begotten Son of God endured the holy, righteous, wrath of Almighty God. Because we, His sinful and rebellious creation, cannot bear the weight of God’s righteous judgment. (Lamentations 3:22-26, John 3:16, Romans 1:15-2:2, 1 John 2:1-2)

God’s redemptive plan is recorded throughout the Old Testament Scriptures and came to fruition in Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. (Romans 10:9-10, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Hebrews 9, 10)

The greatest story that has ever been told is the same story that will never get old! With this story, there is no end. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is an eternal story and we will be telling this story forever and ever! (Revelation 5:9-13)

Some things are worth repeating because they’re so good. Some things are worth repeating because we don’t want to forget. The story of the cross is not only good and we don’t want to forget, but the story of Jesus Christ and the cross He bore, is worth repeating again and again because HE is worthy!

If you have experienced the power of the cross and placed your faith in Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord! If you have yet to experience the power of the cross, please follow the link below to learn more about the Savior of the world.

https://in-times-like-these.com/do-you-know-jesus/