I’m Not Troubled About Your Self-Esteem!

Paul Washer says it clearly in this video and I hope we all take it to heart. Do we want God to move clearly in our lives? Let’s get rid of the things that cause us to sin. Let’s hate what God hates and love what God loves!

Hat Tip: En Gedi: A God-Given Stronghold for Dads!

Paul Washer

We are so caught up in not offending anyone and yet the Bible says that the gospel divides families. The truth is that we need to be reminded of where we come from and where we are going. Remember the first time the gospel convicted your heart? You knew you were a sinner and on your way to hell. You knew that only the blood of Christ was sufficient and you begged God to forgive you and come into your heart! Have you gotten so far away from the true gospel that when we hear something like the video below that we are offended because it reminds us of something we’d rather forget? Take a look and remember where you came from! Ask the Lord to convict your heart and remind you that you were a rotten sinner headed to an eternity where the worm doesn’t die and the fire is not quenched. In turn, seek to help someone to the Lord and then disciple that person. Take up your cross daily and follow the Lord Jesus Christ!

Hat Tip: Thank you, Pilgrim, at Defending Contending!

Standing for Truth

There is such a need for men to take a stand on the Word of God. I have noticed many who use their blogs to take a stand for truth and for this I am very thankful! There is a great need of prayer for these men! There is also a need for many women who would be willing to take a stand for what is right! We need women who will be willing to teach others, we need women who will pray, we need women who will follow the narrow path! One day there will be no freedom within America. I have found that there are so many more women willing to bury their head in the sand and pretend nothing is happening but, Ladies, let’s wake up and smell the roses! We are fast losing our freedom. Have you put on the armour of God? Do you realize that we are soldiers in the army of Christ?

This is not a hospital where we hold each others hands and lie limply on the bed in hopes that suffering will pass us by! If you are a true believer then you WILL suffer persecution. Philippians 1:29 says, “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,” Do not be surprised if other women and men begin to say evil things about you. This will happen and we should expect it.

Do not think that life should be all about yourself and what you can get out of it but realize that “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” Eternity is just around the corner so let’s use up our lives for the Lord.

I used to wonder why David Livingstone, Hudson Taylor, and many of the other famous missionaries worked so hard and died so young. I begin to see a glimmer of the reason why. Christ didn’t come to be ministered to but for Himself to minister to those around Him. Let us seek to minister to others even in the midst of life getting in the way, even in the midst of hardship, even in the midst of pain. I realize some have little ones and need to care for them yet how many times do you talk on the phone with friends? Do you bother to share with them what the Word of God says? Do you encourage, rebuke, exhort, or witness whenever you can? Of course, this doesn’t mean that you overwhelm people with the Bible but if they ask a question you can answer it with Scripture. If they complain to you about things you can encourage them with Scripture. There are normally enough open doors that you can take advantage of.

“Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and doctrine,” Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2. Granted, he was talking to Timothy but we also need to be instant in season and out of season. We need to be willing to reprove, rebuke, exhort and witness with all longsuffering and doctrine. So, guess what, Ladies! This means lots of time being willing to read and study the Word of God so we know what it says and we can teach other ladies what we have learned from God’s Word. Remember, STAND FOR TRUTH!

Trust and Obey

How easy it is for us to forget that having the actual godliness within our lives is dependent on our dependency on God. We cannot have godliness and the power within our lives if we are so caught up in day-to-day life that we don’t have time to spend with God. This isn’t something mystical that we look for and hope to achieve some day! This is the actual rubber-meets-the-road grit of every day life!

I realize that only the Lord can change us but we MUST ensure that the relationship with the Lord is always open and that we are obedient to what the Lord would have us to do (according to Scripture, NOT according to our desires). Trust and Obey is a very good song and the reality is that we will never go any further if we don’t trust and obey the Lord Jesus Christ. We also will begin to have a form of godliness but end up denying God’s power because we are dependent upon ourselves instead of being dependent on God.

Our relationship with God is similar to a parent-child relationship. We trust that the Lord knows what is best for us and we follow what is set out in HIS WORD! (Here is a link that talks about Sola Scriptura.)

When we are obedient and take the step that is set before us then the Lord will show us the next step. The sad part is that most people refuse to take the first step that is set before them and so the Lord will not show the next step until they are ready to take the first step. As a true believer, we are commanded to be obedient and if we refuse then the Lord will discipline us. We can either follow Him willingly or end up getting chastened and go kicking and screaming.

In the end, we will realize that we should have just gone along with Him willingly because where HE wants to take us is so much better than our own foolish desires! Remember, trust and obey for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey!

Election! by James White

Here is a good explanation of election by James White. It was very much appreciated and very understandable. Praise the Lord there are many men out there serving Him and taking a stand for truth!

Hat Tip: This comes from Four Pointer at Defending Contending Thank you, men, for your stand!

To the Glory of God!

Isn’t it enough?

Sadly, many think they can get to God on their own terms or only seek to bring glory to what they can do for God (like the man in the first part of this video). However, notice the difference with the testimony found in the second half. The latter half brings all the glory to the Lamb of God!

Notice Paul Washer’s motivation for his service to the King of kings and Lord of lords! Now, THAT is spiritual discipline!

Hat Tip: Christian Research Net

Legalism versus Spiritual Discipline

Before we go any further on discussing what older women are to teach younger women, we must first establish two issues within our minds.

1. What exactly is legalism?
2. What exactly is spiritual discipline?

When we sort these two things out in our mind then we begin to understand what the Lord Jesus Christ meant when He said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments!” John 14:15.

Let’s go to number one. What exactly is legalism? A lot of people in this day and age seem to think that legalism is doing just about anything! If they don’t want to do it, then they decide to cry foul and these are some of the things you might hear either in words or the reaction someone might have toward you.

“You are being legalistic because you told me I HAVE to do something that I don’t want to do!”

“I see you are still living according to the rules of the Bible. This convicts my heart and I don’t want my heart to be convicted of sin. I’m quite happy living the way that I want to live.”

“You live way up there and the rest of us live way down here. We just don’t think this is right because we can’t reach the same level you do.”

I’m sure there are many more comments or reactions that could be placed in here but we will stop right there for now. So what is legalism? Legalism is a ‘list of draconian rules’ or ‘living the letter of the law” that you feel will make God happy with you. If you have a set list of do’s and don’ts that make you feel ‘more spiritual’ then anyone else and the heart attitude does not have to change then you are legalistic. Legalism is self-centred and desires to do things to gain merit with God. Legalism is a heart issue.

On the other hand, spiritual discipline can look quite similar to legalism but not match up with legalism in any way, shape or form! How can that be? How can something be similar but not match up at all? you might wonder. The motivation for spiritual discipline is so completely different that although it might look like legalism, it definitely is NOT legalism!

Spiritual discipline is also a heart issue but the motivation is that you LOVE God and you are willing to please Him no matter what it takes or what others say about you! Spiritual discipline is a relationship with God and NOT a list of do’s and don’ts.

Legalism says, “I have to do these things today otherwise God will be angry at me.”

Spiritual discipline says, “I love God so much that I don’t want to do anything that displeases Him. I want to change and become more like the Lord Jesus Christ!”

Legalism will have the same attitude of desire toward sin. The inner heart will still be in rebellion towards God although the outer life LOOKS like they are serving God. The difference will be when someone, who has true spiritual discipline, will humbly accept rebuke and exhortation. They will desire to change and hate even the smallest sin within their life. The legalistic person will show anger towards those who try to rebuke and exhort them because they feel there is nothing wrong in their life! These are the differences between a legalistic person and someone with spiritual discipline.

Now, when we go over the things that older women should be teaching younger women, let’s keep these two issues firmly in our mind so we know exactly where we stand! Remember, Jesus says, “If you love Me, keep My commandments!” Let’s show forth love and spiritual discipline (in our lives) by keeping the Lord’s commandments because we know it pleases Him. Let’s earnestly “cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light.” Romans 13:12. Do these things while it is day and there is still time to serve the Lord!

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Older Women Teaching Younger Women (Part 2)

In the previous post of “Older Women Teaching Younger Women” we saw 4 things that the older women need to model within their lives but there is more to come!

Next we find that the older women are being told to admonish the younger women. In the KJV, we read, “That they may teach the young women to be sober.” The two words teaching and sober have the exact same Greek word and meaning. The Greek word ’sophronizo’ means to make of sound mind i.e. (figuratively) to discipline or correct: teach to be sober. It is important that the older women realize that it is a huge responsibility and we must take it seriously. How can we expect younger women to know things if they are not taught? For us to go about our business and ignore the sin in the lives of other true believers is not acceptable in God’s eyes! Gal. 6:1 is very clear on this, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” There is a right way and a wrong way of doing it. We should teach the Word of God in gentleness and with a humble spirit.

So what are the older women supposed to be teaching? Here are 8 things that younger women should be learning from the older women listed in Titus 2:4-5.

1. To love their husbands.
2. To love their children.
3. To be discreet.
4. To be chaste.
5. To be homemakers
6. To be good.
7. To be obedient to their own husbands.
8. To make sure their life does not cause the Word of God to be blasphemed.

Whew! What a list. Before anyone starts getting upset over this list of things, go back to Titus 2:4-5 and you will see that this is the list that God provided (through Paul, the apostle).

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Memorial Day

I didn’t say anything on Memorial Day but I want to wish every one of our troops that are serving now, that have served in the past and that will be serving in the future the very best.

The Desert Pastor did a very good article on his blog. I hope you will visit his blog and read his tribute to our troops. Thank you, men and women, for your dedication to our country and the freedom that we enjoy still (what’s left of it)! We know that freedom of any kind comes at a very high price.

I also want to thank each and every Christian soldier that takes a stand on the truth and purity of God’s Word. Let nothing stand in your way of proclaiming truth! Truth is no longer truth if even a little bit of error is mixed in it. A half-truth is the same thing as a whole lie! Let’s be willing to speak forth God’s truth regardless of the cost! Eternity is ahead of us, true believers in the Lord, and whether we live or we die we are the Lord’s. May God keep us faithful to His Word so we will not be ashamed at His coming!

Who is on the Lord’s side? Who will serve the King?
Who will be His helpers, other lives to bring?
Who will leave the world’s side? Who will face the foe?
Who is on the Lord’s side? Who for Him will go?
By Thy call of mercy, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Savior, we are Thine!

Not for weight of glory, nor for crown and palm,
Enter we the army, raise the warrior psalm;
But for love that claimeth lives for whom He died:
He whom Jesus nameth must be on His side.
By Thy love constraining, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Savior, we are Thine!

Jesus, Thou hast bought us, not with gold or gem,
But with Thine own life blood, for Thy diadem;
With Thy blessing filling each who comes to Thee,
Thou hast made us willing, Thou hast made us free.
By Thy grand redemption, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Savior, we are Thine!

Fierce may be the conflict, strong may be the foe,
But the King’s own army none can overthrow;
’Round His standard ranging, victory is secure,
For His truth unchanging makes the triumph sure.
Joyfully enlisting, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Savior, we are Thine!

Chosen to be soldiers, in an alien land,
Chosen, called, and faithful, for our Captain’s band,
In the service royal, let us not grow cold;
Let us be right loyal, noble, true and bold.
Master, Thou wilt keep us, by Thy grace divine,
Always on the Lord’s side—Savior, always Thine!

by Frances R. Havergal

Hallelujah! What a Saviour

Have you ever heard the saying, “Go ahead and take it, it’s free!” Of course, the other saying that goes with it goes something like this, “Nothin’ in life is free!” There are two sides to this because when someone offers you something then it is free to you because it’s a gift; however, it cost the giver something so it wasn’t free originally!

I think we tend to forget that when the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross He paid the price for true believers to become His children. Once someone has accepted the Lord into their hearts it is their responsibility to take up their cross and follow Him! I like to remember, through this song, that our Lord Jesus Christ paid the ultimate sacrifice; therefore, it is my delight, my responsibility, my privilege to serve Him in every area of life! Thank You, Lord, for Your sacrifice!

Man of Sorrows! what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Guilty, vile, and helpless we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
“Full atonement!” can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Lifted up was He to die;
“It is finished!” was His cry;
Now in Heav’n exalted high.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew His song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

by Philip P. Bliss