Women's Liberation, by Amy Joy

     "To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, 'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.' " John 8:31-32

     My mother has often told me the story of when I was a baby and at the doctor's office, I sat right up as soon as she finished the exam.  This was back in 1978.  My pediatrician remarked to my mother that I would be a "woman's libber" someday, seeing the determination and confidence that I had as I sat up, I suppose. Maybe she thought that it was a compliment. My mother knew what the Bible taught on woman's roles, so she was certainly hoping that I would not turn out to be a "woman's libber".

     After my mother recently retold the story to me, I surprised her by saying something to the effect of , "And she was right!"  My mother looked at me, quite confused.  There I was, standing before her, a Christian woman, wearing a head covering (a symbol of authority), a long skirt, having long hair that I had grown because my husband likes it.  I happily gave up my career to stay at home and raise my children.  I am in total agreement with what God says about women, including that it is "disgraceful  for a woman to speak in the church".  I hate when people are so scared to offend women by practicing the things that He says to, as if God is not loving and His ways  are not best.  I am confident of God's love for me and that in Him I am of equal value as that of a man.  Paul writes in Galatians 3:28-29, "There is neither ...male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."  If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."  I am not offended by the truth when I am considered "the weaker partner".  I know that I am also an heir with my husband "of the gracious gift of life..." (both 1Peter 3:7).

     Thinking about having recently started this blog, with my intent to encourage women, particularly in areas concerning our role, I realized I am a "woman's libber" after all!  For when we follow and hold to Jesus' teachings, then we know the truth and the truth does set us free!  I am free!  I am liberated, and I want to encourage other women to be the same!

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Caring More About Your Friend Than Your Friendship, by Amy Joy

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."  Proverbs 17:17

"Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses."Proverbs 27:6

     Recently, while praying for some friends of mine who are in some situations that I am concerned about, I realized that if I really care for them and their souls, then I need to speak to them and make them aware of what God says about the situations that they are in.  It is very scary for me to think about bringing these things up.  I don't like conflict.  I don't like to say anything that might offend people. 

     While praying, it came to me that I need to care more about my friends than my friendships.  I need to be willing to lose my friendships with people for the sake of their salvation.  What good will it be for me to keep a friend, yet have my friend go to hell because I didn't have enough love or courage to speak up?  

     I am still scared, but maybe you can please pray for me that God will give me boldness, wisdom, and the words in these situations.  

"All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." Matthew 10:22

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Tip For Softening Cookies, by Amy Joy

      I like my cookies soft, in general, but often when I've made cookies they're crispy.  I learned as a child from a woman named Toni Andrade, that if you leave a slice of bread in a container with the cookies, the cookies will become soft.  It works! 

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If You Heard It Only Once, by Edward

    When we read the Sermon on the Mount, we have the privilege of being able to read it again, and again, and again.  Sometimes we come to conclusions years later, from rereading it, which we had not originally come to when we first read it.  

      Getting to read it again, and again, and again, is not what those who originally heard it had the opportunity to do.  Remember, the gospels were not recorded until years later.  They heard Jesus speak His message, and then went home with only what they had heard.  They had to make decisions based on what they had heard that day, not on what they got to read again, and again.  They would have either accepted or rejected what they had heard.  

     We actually have a very good example of this in the gospel of John.  In John 6:53 when Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you."  After this, many disciples left him saying,"This is a hard teaching.  Who can accept it?"  but Peter said with the eleven present, "Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life." The disciples heard Jesus' teachings and then made decisions based on what they had heard at that time. They either accepted His teaching or rejected it.  

     So the question I have is this. If you were present when Jesus spoke the Sermon on the Mount, what conclusions would you come to about how He wants you to live based on what He said, having heard it only one time?  After all, at the end of the sermon He said, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.  But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law."  

     If the Sermon on the Mount is not as sharp to you as the first day you read it, it may be that you have let the years wear away its edge so that it's simply a collection of nice words, and not the revolutionary sayings of our Great God and King. 

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An Enjoyable Experience, by Edward

     A couple of weeks ago, on two separate occasions,  I heard two different brothers speaking about two different subjects (I apologize for the redundancy).  On both subjects, I had come to the same conclusions on my own that they had come to. 

    

      What's neat is that I had never heard them speak about these things before.  I don't read commentaries, so I know that we had not come to the same conclusions by reading the same commentaries.  

      I spoke to both of them separately about this and one of them said to me with a smile, "You would think we were reading the same Bible!"  That brother's statement says it all.  The Bible is understandable.  

     This is not the first time that this has happened with a brother, and I doubt it will be the last, but it is enjoyable every time.  We can come to the Bible, read it, understand it, and obey it.  

     Christians coming to the same conclusions, independently, on what the Bible says, has happened throughout history, despite being separated by time, space, culture, language and even translations of the Bible into different languages.  

     This is very encouraging to me.  It really helps me to see that the Bible can be taken at it's word.  It really does mean what it says.  I don't need someone to interpret it for me.  If we simply accept what the scriptures say, with a childlike faith and obedience, then we can be unified in Christ.  We can all be of one mind and of one Spirit and of one faith.

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Obedience is Legalism? Really? By Edward

     Have you ever spoken to a fellow Christian about a certain conviction you hold, or about obedience to a commandment of Christ, and gotten the response, " That's legalistic."  I sure have.  I find it funny that if I speak about literal obedience to Christs' commandments, I am considered a legalist.  I am all of a sudden trying to work my way to heaven.  If I think that Christ meant what He said, I am a legalist, a scribe, a pharisee.  

     Legalism is a word I very rarely use; after all, it is not a Bible word.  Christ did not use it.  He used two other words.  Do you know what they are?  They are hypocrite and lawless.  Christ never condemned the Sadducees and Pharisees for obedience, for keeping the Law.  When He condemned them, He condemned them for hypocrisy and lawlessness, for not obeying.  

     After all, Jesus Himself kept the Law perfectly.  Was He a legalist for obeying the Law?  I think not. What about Moses?  He kept the Law, he even had a man put to death for gathering firewood on the Sabbath ( Num. 15:32-36).  He must have been a legalist; he took God at His word and obeyed.  

     I have found that those who harp on the word legalism are usually covering their own legalism, I'm sorry, I mean hypocrisy and lawlessness.  They're usually the ones looking for loopholes to the commandments, bringing the commandments to nothing, having spiritualized them into oblivion.  It is usually a deflection from their own disobedience.  

     God has not given us commandments to break or to ignore, but to follow.  How unfair it would be for Him to command us to do something and then to condemn us if we do it.  How unfair it would be to tell us to do something that He does not really want us to do.  No, Jesus only commands that which He wants us to follow.  

     Not only that, but He goes so far as to say that this is how we will truly know if we love Him, by obeying what He has commanded.  Jesus has said in John 14:15, "If you love me, you will obey what I command."  He has also said in verse 21 of the same chapter,  "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”  One more verse just for good measure, though there are many more, 1 John 5:3, "This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome."  You see, obedience is not legalism, it is love for Him.  

     The next time someone calls you a legalist for striving to obey God, let the comment slide right off you and continue doing right.  And you, for your part, if you are going to label someone a legalist, ask yourself first if they are being hypocritical or lawless.  If not, maybe you should keep the comment to yourself.

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Thoughts From An Older and Wiser Friend, by Amy Joy

     I want to share some of the thoughts that an older and wiser Christian friend wrote to me after she read my first articles.  

     "Thank you for doing this.  It is a message that is soooo needed.  I am sure many women would love to know more on how to be pleasing to God and how to "Bring up your Child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" - and to be reassured that they are doing the right thing by staying home and keeping home and being aware and involved with the children, even if some are "not as bonded" (that statement bothers me so much)  as others in the home... this being the time to direct the children in the direction they need to go - and making it a wonderful experience of closeness and loving fun times as well as times to discipline... and how important it is to be home so you catch the "troubling" behavior at the beginning of it - rather than when it has become part of the child's regular actions.  Closeness in the family is so important.  And you get closeness by being involved with your child - not always letting them play alone - but often  playing with them..."

      "I see Satan infiltrating the home in his deceptive way - making his gadgets so attractive... making the women think they are doing good by using them so much... "

      " 'Satan's gadgets'.  I may have labeled them incorrectly - because most tools have their good uses, what the tool was meant to be used for -  I am sometimes too passionate I think.  I express myself too passionately too, because sometimes I scare people.  Or they think I'm bonkers.  But when I speak like this it is most often to Christian women and therefore I hope, it urges them on, to think about what they are spending their precious time on... gadgets to communicate with people??  or really communicating and being mentally involved with their kids.  Making them realize what a waste of time these fancy phones, these fancy technical gadgets are... Bigger, better, faster ... we need to ask ourselves - how often do our children see us with a Bible open? actually reading it?   How often does a child catch us on the computer or texting?  What will we leave in our child's mind as the child absorbs everything like a sponge?"

      "I realize the men who work in the work force to provide for their families,  who need them - to them it is a tool (which can rule your life ) but the women need to put those things aside and stay domestic minded... challenging themselves to be a better mother, a better housekeeper, a better cook, washerwoman... a better Christian.  Satan wants us to neglect our children.  Our children are only with us for such a short time - if we only knew..."
     
      "I find it a rare thing to see a young mother who is really INVOLVED with all her children - I thank God there are still some wonderful examples of 'a good mother'...  putting self aside to meet the needs of their husband and children - not be so self indulging, or so self absorbed..."

      "If women could realize that God has priorities we need to follow.  Jesus first (obedience to God), others second, yourself last... J.O.Y."
      "That when the children are gone?  Then you will be able to do all the things you want to do that take so much of your mind and energy - creating comes later - right now your child's mind is developing tremendously fast - what we don't do with them now... they will not want to do with you later either... you are developing a precious close relationship... or you are not... you are the one who controls that - they are still little ones, wanting their mother's love and attention."

     "Sometimes a friend visiting and a cup of tea are just such a good thing - but going out too much - to different Bible studies - neglecting the appearance of your home so that your husband sighs because of the dust and the dirt on the floor - pushing off until tomorrow what we should be doing right now... because we are going to 3 or 4 different Bible studies or 'good work' things - it's not such a good thing... if we are neglecting our children, our husband, our home..."

      "There are many many women who have these concerns... and do their part in their section of God's Kingdom;  thank you for writing what is on your heart."

     I hope that you will benefit from her words as I have!

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Lacking, by Edward

James 1:4 - "Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
    
     If you were in the process of baking a cake, and in the middle of mixing it, realized that you were lacking one or two key ingredients, what would you do?  If you really wanted to finish the cake you, would either go to your neighbor's house to ask for the missing ingredients or you would go to the store to pick up what you were lacking, right?  This is what I would do, especially since I really like cake.  

     What would you think of a person who started mixing, was missing a couple of key ingredients, but acted like nothing was missing?  Wouldn't you think it was absurd?  Would you want that cake when it was done?  It is as if admitting lacking an ingredient is somehow a bad thing.  I know what I would say to such a person, "What's the big deal?  Just go get the ingredients!"  

     You know what, though? As ridiculous as this example is, Christians do it all the time.  As if somehow admitting there is a deficiency, error, misunderstanding, oversight, or even disobedience in their walk, is going to erase their entire walk with God.  If you're lacking something, even something big, it does not necessarily mean that your entire walk with God was a lie, it just means that you are lacking something.  What's the big deal?  

     Fill up where you're lacking.  I know that I am lacking in my walk.  If I admit that I am lacking, I can obtain that which I am lacking.  However, if I refuse to admit that I am lacking, then I cannot obtain that which I am lacking.  I will either remain deficient in an area of my life, or even worse, miss out on the kingdom entirely.  Harm comes when we, in pride, refuse to admit that we are lacking.  

     Humility is a wonderful thing; it helps us to see our need before God.  Micah 6:8 says, "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"  Pray for humility before God, asking for help to see where you are lacking in your walk.  I know that I need to pray for humility, because it is hard for me to be honest with myself sometimes.  Though I have really had to wrestle sometimes throughout my Christian walk, admitting the deficiency has always built me up, making my walk with God fuller, it has never torn me down.

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Funerals, by Edward

     I find funerals to be very encouraging events.  When I say encouraging, I don't mean that during the service, I am sitting there smiling, feeling uplifted.  If anything, I feel downcast and sad as I look upon the person that has ceased to be among the living, especially if I know the person did not walk with God or even desire to so. 

     Sadder still, as the person performing the service informs everyone present that this person (who did not love) God is in heaven.  It is amazing that the person who died always winds up in heaven.  Have you ever been to a funeral where the person was not said to be in heaven?  It seams like hell is not meant for anyone we know, just those other people over there, somewhere!  

I leave all judgment in God's hand, where it belongs, but cannot help but think about what His word says.  It makes me sad, as I look at others who have attended, and know that most of them will go off and continue to snub God themselves, thinking that their end is far off.  That they can think about death later.  

     When I said encouraged, I meant that I feel encouraged to consider my walk with God more closely.  I feel encouraged to hold onto what I know to be true more tightly.  I feel encouraged to pursue truth more diligently.  I feel encouraged to not play games with scripture but to take scripture even more seriously.  I feel encouraged to repent of sin in my life.  I feel encouraged to consider my final end as I will stand before my great and holy God.  

     Funerals always promote a healthy, thoughtful mindset within me.  They always work for my good.  I have been to quite a few, including one of my brother's, an uncle's, a cousin's, two grandmothers', a grandfather's, a great grandmother's, friends', friends' relatives'; both Christians and non-Christians.  They have all worked for my benefit.  I do not desire to go to any more, especially that of a close family member.  Let them work for you,  let them cause you to consider your final outcome, that you may be found in Him.  Also let them cause you to consider the outcome of those who do not know God.  Will you speak to them about Jesus, repentance and salvation, or will you remain silent and let them just slip off into eternity?  Here are a couple verses to consider.

Luke 13:1-5 - Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.  Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?  I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.  Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?  I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Hebrews 9:27 - Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,

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A Gentle and Quiet Spirit, by Amy Joy

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." 1 Peter 3:3-4

 What really struck me when I was meditating on this, was that having a gentle and quiet spirit is of "great worth in God's sight".  It can be so tempting to care about what other people think of us, and to a degree, that is of some value.  However, it is God that I want to please.  He is so great, and whatever He thinks is what matters, even if it is contrary to most people's views.  If something is of great worth in God's sight, then I really need to contemplate that and also hold it as valuable.  How incredible, that to God, for a woman to have a gentle and quiet spirit is beautiful and incredibly valuable!  

1 Samuel 16:7b says, "The LORD does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."  That is a familiar passage to many, but it goes along with it being important that our spirit is gentle and quiet.  This is something that does not come easy for me, but I believe in it and desire to have it.

It says in 1 Peter 3:1-2,"Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives." 

The world values women who are bold and outspoken.  They are seen as powerful.  However, God's wisdom is that women are "powerful" by having a gentle and quiet spirit.  We don't need to try to be "powerful".  That does us no good.  That is not what God sees as beautiful and valuable. 

I love the story in Esther 1 about Queen Vashti when she refused to appear before the king's guests to display her beauty. Memucan, o e of the king's advisors said, "Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. For the queen's conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, `King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.'" Esther 1:17-18

Is this not what has happened in our society? As it says in Proverbs 12:20, "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." The examples of other people can be very influential on us, right? Whether they are actual people in our lives, or in the media, characters in books, entertainment, etc..  We have to be careful who we admire, so that we can grow wiser and not suffer harm.

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