Daily Bible Verse

My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; for whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights.

~Proverbs 3:11-12(NKJV)

Wednesday's Devotional

The eye that mocks his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley will pick it out and the young eagles will eat it.

~Proverbs 30:17(NKJV)

This verse is so powerful! Not honoring and obeying our parents is a very serious thing in the eyes of our Lord! In fact, in Deuteronomy, we find that it was Jewish custom to stone a child who was guilty of disobedience. Then, when we turn to Romans 1, we read that the sin of disobeying parents is equal to the sins of murder, sexual immorality, etc. Not honoring or obeying one's parents is a horrible sin in the eyes of God, and so should it be in ours!

Today, I will be focusing on the first part of this verse, which shows us the vileness of the sin of mocking one's father. We are commanded over and over in the Scriptures to honor our parents. In fact, we discover that this command is the first one with a promise: that it will go well with us, and that we will enjoy long life in the land which the Lord has blessed us with. We are to show them proper respect and honor.

So, what does this verse really mean when it says that it's a sin to mock your father? What does it really have in mind? Well, I'll share with you some things that immediately come to mind when I hear this verse. Some of them may surprise you, as I'm sure you'll find yourself guilty of them, just as I have been. These things may at first seem innocent to you, but you'll soon discover that they fall under the heading of mocking your father.

If we're going to put into practice the virtue of not mocking our fathers, then there are several things we must abstain from. Have you ever found yourself guilty of saying to your friends, "Oh my father would never ever allow me to do that. He's so strict and overprotective!" This can be labeled as mocking your father. By saying this sort of thing, you are mocking your father's instructions, his wise counsel, his God-given job and responsibility to protect you and train you in the ways of God. This is a grave sin, ladies! As I wrote about in a prior devotional, we should heed our parent's instuctions, advice and leadership, because it is a blessing from God! Without them training us up in the way we should go, and in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, we would be lost! We'd be led astray so easily by the world and its teachings and way of life. To mock your father's (or your mother's) loving instruction is to mock God, His ways, and His blessings to you! This is very serious, and if this sin's been committed, then it needs to be repented of. Another way to mock your father is to say something to the effect of, "Oh, do you know what hilarious thing my father did the other day?" or "He had the funniest little mishap yesterday!" or "My father misspoke the other day, and do you know what it was he said?" Without even meaning to, these kinds of comments can lead into the sin of making fun of your father. It may just be meant as a joke, or something funny to say or talk about, but it's actually a form of mocking-and it's very disrespectful and unhonoring. This kind of speech about your father is definitely something to guard against. I'm not saying that your honoring speech about your father should make him appear as some sort of perfect idol or something like that. But we have to be very careful to speak of our fathers(and mothers) in such a way as to bring honor to them, and to show others how blessed we are to have them and their counsel in our lives.

These little sayings like those mentioned above are often overlooked, or may be seen as something little, but they can do so much damage. The sin of mocking your father is a dire thing, and if you've been guilty of it, go before God and repent. Then go to your father and ask his forgiveness as well. The Lord will give you the strength you need to overcome this sin! Rest in that knowledge and know that even though you can't overcome these sins in your own strength, the Lord's help and strength is always there for you!

Daily Bible Verse

The fear of man brings a snare, but whosoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.

~Proverbs 29:25 (NKJV)

Meal Mondays #3!

The following is a recipe for chocolate chip muffins. I tweaked the recipe a bit, because I wanted to make the mini, bite-sized muffins. I made these for my father to take to his father/son meeting at church, and they were a hit! I'm sure they would be for your family as well.

Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup light-brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, melted and then cooled off

2 eggs lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.(adjust if needed, to accomodate your oven). Grease your mini- muffin tin. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, stir together milk, eggs, butter, and vanilla until blended. Make a well in center of dry ingredients. Add milk mixture and stir just to combine. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake for about 9 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife inserted into one of the muffins comes out clean. Let cool. ENJOY!! This recipe makes about 36 mini muffins.

If you wanted to make full sized muffins, then follow the recipe in its entirety, except use 1 11/12 ounce package of regular sized chocolate chips, as well as 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, if desired. Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes. This recipe makes about 12 full sized muffins.

Let me know what you think of the muffins once you try them!

Wonderful Devotional!

I wrote a devotional for this very verse on Friday. My dear friend Leah did as well, and I want to share it with you. It is far better that mine was, and is so encouraging and challenging! You will soon discover when you read it that God has already granted her much wisdom! I pray that you will be as blessed by this wonderful devotional as I was!

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"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."~James 1:5

I just love this verse. My beau once said that something to the effect that we shouldn't ask God for anything that isn't in His will. I really thought about that for a long time and then I began to change my prayers from frivolous, and selfish prayers to prayers about the will of God. I also began to think when I prayed whether or not my prayer was something I wanted God to do to fix something, or whether my prayers were truly seeking God's will even if I found it to be unpleasant. I think that something safe to pray for for whatever reason is wisdom. This verse clearly states that if you ask God for wisdom, He will give liberally and without reproach. I find this so comforting to know that if you are asking God for wisdom, discernment, and discretion, He will give it to you. Wisdom not only benefits you, however, wisdom will benefit everyone around you AND will bring glory to God.

I feel that this verse about praying for wisdom is a good model for when we are praying about something we desire: Is it in God's will? (Even if you don't know, will it line up with His Word?) Will is bring Glory to Him? Will it benefit others, not only yourself?

I just find these to be some of the things I think about when I pray so that I can stay as unselfish as possible in my heart. I don't think that I am inherently good at humility so maybe through prayers like these I can further decrease, that Christ may increase in my life.

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Thank you again, Leah, for such an amazing devotional!

*here is the link to the original devotional.

Vision Forum Gift Certificate Giveaway!

Crystal Paine of Biblical Womanhood is giving away a $100 Vision Forum gift certificate today!

Go to : http://www.biblicalwomanhoodonline.com/2008/01/giveaway-100-vision-forum-passport.html to enter! Good luck. :)

Daily Bible Verse

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

~Psalm 133:1 (NKJV)

Friday's Devotional

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

~James 1:5 (NKJV)

Are you facing a situation that seems so huge to you, that you can't possibly tackle it? Does it seem like that situation can't possibly be worked out "to the good of those who love the Lord"? Are you going through a hard and trying time, that is testing your strength and endurance? Perhaps you have some big life changing decisions to make, and don't know what to do. If you fit into any of the above scenarios, don't fear! There is hope, strength, and encouragement to be found! Simply run to God.

If you're in desperate need of wisdom, first know that you're not alone! All of us Christians are always in need of more Christ-like wisdom and discernment. Secondly, know that you are not a hopeless case! :) Wisdom will be granted to you, if you just ask for it-God has promised us that. And He never ever goes back on His promises! How encouraging that is!

This beautiful verse shows us that when we ask the Lord for wisdom, He will give it to us liberally. Just think of Solomon. The Lord asked him what he desired, and told him that whatever it was would be granted unto him. Solomon asked the Lord for wisdom. Solomon went on to be one of the very wisest men, and wrote the majority of the book of Proverbs. He's the perfect example of the fact that when we ask God for wisdom, He will grant it to us happily and liberally. God doesn't desire His children to be in the dark, without wisdom and proper discernment. This could lead His children into all sorts of pitfalls, traps and snares set by the Devil. God desires to give His children wisdom, and to give it in abundance. It's very important to Him that we learn to master the art of discernment and of wisdom. But we need to ask Him for it! We can't expect wisdom to just be handed to us on a golden platter, with no work. First, we have to ask God for it, and plead with Him to give us wisdom in abundance. And secondly, we must stay in God's Word! That's where all of our hoped for wisdom is found-within the pages of the Holy Scriptures. We must stay in God's Word every single day, if we ever hope to truly acquire wisdom.

So, take heart, dear ladies! You are not alone. God is there with you, and desires to bless you with abundant wisdom. He will grant to you the wisdom you need to make it through whatever situation you find yourself in! You can count on that promise. He will never leave you nor forsake you. If you're anxious over some choices that you will soon need to be making, don't be! Don't be anxious and worrisome, but rather rest in your Savior's loving and open arms. He's ready to comfort you, to bless you with wisdom, and to help you learn the art of discernment. Never fear-the Lord is always with you, guiding you. He's got you and your life fully in His all-wise hands. Trust fully in Him!

With God, all things are indeed possible!

I wanted to share with you all the following miraculous story. As you read it, you'll probably begin to doubt that it's even true, due to the fact that it's just so amazing. But, I promise you-this story is 100% true, and it just goes to show you that God does still work miracles even today! :)

A week or two before Christmas, we were notified that a lady named Crystal Hutchings(who was a friend of one of the families in our church) had just been diagnosed with placental cancer. It was so rare that there had just been a handful of documented cases in the United States. And it was so deadly and fast growing, that the day she went to the doctor and they discovered that she had this form of cancer, the doctors told her that she had about 3 days at most to live. She had been experiencing some pain and discomfort and had decided to have the doctor check it out. Nothing could have prepared her for the horrible news she would receive. She would have to tell her family goodbye, for she only had about 3 days to live. She was the mother of 6 children, ranging in ages from 9 to 6 months. She would have to tell them all goodbye, breaking the news to them that they would no longer have their mother there with them.

When our church was notified of this heart-wrending story, we were so saddened and completely shocked! Our hearts went out to the poor family. What a tragic situation! We immediately added this family to our prayer requests list. We prayed for God's will to be done above all, and if it was His will to call her home at this time, then we prayed that He would comfort her grieving family. We prayed as well, that if it was His will, that He would please please heal her.

Things got really bad one day, and she was not expected to live through the night. If she did live through the night, it would be nothing at all short of a miracle.

Amazingly, she did! And the doctors said then that she would have to have more chemo treatments for a good 6-12 weeks. Since she would obviously have to be living to take the treatments, we gathered from the doctors words that she was at least out of immediate danger, and was thought to live at least another 6-12 weeks. Oh how thankful we were! But she was still in danger, and someone had to be with her around the clock, in case she went into sudden respiratory arrest. But the good news of her living for at least another 6-12 weeks was nothing compared to what we were told a few weeks later!

They did a scan a few weeks ago and it came back that she had no traces of cancer! Surely this couldn't be the case! Maybe the scan had malfunctioned! She had just been told a month prior that she was sure to die within 3 days from this cancer. So, the scan had to be wrong, right?

They did another scan, and we received the news of its results just yesterday. Not only is she completely free of absolutely ANY trace of cancer, but there's also no scarring in her lungs or elsewhere! It's as if this whole ordeal didn't even happen in her body!! It's as if we just dreamed up this whole cancer scare!

God completely healed her! Miracles are indeed real, because I've experienced one myself through this amazing occurance! It's just unbelievable. God heard our prayers and He healed her! Praise and glory be to Him forever and ever!

I wanted to share with you this amazing story for a reason. I want you to know that no matter what it is that you're going through at this moment, God can work it all together for good! He still works miracles today, and no matter how huge and overpowering your problematic situation may seem to you, it's nothing to God and His power! With God, all things are indeed possible! No matter what your situation may be, He can turn it all around, and make good come from it! Take heart and trust heartily in Him-the only One with true power!

May the name of the Lord forever be praised!

Daily Bible Verse

Blessed be the God and te Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

~2 Corinthians 1:3-4(NKJV)

Devotional by the late Oswald Chambers

The following is a great devotional by the late Oswald Chambers, and can be found in his devotional book entitled My Utmost for His Highest. I promise that I will soon go back to posting my own devotionals, but I just thought that this one was so good, that I couldn't resist posting it. :)

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The Patience of Faith

Because thou hast kept the word of My patience. ~Rev. 3:10

Patience is more than endurance. A saint's life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, and He stretches and strains, and every now and again the saint says-"I cannot stand anymore." God does not heed, He goes on stretching till His purpose is in sight, then He lets fly. Trust yourself in God's hands. For what have you need of patience just now? Maintain your relationship to Jesus Christ by the patience of faith. "Though He slay me, yet I will wait for Him."

Faith is not a pathetic sentiment, but robust vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. You cannot see Him just now, you cannot understand what He is doing, but you know Him. Shipwreck occurs where there is not that mental poise which comes from being established on the eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is the heroic effort of your life, you fling yourself in reckless confidence on God.

God has ventured all in Jesus Christ to save us, now He wants us to venture out all in abandoned confidence in Him. There are spots where that faith has not worked in us as yet, places untouched by the life of God. There were none of those spots in Jesus Christ's life, and there are to be none in ours. "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee." The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we take this view, life becomes one great romance, a glorious opportunity for seeing marvelous things all the time. God is disciplining us to get us into this central place of power.

God's Beautiful Creation!

These are pictures of a sunset that the Lord richly blessed us with the other day. I've never seen the sky look so beautiful. It's amazing the way God painted it with color, just for our enjoyment, and as a testement to His creativity! We serve an amazing artist, don't we? :)

These views of the beautiful sky could be seen from our front door. All of God's creation is breathtakingly beautiful, but I think that some of the most amazing and beautiful scenes in all of God's creation can be found in the sky.

Daily Bible Verse

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

~Proverbs 1:7 (NKJV)

Meal Mondays #2!

Ladies, I'm so sorry for not posting a Meal Mondays recipe last Monday! It completely slipped my mind.

The following is a recipe for salmon patties. These truly are the best salmon patties I've ever had-they are simply delicious! Even if you usually don't like salmon patties, you will LOVE these, and will want to make them over and over again!

Mouth-watering Salmon Patties

1 (14 3/4 oz.) can salmon

2 cups bread crumbs (we use Italian bread crumbs, for extra flavor!)

1/3 cup finely chopped/minced onion

1/4 cup milk

2 eggs

2 TBSP minced parsley

1 TBSP lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp dill weed

a dash of pepper(basically, however much you want)

Drain salmon(keep 2 TBSP of the liquid!) Combine all ingredients including the salmon liquid you saved. Shape into 8 1inch thick patties. Fry in preheated skillet that contains oil.

ENJOY!!

These are so fast and easy, and will surely be a tasty family-pleaser! They'd be great to serve to guests, as well!

Ladies, be sure to let me know what you think of these once you try them! :)

Monday's Devotional

Hi, everyone! :) I hope you were blessed with a wonderful and peaceful weekend and a blessed Lord's Day.

I read the following devotional today, and was blown away by it. It's just so good; I pray that the Lord will use it to be a blessing to all of you! The devotional you are about to read can be found in Charles Haddon Spurgeon's Morning by Morning devotional book.

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In the world ye shall have tribulation. ~John 16:33

Art thou asking the reason of this, believer? Look upward to thy heavenly Father, and behold Him pure and holy. Dost thou know that thou art one day to be like Him? Wilt thou easily be conformed to His image? Wilt thou not require much refining in the furnace of afflicition to purify thee? Will it be an easy thing to get rid of thy corruptions and make thee perfect even as thy Father who is in heaven is perfect? Next, Christian, turn thine eye downward. Dost thou know what foes thou hast beneath thy feet? Thou wast once a servant of Satan, and no king will willingly lose His subjects. Does thou think that Satan will let thee alone? No, he will always be at thee, for he "goeth about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour". Expect trouble, therefore, Christian, when thou lookest beneath thee. Then look around thee. Where art thou? Thou art in an enemy's country, a stranger and a sojourner. The world is not thy friend. If it be, then thou art not God's friend, for he who is the friend of the world is the enemy of God. Be assured that thou shalt find foe-men everywhere. When thou sleepest, think that thou art resting on the battlefield; when thou walkest, suspect an ambush in every hedge. As mosquitioes are said to bite strangers more than natives, so will the trials of earth be sharpest to you. Lastly, look within thee, into thine own heart, and observe what is there. Sin and self are still within. Ah! if thou hadst no devil to tempt thee, no enemies to fight thee, and no world to ensnare thee, thou wouldst still find in thyself evil enough to be a sore trouble to thee, for "the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked." Expect trouble then, but despond not on account of it, for God is with thee to help and to strengthen thee. He hath said, "I will be with thee in touble; I will deliver thee and honor thee."

Daily Bible Verse

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

~Psalm 118:1 (NKJV)

Bible Guidelines About Clothing by Bruce Lackey

Most of you know that I wear skirts/dresses exclusively. But, why do I do this? Why do I believe that it's so important that we, as Christian ladies, dress in a distinctly feminine manner? Well, the following sermon, I believe, will help you to discover the answers to these questions.

What you are about to read (it may seem long, but it really won't take long at all to read!) is a sermon that was preached by the late Bruce Lackey. I don't know anything about this man, or about his other convictions, but this sermon (or article, or essay-whatever you want to call it) is the absolute best one I've ever read on this subject. I pray that the Lord will use it to minister to you and to edify you in this very important area of a Christian's clothing.

Bible Guidelines About Clothing

by

Bruce Lackey

The thing I want to talk to you about tonight is Christian clothing. What do we mean when we say "Christian clothing"? Is that some particular article? No, we can’t hang a particular suit or a particular dress up here tonight and say this is Christian. Rather, there are five questions that you need to ask yourself to answer the question, "What kind of clothing should I wear?" There are five questions, and I am going to support these by God’s Word.

I hope you will get these down, because you are going to face this all your life. Fashions are going to change and new things are going to be brought out all the time. There is no use in me making up a list of what is good and what is not, because that would change next year. So these five principles from God’s Word will help you to decide every single item, whether it be right or wrong to wear, male or female, adult or child.

IS IT WORN BY THE OPPOSITE SEX?
The first question is this: Is it worn by the opposite sex? Turn back to Deuteronomy 22:5 for our beginning. Here is our first principle. When I am trying to decide whether or not I should wear a certain thing, my first question is "Is that item worn by the opposite sex?" In other words, I as a man should not wear anything that a woman would wear. And a woman should not wear anything that a man would wear.

"The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God."

I am well aware of the fact that people resent using this verse because it is in the Old Testament. And many times people say we can’t use that verse unless we are going to use the whole chapter. For instance, we wouldn’t want to use verse nine. A lot of people violate that verse by planting two or three different kinds of seeds in the same plot of ground. Similarly, we’ve all violated verse eleven about wearing garments with different kinds of cloth. Nearly everything we have on is made out of a weave of different things. So how can we take verse five and not take verse nine or verse eleven?

Here is the principle for rightly dividing the Word of Truth: Any principle found in the Old Testament which is repeated in the New Testament is for us today. Let me prove that to you. Keep your place at Deuteronomy and go over to 1 Corinthians 10. In 1 Corinthians 10 we have a book written by a grace preacher. Nobody can deny that the Apostle Paul was a grace preacher. He preached that we’re not under the law but under grace, and he wrote about that time and time again. Without a doubt he is a New Testament preacher. But I want you to notice that in this entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 10 he constantly uses the Old Testament Scripture to prove something. Look at verses one and two: "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea." That was taken from Exodus 13 and 14, in which passage we read about the cloud, and about the Red Sea parting, and how they walked across on dry land, which was similar to being baptized. They were covered with the water, even though not a drop of it touched them. Paul is referring to the Old Testament. Look at verse three: "And did all eat the same spiritual meat." That refers to Exodus 16, when God gave the manna from Heaven. That was called spiritual food. Verse four: "And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." That refers to Exodus 17, when Moses took his rod and struck the rock, and God gave gushing water out of that flinty rock.

Notice that he is referring to several Old Testament incidents. Verse five: "But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness." That is referring to Numbers 13 and 14. They refused to go into the land of Israel and inherit it, and they said, "We can’t take it," and so God overthrew them in the wilderness. Many of them died.

Now look at verse six. "Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted." You see. It’s not wrong to use the Old Testament to teach New Testament Christians to do something right. Paul did it.

Let’s keep on going. Verse seven: "Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." Here he refers to Exodus 22:6. The Apostle says, "Don’t you be like that." Verse eight: "Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand." That is talking about Numbers 25. Verse nine: "Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents." That is talking about Exodus 17. You remember about the brazen serpent being raised in the middle of the camp, and so on.

Look at verse ten: "Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer." That is found in Exodus 15, 16 and 17, among many other places; they murmured several times.

Now look at verse eleven: "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." Two times in these chapter, in verse six and in verse eleven, he tells us without a doubt that those Old Testament writings were for us today. It is a foolish and fictitious objection when someone says that we can’t use the Old Testament for us today. Here he very clearly outlines verse after verse, experience after experience in the Old Testament, to prove something that Christians ought to do right now. And that’s not the end. In the rest of the chapter he does it again and again.

We can go by the Old Testament. What is our rule? Any Old Testament principle repeated in the New Testament is for us today. Now you won’t ever find a New Testament verse that says observe the sabbath day. That is the reason we don’t do it. You won’t find any New Testament verse that says we are to kill an animal and have a blood sacrifice. That’s the reason we don’t do it. But anything commanded in the Old Testament and repeated in the New Testament is for us today.

Having examined 1 Corinthians 10 to establish that principle, we now come to chapter 11 where he refers to the appearance of man and woman. Specifically he talks about hair, but very clearly in 1 Corinthians 11 the Apostle says that the man and the woman ought to have their appearance different. Notice verses four and five: "Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven."

You see what he is saying? There is to be a difference between man and woman when they pray or prophesy. There is to be a difference. That is the same principle we saw back in Deuteronomy 22:5--"The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment..." It is the same idea.

Paul goes on to talk about the length of the hair. Notice verses fourteen and fifteen: "Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering." Once again he underscores the principle that the appearance of men and women is to be different. Consequently, we have the same principle in Deuteronomy 22:5 repeated right here in the New Testament.

Let me share something with you that is very interesting. I have in my library a book called The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. It is one of the most beneficial books I have ever owned. It is simply a book of parallel references, just like the center reference column you have in your Bible, but it is greatly expanded. This book was printed over one hundred years ago, back when they weren’t having many of the problems we are having today with women wearing men’s clothes, and vise versa. So you couldn’t say they were prejudiced about this subject when they put the cross references in that volume. The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge at Deuteronomy 22:5 has a parallel reference of 1 Corinthians 11:3-14. That’s interesting, isn’t it? You know what that proves? It proves that men that study the Bible, not just in our day but years ago, have seen that 1 Corinthians 11 contains the same principle that is stated in Deuteronomy 22:5.

I don’t hesitate to use Deuteronomy 22:5 to prove that women ought not to wear men’s clothes, and men ought not to wear women’s clothes, any more than I would hesitate to use Psalm 23 at a funeral. You see, the truths are repeated in the New Testament.

I was also interested in what I found in the Keil and Deiletch commentary regarding this matter. That commentary was first printed more than a hundred years ago. Charles Spurgeon refers to Keil and Deiletch. Yet Keil and Deiletch say that Deuteronomy 22:5 was written to maintain the sanctity of the distinction of the sexes which was established by the creation of man and woman. In other words, anybody who reads the Bible can see that all the way through in every age and every testament God has said that He wants men and women to look different. Consequently we ought not to wear clothing that applies to the opposite sex.

Of course, the main issue that we are facing here is the matter of pants on women. It matters not what you call them, whether blue jeans or slacks or pant suits. It is a main problem today. People like to argue about this. They say you can’t condemn pants on a woman unless you are going to say that women can’t wear belts, because men wear belts. Likewise you would have to say that women can’t wear socks, or shirts, because men wear socks and shirts.

What do we say about this? Consider some simple things to keep in mind. First, we are talking about the obvious. We’re not talking about some hidden thing, like a belt, that doesn’t have anything to do with the sex of the person, that doesn’t have anything to do with the body.

Second, what do you look like when you wear these clothes? What do you look like from a distance? You’ve had the same experience that I’ve had of being out in public and seeing somebody at a distance and not being really sure if that person is a male or a female. You can’t tell by the clothes, because girls wear pants just like boys do. They wear T-shirts just like boys do. The boys often have their hair just as long as the girls [or the girls’ just as short as the boys’], so you look at someone from a distance and you often cannot tell if the person is a male or a female. The only way you can tell is to look at those portions of the body that distinguish between male and female, and by the way, that is the Devil’s reason behind all of it. That is what he wants you to look at. He doesn’t want you to look at somebody’s head; he wants you to look other places. That is one of the things that makes this so wrong, and we need to see that. We should not wear clothing which at a distance would make anybody wonder whether we are male or female.

The best place to start on this is when the child is born. If you start when the child is born, you won’t ever have to make any changes. If you don’t start then, you’ll always be wondering when you should make this change. Just start right in the beginning. Cut the baby boy’s hair like a boy’s hair should be cut, and don’t put feminine clothes on him. Put pants on him. And if it is a girl, don’t put pants on her; put a dress on her.

You see, all these questions that people argue about can be settled just by plain old common sense. The principle is to let the appearance be different enough that folks won’t have any doubt. That’s the way to answer it all. You don’t have to get everybody’s O.K. on this piece of clothing, or that one, just draw the line and determine to wear something that no one will ever have a doubt about. It’s going to look like man’s clothing. It’s going to look like women’s clothing.

What about women working out in the field? What about women working in factories? What about women who have to climb ladders? Don’t they need something modest? Yes, they do need something modest. I used to see women out in the field picking cotton and so on. I used to see them wear overalls, but I also saw some of them put dresses on over their overalls. That was a common thing when I was a boy. Now I know that some of them didn’t wear dresses over their overalls. Some of them did other things that were wrong, too. You know, too, there are some other things to wear, such as culottes, which are just as modest and still look feminine. That’s what you ought to wear. If you can’t buy any, get a sewing machine and learn how to sew. It’s worth the expense and trouble to make that adjustment if you are going to have convictions.

Do not wear clothing that the opposite sex wears. And if you are in doubt about it, just don’t and you will be safe. Just make sure that what you wear identifies you as a male or as a female, and not in a way that a person would have to look at the tempting zones of the body to tell whether you are a male or female. That is what the Devil wants you to do, and surely you don’t want to cooperate with the Devil on this matter.

WHAT DOES IT MAKE OTHERS THINK OF ME?
Here is the second question you need to ask yourself about Christian clothing: What does it make others think of me? Lest you say it doesn’t matter what other people think, let me read a verse or two of Scripture, and then let me read you some illustrations from modern literature which say that it does matter. In Proverbs 7:10 the Scripture has a warning to a young man against immorality: "And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart." God is warning about a woman dressed like a harlot. Now the question we ask is how is a harlot dressed? Have you ever seen a program on television in which they show a woman posing as a prostitute? If you have watched any of the police shows you see that. She may be a prostitute; she may be posing as one; she may be an undercover agent; she may be the hero; she may be the victim; she may be the bad guy, whatever. You have seen that and you know how they are dressed. You know exactly that she is a prostitute before they ever tell you. Of course, they don’t use that term; they use the word "hooker." Perhaps you have seen a television news broadcast which shows these women on the streets as they’re out searching for business. All you have to do is look at the way they are dressed. The bad thing about is that some Christian people dress the same way. Now, you don’t want anybody to think that about you. You might wonder if people really think that about you. Yes, they do.

Here’s an article from McCall’s magazine. McCall’s is not a Christian magazine. The editors are not trying to defend the Christian faith or propagate the Bible. Here’s an article in McCall’s magazine entitled "What Your Intimate Behavior Says About You." I’m going to read this. It may be offensive to some, but the words are not nearly as offensive as the way some people dress. We need to be honest and frank about this thing. It’s not going to be vulgar, but plain. The writer says,

"The female legs have also been the subject of considerable male interest as sexual signaling devices. The mere exposure of leg flesh has been sufficient to transmit sexual signals. Needless to say, the higher the exposure goes the more stimulating it becomes for the simple reason that it then approaches the primary genital zone."

That’s what it’s all about folks, and we had better wake up and realize it. He goes on to say, talking about the primary genital zone of the body,

"The first way to accentuate is to employ articles of clothing which underline the nature of the organ hidden beneath them. For the female this means wearing trousers."

Now the fellow that wrote this is not a preacher. As a matter of fact, in this article he is telling you how to send sexual signals by the way you dress. He continues:

"The way to emphasize the nature of the organs of the body is by wearing these clothing: trousers, shorts, or bathing costumes, that by their tightness reveal..."

This is what people think when they see you dressed this way. In the Family Weekly magazine they had a true or false question and answer section.

"Question: What you communicate wordlessly has more effect on people than what you say? Answer: This is true. ... Question: People use clothes as a means of communicating with others? Answer: True. Psychological studies at Britain’s University of Newcastle have demonstrated that people use clothes to tell others what they want them to believe about them."

In other words the wearer is not trying to tell others what he is really like, but is trying to communicate his ideal self image, the kind of person he wishes he was. That’s what these experts say. What you wear says something about you.

I know very well that not everybody who wears the items of clothing mentioned in the McCall’s article has an immoral motive. Here’s what I’m trying to get you to see: Whether you like it or not, this is what other people think. As a Christian, somebody interested in holiness, in winning people to Christ and getting people’s minds off of sin, we need to go entirely the other way.

Whether you realize it or not, men look at certain portions of the body; and it doesn’t matter whether you think that is good, bad, or otherwise, they are going to do it. And if you wear clothing that attracts attention to that, you are just helping them in their sin. That’s why a dress, unless it’s too tight, is better than pants; because a dress does not draw the attention to that part of the body that people look at and lust after.

I have a lot of other articles, but I have time for only one more. An article appeared in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Richmond, Virginia, and the writer of the article was Anthony Surbony, a personnel manager for a large corporation. He had interviewed more than 14,000 men for jobs in the past years that he had been there. He said that the length of a person’s hair tells a lot about him. Here’s a man after 14,000 interviews. He said the left-wingers generally have long hair.

"They reject self-discipline, authority, regulation, proven logic and reasoning. They are more easily swayed by popular opinions and propaganda. They tend to accept and do anything if somebody simply suggests it’s a style. Many employers find that they tend to be more dreamers than doers, where the reverse is the trend on men with short hair. Why is it so? Mainly it is due to a self-centered personality."

There are certain things that I like about women that I don’t like on men. I like for women to look nice, and it doesn’t bother me at all to see a woman in front of a mirror primping and fixing her hair. But it just about makes me want to throw up to see a man do that, and I’ve seen men do that very thing, just like a woman.

I quote further from the article mentioned above. He said long hair indicates a self-centered personality.

"The liberal left-winger seems to be more selfish and only aspire to goals that will benefit them individually, regardless of what it costs to others. They actually believe that long hair is beautiful on a man and they feel naked without it. They try to make up for lack of ability by attracting attention, or becoming a sex symbol. Long haired liberals also reject the basic hunter/warrior responsibilities of man. They seem to think that society should provide for them and that someone else should guarantee protection. Or else they don’t really believe that there are any enemies. In fact, some tend to bow before enemies, hoping to gain friendship."

Men have lost the basic responsibility that God inbred into a human being to fight for what is his and to provide for what is his. Men reject that, and the first thing you know, they think the government owes them a living. They don’t feel responsible to go out make a living any more. It all goes together. We must remember that this man is an expert in analyzing people.

When I am considering what kind of clothes to wear, I need to ask myself this question: What does it make other people think about me?

PREDOMINATELY, WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE DRESS THAT WAY?
Here is the third question we need to ask: Predominately, what kind of people dress that way?

Do you think that a policeman who is going to be an undercover agent would dress like I am dressed? Do you think his hair would be as short as mine is? No, sir. Every policeman that I have ever seen or heard about in the last twenty years that became an undercover agent around the bars and gambling dens let his hair grow long, and wore sloppy, slouchy clothes, because that is the kind of people they are trying to catch. I don’t want to look like that kind of person. It’s not because I think I’m better than they are. It’s because when Jesus saved me, He jerked me up out of that. That’s what I used to be. I don’t want to be that anymore. I don’t want folks to think I’ve gone back to that.

See, here is the third question. Predominately, what kind of people wear the kind of clothes you are thinking of wearing? If it’s the wrong kind, you surely don’t want to identify yourself with it.

MUST I USE THE ARGUMENTS OF THE WORLD TO JUSTIFY IT?
Here is the fourth question: Must I use the arguments of the world to justify it?

"Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?" I Cor. 1:20

"That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." I Cor. 2:5

"For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding." Col. 1:9

If you read these verses you find out there is a difference between the wisdom of the world and spiritual wisdom. A Christian is in trouble when he has to resort to the wisdom of the world to justify what he is doing. We ought to be able to use the wisdom of God. If I am going to defend my position I ought to be able to go to the Bible and use spiritual wisdom to do it. God help us if we have to use worldly wisdom to justify our clothing or actions.

WILL IT CAUSE OTHERS TO STUMBLE?
Here is the fifth question: Will it cause others to stumble?

"It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak." Rom. 14:21

King David walked on his roof top. He was lazy; he was disobedient; he was out of God’s will. But also he saw a woman washing herself. She was either out in a yard where everybody could see her, or else she was in the house without the curtains drawn. And she was equally guilty in that lusting experience. I know David was out of God’s will and should have been out fighting the battles, because the Bible starts off that chapter by saying that it was the time that kings went out to war that David stayed at home. I know that was wrong, and she likewise was wrong in taking a bath where a man could see her.

What you do or what you wear, will it cause somebody to stumble? Now you might say the other fellow has to look out for himself. That is not what the Bible says. The Bible says, "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak." We are responsible.

We have considered five good tests regarding clothing. Is it worn by the opposite sex? What does it make other people think of me? What kind of people dress that way? Must I use the argument of the world to defend it? Will it cause anybody else to stumble?

In closing, let me encourage you to have some Christian convictions, and let me make some strong suggestions to you about these.

Number one, make sure your convictions are biblically based. When you believe something is wrong, you had better have a good Bible reason for believing it. You ought to know where the Bible talks about that, and if you don’t think you can remember it, write it down so you can show people. Have biblically based convictions, not just opinions.

Number two, when you have a conviction, be firm. Don’t waver no matter what crowd you are with, no matter what environment you find yourself in. If it is wrong to wear a bathing suit walking down the street, it is wrong to wear one in the swimming pool. The water doesn’t have anything to do with it. That is why you have to be careful about where you go swimming. Do you expose your body to the lustful thoughts of others? They are going to think it whether you like it or not. Be firm in your convictions.

Number three, be kind when you have convictions. Don’t be a smart alek. When the time comes to express yourself, or to say no, or to give a reason, be kind about it. Learn your reasons, and know them, and don’t be nervous, and don’t be angry, and don’t be snappy. Be kind about it.

Number four, don’t act superior. Don’t act like you are better than somebody else. That’s the first charge they are going to make against you, I guarantee you. Anytime you ever have a conviction about anything, whether it be about music, or drinking liquor, others are going to say that you think you are better than they are. People have been saying that for centuries. That is not anything new. So don’t act superior. Just let them know you aren’t going to do that thing.

Number five, if you have to talk to somebody about these things deal with the heart first. All of this is a matter of the heart. You might get somebody straightened out on the matter of the clothes they ought to wear and they still be just as lost as they were before you met them. Before I talk to anybody about clothes or anything else, the first thing I want to know is what about the heart? Have you been saved? Acts 15:9. Has your heart been purified by faith? Romans 10:9. Have you believed in your heart that God raised Christ from the dead? The first thing I want to know is about the heart and salvation. All that I said here tonight applies to those who are saved. If you haven’t been saved, it’s not going to help you your soul one way or the other to change your clothes. It’s not going to help at all. If Jesus does not live in your heart, that is your first need. You first have to come to Christ.

If you are saved it is still a matter of the heart. If I were talking to a Christian about this, the first thing I would want to talk to him about would be the heart. Is your heart right with God? If your heart’s not right with God, you are not going to be able to understand any of this. You’re going to resent every argument, and resent anybody even bringing up this discussion.

The Bible talks about the heart. Hebrews 10:22--"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." God is talking to Christian people there. And in verses 24 and 25, "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." It’s a matter of the heart.

Great Devotional by the late Oswald Chambers

The following is a wonderful and very convicting devotional written by the late Oswald Chambers, in his great devotional book, My Utmost for His Highest.

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"Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?"

~Matthew 8:26

When we are in fear we can do nothing less than pray to God, but our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His Name should have an understanding confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so cofident in Him that in any criss they are the reliable ones. Our trust is in God up to a certain point, then we go back to the elementary panic prayers of those who do not know God. We get to our wits' end, showing that we have not the slightest confidence in Him and His government of the world; He seems to be asleep, and we see nothing but breakers ahead.

"O ye of little faith!" What a pang must have shot through the disciples-'Missed it again!' And what a pang will go through us when we suddenly realize that we might have produced downright joy in the heart of Jesus by remaining absolutely confident in Him, no matter what was ahead.

There are stages in life when there is no storm, no crisis, when we do our human best; it is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to trust Him, the crisis will reveal that we will go to the breaking point and not break in our confidence in Him.

We've been talking a great deal about sanctification-what is it all going to amount to? It should work out rest in God which means oneness with God, a oneness which will make us not only blameless in His sight, but a deep joy to Him.

Daily Bible Verse

Here is the continuation of the simply beautiful passage of Scripture that was posted on Tuesday

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Say among the nations, "The Lord reigns; the world also is firmly established, it shall not be moved; He shall judge the peoples righteously." Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and all its fullness; let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord. For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with His truth.

~Psalm 96:10-13(NKJV)

Wednesday's Devotional

Listen to your father who begot you.

~Proverbs 23:22a (NKJV)

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All too often today, children have no desire to heed their parents' warnings or to listen to their wise words of advice. They would often desire to just hang out with friends, rather than be at home with their family, under their parents' protection. I'm not saying there's anything wrong at all with spending time with friends. My point, though, is this: today, children would rather spend time with friends, do what they do, act as their culture tells them to, etc., than heed their parents' wise counsel and loving commands. And this, is a sad tragedy. Today, rather than being famliy-dependent, children(both young and those in their teens) are becoming more and more peer-dependent. And this can be dangerous and very destructive.

God blessed us with parents for a reason! The family is so very important to God, that Psalm 68:6a says, "God sets the solitary in families." To God, it's not a good thing at all when someone is without the protection and provision of their family. God was so merciful when He blessed us with parents! Our parents are given to us for a number of reasons but perhaps one of the most important is so that they can lead us and guide us in God's Word and His statutes. Our parents are there to train us up in the way we should go, so that when we're old, we won't depart from it. They're given to us to discipline us, and to train us up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. They are very very valuable to us, and we should be so very thankful for them! Proverbs 4:1 says, "Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, and give attention to know understanding." Solomon tells us in Proverbs 4:4-5 that his father said the following to him: "Let your heart retain my words; keep my commandments and live. Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth." Not only is it sinful to disregard our parents' wise and loving commands and instructions, but it's horribly foolish as well, to disregard that protection! God gave us parents so that we would be trained in His Word, would be taught right from wrong, and so that we would be instructed on the subject of how to grow into God-fearing men and women who live out the Bible's every command. So, be thankful for your fathers and mothers! If they appear strict to you, be thankful for that! That protection, training and authority is a rich blessing that is not to be taken for granted! Proverbs tells us that he who loves his children disciplines them, but he who does not hates his child. It probably won't feel like it at the time we're being disciplined, but that discipline truly is a blessing! Praise the Lord and thank Him daily for blessing you with parents who take the time to train you up in God's Word. That kind of parent is a true blessing indeed, and is sadly very rare in our world today! Don't be foolish by forsaking your fathers' commands, but be wise and listen to his words of instruction, heed those, and obey them. Did you know that in Romans 1, the sin of disobeying one's parents is equated with the sin of murder, sexual immorality, etc.? What a strong reminder that gives us as to the importance of heeding our parents' commands!

I know that some of you have parents who are less than godly, who disagree with your purely Biblical convictions and way of life, etc. And I truly feel for all of you who find yourselves in that situation. But, be strong! Continue to follow the Lord's every command, no matter what your parents may be telling you to do. We're commanded to obey our parents, yes, but above that, we're called on to obey God rather than man[Acts 5:29]. If you have parents like those I just mentioned, then you are called on to obey God-not them. But, the command to honor your parents still stands. You can disobey your parents' ungodly commands and instructions, but you are to do so in a polite, respectful, honoring way. I know that may be a hard thing to do, but we're called on to do so anyway. Take heart, dear sisters, who may find yourselves without parents or without godly, Biblical parents. For, Psalm 68:6 says, "A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation."

Daily Bible Verse

Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. Give to the Lord, O families of the peoples, give to the Lord glory and strength. Give to the Lord the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come into His courts. Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth.

~Psalm 96:1-9 (NKJV)

Devotional on 2 Corinthians 6:14 Part 2

Hello everyone! I hope all of you enjoyed a peaceful weekend and a blessed Lord's Day! Today, we'll be continuing on with our 2-part devotional series on 2 Corinthians 6:14; I hope this series will be a blessing to you.

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Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

~2 Corinthians 6:14 (NKJV)

In part 1 of our devotional, we covered the subject of not being unequally yoked together with unbelieving friends. Today, the devotional will cover the very very important topic of not being unequally yoked together with an unbelieving spouse.

Some of you ladies who read this blog are already married; others of you are in your teens, and are happily preparing for life with that special someone. Thus, this devotional is geared towards those girls and young women who are yet unmarried. However, to all you married ladies who access this blog, we would love to hear your wisdom on this topic! :)

I cannot even begin to express to you the huge importance that you do not marry someone who isn't a Christian. As one can see in this verse, this is a very important thing to God, and it should be to us as well. All too often today women marry unbelieving men, thinking "Oh, I'll be able to change him; I'll be able to bring him to Christ after a few years of marriage." This is a very dangerous way of thinking, ladies! 1 Corinthians 15:33 warns us that bad company corrupts good morals, and that unbelieving man could have a horrible influence on you and your future children. It is so important that we obey God's wise and loving command found here in 2 Corinthians. Now, for you ladies who may have already married an unbelieving man, there is hope for you! 1 Peter 3:1-2 says "Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear." This beautiful passage goes on to show us the huge importance of acquiring a meek and quiet spirit. If you desire to bring your unbelieving husband to Christ, then you can't go around hitting him over the head with the truth! This will do absolutely nothing but ruin your witness for Christ-because by doing this, your husband will see not one bit of Christ's love in you. Rather, you must be meek, quiet, reverent, and submissive to your unbelieving husband. That is where the true power of conversion is found.

Many people read 2 Corinthians 6:14, and just speak on the fact that we're not to marry someone who isn't a Christian. After they cover that, they just leave the verse and go onto something else, somehow thinking that they've covered all the speceifics and important teachings of the verse. What a tragedy that is, because not being unequally yoked together with a spouse means much much more than just not marrying a non-Christian. You can be married to a Christian and still be unequally yoked together. Yes, it's of paramount importance that you marry a Christian; but there are so many other convictions which must match, in order for you to be truly yoked together equally, as God desires for you to be.

For instance: is the young man you're interested in commited to courtship? If you are, and he isn't, then you're not going to be equally yoked whatsoever. Not only could this difference in convictions cause problems when you attempt to get to know one another, but it will also pose many problems when your future children are nearing marriagable age. Also, are you committed wholeheartedly to homeschooling, believing that it's the Biblical way of receiving an education? Then you better make sure that any guy you're seriously interested in feels the same way! Here are some other areas that need to match in order for you and your future spouse to be equally yoked together:

• Do you believe that your husband is to be the loving head of the home and that it's your Biblical responsibility to joyfully submit to him? Then the man you marry should feel the same way!

• Do you want many children and do you view them as rich blessings from the Lord? Then pray for the Lord to send you someone who feels the same way.

• If you're very unfeministic, and deeply love the difference of roles that God has set aside for women and those He set aside for men, then be sure to marry a man who feels the same way!

• If you believe in the Docrines of Grace, then you need to be sure to marry someone who believes in and loves those as well!

• It's important that your views on doctrinal issues(i.e. baptism, the Trinity, etc.) are the same.

This list could go on further, but you get the idea. The really important issues and convictions need to match, or else you'll end up in a marriage that is less than pleasant! If your doctrinal beliefs and convictions don't match, then you will be living in sheer torture when you have children and you and your husband are arguing over how you're going to raise them. Little things such as likes and dislikes, hobbies, favorite foods, etc. are unimportant-those can be as different as you please and not cause a problem. But the really important issues have to match if you're truly going to be equally yoked together with your future spouse.

I know exactly what some of you young ladies are thinking right now. :) You're thinking: "I feel that I'm an oddball in society already due to my counter-cultural convictions and way of life. How could I ever hope to marry such a wonderful guy who would believe as I do in all these areas?" Dear sisters, take heart! With God, all things are indeed possible!! Don't ever forget that! The Lord knows that your heart aches for a future husband that will share your beliefs and convictions. He knows you desire wholeheartedly to be truly yoked together equally with your future spouse-He desires the exact same thing for you! Therefore, pray daily for that future husband. Pray that the Lord will send you (at the right time!) a young man who has a heart for Him, who shares your same convictions, beliefs, and way of life. There are young men like that out there! I've met some of them myself. They sadly aren't the norm these days, but they do exist! Pray that the Lord will work in the heart of your future spouse, to refine him and make him into a true man after God's own heart. Psalm 34:4-5 says "Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass." Take heart, ladies! The Lord chose before the foundation of the earth who it was that you would marry! He has it all planned out. Rest in that comforting knowledge and trust only in Him. Never ever lower your high standards, but always wait for that special young man that the Lord already chose for you-that young man that you will be helpmeet to, who will lead you, protect you, provide for you, guide you, and cherish you. He really does exist, and he really is out there. So, wait for him!

Daily Bible Verse

Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

~Matthew 5:11-12

Devotional on 2 Corinthians 6:14 Part 1

I'm beginning a two-part devotional series on 1 Corinthians 6:14. I pray that it will be used by God to be a blessing to all of you! :)

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Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

~2 Corinthians 6:14 (NKJV)

Oftentimes, we read this verse and just think that it's speaking on the fact that we shouldn't be unequally yoked together with a spouse who isn't a believer. And even though this verse does mean exactly that, it's really referring to any kind of relationship-including friendships. And that's what I want to dedicate this first part of the series to-speaking on how we musn't be yoked together in friendships with unbelievers.

1 Corinthians 15:33 shows us this truth quite clearly when it warns us that, "Do not be decieved: bad company corrupts good habits." This verse does not say that bad company *may* corrupt good habits! Rather it says do not be decived, because bad company does indeed, without a doubt, corrupt good habits(or morals or character, depending on what version of the Bible you use). It's a guarantee! It will and does happen. And sadly, this verse doesn't say that just non-Christians will corrupt our good morals-it says bad company in general. And all too often, this includes even our Christian friends and family! I've known this to be a very sad fact, but a fact nonetheless. I have an extended family member that tends to bring out the worst in everybody she's around. At our old youth group, even though those friends were supposed to be Christians, they were very bad influences for me. And how tragic that is-that all too often even Christians themselves(or those who call themselves Christians) appear to be and act so much like the lost world. That's a tragedy-a horrible horrible tragedy! As Christians, people should be able to just look at us and watch us and automatically know by the way we act and the things we say that we're Christians. But this just isn't the fact with so many people today. Thus, we have the problem of being badly influenced by so-called Christians(some of whom, I'm sure truly are Christians-they just aren't acting like it).

That's why this passage in 2 Corinthians also can't just refer to non-Christians. Because, as we've seen, sometimes even the "Christians" are some of the worst influences for us. So, I believe that it's very important, in accordance with this verse, to be very close friends with only those who believe and have the same convictions you do. It's important to have close friends that are only Christians, but it's oftentimes even more important to have those close friends be only those who have the same convictions you do(i.e. roles of men and women, convictions on Biblical family life, etc.). Because even well-meaning, Christian friends, if they don't have these same convictions and are thus very feministic, can influence you horribly. Without you meaning to fall prey to it, they can lead you into thinking more about feminism and how it may not be "all that bad". However, those of us who know that feminism's teachings are horrible, must be very careful to only spend a lot of time with friends who are likeminded in these areas.

Now, this is not to say at all that you shouldn't be friendly and loving with non-Christian people, as well as Christians who are very feministic. We are called on by God Himself to be kind, loving and friendly to everybody-by so doing we're showing them the love of Christ. But this does not mean that we're to be buddy buddy with them. It simply means that we show them love and kindness, but are not to become close friends with them. It's very important that we have acquaintances who are non-Christians, because we're called on to be witnesses and to throw God's Word as the sower did. But we are not to become "best friends" with these people. Because, sadly, even though we hope that we would be influencing them if we were to spend much time with them, this verse admonishes us to not be deceived: they would be the ones influencing us.

In this new church, the Lord has truly blessed me with some of the most likeminded, encouraging, dear friends. It's such a blessing to have friends that have the same convictions you do! I praise God for these dear people. Ladies, if you don't have friends such as these, I encourage you to stay strong in your high standards for friendship, and to pray that the Lord would provide for you friends who are likeminded. He knows your needs as well as the desires of your heart. Always remember that, and trust in Him! Have very high standards and don't settle for close friendships that aren't the best for you!

Daily Bible Verse

These verses go right along with the devotional from yesterday:

Do not be envious of evil men, not desire to be with them; for their heart devises violence, and their lips talk of troublemaking.

~Proverbs 24:1-2 (NKJV)

Tuesday's Devotional

Before I begin the devotional, ladies, I want to sincerely apologize for just now posting it! I've been swamped today with school, etc. Thank you for understanding. And to all those who have e-mailed me recently: thank you SO VERY much! Your e-mails have been such a rich blessing and joyous encouragement to me! I have felt so honored reading them. I had recently received some "persecution in word form" so to speak, regarding my "weird convictions" and was sort of discouraged, but whenever I felt that way, I "just happened" to go check my e-mail and there was an encouraging e-mail awaiting me. I think the Lord led you to send those to me, knowing that I needed encouragement right at that time, and I thank Him and you for those e-mails! :) I will be responding to every one of you as soon as possible! :)

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Do not let your heart envy sinners.

~ Proverbs 23:17a (NKJV)

I just came across this verse as I was searching through the Scriptures, trying to come up with a verse to use for today's devotional. I think the Lord led me to this wonderful chapter(which I will, as of now, after reading some of its amazing verses, be using its contents for more of the following devotionals coming up!) and verse, because I can speak from experience in this area, and I think He has some words for me to say, that will hopefully be an encouragement to all of you, especially to those of you with likeminded convictions, who have probably faced some persecutions from friends and family because of them.

Shortly after our convictions began changing (please note my testimony), I began wearing skirts sometimes to my homeschool group meetings(I now where skirts/dresses exclusively). The fellow homeschoolers began looking at me strangely, like I was weird to be dressing in a distinctly feminine garment, and they would ask me things such as, "Why are you wearing a skirt?? What are you doing dressed like that?" Now, I know this may seem like a very little thing-afterall, they didn't really know anything about my changing convictions regarding men's and women's roles, my views on homemaking, etc., so I didn't recieve any persecution from them for those bigger areas, but I still hated for people to look at me and think I was weird. I've always been a very sensitive person, ever since earliest childhood, and so I absolutely hated for people to look at me strangely, or to think I was weird or crazy, etc. So, as you can imagine, this was hard for me! I didn't like feeling weird when I attended homeschool group. At times, I desired to just be like all the other females there, wearing jeans like everyone else-like "normal" people. At times, I'm ashamed to say, I wished that my father(who made it known that he preferred it when I dressed like a distinctly feminine lady) was like all the other dad's-not caring what their daughters wore(providing that it wasn't immodest). Now, looking back, I am so unbelieveably ashamed in the highest degree for ever wishing that I or my godly father were like the world around us!! The Bible says that to love the world is to hate the Father, and so for me to think this way, was absolutely sinful and abhorred in God's sight!

I was desiring to look and be more like the world(the sinful, God-hating world) just so that I wouldn't be thought weird or strange by others. I was doing exactly what this verse prohibits and commands us to not do: I was envying the sinners(of course, we're all sinners! this verse is speaking on those people of the world, who do not belong to God). I was envying the fact that they aren't thought of as weird in the world's eyes. How horrible!!! As you can read in my testimony, God had very graciously and lovingly changed my heart and convictions and the heart and convictions of my immediate family members, fashioning them and refining them to be more in accordance with His Word. If it weren't for his work in my life(and in the lives of my immediate family members), I would still be very feministic (and thus, very anti-God and His Word, teachings and commands). He was amazingly gracious (much more merciful and gracious than I would ever deserve-I'm nothing but a sinner!) to me, in changing me and my beliefs. So, how dare I desire to be more like the world (and thus not be thought of as weird) when the Lord has drawn and rescued me out of the lost world, and has instead showered me with mercy, grace, and the refiner's fire. This verse really convicted me at that time! The Lord used it to reveal to me the horrible sinfulness of my ways and desires. Instead of worrying over being thought the least bit weird (which is absolutely nothing compared to what Jesus and the martyrs faced!), I should have been rejoicing in God my Savior that He rescued me out of the harmful and detrimental teachings of feminism, etc., and instead showed me the beauty of Biblical daugherhood, Biblical womanhood, and Biblical femininity, and the beauty of embracing the roles that God has lovingly given to me as a female! I should have been wholeheartedly praising Him, rather than worrying about the outcomes of His goodness(i.e. being thought of as weird by the world). If we're truly living a godly, Christ-like life that is based solely on God's Word, then we will be persecuted by the world-that's a given and a guarantee! The Bible says that all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will indeed be persecuted. But(as I wrote about in a previous devotional), that persecution is a blessing! It's used to bring glory to God, and to make us into a witness to the world.

Ladies, I shared all of this with you to be an encouragement to you. To those of you who find yourself persecuted and looked down upon for your completely Biblical convictions and way of life, take heart! Be strong and of good courage, for the Lord has promised to never leave you nor forsake you-He goes with you wherever you go, and is right by your side, protecting you always! Stay strong when others persecute you because of your beliefs and counter-cultural way of life, knowing that you are doing exactly what the Lord wants you to, and are living exactly the way He desires for you to. He will richly bless you if you just obey Him, rather than following the world and its teachings. Never envy the way or life of sinners, but rather, thank God heartily that He has changed, sanctified, and refined you, in accordance with His Word! That indeed is a blessing-take heart and rest it in, and give no attention to what the world says about you. Follow Him, and rest in the fact that you are pleasing Him-the only one worth pleasing! :)

God bless you all!

Daily Bible Verse

How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wonder from your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me Your statutes. With my lips I have declared all the judgements of Your mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts, and comtemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.

~Psalm 119:9-16(NKJV)

Meal Mondays #1! (on Tuesday morning :( )

Hi, ladies! As I mentioned earlier, I was going to start Meal Mondays this week. Well, yesterday was very busy, and so I'm very sorry that I was not able to post the recipe yesterday! Thanks so much for your understanding! :)

Crispy Ranch Chicken

2 cups crispy rice cereal

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1(1 ounce)envelope ranch salad dressing mix

2 egg whites, beaten

8 skinless and boneless chicken breasts (about 5 ounces each)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a large baking pan with cooking spray. Combine the cereal, cheese and ranch dressing mix in a large bowl. Place beaten egg whites in a medium bowl and dip each chicken breast in the egg whites. Then coat them evenly with the cereal mixture. Arrange the chicken on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and chicken juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork or knife.

This is a really easy recipe, that I think you will enjoy. When you try it out, be sure to let me know if you liked it!

Monday's Devotional

He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

~Matthew 10:37 (NKJV)

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Sadly, this verse is commonly misunderstood and is often not explained accurately. In it, Jesus is not saying that children aren't to obey(as long as their parents' commands don't go against the Lord's) or honor their parents anymore. This verse is also not saying that parents aren't still commanded to love and to train their children up in the nuture and admonition of the Lord. Jesus is also not lessening any the importance of the unified family unit and structure. The family has always been and will always be extremely important to the Lord. So, what is this verse actually saying?

It's saying that we have to always be willing to, out of love for Him, follow God and obey His commands no matter what. No matter what the cost may be (may it be persecution, trials, tribulations, etc.), no matter what our parents are telling us to do, no matter what any of our family members think we should be doing, we are called on to obey God and to live out His commands daily. If we truly love Him, then we will joyfully obey His Word. As Christians, that's our duty. This verse is saying that as Christians, if we truly love Him wholeheartedly, then we must obey Him despite what our family may want us to do. If we truly love Him, we can't worry or dwell on what our family may think of us or what they may do to us. Rather, we must obey and trust Christ; and leave the outcome and result up to Him.

I'm sure you have family members(as I definitely do!) that are completely against your Biblical convictions, and think you're crazy. But in those times, though it may be hard, we must obey and trust Him alone. I know it's hard, but it's what we're called on to do and it's so worth it. The Lord has promised to never leave us nor forsake us and He will bless us with the strength needed to sustain every trial and persecution received from our family members who aren't like-minded.

This verse is also showing us the vast importance of keeping the Lord first in our lives and hearts. He must always be first. No one should ever be able to take His place as number 1 in our hearts. We must love Him above all else. Exodus 20:5 says, "You shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments." The Lord is a very jealous God! It angers Him greatly(as it should) when we place other above Him in our hearts. When we make those other people or things into idols, that is an abomination to Him. Every time someone or something takes His place as number 1 in our lives, we are making that person into an idol; and God very clearly says that we are to not have any gods other than Him. He deserves our entire heart, love, life and service, and that's what we must give to Him, as the Lord of our lives and the lover of our souls!

I want to leave you with these beautiful and encouraging words from the wonderful hymn, Trust and Obey:

When we walk with the Lord

In the power of His Word

What a glory He sheds on our way!

Let us do His good will;

He abides with us still,

And with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:

Trust and obey, for there's no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey!

Not a burden we bear,

Not a sorrow we share,

But our toil He doth richly repay!

Not a grief or a loss,

Not a frown or a cross,

But is blest if we trust and obey.

Refrain

Not a shadow can rise,
not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear,
not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

Refrain

But we never can prove

The delights of His love

Until all on the altar we lay;

For the favor He shows

And the joy He bestows

Are for them who will trust and obey.

Refrain

Then in the fellowship sweet

We will sit at His feet

Or we'll walk by His side in the way;

What He says we will do,

Where He sends we will go;

Never fear, only trust and obey.

Refrain