In our modern age of technology we are able to keep in touch with each other quicker, faster and easier. Everything from texting to social networking has opened doors for ease in communication. It is used with such frequency that it now has its own language.
SMS language, textese, txt talk, txtspk. There are so many abbreviations to words out there that even the name for this cyber-language has its own abbreviations. With SMS language, words like "great" become “gr8”, "tomorrow" becomes “2mro”, "your" becomes “ur” and my least favorite and the impetus for writing this article, the highly used “OMG”, to be used in place of “Oh My God”. I see this posted often. It is used more to establish a level of urgency that can be hard to instill in cyber-language. Here’s the deal. Our society has become desensitized to the Holiness of the name of the Lord. So much so that even the self-proclaimed Christians are using “OMG” in their own personal short hand. My first thought is “why can’t they see that they are breaking the 3rd commandment?” Then I was talking with Jeramie about why this bothers me so much and he asked me “what EXACTLY does it mean to break the third commandment?”
Even though we live in the dispensation of the church age and even though no one is righteous, the commandments are still meant to be upheld and used as a compass to increase our awareness of our sin. Do not take the commandments lightly because Paul wrote in Romans 3:19,20;
“Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law become conscious of sin.”
And again he makes a statement about the law in Romans 3:28-31;
“For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.”
Well then. There you have it. We should not neglect the commandments. But have you really ever studied the commandments? I was taught them as a kid and have never looked back. And recently, because of the bitter taste “OMG” leaves in my mouth, I have been convicted to find out exactly what the third commandment is saying. This is what I have learned.
Of all of the commandments (ten all together), the third is probably the one we most easily over look. In Sunday school as a kid you are taught to not use Gods name as a curse word. That means no “OMG”. Hey, I can do that. Good enough and moving on. If anything the one I need the most help with is number ten “do not covet your neighbor’s house.” This is what my NIV translation writes the third commandment to say:
“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”
Easy enough to understand. Don’t misuse his name. Don’t use it where it isn’t meant to be used. But the NKJV writes it like this:
"You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.”
Upon comparison of the two translations I can’t help but be compelled to break them down and research the differences. I mean the first glaringly obvious difference of the use of the language is the word “misuse” for “take”. Even in the English language they have different meanings. But to find out exactly what this is saying I had to hear it in the Hebrew language. The second point that this commandment caught my attention on was that God attached a consequence to it. When he does this it is to impress upon us the severity and authority in which he means it, a.k.a. this is a big deal. I have taken the three words from the NKJV that seem to me to need more definition and compared them to what the Hebrew word really translated to.
Take, throughout the Old Testament, is translated into English from seventy-four different Hebrew words. This one means "to lift up," "bear," "carry," "use," and "appropriate."
“Take” is to me extremely different than “misuse”. When I take something I am removing it from one place and putting it in my hands. The best analogy I could visualize was marriage. God uses this imagery A LOT. He refers to Christ as the bridegroom and the church or his Christians as his bride. When I married Jeramie, I took his name. I made an oath in front of God, our friends and family to enter into a covenant with him. I promised to be his wife and all that it means to be a wife. I was previously referred too by my maiden name and now I am referred to by my married name. Jeramie offered me his name to “bear” (although some days I wander why he did). So now, I bear, or wear, his name. If I use my last name which labels me as married but continue to live a life of a single, foolish woman, I misuse Jeramies name. Now I am able to see how “misuse” works here. It damages Jeramies credibility as a husband. It damages his authority as a husband. If as Jeramies wife I use his name then as the bride of Christ, I use or bear his name as well, that of Christian. Christian means “Christ Ones”. When I confessed that Jesus is the son of God I entered into another covenant. I gave another oath. I promised in front of God, my friends and family that I understood what God was offering me. He was offering me Christs name. 1 Corinthians 6:17 states:
“But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.”
Vain has the sense of shallowness; "that which lacks reality, purpose, value, or truth." It may also be translated into "lying," "false," "worthless," "profane,"
In the NIV translation, “vain” isn’t even in the scripture. It appears that the word “misuse” merges the meanings of “take” and “vain” into one word. But when we look at the NKJV vain is used and I think it is important that when we hear the words that we use it as well. It describes the WAY we misuse Gods name. Look at the definitions of the word in Hebrew. False, worthless, profane. Lacks purpose or truth. I don’t like the use of “misuse” in place of take and vain. It leaves room for the reader to fill in the blanks with his own personal definition of “misuse” which is relative. Yes, there is always the dictionary to verify the true definition but so many of us attach our personal take on the definitions that the dictionary becomes a starting point to the result that makes sense to us. We will start with profanity because I have supporting scripture that uses profane elsewhere in the same context as seen in Leviticus 19:12;
“Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord.”
To say the Lords name in a profane way would be to use it in an empty manner or attach it to a position of authority that God did not attach it to himself. An empty manner could be “OMG”. You use the term as an empty expression, in fact you probably aren’t even thinking of God when you use it. However, God is the term universally known as the name our Yahweh, the Lord God Almighty. So when you say the name of the Lord in an empty manner you misuse his name. It doesn’t just stop with “OMG” though. One might be curious to explore how easily Christians throw around “God bless You” in a worthless manner. How many of us say that without ever saying a prayer before we say it or after we say it for the people we say it to? The most irritating thing I see within the church right now is “tell me what is going on so that I can pray for you” which to me, means “what is the gossip I just have to know so I will ask with the intention of the use for the Lord so that it really can’t be considered gossip”. If you ask me to pray for you then I do ask this question but I will not use it to initiate the exchange of the low-down at your expense. Matthew 12:36 states;
“But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Psalm 34:13 warns us to –
“Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.”
Which can be complemented with Proverbs 10:19 –
“When words are many sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.”
I will leave the details of all that up to you to decide though. I also like the use of the word false. The reason that I think the word “false” fits so well here is because when we do these things we do them with false motives. Which brings us back to the bride-groom covenant. The US has an astonishing divorce rate, it is higher now than it has ever been. Don’t quote me but it is something like 57%. All I can say is that the majority of these people entered into their covenants with no intention of keeping the promises they made. The made a false oath to their spouse. Because of this, the covenant of marriage no longer means what it is suppose to mean. Because of this marriage no longer represents what God intended it for. The reputation of marriage is damaged. When we take the Lords name in vain we state a false oath. Anyone who proclaims to be a Christian but doesn’t strive to live a pure and righteous life is misusing Gods name. The example speaks louder than words and the example is a misrepresentation of God, his character and his nature. It represents God in a profane way. In a way that is dirty, valueless and empty. When we take the Lords name in vain, we damage God’s credibility. I believe Matthew 5:33-37 outlines some of the areas of Gods authority where we should be careful in referring to God carelessly.
“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your ‘yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
Guiltless means "free," "clear," "innocent," "clean," "blameless," "unpunished."
All right. This is were it starts to hurt. The consequence of not valuing the name of God. We have talked about the multi-faceted meaning of taking the Lords name in vain but now we get to decipher what he intends to do about it if we do. He says “for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain”. Lets insert “clean” in place of “guiltless”. It is by the cleansing of Christs blood we will enter the gates of heaven. We are washed clean of all of our sins. It seems to me that God is stating, not warning but stating, that he will not have mercy on those of us who falsely wear the name of “Christian”. James 1:22-27 clearly tells us what he thinks of anyone who damages his authority, credibility and name.
“If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.”
I firmly believe that we will not see these representations of Christians inside the gates of heaven. Not necessarily the people who are still learning to use discerning words and will eventually “clean their temple” by not referring to God in a cursing manner but the ones who wear the cloak of Christianity for their own use. For their personal gain and advancement that will not reach beyond this world. People who deceive themselves also known as “false converts”. God shows us this in Malachi 3:13-18;
“You have said harsh things against me” says the Lord. “Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’ “You have said ‘It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.’” Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name. “They will be mine,” says the Lord Almighty, “in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”
Again in Ezekial 36:20-23 he explains that it was said of them that they were the Lords people and yet they had to leave his land because he had a concern for his reputation.
“And wherever they went among the nations they profaned my holy name, for it was said of them, ‘These are the Lord’s people, and yet they had to leave his land.’ I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.”
My challenge thoughts are this, what do you think the third commandment means and how seriously do you take the third commandment?
I believe the third commandment is about not taking God and his saving grace lightly and being intentional in our relationship with him. I believe that if we claim to be christians for our own personal benefit that we are not at all saved but rather going to hell. God is jealous and will protect his name. Do not underestimate him by believing he will make the exception for you. I know that I will never overlook the strength of the third commandment again because its true meaning has put fear and trembling of the Lord in my being.
"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in they sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer."
To you all out of love - Dawn
Friday, October 29, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Glorfying God
Every blessing you pour out I’ll turn back in praise…
Philippians 2:14,15
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God, without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.
What does it mean to glorify God? To love God through worship.
What does it mean to worship God? To praise him by attending church and singing hymns or if you attend a more modern church singing songs about God with a little more hip flair.
This is where so many of us mess up. We go to church and sing songs and listen to our pastors fill us with tidbits that we can take with us into our week and …the end. Until next week. Then we do it all over again.
What does it REALLY mean to glorify God? We really glorify God when we recognize that everything we do, see, say, touch, hear…belongs to God. We really worship God through our actions and deeds as long as they are completed with a pureness of heart. We do it because God wants us to and we do it the way God wants us to. But here is the real kicker. We can do anything the way God wants us to but if we do not find enjoyment in it, even when it is something we do not like to do, like fold 15 loads of laundry, we deny God his portion of enjoyment. It can be really hard to do the mundane and burdensome tasks of our personal lives with enjoyment, unless…you understand that our circumstances are a gift from God. Not burdens. Have you ever watched someone try to do something that you really enjoy but they have a terrible attitude or just don’t seem that into it. It’s painful isn’t. You just want to say, stand back, let me do it. Or if it is your kid that you are watching you want to take away what you gave them because they don’t seem to appreciate it.
My sanctification is, as it should be, a process. I am in the bible every day. I crave it. I start my morning with it and to be honest, when I don’t start my day with it, the day always goes terribly wrong. Awhile back, in the not too distant past, I re-read the book of Ecclesiastes. This book is thought to be written by King Solomon to the people of Israel to reveal that he had discovered that without God at the center of a person’s life, every human effort is meaningless. There were many verses that caught my attention as to the way I should conduct myself as a Christian woman but my eyes were opened with Ecclesiastes 3:11-13.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men: yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his toil-this is the gift of God.”
My circumstances are all gifts. Every single one of them. Not one has been handed to me as a burden. When I receive these tasks as gifts I can’t help but be joyful. It is a gift to get up in the morning to take care of my husband by making him breakfast and his favorite iced coffee before he goes out to work. It is a gift that he has work. If he didn’t have anywhere to go, I wouldn’t have a reason to get up early. It is a gift to school my own children. I get to see all of the struggle and hard work pay off everyday right before my eyes. It is a gift to have to tackle a mountain of clothing to be folded because it means my family has clothing. It is a gift to have to pick up four hundred pairs of shoes over and over and over because it means that this house is full of little feet that the shoes belong on. It is a gift that I get to do all of these things and see some of the creative world that God made with the scenery always changing. I live in a motorhome but my backyard is the United States of America.
I then came across Ecclesiastes 9:10
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all of your might…” and it complemented another verse from 1 Corinthians. Chapter 10 verse 31 says “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
I sat and marinated in this one for a while. Worship is glorifying God. We call singing worship, which it is, but not all of us were given the gift of a beautiful voice. We show love to God through doing everything we do with a grateful and non-complaining attitude giving it all we have. How many times a day do we tell our kids “I don’t care how you do it, just don’t complain!” Everything I do from making elaborate wedding cakes to making sure the corners of the motorhome are crumb free to patiently dealing with my kids is an act of love to God. This was made clear with Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
“Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him-for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work-this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.”
The point that I want you to see and hear is that God enables us to enjoy our lot including our work and the gladness of heart that any of us have is also given to us as a gift from God.
God has initiated progressive change. Without Him I would be a wandering motorhomemaker distraught because I have no guidance and don’t understand the point.
The natural, fleshly me born into this world is fairly lazy. I find great enjoyment sleeping in until about 11:00 in the morning (which I will say I have only done maybe twice in the last six years by gift from my husband). I would rather eat off of paper plates and disposable utensils then wash any dishes. Laundry is to be done when you need the clothing and putting them away seems extremely futile since they are going to be promptly removed from their designated home sooner rather than later anyway, in fact if you really want to know how I am, I guess I can’t quite justify getting dressed at all. Staying in my jammies all day does not seem terribly unreasonable. I have been accused of being rigid at some points so that I can better argue my points that I am convicted on. I will accuse myself of having been an inter-personal relativist so that I could justify my sinful choices. I can be an emotional over-reactor and a lot of times I have allowed my hormones to control that roller-coaster ride and many times forcefully strapped my husband in as well. I have removed myself from certain tasks claiming to not be any good at it and in fact justified it by affirming my husband’s skills in those areas. I could go on and on and on. But I won’t. I’ll spare you the agony. The point is that I am not naturally little Suzy homemaker. When I became justified in Christ I was given a new will and new spirit.
Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 says
“A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God”
Wisdom, knowledge and happiness. Did you catch that? They are gifts from God also. Everything is his. He has asked me to take care of a small portion of his creation. If you ask me, that is an extemely humbling request. Who am I to be asked to take care of some of his estate? Who are you to have been asked to take care of some of his estate? The fact of the matter is we have been.To be more blunt, God doesn't need me to take care of anything, He asked me to because he wants to share it with me. He asked you to because he wants to share it with you. Regardless of what our “lot” is, it is a “lot” given to us by God. It is my job to do the best I can to take care of everything he has given me, physical, mental, spiritual…
Think on this for awhile, are you turning back in praise every blessing God has poured out on you or are you executing your day in a meaningless fashion?
Use these verses for a place of reference to start your search.
Proverbs 16:3
Commit to the lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
Proverbs 16:2
All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord.
Philippians 2:3,4
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:14,15
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God, without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.
Ecclesiastes 9:10
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,
1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it for the glory of God.
Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
Titus 3:14
Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.
To you all out of love - Dawn
Philippians 2:14,15
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God, without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.
What does it mean to glorify God? To love God through worship.
What does it mean to worship God? To praise him by attending church and singing hymns or if you attend a more modern church singing songs about God with a little more hip flair.
This is where so many of us mess up. We go to church and sing songs and listen to our pastors fill us with tidbits that we can take with us into our week and …the end. Until next week. Then we do it all over again.
What does it REALLY mean to glorify God? We really glorify God when we recognize that everything we do, see, say, touch, hear…belongs to God. We really worship God through our actions and deeds as long as they are completed with a pureness of heart. We do it because God wants us to and we do it the way God wants us to. But here is the real kicker. We can do anything the way God wants us to but if we do not find enjoyment in it, even when it is something we do not like to do, like fold 15 loads of laundry, we deny God his portion of enjoyment. It can be really hard to do the mundane and burdensome tasks of our personal lives with enjoyment, unless…you understand that our circumstances are a gift from God. Not burdens. Have you ever watched someone try to do something that you really enjoy but they have a terrible attitude or just don’t seem that into it. It’s painful isn’t. You just want to say, stand back, let me do it. Or if it is your kid that you are watching you want to take away what you gave them because they don’t seem to appreciate it.
My sanctification is, as it should be, a process. I am in the bible every day. I crave it. I start my morning with it and to be honest, when I don’t start my day with it, the day always goes terribly wrong. Awhile back, in the not too distant past, I re-read the book of Ecclesiastes. This book is thought to be written by King Solomon to the people of Israel to reveal that he had discovered that without God at the center of a person’s life, every human effort is meaningless. There were many verses that caught my attention as to the way I should conduct myself as a Christian woman but my eyes were opened with Ecclesiastes 3:11-13.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men: yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his toil-this is the gift of God.”
My circumstances are all gifts. Every single one of them. Not one has been handed to me as a burden. When I receive these tasks as gifts I can’t help but be joyful. It is a gift to get up in the morning to take care of my husband by making him breakfast and his favorite iced coffee before he goes out to work. It is a gift that he has work. If he didn’t have anywhere to go, I wouldn’t have a reason to get up early. It is a gift to school my own children. I get to see all of the struggle and hard work pay off everyday right before my eyes. It is a gift to have to tackle a mountain of clothing to be folded because it means my family has clothing. It is a gift to have to pick up four hundred pairs of shoes over and over and over because it means that this house is full of little feet that the shoes belong on. It is a gift that I get to do all of these things and see some of the creative world that God made with the scenery always changing. I live in a motorhome but my backyard is the United States of America.
I then came across Ecclesiastes 9:10
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all of your might…” and it complemented another verse from 1 Corinthians. Chapter 10 verse 31 says “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
I sat and marinated in this one for a while. Worship is glorifying God. We call singing worship, which it is, but not all of us were given the gift of a beautiful voice. We show love to God through doing everything we do with a grateful and non-complaining attitude giving it all we have. How many times a day do we tell our kids “I don’t care how you do it, just don’t complain!” Everything I do from making elaborate wedding cakes to making sure the corners of the motorhome are crumb free to patiently dealing with my kids is an act of love to God. This was made clear with Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
“Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him-for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work-this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.”
The point that I want you to see and hear is that God enables us to enjoy our lot including our work and the gladness of heart that any of us have is also given to us as a gift from God.
God has initiated progressive change. Without Him I would be a wandering motorhomemaker distraught because I have no guidance and don’t understand the point.
The natural, fleshly me born into this world is fairly lazy. I find great enjoyment sleeping in until about 11:00 in the morning (which I will say I have only done maybe twice in the last six years by gift from my husband). I would rather eat off of paper plates and disposable utensils then wash any dishes. Laundry is to be done when you need the clothing and putting them away seems extremely futile since they are going to be promptly removed from their designated home sooner rather than later anyway, in fact if you really want to know how I am, I guess I can’t quite justify getting dressed at all. Staying in my jammies all day does not seem terribly unreasonable. I have been accused of being rigid at some points so that I can better argue my points that I am convicted on. I will accuse myself of having been an inter-personal relativist so that I could justify my sinful choices. I can be an emotional over-reactor and a lot of times I have allowed my hormones to control that roller-coaster ride and many times forcefully strapped my husband in as well. I have removed myself from certain tasks claiming to not be any good at it and in fact justified it by affirming my husband’s skills in those areas. I could go on and on and on. But I won’t. I’ll spare you the agony. The point is that I am not naturally little Suzy homemaker. When I became justified in Christ I was given a new will and new spirit.
Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 says
“A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God”
Wisdom, knowledge and happiness. Did you catch that? They are gifts from God also. Everything is his. He has asked me to take care of a small portion of his creation. If you ask me, that is an extemely humbling request. Who am I to be asked to take care of some of his estate? Who are you to have been asked to take care of some of his estate? The fact of the matter is we have been.To be more blunt, God doesn't need me to take care of anything, He asked me to because he wants to share it with me. He asked you to because he wants to share it with you. Regardless of what our “lot” is, it is a “lot” given to us by God. It is my job to do the best I can to take care of everything he has given me, physical, mental, spiritual…
Think on this for awhile, are you turning back in praise every blessing God has poured out on you or are you executing your day in a meaningless fashion?
Use these verses for a place of reference to start your search.
Proverbs 16:3
Commit to the lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
Proverbs 16:2
All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord.
Philippians 2:3,4
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:14,15
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God, without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.
Ecclesiastes 9:10
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,
1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it for the glory of God.
Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
Titus 3:14
Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.
To you all out of love - Dawn
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Sanctification
1 Thesalonians 5:23
May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely.
Hebrews 13:20-21
May the God of peace...equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen
This journal is a recording of the change that God is manifesting in me as a modern woman living in the world of abundant American culture. Sanctification is a progressive molting of ones self when they submit themselves entirely to the hand of God. You will see many points discussed that may be controversial and bothersome but hopefully mostly motivating and edifying. Any article you read will convey my thoughts and conclusions and my hope is to encourage my readers to research topics for themselves in the scripture. I pray that you will be built up and strengthened in your own walk along with me on my journey.
Following is a quote from a book study that I have done recently. It verbalizes more completely the premise of this blog.
"Repentance and faith result in justification. Sanctification is a progressive work of both God and man that makes Christians more and more free from sin and more and more like Christ in their actual lives. God and his children cooperate in this work, both playing distinct roles. And while christians can expect to progress in their sanctification, they will never achieve perfection until Christ returns. Sanctification starts at the point of regeneration (God's gift of new spiritual life) and increases Throughout life. - John Piper
As God graciously allows sprinkles of wisdom, my thoughts will grow and change. Because of this and because I am human I am somewhat fearful of posting my thoughts. I am inviting you all into my head and the most vulnerable place ever, my heart. I am doing this confidently with the strength of the Holy Spirit and am reminded of the story of Jeremiah. I to believe I am to young to know anything and not wise enough to have a say. However, I cannot settle at rest so someone out there must need to see the process of my change.
Jeremiah 1:6-8
"Ah, sovereign Lord," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." But the Lord said to me, "Do not say 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the Lord.
1 Timothy 4:12-16
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift...Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Presevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
To you all out of love - Dawn
May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely.
Hebrews 13:20-21
May the God of peace...equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen
This journal is a recording of the change that God is manifesting in me as a modern woman living in the world of abundant American culture. Sanctification is a progressive molting of ones self when they submit themselves entirely to the hand of God. You will see many points discussed that may be controversial and bothersome but hopefully mostly motivating and edifying. Any article you read will convey my thoughts and conclusions and my hope is to encourage my readers to research topics for themselves in the scripture. I pray that you will be built up and strengthened in your own walk along with me on my journey.
Following is a quote from a book study that I have done recently. It verbalizes more completely the premise of this blog.
"Repentance and faith result in justification. Sanctification is a progressive work of both God and man that makes Christians more and more free from sin and more and more like Christ in their actual lives. God and his children cooperate in this work, both playing distinct roles. And while christians can expect to progress in their sanctification, they will never achieve perfection until Christ returns. Sanctification starts at the point of regeneration (God's gift of new spiritual life) and increases Throughout life. - John Piper
As God graciously allows sprinkles of wisdom, my thoughts will grow and change. Because of this and because I am human I am somewhat fearful of posting my thoughts. I am inviting you all into my head and the most vulnerable place ever, my heart. I am doing this confidently with the strength of the Holy Spirit and am reminded of the story of Jeremiah. I to believe I am to young to know anything and not wise enough to have a say. However, I cannot settle at rest so someone out there must need to see the process of my change.
Jeremiah 1:6-8
"Ah, sovereign Lord," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." But the Lord said to me, "Do not say 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the Lord.
1 Timothy 4:12-16
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift...Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Presevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
To you all out of love - Dawn
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