"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Isaiah 55:8-9
How true!
Think about godly love...
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away."
1 Corinthians 13:1-8
And what true godly love is versus what most understand.
"By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous."
1 John 5:2-3
"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."
1 John 3:18
I was also thinking about that little word in Titus 2 about how women are to be taught how to be "good". That can mean a number of things I suppose. Loving our enemies could be one.
"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."
Matthew 5:43-48
I just think how amazing are God's ways...He has us to love our enemies and those who persecute us. That is not the way of our flesh. But being saints of God we are to walk in the Spirit...and we see how perfect and holy and high are God's ways.
We women need to trust that He will work in the lives of the people around us as He sees fit. We do what is right, we treat people right, as God commands us to and God will be glorified in it. He will use our faithful witness for His purposes.
The opposite of love of course being hate. As women striving to obey the gospel we know we are to love good and hate evil.
"Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.
Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.
Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them."
Psalm 119:127-129
"Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good."
Romans 12:9b
Speaking of hate...I was thinking to myself the other day that if I could write the word HATE as big as the universe I'd write it about music. Yeah...it's horrible and invasive in the mind at times. I'm sure satan loves it to take away people's thoughts of Christ and convictions etc. I'm so blessed that most days I don't have to hear ANY music around me. No I never listen to any music myself but it can come from outside sources; the world or people who claim Christ. Yes before I was fully following Christ I was into some music, but I repented of that...which means I have nothing to do with it anymore. If someone thinks it must be hard to give up music, well if you want to walk in the Spirit and be holy and pure for Christ it must be done. Even if at first it seems a hard thing to do I believe God takes away that desire for it and replaces it with a hatred of it. Now I absolutely cannot stand it but it is just another thing we bear for Christ being in this world but not of it. (There is no support for instruments in the New Testament for worshipping God.)
And the life of a transformed saint, in this case a godly woman, is a powerful witness to the lost world. God can use a quiet, submissive, biblically dressed, covered, pure woman as a conviction to those around us. So many people say you have to relate to people and be like them to help reach them. But God says be separate and how wonderful that is how we show the power of God in our lives to be victorious and show His high and holy ways.
Surely God's ways are higher than ours!
Usually I might have one tiny idea for a blog post and just start and see what comes, so that is why my posts can be so random with no specific structure. I hope they bless you even if they are not perfect. Yes I want them to be perfect in what I write and truth but they are just meant to be simple encouragement for your day...and sharing what I am thinking about etc. And maybe someone might be edified in the years to come also.
And some rose pics I took for you sisters:-)
Be strong sisters...and be set apart and pure for our Lord.
Love in Christ
...from a daughter of God
See the good news to eternal life here.