Greetings sister saints!
I'm here again to share a little to encourage us all in the truth of God and the ways we must live out to please Him. We definitely need to keep working on our lives and we know from John 15 that the Father prunes and cleanses us so we bear more fruit!
I share some words that are God's and not man's and that we want to take heed to closely.
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,
bowels of mercies,
kindness,
humbleness of mind,
meekness,
longsuffering;
Forbearing one another,
and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body;
and be ye thankful.
Colossians 3:12-15
That shows the characteristics we are to be putting on. We sisters want to make sure we have all those things in our relations especially with those in the body of Christ as that is the context of much of the New Testament of course. And it does tell us how to relate to those without and to all men too. God's word covers everything we need to know to please Him!
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
1 Peter 5:5-6
We sisters were sharing a bit about pride and how bad and common it is and we don't want it in us. Instead we want the humility that we are to have and we see in Christ's example too. As the scriptures also say about submitting one to another, and preferring one another and this helps in that. And pride can show itself in many different kinds of ways can't it. I know one area we often may think of is in people's clothing. But of course that's just one area and obviously comes from a deeper pride in the heart and if that is in anyone claiming Christ it needs to be repented of. And it can be in our words and even tone of voice and what we do and how and many other areas. And we sisters have a conscience and know when we are seeking our own glory or are looking for praise of men. I trust that isn't among any of us and if it arises we deal with it quickly. We want to please our Lord.
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
Proverbs 8:13
Yes there's that fear of God we are to have again which leads to hatred of sin.
I love this one...
The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.
Isaiah 2:11
Glory to God! We don't want to steal anything from Him in having any pride at all. Remembering He is God and has created us and owns us and we have been bought with the blood of Christ helps us. All we have been told to do and that we do do is only because He has told us to and we live up to what He commands of His own! Without Him we can do nothing!
Well that's my simple edification for my sisters to ponder. And we can give God the glory for all He has done and made a way for us to follow after Him! We are His daughters and that is a joyous thing but we know we don't deserve it but are called to walk worthy!
OK I must go. I hope all your duties the Lord has called you to are going well and you do them unto the Lord. And sometimes when things aren't going as we would like or too slow or not as expected we never know what the Lord may have us to learn or line things up in His plans and so we just trust it all to Him and do our best...that's all we can do. There are things that are outside of our control. And we remember what is most important and don't get swept away and focused on what we can't control.
Alright, hold fast sisters!
Love in Christ,
Sister Michaela
Find the gospel explained here.