Learning From the Elligible Widows

Greetings sisters!

Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, 

Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; 

That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 

For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.

Philemon 1:3-7

 

The Lord allowed me to be back...for in Him we live and move and have our being! I hope you're all pressing on in Him in faith and love! 

Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 1:13

Today I thought I'd share edifying and encouragement from a scripture on widows and particularly the ones that were elligible for help from the ekklesia. I think it's a good model for us sisters to strive for as an example of a godly woman no matter how old we are or what our life situation. We are blessed to have His word and examples to learn from also!

So here is the scripture and I know I probably share it often but that's ok as it's good! 

Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man, Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.

1 Timothy 5:9-10

I often ponder this scripture as it's a good picture of an older woman with a good track record as a faithful saint. And I think if we sisters want to have a good track record...for God's glory...then it starts today doesn't it. Well it started when we came to the Lord and we know we can and will fail at times but overall we want to leave behind us a good testimony. We want to be perfect but the reality that keeps us humble is that we won't be. This doesn't mean we don't try but we just keep pressing on and repenting always when we need to. These widows that were to be elligible for aid were to have this good record. 

So I wanted to look at each point because it's definitely edifying for us to strive to be godly women from the examples or models we see in the Word such as this. It's good to go and read the whole chapter to get the context though as there's a lot more to it. Our brother Paul under the Spirit's guidance is giving the saints direction of how to care for widows. So let us sisters strive to please our Lord as no doubt all of these qualities do! 

And on the other hand the widows that were living in pleasure...who were dead while they lived...did not receive the help. Also the younger widows were not to be receiving this help, or one's that had their children or grandchildren...or other believers to care for them. 

But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God....If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.

1 Timothy 5:4,16 

No doubt these also are some good instructions for women too after Paul wrote about the younger widows getting into trouble... 

I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some are already turned aside after Satan.

1 Timothy 5:14-15

So here are the points of the good qualities a woman, that was a widow indeed to receive aid, was to have as her track record. 

*Having been the wife of one man 

She was a good and faithful wife to her husband when he was still alive. She was not an adulterous woman. She had a single heart for him just as we do for our one God and Lord! 

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. 

The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. 

She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

Proverbs 31:10-12

In a way, this whole account reminds me of the diligent and hardworking Proverbs 31 woman too. 

*Well reported of for good works

This is she was widely known for good works. Her light was shining and others could see it. She did good to them and no doubt people talk about others and it spreads. She was not idle, nor living in pleasure. She would not have returned evil for evil but good for evil. Many knew about who she was and what she did...and she did much good! 

Reminds me of our sister Dorcas who when she died they showed the clothes she had sewn for them. This is a good report of good works indeed too! 

Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.

Acts 9:39

I love that...well not that the widows were sad but that she had looked after them and we know she was raised from the dead! That's amazing! 

Indeed it says she was full of good works and almsdeeds. 

Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.

Acts 9:36

*If she have brought up children 

She was to have been a good and faithful mother if the Lord had given her children. We know today many women shirk these duties and dump their children off at day cares and schools for them to be brought up there. A godly mother doesn't do so but brings them up herself in the Lord and His ways. She is to guide the house and be a keeper of the home. She will not be slack in these duties nor leave the raising of her children to others while she seeks a career. Not that a woman can't work if she needs to but if she has a husband who is doing so it's not likely she needs to and will be doing her good works of keeping the home and raising the children. This is no small undertaking either depending on how many children she has but will take a lot of her time and energy...but it is pleasing to the Lord! 

*If she have lodged strangers

Perhaps less of a common practice in our day but we still are to be hospitable...kind and helpful to strangers as other scriptures tell us as well. 

Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

1 Peter 4:9

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Hebrews 13:2

Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;

3 John 1:5

*If she have washed the saint's feet 

This shows she was to be a serving woman doing the lowly jobs like washing the saints' feet, a needed and dirty task back then. We see Jesus giving us an example to serve others when He who was their Master stooped to wash his disciples' feet. 

If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. 

For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 

Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. 

If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

John 13:14-17

And yes even today perhaps a saint could need their feet washed if they had been working hard in a dirty environment. But we could also apply the principle to do needed lowly tasks to help others. And these may not always be the most pleasant ones but to be humble and not be afraid to get our hands dirty. Jesus said serving is the greatest and we see how even though He was God and deserved to be served Himself He served the people He was among. 

*If she have relieved the afflicted 

She will care about those suffering or going through trials. This word is the same word as used in the verse about the way to eternal life being narrow (afflicted). So in a way, every saint on the narrow road is going through affliction. She will help to bear burdens and help physically if she can. She can pray and offer words of encouragement and share scriptures too where possible. We see all through the Word about caring for those struggling. 

I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Acts 20:35

 

We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Romans 15:1

 

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

1 Thessalonians 5:14

 

Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality...Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Romans 12:13,15

(Keeping in mind most of these scriptures are how saints are to treat one another in the body. Just have to remember the context.) 

*If she have diligently followed every good work 

This shows she is to have been diligent in seeking to do good in everything she could and not just half hearted about it. We see many places in scripture that we are to be about good works. 

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Colossians 1:10

That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

2 Timothy 3:17

 

There are many good works you can think about that are your duties to do in the life you have sisters! So keep being encouraged in those! Don't grow weary in them even if they are very repetitive! And even if we do not have all the opportunities to do all these things these elligible widows did, we know the Lord knows and sees all we do and it matters if we were faithful in little...faithful in what He did give us! There is always a place for examining our lives and making sure we are diligently following every of good work we know how. 

And yes...bad works have no place do they and we root them out if we find any in our lives or we fall into them. 

We do not want to bring reproach upon our Saviour's name so we do want to have a good report of good works. Oh yes we have been told though that the world will hate us so of course we may have evil reports given about us too. Or any failing blown up to look like that's who we are instead...but that's expected by evil hearts and I think of Daniel actually. 

Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

Daniel 6:4-5

He's a good example for us too as he stood firm and faithful to God in a strange land. But indeed we do have to be careful to not bring reproach on His name by failing but praise God for His mercy and forgiveness and that He blots out our sins! It keeps us humble lest we think we have attained. Oh no we haven't but we keep pressing on in His goodness! 

And I just share this scripture also. It's just interesting seeing how they did things back then when there were many believers around. 

And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. 

Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 

Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 

But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. 

And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: 

Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

Acts 6:1-6

I think I shared before how I find it interesting how they chose seven godly men to serve the widows...Stephen being one. It tells how the disciples didn't want to be concerned about earthly matters as they were focusing on the Word and the gospel. But it does show it was an important position and it's interesting how even in that they chose men rather than women. We know God has ordained that the men be the leaders and teachers and overseers and such. But praise God for showing us sisters how we behave ourselves in the house of God in other things! 

These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
1 Timothy 3:14-15

So hopefully this was an edifying study to ponder on and learn from and have good things to strive to attain to. Obviously we sisters do not all have the same opportunities as each other or as these elligible widows but if we do have situations like these we will find them because we will be diligently following every good work! 

Keep pressing on in the good works around you sisters! 

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Galatians 6:10

For His glory! 

Love in Christ, 

Michaela

Find the path to eternal life explained here. 

My biblical clothing shop here. 

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Today's Encouragement (6 December 2023)

Salutations to my sisters!

I hope this finds you enduring and doing all to stand! One more day we have out of our limited life God gave us. We want to choose to serve Him in each one and in each minute of it. 

Let us be ready for our Master to return... 

Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; 

And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. 

Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. 

And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 

Luke 12:35-38

We surely don't want to be caught off guard ever. The door will be closed and we will not be known by Him. Let us take this all seriously and strive on with fervour. 

Today I read some scriptures on good works! We sisters love good works and we have been called to be zealous for them! 

Pretty garlic flowers... 

(I chopped them off so they wouldn't use up their energy on growing them.) 

And I chopped off some younger leek flower stalks to use to eat... 

The cycle of life...plants grow, produce fruit, and die...

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 

He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.  

John 12:24-25

Nature can help teach us many things as we see in scripture. 

One of God's creatures in the garden... 

And I saw this one which you really don't want to... 

You need to be on guard for your physical safety around one of those. But how much more so should we be on guard for this... 

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 

2 Corinthians 11:3

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Revelation 12:9

Let us hold fast to the Lord and His written Word! 

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Ephesians 6:16

I hope we all have our shield of faith on today sisters! Lack of faith...causes many issues doesn't it. And we need to repent of it. 

Had to help this chick (that was stuck) to hatch... 

Amazing His creation and how He made it all to work! And we are to take dominion over it all. 

The eleven chicks and 'mama' hen seem to have bonded... 

That's a blessing. 

Thank you sister for the picture. That's a deep verse to ponder...thinking God always has been and always will be! Probably something our finite minds can't grasp...but we believe Him! 

Strive on sister soldiers! 

Love in Christ, 

Find the gospel to eternal life explained here. 

My biblical clothing shop here. 

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Today's Encouragement (7 March 2023)

Greetings sisters! 

I hope you're standing strong like the house built on the rock our Saviour talked about (by doing His commandments) and not on the sand (by not doing them)!

I read this this morning and it's quite clear to me that it's a serious thing to be working at this faith in Christ and not just some casual thing people think they have already attained to. We know we must strive and endure. 

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. 

For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; 

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

Hebrews 2:1-3

That's one of many good warnings to us isn't it sisters. We're blessed to have warnings. God is good to give them to us. We don't want to be lukewarm, lazy, unprofitable servants do we! 

Good garden treasures and blessings... 

And Titus 2 type works I get to do. 

God provides and we don't want to take that forgranted! (Tonight's meal made with zucchini, onion, cucumber, potato, tomato, garlic, parsley and lemon from the garden...what a blessing!) 

Here's another scripture reading.... 

We live by His Word don't we sisters and it is the TRUTH! 

(Thank you sister for sending these two)...

Amen...so much about good works we are to do in His Word! Let's keep being diligent in ours daily! 

And there's even more verses continuing on from the above... 

I think zealous of good works sums up what we are to be about amen sisters?! And also as I see there provoking each other unto good works also! We can all sharpen each other in them or convict if one isn't doing what they should. It's perhaps one of those concepts I didn't fully see before in scriptures until the last few years. Another one I didn't seem to see before was how we are to not be partial and what it means and the depths of it. Praise God for showing us His precious truth! Let us not take that lightly. We know what He can do if we trample it etc. 

Well I must go but keep holding fast sister saints! I hope all your good works are going well for you! And you're being that shining light wherever you are. 

Love in Christ, 

Find the gospel to eternal life through Christ explained here.

Find my biblical clothing shop here.

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Pondering Good

Hello sisters! 

Hope you're all standing strong in the Lord our Rock! 

I have an audio with some scriptures for you... 

We will have goodness in us because of the Spirit won't we! 

Pretty bird in the garden searching for grubs... 

Praise God for His creations! 

So beautiful to see the plants growing and producing food... 

Before and after picture on the weed patch I've been working on. So difficult are those grasses to dig out as their underground runners and roots are deep. But I'm glad to have reclaimed a good garden bed to plant vegetables in soon. 

I just was watering it to see where the roots have been missed as they will shoot right back up...and I'll deal with them promptly! 

Picked the last of the apples.... 

What great blessings they are! Now I have to work out how to use them or preserve them for a later time. 

A box of quinces turned up from somewhere so I need to use them somehow too. 

So many interesting fruits God made! 

And here's a baby passionfruit growing! 

Having little lambs around you definitely see what the scriptures talk about. This is just a quick video showing them following me. And we want to be like that with our Saviour don't we...the good Shepherd! 

That means not following some other master doesn't it sisters...like not satan or the world or sin or ourselves. 

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Matthew 6:24 

 

May we sisters follow closely to our Saviour! We once were lost sheep...but no more! Let us be so grateful to be found! 

For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

1 Peter 2:25

Thank you sister for the scripture picture.... 

Such a great God we have who gives us life! He owns this world, made us and we are just His creatures. Glad we can have eternal life through His Son! 

But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

John 20:31

That's what I have to share today sisters! Hope you all are striving in seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness! 

Sister Michaela 

Find the gospel explained here. 

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His Workmanship

Greetings sisters!

How are you and your Titus 2 and helper works going? I'm hoping well:-)

I love that...His workmanship. I just wanted to title my post that because it's a precious and deep concept of what is going on in our life in Christ. And I'm not doing an in depth teaching on it, because that is for the godly men to do, but it's a great one for us sisters to ponder on and be reminded of and encouraged in! He does a good work in us! And has created us to do good works too! And we choose to surrender to Him...and continue in the faith.

This is that verse where it talks about this (and comes after the wonderful facts of God's gift of grace)...

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10

 

He works in and with us doesn't He sisters as we submit to Him and follow after Him...walking in good works. And it's amazing to consider why He would have such mercy on us after we sinned. What a great God of redemption! What a bright hope we have! And we get to be His daughters! 

Glad God gave specific instructions for us women here in the first part of Titus 2. Those sure cover a lot of different areas!

But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:...

The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

And in Christ we work with what He told us to do (as His workmanship unto good works) and we know these are not 'suggestions' to do if we feel like it. It even says God's word is blasphemed if we don't obey. That is not good. We don't want to do that!

So pretty cloud creations today... 

And pretty blessings for food... 

God's creations doing what they were made to. And we also want to do that! 

After I had started work on this post I received this question from someone... 

What a simple answer we sisters know, that Christ saves us! But that does not leave us unchanged, and our actions then so closely follow, after we are new in Him (through the gospel) as we become zealous for good works! We grow like Him and love the light and hate the dark. It may not happen all at once but we will be set on Christ and His ways and searching the scriptures and striving to obey. 

So many try to separate things that can never be separated. There's no such thing as a sinful (full of sin/bad works) person going to be saved...because we know we repent to Christ...turn our allegiance from self to Him. 

Glad Paul gave us warning (many in many places) of how we can be deceived and spoiled by man's false traditions...

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Colossians 2:8 

Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

 1 Timothy 4:16

If we are hoping to be saved by Christ...which we sisters trust His promise to do so...we sure better be following God's traditions and not man's. If we didn't (as we have them in front of us in His Word) then that would be proof we are none of His wouldn't it.

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 

Romans 8:9

Glad we're set free from the heavy burden of the old law and sacrifices though! We well could spend more time reading all we have been set free from for salvation...in order to see how easy Christ's yoke is (because many wrongly confuse freedom from the law with freedom to sin). 

So we know that the only way to be delivered...is through Christ, but can I deliberately disobey His ways (commands/ traditions/doctrines) at will and often and not repent and still be His? I'd like to ask this of those who say that we're hoping to work our way to heaven. 

So if I know God says don't kill people (a bad work)...so if I do and don't repent...well my sisters in Christ, you know what God's word says about that. That may be an extreme example yes, so let's say God commands for women to be silent in the body (a good work)...and instead I speak up, I become a Bible teacher to a whole group of men. I get warned by those who love God and care about my soul that that is disobedience...but I still keep on going. Not good for me...not abiding in Christ's love because I'm not keeping His commands. We can read what happens with that in John 15. 

How strengthening it is to read His Word and see how holy He is and how He abhors sin...as do we. I'm not quite sure how we can say it any clearer and people don't believe us that we know that Christ saves us and we can't on our own...not a chance. But how can we then be careless...and fail the grace of God because sin leads to death?

Let's see this example...God's Word tells us women not to adorn externally with things such as makeup and jewelry...I know it says that (1 Timothy 2, 1 Peter 3)...but what if I go out and buy some and colour my hair and paint my nails and walk around seeking the attention of man...can I claim that I will be saved by Christ if I know it's wrong? Is He really my Master and Lord? No I would be my own god wouldn't I...how prideful. Not good. 

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Matthew 6:24

 

God calls us women unto good works as His workmanship! What a wonderful thing He is doing in us! We cooperate with Him willingly.

For those people who say 'works' (which is obedience to God for us in the NT) are not so important...then I can go to drinking parties, wear pants, watch vile movies and TV and still hope to be saved by Christ if I just believe in Him. Obeying God just cannot be separated sisters from our life in Christ can it. It is proof we are even His. We know He owns us. It's a great mess of confusion if we go that path of saying sin doesn't effect our salvation...for we know the Word says otherwise. 

We don't even want to get close to tempting God by living in sin...like the couple in Acts 5 do we? I don't. Sisters....let's keep on fearing God, following after our Saviour who has worked a miracle in us, made the way for those who obey Him. 

So many people cry "works don't save us" to us...as if we sisters believed that when we never did. We all need to be strong because there are many who cause sincere people wanting to please their God and Saviour by following Him and they are told they don't have to and are stumbled. Be strong sisters and ready to give an answer of the truth! 

Let's abide in Christ's amazing love...and then we will not have to face His wrath and judgment. It doesn't matter what man thinks of us sisters does it. Don't let anyone deceive you sisters and say "do we really have to obey God to be saved"? They can make us feel guilty for purely wanting to please our God...but we look for His approval. He knows sisters...He knows who are His! I treasure and praise you sisters who love God which is your obedience to Him! 

We have this hope sisters... 

Keep pressing on in your pure love of the Lord sisters! He is worthy! 

Well I must go sisters! Hope to be back tomorrow. Let's keep serving the Lord with a pure and fervent heart! Let's be faithful to our God who owns us and give Him glory! And let's keep shining our light and perhaps someone will repent and truly follow Christ our holy Saviour! We hope they do because we love their souls and don't want any to perish. 

Love in Christ,

Sister Michaela

Find the gospel explained here. 

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Adorning With Good Works

Greetings sisters! 

How are each of you godly women doing in the Lord today? I hope and pray you're holding fast to the truth one more day, setting your affections on things above and running and preparing for a race of endurance to the end! We don't believe the lies that we cannot fall away...because scripture clearly warns again and again to press on, obey, and beware of deception. 

I wanted to share on a subject that pertains particularly to us as godly women. It's what the scriptures say we are to adorn ourselves with...with good works. 

But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

1 Timothy 2:10

See that sisters...it follows on from the verse that tell us not to adorn our bodies by what we put on it...but with good works! I greatly appreciate my sisters who are holy women obeying God producing good works in their daily lives. It is the good fruit that our unfeigned faith produces. 

Let's look at the preceding verse... 

In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

1 Timothy 2:9 

More of what we are to adorn with and what not to. It never made sense to me why the scriptures said not to do such things especially with your hair and yet most everyone who claims Christ does it all anyway. It's blindness, disobedience, and rebellion. They may not do it every day but come to big events like weddings and no one thinks twice about braiding their hair all fancy. (Plus we know we are to cover it up too per 1 Corinthians 11.)

And that verse in Timothy also says to adorn in 'modest apparel' (study what that means in the Greek) and also with shamefacedness and sobriety. 

And then more here following on of what would be more good works for us women. 

Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

1 Timothy 2:11-12

And there's very many good works shown and commanded in scripture that are pleasing to our holy God. 

And we also see this exact same thing about not adorning with such external things as our attire from brother Peter too... 

Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 

But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 

For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

1 Peter 3:3-5

This is the inward adorning of our heart which we know also expresses on the outside in our manner and actions...a meek and quiet spirit in this case. 

And we even see this in Proverbs 31....

Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Proverbs 31:30-31

 

It's her fear of God and her works that are praising her and not her external 'beauty'. So too let us today be going about doing good works which we were created for and adorning ourselves with these as we are commanded to.

 

I do praise my godly sisters I know who are adorned with good works and zealous for them. It is their love of God...which Jesus said is shown in our obedience to Him. 

I read some more scriptures about good works here... 

Hope this edified you sisters and Lord willing I shall be back here tomorrow. You keep holding fast to the truth in Christ! 

 

Love in Him, 

Sister Michaela 

You can find the path to eternal life explained here.

And my biblical clothing shop here. 

Read more of "Adorning With Good Works"

Followers of Good

Greetings sisters! 

Here I am back again. And I hope to edify us all with some scriptures and a few thoughts. Hope you are strong in the faith of Christ and standing rooted in Him! He is our firm foundation and if we build on Him (hearing and obeying) we shall not be moved! 

Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

3 John 1:11

I was thinking about how we are to be followers of good. We know God is good and He is the author of good. As His children, we no longer want the evil ways of the world, satan, and the flesh. 

We know from what apostle Paul wrote in Titus 2 that the older women are to be teachers of good and that would no doubt be actual teaching but also being good examples in everyday life. So much can be learned by watching and listening too not necessarily actual set teachings. So if we know people are watching us (they always are) we do want to represent Christ in all our actions, words and ways. We have been told to shine our lights before men so God is glorified. 

The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Titus 2:3-5

There are a handful of good things mentioned there that they are to teach the younger...be keepers at home, loving husbands and children, being chaste and sober etc. So it has a wide range of applications in what would be included in teachers of good. And we are told elsewhere in scripture many times about good and being followers of it and therefore hating evil and fleeing from it. 

Also a widow was only to be received for aid amongst the believers if she had a record of many good works. 

Well reported of for good works;
if she have brought up children, 
if she have lodged strangers, 
if she have washed the saints' feet, 
if she have relieved the afflicted, 
if she have diligently followed every good work.
1 Timothy 5:10

So in that we see some more examples of what good is. 

We see that goodness is a fruit of the Spirit... 

(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

Ephesians 5:9

(So if someone doesn't want to follow that which is good and is compromising and allowing evil...even if 'only a bit'...then that is not good fruit of being born of the Spirit.)

We hold fast to good and we also know we are to abstain from all appearance of evil. 

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

1 Thessalonians 5:21

A godly woman is to adorn with good works (and not external in her dress and looks)... 

But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

1 Timothy 2:10

We are to cleave to good... 

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Romans 12:9

I'm glad we can know right from wrong because we have His Word and commands and His Spirit too, and also a conscience as well. We don't ever want to go against that knowledge we have. 

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

James 4:17

What a precious promise for workers of good... 

But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God.

Romans 2:10-11

We know it is good to obey all of God's commands so we are blessed to know what those are if we have His Word and read it as we should. 

The list of what is good would be so huge but as would also be the opposite list of what is evil. So avoiding evil would be good itself. 

I know we are to return good for evil that people may do to us. Whether that is in word or deed we can return good in some way and as it says heap coals of fire on their heads in doing so. Hopefully they repent. God will judge them lest they repent. 

Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:20-21

See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

1 Thessalonians 5:15

And sometimes that would include being silent and obviously not using words back that are not good or keeping peace. Or it could be in our physical actions of giving them something they need as it says. 

Of course this all is only truly possible when we have been born from above and truly desiring holiness and obedience to God in all our ways. I mean we can never be good enough for God and eternal life without trusting in Christ and obeying His gospel no. We just follow after good because of all He has done for us and that we know He is good and also commands it of us. It is fruit we are of Him and even if people tell us we don't have to do all we do, we listen to God over humans. 

We also know that today people call evil good and good evil...but God is the one who shows us what is good amen sisters. 

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Isaiah 5:20

Let us sisters put our senses to use to discern good and evil... 

But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Hebrews 5:14

Well I hope that edified you in some way as you seek to follow after Christ and because of Him we want to do good. We know He is good! Every good thing comes from Him! 

Lord willing I will be back here tomorrow. Hold fast to that which is good sister saints and let us be examples in it. 

Love in Christ, 

Sister Michaela 

Find the gospel to eternal life explained here. 

Read more of "Followers of Good"