Grow in the Lord!

 

Hello sisters! 

How are you? I'm back again with some simple encouragement for our daily life in Christ. Our whole life consists of days all added up doesn't it so let us use each day for God's glory, striving on and growing in His knowledge and ways. Speaking of growing, I'll share a few verses with the word that shows us that. 

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

2 Peter 3:18

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Ephesians 4:15

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

2 Thessalonians 1:3

In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:21-22

I love that...a habitation of God! Well I love all those verses! 

Praise the Creator for all the beautiful flowers! 

There's a great deal of growing going on in the season of spring here. And other places are preparing for the slower time of winter. But even in our own lives sisters sometimes we may think we aren't growing. But if we are holding fast not going back or looking back or growing weary we really are just growing stronger standing against many things. But we certainly want to be growing and we know the Lord will guide us as we seek Him. Of course we can't grow if we don't do anything or put in any effort to grow in the Lord. But we sisters love the Lord and we have His Word to grow by. What a blessing we have! May we all strive on! 

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Deuteronomy 6:5

There was a mother bird feeding a baby bird outside my window so I took a video. 

And it got me thinking about some scriptures... 

I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

1 Corinthians 3:2-3

 

It's not exactly the same but it reminded me of how we don't want to remain babes in Christ but grow up and on to the meat of the Word. 

For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 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 5:13-14

So let us keep striving and growing sisters! What a great blessing we have to do so! And to be able to grow in the Lord together for those of us in close daily fellowship. It's a joy. He is worthy and we love Him! 

And share a meal sisters! 

The Lord provided daily bread another day! 

And thank you sister for the picture... 

Bless His Holy Name! 

OK sisters another day gone for me and so I will leave you here for now. Let's see if we get a tomorrow but live this moment for the Lord redeeming the time as best we can! I leave with a scripture a sister shared today... 

Amen sisters! Let's strive on in righteousness and truth, God's holy ways! 

Love to you in the Lord, 

Sister Michaela 

Find the gospel explained here. 

Read more of "Grow in the Lord! "

From Conservative to Biblical

Greetings in the Lord sisters! 

How are you today? I hope and pray well and strong in the Lord. 

(Today I have a post I had been working on awhile ago but decided to get to finishing it today. So forgive me if it's not very coherent or logical and it rambles on or repeats itself.) 

Praise the Lord for sending His Son into the world and making a way for us to the Father! What a blessing it is to know and obey the gospel of Christ! I also encourage others to test their own faith and life to the biblical gospel which you can find explained here as so many are deceived in these days and many false gospels and false Christs abound. Let's not be deceived ourselves. 

And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

Luke 21:8

So for those sisters who have been set free in Christ through the truth, I hope and pray my blog can encourage and edify you on in the true faith! And perhaps there may be someone else who is seeking more truth as I once was and they can be helped by something I write about here on my blog. It is a blessing to have this opportunity to share truth here on the internet which has the potential to be seen around the world. Jesus told us to let our light shine! The Father will be glorified through it! 

We also know the internet is a mostly dark wicked place but praise God whenever God's people can use it for good and for His glory! But we sisters need to be careful too of course and cling hard to God's Word because the deception is great out there indeed!

But we have been warned about that all over His Word and particularly for these end times! 

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

2 Thessalonians 2:3

And we do know that woman was first deceived in the garden so we need to be so careful. 

For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

1 Timothy 2:13-14

And we know also... 

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

1 Peter 5:8

Satan is certainly out seeking whom he may devour, either in subtle ways as an angel of light, or as a roaring lion. He's out to snatch precious souls into his grip and away from God. So how can we women who are seeking God and His truth not be extra careful to not be deceived and to test all things!

We know our God is greater and more powerful than our enemy. We also know this is a spiritual battle we are in. The Lord has given us spiritual armour (Ephesians 6) to put on so we must be diligent lest we be deceived or fall into sin. 

So today I'm going to share a little more of my own life in order to perhaps encourage some of you and give God glory for His truth and how His ways are so much higher and holier than most people who call themselves by His name today are living. There's so very much deception around. The way is indeed narrow and few there be that are finding it. Yes people and statistics will say that Christianity is one of the biggest religions in the world but it's not the true faith and way that Jesus taught as it is being practiced mostly today. 

We all must begin with the biblical gospel and that is not an once off thing we consider but our everyday life in Christ our Saviour. If we cling to Him and endure in the gospel,  one day we shall be with Him. You can see the gospel explained more clearly here. I hope that explains your situation and standing in the Lord. 

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:1-2

I don't share much about my own personal life past and I guess that is for several reasons and that is that it is to be about Christ, and we don't want to be the focus nor our past errors and sins. I want to be careful with my words and what I share about others too. But I know there may be some others out there who grew up like I did in what would be known as a relatively conservative 'Christian' family. So maybe this will encourage you in some way. Either way it is more of the glory of God and that He can use anyone and transform anyone. He changed brother Paul's life, a zealous religious man, and he changed Timothy who had grown up in a family of faith too. There are accounts of women in Jesus' life that He delivered from evil spirits. And we know all can come to Him if they are willing. Praise God He made the way of salvation for those who obey Him! Let us do that! 

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Matthew 16:24

So I was going to share a little on how I grew up. From birth to about three years old, I was raised Lutheran and 'baptized' as an infant there. Then from then till about age eight, it was a Baptist church and a small home fellowship until 2001 and from then till 2020 it was listening to sermons every Sunday just with my family. And by family, I mean my parents, five brothers and two sisters. And I was baptised as an adult. 

We were home schooled from the beginning and the Word was all around me growing up and then when I began to read it daily for myself. 

In regard to clothing, most of my life I had been wearing a semblance of 'modest' dress with long skirts and no jewellery or makeup etc. But as I read scriptures and I'm sure with the Spirit convicting I knew there was a command to head cover. I resisted for awhile and was confused by all the false teaching and practices on it. But praise God I could overcome that and obey the command for women to cover their heads and hair. And I had to get rid of a lot of clothing that was either adorned or too tight etc. 

This thought just came to me about the verse that says to rebuke those in sin before all. I had been following some saints blogs for some months (you can see their ministry on the gospel link above), and being biblical, they obey that verse and I guess I learned from that to fear too (because I was in sin myself). I didn't think of that at the time but just now. God's word is good and true and when it is followed His ways are so much higher than ours! 

Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

1 Timothy 5:20 

When sin in others is rebuked as it says it is to be, it helps more than the one in sin. We see how sin is not to be taken lightly at all. 

And I'll add here that I do owe very much to this faithful brother and sister in the Lord who strived to live a holy and obedient life. I saw what they were living and teaching was so different to what I was thinking was Christianity. But I truly was seeking deeper truth and the Lord in His providence and sovereignty had me learn much from these saints. And it likely was to the saving of my soul from death. God knows because He knows the beginning from the end. Either way the Lord led and guided me to truth and I was willing to follow and obey and give up much for Him! Don't underestimate your witness sisters! Others are likely watching you! Be ready to give an answer and share the life saving good news of Jesus Christ!

So moving on... 

Even though I grew up in a family that said to oppose worldliness, as I went further down the path of God's truth you then see way more things. Obviously the Spirit guides us in the Word and also works along with our God-given conscience. 

So being a relatively conservative family I already was kept away from much evil from the world (TV, movies etc). But I know now there was way more to go to seperate from. 

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 

Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 

He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

Luke 6:46-48

We must be grounded in the Word sisters! Founded upon the Rock and doers of our Lord's commands. 

There was a time that music making consumed my family's life for a long while (like eight years or so pretty full on). So not having any real biblical foundation, I was swept up in it too. I never really wanted to do it and for the most part hated it but I had no biblical answer to say no. So here we see that although my family opposed much wordliness this as I now see is very worldly, empty and vain. It wasn't even 'Christian' music (not that playing and listening to music is biblical...as we are to sing with our heart and lips in the NT). 

I don't necessarily like to talk about all this too much but perhaps it will help encourage you sisters who may have gone through similar things or need encouragement in it. So anyway my siblings and I rose in skill and 'fame' in this and even became leaders and teachers in it, but now I think...what a waste of time and effort and money! And it is part of what God hates...the world, and its satan's world after all. 

And it is to me now as apostle Paul wrote of his own past... 

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

Philippians 3:7-8

 

Loss and dung. And yep my things which remained from it went into the garbage bin. Glory to God (and not to man as much of these worldly prideful fleshly ways are.)! 

So praise God I can leave all that behind (most gladly now!!!!!) and live and labour for Christ in that which is not empty and vain but eternal! How much better to lay up treasures in heaven, sisters! 

I must add that now I am extremely grateful that the Lord allowed upon me physical weaknesses to put an end to my music career (before I saw it was sinful). Praise God!!!!!! I'm glad He did because it was then so much easier to leave it all behind. 

Enough on that subject...but even in a so called Christian family there was much to be rejected for Christ! And it's shameful to do such things while claiming to be Christian but I know much better now and praise God for the work of the Spirit in my heart! And for His forgiveness!! 

So I shared about my clothing and my music career that had to go for Christ...now I need to share about some doctrine or religious practices that I had wrong from my upbringing. As I learned, I saw christmass and easter were wrong and not taught for us to practice...so I had to stop practicing them. Things like people practicing Sunday as the Lord's day too I had to reject. And also God's commands to not gather and have Christian fellowship with people who are living in sin and will not repent. And that could mean you have to go on alone but praise God there are a few who seek to be obedient in all areas and live holy lives set apart from the world unto Christ. Praise God for the love of the true brethren who love God above all else. 

And to be honest, much of the Bible didn't make sense with what was going on in the type of Christianity I was raised in. So once I saw these things and saw that what is called evangelicalism with all it's denominations and added or false ways is not God's way nor His true people, it all began to make sense that satan had created a huge counterfeit that people think is real unless they seek deeper and are led of the Spirit. His people have to repent and leave all of that behind and worship God in spirit and truth. And now the Bible makes so much more sense when I see what it actually says and not through all the lies and man made religion around. 

And this has all been happening to me in the last year or two so it's been amazing but with it's trials and learning so much and sorting it all out. And now I press on to the hope set before me if I endure! 

I know each of you would have your own accounts of how the Lord delivered you from the bondage of sin and false ways to be set free and given sight to see! I'm grateful that we can know the truth in Christ who sets us free! 

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

Luke 4:18

We are not worthy! But we strive to walk worthy now having been given a new heart by the Spirit to serve such a worthy glorious and mighty Saviour! 

There's so much more I could talk about I'm sure but praise God for the hope we can get of seeking all truth and that is available to all. And now we have such a hope to share with others, and as godly women we are to be ready and able to answer those who ask us of the hope we have...with meekness and fear.

I must leave it there but maybe that has blessed you in some way...either way glory to our great God! What an awesome Father He is who sent His Son to redeem us a peculiar people unto Himself. Let us strive to walk worthy and be blameless.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

1 Peter 2:9

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing ; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

2 Corinthians 6:17-18

Stand strong sisters! Strive on! Hold fast! Look forward! Set your minds on things above! Rejoice in the Lord! 

Love in Christ to all my obedient holy sisters!

...from another sister striving on

Find the gospel explained here. 

Read more of "From Conservative to Biblical"

Growing in the Lord

Greetings sisters who love the Lord! 

I hope this day you are strong in Him and triumphing over any issues that arise. 

I was pondering this scripture.... 

"For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 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. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,"

Hebrews 5:12-6:1

And I was thinking about how we grow stronger over time as we discern, as it says, whether things are good or evil. I was thinking about seeing that in my own life over time. 

Reminds me of this...about the Spirit guiding to truth. 

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." 

John 16:13

Praise God for the Spirit and His Word to guide us in a world full of deception. We can stand on the Word and keep going back there for truth. 

There are seemingly innumerable different opinions and beliefs out there even among those who claim Christ. It can be confusing and lead many astray if we aren't clinging to the Word alone and constantly discerning between good and evil. 

And you can't be looking around comparing yourself to others. No, so you might have to be the only one doing what you know the Lord says in His Word. But if you are blessed to know of other holy saints who love the Lord then they can help share things they have learned too. And we can edify, encourage, and provoke unto love and good works. 

And speaking of which yes we will most likely be accused of being in the wrong and legalistic by people who say you only need to believe in Jesus and not obey. And we will be told we aren't to judge if we suggest something is not right in their lives. I liked how my sister in the Lord replied to a woman who accused her of that. Her answer was this..."If we judge by the Word of God we too will be judged by the Word, which is what I do and want." Amen we sisters want to be judged by the Word of God. We love the light and truth and don't want any part in darkness or the flesh. 

And yes you will have to question everything you once thought you knew or were taught, realising that exactly what Christ and the apostles said and wrote about is surely upon us with error and deception abounding and so little love. Let us sisters be firmly grounded in the Word and striving for holy ways and not living in the flesh with its desires. 

So much is really about crucifying our flesh daily. And even if you think of Eve in the Garden, she allowed the lust of her flesh in seeing the good fruit to carry her away into disobedience. There are so many ways we can allow that to happen today if we don't keep discerning and searching our hearts. 

And we can grow through obeying what His Word says even if we don't fully understand it. Indeed it is the Lord that opens eyes of the blind, the spiritually blind as we sisters were once. 

"I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house."

Isaiah 42:6-7

 

You learn to see things that once you didn't. You see the foolishness and sin in things where you may have seen none before. You see how far many who claim Christ today often are from truth. And you wonder why they don't see it. Yes it's sad just like the Pharisees in Jesus' day who thought they had it all right, but we can't look at everyone else and not press on in faith ourselves. 

And certainly in general the standards that people used to have have grown weaker over the centuries and so now there is such a huge difference between someone with the Spirit and those who claim to be and of course the world. For only one example in that is that not too long ago women wore much more biblical clothing as their standard dress and many head covered. And that is just one area which does go along with the rise of feminism and it is indeed that. So we sisters by just obeying God's Word are simply standing and doing what's right and everyone else is falling away. 

And God's Word doesn't have to tell us every single detail of everything. It gives us all we need and the Spirit guides and helps us apply it all to our lives. We can make right judgements on things. 

For example in dress. We know we aren't to be about external adornment as godly women. Along with that and the fact our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit we discern what is plain and simple attire for us to clothe ourselves with. We will be convicted if something isn't right. 

And because we are to have a meek and quiet spirit we will be making sure we cultivate that and again we will be convicted through the Spirit and the Word if we stray. 

And this happens in many areas of course; every area of life in fact. And over time, or as it says in that scripture above "by reason of use" have our senses exercised to discern these things what is right or bad. 

This one is good too...

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." 

Romans 12:2 

And we can grow through infirmities...

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 

2 Corinthians 12:9

And we don't just read the Word we must obey and do it. 

"But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." 

James 1:25

So sisters, let us be faithful in all our ways. 

"But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul." 

Deuteronomy 4:29 

"And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." 

Luke 11:9-10

I hope I made some kind of sense. I was thinking about that subject this morning and off and on throughout the day I add thoughts here as they come so it may not run together smoothly. And it's now late and I'm running out of time to make it all exactly how I want it to be. But I hope it makes sense and could bless you in some way perhaps. I know we are all growing in the Lord and have been following Him for different times but we do never stop growing for sure and we can't let ourselves stop growing either. 

(Thank you for that gift sister:-) 

And for a quick bit of my Titus 2 work....

Potato soup for tea... 

Which had other veggies in too... 

And I get to see the sunset colours as I cook... 

We are truly blessed in so many ways. We certainly have food and raiment so we are to be content with that. But we have much more so we ought to be so grateful and not once complain but rejoice in all things! 

"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 3:15

Until tomorrow, Lord willing I'll be back here. 

Love in Christ, 

...from one of God's servants

You can find the gospel here. 

Read more of "Growing in the Lord"

Striving Against Sin and False Ways

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin."

(Hebrews 12:1-4)

I have had a lot of growing in the Lord in these last years and so I wanted to share a little in that. Perhaps some readers might be seeking deeper truth in a world where evil and deception abounds and sadly among those claiming to be God's people. It can be confusing out there, I know. 

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come."

(2 Timothy 3:1)

As I have shared before, I have grown up always hearing about God and being taught many of His ways. I have shared a little of my testimony before.

I grew up pretty sheltered from the world and from much sin for which I praise God for. I know that not one person on earth is free from sin and so I know even one so called "little sin" is big and an evil against a holy God just as Eve's sin sent the world into all this mess.

For many years I have been faithfully reading the Word and striving to obey all I knew. 

Much what I know now I just did not see clearly back then as I do now but I was seeking truth and the Lord has been faithful to show me more. 

So it really has been a matter of once you learn something isn't in line with scripture then many other things also go with it. 

I know I was deceived in how I viewed the church today and so now that I know how corrupt most all of that is, they have lost the authority that I perhaps thought they had. You tend to think that people more studied or older in the faith should know better...but it is not always so. Many have a form of godliness and perhaps are not even born again, and remember that satan can come as an angel of light and there are wolves in sheep's clothing.

"But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived."

(2 Timothy 3:13)

So many things that come with what is called Christianity today has to be questioned once you know it is corrupt and not what Christ ordained for His body. Yes I knew very many things were wrong but still I was not seeing clearly the true ways of God. I couldn't quite identify exactly what it was but now I know so many things are false and vain traditions of men and must all be rejected. 

A few things that I had to rethink and come to a conclusion on are the lies of Sunday being the Lord's Day and the pretrib rapture. I had to forsake pagan holidays like christmas and easter, and separate from those claiming Christ yet living in sin. 

In the past, I was also involved in music along with most of my family. I repented of that fleshly sin and threw away into the garbage all remaining things I had from it.

Now most claiming Christ today do not teach ladies to cover their heads. They usually say that it was just cultural or a woman's hair is her covering. I was swept away in that thinking also and so when I began to be convicted of that several years ago I was confused as to what is a true biblical covering. Is it just one that conceals the long hair or one that covers everything? I praise the Lord that He continued to convict me on this and even though yes it is something that the world and most so called Christians think is unnecessary and weird the Lord has spoken through His chosen one Paul and it is all in the plan that God has for His obedient women. Yes it was hard in my flesh for a little while to think that's what God required of me but by His power I pressed on and did it. 

I've shared before how my dress had to change a little bit from what I had grown up with in order to be fully biblical as I was wearing things that are adornments and the Word says in a couple places not to adorn. I've shared about women's dress here and I hope to continue to do so in hopes that it will help someone else to see what God's desire in this is in a world where just about anything goes.

I also had to learn the true submissive role of a woman in the body of believers. Because I had a wrong view of the church today I had this wrong also. I certainly thought women pastors and teachers were wrong but when I learned all the errors of today's so called believers and I learned how the true body of Christ works, I needed to put away my sin of going too far in theology which is stepping out of place for women. The Lord wants women to be in subjection to the men and so we need to be quiet in the body and we do not teach theology either. Yes we can be useful in sharing the gospel and we can teach and encourage women in their roles as I try to do on this blog but not have authority over men.

There are probably a few more things that do not come to mind right now that I had to see what scripture actually teaches and not what I had been taught or had always believed. Putting all this away for God's glory must come with those who are born again creations by the Spirit.

"Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways."

(Psalm 128:1)

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."

(Matthew 10:28)

My fear of the Lord has grown as I saw how holy He is and that to continue to sin against Him makes one in danger of hell fire. Also it has been about having great faith in the Lord and what He has said. It is impossible to please Him without faith. 

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

(Hebrews 11:1)

"Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."

(John 20:29)

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

(Hebrews 11:6)

No I am not worthy to be where I am today. The Lord has been too good to me and I am blessed beyond measure to be a daughter of His.

I praise and thank Him for allowing me to see His truth and ways...and I want to continue to grow in Him and in knowledge of the truth. 

"Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen."

(2 Peter 3:17-18)

Blessed are you Lord! 

"Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."

(Luke 13:23-24)

"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."

(Luke 9:23)

So I go on day by day striving against sin and trying to live blameless for my Lord. I praise Him for allowing my eyes to be opened and I know He will continue to show me more truth from His Word as I desire to see it.

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

(Matthew 7:13-14)

I thought a sister in Christ might especially appreciate this picture:-)

Tonight we were making pizza again. Sometimes I make yeast free pizza bases but I didn't have enough raising agent so I dug out a recipe from a sister. I've made it a couple times before. 

I was also wearing an apron that this sister had helped me make by giving me the idea. 

That might represent the physical help this sister has given me...but the spiritual help has been far greater. I praise God for what the Lord has led this sister and her husband to do for the Lord and in His timing it could help me...for eternity. God be praised!

Brother and sister, I greatly appreciate all the help, the encouragement, the edification, the emails, the prayers, and the sharing you have done with me (and countless others). I know you are very busy and you face some tough things out there in the heat of the battle but you truly love like no other. To God be the glory! 

"Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:"

(1 Peter 1:22)

And we all strive on against sin. 

"If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

(Philippians 3:11-14)

If we endure, then all God's holy saints - past, present, and future - shall gather at the marriage supper of the Lamb. Will you be there?

See the biblical gospel to eternal life here. 

Read more of "Striving Against Sin and False Ways"

From "Modest" to Biblically Dressed

Several days ago, I wrote a post on how we certainly can know from scripture how to dress today. You can read that here. But in this post, I want to mention a little more as to how that has affected me and my clothing choices personally. No, it is not to focus or talk about me only but to illustrate how women professing to have been born again must act as they search the scriptures daily. It is to show how I went from being "modestly" dressed to biblically dressed to obey the Lord's commands. Perhaps there are some more women out there seeking the truth of how God wants His daughters to clothe their bodies. 

As I mentioned in my previous post, I had grown up (along with the other ladies in my family) wearing long skirts and dresses after a switch from pants etc. While this might be considered modest or conservative Christian dress by many today, was it biblical when tested to scripture? Today I say no, not all of the time. Some of what I wore would have been adorned as scripture teaches for no outward adornment in our dress. When I saw that in scripture I had to get rid of all of my clothing that did not fit with God's Word on this. 

Also I was not always careful enough to make sure all of my clothing was loose and not too tight fitting. While I never really thought about my clothes much and never intentionally dressed unbiblical, when I learned better and that any transgressions of God's design is sin, I repented. While makeup and jewellery were never a temptation to me and so I didn't use them, those are sins too in the same category as the clothing I was wearing that was adorned with florals or other patterns. What is the point of all of those things? Surely to try to look attractive or "pretty" or something, which is not becoming for a holy woman of God and is sinful vanity trying to make one look "beautiful" on the outside. God wants a holy and pure heart and He's said how we are to dress. Read and study 1 Timothy 2 and 1 Peter 3 where it speaks of these things. And remember why God first gave humans clothing. It was to cover us after we sinned. It wasn't to adorn us. It was animal skins that was our first clothing!

As I described above was how I dressed growing up, and I had never worn a headcovering and so I repented of that sin of not doing so also.  

I recall the verse (1 Samuel 15:23) that says that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. To rebel and to be disobedient to what we know to be God's commands in this area of clothing and headcovering is indeed serious. I pray you will all study God's Word for what it says and not what someone might want it to say or what the Christian religion of today is saying.

I want to also briefly touch on the word "modest" that most everyone in Christianity today is talking about. That term is so varied that it could mean almost anything these days so we need to study deeper than any translation. The term "modest apparel" has obviously been translated from something the original writer who was inspired by the Holy Spirit wrote which are commands of God how we are to dress. 

Another thing I hear over and over is that you have to just go by your convictions and how the Lord is speaking to you. Others say ask your husband or dad and see what they say is right for you or what they want from you. To me this seems much like what the serpent said to Eve, "Has God really said that?", trying to get around the Lord's commands. Have you heard and been deceived by those things people are saying?

While how I dressed from young may have been "half-way" to biblical, it still fell short and so was not in keeping with scripture. It was unbiblical and therefore sinful as all such things are where we don't go all the way to God's commands. Getting things "half right" or obeying just some of God's commands is not good enough. In the Lord's sight, does this really look any different to a woman dressed in much less or decked out in the greatest of adornment? God says do it this way and we say I want to do it this way. Both groups of women wearing unbiblical clothing are not right, the immodest woman down the street and the "modest Christian" woman. Think of what tragedy happened to the world when a woman disobeyed just one command of God in the garden of Eden...ponder that.

 

As I said before, our biblical dress cannot hide a spiritually dead heart from the Lord, nor can obeying in this area and being disobedient in other areas, please God. No, but when you are a new creation of God by the Spirit, the old man with its fleshly desires must be crucified. It is our responsibility to go study and seek the Lord and not just accept what we were taught or see around us. All areas of our lives must conform to God's ways whether that be our dress, feminist ways, lack of love for the lost, unthankfulness, etc etc. A woman striving to be godly will not stop short of testing everything in her life. And the Spirit will convict you if there are areas that you are failing in.

"And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." (Galatians 5:24)

"But ye have not so learned Christ;

If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." 

(Ephesians 4:20-24)

So I will continue to test and evaluate everything I wear or consider buying to see whether it would fit with God's command for our dress to be simple, plain, long, loose, and with a head covering of the same plain manner which covers all of our long hair and head.

 

"So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do." 

(Luke 17:10)

 

We do NOT dress this way to be "holier than thou" or to earn our salvation but to be obedient to our Lord. It is only our duty and we fear Him. To disobey and rebel is sinning against Him and it shall not be well for those living in sin.

"For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries." 

(Hebrews 10:26-27)

Because I have repented and forsaken my past ignorance/disobedience/rebellion, I know this following verse holds true. We can trust in God to keep His promises. We have to do our bit. Have you?

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 

(1 John 1:9)

Repent today while you still have time. If you are reading this and are not right with God or are disobedient in this area of dress, the mercy and forgiveness of the Lord is available for all who repent. But the time is coming when it will be too late. We do not know when that is for each of us. 

See the biblical gospel to eternal life through Christ here.

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

(2 Peter 3:9)

"And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead."

(Acts 17:30-31)

Serve and obey Christ today. If we endure faithful and obedient to the end, we will gather with all the saints with our Lord. There will only be pureness and holiness there (and white robes!).

"Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels." (Revelation 3:4-5)

"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." (Revelation 7:9-17)

Praise the Father for the spotless Lamb of God slain for our salvation! 

So live to glorify Him day by day...then we shall be with Him one day. 

Fight on! 

Read more of "From "Modest" to Biblically Dressed"

Why I Don't Celebrate Birthdays (anymore)

This is a quick post to explain my position and perhaps encourage someone who is questioning everything they once used to do. In Christ, those who have been born again by the Spirit will want to be testing and examining their lives in ALL areas. They will not stop short of testing all things.

The reason I don't celebrate birthdays? I live to glorify God and to obey Him, not for works but because I love and fear the holy God and have become a new creation by His Spirit.

I am not going into a deep and thorough study on this subject myself. Each person must study this for themselves.

Really, all I need to know is that God requires us to live holy and set apart for Him from the world and fallen culture around us, and leave all things that promote pride and selfishness also. And if you really love God, you will not want to associate with anything with evil or pagan connections.

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."
(2 Corinthians 6:17-18, 7:1)

Praise God we can have freedom in Christ from all these traditions of man!  

Glory to our holy, holy, holy God who will have no other gods before Him.

I 

love,

obey,

and 

fear Him!

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."

(Colossians 3:1-3)

Praise God when someone repents and is born again by the Spirit! 

See the biblical gospel here. 

Read more of "Why I Don't Celebrate Birthdays (anymore)"