Our lesson on Ezra...

We had Bible lesson the other day and the topic was Ezra. I've never really paid much attention to Ezra. Perhaps it had never come to life for me. But it did this time.
Ezra was an Israelite of the captivity from Babylon. The temple had already been rebuilt 60 years previously and 80 years had passed since their slow return to Jerusalem.The reigns of  Nebuchanezzar, Cyrus, Darius, Ahasuerus, and now Artaxerxes had come to pass. We have now read about Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Esther, and now Ezra. He was to go to Jerusalem to teach the people. Getting permission to go, he finally gets there and there is so much joy at seeing his people and his land. The punishment for sin had brought them into slavery and now they could begin anew. But then the princes come to Ezra with distressing news. The people had married foreign men and women.

Wasn't it the foreign women who deceived Solomon's heart and drew him away? This may not seem so distressing, I mean Israel was led captive and not many were left. Most left had gone to Egypt. But it was. They disobeyed God's command. Took in what seemed harmless with a twist of deceit to the heart. What harm would a goodly woman or man be though they be foreign?

The New Testament warns us about such things.  II Corinthians 6:11-18 tells us about such separation. A separation much more than mere physical.

"....Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? ....v.17..Wherefore, come out from among them, and be separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,....."

At the evening sacrifice, Ezra fell on his knees raised his hands up to the Lord. They had sinned and Ezra thought all was well. That they were off to a good start. His heart could make no excuses but only plead for mercy. All he could do was beseech the Lord for the people in humility. 

This is the heart God is looking for. The godly sorrow that it takes to reach God's heart. Our churches are full of goodly piety. Some even preach against sin.But they have or are in the process of joining themselves to foreign wives and husbands- the world. They have accepted the world and what is seen as normal. Deceived themselves into thinking they could espouse a little of what is foreign to God and that God would overlook it. That a little compromise with the world isn't so bad. Bigger churches are pleasing to God, so they think, because living out the blessings of God with no Uriah spirit is showing how good God has been instead avoiding the very appearance of evil. All a form but no heart in the matter. Or a little heart with a little form but not a complete surrender.

Oh, how Ezra must have felt! He cried ,"We are before you in our sins. We cannot stand before you because of this."  


Let us remember Ezra and reach God's heart. God is not mocked even when we allow ourselves to accept sin, harmless as it seems. He sees within us and our affections. He knows whether we are following others or following God. These are sober thoughts but we are not playing games. Heaven is not make believe and hell is real separation from a loving God. "Depart from Me, for I never knew you..." are real words that I don't want to hear said to me or my loved ones. So Ezra must be taught and will be taught from here on out. Maybe we won't forget his cries and will avoid the sin of marrying the world.

A Few Thoughts on Being Set Free

I've been thinking about the song He Set Free.  One of the stanzas goes something like this-

                 Once like a bird in prison I dwelt
                 No Freedom from my Sorrows I Felt
                 But Jesus came and listened to me
                 Glory to God, He Set Me Free....

There was a thought I heard that has been profound to me. I can't quote it word by word but it has gone through my mind over and over with its message. Since I came to Jesus and made Him Lord of my heart, I can't tell you how many times I've heard this song. And I would in my heart and mind sing the praises of being set free from the sin that had me bound. Yet in  the last decade or so I've seen a freedom that comes in Christ manifest itself overtime. It falls in line with the thought that manifested its truth to me.  Here it is:


Free to serve the Saviour because I want to.
Free to do right not because I have to.
Free to choose Jesus and all of His loves.
Free to go to Him with no fear or qualm
Free from the task master, the Law.
Who led me to the Saviour to serve Him with Love.
Free to Obey His Spirit who is writing His ways in my heart.
Free......

               

A cry....for our souls as well as our country.

It's In The Little Things That God Builds Our Character

(Someone posted this on a digest that I occassionally read.)

A Christian

Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston , Texas . Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area.

When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had given him a quarter too much change. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself,
'You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it.'
Then he thought, 'Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet.'
When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, 'Here, you gave me too much change '
The driver, with a smile, replied, 'Aren't you the new preacher in town?'
'Yes' he replied.
'Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday.'
When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, 'Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.'

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read.
This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians, and will put us to the test!
Always be on guard -- and remember -- You carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself 'Christian.'

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

Some random thoughts on modestry...

I was meaning to submit a post on modesty to the Carnival of Modesty that Mama Archer is having for March, but somehow missed the boat sort of speak because I'm not too keen on how to do the Carnivals. So I thought I'd post some thoughts on it. Here we go.....

What is modesty? Is it important?
Does it mean to cover every portion of your body so that it wouldn't make you seem attractive to the eye of the beholder?
Can an individual be modest and yet be one who shows forth beauty and something to behold?

In the world as we know it, a great deal of time is spent slowing feeding the masses style. The perception that to be beautiful you must be physically attractive or bring forth desire has permeated to all ages across the board. Perhaps this is why we can't seem to find modest clothing for the young. Oh, it is out there, but you have to look high and low and when you find it the industry will make sure to dissuade you by marking it high and pricey. It is almost as if there was an agenda out there to devastate individuals by robbing them of their innocence through the lust of the flesh.

I personally believe there is an agenda. It comes straight from the enemy of our soul. This agenda says that what God has set forth through out scripture is not so. That times change, people change, God's word and standards have changed. Unfortunately, society, much of the church, and the world have bought into this deception. We are reaping from it though through moral decay.

I could sit here and post on all the things that I think are modest. The following are a few things that I hold true to my heart. I believe a woman should dress like a woman because God has made her so and that a dress will do you more good than pants ever could.
That what is good for the goose is also good for the gander and that modesty is a hard thing to legislate because it should come from the heart. (And man looks on the outside.)
It should be done because we care about how we affect others. (Woman affecting men and vice versa.)
It should be done because if not it is as if we are laying our pearls before swine when we go forth displaying those things we have been endowed with, with the desire to bring on attention, impression, or lack of confidence in what God has made us.

Modesty is an issue of the heart. Questions like, "Shall I cover those things deemed precious in the sight of God so as to keep my heart and my brother's heart pure?" needful? They are definitely worthy of our time, prayer, and contemplation. One can do it to please others, but the beauty of holiness comes from doing it because we love God and we love the brethren.

A person adorned in modesty has great worth. They are a token of purity to their spouse and if not married a treasure given wholly to the Lord. A heart that needs no clothing to adorn.

A Thrist...

I've been thinking about water lately. I've noticed some of the children are not drinking most of their water at meal times and then I noticed that they weren't drinking much water at other times. We don't usually buy soft drinks or Kool-aid around here so they always seem to be served water with their meal. Occasionally, after they eat, I'll serve them fruit juice, and of course with something sweet or breakfast they sometimes have milk, but water is our main source of drink around here. With all that said, I've been a little concerned about their intake and kept thinking about it.

Water is an important part of our diet. It cleanses, lubricates, and moisturises our body. But do we get enough to quench our thirst? Your thirst is not quenched by milk or juice, or soda/sugar drinks. They are digested for what they are. But water is a different story. It satisfies the feeling of being a thirst. If you do not provide your body with the water necessary,( half of your body weight in ounces) you eventually drown out that a thirst and you lose the desire for water because you are offering it a substitute but not a remedy.

Our time with God is like that. There is no where else we can replenish our peace and strength but going to the source of living water. I often think of the woman at the well who Christ spoke to. She knew not of the living water He spoke to her of and hadn't tasted of it because she kept looking to be made complete. She was looking in the wrong place for satisfaction.

We do that sometimes even in Christ. Instead of seeking living water from the Master, we fill our time with amusements of all sorts. We feed the flesh and substitute His presence instead of getting from God what we really needed. Instead of taking the time to take our cares to Him. Instead of crying out to Him when our inner being is saying, " I'm A Thirst!" We ignore it or do something else that fills the quietness in the room and busies the mind from hearing His small, still, voice.

Our Spirit notices though. It sends warning signs through our unrest and our moodiness. It notices. It seeks and cannot be calmed so it feels discontent and we try to appease it.

For a Christian and an unbeliever, this is a great gift of God, to be able to feel our Spirit A Thirsting. For if you are thirsty then He can quench your soul. If you can feel it, your heart is not so hard that it cannot be touched. If you're thirsty, and take a drink from His living water, He can satisfy your thirst.

These are good things to ponder on.

What I've been up to....

The new year has begun and I've been going over the last year. I find myself reviewing thru my mind what went on.

• My boys have grown up a little more this year and opened my eyes to see have much different girls are to boys.


• I've matured a little more this year. Really, I have. I can tell. As time goes on, I've noticed that what I thought was maturity really was baby steps. I've physically, spiritually, and who knows how else grown this year. Yeah!


• I got pregnant. This will make #6


• We paid off a lot of land next door to us.

I'm sure there are many more things that could be put down in review, but I'll spare you.

So what am I up to now?

I've been doing some research on the early roots of American Protestants. Why, you might ask? Because I'm intrigued at where the so called Christian faiths of today came from and specifically where and why they've changed. You might think that it was a cultural thing, but I think it was more than that. Besides, even if man changes, God doesn't- and so neither does his word. There are people that put so much stock in what their preacher says, which by the way sometimes trumps the word of God, yet why does he answer the way he does, and where does he originally get his theology? It should be always from the Bible, but then you go back to whether they are fundamental or modernized. Whether they are Catholic or Protestant. Pentecostal or Baptist. Armenian (branching from John Wesley's Methodist) or Calvanistic. And so on and so on and .... Religion can be worn by anyone, but having religion is not walking with God. Religion therefore in my humble opinion is not something we should rest our confidence on. Because religion changes according to the tide. Clear as mud?

What else have I been up to?

Well, I made bread today. Here's the baby. He seems to always want to help me in the kitchen. Making bread is his favorite.

I'm also wanting to check out a book I heard about last night on the radio program Haven Today, about the 5 Languages of Love. From what I heard, people have different ways of expressing love and if perhaps you don't relate then they have a hard time understanding that you love them.

For example: Some people feel loved when they get a gift. That's how they know because you took the time to get them something special. Others might see your love when you do an act of love- like your husband cleaning the dinner dishes everynight for you. Others might consider you loving them if you spend quality time with them, while some want to feel your touch.

Which one are you?

I think I'm the spend quality time with me type, but I need to get the book and read it to learn a little bit more about it because I'm not sure. Gifts don't do much for me and I really don't like to be ignored by someone who I love. I'm not too touchy, and as for acts of service - well they're greatly appreciated. This should be fun, since I think I have my husband all figured out!

The Rules

Jesus leads us to Holiness.
Holiness does not lead us to Jesus.

I heard these two statements recently and thought they were jewels to store up. There is so much truth in both statements if fully digested and thought about. But I guess to do this you must understand what Holiness is:

Some people put Holiness in a religious category of very conservative beliefs from old-time full gospel churches. Other people might think it is referring to holy living. In my mind, I'm referring to both.

Holy living- is it....abiding by the Ten commandments... the Golden Rule...right living...etc? What else could we add to this? This is where the rules come in don't they? Don't do this and you shouldn't do that. Pray, read your Bible, and so forth.
This must be why the Bible tells us that the Law killeth, but the Spirit giveth Life.
This is also why I want to store forever these two statements in my heart.

Jesus leads us to Holiness.
He does. That is if it is Jesus who leads us there. Jesus represents everything we should be and nothing that we shouldn't. If we fall in love with Jesus then we will love His every way of living. Jesus is our way to God. He is the molder of our clay and the strength of our being. He knows exactly how to mold the clay and how much the clay can take. He is our propitiation. We are made free to show forth a beautiful work in progress by the Savior of our soul.

Holiness does not lead us to Jesus.
In our righteousness, we are as filthy rags to God. In our best we are but what without Jesus?
Nothing. Standards and the law are dead and a sacrifice in themselves. They bring grief in the long run because unless they are written in your heart by Christ himself, they are works of man that will perish.
One can be molded by man, but the clay will not tolerate but so much from someone besides the one who made it. Holiness ends where it began without the author- In a separate state from God. It can leave a heart in servitude instead of freedom from sin.


Oh, but to love God and His Righteousness! This is a product of those who have been redeemed.
The good that God produces as He burns up the chaff in one's heart comes after someone has been born again by His Spirit. It is the scent put forth by His very presence.

Rules are good because they bring things into order and set forth boundaries of safety and well-being. Standards that are biblical show us how much we truly need God. They show us sin for what it is and this is good. God's written Word is a beautiful story of what Holiness is and what it is not. God's Spirit is the one that sculpts this picture in our lives. He makes us living epistles to be read of all men.

Those kind of rules are indisputable.

I spent sometime reading in Romans the other night, and this verse stood out. It has been on my mind since then.

"But God commendeth his love toward us in that,
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

He showed His love for me while I was a sinner. It was underserved then and it is underserved now. The difference is that I now love Him. Can I say more?

I realize this is a serious sort of post. They are my thoughts. Thoughts that one day I may want to reread or that my children may want to read about. I want them to see that what we do, we should do because it has been revealed in our heart by God- not because a man is teaching it from the pulpit or because we have decided this to be a good thing. It is this kind of work within us that lasts for eternity and brings forth fruit that abounds.

Reminicing the Old Paths and a little on Work

It's been ten days since my last blog. I really don't mean to be so spaced out, but I guess making a home has kept me busy.

This morning as I got ready for church I began thinking about camp meetings. I thought about good old fashion preaching, about the Lord descending upon services and feeling His very presence amidst. About altar calls that drew me to my knees and helped me make things right. About the peace of God that causes the praise to stay within one's heart. About the state of the church and how that you can't throw the old paths away because of it. No- you can't throw away the old paths, not when they're in your heart. Not when they have become part of your heart. The love of God constrains one to walk in the old paths of His Word. Perhaps when I finally get to Heaven one day, there will be a reunion for the saints like never seen before and it will be better than camp meeting days ever were or could possibly ever be!

______________________________
A Word on Work

I've been thinking about the work ethic as of late. I would like the children to grow up to have qualities of good workmanship. This is a hard task for man, I think. Everything takes work- gardens, dinners, playing the piano or the violin, raising children, the maintenance of a home and of personal property, organization....you name it. I'm preaching to the choir here. But I think about what you don't or won't have without it. I think about the ruin that comes to things and even people in neglect or procrastination.
My children are very blessed to have opportunities that were not available to me. They have a 2 parent home (that desires God). They have several siblings that provide company and friendship. They have been afforded the opportunity to play piano and violin. I've been able to home school them.
All these wonderful things require work. As they grow I want them to see that work is beneficial and not a burden. That one day they will have a chance to work at whatever God so brings their way, and that they can and should do it to the best of their ability.
All this said, we as parents have a large task ahead of us.

Some good thoughts on being a Godly woman...

Holiness....the sweet aroma that goes up from us to God's nostrils . Our heart when no one is looking. Unperfect, but changed from what it was. With motives that would seek to please God and not grieve His heart. I can truly say with shame that I'm not as faithful in my Bible reading as I was before the children came around. The Reading Bible Plan I have in the useful sites to visit(on the sidebar) gives me good direction and keeps me in line sometimes.
Today I read Romans 12.

v. 1" I Beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
v. 2 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."

This was good for me. The mercies of God is what keeps me reading my Bible. It is what helps me to present myself before God, who sees me. It is what helps me to not want to be conformed to this world. It is what tugs at my heart and says, "Hold tight for I don't ever want to forget my first love." The mercies of God...Oh, how I need them to be a holy woman.




Here's a good link. I have enjoyed reading several posts from this site:
http://momof9splace.com/holywomen.html

The Truths We Live- A Disclaimer on Conviction

Thoughts on this topic have been on my mind. We have been studying the history that led up to the pilgrims and how America came to be. I've been thinking about their convictions compared to mine.What was taught to them and what is taught today.
What are the truths that we live? And why do we live them if we live them at all? There's so many things one could say about convictions, but there is one thing I have learned about them. They are not yours till God writes them on the tablet of your heart. You can conform to anything taught by man whether it is a doctrine specifically written in scripture or a virtue to seek after, but it is unto man that you have done it. Joy and peace comes forth from obedience when it is done unto God.

These experiences leave you with memories to cherish, not with regret. I have so many good memories. Little things to some are big things to others. But it is the small things that make such a difference.

God taught me in a very obvious way about praying over my food in public. I was embarrassed to bow my head and pray in our high school cafeteria. He used a girl's embarrassed, out loud cursings at being accused of praying (which she was not) to show me that I was doing the same, just not out loud. I was so ashamed at myself that I repented and from that day on prayed over my food. I still do. I was 14 then. It was written in my heart. Inscribed with a bond of mercy, grace, and love. And so I reciprocated my sincerity with obedience. It was a little thing to some, but a big thing to me.

This link to Mama Archer's post is well worth your time.
A Disclaimer on Conviction

Sincerely,
Linda

The Sound of Music

I've often thought what the world would be like if I couldn't hear anything. No words, no sound to reach within my heart and draw out its emotions. For someone like me, it would be torture. I love to sing. I remember the love songs my mom use to listen to when I was little, about 6 years old. The emotions of the melody. I can still hum the melody to one of those songs. It was impressed within my memory. And I've often caught myself over the years composing words to go along with it.
Music is a powerful tool for it penetrates within. It can be so useful to teach, and to encourage" ...making melodies in your heart...". Oh, to not hear it would be to not feel for me!
But music has a way with our nature. It can grasp the lust of the flesh and run. It can cause the pride of life to rise and it can call our other senses away from our intentional thoughts about God.

What shall I do? For the sounds of music are everywhere. And what then will I allow my ears to hear?

I Cor. 6:12 says " All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."

So the question I need to ask is, "Does it bring honor to God? If it is secular music, would it dishonor the Lord?
Or would it draw us away? Would it seep deep into the soul and cause our nature to put God's desires for us aside?"

Music has a way of leading people to altars of intentions. I want it to lead me to Heaven's bright shores.

Introductions..what is Holiness?

Some people would say that Holiness is a Pentecostal, ultra-conservation Christian sect that teaches certain strict standards of living characterized or plainly written in the Bible. It wasn't a sect at one time at all. It was the norm for Christians. Does scripture not say in Heb. 12: 14
" Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord;"
Holiness is so much more...to be separated from the tune of the world. A heart the says, "Yes, Lord. If that is what you ask of me, I will give you all. All that you ask of me to do or not to do, I will give you all."
Sincerely seeking Holiness, and not really knowing it.
This is where I started my precious walk with God. God knew what He was doing with my heart. God always knows what He is doing. His thoughts our so different than ours. We think we know what we are doing with our life and with our soul. This keeps us from doing what He desires. It's kind of like making bread. I've got a little confident in my ventures with breadmaking. Sometimes, too confident. Yeast is a funny thing to work with. Maybe that is why I like messing with it in bread dough. I love seeing it rise and make a beautiful loaf. But yeast dough is temperamental and needs to be worked. Kind of like us and our nature. God kneads our heart, gently. Allows us to sit and wait till we rise...