Psalm 139

"For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You." (Psalm 139:13-18, NKJV)

The Lords Prayer

Ever notice that the Lords Prayer hasn't one single I,Me, or My in it? The Lords Prayer is our model for daily prayer. The Lord told us explicitly to pray it daily. We do. As a family every morning before my husband goes to work we all pray the Lords prayer together.

I used to feel a bit uncomfy reciting it because that is how I spoke it for most of my life as a recitation in the Catholic church. It was part of the ritual. Real monotone and depressed sounding, we recited it often. That has changed and the prayer has taken on a new meaning for me.

First its *OUR* Father in a corporate sense. I think right there from the very beginning of the prayer God wants to remind us that we are not the only ones in need. We are so selfish sometimes. Try praying without saying I,me or my. Its hard. Our Father..... . There are others in this world.

Then praise and let Your kingdom come, Your will God....then finally we get to ask for our own needs....give us this day.....but even then it is not just MY needs its *US* and *OUR*.

Fathers Love Letter

Honoring The Elderly

It is sad to say that we really don't honor and reverence our parents like the Bible says we should. Only 1/2 of Americans think it is the children's responsibility to look after our parents and yet there is not one of us who isn't going to grow older and need help.(Unless the Lord chooses different).

Chinese people respect and honor their parents. It is a cultural obligation to look after the elderly in Asian countries. In these cultures, parents see themselves in their children, and Chinese, especially, are acutely aware that their offspring provide a continuum to their lives. Children who do not honor their parents are considered “worse than animals” in China. These strong ties are not made out of Christian service and yet we know and feel a special kind of respect for Asian cultures that know how to respect their elders. We Christians know its right. Its very sad when a predominantly atheist culture adheres to Biblical principals stronger than a country where virtually every home has a Bible and every Bible includes Exodus 12:20.


In America we all feel like we are autonomous. We stand alone. We are in a word~Selfish. Aging parents may hinder our careers, our love life's, our own personal freedoms. Its a cycle that we Americans have started and now it is accepted as the norm. To dump our kids in daycare to be cared for by strangers for the first 5 years and then onto public school where again our children are taught by humanistic underpaid strangers. We parents are dumping our children with the state, its no wonder that our children grow up and feel no guilt when they dump their parents with the same government that they were raised by.

Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

Eph6:1Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;

Duet 21:18 If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, 19 his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. 20 They shall say to the elders, "This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a profligate and a drunkard." 21 Then all the men of his town shall stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.

The Vanishing Word

The Vanishing Word:

The Veneration of Visual Imagery in the Postmodern World,Arthur Hunt

This has got to be one of the most eye opening books I have ever read.When I considered posting about it I read through the first few pages and tried to catch a sentence or 2 that would convey the *heart* of the book and kept think the next sentence was more important than the last.

This book is about how Paganism is alive and thriving though in a different form today. We are in an image driven world trying to serve a Word based God. There has been a subtle yet systematic and successful attempt by the enemy to remove our desire for words that have meaning to flickering images that dull the mind.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.


Internet and TV have replaced the Golden calf. Even churches are moving towards 7 second sound bites,multi-media projectors and strobe lights. I attend a church whose Sunday School is changing its format into 7 minute segments so we can keep our children's attention. Puppets and balloon's are replacing Bible stories in hopes that we may win some.

The enemy knows that technology has the ability to eradicate our desire for the Word. It doesn't take a genius to tell us that our world has an insatiable appetite for visual stimulation.We no longer have much need for a Word based religion.The author contends that a media that promotes sex,violence and celebrity worship into 7 second flickers lest the viewer get bored is a direct assault on Christianity.

Get.This.Book! Make yourself read it. In 1991 75% of adults claimed to read for pleasure in the course of a week. In 1994 the figure dropped to 53%. I wonder what its down to now. We are a passive generation sucking in Hollywood's sludge. Its no wonder we could care less about each other but care more about TV placement in our homes.

We have not owned a TV in many years and yet we are all affected. Hollywood permeates everywhere we go and everything we do. This book is bone chilling.!!

Ec 7:29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions

Human Efforts

Legalism just means someone who keeps the law.God doesn't want that from His people rather He desires relationship. I think sometimes we categorize those who strictly adhere to an outward standard/rule as a legalist but really anyone can fall into the trap of trying to win His favor through human efforts. Even a good ol' Baptist may think that if they pray enough they can make it to heaven. A Catholic may think that reciting a ritualistic prayer and lighting candles may earn heaven or at least purgatory.

Conservatives think that long sleeves and abstaining from "I Love Lucy" make us holy enough. We are often very serious about the Lord and therefore choose to live a separate life, unfortunately if we fail to remember that our efforts are but filthy rags then we are no better than the Pharisees. Our standards have to be a fruit of the heart, adhered to because we love Him and others. A bowed heart will indeed bear precious fruit, problem is many are trying to hang good lookin' fruit on dead dried up trees.

He is enough.


Luke 11:42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Secrets

Has the Lord ever shared a secret with you?




Mary knew how to keep a secret Luke 2:19But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

Nehemiah knew how to keep a secret Nehemiah 2:12 neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem:

The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant. Psalm25:14

Books

I am picking out a stack of books from my own bookshelves to read.

I buy alot of books, many online, Amazon, Ebay, but I also buy books from thrift stores and used book stores. I look for the oldest rattiest looking spines and find old treasures about Christ and religion, marriage and family.

I have found that most non fiction books written after the 50s and 60s are mainly self help, while many books written before that era are truly about helping and esteeming others. More about Christ and His character within us instead of how we can get Him to conform to our image.

Seriously think about it. So much of what is written in our modern times is about I,ME,MY. So any way here is my stack that I would like to read soon.

What are you reading? Leave me a comment, I would love to know.

Makeup

1Ti 2:9
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;

I love the Strong's concordance explanation of the word shamefacedness in this scripture. I think it sums up perfectly why I don't wear makeup. 1) a sense of shame or honour, modesty, bashfulness, reverence, regard for others, respect.

I particularly love the part about regarding and respecting others. I don't wear makeup because I have regard and respect for others. I don't want to draw attention to myself. I don't want to gain the attention of a man who is not mine. I don't want to say "Hey look at me, I'm dressing up this decaying flesh", the very thing God has instructed us to deny. This root word aidōs for shamefacedness actually means reverence (Godly fear) in another scripture.

We should always remember that our standards don't make us holy....they help to make others holy. We lay down our lives and our selves even in this area of facial boldness...so that others may*live*. We don't want to tempt others. To draw attention with red lips and purple eyelids.

The Bible tells us clearly to be modest and shamefaced which literally means with downcast eyes. Makeup says look at me. Look at my eyes. Makeup makes the features bold and sensualizes. When you are writing a post or sending an email and you want to really make a point you make the important words BOLD. Now if you really want to make your point you make it bold and red.Cosmetics do the same thing. Meek and quiet spirits generally dont wear red lipstick.

You know one of the beautiful things about regarding others is that when we do, we in turn are respected. I think a woman who chooses to carefully consider others even in this area of makeup are often in turn more respected than a woman who has no regard for others.

Modesty

Men are visual. God made them that way and therefore in a spirit of Christian love and service to our fellow brethren we should cover up.

Nothing screams *I'm legalistic and I could care less about others* more than a woman in a tight skirt and sweater. That is a woman who went down the checklist and though still*legal* has lost the spirit of God in the conviction. The conviction has become nothing more than a religious TRADITION. There is no love in tempting others.

Matt 5:28But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Notice the *with her* in this scripture. She is not innocent but is part of the adultery when she puts herself in a place that causes a man to lust after her.

Dressing modestly does not make us holy. It does not save us. Hes not impressed with our religious efforts. He does however command us set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Tim 4:12

Homeschool Socializatin Program

DISCLAIMER: Please if you attend a public school or your children do, don't think I am trying to bash you or your choices. I found this little article to be hilarious and unfortunately familiar to my own public school experience. I understand that all schools and all children are different.

Australian homeschooling journal, --"In the Kolbe Little Home Journal (Fall 2005), "Homeschooling Family Finds Ways to Adapt to a Public School 'Socialization' Program",


"When my wife and I mention we are strongly considering home schooling our children, we are without fail asked, 'But what about socialization?--' Fortunately, we found a way our kids can receive the same socialization that government schools provide.

On Mondays and Wednesdays, I will personally corner my son in the bathroom, give him a wedgie and take his lunch money.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, my wife will make sure to tease our children for not being in the 'in' crowd, taking special care to poke fun at any physical abnormalities.

Fridays will be 'Fad and Peer Pressure Day.' We will all compete to see who has the coolest phone, the most expensive clothes, and the loudest, fastest, and most dangerous car.

Every day, my wife and I will adhere to a routine of cursing and swearing in the hall and mentioning our weekend exploits with alcohol and immorality.And we have asked them to report us to the authorities in the event we mention faith, religion, or try to bring up morals and values."

Characer Training

Integrity,love,service,compassion,wisdom. All of these traits are much more important than math or science and yet there is no character training going on in our public school systems and very little character training going on in most homes today. Prov22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go...

What will come in handier the ability to control ourselves, our lusts and passions through out life or Algebra? Please dont misunderstand, certainly academics are important. Perhaps my sons will attend college and pursue a career in Bio-physical-chemical-engineering. Thats good and that will make a lot of money but if they could be engineers who know how to love and serve that would be better.
1 Cor 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way...


Character is not inherently present within us. No one is born longing to lay down their life. The exact opposite is the case. We are all born totally selfish. It is our goal as a parent to extract that *me* focus out of our children and insert an awareness and even a preference for others.
Romans 12:10Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring
one another;

A couple of practical ways to teach our children to serve.

• Volunteer to deliver Meals on Wheels. The kids do all the work. You simply drive the car.
• Read biographies about people who served and loved others.
• Call, make cards or food for shut-ins or new moms.
• Have alot of children, this builds character wether we like it or not.
• Submit to your husband.
• Dont cater to wants. Stick to practical needs. (Personal note to self....remember this one..you hypocrite).
• Wake up early.
• Read and study the Proverbs. My son..........
  
  
  

Meekness

I looked up MEEKNESS in the STRONGS concordance and this is one of the explanations I found.

Meekness toward God is that disposition of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting. In the OT, the meek are those wholly relying on God rather than their own strength to defend against injustice. Thus, meekness toward evil people means knowing God is permitting the injuries they inflict, that He is using them to purify His elect, and that He will deliver His elect in His time (Isa 41:17, Luk 18:1-8). Gentleness or meekness is the opposite to self-assertiveness and self-interest. It stems from trust in God's goodness and control over the situation. The gentle person is not occupied with self at all. This is a work of the Holy Spirit, not of the human will (Gal 5:23).

False Humility

1 Corinthians, 4:3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear…

I'm too proud. Too self centered. Too selfish.

So I used to try to counter my own pride with alot of false humility I say false because fixing our focus on anything but Him is not humble and I was constantly trying to beat myself down into humility.

This is a trick we all fall for. We know we are human. Too human. We know we need Him desperately so what do we do? We look to self to fix the problem. We become introspective which is just another way for the enemy to get us to take our eyes off of Him and place them in our own navels. Discouraging isn't it? This rotten flesh is so discouraging. The enemy knows this, and if he cant get us to fall into blatant sin he will try to get us to focus on saving ourselves.



Galations 6:14 But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Desperate

Just thinking about some of the desperate people in the Bible who got an answer from God. Well really more than an answer. Ive heard it said that everybody gets an answer to every prayer. It just may be "no"...or "not now"....or "yes but not how you thought"....or "Id like to do that but you don't care much so either do I".......Back to the people I want to focus on ....All these desperate people received a blessing.....a good answer,a positive answer. And then some. Many got more than they asked for. Much more.

God always answers, its just seems that many times His answer is directly commensurate to the passion of our request. Not only do we often get just *what* we ask for. Many times we get answers in relation to *how* we ask for it. Desperate prayers move God.

The woman with the issue of blood was desperate enough to push her way through a crowd and despite the rebuke of the disciples touch the hem of His garment.

The 4 friends of the man sick of the palsy were desperate enough to climb on the roof and tear up tiles to lower their friend down. They were rewarded not only with healing but forgiveness of sins.

Blind Bartemeaus was desperate enough to cry out to Jesus and when told to hush he cried out all the more.

David was desperate enough to dance before God and when shamed by his wife he danced even harder.

Jacob was so desperate he would not let God go until HE blessed him.

Zacchaeus was so desperate to see Jesus he climbed up in a tree. He was rewarded with a personal meeting with the Master.

The lady who was tormented day and night was so desperate she wearied the unjust judge until he gave in.

The centurion was so desperate for God to heal his son he believed Jesus only needed to speak the word....this desperate faith shocked even Jesus!

Gen 32:26 "I won't let you go until you bless me."

JOY

Jesus

Others

Yourself

Ever seen this acrostic? Simple really. I often remind my kids about it in Sunday School. What does JOY stand for? They all know. Jesus first, Others next, and Yourself last. So simple and yet so profound. The ironic thing about living out this little play on words is that when we truly live for Him and others it ultimately is very rewarding to us. God didnt choose us just so we could occupy a seat on the pew. God wants to bless us so that we may bless Him and others.

Genisis 12:2 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing.

Zech 8:13O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you that you may become a blessing.

More Righteous Than the Pharisees

Matt 5:20 Except your righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Remember the Pharisees took pride in the outward appearance of Holiness and yet they had impure hearts. They adhered to many Biblical and even *extra Biblical* regulations but neglected the inside of the cup. They prayed in public,tithed,preached hard,and even wore long robes (sound familiar) but Jesus rebuked them openly and vehemently.

We can be like the Pharisees and wear the uniform. We can conform to the strictest standards. We can preach,pray and fast more than any one else. We can go down the checklist and check every box, but if we dont count it all dung then we are just a bunch of hypocrites. (Paul and Jesus didnt mince words did they?)

God hates it when we try to steal the glory only He can provide. Nothing we can do will ever be holy enough to impress Him. No amount of prayer,fasting,holy dressing,tithing could ever earn our righteousness. He alone is Holy.


Phil 3:9And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Husbands Authority

The authority that God has placed upon our husbands is great. There is much said in the Bible about how Gods dominion is set up and certainly the man of the house has alot of responsibility. I wonder though why we don't hear much about it and I also wonder why so many homes are lopsided.

I once heard a very wise Titus 2 Type older woman tell me that really it was not the husbands responsibility to put his family under subjection but rather it was a choice the family has to make usually started and modeled by the wife. Makes sense doesn't it?

I see so many miserable marriages and I think this blurring of the roles plays a big part in the misery. Did you know that there is alot more said about the authority of a man than there is about the authority of a Pastor and yet we elevate our Pastors into gods and devalue our husbands until they feel like second class citizens.

Don't get me wrong I love my Pastor and honestly he is the one who has pointed this out to us and has started to try to place the authority of the husband back in the home. He claims he preaches to men and he expects the men to then come home and share with their families. It works. Its Biblical and its almost unheard of today. That a husband would actually be the spiritual leader of the home.

I know alot of ladies think that they didn't marry a leader but really just about all men are leaders they may simply need some willing followers.

1 COR 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

Tolerance

Ever notice how political correctness and tolerance promote and accept anything and everything *except* Christianity?


To tolerate means to *put up with* even if you don't agree with. However that is not the Tolerance Gospel being preached today. O no it isn't. Tolerance is a nice subtle way of saying *APPROVAL* and even *ADMIRATION*.


The *spirit* behind the Tolerance agenda is an evil one. One that says if we don't love and embrace sin and all its evil then we are just bigots. Post modern tolerance doesn't really mean to endure even if we dont condone it means that a persons bad behavior is part of who that person is therefore we cant disapprove.

Charity never fails. Tolerance does.

Listening

It is so very hard to engage our children's hearts. Hard for me anyway. Hard to be truly interested in Tonka trucks and dress up dolls. Hard to get up out of myself and my interest and serve my little's with sincere interest and attention.

My 11 year old loves science. This morning while I was boiling water to make his oatmeal he started to explain to me that steam is an invisible gas that turns back into water as it cools... Just between you and me I don't care much about the complexities of steam, however I care deeply about my son and therefore I stopped everything and participated in a long conversation about steam.

I am hoping and praying that if I care about steam when he is 11 he will trust that I care about life choices when he is 16.


Psalm 139:1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.

Unselfish Faith

Faith is not believing God will heal us and bring us through. Faith is not thinking He will say yes to our prayer requests. Faith is not knowing that our *own* victory is just around the corner. Faith is not believing God is going to heal,save,deliver and bless. In fact Im starting to think faith is the exact opposite.

Perhaps faith is knowing that things will not be *ok*. God may indeed choose to allow suffering. He may take my loved one. God may never deliver me from this besetting sin. God may give me chronic pain. God may use tremendous suffering as the agent that brings His will to pass.....and yet God is still in control. His kingdom is coming and it hurts.

Life is hard and it may get worse. We may never *enter in* and yet He is in control. He is ultimately victorious. He is working out His will not mine. His pleasure may not please me at all. In fact Im pretty sure that things that please Him often seemingly hurt me. Faith is resisting the self centered prayers and aspirations that cushion my life. Faith is enduring the Cross even though we, like Him, despise it.

Now thats faith.

Hebrew 11:13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance.