To Be Called Beautiful

Almost every little girl I know wants to be called beautiful by their daddy. As little girls we want to be our daddy’s little princess. We will put on our cutest dress and play make-up and add our little crown. “Daddy, don’t I look pretty?” little girls will say. At such a young age we may not clearly know what beauty is defined as but we want to be it to our daddy. Then as we enter into our teenage years and beyond we want to be beautiful to those around us. We want others to see us not just pretty but something to be desired by men. We want to be wanted. Even in my walk with God I have found myself wanting to be called beautiful by my Daddy. Reading through scripture has brought me hope of becoming beautiful in the sight of my Father.

”...let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” I Peter 3:4

As women we will do whatever it takes to be beautiful by worldly standards. Within the extremes we starve ourselves to be thin, then once we are thin we need new clothes so we buy new clothes to fit in with what is hot and young, once we have the clothes we need the haircut, after the haircut we realize we need the phone and the car and the shoes to match the clothes. We realize that keeping up with the beautiful people around us is almost a full-time job. We will end up spending our energy, money, and time on being beautiful. But here is the kicker, God’s word which is holy and perfect says we are to “let (our) adorning be the hidden person (in) the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious”. Did you catch that? Our beauty is what is within us. So all the old ladies at church were right… it is not what is outside but what is on the inside. Not only that but it is “very precious” in the sight of God. So we have let the world tell us a big fat lie! Yes, I just called the world and it is no joke! Our beauty is not merely skin deep, it goes much deeper than that.

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” Romans 10:15

Scripture also tells us that we are beautiful when we take the gospel to the lost. Right before this verse it says “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” (verses 14-15). God finds us beautiful when we are working for Him. When we are laboring in the fields, with sweat dripping, no make-up on, in our dirty work clothes, God finds us beautiful. Our Father finds us the prettiest when we do not try to be this outwardly beautiful person yet when we are working hard for Him with our beauty hidden within our gentle and quiet spirit, we are His beautiful daughters.

Now, do not get me wrong… I do not expect you to find a husband being dirty and filthy all the time so if that is what you are looking for, know that I am no match maker. But, what I am saying is if we are looking to the Lord and seeing His beauty and He sees ours, we are far better off than spending bunches of money on beauty products and new clothes and such. God is perfect and has perfect timing. He will provide a significant other in right timing if He so desires. He may have you single for the rest of your life, who knows… well, He does but you know what I mean. Sisters, I urge you to keep on pressing closer to Christ. Trust in Him and know He is good. He is faithful. You are beautiful!!

Becoming an Extraordinary Woman

The 'extraordinary' women in the Bible "aren't memorable solely because of their physical beauty, their natural abilities, their personal accomplishments, or some position they attained. Not one of them distinguished herself through a great career, some worldly accomplishment, or anything that would even stand out in the eyes of a cultural observer. All of them were basically modest, in every sense of the word - as 'is proper for women professing godliness' (I Tim 2:10)".
John MacArthur, Twelve Extraordinary Women

Recently I read the book Twelve Extraordinary Women by John MacArthur. MacArthur went through scripture and discussed Eve, Sarah, Rahab, Ruth, Hannah, Mary (mother of Jesus), Anna, the Samaritan woman, Martha and Mary, Mary Magdalene, and Lydia. It opened my eyes to what Biblical Womanhood looks like. "If these twelve women teach us anything, it is to center our lives, our faith, and our perspective of the future on Christ and Christ alone." Being a woman I think about marriage, admit it...you do to. MacArthur gave some great truth about these women. "Did you notice that not one of our twelve extraordinary women is noteworthy exclusively because of whom she was married to? These women did not derive their identities or their reputations solely from their husbands." Most of the women he covered in his book were not even married at the time of their extraordinary faith. Eve and Sarah were the only two who were married at the point of the story in which we encountered them. All of the rest were either single, widowed, betrothed, or in the case of the Samaritan woman, living with a man whom she was not married to.

These women were normal women. They had daily tasks and lives they led. They were all sinful, just as we are. The neat thing is, we can be considered extraordinary to God just like these women. Each of them were known for the faith they had in God. As I read through scripture I see that I am not supposed to be worldly or covet worldly things. It is hard sometimes to see what I am supposed to be like when everything around me screams "covet me", "dress like me", "lose 25 lbs like me", "drive a brand new car like me", "date guys that look like movie stars", ... It is so hard to ignore the things of the world when we are constantly surrounded by it. Yet, Lydia who was wealthy was considered to be extraordinary for her faith in Christ. She didn't care about the money or about any of those things. She cared about making Christ's name known in the world around her. Her whole household (it was unknown if she was married or not so this could have been servants and such) came to know Christ. They were all baptized with her in the river. She had struggles too, just like we do. We may not have been told of them, but she was human so we know she had issues too. Lydia's story alone holds so much that you would have to read what I could write about her in parts.

These women were women of faith. They were also women of love. They each loved God and recognized Him as the Almighty, Eternal God of Heaven. From looking at these women's lives it is obvious that women who are being raised up in Him are to be like they are. Now, do not think I am saying in order to be a Christian it is a requirement to do these things. We know that in coming to know Jeuse Christ we will be transformed and made more like Him. Thus our desires will change. We will desire to have faith in Him and we will desire to love Him above all else. These women very obviously displayed that. They desired to put Christ before everything else in their lives. This was not something they were forced to do to retain a religious status. They genuinely loved Christ and expressed it outwardly to others by displaying faith, love, hope, ... (Galatians 5:25).

These women did not consider themselves extraordinary. For the most part they considered others greater than themselves (you should check out their stories in scripture). So from their lives I have concluded, being an extraordinary women requires a genuine love for God and submitting your whole life to Him. He loved you enough to die for you, so what makes you think He loves you any less now then He did then?

A Life Worth Dying For

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. -- Philippians 1: 21
If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. --John 15:18
...and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. -- Matthew 10:22

Last night I went to see a movie with some friends and some people we have been trying to minister to. The movie is about this guy who is willing to die for the honor of his country and his family. He wanted to restore his family's name and bring honor to his country. It made me start thinking about what is truly worth dying for. I have, as you too probably, heard the phrase "I would die for" or "I would kill for" this or that. Most of those people are just expressing how much they would love to have something. But that phrase, if we really disect it makes for a dangerous thing to say. We will use body image for this little example. There are girls who will say "I would kill to have her body" or "I would die to be a size 2, like (insert name of the size 2 girl you know here)". There are really girls who nearly kill themselves trying to become a size 2. Then when they hit a size 2, they are not small enough and they want to try for a 0 or a 00. Then they have to fight to stay that tiny. Here is another example for us as girls. As women we desire to be beautiful and have things that make us look and feel more beautiful. But sometimes that causes us to start trying to keep up with the Jones' and we end up in more trouble than we realize. Hearing girls say they would die or kill for a designer bag that is $800 is a little sad. Watching girls go into debt because they want to have the latest trend or the hottest fashion to feel better about themselves. They do not kill others nor do they nearly kill themselves physically. They are probably killing their credit, though.

Are those things really worth all the trouble? Is it really worth all the physical pain and the emotional stress? Honestly, according to scripture, no it is not worth it. Christ calls us to be satisfied in Him. He wants us to make His name known. According to scripture, making His name known is worth dying for. Christ has commanded us to know Him, make Him known, make disciples of all the nations, baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teach them. He wants us to work for Him and not the things of this world. Showy cars and hand bags and being able to fit into a size 0 are not worth the time. One thing God has been teaching me lately is I would much rather be hated here on this earth for trying to make His name known than die and get to heaven and have the blood of others on my hands. God has put people in our lives for a reason. Things are not by chance, not fate, not luck, not anything other than the divine appointment from an Almighty God. Our purpose in this world is not to be the coolest thing to ever touch the face of the planet. We are called to be aliens. Weird huh?! Scripture says that those who follow Christ will be treated as Christ was. Guess what, Christ was hated. He was not only hated but He was beaten and brutally murdered. This is not to say that everyone who is walking with God will be brutally murdered. But we will be looked down upon, especially if we are living radically for the gospel to be proclaimed among the nations.

In David Platt's book Radical he asks several convicting questions. "Are we willing to obey the orders of Christ? Are we wiling to be like Him? Are we willing to risk our lives to go to great need and to great danger -- whether it's in the inner cities around us, the difficult neighbor across the street, the disease-ridden communities in Africa, or the hostile regions in the Middle East? Are we willing to fundamentally alter our understanding of Christianity from a luxurious lifestyle to the life style of soldiers that forsake comforts in the world to accomplish an eternally significant task and achieve an eternally satisfying reward?" Is your current lifestyle justifiable before Almighty God? Are you willing to be considered a stranger to your family for the name of Christ? A "freak" in your workplace? Or even a variety of other names to the lost world around you?

Christ came and lived 33 years on this earth to provide you and me an opportunity for salvation. For that very purpose He shed His blood. He died to save you. Are you willing to give back to Him for what He gave you?

Growing Where We Are Planted

"...Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow;" Matthew 6:28

This passage in Matthew is talking about trusting God in all things. Yet, today reading My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers something popped out at me. Chambers says, about the lilies, "They grow where they are planted. Many of us refuse to grow where God plants us." He later ties it to the question: "Am I (or are we) continually separating myself and looking to God every day of my life?" For some reason reading that was a completely new thought or analogy or way of thinking about it. We are just like those lilies. God has planted things exactly where He wants them. When He created the garden of Eden He didn't have Adam plant things, He planted them. Adam didn't have to plant or toil or labor until after sin came into the world. That is a completely different topic for a different post. :)

God has planted the lilies of the valley exactly where He wants them. So what makes us think any different about ourselves? God has placed us in a prime location. You or I may not think of it as anything because it may be some place you have been in one place for so long. Or maybe even you are in a new place and know next to no one. God has you right where He wants you. This is not to say you are never ever to move from the location you are in. No ma'am! I would never tell you that. God gives leading to people to stay or go. So if God has you where He wants you geographically (hehe) what is the task at hand? Well, at this point if you know me or if you read my other posts you know what is coming. We have been given a very divine task. It is the task of sharing. We are not to share just anything, but the very thing that could save people's lives. Let me put it in simple terms and then we will go from there.

Think about children playing in a play room or on a playground together. As children we are naturally selfish, this is because we were born into sin (once again...different topic for a different post). Children do not often willingly share their toys at first. They have to be taught how to share. They have to be taught how to even have the simple desire to share. So it doesn't come naturally for us to desire to share. We do not desire to share anything: toys, money, cars, space, ... the gospel. If a child of man has to be taught how to share then what is different for the children of God? Absolutely nothing (well within the aspects of teaching, ha!). He has to mold us and shape us and teach us how to share and how to even have a desire to do so. He wants us to make the most of our time in the field He has planted us in.

The neat thing about flowers is they cross pollenate AND they can be uprooted and moved and still flourish in the new location. Although God may have planted you in a po-dunk town in the middle of no where or even in a huge metropolis ... He has you there for a reason. Look around and see how many people are without Him. See the effects of sin on the world. The effects are all around us. Most diseases seem to have stemmed from sinful behavior. Prisons had to be opened because of this. The list could go on forever, and I will spare you. Just know that there is a purpose for you working the seemingly dead end job or going to school for what seems like no reason at all. He has a reason for you being single, married, or widowed. He has you right where He wants you. Let Him do a work in you as you seek Him out to become more like Him.

Live your life radically for Him. I dare you.

I Am Who God Says I Am

Often times we forget who God says we are, this is such a good reminder that we are not only His but we are forever His.

Here is a sweet article about who He says we are if we are in Him. Also, here is the weblink if you would like to find more helpful articles from this author:

I am a child of God John 1: 12
I am a joint-heir with Christ Romans 8: 17
I am the righteousness of God in Christ. 2 Cor.5: 21
I am the temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor. 6: 19
I am the apple of His eye. Zec.2: 8
I am an ambassador for Christ. 2 Cor.5: 20
I am free from condemnation Romans 8: 1
I am more than a conqueror Romans 8: 17
I am the salt of the earth. Mathew 5: 13
I am the light of the world Mathew 5: 14 & Eph. 5: 8
I am a member of the household of faith Gal.6 :10
I am a branch of the True Vine John 15: 5
I am the will of God James 1: 8
I am in the palm of the Lord’s Hand Isa. 49: 16
I am covered by the shadow of His Hand Isa. 51: 6
I am loved by God as much as He loves Jesus John 17:23
I am in God’s Hand and none can pluck me out John10:28
I am delivered from sin Romans 6: 7
I am free from weaknesses and diseases. Matt.8: 17
I am complete in Him. Col.2: 10
I am translated into the kingdom of God’s Son.Col.1:13 I am delivered from the power of darkness Col. 1: 13
I am accepted in Him Eph. 1: 6
I am dead to sin and alive to God in Christ.Rom.6:11
I am seated in heavenly places in Christ. Eph. 2: 6
I am redeemed from the curse of the law. Gal. 3: 13
I am in Christ. 1 Cor. 1: 30
I am hidden with Christ in God. Col. 3: 3

This revelation of God concerning me is found in His Holy Word. Sense knowledge (the knowledge gained through seeing, hearing, smelling, touching and tasting) and my varying circumstances may not reveal the same and in reality contradict this revelation, but when I stand on the naked Word of God alone, God confirms His Word.

I am the daughter of the Almighty God through Jesus Christ, His Son. Chosen before the foundation of the world to be His witness in this world and to do His will for His glory. My Heavenly Father promised to lead, guide and provide all the days of my life.

I am the Lord’s ambassador in this world. God by His Spirit indwells me and now I am His Temple. My relationship with the Lord is real and it is a privilege to know Him, love Him and serve Him!! Praise His wonderful Name!

Heaven's Free Pass and Mixed Up Theology

Many professing Christians have come to the conclusion that if certain people around the world don't have the opportunity to hear about Jesus, then this automatically excuses them from God's condemnation. Such people will go to heaven because, after all, they never had the opportunity to hear about Jesus.
- Radical by David Platt

Before you start jumping to conclusions like I did, please keep on reading. Reading through this book has made me rethink some things. One of which is mentioned in the quote above. Most of us as professing Christians live our lives as if those who never hear about Christ get a free pass to heaven. Ok, so you may be thinking I am crazy for saying that, but think about how you live your life. Living as a professing Christian is not just piece of our lives, it IS our lives. We are to "cease the day" so to speak. Christ has called us to know Him and make Him known. So the two key elements to following Him involve Him. If you have a job, attend a school, go to the grocery store, rent movies, go to the library, go out to eat, or anything else you are going to realize you are around people. Not just that, most of your life is spent around other people. God has given you the job you have. He has given you the health you have to go to the grocery store. He has given you the money you have to go out and eat. He has given you everything you have. When you go to work, you are around people. Do you know if the people you work with know Christ? Say you know that some of them do know Christ, what about the others? Are you using the job you have to bring glory to God? Are you using it to make Him known to others? These questions can be applied to anything and anywhere you go.

God has given me a unique opportunity to work around a few godly students (and non-students). He has also given me a unique opportunity to work around over 1,000 students from over 70 countries. Do you want to know how many of those students know Christ as their personal savior? My best guess is less than 5% percent of them. Want to know how many of them have heard Christ's name in an evangelical conversation? Probably close to 150 of them. Yes, about 10% or a little higher students have heard the gospel because of the different ministries and other professing Christians on the campus. This is very exciting. But it makes me very sad for the other 950+ students, and counting. Going back to the quote above. If we were to just go about our lives, as we often do, and ignore the other people around us we are not really making use of the space or the "sphere of influence" God has given us. We pretty much tend to live as if people who never hear about Christ get a free pass to heaven. What kind of mixed up theology is that?! We are watching people send themselves to hell because we do not realize how urgent the matter really is. If we truly understood the urgency of salvation we would not just let those we encounter escape our sight without sharing the gospel with them, or however much of the gospel they allow us to share.

Imagine encountering an international student newly arrived on a college campus in the U.S. You ask her if she has ever hear of Jesus, and with a puzzled look on her face, she responds, "No." Now, if this girl is headed to heaven precisely because she has never heard about Jesus, then the best thing you could say to her for the sake of her eternity is, "If anyone tries to tell you about Jesus, just put your hands on your ears, start yelling very loudly, and run away." Obviously this particular methodology is not prescribed in Scripture.

As funny as this is, we kind of live like this. I hate to admit it, but I am going to, I sadly do this almost everyday. Students will come into the office and opportunity may arise for me to discuss this matter with them and I willingly let it slide by. So why exactly am I writing this? To repent and start something new! I also want to encourage anyone who reads this to pour out everything Christ has poured into them onto others. The way God gave me the job I currently have is a constant reminder that I am to be spreading His name and not trying to make mine great.

My deepest desire for my life is to be able to move to a different country (or countries) to share Christ with lost. Yet, if there is a plethora of lost here (domestic and foreign) I want to share with them until God gives me the green light to move. My desire for those following Christ around me is to see them sharing the gospel with others around them. We all have a pool of people that need to know Christ. Are we willing to step out there and share with them? Are we going to continue living as if those who never hear the gospel in the remotest parts of the jungles in Indonesia are going to get a free pass because they have never heard of our Savior? I beg you to seek God and ask Him to show you who does not know Christ around you. God has allowed you to be around the people you are not so you can tip-toe around the gospel but so that He can use you to be bold for His name's sake. Here is the beautiful thing about all of this is you do not have to have a catch phrase or even write a book. You do not even have to know the whole Bible from cover to cover. You just have to trust God and know that He will use you if you are asking Him to. Here is an example. There are two things I really enjoy doing cooking and dancing. God has allowed me to use both of those things to be around women who do not know Christ. He allows me to be around women who either want to learn how to do those things or who enjoy doing them too. God has given you particular interests and talents for a reason. He wants you to use them for His glory and honor and to further His kingdom. So, are you using what He has given you to further His kingdom or are you using it to further yours? Do not let another person come in and out of your life without sharing what Christ has done for, not only you, but for them as well. Do not get stuck in the mindset that they are going to get a free pass if they have never heard of Him. Step up and step out to share the Gospel.

Occupational Hazard

Over the past couple of days I have been watching several movies. This is quite out of character for me, I am not one to sit in front of the T.V. for hours and hours. However, recently I have had my wisdom teeth taken out. So to pass the time by I have been watching movies. To be honest I have watched about 8 movies in the past 3 days. That is right... wow!
Well, one of the movies was Prince of Egypt, it is a personal favorite from my childhood. Anyway, I am babbling but have a point. While watching the Prince of Egypt I noticed many things, but one of the biggest that stuck out to me this time was near the middle/end of the movie. Moses said, "Pharaoh has the power. He can take away your food, your home, your freedom. He can take away your sons and daughters. With one word, Pharaoh can take away your very lives. But there is one thing he cannot take away from you: your faith. Believe, for we will see God's wonders." This made me think about my own job. God has allowed me to work with international students for the past two years. I have been so afraid to live radically for Christ for fear of losing my job. Lately I have been convicted about this thought. No, I am not going to do anything stupid like stand on top of my office building yelling "turn or burn." I mean, God has given me this job for a reason. God has allowed me to be where I am to fulfill His purpose. My boss has the power to fire me from my job. He does not have the power to take away my faith.
Living in fear of the "what if's" and the "could be's" and so on is not going to get us/me anywhere. God's word tells us we are not to fear anyone but Him. The "Pharaoh's" in our lives seem to have so much power over us, yet we fail to see that God is bigger than anything else on this earth. He is the Creator. He is the Author of Life. He is the God of love, the God of hope, the God of salvation, He is the great I Am! There is nothing we can do to make God lose any power. He is the creator of power for heaven's sake! My fear of getting fired or of having my boss upset with me because I use my job as a platform to share the gospel, really is the least of my worries. God places us exactly where He wants us in His timing to do His will. He has told us our purpose is to know Him and make Him known. So my life goal is to know Him and make Him known in all that I do. Our lives are not to be sectioned off like a pie chart. When you look at a pie chart of your life you see what consumes most of your time. For example: work, friends, eating, sleeping, activities, etc. There are so many "compartments" in our lives it is easy for us to want to section them off. Yet, each of our compartments tend to spill over into each other. Our friends at work start becoming our friends outside of work. Our job ends up coming home with us at times. Our activities tend to include eating and friends and more. God is to be in every part of our lives. God is not a section or compartment of its own. He is the center point of each of our pie charts for our lives. He is the controller of each little area of our lives.
Even when we feel like us making Christ known could cause us to lose everything we have. We can remember that who or whatever our Pharaoh is in that situation cannot take away our faith. God promises to protect His children. He tells us in several places that His children will not be ashamed. Although we may be persecuted for our faith, we can stand strong knowing that God knows exactly what He is doing. Our persecutors can never take away our faith in God. How relieving?!