What Are You Wearing?

Jen in Red Coat (Photo credit: Dr Stephen Dann)

My four-year-old granddaughter Jen is very picky about her wardrobe. Most days she goes along with what her mother gives her to wear, but if it's something she doesn't like, Jen throws a fit.

In our modern society, appearance counts for a lot, so most of us are like Jen. We are very particular about how we present ourselves in public. But are we as concerned about how we appear to God spiritually? In the Bible, the Apostle Paul gives some pointers on what our spiritual attire should look like.

...that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. 26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4: 22 - 32.

Here Paul takes us to his boutique and shows us what is not becoming to us as children of God - bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice (v 31). These are the things that grieve the Holy Spirit.

And he gives us a new wardrobe consisting of -  righteousness, holiness, truth, work, kindness, tenderheartedness and  forgiveness. 

So, what does your wardrobe look like? Are you ready for a makeover? Read this chapter of Ephesians then ask God to help you put on the wardrobe that pleases Him.

 

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What Do You Do While Driving?

Woman applying cosmetics to her lips. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One of the cards in the game Outburst has a header that reads Things People Do While Driving. Players have to come up with ten things that people usually do while driving. Answers range from listening to music to putting on makeup. (Texting was not yet invented.) Recently, while on my way to work, my lips felt dry. I never have time to put on much makeup before leaving the house on mornings, so I reached into my purse for my lip gloss. Before I could find it, the light changed and I had to move on. Okay, I thought, next light. Once again, the light changed before I could find my lip gloss. After that, I had the green light all the way.

Then it occurred to me, when was the last time I praised the Lord outside of church. I began to sing praise songs. Soon I was enjoying myself so much, I forgot about my lips being dry. My praise continued even on to the highway. I did not feel stressed as I usually do about the traffic and I arrived at work feeling calm and refreshed.

Praise is mentioned many times in the Bible. From the Old Testament to the New, God's people have known the value of praise. They praised God when He delivered them from their enemies (Deuteronomy 10 : 21) and they praised Him before they faced their enemies (2 Chronicles 20 : 21).  In the New Testament, when Paul and Silas were captured and thrown into prison, the Bible says, "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed , and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.  And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken : and immediately all the doors were opened , and every one's bands were loosed" (Acts 16: 25 - 26) .

Are you in need of deliverance? Are you seeking God's guidance or help in something you are about to do? Do you need power to fight your spiritual battles? Or, are you simply thankful for all He has done for you. Then open your mouth and praise Him. The psalmist said, "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth" (Psalm 34:1).

So, what do you do while driving? If you have a long, boring or stressful drive everyday, try praising God and see what happens. He will come alongside you, remove the stress and take you safely to your destination. Below is a video to help you get started.



And you can order it here:

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Go Bake Some Cookies

Jan and I made some vegan chocolate chip cookies last night. Despite the fact that the dough was a bit crumbly, they turned out great! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I read about this lady who was feeling very sorry for herself. Everything seemed to be going wrong in her life - physically, emotionally and spiritually. So this good lady went to a wise woman in her neighborhood to pour out her sorrows. The wise woman listened to her for a while, then interrupted her with, "Go bake some cookies."

Our friend was like, "Huh?"

The woman repeated what she'd said. So our friend went home and baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies. Her task completed, she looked at the sweets.

"Now, what am I going to do with all these cookies? I can't eat all this."

She packed the cookies in a box and went and distributed them throughout the neighborhood. One woman bit into it. "Hmm, this is delicious. Thank you so much!" Others had similar comments. When our friend saw the happy expressions on everyone's faces, she also felt happy. She returned to the wise woman and told her, "You know, I couldn't understand why you told me to go and bake cookies. But after I saw how happy my cookies made those people, I no longer feel sorry for myself. I realize that when I do something for others I'm helping myself also. What goes around comes around."

Elijah said pretty much the same thing as the wise woman to the widow woman of  Zarephath. When Elijah asked her to bake him a cake she replied, "As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die " (1 Kings 17: 12). 
Do you see self-pity in those words?

But Elijah persuaded her to do as he asked, and the Bible says, "...and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. 16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah" (v 15-16).

So, are you feeling sorry for yourself? Go, bake some cookies! 

He's Right There With You

The Four Men in the Fiery Furnace. Три отрока в пещи огненной (Четвертый - это архангел Михаил) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Last month my pastor began a series on the book of Daniel, and even though I've read the book many times before, the story still fascinates me. In case you don't know about Daniel, he was one of a number of Hebrew slaves taken into captivity by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Right away, Daniel and his three friends Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego distinguished themselves by refusing to eat the rich food that was put before them. They opted instead for vegetables and water. (Daniel 1: 8 - 16).

Later, Daniel interpreted one of the king's dreams - a dream that troubled the king so much that he vowed to put his own wise men to death if they couldn't interpret it. Daniel, who had been blessed by God with the gift of interpreting was the only one able to interpret the dream. The wise men's lives were spared and Daniel and his friends were promoted.

One would think that after all the favor the Hebrew young men received from the king, they would obey whatever he asked of them without question. But no. When the king made a decree that everyone must bow down to his image when the signal was given, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow. The king became angry and ordered them bound and thrown into the fiery furnace. But to the amazement of the king and all his officers, they saw Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego walking about loosed in the fire. But that was not all. King Nebuchadnezzar observed, " Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.  He answered and said , Lo, I see four men loose , walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God" (3: 24 - 25).

The king then called the men out upon whose bodies the fire had no power , nor was an hair of their head singed , neither were their coats changed , nor the smell of fire had passed on them(v 27). The king was forced to acknowledge that "there was no other god that can deliver after this sort" (v 29). 

We may not go through a literal fiery furnace like these three Hebrew men did, but our trials and sufferings may be so severe we feel like we are in a fiery furnace. Just know this: God is right there with you, just as He was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. But you must call out to Him, trust Him and He will deliver you. 

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Just a reminder that the virtual book tour for my book Women For All Seasons kicks off tomorrow here. If you leave a comment on the blog, your name will be entered into a drawing to win a free print copy of the book, postage paid, anywhere in the United States.  Remember, you can always purchase a copy of the book from Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Women-All-Seasons-Biblical-Examples/dp/1432760424/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381092393&sr=1-5&keywords=women 
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