And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. (1Jn 5:14-15)
There are four aspects to devotional prayer. Someone created an acrostic that is very helpful in remembering all four aspects: A.C.T.S. "A" stands for "adoration"; "C" stands for "confession"; "T" stands for "thanksgiving," and "S" stands for "supplication."
When considering prayer "supplication" is what usually come to mind. Supplication is to humbly entreat or petition God. The paradox of partition in prayer is that He already knows what you will ask for, what you need, what He will and will not give you before you ask. Simply put, prayer is not about informing God about anything. As Jesus said, “your Father knows what things you have need of before you ask him.” So the question this raises is obvious: Why pray? Why go through this ritual? Beyond simple OBEDIENCE to God, beyond the PRIVILEGE of speaking to your heavenly Father and creator God of the universe, and beyond the fact that our prayers are a UTILITY in God’s plan and program, the ironic thing about supplication is that it is not about God being informed about you but about you being informed about God. In partitioning God the believer experiences the mind of God.
Prayer is not designed to change God’s mind; prayer is designed to bring the believer in line with God’s mind. John is clear on what we can be confident of God doing. Every believer has the right and privilege to finish his partition in confidence of what God’s immediate and present will is; because, he or she is experiencing it. The idea here is that having made one’s request known to God, the believer is to be satisfied in having done so, signified by his or her acceptance of what God has allowed in that moment. The answer may indeed be a yes, no, or not yet; however, the believer’s present position is God’s present prescription.
Should one continue to ask in repetition? The answer is yes without a doubt. Jesus said keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking. In the first recorded prayer in the bible Abraham prayed again and again until his heart was satisfied. Paul prayed three times that his thorn in the flesh be removed until God’s “no” soothed his heart as sufficient grace. Even Jesus, our greatest example of how to pray, prayed repeatedly in the Garden of Gethsemane until his human will to live was subdued by God’s will for him to die. That is the very point: fervent, effectual prayer brings us into concert with God’s will and yet quenches our desires with the satisfaction of His pleasure. It does not matter whether God grants one’s request or quenches one’s desire; both results in personal edification and His glory, which is the only proper goal of prayer.
Certainly this raises questions concerning verses that assert ideas such as, “He will give you the desires of your heart” or “ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” or “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them,” just to note a few. However, one only needs to observe such verses a bit closer to see the circular reasoning built into the statements. For instance, the “desires of your heart” is granted based on your delighting yourself in Him. The word “delight” is a term of passion or of the “heart”. Thus your heart’s desire is Him, and He promises to give you Him, which is in fact everything one needs. Or again, Jesus prefaces “ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” with “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you.” So what words are you using to ask? HIS WORDS! – Because those are the words that are in you and you are in Him or bound in and by parameters as Christ: doing nothing of your self but only what pleases the Father. Even, “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” is prefaced with “Have faith in God.” Obviously, this means “confidence” in God’s word, will, way, and work as the only proper context for our partition.
So these very statements, which are frequently hi-jacked as liberties to pursue our own will and pleasure, are really severe limitations on what God will and will not grant us. This is more wonderful than we can perceive. Paradoxically, this really is an infinite and eternal freedom. One might ask illustratively, is a train freer off its track or on its track. Free from its track, a train is both destructive and it self destroyed. However, on its track, it is free to function at its optimum. So it is with the believer praying in God’s will. As Paul put it, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man makes much available to the believer.” Much should not be understood as quantity but quality, which may or may not include quantity. God knows our heart and Jesus said one of the most merciful and gracious things I’ve ever heard about prayer, “Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” That is to say God will NEVER EVER give His children that which is useless (a stone) or harmful (a serpent). This idea here is literally, that God protects us from ourselves; because, we often ask for stones and serpents unknowingly. That is asking for things we don’t need or will be detrimental to us. Paul put it this way in another text, “We know not what we should pray for as we ought.” Isn’t it wonderful to know that prayer is safe, contrary to the false notions that God may give you something you should not have asked for. God not only gives us the privilege of prayer but the power of His protection in spite of our own propensities to make poor request.
Jesus does warn “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking” (Matthew 6:7.) We should look carefully at the warning; it is not about repetitious prayers, but repetitious words in a prayer. These words are vain and meaningless. WHY? They are vain and meaningless because the heathen thinks such will cause God to hear him. So the problem is not even the repetitious words themselves, but the false assumption about what the repetitious words will achieve. The bible, itself, is not void of repetitious prayers or repetitious words in prayer. The error is the assumption that one can manipulate God into doing what you want Him to do.
Our prayer requests never moves God, it just moves us to knowledge of God's will for us.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Confession in Prayer
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.)
There are four aspects to devotional prayer. Someone created an acrostic that is very helpful in remembering all four aspects: A.C.T.S. "A" stands for "adoration"; "C" stands for "confession"; "T" stands for "thanksgiving," and "S" stands for "supplication."
Intimacy is not only marked by the togetherness of fellowship but by the openness of fellowship, and therein forgiveness is dealt out and cleansing is carried out by God. Through confession in prayer the believer realizes the cleansing of God. It is made obvious by confession of sins that a person's heart is contrite, his or her intents are pure, and that he or she is working to put off all manner of bitterness, anger and malice; it would be dishonorable to do anything other than to forgive and restore one who is broken and shamed at his own failings. And what a word of guarantee found in John’s characterization of God: “He is faithful and just.”
Honesty about one's self, sins, struggles and solicitations is the very spindle of the prayer wheel. Jesus says, "When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret." He wants us to be all the way in secret from men, so we can be all the way open with God.
An old preacher was teaching a child to pray. After the child silently prayed for himself, the preacher asked him "Did you tell God everything?" He responded "Yes! I told God everything I wanted to tell him." The first surprise of secret prayer is the difficulty of specific and honest confession to God. The Second surprise of secret prayer is the stuff in your life that you are somewhat reluctant to ask God to take. Yes, you will find that there are some things that are even hard to tell God about you and some places in your life that you still wish to hold onto and keep God out of. The fact is pride even accompanies us into our secret prayer closet.
It is interesting that in Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well; he does not let her know what he knows until she confesses it. Our carnality makes it difficult to perceive the reality of God's omniscience. Obeying Him through confession allows us to experience His omniscience through divine confirmation. We must learn to be honest with the one we can never be dishonest with anyway, to own up to what He already knows about us, quit hiding among the trees, cease running from his presence, stop fearing his voice, take off the fig leaves, take off the front, take off the fraud, remove the mask, kill the cover up, and live naked and unashamed before Him.
John indicates that the admission of our sins always results in the righteous forgiveness and cleansing of all unrighteousness in accordance with the promise and character of God as his goal for the Christian is not destruction but deliverance, not condemnation but compassion, not to forsake us but to forgive us.
The old maxim says "Open confession is good for the soul." The sentiment of this verse is that fellowship is fostered through honest and open confession of sins as sin. Such confessional honesty is found resident in specifics, not generalities. You did not sin generally but specifically. One must walk the stairs of confession of his or her realized sins to the purifying presence and cleansing power of almighty God. Through confessional prayer God does all of the heavy lifting for you.
There are four aspects to devotional prayer. Someone created an acrostic that is very helpful in remembering all four aspects: A.C.T.S. "A" stands for "adoration"; "C" stands for "confession"; "T" stands for "thanksgiving," and "S" stands for "supplication."
Intimacy is not only marked by the togetherness of fellowship but by the openness of fellowship, and therein forgiveness is dealt out and cleansing is carried out by God. Through confession in prayer the believer realizes the cleansing of God. It is made obvious by confession of sins that a person's heart is contrite, his or her intents are pure, and that he or she is working to put off all manner of bitterness, anger and malice; it would be dishonorable to do anything other than to forgive and restore one who is broken and shamed at his own failings. And what a word of guarantee found in John’s characterization of God: “He is faithful and just.”
Honesty about one's self, sins, struggles and solicitations is the very spindle of the prayer wheel. Jesus says, "When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret." He wants us to be all the way in secret from men, so we can be all the way open with God.
An old preacher was teaching a child to pray. After the child silently prayed for himself, the preacher asked him "Did you tell God everything?" He responded "Yes! I told God everything I wanted to tell him." The first surprise of secret prayer is the difficulty of specific and honest confession to God. The Second surprise of secret prayer is the stuff in your life that you are somewhat reluctant to ask God to take. Yes, you will find that there are some things that are even hard to tell God about you and some places in your life that you still wish to hold onto and keep God out of. The fact is pride even accompanies us into our secret prayer closet.
It is interesting that in Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well; he does not let her know what he knows until she confesses it. Our carnality makes it difficult to perceive the reality of God's omniscience. Obeying Him through confession allows us to experience His omniscience through divine confirmation. We must learn to be honest with the one we can never be dishonest with anyway, to own up to what He already knows about us, quit hiding among the trees, cease running from his presence, stop fearing his voice, take off the fig leaves, take off the front, take off the fraud, remove the mask, kill the cover up, and live naked and unashamed before Him.
John indicates that the admission of our sins always results in the righteous forgiveness and cleansing of all unrighteousness in accordance with the promise and character of God as his goal for the Christian is not destruction but deliverance, not condemnation but compassion, not to forsake us but to forgive us.
The old maxim says "Open confession is good for the soul." The sentiment of this verse is that fellowship is fostered through honest and open confession of sins as sin. Such confessional honesty is found resident in specifics, not generalities. You did not sin generally but specifically. One must walk the stairs of confession of his or her realized sins to the purifying presence and cleansing power of almighty God. Through confessional prayer God does all of the heavy lifting for you.
It is My Meditation All the Day
O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. Psalm 119:97
What's on your mind the most? If it's not God's word, whatever it may be, it is in the way and place of God's word.
I, myself, have been deficient in my understanding of the concept of "meditation," not wrong, but not comprehensive. I've said in the past that meditation is constantly pondering the application of the word of God, and it is certainly that too! That was far, but not far enough. I have since come to understand that "meditation" is the totality of one's contemplation of the word of God including: study, prayer, confession, fasting, fellowship, & ministry. Meditation on the word of God is Christianity. Every one of the other 6 fore mentioned major concepts fall under or within the context of meditation. In other words, meditation is the capital enterprise in the devotional life of the Christian in concept and in practice.
Meditation in eastern mysticism is to empty one's mind to become one with his experience of all things, but meditation in Christianity is to fill your mind with the word of God to interpret all things you experience. Meditation is to never let the word of God leave your mind. Psalm 1 states it, "But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night" (Psa 1:2). His word does not leave me, in calmness, in confusion, in calamity, or in controversy. Meditation means no matter the circumstances I abide/dwell/keep His precepts in my words, thoughts and deeds; the outward results are that I keep His peace, possess His power, speak His praise.
When God's peace, power, and praise leave your character or continence, it is a result of failing to meditate on His word. When your mouth can't help cursing, when your mind can't find contentment, when your madness won't let you control yourself, when you are so messed up that you can't be consoled and calm, it is a result of failing to meditate on His word.
Meditation means to keep God's word on your mind. The CONTENT of "meditation" is to EXPRESS INEXPRESSIBLE (O how), EMOTION FOR GOD'S WORD (love I thy law) which ENGULFS ONE'S WHOLE LIFE (it is my meditation all the day).
You cannot maintain what you are not passionate about. You can fail to be excited about something that is benefiting you because you don't perceive its benefit. However, you cannot be excited about something you don't perceive is benefiting you. This passion comes from God's word at work in your life perpetuating an ever-increasing love for His word. Spurgeon put it this way, "The psalmist meditated in God's word because he loved it, and then loved it the more because he meditated in it." I will state it again in the most succinct way that I believe it can be stated: Meditation on the word of God is Christianity.
What's on your mind the most? If it's not God's word, whatever it may be, it is in the way and place of God's word.
I, myself, have been deficient in my understanding of the concept of "meditation," not wrong, but not comprehensive. I've said in the past that meditation is constantly pondering the application of the word of God, and it is certainly that too! That was far, but not far enough. I have since come to understand that "meditation" is the totality of one's contemplation of the word of God including: study, prayer, confession, fasting, fellowship, & ministry. Meditation on the word of God is Christianity. Every one of the other 6 fore mentioned major concepts fall under or within the context of meditation. In other words, meditation is the capital enterprise in the devotional life of the Christian in concept and in practice.
Meditation in eastern mysticism is to empty one's mind to become one with his experience of all things, but meditation in Christianity is to fill your mind with the word of God to interpret all things you experience. Meditation is to never let the word of God leave your mind. Psalm 1 states it, "But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night" (Psa 1:2). His word does not leave me, in calmness, in confusion, in calamity, or in controversy. Meditation means no matter the circumstances I abide/dwell/keep His precepts in my words, thoughts and deeds; the outward results are that I keep His peace, possess His power, speak His praise.
When God's peace, power, and praise leave your character or continence, it is a result of failing to meditate on His word. When your mouth can't help cursing, when your mind can't find contentment, when your madness won't let you control yourself, when you are so messed up that you can't be consoled and calm, it is a result of failing to meditate on His word.
Meditation means to keep God's word on your mind. The CONTENT of "meditation" is to EXPRESS INEXPRESSIBLE (O how), EMOTION FOR GOD'S WORD (love I thy law) which ENGULFS ONE'S WHOLE LIFE (it is my meditation all the day).
You cannot maintain what you are not passionate about. You can fail to be excited about something that is benefiting you because you don't perceive its benefit. However, you cannot be excited about something you don't perceive is benefiting you. This passion comes from God's word at work in your life perpetuating an ever-increasing love for His word. Spurgeon put it this way, "The psalmist meditated in God's word because he loved it, and then loved it the more because he meditated in it." I will state it again in the most succinct way that I believe it can be stated: Meditation on the word of God is Christianity.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Thanksgiving in Prayer
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving (Psalm 100:4)
There are four aspects to devotional prayer. Someone created an acrostic that is very helpful in remembering all four aspects: A.C.T.S. "A" stands for "adoration"; "C" stands for "confession"; "T" stands for "thanksgiving," and "S" stands for "supplication."
The greatest facilitator of peace through prayer is not partition but thanksgiving; it is not leaving what concerns you at the altar, but the attitude in which you approach the altar. Thanksgiving means that one prays to God not with a comprehensive list of what He has done. That is impossible! Rather, one prays with an attitude of thanksgiving, particularly thanking God in relationship to your partitions. By thanking God in prayer, the believer will realize the joy, peace, and contentment of God by appreciating God’s grace and mercy; that is, expressing gratefulness for receiving so many good things and yet not experiencing so many not so good things that could have occurred. As a youth, I remember the elders praying, “Lord, I thank you that things are as well as they are.” Thanksgiving in prayer is to approach the throne of God with respect for His sovereignty, supremacy and sufficiency. Simply put, it is to understand that whatever you need or whatever you are going through is exactly what you need at that very moment. If it were not than God would never have allowed it to be. As Paul put it, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” This does not at all preclude expressing one’s subjective partitions, as such flows out of the desires of your heart; however, thanksgiving is the appropriate disposition by which subjects are to come in to the presence of the King to express those desires. It is to recognize the words of Paul in Romans 8, “For we know not what we should pray for as we ought.” I often say to my congregation the most important posture in prayer is not on your knees, but recognizing that He is God and you are not.
How much more effective is a child’s appeal to his parents, when he or she approaches them with genuine respect of whatever their final decision is and sincere gratitude for their loving-kindness as parents. This, to say the least, exhibits love, wisdom, maturity, responsibility, and submission.
I was talking to a lady about being thankful to God in prayer. She said, “I am always thankful. In fact, I thank God for giving me what I am asking for in advance.” I refrained from laughing at such a ridiculous notion. I said to her, “you cannot know what God is going to do. You can only truly thank someone for what they have done. Advanced thanksgiving is neither a logical or biblical concept. That is neither respect nor gratitude to God but an attempt at manipulating God.
While often we come to God in some sense of discomfort, feeling as though we really need what we are requesting, the surprise is often the comfort that results from simply thanking Him for what we already have or what He has protected us from. One should not pray about tomorrow without thanking Him for today. Thanksgiving in prayer often results in discovering that one's circumstance is not as intense as it appeared prior to prayer. One should not ask for more without thanking Him for what he already has. One should not pray for His help without first thanking Him for having kept him thus far. We should not only think about, but pray about, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, and whatsoever things are of good report.
At all times especially in prayer we must, “Be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endures to all generations.” After expressing genuine thanksgiving, one will always leave prayer time with joy, peace, and contentment, and no doubt having prayed more fervently, effectually and thus effectively.
There are four aspects to devotional prayer. Someone created an acrostic that is very helpful in remembering all four aspects: A.C.T.S. "A" stands for "adoration"; "C" stands for "confession"; "T" stands for "thanksgiving," and "S" stands for "supplication."
The greatest facilitator of peace through prayer is not partition but thanksgiving; it is not leaving what concerns you at the altar, but the attitude in which you approach the altar. Thanksgiving means that one prays to God not with a comprehensive list of what He has done. That is impossible! Rather, one prays with an attitude of thanksgiving, particularly thanking God in relationship to your partitions. By thanking God in prayer, the believer will realize the joy, peace, and contentment of God by appreciating God’s grace and mercy; that is, expressing gratefulness for receiving so many good things and yet not experiencing so many not so good things that could have occurred. As a youth, I remember the elders praying, “Lord, I thank you that things are as well as they are.” Thanksgiving in prayer is to approach the throne of God with respect for His sovereignty, supremacy and sufficiency. Simply put, it is to understand that whatever you need or whatever you are going through is exactly what you need at that very moment. If it were not than God would never have allowed it to be. As Paul put it, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” This does not at all preclude expressing one’s subjective partitions, as such flows out of the desires of your heart; however, thanksgiving is the appropriate disposition by which subjects are to come in to the presence of the King to express those desires. It is to recognize the words of Paul in Romans 8, “For we know not what we should pray for as we ought.” I often say to my congregation the most important posture in prayer is not on your knees, but recognizing that He is God and you are not.
How much more effective is a child’s appeal to his parents, when he or she approaches them with genuine respect of whatever their final decision is and sincere gratitude for their loving-kindness as parents. This, to say the least, exhibits love, wisdom, maturity, responsibility, and submission.
I was talking to a lady about being thankful to God in prayer. She said, “I am always thankful. In fact, I thank God for giving me what I am asking for in advance.” I refrained from laughing at such a ridiculous notion. I said to her, “you cannot know what God is going to do. You can only truly thank someone for what they have done. Advanced thanksgiving is neither a logical or biblical concept. That is neither respect nor gratitude to God but an attempt at manipulating God.
While often we come to God in some sense of discomfort, feeling as though we really need what we are requesting, the surprise is often the comfort that results from simply thanking Him for what we already have or what He has protected us from. One should not pray about tomorrow without thanking Him for today. Thanksgiving in prayer often results in discovering that one's circumstance is not as intense as it appeared prior to prayer. One should not ask for more without thanking Him for what he already has. One should not pray for His help without first thanking Him for having kept him thus far. We should not only think about, but pray about, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, and whatsoever things are of good report.
At all times especially in prayer we must, “Be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endures to all generations.” After expressing genuine thanksgiving, one will always leave prayer time with joy, peace, and contentment, and no doubt having prayed more fervently, effectually and thus effectively.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
THE VIRTUEOUS WOMAN - Her Victory (Prov. 31:28-31)
The problem of humanity is that which we want, we don’t know how to obtain it; and we don’t know what it takes to get what we want, and when we find out what it takes, we don’t want what it takes. We want victory without the distance. We want the strength without the discipline. We want the win without the race. We want the crown without the cost.
WHAT DO WOMEN WANT??? Women like to be praised. Yet today they are often repulsed and repelled by that which is praiseworthy. It amazes me how some women today will revel in not being able to cook, clean, or boast about not submitting to her husband, yet a woman wants to be praised as a mother and a wife.
Ironically, it seems that a woman virtually cannot live without a man and/or a woman who cannot have children often feels incomplete as a woman. This is not a negative thing as feminism has tried to frame it; rather, it is by design. A woman was created to be a wife and a mother; she is designed to be a wife and a mother. Therefore her greatest reward is found in being a submissive wife and a consummate mother. Whatever psychology you hold about the functionality of life that is acceptable, logical, rational, and in concert with the world is contrary to God. Only functioning as you've been created and designed to function will bring you the greatest fulfillment and satisfaction. The praise a woman desires is wrapped up in the packaging of wifeliness and motherhood.
First, the virtuous woman is praised by her matured children. That is, they have now become adults and what she has helped them to become: disciplined, prudent, honorable, ethical, and skilled, speaks well of her as a mother. The proverbist writes, "...he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him ...and she that bare thee shall rejoice." (Prov 23:24 & 25.) This is the reward of all of the long hard years of diligence and a wonderful fulfillment that can only be experience when it is done.
Secondly, she is praised by her husband. While this no doubt is inclusive direct tribute expressed by her husband, its primary meaning refers to her contribution to his life: his name, his home, his accomplishments would all be impossible without her. Yet she does not rave or boast in this fact, but she simply knows her contribution and rejoices in the fruit of her labor with a quiet spirit and the existential reward of fulfillment.
Thirdly, she is praised by other women. Another important area of reward is found amongst her peers. Just as men find tremendous nobility in excelling among other men, so does women find honor in excelling among women. “Excelling” is a term that indicates not vain-glory, but the ability to provide leadership to other women. Rest assured there is no virtue that does not result in mentoring others.
Fourthly, she is praised because she fears the LORD. Her virtuous life is a result of knowing her created purpose and how she has been fashioned by God to carry it out. She is a continue worshipper, not a fanatical cultural Christian, full of popular religious rhetoric, but frequently and subtly speaking of God as her guide, strength, and her master. This is what gets her through everyday and gets her to the wonderful rewards of life.
Fifthly and finally she is praised by her own works in the gates. It is one thing for your family to speak well of you or your peers to speak well of you; however, the virtuous woman is praised by the chief authorities of the community. Not because she has sought such, but because she sought to please God by submitting to and honoring her husband, diligently rearing her children, and teaching other women her ways. Thus her “homework” has ascended as a sweet smelling savor and rendered her praiseworthy, winning her the praise of all.
WHAT DO WOMEN WANT??? Women like to be praised. Yet today they are often repulsed and repelled by that which is praiseworthy. It amazes me how some women today will revel in not being able to cook, clean, or boast about not submitting to her husband, yet a woman wants to be praised as a mother and a wife.
Ironically, it seems that a woman virtually cannot live without a man and/or a woman who cannot have children often feels incomplete as a woman. This is not a negative thing as feminism has tried to frame it; rather, it is by design. A woman was created to be a wife and a mother; she is designed to be a wife and a mother. Therefore her greatest reward is found in being a submissive wife and a consummate mother. Whatever psychology you hold about the functionality of life that is acceptable, logical, rational, and in concert with the world is contrary to God. Only functioning as you've been created and designed to function will bring you the greatest fulfillment and satisfaction. The praise a woman desires is wrapped up in the packaging of wifeliness and motherhood.
First, the virtuous woman is praised by her matured children. That is, they have now become adults and what she has helped them to become: disciplined, prudent, honorable, ethical, and skilled, speaks well of her as a mother. The proverbist writes, "...he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him ...and she that bare thee shall rejoice." (Prov 23:24 & 25.) This is the reward of all of the long hard years of diligence and a wonderful fulfillment that can only be experience when it is done.
Secondly, she is praised by her husband. While this no doubt is inclusive direct tribute expressed by her husband, its primary meaning refers to her contribution to his life: his name, his home, his accomplishments would all be impossible without her. Yet she does not rave or boast in this fact, but she simply knows her contribution and rejoices in the fruit of her labor with a quiet spirit and the existential reward of fulfillment.
Thirdly, she is praised by other women. Another important area of reward is found amongst her peers. Just as men find tremendous nobility in excelling among other men, so does women find honor in excelling among women. “Excelling” is a term that indicates not vain-glory, but the ability to provide leadership to other women. Rest assured there is no virtue that does not result in mentoring others.
Fourthly, she is praised because she fears the LORD. Her virtuous life is a result of knowing her created purpose and how she has been fashioned by God to carry it out. She is a continue worshipper, not a fanatical cultural Christian, full of popular religious rhetoric, but frequently and subtly speaking of God as her guide, strength, and her master. This is what gets her through everyday and gets her to the wonderful rewards of life.
Fifthly and finally she is praised by her own works in the gates. It is one thing for your family to speak well of you or your peers to speak well of you; however, the virtuous woman is praised by the chief authorities of the community. Not because she has sought such, but because she sought to please God by submitting to and honoring her husband, diligently rearing her children, and teaching other women her ways. Thus her “homework” has ascended as a sweet smelling savor and rendered her praiseworthy, winning her the praise of all.
Friday, August 6, 2010
THE VIRTUEOUS WOMAN Pt III - Her Value (Prov. 31:23-27)
A person will never maintain what they do not value. It’s funny how many women today try to front like they cook, clean, and comb hair, while trying to get a man, but they don’t seem to understand what it took to get his attention is what it takes to keep his attention. Yet women often value being praise but they don’t value praise worthy stuff. This woman was not only taught what to be, she was taught what to do; this woman was not only taught what to do, she was taught what was important. We’ve looked at her virtues: valuable, trustworthy, helpful, industrious, resourceful, and nurturing; we’ve looked at her vigilance: prudent, reserved, thorough, productive, charitable, protective, and elegant. Her vigilance flows from her virtues, and her virtue flows from her values. This woman valued what God says is valuable: Her husband’s adornment (v23), tasteful (v24), progressive (v25), discrete (v26), and a homemaker (v27.) Her values are a means of help to her husband.
Supportive: If the husband is nobody and nothing then the wife is nobody and nothing; because, he wares her as his adornment everywhere he goes. If he is nobody to you (respectable), then he will be nobody to others. If he is nobody to you, he will be nobody to your children. The indication in the passage is that her husband is known at the gate or as a community authority, because of her contribution to his life. Whatever a man may be, his wife aught to make him all the more improved in it.
Tasteful: She likes nice things. Not merely self-adornments, but her taste is wholesome (home, husband, and kids.) Every man longs to say when others come to his home and experiences its beautiful sights and sounds, its wonderful aromas and taste, and its touch and feel, my wife does this. The home is the outward symbol of what a woman does inwardly for her husband. If the home is a mess and a wreck, it exposes the fact that she has little help for him if any.
Progressive: The old saying goes, behind every good man is a woman telling him what to do. It is often the woman that truly keeps a man moving forward, reminding a man of what he said and what he is supposed to be doing to accomplish his vision. She wants to get there as much, if not more than he does; because, she is a benefactor of his blessings promised by God in his vision.
Discrete: A woman makes her home, her family, with her mouth, the way she carries herself, and how she interacts with others. Most of the time nobody knows what’s going on in the four walls of your home until the wife is telling it. Yet this woman is careful not to kill the character of her husband nor her home with words.
Homemaker: Women are naturally concerned about what people think, yet today’s woman doesn’t seem to understand that her family is her true beautification. She should not be primarily known for her career but her home. Who her family is and how they look, and how she cares for her husband and children tells it all.
Supportive: If the husband is nobody and nothing then the wife is nobody and nothing; because, he wares her as his adornment everywhere he goes. If he is nobody to you (respectable), then he will be nobody to others. If he is nobody to you, he will be nobody to your children. The indication in the passage is that her husband is known at the gate or as a community authority, because of her contribution to his life. Whatever a man may be, his wife aught to make him all the more improved in it.
Tasteful: She likes nice things. Not merely self-adornments, but her taste is wholesome (home, husband, and kids.) Every man longs to say when others come to his home and experiences its beautiful sights and sounds, its wonderful aromas and taste, and its touch and feel, my wife does this. The home is the outward symbol of what a woman does inwardly for her husband. If the home is a mess and a wreck, it exposes the fact that she has little help for him if any.
Progressive: The old saying goes, behind every good man is a woman telling him what to do. It is often the woman that truly keeps a man moving forward, reminding a man of what he said and what he is supposed to be doing to accomplish his vision. She wants to get there as much, if not more than he does; because, she is a benefactor of his blessings promised by God in his vision.
Discrete: A woman makes her home, her family, with her mouth, the way she carries herself, and how she interacts with others. Most of the time nobody knows what’s going on in the four walls of your home until the wife is telling it. Yet this woman is careful not to kill the character of her husband nor her home with words.
Homemaker: Women are naturally concerned about what people think, yet today’s woman doesn’t seem to understand that her family is her true beautification. She should not be primarily known for her career but her home. Who her family is and how they look, and how she cares for her husband and children tells it all.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
THE VIRTUEOUS WOMAN Pt II: Her Vigilance (Prov. 31:16-22)
This passage has been aptly deemed by classical Christianity, “The Virtuous Woman” or “A Good Woman.” And I’ve heard women who solicit accolades from others, wanting them to declare her as a good mother or a wonderful wife. Yet she fails at the motherly purpose and she lacks the magic of a wife full of wonder.
A good woman makes a house feel homely, she makes groceries into savory meals, she makes a husband and children feel like family. She keeps the whole thing together and running smoothly. She does not highlight family flaws, she covers them. She does not make wounds, she heals them. She makes boo-boos feel better with a kiss.
This woman has been taught what is right and good and how to function in a way that will prosper and benefit her life. Somebody once asked me a riddle, “What woman in the bible ate herself out of house and home?” The answer is Eve… because she functioned in chaos and disorder… but not the virtuous woman. This woman has zeroed in on what is important.
The fact of the matter is nothing can be good if there is not first a defined purpose and secondly a pursuit of that defined purpose.
Let’s look at her vigilance: First, she is “prudent,” a wise business woman, not at all a homemaker by the world's inferior perception and conception. Home is primary but not preventative in excelling outside of the home. She recognizes that the things which are good for her family are good for others as well. Secondly, she is “reserved.” She does not spend her strength foolishly. She reserves herself for her family and that which is beneficial to them. Thirdly she is “thorough.” She does not do things half heartedly or carelessly. She is concerned that whatever she provides to people are of the highest quality. Fourthly, she is “productive.” She is skilled and able to create goods. Fifthly, she is “charitable.” She’s kind and giving. Every child is treated as her child. She is utterly hospitable. She embraces the pains of others as problems for her attention. She is “protective. “ She gives diligence to the safety and well-being of her family. Finally she is “elegant.” She loves finery. She is no personal slouch. Her hair and her wear is always together.
Simply put the virtuous woman functions at optimal capacity, motivated by love for God, love for family and love for being a mother and wife in keeping with her design.
A good woman makes a house feel homely, she makes groceries into savory meals, she makes a husband and children feel like family. She keeps the whole thing together and running smoothly. She does not highlight family flaws, she covers them. She does not make wounds, she heals them. She makes boo-boos feel better with a kiss.
This woman has been taught what is right and good and how to function in a way that will prosper and benefit her life. Somebody once asked me a riddle, “What woman in the bible ate herself out of house and home?” The answer is Eve… because she functioned in chaos and disorder… but not the virtuous woman. This woman has zeroed in on what is important.
The fact of the matter is nothing can be good if there is not first a defined purpose and secondly a pursuit of that defined purpose.
Let’s look at her vigilance: First, she is “prudent,” a wise business woman, not at all a homemaker by the world's inferior perception and conception. Home is primary but not preventative in excelling outside of the home. She recognizes that the things which are good for her family are good for others as well. Secondly, she is “reserved.” She does not spend her strength foolishly. She reserves herself for her family and that which is beneficial to them. Thirdly she is “thorough.” She does not do things half heartedly or carelessly. She is concerned that whatever she provides to people are of the highest quality. Fourthly, she is “productive.” She is skilled and able to create goods. Fifthly, she is “charitable.” She’s kind and giving. Every child is treated as her child. She is utterly hospitable. She embraces the pains of others as problems for her attention. She is “protective. “ She gives diligence to the safety and well-being of her family. Finally she is “elegant.” She loves finery. She is no personal slouch. Her hair and her wear is always together.
Simply put the virtuous woman functions at optimal capacity, motivated by love for God, love for family and love for being a mother and wife in keeping with her design.
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