Thursday, August 21, 2014

A Reminder of Future Joy in the Midst of Depression

I have been feeling depressed lately, but during this time my mind has had some reminders that give me some encouragement. 
One of these is remembering things from Scripture.
This is what I need to be doing:

"fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2 NASB)

 It's good to remind myself of future joy. Jesus suffered more than I ever have. His disciples abandoned Him, He suffered physically, and... He suffered for my sins & all the sins of all who ever believe. He took God's wrath for sin & even came to the point of asking the Father why He had forsaken Him when He was on the cross. 
 
He suffered more than any of us have & He did it for the joy set before Him. Part of His joy I believe is His relationship with the church...His bride. If our own human suffering whether it be from persecution or physical suffering  or emotional suffering without persecution is light compared to the joys of Heaven with Christ, then the joy there must be beyond words & our finite minds. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)
 
So, if I trust God & His sovereignty, then I need to believe God can still use me.  He sees me as righteous in Christ. He uses fallen, frail, fragile human beings that others reject.
He understands my humanness.  While others may reject me & my weakness, He not only still has a purpose for me & can use me...He is my perfect example as well as Savior.  He also uses suffering to cause my dependence to be on Him & to make me more like Him.
He will never leave me or forsake me. 
 
As a Christian, I'm part of the bride of Christ that He has cleansed.  He is going to present Christians as having no spot or wrinkle - as holy & blameless.  (Ephesians 5:27)
 

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Should Married Christian Women Work Outside the Home?

Recently I was troubled to read of a woman who was offered a job which would take her and her husband to another state. This was not because he had a job in that state, but yet they were seriously considering moving for her to take that job as though it could be God's will.

Now in this modern world, many Christians would accept a decision like that without question or qualms.

That is why I believe caution must be applied & the Bible studied on this issue.

What are some Biblical principles women can apply?

I will give some thoughts and conclusions I have come to on the issue of married women, and then share links to some articles I found on the subject authored by pastors. I do not agree 100% with one of them, but I do think they offer some additional good insight.

Ephesians 5 talks about a wife being subject to her own husband (as wells as 1 Peter 3:1 in the case of the unbelieving husband),

Titus 2:4-5 talks about women are to be workers in the home (young widows were to remarry and have children and do this).

The Proverbs 31 woman worked in her home making things, and she took her goods out to be sold to tradesmen (nowhere does it say she was employed by another man not her husband). She made other household decisions like buying a field.

Woman was created to be a helper to her husband (Genesis 2:18).

Women often helped in church ministry and with support in the Bible. Older women are to teach younger women to love their husbands and their children (Titus 2:4).

Those are some of the Biblical views I find of married women.
In a practical sense, we know there can be temptations in the workplace when people are under someone not their spouse.  Husbands and wives are cemented / glued together and that relationship reflects Christ's relationship with the church.  It is something that is not held as sacredly in a world that mocks the marriage relationship in many ways.

We know that the married woman is going to be subject to another person in most employment situations outside the home (unless there is a family business, ministry or an independent job). If that boss is a man other than the husband, then there can be a conflict of who the leader of that woman is when we look in the Bible at how people are to treat their employers or masters.


Men are to be the head of their wives and the main providers. It troubles me to see men who subject themselves to their wife's career, because it seems to fly in the face of their role as leaders and providers.

1 Tim. 5:8 says that someone who does not provide for his own is worse than an infidel (note that it is his own).

Ephesians 5:23 says that husbands are the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the Church.

Ephesians 5:29 indicates men are to nourish and cherish their wives.

Men leading, nourishing & cherishing their wives I believe includes leading in finances.

The married Christian woman's priority is to be her home & husband.
The dangers and risks are high for women working in employment outside the home - not only falling into temptation (which can also happen online) but neglecting Biblical priorities.

Married women with children cannot fulfill their Biblical role properly when they neglect their primary responsibilities to their family. I strongly believe there are Biblical principles that apply here. Most people are following cultural Christian norms reflecting the secular world & not applying the Bible to this area of their lives. Many Christians follow the world and not the Word in their everyday decision making and practice. It should not be the norm for married Christian women to be working for a man not her husband in an employment situation.

That is my strong conviction & yes I realize that this post will be stepping on many toes.

Unless a man is disabled, his job is foremost. I personally do not believe married women should work outside the home except from the home as her headquarters or "office" under the leadership & care of her husband.

I realize some disabled men may not be able to work at all, and there may be some other unusual circumstances, but we are talking norms here.
 

I'm not judging anybody else's salvation here on this topic.
We are all on different levels of spiritual growth & Biblical knowledge and convictions.
I truly do not believe women should subject her husband to her having a career where her husband has to follow her around.
I would encourage all women to study the Bible more. and get their wisdom from it.

Women and Work Outside The Home

Leadership in the Home - A Godly Man Provides


Ephesians 5:22-24 NASB

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

Colossians 3:18

Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Titus 2:4-5

so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored

1 Tim 5:14

Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach;
 
 
 

Monday, August 4, 2014

Illegal Immigration - Mercy Is Not A Right

What would you say if I told you about someone breaking into a house, taking up residence there, and then complaining when someone points it out?
What if it was a house that you own, and they are using your utilities and using a stolen identity?

Millions of people have crossed the U.S. border in much the same way, but they don't want to be called "illegals."  They have committed a crime to get into the country and compounded their crime by using the U.S. healthcare system, welfare and stolen identities.

Some people are suffering hardship where they came from you may say.
Yes, but in most cases there are other options that are legal.  A crime is not made right by motive.
There are cases where mercy is shown out of compassion, but mercy is not a right.

In much the same way people presume that God will love and forgive them when they sin against Him without repenting and confessing Jesus as Lord.
They try to rationalize based on presumption, but God is not the idol that they have created in their minds.  People can presume their way right into hell.
Then others use rationalism suppressing the truth and denying the knowledge that God gave them to deny the God they know exists (stealing the Christian worldview to do it).

The cheating housebreaker or squatter, the trespasser who cheats by illegally entering the country or overstaying his or her visa, the presumptuous person who creates a god in his own image, and the blasphemous rationalist who denies God are all guilty before God and deserving of punishment.

Breaking into or trespassing into someone's house is serious.  Breaking into a country is also sinning and very serious.  Sinning against the righteous and holy God is the most serious offense of all and the punishment is eternity in the fires of hell where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Thieves, liars, greedy and covetous people, immoral people, idolaters, and those who hate or are impure do not have a place in the Kingdom of Christ and God (Ephesians 5:5).

But....there is good news that you should know about. 
Please visit the following site:

How can sinners get a right standing with God?

There is an eternal hell for unrepentant sinners and an eternal Heaven for believers. 
Heaven will be full of joy and pleasures forever (Psalm 16:11).
What will Heaven be like?