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Monday, July 19, 2021

Are You Modest?


Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.
1 Timothy 2:9-10 NASB


Are you dressing in pride to get attention to you and your body?
Are you tempting someone to have sinful lust and thoughts after you...even in church?
Sometimes people do this without realizing it, and some do it on purpose.

Some women intentionally seek after men to flirt with them and to tempt them, and they know exactly what they are doing.

And behold, a woman comes to meet him,
Dressed as a harlot and cunning of heart.
Proverbs 7:10 NASB

Do you want to be known for your godly character as a Christian woman, or do you arrogantly dress with tight and revealing clothing and judge men for having a problem?
Is it not you, perhaps, who also has a problem with being arrogant and being a temptress?
Does your shirt dip down (even a little) or ride high?  
I've been told that even a little can make it difficult for even a Christian man not to look (and of course, many non-Christians will have no qualms about lusting after you).
Do you wear strappy shirts or two piece or high or low cut swimsuits?
Do you leave little to the imagination, or have lines ending and beginning in places that draw attention to areas that should really only be seen by a husband?
Does what you wear cause men to focus on God or to be distracted by looking at you?
I'm not saying having a naturally pretty face is wrong, or that your clothing needs to draw attention by looking like you live in the 1800s or whatever the Amish wear.

Do you serve the Lord in a way that honors God with your behavior and dress (as well as your spouse if you have one)?
Do you love God, or do you seek to be a show off no matter that you are dishonoring God and causing your brothers to either struggle with sin or to look away from you?
People will respect a woman who draws less attention to herself, and displays her love for God by chaste and respectful behavior and a gentle and quiet spirit (see 1 Peter 3).

I realize that men can also dress immodestly in various ways, and that is something they should consider. 

I realize I've addressed the topic of modesty and discreet clothing in the past, but I have seen the subject mentioned, and it is summer.
How we dress and act can reveal our hearts.  
Being attractive is not being an attraction.
Don't think that you are above being tempted or a temptation to someone else.
What are you known for?
What do you want to be known for?
Are you modest in behavior and discreet both in church and out of church?
Are you a careless Christian who couldn't care less, or are you motivated by wanting to love and serve God as well as your brothers?

Saturday, July 10, 2021

The First 3 Commandments

“You shall have no other gods before Me.

“You shall not make for yourself an idol,...

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain,...

The first 3 commandments in Exodus 20 remind Christians of God's holiness, a proper kind of fear of Him, and the exclusivity of worship that He is worthy of.

Do we worship God alone?

Do we worship people, creation, or objects more than or alongside of God?

Do we worship sinful desires or pleasure?

Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. Colossians 3:5 NASB (1995)

Do we set up objects like icons to represent God, and then treat them like idols?

Do we worship God His way?

What about the 3rd commandment?

Do you use God's name as an exclamation (putting "Oh my" before it for example)? Do you think of or treat His name lightly? Do we sing about Him without really thinking about or worshipping Him? Do our thoughts about God treat Him with the honor and reverence He is worthy of?

The commandments show the character of God, and as a Christian I want to love God more and worship Him as He deserves...not to earn justification (as that is by faith). I get tired of the remaining sinfulness in my heart, and I want to worship God in a manner that He is worthy of. I'm reading Revelation now, and I'm reading and listening to things about eschatology. I look forward to future things, but oh, that I would love and draw near to God so much more. Coldness tries to creep upon me, and I hate that.

Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:7-8
NASB (1995)