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)

 

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;   

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?

Forgiveness Without End

As a follow-up to my previous post, I am sharing two songs that are a great reminder of just how total God's forgiveness is for those who are His children. It doesn't stop once we are Christians even though we also know that we are not to sin that grace may abound.
I want to encourage those Christians who battle sin every day and wonder if God still forgives them. Please keep seeking after God and read His word and keep praying.
Please keep resisting sin with God's help, but it's good for me at least to be reminded that God forgives me. He forgave Peter who denied Him three times. He loves His children, and we are no longer His enemies.

 

 

Trusting God's Forgiveness

Do we trust God to continually forgive us as Christians? Do we hesitate to go to God, because we feel we are not worthy for forgiveness?

While many people who are not genuine Christians continue in their sin believing God forgives them because they prayed a prayer sometime in their life even though they ignore God now, some of us who are genuine Christians still struggle with sinful thoughts & attitudes every day. Although we may distain our sin & are sorry & plead for forgiveness, sometimes it can be difficult to believe God actually does forgive us when we sin sooo much. I can beat myself up feeling like I should spend more time sorrowing over the sin, as though God won't forgive me if I don't. The sins of thought can be the most burdensome to battle. In years past, I would wallow a little more in my wrongdoing, since I already needed forgiving. That was a wrong attitude, & I learned to fight against the sin by prayer & Bible verses as soon as possible when the thoughts began.

If you also struggle with weakness, & trusting God to forgive you, the video below may be an encouragement to you. It is something that I need to keep reminding myself of ... God does forgive & I must trust His forgiveness. I can't make Him forgive me more by spending more time punishing myself with guilt. I have to remind myself that God will keep me.  He will not let me go....even when I struggle with the sin of doubt.  This doesn't mean I want to sin without conscience or without battling or without confessing to Him.  It means that I need to believe that God has forgiven me & will keep forgiving me no matter how guilty I feel or how much I have sinned. 

While it is good to test oneself to see if one is in the faith like the Bible says, I do believe that some people need to be careful that they don't destroy true Christians by keeping them in continual doubt about their salvation.  Not everyone who struggles with sin is a false convert.
Salvation isn't about our goodness.  It's about looking to Jesus the Author & Finisher of our faith. 
Salvation is by faith through grace, & we aren't going to finish it ourselves by doing good works or meeting an ideal of perfection here on earth.  There will be fruit in a Christian's life, but Christians do go through seasons in their life where they need to be encouraged & not judged by other Christians as tares instead of weak wheat.

Are you a Christian? Please follow this link: Are you sure?

Seventh Day Adventism Cult & Courage In Evangelism

Recently I had to make a decision about whether it was right to pray with a Seventh Day Adventist doctor or not.  Many Christians have likely not studied up much on what Adventists believe & how they began.
After questioning & research, I concluded that much of Seventh Day Adventism is a cult.

False Teacher Ellen G. White - Tim Challies
What Does Seventh Day Adventism Teach? - CARM
Is Hell Really Endless? - GTY
A Biblical Understanding of Hell - CARM

False teachers are abundant.  Tim Challies did a recent blog series you might want to check out on that subject:
Lessons I've Learned From False Teachers - Challies

Suffice it to say, that I decided not to pray with the Adventist doctor & gave him a Gospel tract and papers on just a couple of the issues where their views are decidedly not Biblical.  I let him know I didn't think we shared the same beliefs and that he could look at what I gave him and compare.

I was so nervous, but I didn't even have to say much. 
If you also struggle with giving the Gospel or even handing someone a tract,  I found the following blog post very helpful & encouraging:

Evangelism At Ease
 

Is Obama a Pawn In The Hands of Jihadists? - The History of Islam

Sometimes topics for a blog post seem to fall right in my lap.  This is one of those times.
It is about Islam and Jihad - its history and behavior.

If you are a Muslim, please follow this LINK.

Most people have heard the news about how Iraq is in turmoil with militant jihadists storming the country.
Critics here and abroad: Obama lacks will to fight terrorism - See more at: http://www.onenewsnow.com/national-security/2014/06/25/critics-here-and-abroad-obama-lacks-will-to-fight-terrorism

You may also have heard the news about Meriam Ibrahim and her imprisonment and release, re-arrest with her family, and the reported re-release:
Sudanese Christian Woman Freed Again

Also, you are likely familiar with American Pastor Saeed Abedini imprisoned in Iran:
American pastor imprisoned without notice of charges while visiting family in Iran

That is just a small sampling of what happens to people who profess faith in Christ in an Islamic country.

People like President Obama proclaim Islam as a religion of tolerance or peace.
What is Islam historically and is it really peaceful?
The following video will give you a better understanding of the real methodology of Islam, and at the end you will hear that not all American Muslims have fully understood Islam.
 

It really is telling that President Barack Obama called the Qur'an "holy."

So, how do Muslim beliefs differ from Christianity?
CARM Comparison Chart

For those who may charge that what God did in the OT was merciless and no better than the Muslims, please check out the following:
Is the God of the Old Testament a Merciless Monster?