How's your Heart?

 

“The first and the great work of a Christian is about his heart. Do not be content with seeming to do good in ‘outward acts’ while your heart is bad, and you are a stranger to the greater internal heart duties.” Jonathan Edwards

 A little girl was brought to the ER with a severe cough. But as tykes sometimes do…she talked and talked and talked which made it difficult for the nurse to listen to the sounds in her lung. Finally, the nurse said, “Shhh, I have to see if Barney is in there.” The child looked up and calmly said, “I have JESUS in my heart. BARNEY is on my underwear.” 

  It’s Valentine’s Day. For the last few weeks, hearts of all shapes and sizes have been nearly everywhere reminding us that Valentine’s Day is coming and to remember to buy candy, flowers or a card for that sweetheart. 

  Imagine for a moment though that for Valentine’s Day a husband buys his wife roses and a card. Perhaps he takes her out for an expensive dinner. Yet, though he does all of these things for her, she senses that he doesn’t really love her. She doesn’t have his heart. Would she be pleased? Would it be meaningful to her? I don’t think so. 

  No one did the right things like the Pharisees. According to the Talmud, there were 613 commandments in the Torah and the Pharisees attempted to obey every one of them. Humanly speaking, they did all of the right things. 

  If we’re honest, we’d have to confess that most of us would make great Pharisees. I know that I would. Because it’s so much simpler to do the right thing than it is to be the right kind of person. Yet, God doesn’t want or need us to do anything. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, “For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” While it’s true that the Lord wants us to do the right things, but He’s much more concerned about our heart – that we be the right person. 

  Ours is a superficial world where we judge ourselves and others based on actions. Yet, if we prioritize our outer life and neglect our inner life, it will become dark and scary. We won’t know what to do with solitude. We’ll be deeply uncomfortable with self-examination and have an increasingly short attention span for any type of self-reflection. Our lives will lack integrity. 

  When we neglect our hearts, while outwardly we may project confidence, spiritual and emotional health and wholeness, inwardly we’ll be filled with self-doubts, anxieties, self-pity, anger, bitterness and old grudges. Unless we prioritize the inner life, we degenerate quickly into hypocrites. 

  Who are you? Where does your mind wander when you’re not forced to think about anything in particular? What roads do your thoughts tend to wander down? Old hurts, imagined offenses, irritated or feelings of impatience, covetous dreams? Or do your thoughts turn upward and contemplate God, His grace, love and goodness? 

  Perhaps you wish to be perceived as an upbeat, cheerful person. But do you habitually thank God for everything you have and praise Him for who He is? You may talk a great deal about what a “blessing” your faith is and how you really love the Lord, but if you’re prayerless—is that really true? If you aren’t joyful, humble, and faithful in private before God, then what you desire to appear to be on the outside won’t match what you truly are. 

  Giving priority to the inner life doesn’t mean living an individualistic life. It’s certainly not one that’s self-oriented. Scripture is clear though that knowing God can’t be achieved by yourself. Even marriage and our family can lull us into delusion as “we” become the standard of well-being. 

  Community reveals the chinks in our armor. It’s part of why God designed us for community, participation together in worship and smaller groups of believers, as well as private devotion. It’s serving together not as Lone Rangers that helps us grow. It requires studying Scripture together as well as personal, quiet meditation. 

  To be spiritually healthy our inner life with the Lord must have priority. It’s why that before a small group gathering, John Wesley would ask, “How is it with your soul?” That’s a very personal and deep question. Like a skilled surgeon, Wesley dove deep at the very start, cutting to the core issues and setting the tone for those group meetings. 

  Often Christians criticize a secular world for prioritizing symbolism over substance. Yet, when we focus on our persona and public face rather than our hearts, aren’t we guilty of the same? When we’re more concerned with what others think than what God thinks, are we much different? 

  So, what does it mean to be a man or a woman after God’s own heart? It doesn’t mean that you’re sinless. It means that you’re seeking after God, that your heart is open and submissive to Him. It means that when you do sin, you’re quick to confess it and repent. It means that you’re a man or woman of integrity, that you have a whole heart before God. 

  What you do isn’t what matters most to God. He first wants our hearts. Your heart is vital to your worship of God. Your heart is the most important. If you want to please God, you must first focus on your heart, work on your character, focus on the inner man, and spiritual growth as a believer. When the inner life is in sync, then God will use you. 

  Unlike us the Lord doesn’t desire some perfect outward appearance. He desires a mind and heart attitude willing to be used by Him in whatever ways we can in our specific conditions. While “beautiful” people may look at us and think we’re not very remarkable, God sees the inside as well as the outside. If we surrender to conforming to the likeness of Christ – praising Him and giving thanks even when life is incredibly hard, trusting His decisions for our lives, forgiving those who don’t understand our limitations – our spirits are beautiful and pleasing to God. 

  Yet, where does that strength, that heart come from? 1 Samuel 16 ends with, “So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord gripped David with power.” It’s those who are not full of themselves, either in arrogance or self-loathing. It’s not those who focus on doing the right things but those who start by being honest, humble, and surrendered who are available to God’s power. If our heart is right, then habit will follow. Focus on what truly matters. How’s your heart?

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

 

 

 

Helping the Hurting

“True compassion is when you are the one who bears the burden and pays the price.”  J. Budziszewski

He was self-described as a “plodder.” William Carey is known as the father of modern missions. Once he said of himself: “If He [God] give me credit for being a plodder He will describe me justly. Anything beyond that will be too much. I can plod. I can persevere in any definite pursuit. To this I owe everything.” It’s hard for us to fathom that there was great resistance to evangelizing the world in the Church in the 1790’s. In spite of extreme opposition William Carey persevered and finally overcame the resistance to missionary effort and sailed for India where God greatly used him. What most don’t know is that he carried a heavy burden for much of his ministry.

  After losing their 5-year-old son, his wife, Dorothy, with her great grief, combined with physical ailments went over the brink of despair. She was considered insane and suffered from delusions. Sometimes she’d follow her husband into the streets berating him; other times she’d attack him physically. As the years passed, her condition worsened to the point that Carey confined her in a locked room. He worked on translating the Bible into local dialects in India during which according to an observer, “while an insane wife, frequently wrought up to a state of most distressing excitement, was in the next room.”

  John Wesley, the renowned preacher and evangelist, was a leader of a revival movement within the Church of England and is the founder of the Methodist Church, yet he suffered through a horrible marriage. His wife, Molly, grew very antagonistic of him, wrote critical letters and spied on him. She falsely accused him of adultery and gave his enemies material with which to slander him. A friend once entered a room unannounced to find her dragging Wesley across the floor by his hair. After years of conflict, Molly finally left him to never return. In 1771, John Wesley famously wrote in his journal of her in his only comment on his marriage: “I did not forsake her, I did not dismiss her, I will not recall her.”

  King David and Elijah wrestled with depression. The prophet Jonah had anger issues. Martin Luther and Charles Spurgeon, along with countless other believers have struggled with mental health issues.  

  All of this recently came to mind as a friend in the ministry recently shared with me that he’d given his church a glimpse into some of the struggles he and his wife had with one of their children. It was a very dark time from some years ago. Though it was so grievous for them, most of those in his church had no idea of the terrible suffering they’d endured.

  Often you’ll find that’s the case. Those who appear to have it all together, carry heavy burdens no one else is aware of. 

  But God never intended for us to carry our heartaches alone. Galatians 6:2 commands us, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” The truth is that none us have our act together. Not even the ones who seem to have such well-ordered lives. There are heartaches in every home and heart. We all struggle with heavy loads either from our own depravity or those inherent in a sin contaminated world.

  The picture in Galatians 6:2 is of a man staggering beneath a heavy load of grain. He must somehow get this grain home to his family, but is about to crumble beneath the heavy weight. A brother sees his distress and rushes to his aid, lifting a part of the burden and thereby easing the weight. Although the supportive friend doesn’t assume the whole load, his help allows the struggling one to carry it on to his destination. It’s what we’re commanded to do for each other. And it’s not optional, it’s a command. It’s what our Savior has and continues to do for us. Burden carrying is not just for those in leadership. Because of the cross we’re all family, sisters and brothers. We are all to come and help each other on our journey Home.  

  It will not happen without time together. You’ve probably had this experience. You’re in an urban area and a stranger approaches you and asks for some change. Or, you’re driving down the road, come to an intersection and someone is holding a sign, asking for money.

  Such obvious cries for help rarely happen in the church. Why? It’s difficult to admit to others, though we all have them, that we have a need. We’re quicker to ask for prayer for an illness, but even there many hesitate.

  It’s because trust takes time. You must spend time with someone before you start peeling back the masks, revealing chinks in your armor. You have to believe that someone is safe, that they won’t be judgmental or condescending if you share a struggle. 

  We need to first talk to the right Person after someone shares with us. We tend to be quick to offer advice. Most of us are far less knowledgeable than we think we are. The greatest needs someone has when they’ve shared a piece of their heart with us is not our words, it’s our prayer support. We don’t know all the variables, yet our Heavenly Father does. He knows exactly what’s going on, what He’s doing, and has a purpose and plan. We need to first carry their burden to Him before we attempt to help them.

  The greatest need someone has when they share a burden is for us to listen. Silence can be a wonderful precious gift, yet frequently it’s too rare. Job’s friends were the most helpful to him when they sat silently listening to him as he shared his pain. There’s nothing wrong with admitting that you don’t have any answers. The greatest need is frequently someone to actually listen so we can share our pain. We need to “know” what the Apostle James urges us to “know,” “know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak” (James 1:19).

  We must recognize the vast difference between temporary human opinion and God’s eternal wisdom. One would never know listening to some pontificate that there’s not a moral “ought” when it comes to matters like education, vaccines, organic or non-organic foods, or whether to put noodles in chili. The Bible is clear about problem-solving, love, kindness, and being Spirit controlled. It’s not wrong to have strong opinions but we must be discerning and know what is “opinion” and what is God’s Truth!

  God created us for community. A vital part of that is caring for each other. Are you caring for others? Are you letting others care for you?

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Finishing Well

The race is not always to the swift but to him who keeps on running.

One of the heroes in Christian History is William Wilberforce. As a young man, Wilberforce was very discouraged one night in the early 1790s after another defeat in his 10 year battle against the slave trade in England. Tired and frustrated, he opened his Bible and began to leaf through it. A small piece of paper fell out and fluttered to the floor. It was a letter written by John Wesley shortly before his death. Wilberforce read it again: “Unless the divine power has raised you up... I see not how you can go through your glorious enterprise in opposing that (abominable practice of slavery), which is the scandal of religion, of England, and of human nature. Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you? Are all of them together stronger than God? Oh, be not weary of well-doing. Go on in the name of God, and in the power of His might.”

  The slave trade ended because one British politician persevered and committed nearly his entire life to see it end. It took forty years and didn’t end until one month after his death. His lifelong perseverance brought about a radical spiritual and societal change.

  Perseverance is to be a trait of all Christ-followers. The Apostle Paul persevered. Near the end of his life he wrote, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

  Yet, many Christians don’t persevere. Nearly every day we learn of another professing Christian, sometimes a very famous one, that’s become disillusioned and jettisoned their faith. Why? How does someone walk away from what at one time they so strongly affirmed that they believed?

  They had unrealistic expectations about God and Christianity. C.S. Lewis referred to this as the “problem of pain.” There’s an erroneous belief, sometimes taught by well-meaning Christians, that God will protect His children and their lives will essentially be pain-free.

  Such teaching flies in the face of the clear teaching of Scripture. The book of Job is right in the middle of the Bible. No one suffered as much as Job. Yet, he was one of the godliest, faithful men in all of the Bible. Beginning in Genesis all the way to the book of Revelation, there’s account after account, even promises of suffering, trials and unbelievable pain.

  God never promises us a pain-free life. The Bible promises something much more powerful, God’s grace to persevere through the worst pain (2 Cor. 12:9) and that all pain for the believer is temporary (2 Cor. 4:16-18).

  While some Christians, because of suffering or disillusionment, abandon their faith. What’s more common is a kind of passive Christianity. Often this is a believer who at one time had a vibrant faith but now are just going through the motions. They may still go church or call themselves a Christian, but something happened, perhaps a struggling marriage or wayward child. While they never say, they no longer “trust” God, they’ve become overwhelmed by pain and sadly, Satan has sidelined them.  

  God rarely conforms His plan to our wishes, which is a good thing. Better than that, we have a Savior who understands all of our sufferings because Jesus has suffered more acutely than any of us ever will.

  They feel betrayed by the Church or a Christian they admired. There are no words for the horror of a spiritual leader molesting or abusing someone under their care. Yet, we know that the poison of a lost world has too often contaminated the church. Then, spiritual leaders can be absorbed with their agenda and self-glory, not God’s. Some manipulate or use those whom they’re responsible for to promote themselves. Narcissism and empire-building is not just a secular world problem. It’s why James warns those in leadership or teaching positions of their greater accountability, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (3:1). Probably, the greatest betrayal takes place in the home with a parent who claims to be one thing at church, yet lives a double-life. While we all sin and none are perfect, such duplicity and betrayal leave deep, lifelong scars.

  The solution is to look to a Savior who was betrayed and murdered, yet trusted God. He understands the depth of betrayal that none of us can begin to comprehend. We must as the writer of Hebrews urged us to do, “Look to Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-3) who will never fail or disappoint us.

  They are covering personal sin. Each one of us is designed by God and made in His image, Imago Dei. We were never designed though to live with guilt or a pained conscience. As a result, one has to do something with guilt because the shame and pain can become unbearable. So, like our first parents, we cover ourselves with fig leaves. Some cover guilt with the fig leaf of bitterness or anger. Blaming others, continually focusing on them and how they have been wronged. It helps keeps us from having to look at the darkness within our own hearts. Others will abandon a Bible-believing church that teaches about sin and personal responsibility, yet keep some veneer of spirituality by being part of a church where, as Scripture describes it, their ears are “tickled” (2 Tim. 4:3). Sometimes they will even go to counseling to rid themselves of guilt and “repressive biblical truth.”

  The only true hope and cure is confession and forgiveness. Jesus died for all of our sin. Nothing surprises Him. He longs to forgive and free us from guilt. He’s the Good Shepherd searching for the lost lamb (Matt. 18:12-14).

  What’s the key to being able to endure? You can’t…on your own. We foolishly believe that we’re strong and sufficient in ourselves. We’re not. The key is to rely totally on Jesus. Paul gives us the prescription of perseverance and spiritual success, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13). We plug into His power by regularly reading God’s Word, honestly praying and crying out for His strength, surrounding ourselves with other believers who pray, support and encourage us. And we must focus on our eternal future, the finish line. As Esther Kerr Rusthoi powerfully wrote as part of a hymn many years ago:

It will be worth it all when we see Jesus,
Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ;
One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase,
So bravely run the race till we see Christ.

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Improving Your Serve!

“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can and as long as you can.” John Wesley

    Did you hear the story about the set of identical twin boys born in Rome? They were given up for adoption immediately. One of the identical twins was taken to Spain where he was named, “Juan.” The other was taken to Saudi Arabia and he was named, “Amahl.” Juan and Amahl never knew each other during their lives, but when they became young men, they began to trace their roots and each discovered that he had a twin brother. So, they arranged to meet their biological families in Rome. It was an exciting day for all of the family members. They were at the airport as Juan arrived. They were so happy to see Juan; they greeted him as their long lost relative! Somehow though Amahl’s plane was running late, so, they had to leave. Somebody said, “You wait here and when Amahl arrives, bring him to our family reunion. They said, “Well, I’ve never seen Amahl before. How in the world will I recognize him?” They said, “That’s easy! If you have seen Juan you have seen Amahl!”

  In the Christian life, in the Church, there is no such thing as spiritual identical twins. We are all unique. No one is exactly alike. That’s why it’s so important for you to know that each believer is a gifted child of God. When you came to Christ, God gifted you to serve the Lord (1 Peter 4:10). Yet, how we serve the Lord falls into some typical categories.

   Some don’t serve. One pastor periodically noted by a name on his membership list in his study the letters “FBPO.” A friend’s curiosity got the best of him so finally he asked what “FBPO” meant. The pastor replied, “That means, ‘For burial purposes only.’ They’re a member of this church, but they don’t come. They don’t give. They don’t serve. Their name is on this church roll just so when they’re buried, their obituary will say, “He was a member of _______ Church.” FBPO. Every church has professing believers where we’d have to write FBPO beside their name. But there’s no retirement program this side of eternity. We’re saved to serve (Eph. 2:10). In the New Testament a local church is compared to a body. Every body part has a purpose. It’s also compared to a building. Every piece has a place. If someone is not serving and using their spiritual gift, one might as well write FBPO over his/her life. They’re disobedient and missing God’s calling on their life. It’s not safe to not use the gifts God has given you, as Jesus pointed out in His parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30).

  It’s tragic to watch the Lord chasten a believer that refuses to use what God has entrusted to them. There are also some telling symptoms of someone sitting on the sidelines. Typically, they’re sporadic in attendance, yet tend to be petty and critical. As they have little investment in the work of God, seemingly they justify it by fault-finding. Life for them is a selfie, yet it comes at a high price. Believers are saved to serve. Those who won’t often struggle with depression, loneliness and poor self-esteem. It’s nearly impossible to be emotionally healthy when one is self-absorbed.

  My friend, Scott Ziegler, bluntly says to such folk who attend his church, “If you’re not going to give or serve, please go somewhere else and leave that space for a lost person or someone who’s going to get involved.” 

  Some primarily serve reciprocally. It’s tempting to limit yourself to reciprocal service, yet you miss out on so much. Add to that, it obstructs your spiritual growth. Those who serve reciprocally serve in the nursery, children’s ministries, etc.…as long as they have children involved in those ministries. Afterwards, you’ll hear things like, “I did my time. It’s someone else’s turn.” Even older adults will focus on older adult ministries to serve.

  The Bible teaches that a church is a family. Every member is vital and needs to be involved in serving others. It’s why at Grace, we look for avenues for even children to be involved in service. And we encourage, where it’s appropriate, for parents to have their children serve alongside of them. Our sinful nature is narcissistic. Serving helps inoculate us against this malady. When I serve others where there’s no “payback,” it’s more easily done for God’s glory alone.

  A wonderful minority serve sacrificially. This is the biblical model. Someone who serves sacrificially serves as Jesus did. Only in eternity will their investment be fully rewarded. Like Jesus, they serve outside of their comfort zones. Think about it. What was “comfortable” about leaving heaven to come to earth in the Incarnation. What was comfortable about washing His disciples’ feet.

  The Christian life isn’t about playing it safe. The cross wasn’t safe. It’s about risk and putting it all on the line. Serving outside of our comfort spaces helps us grow in faith, as we’re more dependent on God’s enabling. We know too, the good that takes place is only of the Lord because we didn’t have it in ourselves. In nearly every church you know who these godly individuals are. If you ask, “Who are some of the most Christlike individuals in your church?” Invariably, their names come up.

  Every Christian can “help.” One spiritual gift listed out in 1 Corinthians 12:28 that’s available for every Christian is labeled “helping.” Even the youngest believer can “help.” It can be anything from picking up trash, setting-up or tearing down for a church function, watching children for a single parent, or helping someone move, or doing yardwork for a senior citizen. It could be as simple as dropping a note of encouragement. One of our best means of helping is prayer. We can all pray. Sometimes that’s the best help, particularly when we don’t know how to help, like when a friend has lost a loved one or is going through a time of suffering. 

  John Piper wrote a small yet powerful book every Christian should read, Don’t waste your life! Please don’t waste your life. Choose to serve. Invest in something that will count for eternity. Glorify God and show your gratitude for His great love to you by serving Him and serving others!

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Saying "Good-bye" to the Super Woman Syndrome

“I learned more about Christianity from my mother than from all the theologians in England.”   John Wesley

  Mother’s Day, though a good holiday, isn’t a biblical one. In our day of cataclysmic change, the role of mothers specifically and women in general has radically changed since 1914 and that first Mother’s Day. God’s Word and the standards of what it means to be a godly woman though will never change. Yet, there’s tremendous pressure to “conform” to the standards of a godless world when it comes to the roles of women. Sadly, these false standards of what it means to be a woman often invade the church.

  Fortunately, the derision of stay at home mothers seems to have abated in recent years. Probably, the cultural disparity hasn’t changed much since Hillary Clinton’s demeaning remark about stay at home moms in 1992, “I suppose I could have stayed home and baked cookies and had teas….” Rather, it’s so rare today to find a stay at home mom, it’s a moot point. The Bible doesn’t commend either working women or stay at home ones. The woman of Proverbs 31 was definitely a working woman, though within the then acceptable confines of an agrarian society. Yet, there are many other areas where a Christian woman feels pressure to conform to the standards of this world that have nothing do with being a godly mom.

  One of the most flagrant is appearance. From Madison Avenue to Hollywood, all showcase women of flawless beauty. It’s ironic that even female newscasters of conservative Fox News, for the most part, look as if they’ve walked off the stage of a beauty pageant. Rachel Maddow couldn’t get a job at Fox even if she was the next Sarah Palin. Fortunately, there’s been push back with the featuring of oversize models. Every woman feels the pressure to focus more on her outer appearance than her inner one.

  Closely related to our obsession with appearance is sexuality. Last week The Wall Street Journal carried an article, asking if lovers should reveal to a new partner how many sexual partners they’ve previously had. A Texas State University study found that the average number of sexual partners was eight. (Results weren't broken down between men and women.) Lisa Mattson, who’s sex life is used an example in the article felt she’d greatly upped her morality standards when she met her now-husband, 11 years ago, in that she dated him three to four times a week for a month before she had sex with him. Sexuality is the cultural currency that makes one valuable. High schools are attacked as prudish if they dare to tell a girl her dress is too revealing for prom. Wives, married to men addicted to porn, feel pressure to commit acts they feel are revolting. All of this is passed off as normal. A woman committed to purity and holiness is ridiculed as old fashioned and hopelessly out of touch.

  Then, pity the mother who confesses that her brood is not taking music lessons, dance lessons, involved in after school sports, on a traveling team, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, church youth group, FFA, etc. Everyone “knows” a good mom fills her children’s lives with activity. A mom who seeks to maintain some sanity in the family schedule is caricatured as nearly being neglectful and possibly should even be reported to social services.

  Then, in this physical beauty crazed, sexually charged, frenetic activity parenting culture, a mom is only successful if she’s also a dietician. Good moms give their family “good” food. Add to that, some have nearly spiritualized that it must be “natural.” Visit a Christian bookstore and prepare to be assaulted by countless books on “biblical” diets like Slim For Him; More of Jesus, Less of Me; The Daniel Plan; Made to Crave…to name just a few. To suggest Scripture has a biblical diet is akin to suggesting that the opening lines in Macbeth, “Double, double, toil and trouble. Fire burn and cauldron bubble” indicate Shakespeare meant his play to be a tale about cooking. Mark it down, a moms isn’t going to be scolded at the Bema Seat because she served her family GMO foods.

  All of these, and there are others, are all manmade values. While at some level, they’re good things to practice – they have little to do with godliness. A pagan Buddhist could have these same values. There’s no spiritual merit here and they do little for your family in the Kingdom.

  So what does contribute to being a godly woman? What are some biblical values a woman who loves the Lord should focus on?

  Stay submitted to Christ. Loving obedience and humble surrender before the Lord are actions that put our lives in right perspective before Him. Neglecting time with Jesus will only result in following a wayward, self-focused heart that often forgets the lordship of Christ. Our lives are not our own; we were bought with the blood of Christ.

  Stay in Scripture. God’s Word is the only sure guide for being wise, godly and a good mom. It tell us the inerrant truth and acts as our guide. As with counterfeit money, Christians can discern counterfeit messages because we are so thoroughly familiar with truth and the original.

  Stay in Prayer. Prayer is part of our submission to Christ, as we realize our need for communing with the Father of all truth. Gaining wisdom through prayer is like grocery shopping: shop on an empty stomach and you’re more likely to make poor decisions that suit our immediate needs. The person who fills up on a hearty meal before shopping makes wiser decisions and can discern options more clearly. When we stay in prayer and Scripture, seeking wisdom and discernment, we’re more likely to see life with a clearer understanding of Biblical, gospel-centered truth.

  Stay in the local church. The Church is Christ’s bride and His instrument for accomplishing His will and spreading His glory to the world. The Church is comprised of individual believers who, when submitted to Christ, in His Word and in prayer, can teach and encourage each other in all truth (Colossians 3:16). The local church is one of the few places that will encourage you to be a godly Mom, based on truth from God’s Word.

  “Be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). 

Looking for quality used Christian books and other types of books, too at very low prices. Check out our family's used bookstore at resurrectedreads.com.