When someone becomes born again they are changed into an entirely new creation by Christ. Everyone that knew them before will see a dramatic change in their life, attitude and general response to life.
If there has been no change at all then there has been no salvation. Yes, someone can pretend for awhile and even make us believe them, but if they slip right back into what they were before it is an indicator that they were pretenders or attempting to live a Christian life in their own flesh, having never been changed by Christ.
Pretenders can put on a very good show, they can lie with a straight face in their continual attempts to prove they are good people, but when challenged to examine their lives they will rage as though something bad were happening to them.
Shame ought to be the response of those who have been challenged. Only the truly born again believer will feel genuine shame, but they never fight to justify themselves.
Discerning people are able to feel the bad spirit around these pretenders. The Spirit within us does not bear witness with the spirit in them. In fact, there is a sort of mild repulsion experienced in the authentic believer in the presence of the pretender.
Most often the born again believer will know their sin before anyone else tells them about it. They will have been sensing conviction of the Holy Spirit before they were challenged. The challenge just confirms what God had already been telling them. With these authentic believer there will be on angry rages leveled against the one who challenges.
We have so many people who are pretenders and worse those who become angry that we suggested those pretenders were not authentic, these are the enablers. So many people are deeply invested in believing words that they refuse to see the spiritual and physical signs of those who are not born again.
Matthew 7:21-23
Thursday, August 9, 2018
Women in Ministry
A married woman's first obligation, her first ministry is her husband and then her children. Most women are meant to be married, raising children and tending to the needs of her husband.
It is rare that God calls women to full time ministry separate from marriage. A woman's greatest influence is over her husband and children.
Why do so many women think they are not engaging in ministry when they remain in the home offering a standard and character example for the rest of those in her household.
The greatest calling any woman can have is the affect a woman has is on the lives of those who live with her every day. If she does this well she has fulfilled God's mandate to serve Christ.
A woman's example and reach for Christ extends to the community in which her family lives. As she walks faithfully with God she will leave a sweet smelling aroma of God's love and purpose everywhere she goes.
If you are a homemaker, wife and mother, your influence is far greater than those women who neglect their home domain in favor of a career that brings them personal aggrandizement and a pay check.
Married women are not called to enter any other ministry apart from the family.
Proverbs 31 clearly states that homemaking, child rearing and care of husbands is the most important job the married woman can do.
We see in the Proverbs 31 passage that the woman who does her job well is very busy and even brings admiration from the community to her husband. The wife has the ability to make or break the career of her husband by her own conduct.
Proverbs 31:23 "23 Her husband is known at the city gate, where he sits among the elders of the land."
Proverbs 31:10-31
"Description of a Worthy Woman
10 An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She looks for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight.
14 She is like merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
15 She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And portions to her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
18 She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hands grasp the spindle.
20 She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And [o]supplies belts to the tradesmen.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
26 She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
29 “Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates."
Far too many Christian wives have fallen into the trap of working outside the home to elevate their own status as well as gaining more money in order to be seen as prosperous and accomplished.
Sadly these women have no idea of the fulfillment and hard work involved in running a home with diligence and perseverance. If a woman did all the jobs a homemaker does for a wealthy family while obtaining a paycheck, this woman would be seen as having a career. But when the homemaker does all these things for her own family she is rejected and mocked as "just a housewife."
The devil has managed to intimidate women into believing they are not worth very much if they dedicate their lives to their families. They are viewed as unproductive and lacking intelligence because they do not receive that coveted pay check and "career" status.
There is nothing more fulfilling for the self motivated homemaker than caring for everyone in the family as well as volunteering in the community. Our homemaking skills are diverse and exciting, even more so than another job outside the home.
Never let anyone else intimidate you into believing you are not productive when your job is your home and family.
Those homemakers who are at home and do very little while in it, must repent from the attitude of laziness and begin to do well those things God has placed in their charge.
And lastly, never compare what you are doing with what anyone else is doing. God never called every woman to do exactly the same things. We have been called primarily to have husbands and children, they are our ministry.
Never allow others to intimidate you into thinking your job is not worthy. If you are obeying God and working as hard in your home as you are able, then you are in the center of God's Will.
Hallelujah!!!!
It is rare that God calls women to full time ministry separate from marriage. A woman's greatest influence is over her husband and children.
Why do so many women think they are not engaging in ministry when they remain in the home offering a standard and character example for the rest of those in her household.
The greatest calling any woman can have is the affect a woman has is on the lives of those who live with her every day. If she does this well she has fulfilled God's mandate to serve Christ.
A woman's example and reach for Christ extends to the community in which her family lives. As she walks faithfully with God she will leave a sweet smelling aroma of God's love and purpose everywhere she goes.
If you are a homemaker, wife and mother, your influence is far greater than those women who neglect their home domain in favor of a career that brings them personal aggrandizement and a pay check.
Married women are not called to enter any other ministry apart from the family.
Proverbs 31 clearly states that homemaking, child rearing and care of husbands is the most important job the married woman can do.
We see in the Proverbs 31 passage that the woman who does her job well is very busy and even brings admiration from the community to her husband. The wife has the ability to make or break the career of her husband by her own conduct.
Proverbs 31:23 "23 Her husband is known at the city gate, where he sits among the elders of the land."
Proverbs 31:10-31
"Description of a Worthy Woman
10 An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She looks for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight.
14 She is like merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
15 She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And portions to her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
18 She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hands grasp the spindle.
20 She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And [o]supplies belts to the tradesmen.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
26 She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
29 “Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates."
Far too many Christian wives have fallen into the trap of working outside the home to elevate their own status as well as gaining more money in order to be seen as prosperous and accomplished.
Sadly these women have no idea of the fulfillment and hard work involved in running a home with diligence and perseverance. If a woman did all the jobs a homemaker does for a wealthy family while obtaining a paycheck, this woman would be seen as having a career. But when the homemaker does all these things for her own family she is rejected and mocked as "just a housewife."
The devil has managed to intimidate women into believing they are not worth very much if they dedicate their lives to their families. They are viewed as unproductive and lacking intelligence because they do not receive that coveted pay check and "career" status.
There is nothing more fulfilling for the self motivated homemaker than caring for everyone in the family as well as volunteering in the community. Our homemaking skills are diverse and exciting, even more so than another job outside the home.
Never let anyone else intimidate you into believing you are not productive when your job is your home and family.
Those homemakers who are at home and do very little while in it, must repent from the attitude of laziness and begin to do well those things God has placed in their charge.
And lastly, never compare what you are doing with what anyone else is doing. God never called every woman to do exactly the same things. We have been called primarily to have husbands and children, they are our ministry.
Never allow others to intimidate you into thinking your job is not worthy. If you are obeying God and working as hard in your home as you are able, then you are in the center of God's Will.
Hallelujah!!!!
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