Proven Path Ministries

Prayer Request From AiG

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When I was in college (the second round) finally completing my AS degree I had to pass a public speaking class to graduate. Now, you might not believe it, but I am terrified to speak in front of people. I took zero’s in high school rather than give a speech, and I dropped speech at least three times in college… the first round.

I returned to finish my degree as a Holy Spirit filled woman of God. I faced the public speaking course in His power. I chose to use this course as an opportunity to bring glory to my Christ. Each required speech was used as an opportunity to share His truth with those attending.

One of the speeches I gave was the importance of the return of teaching Creationism in public schools as a possible origin of man and the universe. I was honored to be able share information I had learned in my own personal studies in this subject. I was surprised at how genuinely interested those in the class were because they had never been taught what I was sharing .

I pray, that by the grace of God, that His truth was able to resonate in the ears of at least one in that course as I shared that semester. So now here is this opportunity to see this debate take place between two men who know much more than I. This is going to be a very informing debate. I hope you are excited and sharing this news with your family and friends.

Imagine how the soul of a person can be impacted when they finally wrap their minds around the beautiful truth that a holy loving Creator God knit them in their mother’s womb with meticulous design and purpose… and that this same God holds the sun in the sky.

It’s almost time!

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Bill Nye will be debating Ken Ham live on February 4th at 7pm Eastern/6pm Central.

The topic “Is creation a viable model of origins in today’s modern, scientific era?”

You will be able to watch this debate live via the internet for free!

For more info on the live stream click here: Debate

What can you do until then?

Pray! We are asking for earnest prayer over this event. Below are some specific prayer points:

  • Please pray daily, between now and February 3, for the Answers in Genesis support staff and, of course, Ken Ham himself, as they prepare for this event.
  • Pray that weather does not impact the event.
  • Please also pray daily that many people are made aware of and watch the debate online.
  • On the day of the event please pray for Ken Ham and Bill Nye, that the Lord will guide this debate and use it for His glory.
    • Pray for all the support staff, that the event will be free of any issues.
    • Pray for the viewers and attendees, that God’s Word will be an encouragement for the believers and conviction for the non-believers.
    • If you are showing the debate to a group, we ask that your prayer group gather ten minutes before the event.

Thank you in advance for supporting this historic event. One of the biggest blessings will be the new relationships we form, and the dialog opened between Christians and non-Christians all across the U.S. and the world.

Do you have friends, family, or co-workers that struggle with reconciling science and religion? Why not have a debate dinner? Invite them to watch this debate with you. Use this opportunity to open the dialogue with those in your area of influence. 

For more Answers in Genesis outreach events, or to request a speaker at your church go to answersingenesis.org/outreach/.
Purchase excellent resources from the Answers in Genesis Bookstore

Proven Path Ministries

How Dare You Judge Me

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This past Sunday night our Pastor taught on the Biblical worldview of family regarding sex. As he shared on this topic in light of the Scriptures he taught from Leviticus 18, Deuteronomy 22, Romans 1, and 1 Corinthians 6. As you read through and hear out loud the things that God is having to pin point in Leviticus 18 and Deuteronomy 22 that the Israelites are not to do, it is almost flabbergasting. God is having to flat-out tell the children of Israel that this is unacceptable. He is having to flat-out point it out because these are the things that the people in the land have been doing and are doing.

Many times our girls will read the warning labels on items. After learning some of the warnings they will look up at their Daddy and ask why on earth that certain thing had to be listed. Their Daddy simply replies, It’s on there because someone did it, and because that person or persons who did it probably sued the company because it didn’t work out for them. Now they have to put this specific warning label on it.

Our Pastor shared that unredeemed man (as in mankind which includes we women) left to themselves, their imaginations are evil and corrupt, and there is no depth to the depravity. For me, this is where the “do not judge” thing applies. No one else’s sin is any worse than my sin. We all, apart from Christ, have no limits to our ability to sin with the best of them, so I am not to write any soul off. Who am I to determine the limits of the grace and mercy of God? I am to share the Way, the Truth, and the Life with every soul in hopeful expectation of their eternal salvation.

As I read once again the words of Leviticus 18 and Deuteronomy 22, my first gut reaction was to shudder and think not here, but that is thinking way to highly of the people of our modern day nations. All I had to do is be still long enough to think about some of the news headlines of the last ten years and reality hits like a brick in the face.

How does a person get to such a depraved state?

I am reading through the book of Genesis again and as I came to what I consider one of the hardest chapters in Scripture, Genesis 19, I saw some very familiar things… some similarities to our day.

Genesis 19 is the famous story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

In Genesis 13:13 we are introduced to the wickedness of Sodom.

In Genesis 19:3-5 we discover that the men of Sodom are sexually perverted and violent,

Yet he urged them strongly, so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he prepared a feast for them, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; and they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them.”

In Ezekiel 16:49 we find out more about Sodom,

“Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy“

There was more to Sodom than homosexuality. It was place of great selfishness and self gratification. It was also a place of people who refused to be corrected. This is what I believe is the true root behind the great sin of Sodom. There is not much left to do for a person who refuses to listen.

When you read through the first chapters of Exodus, you will see a phrase repeated over and over, he did not listen. It didn’t matter what God said or did through Moses, Pharaoh refused to listen. His refusal to listen led to his destruction. No wonder Jesus, so often said, he who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Now, we know from other verses of Scripture that Lot was a righteous man living in an unrighteous place. I, at first, just thought Lot was a complete idiot for choosing to move to Sodom, but I now believe that God allowed Lot and his family to move there as one final witness of righteousness to the people of this city. God was giving them one more chance to listen. However, the final words of the people of Sodom would be, HOW DARE YOU JUDGE ME!

But they said, “Stand aside.” Furthermore, they said, “This one came in as an alien, and already he is acting like a judge; now we will treat you worse than them.” So they pressed hard against Lot and came near to break the door.

Genesis 19:9

Does this sound familiar?

Now, to what have the men of the city accused Lot of “passing judgment” on them? What horrible thing has Lot said to lead them to pull out the “do not judge” card?

But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, and said, “Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly.” 

Genesis 19:6-7

Yep, that’s it. There it is. Lot’s exact words. Simply, “Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly.”

As I met with a group of Children’s ministers this week, one of the questions asked was, what is the most quoted verse spoken by Jesus in the world today? My answer, do not judge, lest you be judged…

Yes, that’s it.

I have even seen people with the phrase, Only God can judge me, tattooed on their bodies.

I don’t know about you… but I don’t want God to have to judge me. Have you read the end of the book? Did you read what happened in Sodom when God had to judge?

God sent His Word and THE Word into the world so that we would not have to be judged, but so that we could find grace and receive mercy and be saved from judgement.

But we have to be willing to be corrected, to listen, to repent, if we are to be saved.

For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you; but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.

The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:3-8

Proven Path Ministries

Smile I Love You

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This is our fundamental calling as parents — to be the smile of God to our children. We are charged by God to bring our children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. God himself has commanded us to communicate to our children what he is like. And God is fundamentally a Happy Father, a Well-Pleased Parent. And just as the Father communicates his delight in his Son through his words and deeds and demeanor and presence, so also should we.

~ Be the Smile of God to Your Children

I read this post a while back and I was reminded about how important it is for us to speak truth and love and hope into our children… and not just our children but into all people.

I have been in hard place for a while… a place of complaint… aggravation… frustration… and just wanting to shake some people… sometimes…well many times God has to bring me through this cycle to get me into a new place of growth. If you follow my posts you will see the trend.

I was watching the show Wipeout with my twelve year old last night and one of the challenges was this rotating maze. The Wipeout person had to jump into this rotating maze and they spent anywhere from 2 minutes to 15 minutes bouncing around in this contraption until they were able to get their wits about them enough to find the exit and jump out of it. However, they jumped out this challenge, just to land face to face with another one that was ready to try and knock them out of the game. Life is a lot like Wipeout.

I have found myself in times that felt like I was stuck in one of those rotating mazes. I think, in all honesty, I just recently found my way out of my latest. It’s real easy in this day of constant media to get focused on all the things that stir up frustrations… and before you know it you are wrapped up in this thought cycle of negativity and grumbling… and in this place it is easy to forget the power that the darkness has on those who are walking in it. Forgetting the power of the darkness causes you to forget that apart from Christ we are all powerless… and not just powerless, but flat out dead. It also causes us to forget that those who might even have Christ but are currently walking in darkness are blinded and deceived and yes, quite possibly even deceiving.

Many times our reaction to those walking in the darkness is anger or just flat out befuddlement. In this reaction we also forget that we battle not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12) 

Our earthly struggles are actually heavenly battles… which means to have victory in the earthly struggle we have to win the heavenly battle and to win the heavenly battle we have to take the fight to the heavens and the only way we can take the fight to the heavens is on our knees in and through and by and with Christ.

And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Luke 1:51

The darkness wants us to fight the darkness with more darkness which actually strengthens the hold of the darkness… but we must fight the darkness with light. Fighting with the light fights in two ways. One, the darkness hates the light and will flee from it. Two, light added to light only brightens and strengthens the light.

God saw that the light was good;

and God separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:4

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This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you,

that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

1 John 1:5

In Him there is no darkness… None…not a single shadow.

It never ceases to blow my mind that this God of no darkness, of not even a shadow, willingly comes and resides within the darkness of this flesh of ours, stepping into the deepest recesses of our mind and diving down into the darkest depths of the pits of our soul… just to create in us a clean and pure heart that is finally able to fellowship with Him. No nook or cranny is off limits to Him… He wants to shine His light in every dark place within us. He comes in with the light calling us to the Light…

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

1 Peter 2:9

We are here on this earth, and while here it can feel like we are being thrown in one Wipeout contraption after another… but what we have is this amazing opportunity, for while in the race, what we do have is access to the One who is seeing the whole course laid out and knows exactly the way through the maze and past and through every crazy deceptive imagination set up to knock us out… He is there cheering us on and giving us direction and encouragement and strength and hope… if we will just be still long enough to be steadied by Him and allow Him to get our wits about us.

If we who are walking in the Light would remember how warm the smile of God is… and be willing to smile His light upon others… have you ever noticed how a face will light up when it carries a smile? Oh that we would reflect His glory and that others could behold His glorious light through His face shining upon ours…

The Lord bless you, and keep you;

The Lord make His face shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance on you,
And give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26

Smile, precious one, because He loves you.

Book Reviews, Proven Path Ministries

Let My Children Think

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The first time I read through any of CS Lewis’s work I wondered why on earth I had never read him before.

Before my heart was wholly surrendered to my God I read mainly fiction books. I have always loved reading and have always had at least one book going in my life as long as I can remember. When I wholly surrendered my life in 2001 and began reading and teaching and inductively studying the Word of God, the Lord made it very clear to me that I did not have time for fiction… He had a work to do in my heart and my mind and I didn’t need to be dragging in more trash… there was already enough in my head that He needed to dump.

Around 2006 I heard about this man named John Piper… and after going through some of studies, I realized he talked about this CS Lewis guy. So I thought that I would check him out.

It was around 2008 when I picked up and read Mere Christianity (remember I was still under God’s strict instruction to stay away from fiction). I read this book and loved it! I even remember posting how I thought that after the Bible, every modern day believer should take a read through this book!

So you can imagine how excited I was to get a message about reviewing a new book written to be a study to go alongside CS Lewis’ Mere Christianity…

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The classic work commonly known as Mere Christianity is actually a four-book series which explores the common ground upon which all Christians stand. It brings together Lewis’ legendary radio talks broadcast during World War II previously published as: Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe, What Christians Believe, Christian Behavior, and Beyond Personality (or First Steps in the Doctrine of the Trinity), and provides an unequaled opportunity for believers and nonbelievers alike to hear this powerful apologetic for the Christian faith.

The Mere Christianity Critical Analysis Journal is a powerful tool to strengthen critical thinking while cultivating a biblical worldview. Although it was originally created to be a companion resource to Philosophy Adventure, it may also be used as group or independent study for teenagers or adults.

 

It provides 10-16 questions like this:

MC Quote

These 10-16 questions for each chapter can be discussed in:

  • homeschools
  • co-ops
  • classrooms
  • Sunday school
  • small groups
  • families

Here’s a little more about the author…

Stacy Farrell’s worldview changed when she embarked on her homeschooling adventure in 2002.

Her background as a consultant and writer well-prepared her to teach communication skills; however, only hands-on experience (and much time spent on her knees) equipped her to mentor her sons through the character-transformation required to help them work toward their full potential.

Stacy has spoken at a variety of homeschool conferences and has published articles in leading Christian magazines. She wrote scripts for Willow Creek’s youth ministry, copy for Pastor Bill Hybel’s “Defining Moments” Audio Newsletter, and a broad range of material for corporate and non-profit clients. She also managed a law firm that specialized in civil rights litigation and constitutional law. Today, she loves to help empower students to recover territory lost by “fuzzy thinking” and low expectations. To that end, she created:

 

  • Philosophy Adventure™—Pre-Socratics – designed to help students 6th-12th grade cultivate and defend a biblical worldview by teaching them how to write skillfully, think critically, and speak articulately as they explore the history of ideas
  • Philippians in 28 Weeks™ — a simple and painless way to memorize an entire book of Scripture
  • The Wise Woman with Literary Analysis Journal Questions – an enchanting fable that unmasks the ugliness of pride and selfishness
  • Mere Christianity Critical Analysis Journal — a powerful tool to strengthen critical thinking while cultivating a biblical worldview.

 

Although Stacy loves to write, speak, and teach, she considers her role as wife to Roger and mother to two precious sons to be her greatest work and privilege. You can learn more about her resources at Homeschool Adventure

We are a homeschooling family. One of the main reasons we chose to homeschool was so that we could instill a biblical worldview in our children. Another reason we chose to homeschool was because we wanted to teach our girls to think… not just repeat information.

I am excited about Stacy’s Critical Analysis Journal because it is designed to help our children do exactly that…to have a Biblical worldview and to THINK!

The Journal is also available in a typable PDF format so for those that love to go paperless, this will be great for you 🙂

If you act now you can use the promo code below to get this great product at a discount…

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You can even download a free copy of CS Lewis’ book here: Mere Christianity e-book

And tonight you are invited to the Facebook release party beginning at 8pm! At the party you also will have an awesome opportunity to get free door prizes and sign up to win over $1000 in free books and there is even an opportunity to win a Kindle Fire!

Just click here for details: Mere Christianity Critical Analysis Journal Release Party

I hope to see you there! I will also be giving a way free copies of the ebook version of my book Devotions From Exodus Part One (Learning to Live in Freedom).

MC Disclaimer

Confessions of a Christian Wife, Proven Path Ministries

Young Love, Strong Love

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There’s a radio station that my family listens to that plays classic country and bluegrass… and there is this one song that plays and I cannot listen to it with out my eyes welling up and my heart rising into my throat… it’s called Young Love by The Judds.

The line that says, they’re gonna make it through the hard times, walk those lines, yeah these ties will bind young love… that’s where it gets me every time… I hear those words and my eyes begin to well with tears and I look over at my husband and see that his are doing the same…

…and then when it says, well, from that day on you couldn’t keep them apart, they were side by side, heart to heart…

My husband and I have been together going on sixteen years… and within those sixteen years we have never gone one full day without talking to one another… even if we were oceans apart… and even if we were spittin’ mad at one another…

…and then finally the words, and that night as he held her he couldn’t believe, that God had made a girl that he’d never ever leave… I knew this the first time my husband held me in his arms… that he was different from anyone I had ever known before… when I looked into his eyes I saw my future and when I was held by him I felt protected and safe and I wanted to stay in His arms from that day on. To this very day when he wraps me up in the strength of his arms and I close my eyes and bury my head in his chest and breath in his scent it doesn’t matter what else is going on around us I find that we are, for that small moment, in our own little world just me, him, and God… that three cord strand tightly woven.

The years that would follow that first time would come with some very hard times… but just as the song sings, it has been the hard times that have made the ties that bind. It has been the hard times that God has used to dig deep into our prideful stubborn selfish selves and refine us with fire… and this fire has been like a welders fire.

Welding is a fabrication or sculptural process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by causing coalescence. This is often done by melting the workpieces and adding a filler material to form a pool of molten material (the weld pool) that cools to become a strong joint, with pressure sometimes used in conjunction with heat, or by itself, to produce the weld.

~ Wikipedia

As we walked through the fire, it was hot and it was fierce, but as the fire melted away those parts of us that needed to go, God was faithful to pour into us the fire of His Spirit that unites and bonds and as the fire cooled we found that we were even stronger than ever before. Joined together through the heat and the pressure, no longer two… but one.

I have no doubt that both of us have at times gone toe to toe with our demons and God allowed them access to us so that he might use them to destroy the deep rooted sin and fears in us… to tear down walls that we had built to protect us… yet our God never left us defenseless. He had given us His Spirit and His Word.

But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel,
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are Mine!
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
“For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

Isaiah 43:1-3

Me and Patrick

I look at this man that I fell head over heels for sixteen years ago and I believe and trust in him more today than I even imagined that I could when I first said “I do“. As I have watched God transform him before my eyes and have had the privilege of growing up with him… I can’t help but smile… and it’s a heart smile… a smile that warms my soul as I see in our lives the beautiful testimony of the power of the gospel and the grace of God. His mercies really are new every morning and His lovingkindness really does endure forever and He really can change hearts and minds and redeem souls and He really does hear us when we pray and love really never fails.

Love… bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails

1 Corinthians 13:7-8

Book Reviews

Let Me Introduce You To Stacy Farrell

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I am currently reviewing a new product by Stacy Farrell and the Homeschool Adventure Co. This new product is a critical analysis journal on C.S. Lewis’ book Mere Christianity. I love this book, so I was excited about the opportunity to review Stacy’s book. I will be sharing more about the journal later… so stay tuned 😉

Today I want to introduce you to the author.

Stacy answered a few questions for us…

SF Author Interview

 

* When planning a new book, how do you go about planning for it? Do you have a method you use, or is each one different? 

Proverbs 16:9 declares: “In his heart, a man makes his plans, but the Lord determines his steps.” If you had asked me this question 20 years ago, I would have told you how I outlined and scheduled and planned. I’m a planner by nature. However, I have learned the hard way that “unless the Lord builds the house, the workers labor in vain” (Psalm 127:1).

Each book I have written for Home School Adventure Co. has a unique story behind it—and not one would have been completed without the support of many faithful prayer warriors.

* Do you have a certain writing space, somewhere you go *just* to write your books? An office, a lake cabin, a hotel? What do you love about that space? How does it inspire you?

Writing resources for Home School Adventure Co. has pretty much demanded everything I can give to it (and more!). So, wherever I go, my writing goes with me.

I am especially grateful to my sons for helping me lug around the backpack and bags that contain my laptop and research materials.

* What would you say to a young person who aspires to be a writer? What advice would you give? Also, what would you tell his/her parents in order to help them be supportive in their child’s efforts to pursue writing as a career?

Writing is hard work. Sometimes inspiration hits and the words simply flow. However, the writer who consistently writes can ultimately surpass a more talented writer who waits for the Muse before picking up his or her pen (or keyboard).

Think of eternity, always. Imagine that moment when you will stand before God and give an account for what you have done with the talents He entrusted to you. Let that guide all your decisions.

Parents, encourage your students to write every day. Then take the time to read and comment on what they write. Even if you do not consider yourself a writer, surely you consider yourself a reader. What is clear? What is confusing? Applaud their efforts and tell them the truth.

* Would your advice be any different (from question #3) for an adult who would like to break into the business? How?

Pray. Listen. Obey.

“Count the cost.”

Luke 14:28 tells us to consider the price we must pay before undertaking a work, but there is also a cost associated with not undertaking a work to which He calls us.

That said, as parents and family members, we would be wise to maintain a measure of balance. Remember Solomon’s words: “The writing of many books is endless” (Ecc. 12:12). Books will pass away; people are eternal.

Do not allow your writing to interfere with your loving.

* What is your goal with writing? Is it the same with every book?

My goal for every book is the same as my goal for life. I pray that all my efforts help people more fully know and love Jesus.

* What other projects will you be working on in the near future?

In 2014, we hope to release a print edition of Philippians in 28 Weeks – King James Version.

* What is one lesson you learned from writing this book?

Simple truth packs a punch.

In Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis tackles some hefty questions. Yet, upon pondering his answers, I realized that much of what he says distills down to common sense.

(Voltaire would argue that “common sense is not so common.”)

* What books have most influenced you?

Different books have impacted me during different seasons of my life.

* With all of the duties that you juggle, when do you fit in the time to write?

This is a great question. There is no denying that writing requires many sacrifices. Truth be told, all too often my sons have heard me say, “I need to concentrate. Please don’t talk to me right now!” However, because my sons need and deserve my focused attention during our school days, much of my writing is done before dawn (while my household sleeps), or late at night.

* What is the Scripture verse that you would call your favorite?

At a writer’s conference some years ago, I came to believe that Philippians 2:14-16 might be my “life verse.”

I could not pick a favorite verse, but I can say that I feel particularly convicted to live out Philippians 2:14-16:

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing,

so that you may become

blameless and pure,

children of God without fault

in a warped and crooked generation.

Then you will shine like stars in the sky

as you hold out the word of life.”

So there’s a little 411 on Stacy 🙂

Of course you can get to know here even better by checking out her blog: On Loving Jesus

You can also follow Homeschool Adventure’s on all your favorite social media sites:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HomeSchoolAdventureCo

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HomeSchoolAdven

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/homeschooladven/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/homeschooladven

I look forward to sharing my thoughts later about the journal 🙂

Confessions of a Christian Wife, Proven Path Ministries

Thine Ass Is Mine

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The title of this post is a quote from Imaginary Jesus. It’s a pretty good book… I have shared about it before here on my blog (Communion). The title of this post came from King-James Jesus after he kidnapped the talking donkey in order to bargain for her to rescue Magic-Eight-Ball Jesus.

When I was teaching Zoology at our Monday Co-op as we were learning about Ungulates and as we looked at the order Perissodactyla we discussed the donkey. As I prepared to teach I read:

Although donkeys have long been considered ignorant, they are actually quite intelligent creatures. They are not as easy to train as horses, because they seem to have a mind of their own and will not do anything that doesn’t seem like a good idea to them. They prefer to do things that are good for the donkey, which may not necessarily be good for the person who owns the donkey.
~ Apologia Exploring Creation with Zoology 3

Reading this reminded me that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. I have been taught and have understood that Jesus chose a donkey because it was a poor man’s animal. It was not a king’s steed. It also was to fulfill the Scriptures. I believe all this is true… but I also now think that their might even have been more to the story.

 “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
 “SAY TO THE DAUGHTER OF ZION,
‘BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU,
GENTLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY,
EVEN ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A BEAST OF BURDEN.’”
Matthew 21:2-5

Why the donkey?

Well if you think about it… we as humans can be stupid as a sheep and stubborn as a donkey. Not only was this a donkey, but it was a colt. It was immature, unridden, untrained…

I read this and I think of the description of this donkey and I realize how often I have been there. You know having a mind of my own and not willing to listen to instruction and not planning on doing anything that didn’t seem like a good idea to me…

I mean really, like anyone else might have a good idea?

How often do we see this in our church and in our homes?

No, sir, we need to go in this direction and your opinion of the matter is really irrelevant because it’s not what I personally had planned… so there is no point in even entertaining it…

No, honey, this is the way we need to do it and your idea on the matter doesn’t line up with mine and there is no way that your way could be better than mine… so just hush about it…

The donkey is always looking out for the donkey and he is not all that fired up or concerned about how it affects everyone else… including the one who owns him.

Hmmmmm am I hitting home yet?

The last time I checked my body, my mind, my soul, all belong to God… not me. When I accepted Christ and believed on Him and confessed Him as my Lord, I surrendered all that I am and ever will be to Him.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple
of the Holy Spirit who is in you,
whom you have from God,
and that you are not your own? 
For you have been bought with a price:
therefore glorify God in your body.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20

In light of this when was the last time you considered what was best for God, your owner. I have to admit that usually when I plan out my day, my future, when I get ideas… the majority of the time the focus is what is best for me. I consider what will work best in my schedule and with the way that I want it to go…

Then I ask God to make it to happen.

How quickly I forget “Thine ass is Mine”

My life is not my own and it is not to be used for my glory or my benefit. Just as that donkey in the book of Matthew carried Jesus into Jerusalem, I am to be the carrier of Jesus the Christ into my Jerusalem, and Jesus is to lead and direct the way.

Likewise, in my home, my marriage, I am no longer my own.

For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother,
and be joined to his wife;
and they shall become one flesh.
Genesis 2:24
*****
The wife does not have authority over her own body,
but the husband does;
and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body,
but the wife does.
1 Corinthians 7:4

 

In this marriage I am not to live to  myself. My ideas, my decisions, should not be based on what’s best for me, but what is best for my spouse and our marriage and our family. It’s not about me. I belong now to this marriage and to this family, to my husband… I am not my own and I must make decisions according to what is best for them… not just me.

Of course here’s the thing, I can’t do this on my own. I need Jesus there to control the reigns. As I carry the coverings of others on my back He must be the one who covers all of us… I can’t do it on my own.

I am immature, untrained, and unridden. My ideas, my way, may not be the best for others… usually they are not.

I am ingrained to resist authority and to seek my own personal wants and needs first in a self-protection kind of way. I have to have Christ leading me, growing me, steering me, indwelling me.

When I surrender my will to Him, He will help me surrender my will in the other areas of my life as well.

  And He went a little beyond them,
and fell on His face and prayed, saying,
“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me;
yet not as I will, but as You will.”

Matthew 26:39

Living our lives with surrendered will does not mean that life will be a bed of roses for us… but it’s not about us. It’s about Him.

We have to trust that He knows what He is doing, where He is going, and He will see us safely there and through whatever comes our way. We must know that what lies ahead is going to be far greater than anything that lies behind.

I want this stubborn donkey of me to be broken, matured, and trained by my Owner, by the One who first surrendered all for me…

I want to be fully surrendered to Him.

Confessions of a Christian Wife, Proven Path Ministries

Confession Time

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It’s been a while since I have read through the Bible from beginning to end. I am in the Word daily, but this is different… reading through the whole Book allows you to keep the Scriptures in context and it also allows the Holy Spirit to bring truth to remembrance when you need it from an area in the Bible that usually you just don’t spend a lot of time in… like Nahum. I mean if you can quote a Scripture verse off the top of your head from this book, stop now, and scroll down to the comment box and type it in 😉

I can’t remember who Nahum was or what He wrote… so that means it’s time for me to renew my mind because God no doubt had something important to say through him or he would not be in The Book.

This year I am reading through the Scriptures chronologically, which is the Bible in the order of time in which the events occurred. Yesterday my readings were Genesis 1-3. Earlier that morning I wrote a blog post entitled Speaking from Experience. Within this post is a fifteen minute video of the “older women” of my church. The purpose of the video was to interview these ladies and have them share their wisdom with the “younger women” in our church, you know, fleshing out Titus 2.

I am a firm believer that if we ladies need marital or parenting advice we need not seek it from other young women, but from the “older women” who have the wisdom to guide us with truth and not shared emotion. I am afraid that sometimes we younger women might advice each other to do things we secretly wish we could do ourselves because we might be in the same hard place yet we won’t because we know deep down we can’t or shouldn’t. The whole vicarious living through thing.

Anyway…

I began my chronological read through in Genesis 1-3, and of course those chapters perfectly coincided with where my heart had been that morning… the family… specifically being a wife who loved her husband and loved her children with God’s love, not because I feel like it love. As I read through these chapters I was reminded of God’s ordained plan for me and what sin did to wreck it. I re-read once again the curse upon we women…

To the woman He said,
“I will greatly multiply
Your pain in childbirth,
In pain you will bring forth children;
Yet your desire will be for your husband,
And he will rule over you.” 

Genesis 3:16

Now before I read these verses in Genesis, but after I wrote the blog post that morning… Satan tried to trip me. I have learned that anytime I speak out on any subject, I can guarantee that the opportunity for me to put my money where my mouth is or walk my talk is no doubt going to happen.

If you follow my blog, you know that I have been sick for a while… I have been running a fever all this past week and just feel like cruddy ole crud… and my husband also has not been well, but he had to go to work yesterday anyway. So as I looked out the window at the sunshine and knew that the weather was giving me the perfect opportunity to remove the outside Christmas decorations, I decided to pull myself up off the couch and get a shower and get to work.

In the meantime, my husband came home early from work, in order to attend his Uncle’s visitation service. I came down the stairs, showered and dressed, with an arm load of laundry to start, and planning to get busy removing the last of Christmas 2013 from our house. As I walk by my husband he looks at me and says something like, it’s really beautiful outside today, why don’t you get outside and do something and get some fresh air, I think it will help you feel better.

Remember that this was the very reason I had gone upstairs to shower and dress, but the moment he said that my flesh rose up in rebellion and I just looked at him with I am sure a not so nice look, because he then said, or just go sit outside in the sun for a bit, I didn’t mean you had to work, I just thought the fresh air would do you good.

Oh my how quickly that curse jumps upon us! My first thought to his suggesting me doing what I had already planned to do was to not do it just because he suggested it… why on earth is that? SIN that’s why…ugh, how aggravating it is!

All these thoughts are running through my head and my flesh is crawling up my throat, but I remembered what I earlier wrote and thought about what I would read later and I took a deep breath and instead said, well that’s what I went upstairs to get showered and dressed for… but my flesh still fought hard for control, because before I went outside to tackle the decorations, I opened the back door to let fresh air in, but still piled back up on my love-seat sick bed and covered up in my blankets, because I could justify that action with the fact that I really did feel like cruddy ole crud and I was having to push through that to even get a shower. Needless to say, it took me a little wrestling with my flesh and the Spirit for me to actually attack those decorations.

How quickly it became less about getting some fresh air and taking advantage of some sunshine and more about being obedient to the Word of God and honoring and loving my husband.

There it was staring me in the face… Genesis 3:16 and Ephesians 5:22-24… Friend, have you been there?

“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’ And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he regretted it and went. The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” 

Matthew 21:28-31

Confessions of a Christian Wife, Proven Path Ministries

Speaking From Experience

Thy Word

 

 

One of the burdens that I have on my heart is for the family… for children… for marriages. The Word of God is very clear that in the last days love will grow cold.

Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. ~ Jesus (Matthew 24:12-13)

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power… (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

One of the reasons for divorce in our day is irreconcilable differences… this ought not to be so in Christian marriages because we have been given the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:16-20).

I fear we live in a day when many have a form of godliness but they have denied its power… as wives and mothers our first working out of our own salvation (Philippians 2:12-21) should be demonstrated within our homes before our husbands and our children. If we cannot speak truth and live out love with them then what we speak and portray before others is hypocrisy. If we cannot live a life without grumbling or disputing within the walls of our home then we really never will in the world…

If we cannot love our husbands and love our children with the love of Christ… then we have never loved at all. If we cannot apply Matthew 5:42-47, Luke 6:35-36, and Romans 12:9-21 to the members of our own house then we are fake if we say we offer it to others.

In this day it’s more popular, even in the “church”, to forsake those that cause us grief rather than to choose to love them in spite of it. When someone cramps our style or makes us feel uncomfortable instead of asking ourselves why this is and asking God how we can learn to love them we just “unfriend” them or write a vague status concerning them or walk out on them or send them to their rooms or cheer when school starts back and we don’t have to deal with them.

It’s easy to show love and feel all “Christian” when it’s just you and a keyboard. But how’s it working out when real live breathing souls are around? This is where we find out if we really trust God… this is where faith is walked by and grace is displayed.

As a new year approaches I pray that we women, we wives, we mothers, will resolve to love our husbands and to love our children and to work out our salvation before them.

If you struggle in this area… it’s time to be real before someone… preferably someone who is wiser, who has been there and done that… and is not afraid to speak truth into you… I suggest you share your struggles with someone who can speak from experience… and if you are that one who can speak from experience… please know that we younger wives and mothers… we desperately need you in this day. So please don’t be silent. Don’t be shy. Don’t think we don’t want to hear what you have to say… even if we act like we don’t… we need you.

Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 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.

Titus 2:3-5

Speaking from Experience from Shiloh Baptist Church on Vimeo.

The word of God has been dishonored enough in our day… let us be the generation that remembers that it is holy and good and profitable and worthy of our obedience to it and to Him. Don’t let your love grow cold… keep it hot and on fire… for our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). Let His fire refine you and ignite you to love with a love that burns deep and sears the hearts of those around you. Let us love with a love that melts away all deceit and hypocrisy and let us love with real faithful Jesus love. A love that remembers that He gives His Spirit without measure (John 3:34) and if we are truly sent by Him we will speak like Him, live like Him, and love like Him… and let us begin with our husbands and with our children.

Confessions of a Christian Wife, Proven Path Ministries

Slowing Down

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Last year was crazy for my family. To look back on our calendar is almost embarrassing. Our days and weeks and months were so packed that it took us over a month past our middle child’s birthday to even find an open date to celebrate. However at the same time 2013 was good… crazy busy… but still good.

My husband and I set some financial goals several years ago and we met them in this year. In 2013 we paid off two vehicles and a land loan and saved all our Christmas spendings… this is the second year in a row that we have charged nothing in order to purchase Christmas gifts for our family. We now have three paid for vehicles in our driveway (yes they may have 100,000 miles on them, but they are paid for) and our plan for this year is to pay down one last line of credit that remains from the financial issues that hit us from 2006 through 2010.

God has been faithful.

What I learned through these years of struggles is that there are no shortcuts and when someone offers you good advice… take it.

A wise man will hear and increase in learning,
And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,

Proverbs 1:5

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.

Proverbs 12:15

 

My family is not all that big on resolutions. We just keep taking one day at a time. We have life goals and all the years just seem to run together. The days and weeks and hours are hard for us to keep up with. My husband works a swing shift and we homeschool so our “Friday’s” can be any day of the week. Our “weekends” are not tied to Saturday and Sunday. Schedules in this house are examined and adjusted quite frequently. Regular routines really don’t happen here and that’s because too many things have to be shuffled according to who has what commitments where and when.

As a matter of fact our life was so tightly scheduled in 2013 with all its “stuff” that opportunity for spontaneity was non-existent.

This made me crazy… really almost crazy.

By the end of 2013 I was in tears with my husband as I broke down over the way the past year had played out. My health was declining and my mind was blown. I couldn’t even complete a sentence or remember what I was doing as I walked from one room into the next. I had watched several loved ones say their last goodbyes to husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, friends, sisters… and all I could think about was how precious time is… and how I never had enough of it.

It was as if my whole life was just going from one event to the next… my concern of taking on the position of Children’s Ministry Director at my church was losing my own relationship with Christ. In October I went to a conference and one of the quotes I wrote down was, “Is the work I am doing for God destroying the work of God in me?”

I have to say this past year the answer to that question for me feels like yes…

So 2014 must be different.

I cannot be so busy doing the work of the Lord that I forget the Lord of the work (another quote from the conference)

I was full when I began this call, but this year ended with me empty… completely poured out… and weary.

This last month has been spent on the couch… having been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and having to have my husband and children literally carry me out of places due to the lack of my own ability to walk and also having sickness with a cough, fever, and congestion.

Our family will bring in the new year with antibiotics and cough medicine… but we will still bring it in together… and that’s what is important.

The past month of sickness has given me the opportunity to just rest. I have not set an alarm clock with the exception of Sunday mornings this entire month… but also in not doing so my “quiet time” with the Lord and my writing time has suffered. I had planned to do a lot of writing this month on Devotions From Exodus Part Two… but this body has not allowed it.

I debate almost daily on dropping this blog and social media thing and going back to the days of keeping all my thoughts and prayers safely tucked away in my spiral notebooks… it doesn’t make anyone mad there and I never flip back through the pages to see if anyone “liked” it, but so far I keep pecking away on this keyboard… hoping that with it someone will be served, encouraged, exhorted, reproofed, rebuked, taught, strengthened, or maybe even just made flat out mad by the realization that someone cared enough to “judge them” and force them to look at something in a different way.

As I stare at 2014 from the view point of my living room loveseat sickbed… I ponder how to do things better… allowing room for spontaneity and interruptions… because too often those are the God moments we miss because it’s not in our plans. I want our life to be open enough to go when He says go, to not quench the prompting of the Holy Spirit because we have to be somewhere at a certain time… but at the same time not to live aimlessly with no purposeful intentions.

I look at my girls and I know that we are over half-way on our opportunity to teach them and love them in the way this space of time allows us. It won’t be long that they will be out making their own choices and living with the consequences of them… I know that at any point and time what my husband and I teach them can become irrelevant to them. At any time the enemy could snatch their attention away from us and lead them into darkness. At any time… so that means we have to take advantage of this time, this day, this moment. This is our opportunity to build them up and train them and cover them in the armor of God before we shoot them into this world to be an example of Christ.

So for 2014… my goal is to slow down and be more here, just here.

The writing and teachings of Nicole Love Halbrooks Vaughn