(compliments of the sartorialist)
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Set Apart Femininity - Chapter 6, Part II
Sacred Cultivation
Unearthing Femininity's Valiant Strength
Fortification
The Impervious Christian Life
"Despite the popular notion today that it is more spiritual to remain weak, struggling, and vulnerable, God desires to build us into valiant, valorous, fortified warriors who fear none but Him alone and are vulnerable to none but Him alone... the chief word that characterizes the Proverbs 31 woman is strength."
But how do we obtain this unshakable confidence when all around us people are wallowing in their insecurities? The answer is that we must become fortified Christians.
"A fortified Christian woman has an impenetrable barrier between her and the enemy. She has put on the full armor of God and is able to resist the devil, no matter what fiery dart he tries to throw at her."
Many of us live our lives defenseless against the devil's attacks because the walls to our strongholds have been broken down and are in shambles. In order to truly be able to defend ourselves we must be made strong and secure.
"You may feel weak, frail, and vulnerable, but He is ready to make you stronger than you ever thought possible."
The strength and god-given power that we read about in scriptures is not impossible to have today. God is still the same as He was all those years ago, it is us who've changed. Take David, for example. He was a lowly shepherd boy. I imagine him as scrawny and gangly with hardly an ounce of muscle on him as he played the harp and help sheep in his arms. But God turned him into such a valiant warrior that he killed lions and bears with his are hands and slay a giant with a slingshot. What God did for David he also wants to do with you.
Fortification Step 1: Identifying Breaches
The first thing Leslie Ludy did to begin her fortification process was to pray. She asked God to show her the breaches in her spiritual wall.
"Was there anything I was allowing into my life, no matter how small, that was providing the enemy access?... Lovingly and faithfully He helped me close off all enemy access points. As my breaches were identified and dealt with, I found that my prayers were more effective, the Word of God was more alive, and my intimacy with Christ was more vibrant. Instead of constantly warding off enemy attacks, I now had two hands free to being rebuilding the wall around my spiritual life."
Some breaches in your spiritual wall might include:
Past Sins
Sinful Strongholds
Satanic Objects or Activities
Fortification Step 2: Making a Sacred List
A sacred list is a listing of all of the things in your life which don't reflect the glory and triumph of Jesus Christ. If you struggle with insecurity or self-pity, put that on your list. If you don't sleep well at night, put that on your list. If there's someone you have a difficulty getting along with, put it on your list.
When you've finished prayerfully making this list, go back over it and give these issues special attention as you read your Bible, pray or simply live your life from day to day.
Fortification Step 3: Wrestling Until Break of Day
Prayer is our secret weapon. "If we desire to be free from enemy stronghold over our lives and fully fortified to live the superhuman existences God intended us to live, then we must learn how to pray."
Chapter 6, Part III coming soon! This last section of this chapter is about the mighty power and understand of prayer.
Fortification
The Impervious Christian Life
"Despite the popular notion today that it is more spiritual to remain weak, struggling, and vulnerable, God desires to build us into valiant, valorous, fortified warriors who fear none but Him alone and are vulnerable to none but Him alone... the chief word that characterizes the Proverbs 31 woman is strength."
But how do we obtain this unshakable confidence when all around us people are wallowing in their insecurities? The answer is that we must become fortified Christians.
"A fortified Christian woman has an impenetrable barrier between her and the enemy. She has put on the full armor of God and is able to resist the devil, no matter what fiery dart he tries to throw at her."
Many of us live our lives defenseless against the devil's attacks because the walls to our strongholds have been broken down and are in shambles. In order to truly be able to defend ourselves we must be made strong and secure.
"You may feel weak, frail, and vulnerable, but He is ready to make you stronger than you ever thought possible."
The strength and god-given power that we read about in scriptures is not impossible to have today. God is still the same as He was all those years ago, it is us who've changed. Take David, for example. He was a lowly shepherd boy. I imagine him as scrawny and gangly with hardly an ounce of muscle on him as he played the harp and help sheep in his arms. But God turned him into such a valiant warrior that he killed lions and bears with his are hands and slay a giant with a slingshot. What God did for David he also wants to do with you.
Fortification Step 1: Identifying Breaches
The first thing Leslie Ludy did to begin her fortification process was to pray. She asked God to show her the breaches in her spiritual wall.
"Was there anything I was allowing into my life, no matter how small, that was providing the enemy access?... Lovingly and faithfully He helped me close off all enemy access points. As my breaches were identified and dealt with, I found that my prayers were more effective, the Word of God was more alive, and my intimacy with Christ was more vibrant. Instead of constantly warding off enemy attacks, I now had two hands free to being rebuilding the wall around my spiritual life."
Some breaches in your spiritual wall might include:
Past Sins
Sinful Strongholds
Satanic Objects or Activities
Fortification Step 2: Making a Sacred List
A sacred list is a listing of all of the things in your life which don't reflect the glory and triumph of Jesus Christ. If you struggle with insecurity or self-pity, put that on your list. If you don't sleep well at night, put that on your list. If there's someone you have a difficulty getting along with, put it on your list.
When you've finished prayerfully making this list, go back over it and give these issues special attention as you read your Bible, pray or simply live your life from day to day.
Fortification Step 3: Wrestling Until Break of Day
Prayer is our secret weapon. "If we desire to be free from enemy stronghold over our lives and fully fortified to live the superhuman existences God intended us to live, then we must learn how to pray."
Chapter 6, Part III coming soon! This last section of this chapter is about the mighty power and understand of prayer.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Set Apart Femininity - Chapter 6, Part I
Sacred Cultivation
Unearthing Femininity's Valiant Strength
"One of these days some simple soul will pick up the Book of God, read it and believe it."
- Leonard Ravenhill
One of the main reasons that so many of us are burdened with our troubles is that we don't take them to Jesus. He wants to carry all of our burdens, big and little, important and fleeting. The help that Jesus gives us is not only spiritual, but practical. He doesn't just want to be our Savior, he wants to be our everything.
"One of these days some simple soul will pick up the Book of God, read it and believe it."
- Leonard Ravenhill
Pain - Friend or Foe?
One of the main reasons that so many of us are burdened with our troubles is that we don't take them to Jesus. He wants to carry all of our burdens, big and little, important and fleeting. The help that Jesus gives us is not only spiritual, but practical. He doesn't just want to be our Savior, he wants to be our everything.
He is my Portion (Psalm 73:26)
my Maker, my Husband (Isaiah 54:5)
my Well-beloved (Song of Solomon 1:13)
my Savior (2 Peter 3:18)
my Hope (1 Timothy 1:1)
my Brother (Mark 3:35)
my Helper (Hebrews 13:6)
my Physician (Jeremiah 8:22)
my Healer (Luke 9:11)
my Refiner (Malachi 3:3)
my Purifier (Malachi 3:3)
my Lord, Master (John 13:13)
my Servant (Luke 12:37)
my Example (John 13:15)
my Teacher (John 3:2)
my Shepherd (Psalm 23:1)
my Keeper (John 17:12)
my Feeder (Ezekiel 34:23)
my Leader (Isaiah 40:11)
my Restorer (Psalm 23:3)
my Resting-place (Jeremiah 50:6)
my Meat (John 6:55)
my Drink (John 6:55)
my Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7)
my Peace (Ephesians 2:14)
my Wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30)
my Righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30)
my Sanctification (1 Corinthians 1:30)
my Redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30)
and my All in All (Colossians 3:11).
~
my Maker, my Husband (Isaiah 54:5)
my Well-beloved (Song of Solomon 1:13)
my Savior (2 Peter 3:18)
my Hope (1 Timothy 1:1)
my Brother (Mark 3:35)
my Helper (Hebrews 13:6)
my Physician (Jeremiah 8:22)
my Healer (Luke 9:11)
my Refiner (Malachi 3:3)
my Purifier (Malachi 3:3)
my Lord, Master (John 13:13)
my Servant (Luke 12:37)
my Example (John 13:15)
my Teacher (John 3:2)
my Shepherd (Psalm 23:1)
my Keeper (John 17:12)
my Feeder (Ezekiel 34:23)
my Leader (Isaiah 40:11)
my Restorer (Psalm 23:3)
my Resting-place (Jeremiah 50:6)
my Meat (John 6:55)
my Drink (John 6:55)
my Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7)
my Peace (Ephesians 2:14)
my Wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30)
my Righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30)
my Sanctification (1 Corinthians 1:30)
my Redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30)
and my All in All (Colossians 3:11).
~
We often claim that God is causing our troubles. He's beating down on us, making our life terrible. We think that its God's fault that our life is full of trouble, but its not God, the Bible states:
"If anyone fiercely assails you it will not be from Me." Isaiah 54:15
Leslie shares about a time in her life when troubles seemed to come from all sides and she learned that it was the evil one and not God who was attacking her.
"As I prayed about the fierce attacks upon my life, God gently opened m eyes to realize that the hits were not coming from Him - they were coming from the enemy of my soul. God did not want me to resign myself to accepting these attacks. Rather, He wanted me to call upon His name and allow Him to come to my rescue... I hadn't been resisting the enemy's blows because I had assumed they were coming form God - or at least being allowed by God for the purpose of discipline... [However] He didn't want me to accept it. He wanted me to stand up and fight by the power of His spirit."
We need to realize the stark differences between the way God works in our lives and the way Satan works.
Light versus Darkness: First Peter 2:9 says that God calls us out of the darkness into His marvelous light. Light has distinct qualities: clear, not confused, not blurry, but instead its bright, cheerful and hopeful. If the devil is the prince of darkness, he is the prince of all things that are fearful, confused, indistinct, dim and forbidding. Therefore, remember that anything of confusion, fear or darkness is not from God.
Life versus Death: John 10:10 says that Christ came to give us life that we might have it more abundantly. The qualities of that abundant life include: happiness, health, wholeness, strength, purity, spiritual success and multiplication of blessings. Death's characteristics are disease, sickness, blindness, deafness, muteness, lameness, disorder, feebleness, erosion of strength, erosion of blessings and erosion of resources. Anything breeding these qualities of death in our lives is NOT from God.
Father of Lights versus Father of Lies: According to James 1:17 God is the Father of lights in whom there is no shadow of turning. Scripturally, the Father of Lights is defined as the giver of good and perfect gifts, who is merciful, long-suffering, gentle, quick to forgive, strong to protect, able and eager to rescue us, and a tender deliverer from the world that is so quick to ensnare us. On the other hand, the enemy, the father of lies is a snuffer of life and hope, a condemner, a whisperer of fault, a noisome critic of the soul, a doubter of God's ability, a persecutor of the spirit, an advocate for the flesh, a constant diminisher of God's name. So, anything that causes us to lose hope or diminishes our confidence in God is not from our Lord.
Discipline versus Abuse: Hebrews 12:5-7 compares godly discipline to that of a loving, devoted father. This discipline is expressed in love. The enemy works only with abuse. "He is cruel, angry, harsh, extreme, and breathes threats of abandonment and forsaking." Satan's abuse makes one sick, breaks down the spirit and disrupts intimacy with God. Anything of an abusive nature that comes against us is not from God.
Bridegroom versus Harsh Husband: All throughout scripture Christ is referred to as our loving Bridegroom. This Bridegroom is a patient listener, affectionate, an advocate and rescuer, willing to give up his life to save and quick to respond to the needs of his bride. The enemy's ways are like a harsh husband - cold, impatient, haughty, never pleased, distant, demanding controlling, verbally and physically abusive and selfish. Anything of the nature of a harsh husband that comes against us is not from God.
This list from the book is meant to serve as a guide to distinguish attacks from the devil from God molding our lives and our character. "We are to gladly embrace any hardship that truly comes from God, while firmly resisting any difficulty that comes from the enemy."
Catherine Booth (founder of the Salvation Army) wrote in a letter, "Do not give way to lowness while you are young. Rise up on the strength of God and resolve to conquer!"
Don't let the evil acts of Satan bring you down. "Rather, we should rise up on the strength of God and resolve to conquer all that stands in the way of abundant, thriving, victorious, set-apart lives He has called us to live."
Light versus Darkness: First Peter 2:9 says that God calls us out of the darkness into His marvelous light. Light has distinct qualities: clear, not confused, not blurry, but instead its bright, cheerful and hopeful. If the devil is the prince of darkness, he is the prince of all things that are fearful, confused, indistinct, dim and forbidding. Therefore, remember that anything of confusion, fear or darkness is not from God.
Life versus Death: John 10:10 says that Christ came to give us life that we might have it more abundantly. The qualities of that abundant life include: happiness, health, wholeness, strength, purity, spiritual success and multiplication of blessings. Death's characteristics are disease, sickness, blindness, deafness, muteness, lameness, disorder, feebleness, erosion of strength, erosion of blessings and erosion of resources. Anything breeding these qualities of death in our lives is NOT from God.
Father of Lights versus Father of Lies: According to James 1:17 God is the Father of lights in whom there is no shadow of turning. Scripturally, the Father of Lights is defined as the giver of good and perfect gifts, who is merciful, long-suffering, gentle, quick to forgive, strong to protect, able and eager to rescue us, and a tender deliverer from the world that is so quick to ensnare us. On the other hand, the enemy, the father of lies is a snuffer of life and hope, a condemner, a whisperer of fault, a noisome critic of the soul, a doubter of God's ability, a persecutor of the spirit, an advocate for the flesh, a constant diminisher of God's name. So, anything that causes us to lose hope or diminishes our confidence in God is not from our Lord.
Discipline versus Abuse: Hebrews 12:5-7 compares godly discipline to that of a loving, devoted father. This discipline is expressed in love. The enemy works only with abuse. "He is cruel, angry, harsh, extreme, and breathes threats of abandonment and forsaking." Satan's abuse makes one sick, breaks down the spirit and disrupts intimacy with God. Anything of an abusive nature that comes against us is not from God.
Bridegroom versus Harsh Husband: All throughout scripture Christ is referred to as our loving Bridegroom. This Bridegroom is a patient listener, affectionate, an advocate and rescuer, willing to give up his life to save and quick to respond to the needs of his bride. The enemy's ways are like a harsh husband - cold, impatient, haughty, never pleased, distant, demanding controlling, verbally and physically abusive and selfish. Anything of the nature of a harsh husband that comes against us is not from God.
This list from the book is meant to serve as a guide to distinguish attacks from the devil from God molding our lives and our character. "We are to gladly embrace any hardship that truly comes from God, while firmly resisting any difficulty that comes from the enemy."
Catherine Booth (founder of the Salvation Army) wrote in a letter, "Do not give way to lowness while you are young. Rise up on the strength of God and resolve to conquer!"
Don't let the evil acts of Satan bring you down. "Rather, we should rise up on the strength of God and resolve to conquer all that stands in the way of abundant, thriving, victorious, set-apart lives He has called us to live."
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
Set Apart Femininity - Chapter 5
Sacred Mystique
Femininity that Changes Men into Princes
1. Physical and Emotional Boundaries
The politics of guy friendships can be terribly confusing and even hurtful at times. Leslie has come up with an illustration, the Holy Hebrew Temple, to mirror how deep our relationships should go with different people.
Some Guidelines for Keeping Sacred Things Sacred:
The Holy of Holies: This area should never be shared with the public, even to those in your most intimate circle. This section of your life includes sexual expression, sexual touch, sexual body parts and the deepest, most personal dimensions of the heart and mind.
This most personal area of your heart, soul and body is saved for God and your spouse solely under the parameters of the holy marriage covenant.
The Holy Place: This domain also should not be shared with the public.
"Those of the most trustworthy character are allowed to share in this sacred arena. Family and intimate friends can be allowed into this holy sector if they first prove honorable and upright." The holy place includes deep personal expression (nonsexual), deeply personal touch (nonsexual) as well as deep dimensions of the heart, your hurts, vulnerabilities, fears, weaknesses, dreams, desires and longings.
The Outer Court: This section is not quite as guarded as the holy place or holy of holies, however the sacred things within this domain still deserve a good level of guardedness and protection. This includes things like friendly touch, words of specific encouragement, character endorsements, intercessory prayers, friendships with believers, the teaching and discussing of doctrine and communion.
2. Letting Guys Initiate
While you may think that your initiating a relationship with a young man is the best idea, it actually violates the pattern of our Creator's design. Our earthly relationships should mirror Christ's relationship with the Church. He is our bridegroom. 1 John 4:19 says,
"We love Him because He first loved us."
Christ initiated the relationship with us, just as earthly grooms should initiate the relationship with their bride.
"A strong, confident, heroic man who rises to the challenge of winning a woman's heart, then carefully protects and preserves his hard-won prize...this is the ultimate romantic desire of nearly every woman I have ever talked to. And yet, ironically, all too many women are actually robbing men of these very qualities, simply by their own impatience. The are in such a hurry to snag a man that they don't wait for him to initiate - they take the lead, become the pursuer instead of the pursued, and in doing so, strip their man of all the strong masculine qualities they so desire him to have."
3. Flirting
"Flirting, at its core, is based in selfishness."
Ask yourself, how your future spouse would feel if they saw you interact with the opposite sex. Proverbs 31 says that the woman of God will do her husband good and not harm all the days of her life, that includes before and after marriage. Are you doing your future husband good or harm in your conversation and manners with your guy friends?
"And remember that God is perfectly capable of bringing a relationship to you in His perfect time and way, without your using flirtatious feminine powers to manipulate the situation. If you allow Him to hold the pen and write your story, you'll be astounded at His perfect faithfulness."
The politics of guy friendships can be terribly confusing and even hurtful at times. Leslie has come up with an illustration, the Holy Hebrew Temple, to mirror how deep our relationships should go with different people.
Some Guidelines for Keeping Sacred Things Sacred:
The Holy of Holies: This area should never be shared with the public, even to those in your most intimate circle. This section of your life includes sexual expression, sexual touch, sexual body parts and the deepest, most personal dimensions of the heart and mind.
This most personal area of your heart, soul and body is saved for God and your spouse solely under the parameters of the holy marriage covenant.
The Holy Place: This domain also should not be shared with the public.
"Those of the most trustworthy character are allowed to share in this sacred arena. Family and intimate friends can be allowed into this holy sector if they first prove honorable and upright." The holy place includes deep personal expression (nonsexual), deeply personal touch (nonsexual) as well as deep dimensions of the heart, your hurts, vulnerabilities, fears, weaknesses, dreams, desires and longings.
The Outer Court: This section is not quite as guarded as the holy place or holy of holies, however the sacred things within this domain still deserve a good level of guardedness and protection. This includes things like friendly touch, words of specific encouragement, character endorsements, intercessory prayers, friendships with believers, the teaching and discussing of doctrine and communion.
2. Letting Guys Initiate
While you may think that your initiating a relationship with a young man is the best idea, it actually violates the pattern of our Creator's design. Our earthly relationships should mirror Christ's relationship with the Church. He is our bridegroom. 1 John 4:19 says,
"We love Him because He first loved us."
Christ initiated the relationship with us, just as earthly grooms should initiate the relationship with their bride.
"A strong, confident, heroic man who rises to the challenge of winning a woman's heart, then carefully protects and preserves his hard-won prize...this is the ultimate romantic desire of nearly every woman I have ever talked to. And yet, ironically, all too many women are actually robbing men of these very qualities, simply by their own impatience. The are in such a hurry to snag a man that they don't wait for him to initiate - they take the lead, become the pursuer instead of the pursued, and in doing so, strip their man of all the strong masculine qualities they so desire him to have."
3. Flirting
"Flirting, at its core, is based in selfishness."
Ask yourself, how your future spouse would feel if they saw you interact with the opposite sex. Proverbs 31 says that the woman of God will do her husband good and not harm all the days of her life, that includes before and after marriage. Are you doing your future husband good or harm in your conversation and manners with your guy friends?
"And remember that God is perfectly capable of bringing a relationship to you in His perfect time and way, without your using flirtatious feminine powers to manipulate the situation. If you allow Him to hold the pen and write your story, you'll be astounded at His perfect faithfulness."
Monday, December 8, 2008
Set Apart Femininity - Chapter 4
~ Sacred Decorum ~
"There are some who would have Christ cheap. They would have Him without the Cross. But the price will not come down."
- Samuel Rutherford -
Raising Femininity to Heavenly Heights
Many young women have the problem of a lack of intimacy with Christ. We desire to be close to Him, sensitive to His every word. But we're simply...not. Why are some women so full of Christ's love that people stop to ask them why they're so happy and others long to know Christ like that but are sorely lacking?
Amy Carmichael says it so well, "We must look upon the world, with all its delights and all its attractions, with suspicion and reserve. We are called to a higher Kingdom, we are touched with a divine Spirit. It is not that He forbids us this or that comfort or indulgence; it is not that He is stern, demanding us to follow a narrow path. But we who love our Lord and whose affections are set on Heavenly things voluntarily and gladly lay aside the things that charm and ravish the world, that, for our part, our hearts may be ravished with the things of Heaven that our whole being may be poured forth in constant and unreserved devotion in the service of the Lord who died to save us."
There is no such thing as too extreme when it comes to selling out to Christ. It's when you lay aside everything else to give your all to Christ that you shine with the light of Christ. That's when your intimacy with your Prince truly begins.
Laying Down Idols
A life without the pleasures of this world, even pleasures that don't seem that bad, sounds radical and even ridiculous. Watching movies or being interested in the latest celebrity gossip isn't necessarily sinful. However, worldly entertainment has a strong hold on most young Christians.
A good way to tell if you consider something an idol in your life is if you are unwilling to let it go - if you can't picture your life without it. Would you be ok giving up all of your TV time to spend time along with God? Would you be willing to dress plainly if that would help you get your mind off your looks and onto serving the Lord?
Sadly, even though we are supposed to have everything we could ever want or need in Christ alone, we still look to worldly entertainment for peace, joy and refreshment that He himself wants to give us. We are willing to settle for the counterfeit version of that peace and joy, through the movie screen, because we aren't willing to let Him give us the real thing.
"Most of us are far more influenced by pop culture than we are by the Word of God. We can quote our favorite lines from a hundred different chick flicks, but the only Scripture we know is John 3:16...
And we wonder why Christ feels distant."
We are so obsessed with things of this world that we have completely replaced Christ in our hearts. How can He thrive in our lives if we indulge in everything except Him? By loving what God loves and hating what God hates.
"A truly set apart woman is makred by this sacred decorum. She hates the things that God hates and loves the things that God loves, and she reflects this attitude in ever dimension of her daily life. Does God stand up and cheer over American Idol? Does He smile with delight over the new Harry Potter movie? Does He get excited about the latest Coldplay album?
Or does he grieve over our distracted, wandering, divided hearts?"
Other Christian girls may watch the same movies, listen to the same music, wear the same clothes and have all of the culture addictions as the rest of the world, but God has called us to a higher standard - the standard of Christ.
"There are some who would have Christ cheap. They would have Him without the Cross. But the price will not come down."- Samuel Rutherford -
Raising Femininity to Heavenly Heights
Many young women have the problem of a lack of intimacy with Christ. We desire to be close to Him, sensitive to His every word. But we're simply...not. Why are some women so full of Christ's love that people stop to ask them why they're so happy and others long to know Christ like that but are sorely lacking?
Amy Carmichael says it so well, "We must look upon the world, with all its delights and all its attractions, with suspicion and reserve. We are called to a higher Kingdom, we are touched with a divine Spirit. It is not that He forbids us this or that comfort or indulgence; it is not that He is stern, demanding us to follow a narrow path. But we who love our Lord and whose affections are set on Heavenly things voluntarily and gladly lay aside the things that charm and ravish the world, that, for our part, our hearts may be ravished with the things of Heaven that our whole being may be poured forth in constant and unreserved devotion in the service of the Lord who died to save us."
There is no such thing as too extreme when it comes to selling out to Christ. It's when you lay aside everything else to give your all to Christ that you shine with the light of Christ. That's when your intimacy with your Prince truly begins.
Laying Down Idols
A life without the pleasures of this world, even pleasures that don't seem that bad, sounds radical and even ridiculous. Watching movies or being interested in the latest celebrity gossip isn't necessarily sinful. However, worldly entertainment has a strong hold on most young Christians.
A good way to tell if you consider something an idol in your life is if you are unwilling to let it go - if you can't picture your life without it. Would you be ok giving up all of your TV time to spend time along with God? Would you be willing to dress plainly if that would help you get your mind off your looks and onto serving the Lord?
Sadly, even though we are supposed to have everything we could ever want or need in Christ alone, we still look to worldly entertainment for peace, joy and refreshment that He himself wants to give us. We are willing to settle for the counterfeit version of that peace and joy, through the movie screen, because we aren't willing to let Him give us the real thing.
"Most of us are far more influenced by pop culture than we are by the Word of God. We can quote our favorite lines from a hundred different chick flicks, but the only Scripture we know is John 3:16...
And we wonder why Christ feels distant."
We are so obsessed with things of this world that we have completely replaced Christ in our hearts. How can He thrive in our lives if we indulge in everything except Him? By loving what God loves and hating what God hates.
"A truly set apart woman is makred by this sacred decorum. She hates the things that God hates and loves the things that God loves, and she reflects this attitude in ever dimension of her daily life. Does God stand up and cheer over American Idol? Does He smile with delight over the new Harry Potter movie? Does He get excited about the latest Coldplay album?
Or does he grieve over our distracted, wandering, divided hearts?"
Other Christian girls may watch the same movies, listen to the same music, wear the same clothes and have all of the culture addictions as the rest of the world, but God has called us to a higher standard - the standard of Christ.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Set Apart Femininity - Chapter 3
~ Sacred Priority ~
Femininity that Captivates the Masculine Heart
Becoming Attractive to the Right Kind of Guy:
When we choose not to participate in the world's way of getting guys: flirting, flaunting, manipulation etc. We put ourselves in a position to be scorned and misunderstood by those of this world.
A set-apart young woman does not seek to win male favor through enhancing her sex appeal or drawing all attention to herself.
"Rather, she builds her life around Jesus Christ. And this requires major sacrifice when it comes to scoring male approval because the purity and righteousness that radiates from a set-apart young woman will not appeal to self-focused, sex-obsessed modern men."
Being disregarded like that can easily make us cringe and return to the world's path. But we have to ask ourselves, what kind of man are we trying to attract? Do we really desire a sex-obsessed modern man? "Or do we want to win the heart of a man who has been captured by Jesus Christ, a guy who sees the priceless value of a woman who shines with His spectacular, radiant loveliness?"
The majority of modern men won't appreciate or honor your purity and your desire to be set-apart. But why would you want a man like that anyway?
Finding the Right Guy:
1. Build your existence around Christ
Jesus Christ must be enough, even if the earthly love story you've always dreamed of never comes your way. Rather than searching for a human love to fill your needs of fulfillment and security - find your security and fulfillment in your romance with the Prince of your soul.
"As beautiful as a God-scripted earthly love story might be, it pales in comparison to the breathtaking romance Jesus Christ desires to have with you, His precious Princess."
2. Be transformed by true beauty
*important*
"Rather than seeking after his own popularity or self-gratification, a true warrior-poet is busy pouring out his life for his King. He is not chasing after women. He is following hard after Christ. The best way to find a truly Christ-built man is to stop hunting for one and, instead, pour all of your time and energy into a lily among thorns. Allow Him to transform you with His radiant beauty; the kind of beauty that will ravish the heart of your King and captivate a Christ-built-warrior-poet.
A set-apart existence may not turn the head of a typical American guy, but it will capture the heart of a Christlike man."
Check out this great article: here
Becoming Attractive to the Right Kind of Guy:
When we choose not to participate in the world's way of getting guys: flirting, flaunting, manipulation etc. We put ourselves in a position to be scorned and misunderstood by those of this world.
A set-apart young woman does not seek to win male favor through enhancing her sex appeal or drawing all attention to herself.
"Rather, she builds her life around Jesus Christ. And this requires major sacrifice when it comes to scoring male approval because the purity and righteousness that radiates from a set-apart young woman will not appeal to self-focused, sex-obsessed modern men."
Being disregarded like that can easily make us cringe and return to the world's path. But we have to ask ourselves, what kind of man are we trying to attract? Do we really desire a sex-obsessed modern man? "Or do we want to win the heart of a man who has been captured by Jesus Christ, a guy who sees the priceless value of a woman who shines with His spectacular, radiant loveliness?"
The majority of modern men won't appreciate or honor your purity and your desire to be set-apart. But why would you want a man like that anyway?
Finding the Right Guy:
1. Build your existence around Christ
Jesus Christ must be enough, even if the earthly love story you've always dreamed of never comes your way. Rather than searching for a human love to fill your needs of fulfillment and security - find your security and fulfillment in your romance with the Prince of your soul.
"As beautiful as a God-scripted earthly love story might be, it pales in comparison to the breathtaking romance Jesus Christ desires to have with you, His precious Princess."
2. Be transformed by true beauty
*important*
"Rather than seeking after his own popularity or self-gratification, a true warrior-poet is busy pouring out his life for his King. He is not chasing after women. He is following hard after Christ. The best way to find a truly Christ-built man is to stop hunting for one and, instead, pour all of your time and energy into a lily among thorns. Allow Him to transform you with His radiant beauty; the kind of beauty that will ravish the heart of your King and captivate a Christ-built-warrior-poet.
A set-apart existence may not turn the head of a typical American guy, but it will capture the heart of a Christlike man."
Check out this great article: here
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