"Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
-----------President John Adams
Friday, February 29, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Foriegn Faith
I am learning that faith is something that is foriegn to this world. Hebrews 11 is not a story of men who gained what they searched for here on earth. But they were a people who lived, loved, had good and bad, but trusted in their God. I read about Ezekiel where God came to him and told Ezekiel that his wife would die. Eziekiel did not shrink back but trusted in the goodness of his Shephard. Others lost their life. This is a people who could cry out, "All is well with my soul" because they knew who the designer and builder was. And how sweet it is to know Him whose right hand is wrapped around us at all times.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Women
9Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, 10but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. 11A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. 12But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. 13For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. 14And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.
-----------------1 Timothy 2:7-15
1Timothy 2:10 rather by means of good works, as is proper for women
I think it is important to realize that Paul here is fighting against the oppression of women. They have a valued role in the church that only they can fill. No man can fill it. And if it is taken away, it is taken away at great loss to the church, who needs women to be strong. If you read Paul's writings and the rest of the scripture it is very clear that it not Paul's heart nor the heart of God to restrict women. Paul knows that there is a strength and power that God has given women and he is fighting for that. He does not want to see them stripped away of their strength, power, dignity, and influence. He is fighting for Womanhood, something that is vital for the church to be strong. Their strength is being striped away from them, when we don't believe God. It is like stripping the pedals off a flower and telling it that it must be a tree to have worth. Don't underestimate the power of a flower and don't underestimate a woman who is godly, she has the strength to capture hearts and to change the world. God is very clear that He intends a woman to have strength and dignity and influence. When we try to do this in our own wisdom we hinder the beauty that God has given women. In walking in our own wisdom we oppress women and embrace the world, instead of trusting in a God who loves us and cares for us and knows us best. Often these scriptures are approached with such a fear of loosing ones rights that all objectivity is lost, instead of aproaching God's word with confidence that He is trustworthy and what He says is for our good, and that its ok to take an honest and objective look at these scriptures. It is really ok, God is safe. God turns the strength and wisdom of this world over and destroys it with something far greater and more beautiful. He is an amazing God. And His dreams for us are so much bigger than our own. He is truly worthy of our trust.
And as a church we should be at the forefront of defending the honor and dignity of people, and this includes women. As a church we should also be encouraging people to trust and fear God and to believe His word.
For me, I have a huge longing to see women have more of a role and influence in the church and society, and my heart breaks to see the high standing that God has for women being torn down by our doubt and fear and by the oppression of the wisdom of this world. I for one believe in women and what they have to give to the church and society.
Here a site on this:
http://manhoodandwomanhood.googlepages.com/womeninthechurch
-----------------1 Timothy 2:7-15
1Timothy 2:10 rather by means of good works, as is proper for women
I think it is important to realize that Paul here is fighting against the oppression of women. They have a valued role in the church that only they can fill. No man can fill it. And if it is taken away, it is taken away at great loss to the church, who needs women to be strong. If you read Paul's writings and the rest of the scripture it is very clear that it not Paul's heart nor the heart of God to restrict women. Paul knows that there is a strength and power that God has given women and he is fighting for that. He does not want to see them stripped away of their strength, power, dignity, and influence. He is fighting for Womanhood, something that is vital for the church to be strong. Their strength is being striped away from them, when we don't believe God. It is like stripping the pedals off a flower and telling it that it must be a tree to have worth. Don't underestimate the power of a flower and don't underestimate a woman who is godly, she has the strength to capture hearts and to change the world. God is very clear that He intends a woman to have strength and dignity and influence. When we try to do this in our own wisdom we hinder the beauty that God has given women. In walking in our own wisdom we oppress women and embrace the world, instead of trusting in a God who loves us and cares for us and knows us best. Often these scriptures are approached with such a fear of loosing ones rights that all objectivity is lost, instead of aproaching God's word with confidence that He is trustworthy and what He says is for our good, and that its ok to take an honest and objective look at these scriptures. It is really ok, God is safe. God turns the strength and wisdom of this world over and destroys it with something far greater and more beautiful. He is an amazing God. And His dreams for us are so much bigger than our own. He is truly worthy of our trust.
And as a church we should be at the forefront of defending the honor and dignity of people, and this includes women. As a church we should also be encouraging people to trust and fear God and to believe His word.
For me, I have a huge longing to see women have more of a role and influence in the church and society, and my heart breaks to see the high standing that God has for women being torn down by our doubt and fear and by the oppression of the wisdom of this world. I for one believe in women and what they have to give to the church and society.
Here a site on this:
http://manhoodandwomanhood.googlepages.com/womeninthechurch
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