Enduring Love

 Last Sunday I gathered with some friends who desire to walk worthy of eternal life with the God of Love & Truth. A message was shared with us pertaining to the need to be prepared for the trials & difficulties we may face in our lives due to our faith. It was pointed out that throughout history when nations were lifted up in pride, it was not long after that another nation rose up to destroy the nation given to pride. The proud nations that were destroyed were glorying in shameful things such as: gluttony, fornication, sodomy and abundant riches; while forsaking the poor, the orphan, the stranger & the widows. We see much of this in America today.

 As followers of the True and Holy God we are to reflect holiness. Holiness is not tolerated by nations that reject God & His holy ways. Christ was crucified by a wicked generation & those that believe Him & obey Him have suffered throughout time unto the present hour. Many that have been born & raised in America have yet to know what it means to resist unto blood-- (Hebrews 12:4)  "Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin."

It is becoming more clear & evident for those of us in America that the proud are inhabiting positions of power & changing laws to pervert the good ways of a True & Holy God. (Ephesians 6:12) "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." 

Seeing that it is not flesh & blood that will cause the godly to suffer in this world; the defense of the godly will not be by carnal means...(Ephesians 6:10-11)  "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." The Armor of the Godly: (Ephesians 6:15-18)

• "Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, 
• and having on the breastplate of righteousness;  
• And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;   
• Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 
•  And take the helmet of salvation, 
• and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:   
• Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, 

• and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"

My heart broke today when I read of a tragedy going on in our world. So many things occur on a daily basis that we don't want to think about, that are hard to believe they are true because the actions seem in-human. How could a person torture & torment another human being? How can mankind be so vile, so perverse so contrary to all that is good & pure & lovely & holy & true?!!!
The dreadful truth is we are all capable of committing grievous acts against mankind and if we do not keep ourselves pure, holy & focused on the love & will of God we may find ourselves slaves to evil deeds. In the media we read or hear of many evils committed on a daily basis. It seems those who commit such things have no heart, no conscience, no sense of right & wrong.
To those who lack understanding & think that by means of guns & violence and bombs & physical force evil will be stopped...you are mistaken. Evil is overcome by good: by long-suffering & gentleness, by loving-kindness.
To those who want to escape the torments of this world the only way out is by having an enduring love. Love suffers long & is kind to it's enemies:  it loves those who hate, torment & afflict it. Because God sent His only begotten Son into the world to save SINNERS. Those who choose to do evil. But how can they be saved if so-called Christians take up carnal weapons & put them to death?!! If you are to be like Christ you are to lay down your life for your enemy: endure the torment & shame they put you through, pray that your endurance will bring about their repentance or else your faith is in vain. Or else you do not really believe in the God of love who gave His life for sinners, you do not really believe that He will bless you with an eternity free from strife, & tears & sorrow & death.

So the question is:

How are we to have this divine nature that endures the torment of the enemy of our faith?

Do you think you will attain this Christ-likeness by following the American dream? By establishing yourself in this world? By spending your days laboring to acquire material comforts & luxuries? 

Ladies, when your mind is full of the cares of the home: adorning your home with pleasantries, adorning your children, adorning your table so your family fares sumptuously everyday, shopping & consuming....Although it is unpleasant to think about, it is worth asking yourself: How will you fare when the enemy enters your home on a physical level and abuses your children before your eyes? Do you think the divine nature of Christ will be present with you when you have wasted day after day giving your mind over to the cares of this life? (2Timothy 3:12)  "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."

If we want to be like Christ & live eternally with Him we need to watch & pray, we need to have oil in our lamps. We can not & should not allow the cares of this life to overcome us. (Luke 21:34)  "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares." 

You may not be drinking to excess, but that day is likely to come upon us "unawares" if we are not preparing for it.

When I first came to have hope in Christ & His teachings one thing really stood out to me; humankind has it backward. We seek the things of the flesh before the things of the spirit. We allow our hearts to fear: what will I eat or drink or wear?! God calls us to seek first His righteousness/the kingdom of God. Many who would be called by His name continue to seek the things of this life before the Kingdom of God. We are more consumed with thoughts pertaining to food & clothes & homes. We are our worst enemy when we fail to love the Lord God with all the heart, all the mind, all soul, all of our strength.

 I understand that we need to eat, we need clothing & shelter, but when we love God fully we are content with little. We are content with what is necessary. We are not wasting precious time and resources. We are about our Father's business. A thought that stood out to me on Sunday was (1Timothy 6:7)  "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out."

So many people labor to have....stuff...nice clothes, nice food, nice home, nice car....

Recently, I heard one of the children exclaiming to another, "I labored for that!!" They did not want to let go of the labor of their hand. They worked for it. They earned it. How true this is with adults as well. We labor & attain & we do not want to lose, or let go of, or give too much of what we have earned. Natural disasters come and claim our possessions & we are devastated. Why? Because we have lost what we put our daily lives into earning. The truth is too many of us are possessed by the things we own.

Yeshua (Jesus) taught, (Matthew 6:20-21) "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

When we care more for the things of God's kingdom than we do the things of this world, we will not be devastated by our losses here. When the enemy comes to steal & torment our joy can increase, knowing that our long-awaited hope, & what we have truly labored to attain, is right around the corner.
I would like to encourage all who are reading this to take an honest look at how you spend your time and what you are truly working for. Yeshua warns about the cares of this life; (Mark 4:19)  "And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful."
 The lust of other things can daily assault us, and as days turn to years we can find ourselves in a choke hold, having little to no fruit of the kingdom of God to show forth. Mother's, daughters, ladies, children, watch and pray. Be ready to let go of homes & cars & toys & pleasantries for the Kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit would inspire us to care for widows, orphans, the poor & strangers. But how can we if we prefer ourselves & say, "I labored to: Take a vacation, enjoy hobbies, eat dainties, decorate my home, buy collectibles, have multiple changes of clothes & shoes....all the time, resources and energy we spend to make ourselves so comfortable in this world could be justly distributed to those with true needs. We learn in the Book of Acts, (Act 2:44-45)  "And all that believed were together, and had all things common;  And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need." 
There are people starving in the world we live in, people drinking muddy, bug-infested, contaminated water, people without adequate shelter, it has been reported that 40% of the world population lives without a toilet....ladies why are you spending money to paint your face & get your hair done?!! The revenue of the U.S. cosmetics industry is estimated to amount to about 62.46 BILLION dollars in 2016!!
Is God impressed with a painted face? Does it please Him? (Jeremiah 4:30)  "And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life."  In vain money is spent on cosmetics. For those who have not read my post on Love Your Neighbor as Yourself...The world hunger issue could be solved with half the amount Americans collectively spend on makeup in one year!!! What a Shame, shame, shame it brings when women call themselves Christians and waste the resources God gives to paint their face. "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." (Revelations 3:19) Please women lay this to heart. God has a purpose for us on this earth & the time is short. We must not occupy our days with things that do not profit God's kingdom. Take the Holy women of old for example, (1 Peter 3:3-5) "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;  But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.   For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:" My heart yearns to see people zealously repenting and applying these things to their lives. I yearn to walk in love, labor in love, serve in love, endure with love. We choose, we have the choice. People are so zealous to rally for pro-choice...the choice is yours. You can kill, or keep alive the baby in your womb, you can waste your time and money painting your face, making dainties, buying decorations, driving sports cars, eating sumptuously every day, buying, collecting,....but in the End, you can take none of this with you & you will not have a place in God's kingdom, you may find yourself saying to God on the judgment day,  "When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?" (Matthew 25:38-39)
You may say "I didn't have the money to help those in need because I spent it on myself. I treated myself to...."
 1 Timothy 5:6-9

• "Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

• But godliness with contentment is great gain. 
•  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

•  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition."
 Consider how you are living your life. I have and continue to make many changes in my life for the Kingdom of God. I have made many mistakes in my life; but I have hope that through repentance: turning from all that I know is wrong to do that which I know is right, God will have mercy on me. I find that the way to life eternal becomes more narrow the longer it is traveled. We do not simply say a sinners prayer and go about our life; we examine & re-examine ourselves, we watch & pray, daily clip & trim any unfruitful branches in our life. The more evil I see in this world the more ready I am to lose my life for the kingdom of God. Nothing in this world compares to the Hope that can be had in The True God of Love.

Ladies, I urge you to forsake the foolish & live. Labor for the eternal, relieve the poor, the orphan, the widow, the stranger. Fear not the coming trials of your faith. Be ready to have an enduring love. Have your lamps full of oil.

End Note:
 My husband thought this verse was fitting concerning the present times we are living in.
 
"For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush." [Jeremiah 6:13-15]

Reverence & honor for God & Man

 Then spake Y'shua again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. -John 8:12

 Recently I have been considering the idea of honor. Reverence goes hand in hand with honor. Years ago as I studied Scripture I was particularly edified by Bathsheba's reverence for David. It says in  1Kings 1:16  "And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king..." She showed him reverence. He was not only the King at that time but he was her husband.
 Unfortunately he was her husband due to his sinful yielding to temptation. Bathsheba's original husband died in battle because King David purposely put him on the front lines so he could pursue his covetous desire for her. King David was in transgression of the Just One's Law of Love. Nevertheless, a prophet was sent to him, & he was rightly chastened of God for his transgression. God's law is love & it is certainly not loving to covet your neighbor's wife.
Since Bathsheba's husband was dead she was no longer bound by the marriage covenant; thus King David could rightly have her as his wife.  It is an encouragement to me to read that she had a reverence for her husband (King David). She showed him respect & honor. These are two words that are greatly lacking in action in this time we are living in. I am 40 years old & I was taught to respect my parents (to a certain degree & the elderly). A majority of the children that have been raised by my generation apparently are not being taught these profitable acts. When a wife respects her husband, the two of them can teach the children to respect them. They can also teach them to have respect for those who are aged among them such as: Grandparents, Aunts & Uncles, older cousins & siblings & adults in general. Touching on these thoughts can easily get us in a ball of tangled yarn so to speak. What I mean is, that so much in life is connected to these basic principles & has an effect on many aspects of life.
It seems that the lack of respect for husbands, has created a lack of respect for wives, which has created a lack of respect in children for their parents, which I believe is also linked to a lack of self respect through-out society. You can see the lack of self respect in the way people choose to walk around in public. I have seen a dad & his son wear pj's to the grocery store ( some may think this is cute...) this teaches children a sense of carelessness. "Let's not care what people think of us walking around in bed clothes" and thus you have women with the same attitude walking around in  something that should only be in the bedroom. 
I understand the mentality of not wanting to care what others think, but in order for that thought process to really be sound it needs to be influenced by what is just, good & honorable. Such as: "I do not care" (i.e. will not be stopped/hindered by the thoughts of others) what people think about the fact that I am choosing to wear modest attire when everyone else here is walking around in bathing suits, "I do not care..." that they are staring at me as I stop to talk to this homeless person that smells & looks awful (not all homeless people smell & look awful, I am just making a point); "I do not care..." that people give me unkind looks because I veil my head out of  reverence for God & man.

What we often see today is a lack of respect for self & others; many say: "I DON'T CARE!" (who also lack sound reasoning for their lack of care) ...what people think about me having purple & green hair, 2 nose rings & a tattoo in the middle of my forehead! ..."I don't care if people can see my breasts in this see-through shirt, or this v-neck shirt that reveals all but my nipples. "I don't care that when I bend over my pants fall below my bum-crack & everyone sees it. "I don't care what people think about me being tattooed from head to toe & that I hardly have any clothes on." I don't care"
what people think about me turning up my stereo so the whole neighborhood can hear it. "I don't care" if everyone on Facebook see's SELFIES of me in my underwear. "I don't care what people think of my public display of intimacy with my "partner"/friends/same gender. The list could go on  & on. Many could read this & go off  madly lecturing their justifications for these vile, irreverent, public displays. "Don't judge!" The truth is when we look in the mirror of the Law of true liberty & we see the prior things mentioned in our lives, we have already been judged by ourselves. We condemn ourselves when we choose things contrary to virtue & light. But with Y'shua there is hope through repentance. Y'shua (Jesus) said (as recorded in John 3:19)  "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."  He also says as recorded in Jonh 8:12  "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
God's ways are light & life. They bring true liberty. We can say, "I don't care" & continue to display dark actions, Or, we can be free from the care God wants us to be free from, repent, & shine the light.

We read in 1Corinthians 11:3  "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." This is the Apostle Paul sharing with us the light he received from God. This statement of his clearly sets forth God's ordained order for life on earth. This order is good & those who abide in it will prosper. Anyone who takes an honest look at the history of society can clearly see the more the general public has forsaken this order the more chaos has prevailed. Society has become like Nineveh; a people that know not their left hand from their right. They are taught that evil is good & good evil. So much so that it is common to hear the exclamation, "Wicked!" when people like or esteem something.

I think I have shared this before...for those who have not considered this... God created fish to be able to live & breathe under water. He designed them with special qualities that enable them to be able to live in water. He also created birds that are able to fly. Birds can do things that fish can do, & fish can do things that birds can do; for example eat & rest. Yet, if a fish was able to be unsatisfied  with what it was created to be & tried to be a bird, it would terribly fail & eventually die. The fish wasn't designed to breathe as a bird does. And vice versa. You can apply this to women who are (I believe rebellious & influenced by a base society )to be discontent with who they have been created to be. As a fish has wonderful abilities that it would be ridiculous for it to be discontent with, so does the woman. 
To have man in reverence as our lord & guide in this world is not a thing to war against or despise!!! As a matter of fact this rebellion has much to do with the awful state of our present society. Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. (1Samuel 15:23 "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry..." You do not have to be a witch to cast a spell over people. Rebellion will have the same effect. Have you ever heard your child make excuse for their bad behavior by telling you their sibling does it? "But, Johnny does it!" Do not be influenced by rebellious women to dishonor your husband. When women learn to respect men & their husband (if they have a husband) there will be a good effect in their life. Young women who show respect will be a light to siblings & others who see they abide in Truth & order. Married women will be a light to their children who will in return respect their dads. Respect, reverence, honor, go hand in hand and make for peace in the home & in society.
The Law of Liberty teaches us to honor: Father & mother (Matthew 15:4), the old (Leviticus 19:32), widows (1 Timothy 5:3) ...Honor all (1 Peter 2:17)
We need to have honor for all things created, people, and even animals. Respect for the living. Respect for life.
How do we honor our husband?
Unfortunately many of us were raised without an example of a mother who had true reverence for her husband. Some of our mothers may have had more respect for their husbands than others. Yet,sadly many do not have their biological parents raising them at all. Many lack godly role models. We need to labor to restore this to the future generation. For those of us that desire to labor for God's kingdom a very important need is for respect & reverence & honor to be restored among families. Mother's & wives, you  may not realize what a high calling you have & how much the future will be effected by your choice to reverence your husband or not. The way you choose to interact with your husband will leave a lasting impression for generations to come if the Lord delays His coming.
I myself have miserably failed in this area, but I will not make excuses for my bad choices. I want to redeem the time and lay a hold of this forsaken virtue that many women of old possessed such as Bathsheba. I am thankful for the few women of our time that shine as precious jewels as they sincerely honor their husbands. They should drive us to emulation, in the sense that we should earnestly desire to attain/imitate the virtue they display.


A Heart that Sees husband as lord 
Consider this:
Ephesians 5:21-24  "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.   For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.   Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing."
The chapter goes on to say how husbands need to love their wives. They have their part and we have ours. However, our part is not contingent (dependent) on whether or not they are doing their part. If we love truth & want to please our LORD in heaven who created us all, then we will seek to reverence our husbands as we would want to reverence the LORD. If you have a husband who is not obedient to the faith I believe your relationship with him will be bettered & possibly healed if you remain faithful to honor, reverence & respect him. I believe we can experience greater peace & joy even in hard circumstance when we are being faithful to fulfill God's will in our life. It is His will for women to honor men and reverence their husband's as lord.
 If you are single you should seek to honor your biological dad; even if he is not a believer. If you are without a dad honor a grandfather, or godly men, if you are part of a fellowship. You should also honor your mother. There are many people we can practice this virtue of showing honor to. The more we exercise ourselves in honoring others, the more natural & a part of our character it will be. Honoring someone can simply be: looking upon them with respect, not interrupting their conversation, asking for their input in decisions you are making & respecting their input. Of course if they are not seeking to be Christian their input may not be something you should follow; but you can still hear them out and share the truth with them in love as to why you'd prefer not to heed to their counsel.  All who live godly will suffer persecution, & some times that persecution comes from loved ones (2Timothy 3:12  "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." ) Those who will be as Christ, & called by His name should not expect to live comfortably in this world. There is a cross to bear. The reward of eternity in peace with the true God who suffered on earth & knows our infirmities is worth the pain of the cross in this temporary world. 
As for the married, we can apply the same as the single would but with our husbands. Although, the difference would be, a need to obey your husband.[Obedience to anything that isn't contrary to God's will; God would not have you obey your husband if it meant stealing, killing, lying,and such like things.Read Acts 5 where Sapphira was judged when she lied as her husband had.]
 We should seek to do our husband's will even when he is not at home to oversee. Our hearts desire should be to fulfill the will of our husband. To prefer his will above ours, because we were created to be his helper, not he ours. Many husbands do help their wives and this is good. But we must not burden/manipulate the husband into being our servant. A godly husband will naturally desire to serve his wife in that which he sees as good & profitable. We need to cleanse our hearts of the worldly mindset of living happily ever being served by prince charming in a cute home with a white picket fence. That is not what Christ has called us to. Unfortunately many who profess Christ have painted this picture & shamed the name of Christ. We need to remember, in order to honor God we must honor the husband. Godly joy will fill our hearts when we surrender to a life of servitude. All of God's creatures are servants. We have all been created for God's pleasure. And peace comes when we do what we were created to do. The husband has a big responsibility in serving his family by seeking God & Truth making sure his family is fed & clothed & washing them with the Word of God.
Consider Genesis 3 :
 Adam & Eve were created & given a perfect world. They were given simple & reasonable instructions to follow. Due to the fact that we are created with free will (for the sake of not being robots & especially for the sake of True Love). Love could not be love if there was no choice/free will involved. It is when we freely make choices that True Love has meaning. The consequence of their sin: Genesis 3:16  "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." One man states, "She shall be subject, but it shall be to her own husband that loves her, not to a stranger, or an enemy: the sentence was not a curse, to bring her to ruin, but a chastisement, to bring her to repentance. It was well that enmity was not put between the man and the woman, as there was between the serpent and the woman."
Approach your husband as you would imagine approaching God the Father. I believe the heart would have a healthy, holy fear. Not a light & careless attitude. Discern the time with your husband, is this a good time to share this thought, or concern, or blessing, etc.? Be ready to deny yourself & wait until the time is right for him. When the husband is respected as the head of the wife, God is still God. We must keep God as our first love. We can look to our LORD in heaven throughout the day. Speak with God in our hearts. He fills what the husband can not fill. Honoring husband as Lord does not diminish God as Lord.


Do You Speak to Your Husband as You Do to the Children?  
This is a big "no, no" so to speak. Have you ever witnessed this?  A wife that corrects or scolds her husband as she does the children is very unseemly. Especially when she does it in front of children. How can they possibly respect a man that gets scolded just like they do? And if they are teenagers, beware of the disrespect it will breed in their hearts for you & your husband. We must learn to approach our husbands with great respect & honor. We must tame our hearts when provoked by grievances that would cause us to speak out of season to our husband. When Bathsheba had a concern to voice she came to her husband & bowed to honor him. She did not allow herself to carelessly approach him. She didn't place her hand on her hips, and say "What are you doing! Do you realize what is going on?!" It seems to me there was more restraint in old times when speaking in general, that we lack in our present time. Her conversation with her husband was well thought out. She wasn't rash with her words. James a disciple of Christ sheds light on our path when he says, James 1:19  "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:" 
I believe if we were slower to speak this would help us to speak with respect.
 It is hard to imagine a wife in our times bowing to her husband. I am not suggesting we need to actually bow in body but rather to take on the mind that would do such a thing. Sarah, Abraham's wife called her husband Lord 1Pe 3:4-7  "But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.   For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:   Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.  Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife,..." 
God is good & right in His ways. 

Do You Shame Your husband?
It seems to be a common error for women to get together & make light of their husbands faults & or imagined faults. Beware & guard the tongue when it comes to exposing your husband's deeds to others. Even if it is in a sincere desire for help or prayer. You can request prayer for hardships without exposing the issue.

In closing:
 I hope you will be encouraged to examine your heart in these areas (Respect for others). DO  Not be discouraged when you see your failures. Rejoice that God has opened your eyes to see your need & start putting into practice what you know to be the good & right way to treat others (regardless of how others treat you). Honor the Father in Heaven by honoring others.
"Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;"- 1Peter 3:1 
                 "For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light."   Psalm 36:9 

Mother's Day

I don't have a problem blessing mother's on a day the "world" wants to honor mother's. 

" And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women" Luke 1:28


One of the most Blessed Mother's of all time was the one who was found favored by the Creator of all, & chosen to bring forth the promised Savior of the World. God trusted her to be a handmade to the Lord: to nurture him in both spirit & body. God is a mystery. But He is not so mysterious that He is estranged from the feelings of our infirmities "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews4:15
The man born of a highly favored virgin was not just man but God also. He was not just God, but man enough to feel pain & sorrow, as we also feel pain & sorrow. Yeshua was the name Mary was instructed to call Him. The word Yeshua refers to salvation & His power to save. Save from what? Save us from making the same mistakes over & over again. He came to save us from willfully sinning (Yes, we have free will. The creator was wise enough to create us uniquely with free will & not as robots). He also came to save us from the power of death & the enemy of our soul.

Mary had her set of challenges raising the King of Glory. Though He was the first born of her womb He was yet a mystery to her. She sorrowed when he was a young teen & she lost sight of Him. "And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. ...  And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them." Luke 2:48 & 50
Mary was a woman born of man as we also are. God chose her to be a mother of the Great King. I was not there in her time so I can not tell you why He chose her; but I believe it had to do with this: "And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." Luke 1:38
She responded in faith & meekness. She trusted that what the angel told her was the will of God & she did not contend or fight against it but meekly accepted it. This must have been a challenge. She was a virgin who was soon to be mysteriously pregnant. That was not a light matter in her time (and should not be in our time either). There would be much shame & false accusation for her to face. But God had ordained this for her; so she chose, by her own free will, to accept it. She bore the humiliation.
We too are faced with challenges in life as mother's, as women. The important & favorable thing for us to do is embrace what God has allowed in our life with meekness. I have been often reminded of meekness. Please refresh yourself with the post I did on meekness by clicking here. Meekness is something we all must earnestly strive to consistently have in our lives. I have had my days of failure; but I do believe practice makes perfect. We can be perfectly whole/complete with God. With God nothing is impossible ( "For with God nothing shall be impossible."-Luke 1:37 ) Many make an excuse for their falling short by saying that no one is perfect. But that is not what the Savior of the world said, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." -Mathew 5:48
  "Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me."-Mathew 19:21
"The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master."-Luke 6:40
"I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."-John 17:23
Notice 3 out of 4 of writers of the Gospels specifically sighted Yeshua telling us, to either be perfect, or that we can be perfect. I point this out
because I believe that if we truly want to be perfect, we will endeavor by our free will, to practice it until we perfect it. Just like people do with non spiritual things: basketball stars & other athletes, amazing surgeons...
This is something people do not want to acknowledge because it makes them without excuse & accountable for their own failure. It really should put the fear of God in us, which is the beginning of wisdom. When we have a holy, clean fear of God we are motivated to labor for that perfection He requires of us. He is not requiring us to make a basket if we are asked to throw a basket ball, He is not requiring us to preform intricate brain surgery where a slip of the hand is life or death. I believe what He desires of us is a sincere & dedicated love. A love that will motivate us to keep laboring to respond without irritation, without fear, with out anger without malice, without selfishness & pride to the daily issues of life. A love that keeps us from being weary in well doing. A love that is perfected by dedicated practice. God have mercy & grant us the perfection of Holiness.
We believe Father, help our unbelief. Father, You are a rewarder of them that diligently seek You.
 "Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger."-Zephaniah 2:3

Mother's, be not weary in well doing. Consider Mary, the Mother most blessed among Mother's, who bore the promised One, raised Him up, & watched Him grow & do miracles, become a man & be stripped, mocked, spit upon & crucified of ignorant men. Follow her example of meekness, humility, trust, faith, hope & unfailing love.



  

Pre New Testament Writting

           

                                   ~ A Good Wife ~

•     Happy is the man that hath a virtuous wife: for the number of his years shall be double.   An honest woman maketh her husband a joyful man, and she shall fill the years of his life in peace.   A virtuous woman is a noble gift, which shall be given for a good portion unto such as fear God:  Whether a man be rich or poor, he may have ever a merry heart, & a cheerful countenance.   

• There be three things that mine heart fears; and for the fourth I was sore afraid: the slander of a city, the gathering together of an unruly multitude, and a false accusation: all these are worse than death. But a grief of heart and sorrow is a woman that is jealous over another woman, and a woman that tells out all things, is a scourge of the tongue. An evil wife is a yoke shaken to and fro: he that hath hold of her is as though he held a scorpion.

•    A drunken woman is a great plague: for she can not cover her own shame.   The whoredom of a woman may be known in the pride of her eyes and eye lids.  

 If thy daughter be  shameless, keep her in straightly, lest she abuse her self through over much liberty.   Beware of all the dishonesty of her eyes, & marvel not if she trespass against you. As a way faring man that is thirsty, when he hath found a well drinks of every water: so will she sit down by every hedge, and make her self common to every man that passes by.  (Another translation reads;

She will sit down before every tent peg And open her quiver to any arrow. {So sadly true this is.}

                          

                                  ~A Blessed Wife~

•   The grace of a wife delights her husband, and her wisdom will fatten his bones. A silent and loving woman is a gift of the Lord; and there is nothing so much worth as a mind well instructed. (another translation reads: A woman of few words is a gift of God: to all nurtured minds may nothing be compared.) An honest and mannerly woman is a gift above other gifts: and there is no scale adequate to weigh a self-controlled soul. 

  Like as the sun when it arises, is an ornament in the high heaven of the Lord: so is a virtuous wife the beauty of all her house.  Like as the clear light is upon the holy candlestick: so is the beauty of the face upon an honest body.   Like as the golden pillars are upon the sockets of silver: so are the fair feet upon a woman that hath a constant mind.  Perpetual are the foundations that be laid upon a whole stony rock: so are the commandments of God upon the heart of an holy woman. ...

                                   ~ Evil vs. Good ~

•    An harlot shall be accounted as spittle; but a married woman is a tower against death to her husband.   A wicked woman is given as a portion to a wicked man: but a godly woman is given to him that fears the Lord.  A dishonest woman contemns shame: {She doesn't discern the blessedness of having a sense of shame; she scorns the idea of feeling shame} but an honest woman will reverence her husband. A shameless woman shall be counted as a dog; but she that is shamefaced will fear the Lord.  A woman that honors her husband shall be judged wise of all; but she that dishonors him in her pride shall be counted ungodly of all.